Jack & Molly

Molly's First Birthday

2009-10-12T13:31:00.015-04:00

One Year Old! Wow that was a quick year...

Sweet Molly Jane,

I can't believe how much you've grown and changed over this year and we have thoroughly enjoyed watching you turn into the sweet little girl that you are today. We love watching you become "Molly", doing all of your "molly" things - you love to stack toys (3 and 4 blocks high), you love to clap and dance, you love to listen to Bob Marley, you love to be chased, you love Yo Gabba Gabba and smile any time you see D.J. Lance. All of these things make you YOU and we love to observe them all. At one year old, you still have only 4 teeth but by the end of this note, you may have 5 or 6 (there's two that are about to break the skin), you're really getting good at cruising and balancing - everything is one-handed now. You've also figured out how to 'handle' Jack... you push his buttons and when you can't find a button to push, you bite him. I quickly discipline you for this, but in the back of my mind I get a little chuckle out of your retaliation efforts...we've been warning Jack about the pay-backs that would be coming!

Your birthday was low-key but perfect for you, since you are low-key as well. We had a small gathering (your NC family), the weather was perfect, and you were an angel of a hostess. Nagy made your birthday cake - strawberry flavored, pink and white icing and you enjoyed every bite of it. View the birthday pictures here.

Your Stats:
You are 24 pounds and 30 inches long which puts you at 75% for height and 75-90% for weight. You're still a big girl, but those squishy thunder thighs are slimming as you perfect those walking skills. Your favorite toy is my car keys...we have "pretend keys" and we have a spare set of real keys, but they're not as awesome as my car keys. We've also pulled out the Little People bag and you are in your own world with those toys.

Miss Molly, are looking forward to the year ahead and we love you more each day! You are the baby girl that we always imagined.
Love, Mommy

First Day of School

2009-09-14T10:51:00.008-04:00

Jack's first day of school is finally here! He started the school year last week - now he goes for 4 half-days a week, and he loves it as usual. This year he's in Ms. Cindy's class (one of his favorite teachers from last year), with a few classmates from previous years, and a couple new ones as well. When I dropped him off, I could barely get him to stay still long enough for his "first day of school pic"... We got to the door and he let go of my hand and took off. :( How did he grow up this fast??? Next thing we know, he'll be riding a bike! No wait - he's doing that already too, and he's amazed us all at how quickly he picked this skill up. He's gone as far as 1.5 miles... and now he can stand up to pedal uphill, and occasionally says "look mom, no hands".

Seriously - where's my baby boy???!!!!

11 Months Old

2009-09-08T16:25:00.008-04:00

Sweet Baby Girl,
I can't believe you're almost a year old already. You have changed and grown so much in such a short amount of time. I remember last year when I was waddling around with you in my belly like it was yesterday. Some things are hard to forget!
Seems like yesterday when you kept us up all night with your feedings and whimpers... or when you first smiled, laughed, babbled and cooed. All of this happened so quickly and now here we are a month from your first birthday. As excited as I am about all that you've accomplished, I'm sad that each day I lose another one of your "baby moments". I couldn't wait for you to start crawling, and now you've started pulling up and cruising and you're on your way to walking - this too will happen before we are ready for it and yet another phase will have passed. But your little personality grows with each passing phase as well... you are so sweet, lovable, and easy-going. No matter what the circumstances, you always find a way to make us smile. And if you're having a tough day, it's so easy to find a way to make you smile as well. Your laugh is infectious and predictable (like your smiles), your gestures and movements are so adorable, and we eat them up! You've started "pointing" at things that make you happy, or if we say "Where's Jack" you'll point at him (or "mom" or "dad" or "otis"). You've mastered your waving (like the Queen, naturally) and your clapping - you love to give yourself a round of applause any time you accomplish something new. . .you quickly look around the room to make sure we saw what you did, then you clap at yourself. You're too cute, Miss Molly. You've been doing these things for some time, but now they have a purpose and you understand it. Also this month, you have really become attached to your bunny-blankie and other soft taggies. These items calm you down during your fussiest times (even while you're teething with what appears to be 4-6 teeth coming in at the same time).

Your stats this month:
Weight - approximately 24lbs
Height - we'll know next month
Fav food - you're on a fruit-only diet now and frozen strawberries are your choice
Fav toy - super heroes. We've mixed in a few super "girls" but you always prefer the dudes. And still - whatever Jack is playing with is your toy of choice.

We Love you MJ! Looking forward to your birthday next month!
Love, Mom

Molly - 10 Months Old

2009-08-07T14:32:00.006-04:00

Little Miss Molly,

10 Months... this month passed faster than the previous 9 months! At 10 months old, you have mastered the "army crawl". Actually, it wasn't even a week after your last post when you started crawling efficiently. You will also stand unsupported briefly, but do real well if holding on to someone or something (this too started a week after your 9 month birthday). You haven't figured out how to get back into a sit position from crawling and it's frustrating you tremendously... but I have a feeling that this too will come very soon - you're 90% of the way there, but then you give up and cry.

You now have 2 teeth on the bottom and I'm thinking another one is coming in this week as well. Not sure of your weight but you've definitely gained inches this month, and now that you're moving those legs - your 'thunder thighs' aren't as thunderous - we still can't find your knee caps and ankles, but the slim-down process has begun and you seem like you're in a long and skinny phase now...well, skinnier.

Your newest favorites: Food - Animal crackers, plums (or pluots), pretty much all fruit actually... And you're now done with squash from the garden (booo). Toy - scuba steve from the bathtub, and any and all toys that Jack is playing with at the moment, especially the small "chokable" toys. And for those followers who were concerned, yes we found Spiderman's head and no, Molly didn't find it first. :)

Firsts this month: You had your first black eye (2.5 years earlier than Jack's first black eye), as a result of your first stroller-spill and your first ride in the stroller given by Jack (we won't do that again, not for a while). And you had your first trip to a beach - you LOVED the sand in your toes (and your mouth)!

Another fabulous month, MJ! We love you to pieces!

MJ - 9 Months Old

2009-07-10T14:24:00.009-04:00

Sweet Baby Girl,
I can't believe we're approaching your 1-year birthday already. You have grown so much and you change every day, but I still can't get that first glimpse of you out of my head. The doctors handed you to me and I couldn't believe how big you were and how much hair you had (I felt like they handed me a 3-month old baby), and those cheeks! Those puffy, pink cheeks - so soft and sweet, when you let out your first cry, I knew instantly that you would change my life forever. And you have. Now you're 9 months old, gaining Independence, gaining confidence in your surroundings, and already learning how to manipulate us to get what you want... Usually a simple smile does the trick - those same pink puffy cheeks perk up, your rosy lips curl, your little button nose scrunches up and those big blue eyes light up. You now babble all the time...while you're eating (constantly singing the "mmmm" sound while you chew), you babble while you're playing, or in your crib, or when you're just trying to be noticed over your much-louder big brother. You wave hello/goodbye, you clap your hands when you're excited (or when we prompt you to), you move your head back and forth to say "no no no", you use your little fingers in that pincer grip, you say "dadada" and "mamama" and I'm pretty sure you know what you're saying. I think you're even recognizing sign language too (doggie, daddy, all-done, brother, mommy). And you are just as lazy as you are smart. According to the doctor - you're not crawling yet because you think it's easier to roll/scoot/shimmy to where you want to be. Hips are fine, ears are fine, legs are fine...you're just plain lazy. You'll dig your toe in, pick your body up off the ground and inch forward for 2-3 inches, but then give up and decide to roll. Though now you seem to be moving around in the sit position (I've heard of this type of "crawling" but never witnessed it) - spinning 360 degrees and moving several inches at a time - all while sitting down. We've had some fun watching you figure all of these things out...***Since I started writing this a week ago, you have now started to show an interest in pulling up on things - We've seen you get to your knees and then you crack up and fall back down... And if we place you next to the couch or stool, you'll stand there for a while before finally getting tired and going back down - this too, you crack up about...something about standing and getting upright makes you laugh hysterically***

Your 9 Month stats: You now weigh 21 lbs, and you are 28.5 inches. Still on the same curve of the growth chart (big). You eat everything that we feed you - except for peas. Favorites: Still squash & zucchini from my garden (yay!), pancakes, cooked brown rice, carrots, applesauce and goldfish crackers. Favorite Toy: my car keys... when they're not available, beads (red/white/blue from the 4th, or teal/black from the Panther's outing) - yes a choking hazard but still your favorite. And finally, you have your first tooth. It's tiny, sharp and too cute.

