Julian's Blueprint: 12 months

We are thick in the middle of party season over here, and this little man turning ONE is baby of the hour. The first birthday is in so many ways a milestone for the whole family, baby and parents and siblings alike. There are parts of this past year that are a total blurrrrr. But we made it and this happy face and perfect heart could never be replaced. At 12 months Julian has 8 teeth and is eating most foods. Even if he can't quite chew it up yet, he gets upset if I don't at least give him a try of whatever big sister Bee is eating. He's a petite little guy and I'm working overtime to keep his weight up. I'm thinking we might have some success with leftover birthday cake.
Julian is cruising around furniture and walls and loves to be upright. He will walk from room to room while holding our hands and always beams so bright when given the chance to walk side by side with Phoebes. She can simultaneously be his biggest cheerleader and his greatest threat. This little boy loves to be outside, always has, and will put up a big dramatic fuss when I bring him in. Pushing his lawnmower around the grass, big thrills on the mini roller coaster, and underdogs on the tree swing are daily afternoon requirements. Julian is attracted to anything with a wheel on it and even though he can't walk yet he will sit and wrestle with Bee's balance bike on the grass for what seems like forever. Whether it's dad's bike or Phoebe's scooter or mom's car or the loud lawnmower, he thinks is awesome if it can move. Julian is our water boy! He loves the water and uses any opportunity he can to splash mom. Washing his hands at the sink can turn into a shower for the whole kitchen if I'm not careful. Sometimes he is so excited to get into the tub he will try to throw himself in fully clothed. Hopefully we can get him some pool time this summer.
Julian is not a big fan of the vacuum, something he learned from Phoebe, even though to my knowledge it has never turned on and eaten them up all on its own. He also hates having his face wiped and being buckled into his car seat. But other than that, I can count on him to go with the flow of a weird day, be super chill when sister steals the show, and extra forgiving when we push his nap time. Julian has the most sensitive soul. When I'm upset at Phoebe or need to be firm with him about chewing on chords he will tear up and reach for me to snuggle. He is always hugging his animals sweetly and blowing kisses to strangers. He likes to hook his arm around my neck and my favorite is when he holds my face with both hands and kisses me. What a love. What a year! What a boy. What a lucky family we are to have him as our own.

Julian's Blueprint: 11 months

Our little buddy is 11 months old today. Julian is all heart, all the time. Such great passion stuffed in that little body. Kisses, loves, hugs, pats, and smiles all day long. If he's sad while driving in the car, dad will reach back and offer a hand to hold. It works every time and quiets him down as he holds a friendly finger. When he gets hurt Julian heads straight for momma in need of a love and kiss before venturing bravely back into the wild. I can't lie, it feels amazing to be that special someone for him that can make those little bonks all better. Julian is nursing every morning and night and we both love the snuggle time. He likes to rub my neck and face while eating and is always finding a place to fish his hands. Julian has finally mastered the hand-and-foot crawl and is super fast and super stoked on this advancement in getting around.
He is starting to flex his muscle with Phoebe which means he will scream if she takes his toy or doesn't share her toy. The two of them have their spats throughout the day, but it's pretty obvious the admiration they have for one another. Julian could watch her all day, just studying her every move, amazed at all the cool and seemingly hilarious things she can do and the ways she can push moms buttons. They are totally bored without each other when the other one is napping. He loves music but even without it he bounces constantly and especially while perched on moms hip.
He is the messiest eater and I absolutely dread mealtime because of the giant mess it involves. Sometimes I take their highchairs to the backyard and let the birds deal with it. I don't know if food actually makes it in his mouth because it seems that I mop most of it out of his hair or off the floor. He loves bananas and eats a whole one by himself each morning. If I don't give him the banana first he bounces in his chair until I hand it over. He is gradually becoming a better and more consistent eater and sometimes surprises us by shoving fist fulls of veggies in those cheeks.
But, oh, is he handsome. I'm telling you, those eyes...good night moon. And he has this sneaky smile when he tilts his head to the side when caught doing something like, "but mom, I love to chew on electrical chords so can't you just let this one slide?" It makes us chuckle, but in a "good thing you are so cute" sort of way. His trouble spots around the house always have to do with chords of any kind. The baby proofing never ends.
Julian. Juju. Jubbers. Jubber Bubbers. The nick-names never stop for him and he answers to all of them, especially "Juge" or "Jubs" from Phoebe who shortens them all on her own. I find myself feeling constantly grateful for him being such a content and happy baby. We've come a long way from those newborn days. Our little Jules is such a joy, such a pill, such a love. And frankly, we wouldn't want him any other way.

