The Melgarejos

Jackson - 7 Months!

2009-05-12T07:12:00.000-07:00

Time is really flying now...and thankfully, we had a pretty quiet month this time. I think we all needed it after all the travel and such. This month, Jackson started to sit all by himself, 'swim' when on his tummy (a little bit of scooting too, but he still despises tummy time...would much rather be on his feet), roll over in his crib (which has been an unwelcomed change in his all-night-sleep habits :)), pass toys from one hand to another and drink from a sippy cup. We started 3 meals a day of solids, which he loves! I started trying to make some baby food myself this month, but am still working on getting to the Gerber consistency to which he is accustomed. He's also strong enough now to ride facing forward in the jogging stroller...which means Mama has been able to resume her runs along the lake. That has been so nice for both of us. We always stop and sit on a bench and have a little refreshment too (me from my water bottle, him from his sippy...or, him from my water bottle too...he loves a water bottle!).

I have to say, we are really blessed that Pablo's work allows him to be home so early and spend so much time with his boy. (And Jackson & I are really blessed that he is such a GREAT hubby & Daddy!). We love our evening routine - unless one of us has a night out, we do bath and bedtime together. We've grown to really cherish those moments with our sweet boy!

We took Jackson to his first eye doctor appointment this month, per our pediatrician's recommendation. He has what is called 'pseudo-esotropia', which basically just means the width of the bridge of his nose and the skin folds at the inner corner of his eyes sometimes create the illusion that he is cross-eyed. Thankfully, he is not, and his vision is just what it should be at this age...evidently, as he grows and his face changes, that 'illusion' will go away. This kid has been to more specialists in his 7 months than I have in my whole life! He's such a trooper though....

We are loving his smiles and laughs and getting so excited for the summer!

Never too young for a massage chair...

Jackson loves his snazzy car walker (thanks Ryans!)

Heading out for a jog

Just sitting up playing...look at that belly!

With the nicer weather, we've been spending some playtime out on the terrace...we're so excited to put the baby pool out there (once we can get out of the 60s!)

Happy 7 months big boy!

Hey wait! What's that? Something I can EAT!?!

Jackson's 6th Month

2009-04-16T12:31:00.000-07:00

This particular month might have been Jackson's busiest yet...we took a trip to Atlanta to visit friends & family and do a little 'casual' house hunting and took a BIG trip to Lima, Peru to introduce Jackson to his Grandpa & Uncle Fernando. This month he rolled over from back to tummy, started sitting up with a little support, started consistently sleeping all night (11 hours!) and....drum roll please....got the first tooth!!! The second one appeared right next to it about a week later. It explains the excessive drool and attacking of anything that comes near his mouth! Now we can hold out our hands when he's on his back and say 'up' and he grabs on and pulls himself right up...usually skipping the sitting part and heading straight to standing. He did this with the doctor at his 6 month check-up, and the doc said he very likely would be one who walks before he crawls and that it was probably time to lower the crib....what?? Hard to believe our baby might soon be pulling himself up in his crib! He weighed 18lbs 11oz (75th percentile) and measured 28.25" (50th percentile).

Also...there are some big changes happening for our family...our 'casual' house hunting led very quickly to the purchase of a new home in Atlanta. We are under contract and set to close June 1....so we are heading back south!! We are sad to leave such a great city and so many wonderful friends in Chicago, but so very excited to start our next chapter...with a YARD! woohoo! :)

Jackson loves to 'walk', and definitely prefers to be naked...

Some very special family time in Atlanta with the Force ladies

And meeting his future best bud Trey Farmer...we're so excited that they'll get to grow up together (and that Mama & Michelle get to see eachother all the time pretty soon!)

Meeting his Grandpa in Lima...they enjoyed eachother so much

The Melgarejo boys & me at a family barbeque in Lima

Jackson adores his Grandma...

We joke about our little 'attack dog' because he literally attacks our faces (or fingers or arms..anything!)...wonder if he will be tame for a bit now that the first two teeth have arrived...

Couldn't resist including this one...Jackson still loves his bath, and now has figured out that it's much more fun to sit up and splash!

Easter brunch at our family restaurant in Lima - Mel's Cafe...

Happy 1st Easter!

6 month baby & bunny picture

Happy 6 months!!