Thanks for another fabulous month Miss Molly! You are the sweetest and we can't get enough of you!!!

Summer '09

2009-07-07T14:08:00.014-04:00

Sorry for the long post - we've been busy this month! Jack's at the perfect age where afternoon outings are enjoyable and we can plan a day of activities and know that it's going to go well. And Molly's still young enough that it doesn't matter to her either way. :) June was packed with activities... and we headed into July with the same ambitions! A few memorable moments...

First, a visit from Grammy - what a great visit we had, short, but great. This was her first time meeting Miss Molly, but she didn't have much time to get to know her, as Jack kept her running in circles from the second her plane landed in Charlotte. For a week before her visit, Jack kept telling me "this time I won't be shy" and he kept his word, that's for sure! Also, we celebrated Father's Day at the In-Law's house, what a fun night that was - complete with their make-shift "water park" and great food. It was a ton of fun getting the family together and seeing all the new babies!!! Movies in the park - for sure, something we'll be doing again soon! I just love our little town because it is host to many fun events like this one. We showed up around 6:30 for a movie that didn't start until 8:45ish (after dark) - Horton Hears A Who. But we had no problem killing time because of all the "extras" at movies-at-the-park. All the popcorn, Popsicles, chips, cookies, drinks, face painting, fake-tattooing, that a kid could want. Jack sat on the blanket and munched until 8:30. Molly however, was a sweaty mess the entire time. We had to strip her down to her diaper to try to make her more comfortable. Through this heat-fest, we also found out that she's a huge fan of Popsicles. The best part about this event was that it was FREE...everything was free. Thanks Nagy and Pop Pop for joining us (and for getting there early to reserve a decent spot on the lawn). Also this past month, Jack did Bible School (another freebie) for a week. They did all kinds of crafts, games, singing/dancing, etc. He loved it and at the end of the week, they put on a show to demonstrate what they learned. Panther's Tour - One of Marc's Networking Groups hosted a family "behind the scenes" private tour of the Panther's Stadium. That was a great trip... even got to spend some time with Sir Purr and a few cheerleaders as they were showing up for practice. Another memorable moment - we went to Splash Pad with some friends of mine... both kids had so much fun in this squirt/spray park for kids. Molly loved just sitting in front of a sprayer (remember, she's the sweater in our family), while Jack took hold of a huge water gun that blasted out buckets and buckets of water at a time. Then after we dried off, we hopped on board of the Kannapolis Express for a train ride.

That brings us to the 4th of July - the Annual Parade (another of Harrisburg's famous events), bbq, swimming, family and friends...this day had it all! Jack swam for several hours - only taking a break to eat a bunch of dessert items, then back in the pool. That boy loves to swim! Thanks Renee and Kevin for inviting us!

And this week, Molly's 9 Month Birthday. I'll recap Molly's last month in a few days. But for now, enjoy some pictures by clicking here.

Molly - 8 Months Old

2009-06-08T10:17:00.008-04:00

8 Months already... you'll be a year old before we know it. This month you have become more interactive with us, playing with Jack and actually sharing toys (rolling cars together, playing with the ball, tug of war, peek-a-boo, etc). You also started to wave bye-bye this month, and you can almost clap your hands, but you find it much more amusing when I do it for you. You're not crawling yet, but that doesn't stop you from going wherever you want to. You roll one way, then arch your back, then roll the other way (kind of like a 3-point turn), then do it again, until you're going in the direction you want. You also reach out to us and to your toys and food. Speaking of food - your favorite this month is yellow summer squash - luckily we have TONS of it!!! You'll eat 1/2 of a small squash in one sitting...steamed and chopped of course. You now take your bath with Jack and you love this...love the plethora of floating toys, love the splashing water, love the bubbles. Lastly, you went on your first hike this month. I'd like to say you enjoyed it except you passed out 5 minutes into it. Maybe next time you'll stay awake long enough to take it all in.

Click here for pictures from this month.

You have become such an integral part of this family, MJ. My favorite time of day is when I go into your room in the morning. You are so excited to see me each day - you kick your legs, flip yourself around, squeal/laugh, and those big blue eyes grow wider with excitement.

Molly - 7 Months Old

2009-05-13T15:16:00.007-04:00

The 6-month mark came and went in a flash, it seems! Now here we are at 7 months, and again, I'm late posting this...Sorry Molly, but Mom is doing her best to keep up with it!

New Skills: The most notable new skills this month include sitting up on your own, sometimes for many minutes before you get tired. We still pad pillows around you because you occasionally fall, but you're getting better at falling too (you ease yourself down most times, often holding your head up so that you don't get hurt). Another new skill (and my very favorite skill): You now entertain yourself and put yourself back to sleep in your crib! If you wake in the night, it's a rare occasion that we actually have to get up and check on you... we can hear you playing with your toys and blanky, sometimes for over an hour, but not a single cry before you're back to sleep on your own. We have scattered a bunch (maybe 8 or 9) binkies in the crib with you and you can proficiently find one, grab it, and put it in your mouth the right way, all by yourself. This means less trips for Mom or Dad to soothe you in the middle of the night (whew!). And speaking of sleeping, you do that well too! We're finally on a schedule with regular naps and consistent sleeping patterns at night. For some reason, you didn't take naps during your first 6 months of life - unless sporadic cat-naps counts. Now you take two solid 2-hour naps each day, and you wake between 6:30 and 7am.

Another fun month, Miss Molly! Each month is more fun than the last one!

6 Months Old

2009-04-16T16:32:00.014-04:00

Actually half way to 7 months old by the time I post this!

Sweet baby girl,

6 months already. Amazing. I'm trying hard to make sure I remember every little thing you do. Every time we complete one stage and move on to the next, I have to remind myself that this is it...the last time I'll be in this position in my life. And what a way to "wrap things up" - you are more beautiful, charming and sweet than we could've ever wished for. And you are so "girly" that it makes us laugh... I love to dress you up, I love to pick what you'll wear each day (Dad loves this too - the other day he actually requested that you wear a pretty bow in your hair to match your pretty dress), and I love that no matter what we dress you in, there's no mistaking that you are a baby girl. Your eyes sparkle, your cheeks are rosey, your smile is soft. You are just precious.

And did I mention that you are Daddy's Little Girl? You drop whatever it is you are doing (or eating) to see Dad when he walks in the room. If you hear his voice, you snap to attention. Sometimes, he talks in whsipers so that he doesn't disturb you, but it doesn't work - I think you can "sense" his presence. :) You'll take Dad over me any day!

What have you been up to? Rolling rolling rolling... both sides, both directions, all over the room. You barrel roll from one end of the living room to the other. You have also discovered crackers / solids. You LOVE to eat these "snacks" any time of day - passing the treat from one hand to the other, and then to the mouth. It falls, you quickly search for it, and if you can't find it, you protest (loudly).

You can sit up on your own for several seconds, but unattended, you'll eventually fall. Your favorite toy this month is a big, rubbery spoon. You love to chew it, hold it, hit things with it. You also love your toes, your jumperoo (finally) and your brother's John Deer Tractor. You get so excited when he starts driving that thing around - you fuss if we don't get up and carry you so that you can follow it. And you make the funniest noises when you follow the tractor! Your sleeping could be better but it's not bad. The last few days, you slept from 8:30pm to 7:30am without a peep. Normally though, you wake at 6:30-7ish to eat, and wake once in the middle of the night for your binky. We've started scattering several binkies in your crib so that if you wake, you might be able to find one yourself (can't wait for that to happen!!!).

At the doctor this month: You weighed 18lbs. (85th percentile) and you are 27.5" long (90th percentile). You surpassed your brother at this age by almost 3 pounds and 1/2 of inch. Needless to say - you are a big girl. And it's all in your thighs... while at the doctor's office, one nurse spread the word about your chunky thighs and soon after, 3 other nurses came in to see your chubby legs (obviously it wasn't a busy day at the doc's office).

All and all, another perfect month, Miss Molly. We love you to pieces!

Love, Mom

3 Years Old

2009-03-21T16:28:00.018-04:00

My Sweet Jack,
You are three. I can't believe I'm even saying that. Three years has gone by so fast... when I look at little Molly and remember you at her age, I can't believe how much you have accomplished in just three short years. And there isn't a day that goes by that you don't amaze us. Everything you do, from putting on your own shoes to telling us a story about school, makes us smile... Dad and I pass each other a glance as if to say "Did our baby seriously just do that or say that?". You are so grown up and yet still I think of you as my baby boy. You will ALWAYS be my baby boy. No matter how fast you grow, how tall you get, how independent you become, I can still remember holding you the day you were born and knowing in that very minute, my life would never ever be the same. It's hard to believe that anyone can fall in love with someone in one second, but we did, the second we saw you. And I know, 30 years from now, I'll still love you and see you as my baby boy.

