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my funny baby

I can't believe how quickly my little guy is growing. He is such a ball of energy now. We spend most of his waking hours watching him zoom from place to place. He has learned to roll off all the toilet paper and open and slam cabinets.
He can also walk all over the house with his little walking toy. He knows how to steer it and turn when he runs out of room. Although I love watching him grow and learn, I really wish he could have stayed a baby for a while longer.

fabulous fall

Jax is 9 months old and more fun than ever! At his 9 month check up he was 28 inches and 18 pounds. He's a little small, but otherwise perfectly healthy. He has one tooth, which just showed up. He didn't really have any teething symptoms so hopefully the rest come in just as easily. He eats all kinds of things now. He loves tofu and berries. Some doctors said not to do berries until age 1 and others said go for it. So I went for it and he hasn't had any adverse reactions so all's well that ends well. He can crawl at lightning speed, cruise around the furniture, stand without holding on for a few seconds, and climb the stairs. That's right, he climbed up two stairs and then fell down yesterday. We already have 3 baby gates, but I guess we'll be adding a 4th. He also enjoys climbing over the protector we built for our fireplace and just hanging out on the hearth. I don't think we'll be building many fires this year.

We took him to a pumpkin patch last weekend. We went on a hayride and he just stared at the tractor the entire time. I don't think he quite knew what it was. I only had one objective for this trip- to buy a pumpkin big enough for Jackson to fit in. I found just the pumpkin and the results are below.After I took Jax out of the pumpkin I carved this Yoda!

2 Weeks (mostly) Meat Free

We have been living the meat free life for 2 weeks now. The first week I did eat two lunch meat sandwiches because I did not want to waste the $7 I spent on organic lunch meat! Other than that all of our weekday meals were meat free. We went to a football game on Saturday and I had a chicken salad sandwich for lunch, but I think that was the only meat we ate that weekend. Here are our meals for the past two weeks:

Dinners:
Cheese Ravioli with vegetables
"lasagna" made with polenta, ToFurky Italian sausage, marinara sauce, zucchini, red peppers, and cheese
Cheese tortellini with spinach and fake chicken
Jason's Deli Veggie Muffelata
Veggie Fajitas at a restaurant
TVP stoganoff
Stir fry with rice
Stuffed portabella mushrooms

Lunches:
baked potato with vegetarian chilli and cheese
leftovers from dinner
veggie burger with cheese
Keith takes a peanut butter and jelly every day

Breakfast:
oatmeal with flax, cinnamon, and blueberries
egg and cheese biscuit (why does there have to be a McDonald's across the street from work)
Luna bar

It's been going well so far. I like to cook and it has been pretty easy to substitute out the meat in our dinners. We didn't really eat that much to begin with so it hasn't been a hard change. All of my recipes have turned out fine using soy milk. We are still using regular cheese because I just like it better than the substitutes.

We had Chic Fil A chicken biscuits today but we're sticking to meatless lunch and dinner. I'm going to try out veggie sausage for biscuits and gravy tomorrow. Can you tell we eat Fatty McFatterton breakfasts on the weekend?

Just hanging out

Jackson is obsessed with the dishwasher. He hears it open and comes crawling as fast as he can every time. Tonight, instead of just standing and swatting at the dishes and pulling out the rack like he usually does, he climbed all the way in! I'm sure that the appropriate parenting response would have been to pull him out. Instead I said, "Keith don't let him fall, I'm going to get the camera."

Meat Free

Another big event at our house is that we are no longer eating meat. I have several friends who are vegetarian so we have already been eating 2 or 3 meatless dinners per week. We recently watched a documentary called "Forks over Knives" and that helped us decide to go meat free. We are not going to eat meat through the week. We do like to go out on weekend nights so if we see a yummy looking meat free dish, we'll have it. If we don't then we'll eat meat. Weekends are also usually when we go to friends' houses so unless it's already a meat free house, we're not expecting anyone to go out of their way for us.

This decision has nothing to do with morality. I grew up on a farm. I had pet rabbits and watched my dad skin them for dinner, we had chickens that we ate, we had cows and pigs, I learned early that the purpose of these animals was to feed our family and I never felt sad when they died. It just seemed like part of life. My dad always hunted when I was little. It may make me seem mean but truthfully I don't worry myself much over the treatment of farm animals. I also think dogs and cats should live outside, but my husband (and most people) disagree so we have indoor dogs. But that's another rant...

This decision does have everything to do with health. The documentary we watched, as well as other information I have read, warned of the dangers of the Western Diet. We eat far more meat than any other industrialized nation and have far more health problems. I know a lot of people argue that anything in moderation is fine, but I don't think we even know what moderation means anymore.

I'll update in a few months to let everyone know how the (mostly) meat free life is going!

my dream's come true

It's been hectic around the Boddie house. Jackson is a busy little bee now that he can crawl so by the time he's in bed I'm usually too exhausted for blogging. But I have a few minutes so I wanted to share one of the greatest moments in my life: I washed an elephant!