Julian's Blueprint: 10 months

Wow. So much can change in just a month and this last month Julian has learned many new tricks and is suddenly such a big boy. First, Julian started sleeping through the night which has been a total game changer for the whole household, especially mom. And in basically the same week he decided that eating solid foods was a w e s o m e and now, selectively, eats what I put in front of him. He won't eat anything from a spoon, except maybe yogurt, but is eager to feed himself with his own hands. He also takes hand-outs from Bee from the next high-chair over. He loves bananas, but those little suckers can be so tricky to pick up!
We like to have dance parties over here at least once a day, and Julian has picked up on some pretty sweet moves. The "bobble head" move that he loves has now been upgraded to the "dancing bobble head" and every time music comes on he starts bobbling that head back and forth and bouncing his whole body. It's unbelievably adorable. Julian also starting waving hello and bye-bye and greets Daddy with an enthusiastic double-handed wave every night. He and Bee will sit in their high-chairs and wave to each other like long lost friends reunited at last. Julian loves to mimic pretty much anything Bee does and has learned to clap and blow kisses from her expert example. I love seeing him blow kisses to family and friends. I also love it when he pulls my face into his slobbery mouth for a big wet kiss. He won't always want to kiss his mom like this, so I savor each and every one.
Julian is still master of the "worm crawl" and even though he can crawl on hand and knees, he seems to prefer this other method. Indeed, he is pretty fast so I know it's not holding him back. He has started pulling himself to a stand on all furniture and is loving the new world he can explore while on his feet. He is starting to venture out from mom's shadow to explore on his own. Julian loves to just play! He will hunker down in front of the toy baskets and pull out each toy one by one. On a lucky day this will keep him occupied for enough time for mom to put Bee down for a nap. He loves to play downstairs in the playroom and busies himself with everything within reach.
Our little bug loves to snuggle and is beginning to love reading books (not just eating them) which makes bedtime really sweet. Julian loves his binky and has really taken to his soft giraffe to snuggle at night. His favorite toys are remote controls, kitchen tools, and whatever Phoebe is holding at the moment. His  hair is getting long, but mom can't bring herself to cut it just yet. Julian is taking two naps each day, unless we need to leave the house for an outing to the zoo or the grocery store, in which case he's pretty good to hold off. His easy-going roll-with-the-punches personality is such a blessing. But when we've reached his limit, he'll let momma know. This is such a fun stage and we are eating up his baby cuteness and blooming personality knowing full well that if we blink he'll soon be walking. And running. And climbing. Oh my. Julian, you make everything in this world better! We love you.