You are now over 37 pounds, and over 38 inches tall, you wear a size 10 shoe, and clothes that would fit a 5 year old. Your favorite expression these days is "I can do it myself" (sometimes you really can, sometimes you can't, but your stubborn side won't let anyone help you regardless). Your favorite toys are still cars/trains/trucks and now games (you love the Leapster that Grammy gave you for your birthday). Your favorite movie is still Cars (you would think it would get boring after the 100th viewing). You're ready to get rid of your one nap, but I'm fighting this one until the bitter end! You still have your tantrums but they're not every day, not as dramatic, and otherwise, fairly predictable. All and all, you're acting/doing exactly what a 3-year-old should be doing.

We had a blast celebrating your birthday with friends and family and 100 bugs for your "bugday party". This was the first party that we've had where you left my side and ran off to play with your big-boy friends, and play big-boy games while the adults had a chance to visit with each other. Every now and then, you'd look for me and say "mom! mom! I have to show you something!" or "mom! is it time for games/cake/whatever?". It was a perfect birthday.

Birthday Pics

This weekend you had your first Soccer game, which I suppose makes me a "soccer mom". Also this weekend, you went camping for the first time. Dad has been planning this trip with you for some time now... I hope you enjoyed it as much as he has enjoyed planning it. You also had your first black-eye (playground at school), which you didn't even cry for. I imagine as you explore being a 3-year-old, there will be lots of "firsts" - just as there were at age 2. It's all happening so quickly though, and your "firsts" seem more and more advanced. Pretty soon you'll be on your "first date" or driving your "first car"...Luckily we've got another big stack of "firsts" to get through before any of that happens though.

Soccer and Camping pics here.

Thanks for another "best year of my life", Jack!
Stay smart, sweet, and fun... Happy Birthday, Buddy!

Love, Mom

5 Months Old

2009-03-11T15:27:00.009-04:00

Molly Jane,
You are growing so fast... faster than I remember Jack growing. Five months has flown by, I remember waking up several times in the night to feed you, change you, and pat your back until you fell asleep again, wishing the days would come when I didn't have to do this every few hours. Now those days are here and I miss your little newborn ways (but I swear that I was miserable at the time). But lucky me, you still wake early enough for me to feel like I didn't get any sleep(6am on a good day). This too shall pass...

You are getting stronger each day - lately, you've been figuring out how to use your stomach/torso muscles to move yourself and change positions. You can sit up on your own, for only a few seconds (tripod style), and you've rolled from back to front at least once in your crib, but I haven't seen you do that on the floor. You reach for everything and you pass toys from one hand to the other while examining all sides and colors. You love the outdoors, listening to the birds and feeling the breeze in your hair, while watching Jack driving his tractor or playing in the sand. You love to jog with Mommy, though this doesn't put you to sleep like it did with Jack. Actually - you become more alert after a long walk.

You have your favorite toys: Squishy ball from Uncle Joe and Aunt Amy, and now the binky rope that Aunt Jill made you (and all binky ropes, ultimately).
You have your favorite foods: Peaches and sweet potatoes.
Your favorite time of day: When you first wake from your morning nap.
Your favorite sleeping item: Your bunny blankies.

And we as a family have worked out all of the kinks in our system over the last five months. You have become so predictable, making life easier around here. Dad is the one to clean you at night (shower of course) and rock you back to sleep if you wake up. I'm the one to greet you in the morning, and feed you. As long as we don't mix these things up, you're one happy little girl. :)

Yes, you have thunder thighs... but you'll grow out of them some day!

Stay sweet, my little peanut!
Love you,
Mommy

Jack's Dance Moves

2009-03-05T10:27:00.006-05:00

I've compiled Jack's sweet moves over the years... Enjoy!

4 Month's Old

2009-02-07T10:26:00.009-05:00

My sweet Molly, 4 months has flown by...I feel like it was yesterday that we were packing our bags for the hospital on the day you were born. Your tiny little fingers and toes were all balled up...your legs were pulled tight against your body. Now, you're reaching for toys, kicking your legs, and making demands. :) You tell us when you're hungry with a specific sound, and tired with another sound. When you just want our attention, you have a way of telling us that too. At 4 months old, you can now roll over (one way), you can play on your tummy for long stretches of time, craning your neck in every direction so that you don't miss anything. I forgot how exciting it is when babies reach little milestones like these. You love the mirror, the shower, the mobile in your crib, and your bunny-blankie. You also started eating solids this past month. It's just cereal for the most part, but you've tried bananas and carrots too - loving them both. You've gotten good with the spoon and you get so excited in between bites. You love to eat. We are so blessed to have two beautiful babies, one on each end of the spectrum. Jack was serious, you are silly, Jack was too busy to eat (that changed though), and you'll eat all day long if given the chance. Jack was fairly self sufficient at your age, you are clingy and love to be held. You are both so different in so many ways, you are the link that we didn't know was missing until you were here. Love you, your cheeks, your smile, your eyes...everything about you, Miss Molly!

Here's a video of Molly rolling.

The Future of Jack?

2009-02-06T08:00:00.006-05:00

Hmm... future Rock Star? Or maybe future Band Camp leader? Whatever he decides, we don't care as long as he puts his heart into it. :) If you can't hear the video, after 1/2 hour of dancing with his guitar in "Molly's Band", I ask him if he's "jamming" and his response is "I'm tired of jamming". And in another clip, he passes gas while jamming (unfortunately I didn't catch that on the camera) and he says "Molly's band stinks!". This kid is a riot...

Spring Is In The Air...

2009-02-03T18:55:00.004-05:00

Sunday was a beautiful day - mid 60's, sunny, a perfect day for a picnic! Jack is always first in line to go on a picnic, he loves the process of packing a "special" lunch, complete with snacks, a main course, and dessert. He requested chips and dip, carrots, PB&J of course, and cookies for dessert. Molly was content with munching on her two hands, naturally. Good times...we're looking forward to the spring!
View more pictures here.

Jack and MJ

2009-01-23T15:49:00.003-05:00

How cute is this picture? I mean... considering it was a Walmart photo shoot (not the most skilled technicians) and considering Jack's 2.5 and Molly is only 3 months old... all and all - not a bad shot! I also had some done of just teeny-queeny alone for her 3-month portrait, but they cropped it so tight that it's just a huge blow-up of her face and it's a bit scary looking. Anyhow, I'm pleased with this pic of my babies. Jack practiced his "Walmart" smile all day for this (no goofy, wide mouthed, tongue showing, funny face smile).

Winter Wonderland!

2009-01-20T08:55:00.000-05:00

Is it too late for Christmas music? I told Jack we were expecting snow and he said "Is It Christmas AGAIN???!!!!" - nope. Sorry dude.

Once a year, we get just enough snow to cover the grass - and today is the day. School is closed, and Jack was the first one dressed today and ready to play outside. Yes, it's only 8:45, and we've already had breakfast, played outside for an hour, and drank our hot chocolate. It's going to be a long day....

3 Months Old

2009-01-07T15:52:00.000-05:00

Miss Molly Jane,
You are 3 months old now... I feel like it was just yesterday that I was still carrying you in my belly, and now you are here with us, developing your own little personality, and accomplishing new skills every day. The first three months were a challenge for the rest of us but we've all figured out how to adapt as a family of four. Jack adores you and shows you in many ways...He's gets concerned when you cry and he gives you toys/blankies/binkys to make you happy...and he's right there with us when we try to get a giggle out of you. I relish in picking out your girly clothes for the day (your clothes are so cute), let's not forget about the matching bow for your hair. And Dad has found a new bond with you as well. He lights up when he's with you - even if for only a moment while he's on his way out the door. And even when you're screaming in his ear while he walks around the house with you...something softens him while he's with you. He talks to you, making you laugh and smile, he practices your 'rolling' and tummy activities with you, and has found a spot in his heart that can only be filled by you. He did all of these things with Jack too, but you're Daddy's little girl. You are wrapped around his finger so tight.