When I was a little girl I saw some kids give an elephant a bath on Sesame Street. The song "splish splash, I was taking a bath" was playing and the kids were using giant deck brooms to clean the elephant. Since that day I have loved elephants and have always wanted to wash one. Since I live in Georgia and not on the African plains I thought that this was a dream that would never be realized, however my husband found a program at the Atlanta Zoo that said "don't miss your chance to bathe an elephant". So for my 30th birthday I became a keeper for a day at the zoo. I got to clean up elephant poop, put out their food, feed an elephant from my hands, hold a canvas while an elephant painted it, and give an elephant a bath. It was a wonderful day. I loved every second of it and when I retire I might become an elephant washer instead of a greeter at Wal Mart.

Meet Mr. Neb

Mr. Neb is our new nebulizer. Monday was my first day back at work. Keith was going to feed Jackson and take him to daycare. When I got him up and dressed I noticed that he was wheezing but I just thought it was from the cold he had for a few days. I guess it got worse after I left, because Keith called me and said Jackson was having an asthma attack and couldn't breathe. Of course I freaked out and started crying. I found my principal and she could tell that something was wrong. I explained the situation and she let me leave work. We took Jackson to his pediatrician who told us that he could probably continue breathing that way for a few days before he would just get tired and go in to respiratory arrest. That is information we could have done without. My dad came down to watch Jackson so he wouldn't have to go to daycare with the breathing machine.

My dad left on Saturday morning and Jackson is doing much better. We didn't have to do any breathing treatments today and he is back to his normal happy self. I am so thankful that my baby is okay. This week was so stressful.

An object in motion...........

It's true an object in motion stays in motion until it is acted upon by a force, that object is now my son and the force is usually me trying to redirect him. Jackson started crawling last night and has been practicing all day.

Who did he crawl to first, you might wonder. Was it his Mama or his Daddy? Neither. It was his Aunt Candace! Keith and I have been dangling toys, laying on the floor, and practically standing on our heads to get him to crawl for the last few weeks. All we have gotten is a big smile and a baby rocking back and forth on his hands and knees. Yesterday the Beachum family came over for dinner and Candace laid down on the floor in front of Jackson and called him and he came right over. He just crawled like it was no big deal. I couldn't believe it. I guess he's a typical kid, showing off for aunts and uncles instead of mom and dad!

Here's a video taken this morning:

random stuff

When Jackson hit the 6 month mark I think I finally felt like my old self. It really took that long for the fog to lift and to be recognizable as my self. I finally felt like exercising again and have been doing this dreaded DVD from pre-pregnancy:

I still don't look like Jillian, but at least my size 4 jeans are fitting again with only a slight muffin top.

Last week I made some fun little onesies for Jackson. I found a technique using freezer paper as a stencil and had a fun crafting afternoon with my friend Kristen (mom of twins).


This week I had jury duty. On Monday I had to report at 8am. I didn't get to leave until 3pm. Luckily they didn't select me to be on the jury but I still have to call in every night to see if I have to report. I saw some interesting people in the jury assembly room. The most notable was a former gang member who, when asked if he had ever been threatened with a weapon, responded that he had brass knuckles, bats, guns, and knives pulled on him in his banging days. He did not get selected either. I also found it puzzling that in a room of 300 chairs and 250 people some people chose to sit in the aisle seat in rows of 12 chairs and then had the nerve to be annoyed as people filed past them. Common sense would dictate that since we all have to be here all day one should either move all the way down or accept that others will have to cross over you.

And finally the most exciting news of the week: I saw Britney Spears in concert on Sunday.
It was a great show and I had decent seats. I know that it is embarrassing that I'm almost 30 and still attended this show but I've seen all the other tours and even with her craziness I still love Britney. I feel sorry for her and can admit she's really not a good singer, but I still love her. I was really appalled by the opening act, though. I have never heard of Nicki Minaj and probably for good reason; all of her songs are terrible. I couldn't understand the words and what I did understand were cuss words. It really hit me that I was the old lady at the concert when all the teenagers were singing along to these terrible, offensive songs and I was just standing there in horror waiting for Britney to come on.

practicing

I downloaded some free photo editing software today and then did a quick photo shoot with Jackson. I think if I keep practicing I might get some good pictures! Maybe then I'll even spend some money on a better program.............


Checking out the ceiling fan
He still needs some work on sitting up by himself
recovering from a tumble
If he flaps his arms he won't fall down
one of my favorite shots

this one shows off his eyelashes, he has mascara commercial eyelashesmy favorite shot, I think

1/2 a year

It's hard to believe that my baby is 6 months old already. It seems like we just brought him home. He is getting so big and changing so quickly now. He can scoot around in reverse anywhere he wants to go. He can roll over front to back and vice versa. He eats cereal and fruit in the morning, fruit and vegetables at lunch, and cereal and vegetables at night. We are constantly entertained by the conversations he holds with us, his toys, the dogs, or himself.