Julian's Blueprint: 9 months

This little big guy is 9 months already and the life of our party at home. We love him so much. When he's excited he kicks his legs straight out in unison over and over like he's swimming and trying to keep afloat. He has found the volume button on his voice and will squawk reeeeeally loudly until he captures our full attention. He will usually calm right down if you offer a hand for holding or give him a big smile that lets him know you are right there. He's a bouncy guy, always jumping and bouncing in his high chair or anywhere, always moving those arms and legs. His bobble head is always bobbing back and forth. Speaking of moving, Julian is now doing a sort of a worm push-up crawl to launch himself forward and around. He's surprisingly fast, too! He has started investigating every nook and cranny of the house and can follow us from room to room to stay involved where the action is happening.
Julian loves to snuggle and can easily melt hearts by putting his head on your shoulder. When he wants to be held he will crawl to your feet and nuzzle his head into your shins or pat your feet with his hands. And when you finally pick him up he will give you nice pats on the back, as if to say "thanks dad!" or "you're doing a great job, mom!" I love receiving those little love pats every time I pick him up. He has such a sweet, soft and gentle side, this boy.
Julian loves his binky and can put it in his mouth all on his own now. This small and simple act saves mom and dad a lot of trips in to the nursery during the night. For bedtime, Mom nurses him to sleep while big sister and dad read books quietly in the other room. But sometimes he's not so sleepy and he and Bee giggle and chat themselves to sleep. Julian has almost slept through the night once or twice and mom is crossing her fingers that this becomes the new nightly norm.
This baby boy is certainly beautiful! His big blue eyes always attract comments when we are out in public and that full head of hair brings him a lot of attention too. I don't know if I'll ever be able to cut it ;). Julian would rather do pretty much anything other than be dressed. Getting clothes on this kid is like wrestling a piglet these days and he lets us know that he is not at all pleased with the situation. Gone are the days when he would lay still and play with an object while we change his diaper.
Julian has 4 teeth to date. However, he's still not a hug fan of eating solid foods. We are seeing some slight progress, but so far it's only a fluke when I get him to open up for a spoon. He does much better with tiny bits of whatever we are eating that he can feed himself. Julian is interested in balls and anything that moves, and music and rhythm. He loves peek-a-boo, splashing in the tub, swinging in the backyard, and being tickled by big sister on stroller rides. Julian is full of passion and puts his heart into everything he does. We couldn't be more proud to have him as our own.

Julian's Blueprint: 8 months

This handsome guy is now 8 months old, and forever charming. He will smile at anyone, anytime. Teething continues to rock his world, day and night. His first top tooth is so very very close to breaking through, we can see the white ridges. Along with teething comes drool, buckets and buckets of drool, which make his big kisses all the better. It's hard to turn down a wet kiss from this handsome face, even if it leaves you hankering for a towel afterwards. He is getting super strong and you can tell he's thinking about how to move those limbs around in just the right order. He's pretty good at pushing himself backwards until he is trapped under the couch or crib or up against a wall. Any minute now he will figure out how to propel that body forward and then off to college. Eek! Slow down, littleman.
Julian had his first ear infection this month which was heartbreaking for us all. Mom could tell he wasn't feeling himself on Sunday morning and by Sunday evening we were pretty sure something was terribly wrong. Sure enough, double raging ear infections. It was so sad, but the antibiotics kicked in and within a couple days and he was back to his happy self. We are crossing our fingers that he doesn't have any more colds this season that would invite other ear-aches.
My guy is super ticklish, all over his little chubby body. It's the best to run your fingers up his sides and watch him explode into a burst of giggles. The bottoms of his feet are especially ticklish as well. Imagine the torture we can inflict when he's sitting in his highchair! Phoebe likes to share in the fun and will say "Phoebe's turn!" when she wants to be tickled and then "Juju's turn" when she's had enough. No wonder mealtime is such a giant mess with all the nonsense going on. Julian has started self-feeding with rice puffs and mum-mum crackers. But still doesn't want much to do with pureed foods on a spoon. We have to trick him into taking bites when he opens his mouth to laugh at Bee.
Julian is developing his own signature mannerisms, like rubbing the back of his hand across his forehead when he's tired, or crossing his feet and hands when he's relaxed. He loves to watch the dynamics of the family all together, and we can tell he is taking notes on who does what and when.
We mostly call him Juju, taking Bee's lead on the nickname front. She has been saying Juju since the day we brought him home from the hospital and it's the nickname that sticks the most. It's a happy nickname and fits his personality well. But we also call him Jub Jub Bird (stolen from the poem The Jabberwocky) and that has morphed into Jubbers, which perhaps is a combination of "chubby" and "jub jub?" Who knows. Mr. Guy, Big Guy, 'Lil Bro, and Brother Bear also make their rounds, but no matter what we call him we are especially glad we get to keep this little love around.