Accomplishments this month... you now add a little laugh in with your smiles. And by the way, your smiles happen every time we make eye contact with you. You also talk all day long - if you're awake, you're babbling. And since Jack likes to talk too, you now babble LOUDLY so that you are heard over your brother's chatter. You play with your toys now too, and talk to them and smile at them as well. You're actually picking things up and bringing them closer... if I put a doll next to you, I'll look over and see that it is now on your lap and you are grasping it tightly. Most importantly... you are sleeping through the night pretty regularly. You go to bed at 8:45 and you wake at 5:45 for a quick snack - then back to sleep until 9:30. To me - that's a full night and I'll take it! You hold your head up by yourself for long stretches of time while sitting in your bumbo seat. When on your belly, you'll prop yourself up on your elbows and play for 10-15 minutes as well. I'm still your favorite person - you'll spot me in a crowd from across the room and once you see me, you'll lock in and not let me out of your sights. My favorite thing now, is that you've learned to entertain yourself (I enjoy the break). It's nice to not have to hold you all day anymore...now I can lay you on a blanket and watch you play by yourself for long stretches of time. I think you like the break from me as well. :)

You are a sweet baby girl and we couldn't be more proud of you and all that you will become. I love you, Molly!

Another Successful Christmas

2008-12-23T16:30:00.000-05:00

We had a blast - Jack clearly had the most fun of all. From the "reindeer food" that we sprinkled in the yard the night before, to Santa's "special cookie" that we left on the counter before bed... Jack was absolutely beside himself with the Christmas traditions. His only disappointment was that we wouldn't let him go back to the North Pole with Santa - even though he insisted that there would be enough room in his sleigh (because all of the toys are in the back of the sleigh, duh- mom). This kid's ability to reason is unbelievable. What a blast we all had this year!

And a special, unexpected treat, my newest baby niece decided to join us for Christmas too! Lilly was born on December 23rd and she is as beautiful as her older sister is.
Congrats Chris & Em!
Check out the rest of my Christmas pictures here.

Ho Ho Ho!

2008-12-08T14:18:00.000-05:00

Well this month is shaping up to be a better, more productive month. I feel like we've regained control of the household this month. We've figured out how to manage Jack and his mood swings (thank you to our new favorite book "1-2-3 Magic"), and Molly has started to adopt some form of a routine with predictability in naps, feedings and bed time. We've been able to sit back and take a deep breath (finally). But now it's GO TIME for Christmas! I've got so much shopping to do that it's making me feel sick. It's a huge weight on my shoulders right now and I just need to get it done. And ironically enough, my work has picked up the pace these last couple of months (it's usually my slow time). So the three days a week that Jack is in school are tied up with work, not shopping/xmas prep. I don't know how/when I'll get it all done but I will. I always do. :)

And speaking of getting to the malls... I managed to get there this morning with both kids to visit with Santa. I was amazed at how well they did! Molly was at home with Santa's big cradling arms, and Jack of course tried his hardest to plaster a huge grin on his face (the boy tries so hard to smile pretty but it never looks quite right). Afterwards, Santa asked Jack what he wanted for Christmas and his response was "presents please". Easy enough! :) All and all, the visit was a complete success.

Also this month, Molly turned 2 months old. She's now 12.5 pounds and 24 inches long - still circling around the 90-95% for growth. She's sleeping 5 hours at a time - so I get up to feed her at 3am and then not again until 8am (3 out of 5 nights). I'll take it! She's gone 6 hours a few times but 5 seems to be the norm for now. When she's awake, she plays on her activity mat or her new favorite past-time, sitting in her seat and staring at the Christmas Tree. She's not nuts about the TV like Jack was at that age - so we're always looking for activities that entertain her. Here's her two-month photo:

Not sure what our Christmas plans are but Jack is ALL ABOUT IT this year...

He understands the concept of Santa, and presents and candy, etc. He has an advent calendar (thanks Grammy) and looks forward to opening a new door each day - getting one day closer to Christmas. He also helped decorate the house - inside and out! We've lost a few ornaments to the cause, but it was worth it to have him take part in it.

We also enjoyed the Harrisburg Tree Lighting festivities this year, though it was frigidly cold that night!

Hope you have a happy/safe Holiday - from Us and Ours to You and Yours!

What A Month We've Had!

2008-11-19T15:15:00.000-05:00

(or 6 weeks rather) It's official - Our baby girl is here... Jack's a big brother to his baby sister, Molly. Welcome to the family, Molly!

My most memorable part of Molly's birth is when Jack walked in the hospital room to meet his sister for the first time. So sweet and innocent...not sure what to expect... a small gift in hand, shirt tucked in, grin on his face. Their first interaction was Jack singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to Molly while she was in my arms, quiet and soft as a whisper, unrehearsed, and totally unexpected/unplanned. I'm sure I cried right there while he sang to her and my heart felt like it was going to burst. At that point, I knew our family was complete and that I am truly blessed.

And then....
We came home.

Sweet Jack has a new side to him (a not-so-sweet side), Molly keeps us up all night, there's no time to think/sleep/work or do anything really. Some days I notice that I'm running back and forth from one end of the house to the other (thank god we're in a single-story home) with a poopie diaper or a boogered tissue...a stack of wipes or a clean pair of underpants. I honestly don't have a CLUE how anyone can do this with more than two kids. And no - nobody warned me about how difficult the transition from one to two is. You all LIE! And the truth is - I'm exhausted. But there is a silver lining...

For every bad day, theres a good day to follow. And those good days are so GOOD that the bad days aren't even there anymore. And for a minute, we're all back to the Norman Rockwell picture painted above, blessed with our two kids. :) I wouldn't trade this life for the world (I'm typing this on a good day, obviously). :)

So Jack's blog is now our "family" blog (to be fair - don't want Molly feeling left out). We hope you enjoy it!
Video of Jack singing to Molly

Molly's "One Month" photo

Jack & Molly

First Day Of School (and 2.5 years old)

2008-09-02T09:20:00.001-04:00

This was you on your way home from the hospital 2.5 years ago.

And this is your on your first day of school, at 2.5 years old.

This is you and Miss Robin - your new teacher this year.

My Sweet Jack,

Today is the first day of school again...this time was much more difficult for me than last time - maybe it's because you were much more eager to let go of my hand, maybe it's because I've got your baby sister inside of me stirring up my hormones, or maybe it's because I'm terrified that I'll blink my eyes and you'll be heading off to kindergarten, high school, and college. Since the last school year (which ended in May), you have grown into such a big boy... you wear underpants instead of diapers, you sleep in a normal bed, you've abandoned your pacifier (but have grown extremely attached to your blankies instead), you miss me when we're apart and you tell me "Mom, I missed you" when we're together again... you ask questions when something intrigues you, and you answer questions when asked... You tell me about your day and you remember things from MONTHS ago and rehash the whole experience all over again (like going to the zoo in May, or telling me about a splinter that Pop Pop got in his finger 2 weeks ago while you were visiting him). You amaze me and Dad with every new thing you do... even pulling apart an oreo cookie last night, eating the creamy center first, then eating the chocolate cookie - knowing that neither one of us taught you how to do that. You have your own friends and you tell us about them when your not with them... you have your favorite shoes, outfits, toys, and snacks (of course, because you're an eating machine just like your Dad). You certainly have your routines and your opinions and are confident sticking with both (just like your Mom). You enjoy playing by yourself as much as you enjoy playing with your friends (just like your Mom) and for all of the reasons that you are such a sweet boy, you are equally stubborn when you don't get your way! You're an amazing little boy, Jack.

You'll be an amazing big brother soon too - so far you seem genuinely excited about your little sister joining our family in a month or so. You kiss her goodnight every day, you have "pretend" conversations with her (you tell me she says "hello" to you when you have your ear to my stomach), you love her room, her toys, her clothes. You have started taking very good care of your stuffed animals and your one baby doll (baby Brian) - rubbing their heads, putting them to bed and whispering "don't wake them up", and even lending your blankies to them. I know it'll be tough, sharing all the attention with your sister, but I'm sure she's going to love you as much as Dad and I do.

You make us so proud, Jack. Happy first day of school! This year, you go three days a week instead of one... as much as I'm looking forward to more time for myself/my work/and ultimately - your baby sister, I'm also going to miss our morning routine together. But I can't wait to pick you up later and listen to you ramble on and on about your day today, what you did, who you saw, songs you sang, games you played, and what you had for lunch. :)

Please don't grow up too fast, my sweet sweet Jack.

I love you (Thiiiiissss Muuuuucccch!!!) - (this is where you hold your arms out as wide as you can and yell to me how much you love me too).