Jackson's 5th month

2009-03-10T07:05:00.000-07:00

We can't believe our boy is 5 months old...time is really flying now! He's so much fun these days, talking and smiling all the time. We get a good belly laugh out of him every now and then, but the same method doesn't seem to work more than a couple times...so we spend a lot of time making fools of ourselves trying to get one of those cherished laughs. He can now move around a little by scooting on his back and side...we often find him with his head at the opposite end of the crib from where we laid him down or shoved in the corner. No more laying him in the swing or bouncy chair without strapping him in...he can scoot his bottom right off either one! We're working on the sitting thing...he still topples over, but we're practicing! Now we can sit on the floor, hold just his hands and he'll "stand" and try to walk...he puts one foot in front of the other when we move him a little bit forward. This is probably very typical for kids this age...but as first-timers, we're amazed every time. He's still loving his solids, but definitely has a preference for applesauce...he will literally lunge at the spoon for that stuff. We're not sure exactly how much he weighs right now, but if history is any indication, he's right around 17lbs. Who needs the gym when you carry that around every day?!

Jackson still has a bit of a 'witching' hour in the evening, and usually a walk outside will take care of it...but living in Chicago, our opportunities to take a walk outside in the evening in March are limited...So lately, we've discovered that it's not necessarily the stroller that calms him, it's the fresh air (despite it being 20-30 degree air). Now when he's melting down and nothing else is working, we simply bundle him up and step out on our terrace for a bit...couldn't resist taking some pictures of this. Nothing cuter than a little one all bundled up!

Most of the time, Jackson LOVES his bath. He could be screaming crying and as soon as he's submerged in that warm soapy water, he stops (usually). This is a typical bath pose...he puts his feet up on the tub, finds a finger or two to gnaw on and just chills. He loves to have the water running over him too. We're hoping he likes to swim as much as he likes to bathe!

We still read books every day...now he not only looks at the pages, but he touches each one, and often will grab the page as it turns.

The 5 month baby & bunny shot...it is amazing how much he has grown & changed in 5 months!

Happy 5 months!!

Rolling rolling

2009-03-03T12:19:00.000-08:00

Jackson started rolling over (tummy to back) about 2 months ago, but did it just a handful of times. Last week he finally started doing it consistently...he's a rolling machine!

Questionable parenting?

2009-03-03T11:52:00.000-08:00

About a month ago, we finally gave up on the swaddle...hallelujah. Jackson hated it and fought like Tyson every time we wrapped him up, so we suffered through a few days of even rougher sleep while he learned to sleep with those flailing arms. His latest preference for comfy sleep involves a large blanket over his bottom half, a small blankie that he drapes over his face (all by himself) and a hand on each bumper. While we are thrilled that he is finally comfortable and sleeping the way he wants to...paranoid mama is now in and out of the nursery every 15 min making sure that darned little blankie isn't smothering him. I've tried carefully moving it once he's asleep, but he inevitably wakes just enough to move it back...Yes, I know the dangers of having loose blankets in the crib and many people are probably shaking a finger at me as they read this...but frankly, almost 5 months of sleep struggles and I've finally given in to the "whatever works" approach :) He still only takes 45 min naps every time, but at least he's napping!

I was sitting on the floor reading email (actually, looking at new pictures of Jackson's future best buddy, Trey Farmer) with Jackson on my lap one morning. He's becoming more and more independent these days and often gets antsy when sitting still, so I laid him on the floor next to me while I finished going through my email. Well, I think I got through one sentence when I looked down and this is what my son was doing...perhaps another example of questionable parenting, but we thought it was too funny not to share. Guess our play time on the floor needs to be free and clear of any furniture legs that might look tasty to our little man...

Escape from the arctic

2009-02-25T07:50:00.000-08:00

Well, February in Chicago with a baby = CABIN FEVER....so we decided another Florida trip was just what we needed. We went to Orlando for Valentines weekend and Pablo returned on Monday for work...I was booked on a flight to return Wednesday, but after Jackson did just as well there as he does at home sleeping (note: I did not say he slept "well" :)) I decided to stay the week in St Pete. Pablo came back on Friday and we spent another weekend in Orlando. It was a wonderful trip...spending so much time with family and in the sunshine was good for all of us. Jackson may have been born in the midwest...but no doubt he's a southern boy. He loves to be outside! Warning: this is a really long post with lots and lots of pictures...I couldn't help it. We just had such a great time!

(Random note here - we had a follow up with the pediatric surgeon yesterday and our chunker is just over 16lbs...that's a whole pound in 2 weeks...I've said it before and I'll say it again - preemie my foot! :))

Happy 1st Valentine's Day from Grandma! She spoiled him as usual with fun toys and wonderful books. It was fun to see him 'open' his present this time because now he actually plays with the tissue paper.

