Jude turns 20 months old...

I'm a big boy now!

Nudie's bed FINALLY arrived after 8 loooong weeks. It was on it's way from Melbourne for 2 whole weeks - clearly by foot! Anyway..., Jude is in his element. He takes himself off to bed at 7.00pm, followed usually by getting back out again and absconding to a section in the house where Dale and I aren't - the benefits of having two access points to his bedroom! Jude is so sneaky, that if he hears our footsteps, he quitely retreats back to his room until we have gone again. Where do they learn these things??

Jude idolises any child that is bigger then he is, and wants to do exactly what they are! This usually means copying a 3 or 4 year old as he is bigger then every 2 year old we have met so far being off the chart for height (>97^th percentile). Whilst we encourage Jude to try anything and everything, we have reached a point where the words ‘no’, or ‘not yet’, or ‘that’s dangerous Jude’ are constantly coming out of our mouths!

‘No Jude you can’t ride that bike as the seat is taller then you are’

‘Not yet darling, chilli is too hot for little boys’

‘Jude balancing on the fence rail is dangerous’

‘No Jude – you must hold daddy’s hand when going down the stairs’

‘Jude, riding Presley is dangerous, not to mention painful for Pressy’

‘No Jude, little boys don’t play superman off the lounge’

‘No Jude, it’s dangerous to climb and dance on the table’

I’m sure you get the picture…..

Did I mention each one of those statement is usually followed by a tantrum – ahhh, the terrible two’s have hit.

Here are some pics of our little boy on the day he turned 20 months old….

Playing outside with his partner in crime, Presley (his tail is in almost every photo!)

This photo makes me laugh - he is such a character!

He is laughing at Presley sneezing!

In his cool fire truck

Our beautiful boy!

Happy 'twenty something' birthday mummy...

Birthday’s are special in our family. My mum and dad always made the biggest effort to make Emma’s and my birthdays memorable. They were full of our favourite events and favourite foods, we had the front seat on the way to school and the day was absent of chores and discipline, (on reflection, it must have been Emma’s birthday everyday – joke Pemmy!)! But, the thing I love most about celebrating birthday’s in the Gibbs household, is that everyone in the family has a fabulous day.…, right down to the dog! We are all involved one way or another which means we got 4 birthday’s every year! And, it is this last wonderful memory, that Dale and I want to create with Jude!

My ‘twenty something’ birthday fell on a Saturday this year which means one thing, Dale had to work - poor Dale : ( So, our lovely friends Rach, Brad, Baby Henry and Beck spoilt Jude and I by taking us out to their beach house at Keppel Sands. We were all off to a slow start after being out for bday cocktails and dinner the night before, however, the 30min drive made us more lively with a Wiggles rendition going on in the back of the car (nice singing Jude)!

We spent the morning having tea and coffee on the back deck, followed by a lovely beach session where the two boys turned it on for the camera. Then it was back to the house where the toddlers had some lunch, and then Brad kindly babysat the boys while they slept, and we had a lovely lunch at the nearby café. When we arrived home, daddy had decorated the house in pink balloons which Jude (and mummy for that matter) thought were amazing! There were two cakes, lots of chocolate, some happy birthday songs, dancing and lots of kisses and cuddles from Jude and Dale.

An amazing day, can’t wait for the next one….., Dale turns 35!!

Morning tea on the back deck - bday cupcakes from Rach!

Walking a marathon through the water - I was feeling my age!

My gorgeous boy turning it on for the camera!

Making some sandcastles

Getting very dirty!

Hot date with Jude...

With daddy working this weekend, Jude asked me to take him out for coffee on Saturday morning. What a fine suggestion Jude! Here are some snaps of our lovely morning together...

'Mummy, can I please go out for coffee?'

Shot gun!

In control!

He could do this all day!

Quick stop at the pet shop to have a look at all the animals

Ahhh, the child entertainer....

'Ta' - that was what he was saying. Who taught him to eat sugar?

Mum and dad...., remind you of someone?

The best bit!

Oh yeah!

Take'n it all in...

All done!

Morning music session...

This is something Jude does at least once a week, so, with the camera back in action, I thought I would capture it for the blog...., if only there was sound!!

This particular morning, it was a session on the drums (shhhh, don't tell dad as this one is his!). His Grandma and Grandad are supposidly going to encourage Jude to play the drums when he is older. I think this practice might happen at THEIR place!!!

Measure me up...

One big cheeky chop

Two words, GROWTH SPURT! And here is the proof...