Weekend In The Mountains

2008-06-02T20:09:00.000-04:00

The family went to the Wilson Creek area for the weekend - we rented a house on the river and spent a lot of time swimming and hiking and having fun! Grayson and I played hard for 2 days straight (and we had our share of fights too as most BFFs do). Uncle Tim followed through with his promise to show me a waterfall and it was sweet! The only down side was the not so smart way of getting to it (down a very steep, slippery rock, holding on to nothing but a wet rope). Luckily I was snug in Dad's backpack (not secure though because I'm apparently too big for the shoulder harness now)... and Mom and Aunt Jill did their best to keep my unborn sister and cousin safe while scaling the death wall down to the waterfall. The reward was well worth it once we all made it down to the waterfall. Here's a couple of videos:

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

We all had a blast and will have lots of fond memories of our little mini getaway to Wilson Creek. Let's not forget about our little fury friend, Mr. Mouse, who also stayed with us the entire weekend (even after several daylight appearances). Kudos to Uncle Chris for being the only one (out of 8 of us) brave enough to stand up to Mr. Mouse.

Check out our Wilson Creek pictures here...

Enjoy!

My Visit To "Moooory" (Missouri)

2008-06-01T12:49:00.000-04:00

What a blast I had visiting Grammy and Grampy (2+ weeks ago)! And I also got the special treat of seeing Gram (Mom's Grammy) since she was visiting as well! We had SO much fun going to the park, eating ice cream and popsicles, playing in the sprinkler and the garden too, and let's not forget the zoo! Not only did we see a bunch of cool animals and ride the carousel and the train, but I also went the whole day without wetting my pants! Not ONCE!

The trip there was a lot of fun - two plane rides, and a bunch of running around in the airports. On the way back though - I did my regular vomit before we left the house (seems to be a ritual that I get sick the morning I have to fly home). Maybe I was trying to come up with a way to not have to leave Grammy's house? Maybe I was just experiencing some pre-travel jitters? Who knows, but it was enough to make Mom carry a bunch of extra clothes, towels and medicine in case it happened again (which it did not). I slept the entire way home. Missed the whole flight. :(

Anyhow, pictures from my trip can be seen here. Enjoy!

Happy Memorial Day!

My Not So Sweet Jack...

2008-05-29T18:52:00.000-04:00

Another post from Mom...

Though this topic seems a little on the line of indecent, I've been urged to add it to the blog.

Apparently, Jack has found his "back door" - which he calls his "hole" (makes sense). He usually tries to touch it when sitting on the potty and I ask him "What are you doing?" and he replies with "touching mines hole". Nice. We try to teach him that it's really not a nice thing to touch because it can be pretty dirty at times. Anyhow, this week - I left him in the living room while I went to another room and within 2 minutes I heard "Uh oh...poopy fingers". Puke. So I ran to the room he was in because I knew exactly what he was up to, only it was WAY worse than I thought. He had a major blow-out in his pants, and he was digging at it with both hands. He had poop covering every finger, smeared on the couch (I'm not telling which cushion or nobody will ever sit in my living room again), and of course smeared on his face. Puke again. I believe there's a term for that - "Dirty Sanches" (thanks Uncle Joe). Uncle Tim asked if I took a picture, my response is: WHAT??!!! I had no time for a camera - I was too busy trying to figure out what to clean first, his nasty butt/pants, poopy fingers, smeared couch or his face, and how do I lift him to get him to a place to clean him when he's covered in feces.

This event happened on a day where I was already fed up with him - he was cranky and jet lagged from our trip to St. Louis, I was tired too, plus I think we needed a break from each other and Dad was nowhere in sight. Rough day for Mom...

So the question is - do you teach your child that it's disgusting to touch yourself in such odd places, or that exploring your body is healthy (if done in private of course)??? I went with the "NO TOUCH!!!" yell (I was pretty upset about it after the day I had already endured), and I haven't seen "poopy fingers" again.

I'm not sure I'll be printing this post for Jack's baby book....gross. My only hope is that little girls won't be so interested in their "back doors". :)

Life's Lessons and Treasures

2008-04-26T20:12:00.000-04:00

To My Sweet Jack,
Today I watched you eat your first ice-cream cone, all by yourself. I watched your eyes get wide and your voice chirp as you patiently waited while I filled the cone. Then we all sat together on the porch, where you "watched and learned" the tecnique to efficent ice-cream cone eating. You watched me lick my cone, then you licked your own cone. Then you watched Dad take little bites, then you took little bites. When it started to drip out the bottom, you tried to catch it with your little tongue but decided it was easier just to wrap a napkin around it like I did.

I know this seems like a silly thing to add to your baby book, but to me - it was very monumental in my life. I never in a million years thought I'd teach someone how to eat an ice-cream cone and there I was with my little two year old angel, enjoying one of life's ultimate pleasures and a few smiles and giggles. You looked so grown up sitting there with chocolate dripping to your elbows, and carrying on a normal conversation with me (about the trees or the flowers, the rain that was starting to fall, the birds, etc.). All the while, nibbling away at your ice-cream cone like a big boy.

You're growing up so fast, Jack. I will tuck these memories away in a safe place and cherrish them for the rest of my life.

Thanks for having an ice-cream cone with me today!
I love you,
Mom

World Famous!!! (in Harrisburg)

2008-04-24T13:52:00.000-04:00

I made the front page (and back page) of the newspaper this week!

We attended the "Ribbon Cutting" ceremony for one of Dad's projects here with the Town of Harrisburg, and I was having so much fun in the playground that the photojournalist decided to take my picture (with Pop Pop too, of course).
Check me out - I'm a star!!!

Two Years Old!

2008-03-26T13:00:00.000-04:00

What a great 2nd year I've had - I'm now over 32 pounds and I'm over 3 feet tall. My favorite hobbies are coloring, playing with trucks and trains, doing ANYTHING outside... and playing hide-n-seek of course. I eat all the time, I'm always hungry... my favorite foods are fruits and cookies and PB&J sandwiches... I like broccoli and carrots too, but will take the sweet stuff any day. I'm now talking in 5-6 word sentances and can communicate all of my needs. I understand everything that is communcated to me as well, which Mom and Dad love because they can ask me to do stuff and I'll actually do it! I'll be mowing the lawn before you know it! I'm still wearing my pull-up diapers but will go potty on command... though I got some big-boy Thomas underwear for my birthday and i LOVE wearing those too. Lately, I like to do EVERYTHING myself (Jack do it, Jack do it!)... anything from putting my shoes on, to getting in my highchair - and I get very frustrated when Mom or Dad tries to help me. All and all, I'm turning into a sweet little boy, I'm shy but friendly, quiet yet not conservative, I'm affectionate, sweet and tender, yet I'm also rough and tough. Mom and Dad are amazed by me every single day.

I've had a busy month... I had my 2nd birthday party - all of my friends and family came, even Bob the Builder and his side-kick Willie the Stone Mason (?) came!!! We had a blast - check out my birthday pictures here.
Then Mommy went away for a couple of weeks for work, and Grammy stayed with me the whole time! I had fun with Grammy but really missed Mommy. Then Grampy came to spend Easter with us... The Easter Bunny made a special stop at my house and left me all kinds of goodies and presents, plus he hid a bunch of eggs in the yard! Here's a few pictures from Easter.

The biggest news however, is that I'm going to be a big brother! Mom has a little baby in her belly right now (I try peeking in her belly button to see it but I can't see anything yet). The baby should be here by October 15th! I probably won't like the crying at first, but I'm going to love having a little brother or sister to take care of.

Back From Florida!

2008-01-22T12:07:00.000-05:00

Wow - what a treat! I went to Florida to visit family, and while I was there - my newest cousin was born! Aunt Amy, Uncle Joe and Baby Adler are all doing well... I didn't get to meet my cousin becuase he's still in the hospital, but he'll be home in a couple of weeks.

I also got to spend a lot of time with my Great Aunt Mary Beth ("Aunt May" as I called her), her new husband Tim ("fun timmy" as i called him) and my Great Grammy Marie (aka "Mommy's Grammy"). We had such a wonderful time together!

Everyone was in town for little Baby Adler's shower, so I got to see the rest of Dad's family as well...Great Grandma/Pa Brun, and most of my great Aunts as well. Take a look at the rest of my pictures here, including my time on the airplane with Aunt Jill.

Maybe Next Year...

2008-01-14T21:37:00.000-05:00

I just don't understand why Dad won't take me snowboarding with him at Jackson Hole this week...I bet I can shred it with the best of them! Maybe next year...

Happy New Year!

2008-01-03T15:07:00.000-05:00

Christmas was a blast - I loved opening presents, and singing Christmas songs! I loved spending time with family and friends and I loved all of the wonderful Christmas movies that are only on in December. But now Christmas is over and it's time to look forward to the new year!