Grandma's big boy...all dressed and ready for the big barbeque

Jackson's latest favorite expression...fishy face! Bethany giving him a little superman lift.

Definitely the center of attention!

Family shot in the sun

Grandpa Walter sure knows how to get a smile!

Heading to St Pete!

Papa D with the kiddos

Kennedy & Jackson ready for one of many walks during the week. Oh how we miss our walks with Aunt Les and cousin Kennedy!

Hanging out on the hammock...Kennedy and her cousin "Ja-shun" are already good buds

Aunt Les with Jackson...maybe where he got those baby blues from? He loves to nuzzle...presses his little face right up against yours when you hold him...so sweet.

Uncle Brian did a lot of entertaining Jackson in the evenings when he is crankiest (Jackson, not Brian :))...thanks B!!

How sweet is this picture? Les & Kennedy played on the playground while Jackson and I kept walking around and around (mostly to keep him napping)...I looked up and saw this and couldn't resist capturing it. These two are certainly peas in a pod!

A far cry from what mealtime looks like at home!!

Back to Orlando again!

After just a few days away, Grandma already had 2 new toys...Jackson loved his bouncer. We couldn't get over what a big boy he was in it!

Daddy and son reunited after a whole 4 days apart...oh how they missed eachother! It's funny how seeing Jackson every day makes us not really realize how much he grows and changes. Pablo couldn't believe how much he grew, how much more hair he had and how much louder his cry sounded after a few days of peace and quiet...haha.

Jackson got to spend a lot of time with Uncle Carlos and Bethany this time...just hanging out here

Our visit with Aunt Lori was way too short, but oh so sweet.

Heading back home! Jackson has done so well on his 4 flights so far...we were a little nervous about this one because he doesn't sleep nearly as much as he did for our last trip. But he did great...slept a little, ate and played the whole time. Only a few minutes of crying (which, of course, seemed like an eternity to his mama at the time...but the fellow passengers commenting on how good our baby is made us swell with pride.)

Jackson's 4th Month

2009-02-12T10:05:00.000-08:00

We can't believe our little man is 4 months old already! He has definitely found his voice and is cooing like crazy..he makes this one sound all the time that sounds like 'Whoa!'. It cracks us up. He loves to lay on his back and grab his toes...he also 'stands' on our laps with very minimal support...he'll be walking any day now :) We read books every day as we have since the beginning..but now he actually looks at the pages and smiles at them. He is figuring out his exersaucer quickly...we're looking forward to that being a nice distraction while we eat dinner! He gave us one 10 hour night recently and it was heaven! Other than that, sleep in general continues to be a challenge in our house, but as long as he keeps growing and smiling, we won't complain too much (well, I'm not making promises). I don't think any of the pictures here do justice to the color of his eyes, but they are a gorgeous dark blue...I know, I know, they could still change. But I'm hoping he ends up with his Mama J's (my mom) eyes...

All bundled up for a stroll out in the cold...

Such a flirt already...getting to know his buddy Merritt Risher

One of Jackson's many funny faces these days...oh how we love to blow bubbles!

Who would want to ride in a stroller when Daddy's chest is so much more comfy...

One of our favorite games...he loves to have his cheeks 'gobbled'..he squeals every time. Kind of a silly picture, I know...but what else do stay at home Moms do during the day than try to make their little ones laugh and capture it on film?? :)

The mess begins! At Jackson's 4 month check up, our pediatrician gave us the green light to try solids...I'm thinking he's pretty liberal, since unlike many of the books say, he said it was fine to try any fruits, veggies or cereals at this point. Man has this been fun...and messy :)

This was actually BEFORE the doc appt...we got a wild hair (or should I say Pablo finally convinced his ever-so-cautious-and-paranoid wife to give it a go) and gave him a little mushed up banana...he loved it!!

Sweet potatoes!

Rice cereal...although, this very happy face is deceiving..Daddy was just making him smile here...he isn't such a fan of the rice cereal.

His favorite so far...pears!

The 4 month photo shoot wasn't nearly as successful as last months...I tried 2 different days, pulling out all the stops to get a smile..and while I got a few, I failed to catch one on film. Our big boy was 15lbs 1oz and 25" long...in the 50th percentile for both. He's growing so fast and certainly keeping us on our toes!