19 months old

Anthro:

Weight - 14kg (50-75th percentile)

Height - 88cm (97th percentile)

Shoe size - 6 or 25

Clothing - Some size 2's, some size 3's, or 24 months

Development:

Jude said two words together....., 'no more'! I was quite impressed with this as it is not something Dale and I say to him. He figured that out all by himself - yeah!

Climbing, climbing, climbing!

Can't keep up with the words now. Your better off asking me if he can say it!

Jude can point to all body parts when asked, but can only say eye, nose, hair, toes, leggy and teeth (his pronounciation of course)

His favourite book is Saturday Night Shaun (from Shaun the Sheep)

His favourite DVD is one from In The Night Garden

His favourite soft toy(s) are the Ratties that Bron gave him, and the Lion that Aunty Nat gave him

His favourite play toy is his car that mum and dad gave him for Christmas

He loves Italian food at dinners, is enjoying the odd Easter Egg at the moment, and had his first chuppa chump after his 18mth immunisation. Oh, he also loves anything mummy or daddy are eating and polishes it off. I thought it was suppose to be the other way around??

Jude now hates blueberries, being told 'no', and crys when Igglepiggle sails away in his boat (from In The Night Garden for all those unfamiliar).

All in all, he is a happy, healthy (excluding all the temperatures, coughs, colds etc from care) boy with all the energy in the world put mainly to use in the form of mischief with a cute grin on his face!! Love him to bits!

The life of a 19 months old...

A hot Autumn day in Rocky on the front deck

Our BIG 'little' boy

Jude’s little life is a busy one. He makes me tired just thinking of everything he gets up to!! Jude has more social events then Dale and I put together. Life is full, no wonder he sleeps 12 hours a night, and 2 hours most days!!

The last month has been spent hosting baby Aksel and his parents, Michelle and Simon for a weekend. Whilst June didn’t really enjoy Aksel following him around everywhere and using his toys (that will have to change Jude!), there were lots of kisses and cuddles given and received over the long weekend.

There has been a little bit of sickness (colds, chest infections, lots of temperatures and possible even a flu), which we have resided to believe this is a given when you go to care 3 days a week. But, the biggest drama this month was our first major accident. Jude must have missed a step on the climbing castle at care and went tumbling down and put his tooth through his lip. I received the call and was there within 3 mins (benefit of Rocky) to find my little boy covered from head to toe in blood, very upset, with a crowd of staff surrounding him wanting to dish out cuddles. Heart breaking! But, after a verse of twinkle twinkle little star, cuddles from mum, and two ice blocks later all that was left to worry about was the St Patrick’s Day party and the olives that had Jude’s name written all over them.

Man, it must have hurt though as the bruising that came out over the next few days was horrible! Thankfully it was all internal, and his teeth were ok. The director couldn't believe how calm I was. Possibly due to the fact that I thought I would have already had the first trip to A&E by now – thankfully not that day, and hopefully not in the near future – touch wood!

This is a common pose, had to capture it. No questioning it, he is a boy : )

His favourite toy at the moment!

Hello little person...

My name is 'uuuuudie'

Dale and I find ourselves talking to Jude now as though he is a real little boy. And it only just recently dawned on me that it's because he understands most of what we say. Amazing. And it is as though it just happened over night!!

We think he is amazing, smart and gorgeous, as does every parent I'm sure, however, we are now entering perhaps the.... challenging? period where our little boy is testing us like never before! Here comes the reality!! There are the smacks and disciplining we receive from Jude, the throwing of food, or not eating altoghether, taking off his nappy and weeing over the side of his cot (that was a nice one), hiding, running away when it is bed time, yelling at the supermarket or shops when he doesn't want to sit quietly (ha - quiet??), going as stiff as a board to go into the car seat, slinking when he doesn't want to be picked up, climbing on tables, beds, chairs, and into the bath....., the list goes on! Just when you think you have this parenting thing under control, enter the terrible two's. Although I am thinking the name, 'terrible two's' is a big fat lie (and it starts much earlier), just like 'morning sickness' - rather, ALL DAY sickness!

So....., since the last blog update, we have been busy issuing 'timeout', and taps on the hand of which the response from Jude, laughter. Ahhhhh, patience, patience, patience. It seems no matter what we do, raise our voice, send him to his room, ignore the behaviour, praise positive behaviour, he is going to test his boundries the way Jude wants to. And to make it worse, he is still our little boy who we believe is amazing, smart and gorgeous. And so we are challenged....

I was getting a mouthful for touching the mower!

(You can see his split lip, well, the lump, on his left)

Someone needs a haircut!

(You can see his split lip, well, the lump, on his left)

Bathtime with Aksel (thank you for the visit guys!)

Surviving his first 'boys weekend' with his dad!