My New Year's Resolutions:
1) To be fully potty trained (I've done several pee-pees and poops on the potty already but I have a very long way to go)
2) To be comfortable with a big-boy bed (so far so good and it's only been 2 days!)
3) To one day forget about my binky (we lost it for a few weeks but somehow I got it back and with my new bed, I think I need it for another week or two longer)
4) And lastly, to say "I love you". I can repeat EVERY word I hear (yes - EVERY SINGLE WORD...even the bad ones) but for some reason I don't even attempt to say the ones that Mom and Dad want to hear most. Sometimes I just laugh at them when they ask me to say it, but this year I'm going to do it!

Take a look at my holiday pictures here. Happy New Year everyone!

Happy Holidays!

2007-11-29T12:36:00.000-05:00

The month of November has flown by! I'm now 20.5 months old and growing bigger and taller every day. The doctor said that growth should slow down after 15 months but I'm not seeing that happen. I now weigh almost 31 pounds and am over 3 feet tall but it's hard to measure at home. I make mini sentances and can communicate just about everything I want/need to mom and dad. Life's pretty easy for me these days!

In November, we celebrated Dad's birthday, as well as Thanksgiving. Both were a blast because I got to enjoy the company of my family. For Thanksgiving, my Uncle Chris, Aunt Emily and cousins Sarah, Sam, and Ben all came to visit. Grammy and Grampy also came - We had a full house and tons of fun together! My favorite part was getting chased by Sarah, and wrestling with Ben. I loved watching Sam play with his little video game too, but I'm not sure Sam enjoyed my leaning over his shoulder and blocking the screen. :) We had tons of food, tons of laughs and just a real good visit with the side of my family that I don't get to see too often. Here's a group picture on Thanksgiving Day...

More pictures from November...
And now on to the next holiday - Christmas! We put up the Christmas tree and set out the lights, now we just sit back and wait for Santa!

I visited him recently to give him my list....I couldn't wait to see the big guy, but once I was there next to him, I didn't know what to do - cry or laugh? Instead I sat VERY still like a statue (next to him on the bench, definitely NOT on his lap though), I didn't move, speak, or make a peep. When mom finally said it was ok to get down, I ran to her screeming and burried my head on her lap. I love Santa and all...but lets face it - he's kind of scary for a little guy like me. Wishing you all a happy holiday season!!!

Fall 2007

2007-11-01T14:07:00.000-04:00

A lot has been going on around here... lots of friends and family visiting (race weekend), fall festivities (Pumpkin patch), lots of holiday fun (Halloween). We've all been keeping busy!

First of all, my family came to visit for the race in early October - my great aunt/uncle, my auntie-cousins (2nd cousins I think, but they might as well be aunts), and all of my grandparents. Then after the hectic weekend, Grammy stayed on with me for another week, while mom and dad went on a trip to Mexico for their anniversary... I wasn't there physically, but mom and dad thought about me and talked about me all week. They even took a picture of me to prop up in the hotel room. :)

Click here for more Mexico pictures

I missed them just as much, though I had a wonderful time with Grammy. I perfected my hugging and kissing skills, played with a bunch of new toys, went out for french fries more than once.

After mom and dad came home, they took me to the Pumpkin Patch ("pump pump pass") - what a blast! Way more fun than last year... I must've walked a mile just so I could see and touch all the pumpkins in the fields. Then I took a huge nap when I got home.

And all of this led up to my new favorite time of year - HALLOWEEN! My cousin Grayson came over, and we both had our first real "trick or treating" event. We caught on right away... bravely walking up to stranger's doors and pleading for candy. Neither one of us could actually get the words out... the closest I got was "Trick mm mm" instead of "trick or treat". "boo" worked well...and of course "chomp chomp" which I've been saying for 6 months now. Either way- I enjoyed being a Gator for a night, and I'm sure my buddy the Lobster had fun too.

Here's my October pictures - enjoy!
October 2007

Sweet Dance Moves

2007-10-09T15:34:00.000-04:00

I'm offering one-on-one lessons for those interested in learning these sweet moves.

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Share Photos - Free Video Hosting

Skool is Kool

2007-10-03T14:49:00.000-04:00

I love school! After my first day, I wasn't sure that I really enjoyed it, but now that i'm used to my teacher and the other kids in my room, I can't get enough of it!

Something that I learned at school...I love to color! And instead of just eating the crayons, I actually use them to color pictures at school, and I've actually gotten picky about using more than one color. :) This is my latest masterpiece (it's a duck with a real feather attached) I have a new drawing every week but this one is the best so far:

Today, when mommy picked me up, I stopped what I was doing and ran over to her and gave her a HUGE hug around her legs, then quickly ran back to the toys I was playing with. After a minute, I thought I better play with her too (didn't want mom to feel bad), so I went over, grabbed her hand and pulled her over to my toys to show her all the fun things I play with all day...then I pulled her to my chair ("shaya") and showed her where I sit for lunch ("unch"), which apparently is my favorite part of school...my teacher says that I sit there for 45 minutes...I'm the first one there and the last one to leave - I love lunch. Then it was time to go home and I cried and mom had to drag me out of there. But I'll be back next week and I can't wait!

18 Months

2007-09-21T14:44:00.000-04:00

Time Flies! 18 months have passed and I grow more and more into a little kid each day. I'm now over 28 pounds, 35", and in size 7 shoes! My vocabulary is ever changing - several words actually sound like real words now, and I'm also putting 2 words together to make sentences (more cheerios, uh-oh fall, hot ouch, oh no, my dad, dump truck, trash truck, help me, etc.). I start jabbering the minute I wake up (standing in my crib yelling "mommy") until the minute I go to bed at night ("nu-night mama"). I have 16 teeth and eat just about everything though have started turning my nose up to veggies. The doc says this is fine since I love fruit and will eat fruit all day long if my diapers could hold it! :)

My favorite past times - playing with trucks, cars, trains, balls, blocks, sticks and rocks. I love stacking them and lining them up. I organize them based on type/size and create little piles with them (so Brun). I even like to play make-believe with my other toys...lining them up and moving them like a train, making train noises, or waving a block in the air and making airplane noises. I'm really starting to think outside of the box. :)

Dad has become my new favorite person- I still run to Mom when I'm scared or have a boo-boo, but lately - seeing Daddy is the highlight of my day. I love searching room by room for daddy yelling his name. I'm so intrigued by everything that he does (my new favorite word - "tools" since I've been watching dad do some work around the house).

A few other changes around my house...I started going to daycare for just one day a week, and Mom continues to be busy with new clients so this is helpful. I also have a new babysitter for Thursdays and Fridays during the day if Mom needs her to come- she's a sweet lady in the neighborhood that reminds me of grammy and nagy (except she's a bit more expensive). I'm also learning about poop (pup) and pee (pete pete), not sure if I'm ready for potty training yet (though my Doctor thinks so), but I now know where my poopy is and can point at it (in my pants, of course), and I know where the potty is but for now I just like climbing on it.

With Hannah gone (see previous post), I've now taken a new liking to Otis... Yesterday, Mom walked in the room to see Otis with my matchbox truck on his back (and the day before, there was a little purple octopus on his back) - he's been pretty good about letting me play with him like that (he used to jump and run to the other room when I went near him). Mom still tries to keep tabs on us though, because Otis is a big boy and he might be too rough with me. But I'm growing pretty fast and will soon be caught up with Otis. :)

Gotta run now.... I hear the trash truck coming!!!

Bye Bye Hannah

2007-09-20T08:41:00.000-04:00

I have to say bye-bye to one of my favorite pals this week, Hannah. Of my two doggy friends, she's my favorite, but unfortunately she's kind of old and has become unpredictable with kids and babies, even though she slept by my crib to protect me for the first year of my life. Hannah will be happier in her new home in Colorado though - plus she gets to go on a plane to get there! We're all pretty sad about it but it's better for everyone in the long run. Mom and Dad try to keep us sperated to be safe, so I don't have many pictures with Hannah...but here's one from the other day.

To Miss Hannah - you will be sorely missed in our household. We'll all remember how you wag your little butt every time you're happy to see us, how you plop your head down on our laps to be pet, and how you lick our fingertips when we walk past you. You've been a wonderful part of our family and you'll never be forgotten in our hearts. Bye-Bye Hannah...