Jackson's Hospital Visit

2009-01-22T09:09:00.000-08:00

Jackson was scheduled to have hernia surgery, along with a few other procedures his urologist wanted to do, on Tuesday 1/20. Well, he awoke Monday clearly in pain and bleeding a little...our doctor told us to get to the ER. Not a fun thing to hear... Turns out part of his intestine had become 'stuck' in the hernia and required emergency surgery. They initially told us they were going to have to do a bowel resection (remove the part of the intestine that was stuck), but thankfully, it hadn't been stuck long enough to be compromised, so the surgery was much less complex than we feared. They repaired hernias on both sides, as well as the umbilical hernia (the giant belly button). His surgeon was just wonderful and he received great care at Children's Memorial here in Chicago. I stayed with him, holding him all night long Monday night and after he proved to the nurses that he was, in fact, starving and could take down a full feeding, they discharged us Tuesday night. We are so thankful that the surgery was a success, that it was less invasive than it could have been, for the wonderful folks at Children's and for those smiles that are back in full effect on our sweet boys chubby face :) Thank you to all of you who kept us in your prayers and for all the emails, texts and calls. Baby Jackson is on the mend!

Just hanging out in his hospital bed...They had to put a big cast type thing over the IV in his foot, because our little soccer all-star kept trying to kick it off...

Spending a little QT with Daddy

Just 3 days post surgery...looking pretty good, huh? :)

Georgia's visit

2009-01-22T08:41:00.000-08:00

My dear friend Georgia was Jackson's first non-family visitor (although, really, she is family)...it was so good for me to get to spend time with my buddy and Jackson fell in love with his "Aunt GG" immediately :) Unfortunately, both Pablo and I caught a stomach bug while she was here so we weren't much fun, but she was a lifesaver taking such good care of our boy while we were under the weather. We miss you Georgia!!

Month 3

2009-01-05T14:20:00.001-08:00

Month 3 was jam packed! Jackson continued to grow and smile every day and had TWO very first Christmases.

The Wilbanks clan came up to chilly Chicago in mid-December to celebrate the season a little early. We had such a ball doing fun holiday things in the city and just being together.

We spent Christmas at home, just the three of us. It was very low-key (although I'd never use the words 'relaxing' or 'quiet' with a 2 month old around!) and so nice to have our first Christmas together as a family.

The best gift of all...

Then we decided at the last minute to get out of the sub-zero weather and head south...we spent the week between Christmas and New Years in Florida, both in St Pete and Orlando. Although we learned quickly that travelling with a little one is MUCH different and a bit of a challenge, we so enjoyed spending time with our families and getting a little 'adult' time together.

Pablo and I used to be such frequent travelers, we had it down to a science. Ha...as noted, travelling with a baby is very different...

Thankfully, this is how Jackson looked for most of the travel day (when he wasn't eating)

Jackson loves time with his Papa D

Kissy party with cousin Kennedy and Aunt Leslie

Family walk in the park in December..novel concept for us Chicagoans

Off to Orlando...

We took a walk in the 80 degree weather...heaven. The stroller usually lulls our boy right to sleep, but I think he was so confused by the warm sunshine, he stayed awake and looked around the whole time.

Time to open LOTS of presents from Grandma, Grandpa Walter and Uncle Carlos

So happy with Grandma...

We had a wonderful trip, but were also happy to be home just in time for Jackson's 3 month birthday, which also happened to be the day of the National Championship game...GO GATORS!!

And just a few days before his 3 month birthday, he surprised us (and himself) by rolling over! Oh, and we had an unplanned trip to the pediatrician, so we got his weight...a whopping 13lbs 5oz! We are loving life with our chunky boy :)

Back to the beginning

2009-01-05T10:26:00.000-08:00

Since we are just now getting our act together on this blog thing, and our little one is almost 3 months old...we'll just do a quick 'catch-up' post on the last couple of months...

Wednesday, October 8, 2008....At just 35.5 weeks pregnant, my water broke...SURPRISE! Our precious Jackson Pablo was delivered just 2.5 hours later via emergency c-section at a whopping 6lbs, 3oz and 19.25" long. Preemie my foot! He was healthy enough to come right with us to our room, where we spent the next 4 days recovering and getting to know our little man.

The first month brought lots of blessings, new challenges and not much sleep :) Jackson got back up to his birth weight by 2 weeks and was up to 7lbs 11oz by his 1 month check up. A couple of our favorite shots from Jackson's first month:

In month 2, we figured out that it really is possible to live on just a few hours of sleep. Parenthood is such a gift, but also one of life's biggest challenges...that's for sure! At 2 months Jackson was 11lbs...wowza! Such a wonderful affirmation to us as his parents to know he is thriving. This month Jackson finally got his first real bath, smiled for the first time and enjoyed his first Thanksgiving with the Melgarejos here in Chicago.