Julian's Blueprint: 7 months

Mr. Juju has marked some big milestones during this past month. One being that he cut his first two teeth on the bottom back to back. Oh, it was painful for him, we could tell as it would keep him awake at night and where he needed to be held and comforted much of the day. Poor kid! To top it off we've had plenty of winter sickness, colds, coughs, and stuffy noses this season. It seems we've just passed around the same bugs one to one another and Julian has had his fair share. In between teething and being sick Julian has decided that eating solids foods is just not for him. He refuses pretty much anything delivered on a spoon. All we can do is be patient and let him work into eating at his own pace. But mom is grateful for his continued interest in breastfeeding, too.
Our favorite Juju move is the "bobble head" where he shakes his head back and forth JUST like a bobble head figurine. It's a crack up and a clear sign that he's in a playful mood. This kid loves to bounce. In his highchair, on your lap, even while nursing he's often bouncing in my arms. He loves his bouncy chair and most often it can buy mom a 10 minute break while putting big sister down for a nap. Julian spends much of his time on the floor doing push-ups and planking. He will push-up with all the gusto within him and hold his plank for as long as he can, then relax back down onto his belly and swim with his arms and kick with his feet until he regains his strength for the next round. He pumps his fists up and down with his arms straight out from his body, and dad says its like he's driving a motorcycle. Gosh, he is so much fun. 
Julian has started lunging in for big slobbery open mouth kisses. There is nothing better in this world! He has an infectious smile, the softest skin, and a gorgeous head of hair that makes the most adorable messy bedhead in the morning. He beams when somebody picks him up and will wrap his hands around your neck tightly (be careful... he will get your hair too). We are lucky to have this bright-eyed beautiful baby boy in our family. He completes us (for now :).

Julian's Blueprint: 6 Months

Is this not the sweetest baby face? Our littleman Julian has reached his half birthday already. Already?! It couldn't possibly be 6 whole months since he came into our family, but somehow the months are ticking over quicker than I can catch them. Juju is a really good-natured baby and is happy and playful for most of the day. At 6 months he can roll around and scoot about, but mostly prefers to lay on his back and play with his feet. He takes a hold of them, one in each hand, and "drives" them all over town - up and down, side to side - with such skill and tenacity! The brilliant look on his face shows that he knows he is pretty darn good at it, too. It might just be my favorite thing in the whole entire world.  
Julian has suddenly grown up over night. Now that he is sitting upright on his own, he just feels like a big kid. He's catching Bee so quickly, any day now we will be chasing both of them. But for now, I'm savoring this interactive yet immobile stage where he sits in one spot with perfect posture happily investigating the toys within his own reach and taking in the world from his newly vertical vantage point.
Juju loves to blow bubbles, suck on his bottom lip, and bounce when he's excited. But most of all he loves to laugh at Bee's antics. Throughout the day I catch him smiling at her with such uncommon admiration. He is constantly craning his neck around my shoulders to see what she's up to down below. We love witnessing their sibling bond taking hold. Daddy is still the one who can get him laughing the hardest and the two of them have the cutest father-son report. When Brad is holding him, Julian perks up and looks ready for an adventure! He shows a strong resemblance to his Uncle Tom, says everyone, and also to my Uncle Russell, says my mom. Oh boy, he is surely handsome in his own right, though!
And lastly, Julian is a momma's boy. I simply cannot get enough of his cuddles, when he softly leans into me and wants to connect. He is still waking to nurse at least once during the night and a little piece of me cherishes the quiet and still that comes during that time together. His little snuggles throughout my day absolutely sustain me. He watches me intently as I busy myself with small jobs while big sister is sleeping. He will always return a smile, he can't help it, he's just a happy guy! He gets sad when I leave the room, and I often wonder if there is anything more you could ever ask of another human being? We love you Julian.