To Jack, On Your First Day Of School

2007-09-05T09:22:00.000-04:00

To my sweet Jack,

Today is your first day of school, and I can't explain how much I love you and am proud of you. You were so brave (too brave)... you let me hold your little boy hand while we walked to the door and as soon as it opened, you slipped away from me and ran to play with your new friends, "kiz" (kids) as you call them, and the mountains of unexplored toys. And as I left you with your new environment (abruptly as we parents were instructed to do), I caught a glimpse of you through the window and watched for just a moment, mesmerized at how quickly you became a little boy, and how there's very little baby, if any at all, left in my sweet Jack. And now I sit here writing you this note to express how very much I've enjoyed watching you grow into the little boy you are today, and how I will cherish watching you grow into the man you will become. But in my heart you will always be my sweet, sweet baby Jack.

You only go to school on Wednesdays, and it's only a half mile away from home, but I know it's going to be a whole new world for you. This, Jack, is the beginning of your childhood, but please take your time for Dad and I, because there's so much more to come.

I love you,
Mommy

My trip to St Louis

2007-08-18T14:35:00.000-04:00

My 17th month has proven to be the best month ever! I had a visit from Nanna and Pop-Pop (see previous post) and then a trip to see Grammy and Grampy in St. Louis. I had so much fun! We went to the pool a few times, I learned how to use the slip-n-slide, and we went to the zoo (rated the best in the nation), and all around the town! I loved the zoo - so many animals and cool stuff...my favorite were the turtles (terter) and the fish (ish) and of course the gators (chomp chomp). It was too hot to see the monkeys and sea lions though. I did however, get to cool off with the penguins - they even splashed and got me wet!

All of this, yet a month ago, I showed little interest in the animals at the Charlotte rescue zoo...I'm tellin' ya - I've had a lot of changes this month. I repeat just about EVERYTHING I hear (yes, everything...watch your mouth mommy and daddy), and I mimic everything I see...I know my shapes, I know my racecar drivers, I know my animals and the noises they say, I know my different trucks and the sounds they make, I can sing now, my dancing has definitely improved, and finally I can say "help me" instead of "eh heh eh heh eh heh" in a whiney voice. And lets not forget that I found my nostrils this month and I like to let my finger hang out all day in there. All of this stuff is new this month. I don't know if I'm on target, advanced, or behind but either way - mom and dad are amazed at how smart I am and what I learn each day. Next month is the big "18" - can't wait to see what comes with that!!!

Here are some pictures from Grammy&Grampy's house and the zoo. Please leave a comment if you visit - I'm starting to wonder if anyone is listening... Thanks Renee, for your monthly contribution. :)

Bye Bye Nana and Pop Pop!

2007-08-03T12:44:00.000-04:00

I had a great weekend with my Nagy and GB-Pops ("Nana" and "Pop Pop" as I call them)! We mostly just hung around and relaxed. One night we went to the Whitewater Center in Charlotte for a few brewskis (just water for me) and dinner. We had a blast watching all the rafts and boats (or "bow" as I call it). We also did some house hunting and driving around. Mostly though, I spent a lot of time reading my books (boos) with Nagy.

Here's a few pictures of us at the Whitewater Center and a few more from the last couple of weeks.

Happy August everyone!

Happy Birthday Uncle Chris!

2007-07-21T11:52:00.000-04:00

My Uncle Chris(K) turned 30 last week and we all headed up to Troutman to celebrate! I had a ton of fun with my Aunts and Uncles and my cousin Grayson... Even Aunt Anna and Aunt JuJu were there. Here's a few other pictures from the birthday party...click here

Here's a couple of video's of the big show that Aunt Anna put on for us:

Monday, July 16, 2007
The Anna Show

Photos from June

2007-07-02T14:17:00.000-04:00

This is a picture of me wearing Grampy's shoes - a habit which I thoroughly enjoy (wearing other people's shoes).

Here's a few more photos from this past month - in chronological order. From when Mom and Dad went to a winery in the mountains, to my visit with Nagy, then Grammy/Grampy and Father's day weekend, then when Uncle Tim and Grayson came over for dinner and a few others since then.

Mom's slacking about uploading these days. Anyhow, check the photos

out here!

15 Months Old

2007-06-19T13:05:00.000-04:00

I'm now 15 months old - what a wild ride it has been! I had my 15-month check-up and a clean bill of health with that. I'm now 25 pounds and 33 inches long. And according to my doctor, I'm doing everything I should be doing, if not more, for my age. :) Mom and dad are so proud of me and all the things I learn each day! Each month, mom says "this was the best month so far" and then the next month comes along and it's even better than the last.

I say a bunch of words now and communicate in so many different ways. It seems like the last two weeks have been spent practicing these skills.... I have a handful of words that I use regularly and I add new ones to the list every couple of days. I can say mom, dad, Jack, truck, doggie, duck, cow, big bird, elmo, cookie, bagel, ball, bye-bye, book, fish, chair, cup, star, car, bear, that, ants, apple, bumble bee...and those are just the words that I use regularly - who knows what else I'm saying that Mom and Dad haven't been able to interpret yet! And though I say all of these wonderful words - you do need Mom and Dad to interpret them for now, I tend to drop a few letters here and there. I also know how to get their attention to help me with something, or to fix something, or find something, etc. I point at what I want and try to pronounce it, which is much nicer than pointing and crying. I also mimic other people and catch on quickly - show me once and I'll repeat it right away (like playing hide-n-seek with Dad or putting mom's shoes on her feet).

When I'm not learning new words, I'm eating. I eat all day long and there really isn't much I dislike (maybe raw tomatoes and raw peppers...that's about it though). Hey - if I'm going to be running around all day, then I need to keep my calories up!!! My favorite foods still seem to be fruits and berries (all fruits and all berries).

I recently had a visit from ALL of my grandparents too - first Nagy/GBP and then Grammy/Grampy, two weeks apart. We had a blast! I was a little sad when they all left, but I rmembered all the games they played with me and I just follow mommy around with my books/toys and make her play with me like they did. :) Also, Father's Day was a ton of fun too - I made a plaque of my footprints for Dad to put in his new office, and we also went out to breakfast and spent the day hanging around.

I've got a new sitter who comes to the house in the mornings before my nap so that Mom can get some work done. She's tons of fun and loves to play with me. Sometimes we go outside and play with the neighbors too. Then Rebecca goes home and I take a nap for 4 hours so Mom can continue working. After that, Mom's done working and I'm done sleeping and we play and eat until the night comes. That pretty much sums up my life!

I wish Mom could write for me more often, but she can't turn her back for one second - that's all it takes for me to get up on the kitchen chair (and ultimately the table like I did today) or the couch or whatever else I'm not supposed to do. So, sorry for my absence, but please check back every now and again for new updates!

Busy, Busy, BUSY!

2007-05-10T09:34:00.000-04:00

It seems like there's always something going on around me these days and I never have time to tell my blog viewers about it! And with the new season comes more work for Mom - when she gets a chance to blog for me, it's only after her work is done. Sorry everyone, priorities...I DO want to go to college some day and I hear tuition will be expensive in 17 years. :) More on this later...

Anyhow, since my last post - I've been busy perfecting my running, sneaking, taking, hiding, and whining skills. Yep, I sneak something that I'm not supposed to have (tv remote, paper from dad's desk, mom's cellphone, even a pair of scissors!), then I start running, I hide in another room, then I whine when someone takes it away from me. That's my daily ritual - it keeps us all busy here. :)

I've also been busy outside helping mom in the garden, and playing with the dogs.

I still have issues with grass though... I can walk on it but when I fall and actually have to touch it to get back up - well that's another story.

Also, my cousin Grayson had his first birthday and we all had a blast celebrating at his house. Check out the pictures here...

Now back to that college stuff - We would love it if you would join our friends and family by signing up with our U-Promise account. Every time you purchase a product with the "U Promise" logo (seen here)

a portion of the cost will be contributed to my college savings plan (no charge to you of course). There are thousands of household products already on the program (regular stuff like laundry detergent, cereals, soups, etc.). Every penny counts... If you'd like to join the program - Check it out here! We certainly appreciate the support - Thanks to all of you who have already signed up!

That's all for now - I've gotta go for a walk in the neighborhood.

Summer is here! (almost)

2007-04-23T09:15:00.000-04:00

Just when I got comfortable walking indoors, now mom and dad make me walk on the grass (not nearly as easy as it looks). I just can't resist the outdoors though - so I'll keep practicing. Mostly, I can't stand the grass...it's itchy and uneven..sometimes cold and wet too, but Dad has warned me that I better start liking it or I'll miss out on all sorts of fun things with him. For instance - I went to my friend's birthday party last week, and it was mostly outdoors...there were all kinds of fun toys to play with and climb on but I had to get brave and maneuver the lawn to enjoy myself. In the end, the grass won and I learned that touching the grass was ok (after mom forced me to walk barefoot). Since then, I've been getting more and more comfortable with the grass - but I'd still prefer the concrete (maybe I'm destined to be a city-kid???).