We took him to the lake a few weekends ago and he loves swimming in his life jacket. He was just hanging out wearing his shades and kicking in the water.

At his appointment yesterday he weighed 16.7 pounds and was 27 inches long. He grew 2 inches in 2 months and gained a little over 2 pounds. He is right on track with his milestones but still has no teeth and is not showing signs that any are going to pop through immediately. He loves to chew and bite things but the doctor said his gums are not swollen yet so we have a few weeks. I am thankful for each day without teeth, as I'm still nursing :)

you don't know what you got till it's gone

Last week I visited family and friends in Illinois. (I'll post the logistics in a another post) I am very glad that I left Southern Illinois after high school because for many reasons. I have learned that not all stop lights flash after 10pm. I have tasted foods from all over the globe and regularly eat at restaurants without a single fried item on the menu. I attended an amazing college, found a job I love, and met my wonderful husband. All in all, moving away was one of the best decisions I have made.

That said, there are many things I miss about small town life that I don't realize until I visit.
1. I don't know my neighbors. I live on a dead end street with 10-15 houses on it and I don't know the first names of more than my immediate next door neighbors. While we were in Illinois, we visited the lady who used to take care of me when I was little. She updated my dad on pretty much everyone who lived in his small hometown as well as the last three families who lived in the house we moved out of when I was 4.
2. Never meeting a stranger. In So. Il. chances are everyone you meet knows someone you are related to and even if they don't they're sure to call you hon and might even invite you over for supper if you talk long enough. Living in Georgia most people do have that famous "southern hospitality" but it's just not the same as that small town Southern Illinois friendliness.
3. Nature. When I got home Keith and I went out for ice cream and there was a rabbit in the yard of the house at the end of our street and Keith stopped to look at it. It was just an ordinary brown rabbit that I didn't give a second thought to but he was intrigued. It makes me a little sad that Jackson won't grow up surrounded by cows, horses, deer, rabbits, and the occasional pig or goat. He'll be able to visit some pretty neat petting farms, zoos, and aquariums but he will miss seeing these creatures in their natural, wild states.

One thing I don't miss but feel a little sad that Jackson won't experience: following a tractor down a regular street in the middle of the day.

While we were there we had a great time visiting old friends and family. Here are a few shots of our visits.

Meeting Mama's friends Melissa and Grace and their babies.

Lauren and Jackson really hit it off!

Mama's childhood babysitter's daughter and grandkids

Mama's childhood babysitter, Wanda

Nana and Aidan

do I have something on my face?

Tonight we tried carrots. Jax liked them better than the avocados. So we have a 50/50 success rate with the veggies we have tried. Well technically avocado is a fruit but who's counting?

Jackson loves trying to help me with feedings. He grabs the spoon and shoves it toward his mouth. So of course food gets everywhere, all over me, the table, the baby, there's probably even some on the dog. Jax finds that the spilled food makes and excellent foot lotion!

School's out!

Today was my last day of work until August 1st! I'm so excited to have some fun summer adventures with the littlest Boddie. This weekend we tried out his little splash pool. He was not a huge fan of the cold water but once I put his Bumbo chair in the water he loved it.


He also turned 5 months old on Saturday. He is getting so big. He makes tons of noises now. He has started screaming and squealing like a little monkey and also blowing raspberries. He can roll from back to tummy and vice versa but he prefers not too, I guess he's a lazy boy. He loves TV, it's depressing how much he loves to watch it but I do take advantage of his love with the occasional Baby Einstein to get things done. He still loves his bath and especially loves to drink bath water.


We started solid foods last weekend. He has been eating the cereal really well so I decided to add in a new food this weekend. I tried avocado because my baby food book said it was a good first food. He is not too sure about it but has eaten a little more of it each time I offered it. Since I am a giant nerd, I am super excited to make different baby foods and try them out this summer.

And finally, we are heading to Illinois next week to meet some family and friends that haven't had the chance to meet Jackson yet. 7 hours alone with a baby in a car will be interesting!

A few quick notes

I can't believe how quickly Jackson grows and changes. He is fascinated with the TV currently. Any time the TV is on he finds a way to watch it. He'll crane his neck all the way around if he needs to in order to see it.


In other news, he has survived his first bout with food poisoning. I'm pretty sure I got food poisoning from some tuna I ordered on Friday night. I didn't realize it until around 11am on Saturday when I had already breastfed Jackson several times. I couldn't eat anything without throwing up and my poor boy had some terrible diapers, one of which leaked down his legs onto the living room carpet. Keith had to shampoo the carpets while Jackson and I took a nap. I stopped nursing him and fed him previously pumped milk and pumped and dumped milk yesterday. Thankfully we are both fine today.

It was a cool day here so we took a little family trip to the Buford dam. We walked around along the river and around the dam. It was a fun little adventure. We even saw some goats and a donkey. Jackson seemed to enjoy the fresh air and new surroundings.

I only have 11 more days to work then I get to spend the summer with my sweet boy. Hopefully we'll have lots of adventures to post about!