What a difference a year makes!

Something about the holidays makes me aware of how far we've come in the last year.

Christmas, 2007

Christmas, 2008

Here are some things Jack is doing at (almost!) 14 months old:

• Standing up from sitting without any help from Mommy, Daddy, or furniture
• Saying new words: nana (banana), cracker, night night, one, two, Al-sin (Allison), grandma, grandpa, woah! (said very emphatically), ok, yes! (too funny- he says this whenever I bowl on Allison's Wii), bee (for Barney)... and some Christmas words like baby, angel, tree, and light
• Saying some two word phrases: more please, up please, my nana, and hi dada
• Knowing to say "please" or "more" in order to get something he wants without Mommy or Daddy prompting
• Calling Mama and Dada to get their attention, or when we're in another room... and walking into a room where we are and saying "hi"
• Initiating songs by "singing" parts of them (row, row, row; patty-patty) or doing motions (taking my hands and clapping while saying "patty" or signaling "head, shoulders" ) then saying "again" after it's over
• Walking up to things he knows he not allowed to do and saying "no, no, no" while wagging his finger (and then often trying to do it anyway)
• Fighting with Colton and Kennison over favorite toys
• Testing his independence at just about every chance he gets
• Crawling up into my lap to give hugs... sigh, SO sweet
• And my favorite... sleeping in his crib until at least 6 am every night! (He even slept until 8 once!) It seems after 14 months, he's finally figured out the sleeping thing!

We're so in love with this little boy! He amazes us everyday!