Epicenter

Standing behind her high chair I twist the top square of Phoebe's medium blond hair through an elastic while she is momentarily distracted by licking peanut butter off apple slices. I have about 4 seconds to secure this elastic before it becomes a wrestling match. She is serenading our little threesome with a new song the world has never heard and may never hear again. I'm in love with her nonsensical babble. The southern sun is pouring through my kitchen windows warmly as it does everyday during lunchtime. Julian is perched in his hand-me-down pink bumbo seat on our kitchen table watching intently and cooing at us while chewing on his bib, which is soaked clear through with his own spit up. In fact, a pool of spit up has begun flooding the table below his feet. It's disgusting, actually. He is so handsome. He catches me looking at him and jerks his hands excitedly up to his face squealing in delight. This is it. The epicenter of my day. The moment where my heart raps against my ribcage because the love I have for these two babies is so powerful, so genuine it takes me out for a brief second. It's the moment that makes the difficult hours preceding and the difficult hours ahead not only bearable but absolutely worth it.

Juju's Blueprint: 4 months

Little brother is now 4 months old and is simply the happiest baby. There is nothing better than a baby's laugh and Julian has the most ridiculously cute laugh we've ever heard. He beams when you just look at him; it's as though he can't help but nearly burst. His whole body smiles with him! Knock on wood, but it seems like we are making some big improvements with sleeping right at 4 months. Which is a good thing, because yowzers this past month has been a leeeetle rough. Julian regressed back to waking 2-5 times each night with lots of trouble falling back to sleep. Rough nights for Julian translate to rough days for mom (and even dad!). Sleeping during the day can be non-existent as he prefers 20 minute power naps. Note: this does NOT work for mom. Juju has found his voice and has the loudest squeals. Once he gets going, there is no stopping him. He will squawk until his voice is horse. He is so close to rolling over, any day now he will flip that chubby little body right over. He loves to sit in the bumbo and watch Bee throw food around or mom busying about the kitchen. We've got sphincter problems, big time! Boy can't hold his liquor milk. This picture is a perfect representation. We changed into this onsie literally 1 minute before his photo shoot thinking that if we acted quick it would remain clean for the picture. We won't be that sad to have him grow out of this. The amount of laundry this kid generates alone is absurd for such a little guy. Juju loves to hold toys and almost can't believe his luck when he shoves it in his mouth. He is growing so fast, if only we didn't have to blink so we wouldn't miss it. Momma's back aches from rocking him. Daddy's arms are sore from swinging him. We are all tired. And yet, he is worth it all. I mean, look at that smile!

Juju's Blueprint: 3 months

Our little buddy is 3 months old today. This kid. I tell you. He is a rascal. But boy oh boy does he have his momma's heart. Every time we *think* we have him figured out, he throws us a curve ball, and wham! Turns out we don't :). But even when not sleeping well and having a (super) short fuse, Julian is the happiest baby on earth. During his awake times (when he's supposed to be awake) he giggles and laughs with such conviction it causes us all to laugh right along with him. Juju is super ticklish on his neck and thighs. It is so fun to make him belly laugh, and daddy can get him going like no one else. Don't sweat the small stuff, he reminds us, and it's all small stuff. Julian loves to eat, and often! He is still super spitty (sphincter problems! we say every time we are doused with baby puke). He is enjoying tummy-time more and more, although it's a surefire way to empty his stomach and light his fuse. He has started to notice Bee and beams his brightest smile when he sees her zooming around his head. Until he gets bonked, and then he sounds the call for momma to rescue him. In one day I can be told that Julian looks exactly like his sister, or just like his dad, but definitely my son. I can agree with all of them, but I especially see a resemblance to my brother Tom through Julian's big beautiful eyes. At 3 months Juju has found his hands and loves to chew on them any chance he gets. He has found his voice as well and we can have long chats together about the weather, his older sister, and all the family secrets. Julian is a lover and a fighter. This kid has got spirit! He is intense and passionate and a momma's boy to boot. We love our Juju, to the moon and back.
Just for fun: Bee at 3 months in the exact same outfit. 

