Jasperoo is keeping busy as usual and though there are no words nor any walking yet, you can tell he is changing and growing everyday. I say no words but he can definitely keep up a whole conversation with his own baby language, even adding a laugh or two in there as if he is telling a joke and finds it hilarious. He can move swiftly along furniture and has taken a few steps without holding onto anything but crawling is still the fastest way to get around. I brought out the walker that Sam loved but Jasper did not understand that it was supposed to help him get around. He thought it was a baby jail and cried everytime we put him in it so we gave up. Funnily enough, before we put it away he decided to use it as a jungle gym and climbed in and out of it by himself. Guess he just likes to have his freedom.
Jasp discovered the power of his finger this past month and loves pointing at things, switching on lights and pressing buttons with his pointer finger. To Sam's dismay, Jasper's favorite button is the power button on the tv. The little monkey even figured out how to lift the flap Mommy taped over the buttons in an attempt to keep him out. One morning Jasp kept pressing the volume button and it got so loud he scared himself and started crying. As well, he has changed the color and tint of our tv and Mommy and Daddy can't quite figure out what he did so now we watch everything with a red tone and brigheter tint. Oh well, we mostly watch Sam's dvds anyways.
Po Po decided to capitalize on this new discovery and taught Jasper "Deem Chung Chung" which is loosely translated as "touch the worm", a funny rhyme for toddlers. As the rhyme is recited, they are supposed to touch both pointer fingers together. Jasper can't quite get the coordination down so he touches one finger to the palm of his other hand or to the thumb of the other hand, very cute. Po Po also taught Jasp to give extra cuddles when you say "aww aww", a little trick that Mommy did when she was a baby. When you say "aww aww", Jasp leans in and puts his head against yours (sometimes the weight of his head takes over so you have to watch out for the incoming cuddle!)
Sticking to his true boy roots, Jasper is majorly into his motor sounds and wheels. He does a lot of vrooming when he is pushing around cars, swinging a plane in the air or even just waving around a ruler or a lightsaber. He loves spinning wheels (with his pointer finger!), whether it is on an overturned car or the vacuum in the closet, it can keep him occupied for quite awhile. He is enjoying the ride-on cars like the Diego car (especially presssing the horn), the outside tricycle, and the motorized Lightning McQueen. He doesn't go anywhere on said items but has just as much fun sitting and standing on them. He actually presses the button on the McQueen but it is stuck in a corner so he is just "riding" in one place like a treadmill, probably for the best right now for both Jasper and Mommy!
Sam and Mommy sleep-in enough that we don't really know when the sun rises. I have a feeling it is approximately 6:45 these days because that is when Jasper is waking up. Still a bit too early for Mommy but Jasper is kind enough to entertain himself till about 7:15 so she can catch a few more snoozes. Yesterday morning, I heard the Fisher Price chair repeatedly singing as I have it by the crib and Jasper was reaching out and pressing it again and again...and again. Another funny thing he has done a couple of times is managing to pull one arm out of his sleeper. Not sure how he does it but I am calling it his "sexy look". (Obviously, he was not happy when I put him back in the crib to pose for the picture) Jasper is also in the habit of getting his leg stuck between the crib rails. Most times he can get out but other times he is asleep and gets soooooo stuck, the poor little guy.
Jasper is a very affectionate baby. He loves to be held and have Mommy and Daddy close and in the same room. I think his clinginess is a bit correlated to his hunger - the hungrier he is, the closer he needs to be. He even lovingly feeds Mommy his little finger foods as she feeds him his meals. First prize for messiest eater still goes to Jasper. He gets food everywhere: all over his highchair tray, on the sides and back of the highchair, under the liner of the highchair, in his hair and even with a bib on, all over his clothes. We are up to 4 changes of clothing everyday because of food, drools or a visit to the park. To this day, Sammy still complains of getting his fingers "sticky" and "dirty" when he has to eat with his hands. Jasper is lucky to have such a clean big brother because all his hand-me-downs are like new. If Jasper were to have a younger sibling, he or she is unfortunately out of luck!
Jasper's 11 month present to himself is the ability to climb the couch. The main reason he loves climbing is to look out the window. Well, maybe following big brother and his toys is a close second. He really likes to see what is going on in the outside world. (Sam was the exact same way at this age) If Jasper were a puppy dog (and he is close since his tongue is hanging out and he is drooling all the time), I am sure his ears would be perked up all the time because he is so alert and aware of every little sound he hears.
Last but not least, Jasper listens to Mommy and Daddy (most of the time) when they say "No Jasper", whether is it to not touch something or to not put something in his mouth. He kind of makes his unhappy sounds but he does stop, pretty impressive for a 11 month old!