Juju's Blueprint: 2 months

Hunka Hunka Burning LOVE be still my mommy heart! Our little bud has sprouted up and out this month and is filling out those long limbs nicely. His hair is growing in a perfect natural mowhawk down the middle of his head. His legs are chubbing up just enough for mom to munch on during every diaper change. Juju is finding his voice and cooing and singing along with the rest of us. We are starting to see plenty of smiles and all our ridiculous goo-goo ga-ga-ing is paying off big time. Even after the longest and roughest of nights he can flash us a big gummy grin in the morning and in an instant all is forgiven. He is a heart breaker, this one. Juju LOVES his bath time. We would keep him in there all the time if we could, he loves it that much! We are making huge progress with his reflux (medication) and digestive issues (probiotics) and he's starting to have longer sleep patterns and more periods of happy contentment. Hallelujah! Julian's eyes match his namesake uncle Tom's, and are the brightest bluest blue I've ever seen on a baby. He loves to be swaddled tight for sleeping and is soothed best by white noise and motion. He also loves to suck his binky, which often saves the day. It seems as though he spits up everything he eats so it's any wonder to us how he's even gaining weight and growing at all. We rotate through 5 or so bibs and nearly a dozen burp cloths each day. Not to mention mom's clothes and bedsheets as well. Juju loves/wants/demands to be held all the time, which is tricky for mom when there are two babies vying for attention and only two arms in which to give it. Slowly but surely we are getting the hang of our new family dynamic. We're glad he's here, glad he's ours, glad he's feeling a little bit better. The happy smiley baby boy we know is in there is starting to emerge.
Nicknames: Juju, frog-man, buddy-bud, Jules, JT, bro.

Juju's Blueprint: 1 Month

Our little guy is already ONE month old! And what a challenging month it's been for him. Juju is experiencing a combination of acid reflux, digestion problems, and laryngospasms to top it all off. It's been wild :). Nothing breaks a mother's heart like seeing her babies suffer in any way. Julian will forever be our little Superman for spending a very unpleasant 36 hours at Primary Children's Hospital (more on that later) after finding him struggling to breathe during the night. He handled all the poking and prodding and tests like only Superman would. We are very humbled and thankful that we were able to bring Juju back home in full health. Mom and dad keep a very close eye on him from now on and are working with his pediatrician on managing the trifecta of issues that trouble him. We pray everyday that his body will outgrow the spasms and reflux soon. He is handsome and loves to be held ... so we hold him a lot! He rivals his big sister with his grunty and growly ways. Mom is cutting certain foods out of her diet to help his digestion issues, but so far it's all still a guessing game as to what is working and what is not. In the end, we'd do anything to help him feel better but mostly we're prepared to hold him, love him, and comfort him as best we can until he fully grows into this body of his. We love our Superman Juju and can't imagine life without him.

Juju's Blueprints: 4 Days!

Well hello there, handsome! He is scrumptious, is he not? We are loving on this little slice of heaven and are so grateful that he's here safely and part of our family. Mom is also so thrilled to not be pregnant anymore! Thank you for being born, littleman. Julian looks very much like his big sister Phoebe. Speaking of big sister, she solidified the nickname "Juju" when she first saw him in the hospital and said "Juju" while giving him kisses on the head. That was such a sweet moment and inevitably he's been our little Juju ever since. Juju has very masculine features. Check out those little bear paws of hands! The nurses couldn't get over how long his fingers are. He has a nose that we can't quite place just yet. Richman eyes. Duncan mouth and chin. Same exact feet as Phoebe. And his very own signature clicking tongue. It's adorable, and signals to mom that he's ready to eat. He is nursing like a champ, which momma is thankful for. He is sporting a nice tan from being jaundiced and we are having his bilirubin checked everyday. Mom handles the pokes and blood draw much better this time around having been through it once before. Dad loves to snuggle with his buddy and test for ticklish spots. Big sister loves to give him lots of kisses and will lean in with her mouth wide open. We are talking endlessly about being soft, but sometimes her excitement and curiosity translates into a poke in the eye or slap to the face. So far, Juju has been a very good sport about the extra loves. Oh how we adore this little manly munchkin and can't wait to watch him grow into the person he was sent here to be. What a lucky family we are to have him as our very own. Welcome Julian! We love you all the way.

Just for fun: Phoebe at 4 days

Hi. My name is Julian. And I was born today!

8 lbs 9 oz 21 inches long, welcome to the world my beautiful boy!