I do love being outside though - I stand at the door and SCREAM when someone comes in or goes out and shuts the door before I can squeeze through (any door leading outside... my house has 5). So now mom and dad sneak in and out and try to hide it from me. One reason I love going outside is because it means I get to put my shoes on...I just love the way my shoes sound when I walk in them. I slap them on the floor with each step and it gets louder and louder. They sound the best when I get to walk in the empty house that Dad built. Maybe it's the hardwoods, maybe it's the echo - either way it's cool.

Here's a few pictures from the last few weeks...click here

Can't wait for Gray's birthday party this weekend!!!

Happy Easter!

2007-04-07T10:16:00.000-04:00

April is already half over - where did the time go? I've been real busy perfecting my walking skills (running skills). Here's a couple videos from last week:
Sunday, April 1, 2007
FINALLY - FOOTAGE OF JACK LAUGHING!!!

I've also been busy exploring the outdoors, discovering new uses for my toys, and just having fun. I now make "vroom vroom" sounds when playing with my trucks (dad taught me that), and I practice balancing all sorts of things on my head (mom taught me that)...seems silly but it's a ton of fun! I'm really starting to get a handle on this "language" business and I know when Mom is talking about the bear, or the ball, or the truck, or the dog, or my toes, or my hands, or my head. I can't say all of those words but that's why I point at them or touch them instead. I'm still learning my signs as well, but that's pretty slow going. I recognize when mom or dad uses a sign, but I can't quite figure out how to use the sign myself (except for Doggie - I can do that one).

Last week I visited my newest friend Ava in Atlanta. Ava was born a month ago and I just loved trying to figure her out! I also visited my old friend Mr. Easter Bunny (as seen above - same bunny as last year, only this time I'm much bigger in the picture). We went to my friend Ella's house for Easter Sunday. I got to pall around with my Aunts and Uncles and buddies too. Check out my pictures here.

I recently had a stomach bug - a whole week of eating nothing but crackers and juice. And since I wasn't interested in my bottle that week, I decided to stop using it all together and now I only drink from a cup. I also like digging my teeth into my cup...speaking of teeth - My molars grew in a couple of weeks ago...they hurt pretty bad, I was fussing all night while that was going on. Mom thought maybe I had an ear infection and took me to see the doctor - no ear infection but the Doc pointed out that I have my pre-molars coming in as well - which will make a total of 8 teeth... a whole lot of stuff going on in there! No wonder I was fussy!!! And with the dismissal of my bottle, I've also started eating with a spoon...I have a hard time filling the spoon myself though - I usually pick food up with my free hand and put it on the spoon, then put the spoon in my mouth. This process makes an even BIGGER mess for mom and dad (food flings pretty far when it's launched from a spoon).

Even after not eating for a whole week while I was sick, I still managed to gain a pound since my birthday (24 pounds) and moved up to size 5 diapers and size 5 shoes (I wonder if there's a correlation between diapers and shoe sizes???).

Next week, my grandpa (GB-Pops) is getting inducted into the Hall of Fame for basketball during his college days... we're all traveling to Indiana to honor him (and all of my great aunts and uncles will be there too), I'm not sure how patient I'll be during an award ceremony - fingers crossed that they serve good food to keep me busy!...We'll be sure to post some pictures afterwards!

Off and Running!

2007-03-28T19:36:00.000-04:00

Well, not quite running...but I sure do enjoy practicing my walking skills!!!

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Also, here's a few pictures from my weekend

I'm One Year Old!!!

2007-03-20T08:29:00.000-04:00

Yep, a whole year! This last month has been amazing... I've learned so much and accomplished so much. I make new noises, I use my brain differently, I speak differently, I ride in the car differently, I have new ways to get around, and yep - I grew a lot too! I'm now 23 pounds and 31.75 inches long (still over the 95% for height and over the 50% for weight)! None of my clothes fit me (too short, again).

I'm really starting to perfect my walking skills too - after a couple of spills, I stopped walking for a while, but now I'm back at it, big time! Check out my videos:
Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Grammy and Grampy came to visit for my birthday and we had such a good time! I got my very own Elmo cake - at first I wasn't sure of it, especially since 15 people were staring at me with cameras in their hands... but after a few seconds, I dug right in.

My aunts and uncles and friends all came to sing Happy Birthday to me and brought me so many new toys and clothes (even 'Kasey Kahne' socks!). Did you know that I'm featured in my very own Sesame Street book (thanks Aunt Amy and Uncle Joe) and that I have my own gift certificates to McDonalds (thanks Nagy and GB-Pops)? I also got a picture book of all of my family members so I can learn their names (thanks Aunt Kelly and Uncle Tim). I got some new books, new bath toys, new Little People toys, you name it! Mom and Dad got me a red Radio Flyer wagon and I just love tooling around in it.
Check out my pictures here
Aunt Kelly's pics
Aunt Jill's pics

Now that I'm a year old, I can eat anything (except for peanut butter and shelfish of course) and I just love food! Grapes are my new favorite this month (thanks Grammy). I also love to throw my food on the floor when I'm done eating (thanks Hannah and Otis). I started mixing whole milk with my formula a month ago, but I like straight milk way better (and Mom's wallet likes Milk better than formula too). I will drink my milk in a sippy cup during meals, but I'm still not nuts about ditching my bottle in the morning and night. We're working on it though.
Here's a few other pictures from my 12th monthIt's been an amazing year and I'm definitely looking forward to whatever comes next!

Just Goofing Around

2007-03-07T09:09:00.000-05:00

Friday, March 2, 2007

Dog Stuff

2007-03-07T08:54:00.000-05:00

I love my dogs... plus they have the coolest stuff - like big plastic bowls, small pieces of food...don't forget about all that accessible water!!! Mom turned her back of 30 seconds, and this is what I found...
What you can't see in this picture, is that one bowl is already emptied all over the floor, soaking my clothes... and the other bowl is my new toy - I love slapping the water with my hand!!! Luckily it was bath time anyway, so Dad cleaned me up and put me in some warm, dry clothes.

Sweet Dance Moves...

2007-02-28T16:22:00.000-05:00

Mom and dad said I must dance like the mailman because I didn't get these sweet moves from them!

Here's my original dance moves...

Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share Photos
And here's my latest moves!!!!!

Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share Photos

Check Me Out...I'm Walking!!!

2007-02-22T14:07:00.000-05:00

After a week of doing onesie-twosie steps from Mom to Dad and back again, this week I took a nice long walk across the room! Mom stood me up and let me go, and there I went...all by myself. I walked from the recliner to the foyer (that makes sense if you've been to my house) like a big boy. Mom stood behind me because she didn't think I could do it but boy did I surprise her! Dad was just as shocked when I did it again for him. And now, it's all I want to do (even though I fall most of the time and don't get very far in the process). Mom's trying to catch me walking on video so check back soon!

11 Months Old!!!

2007-02-13T16:15:00.000-05:00

This will be my last post as an "infant"... they say I'm a "toddler" after I pass the 12-month mark. Mom gets a little weepy when she thinks about that, because it seems like I was only an infant for such a short amount of time. I'm already at the phase where I don't want be held or cuddled for very long ...there's way too much excitement elsewhere. Sorry Mom! I guess that's what being a "toddler" is all about!

I'm now 22 pounds and 6 ounces (as of last week), and between 30.5 and 31 inches (I was 30.5 last month, and this week I've had to retire several outfits that are now too short). I'm not yet walking, though I'm on my way there! I can walk behind my push-toys now, where as before I would have to run behind them as the wheels sped up, but I've figured out how to control the speed and walk casually while holding on. I cruise across large spans of nothingness and sometimes let go all together until I reach the next thing to hold on to. I've figured out how to wave bye-bye, though it's not yet consistent. And I can play patty-cake, though I'm not very precise with making my hands connect. I'm still saying mama and dada, though not quite discriminately (I was before but have stopped that for some reason), and I now say "duck" and/or "doggie" (not sure which one it is but it's definitely one or the other or both). Lastly, I now point at EVERYTHING and try to get Mom or Dad to tell me what it is that I'm pointing at. I make a cute little fist and stick that index finger out there...stretch my arm in the direction that I'm looking...and I say "dat!!!" (or "dut").

Other than that, same old, same old! Every morning I wake with the goal of learning something new, and every night I go to sleep completely satisfied with what I've learned. Check out my 11-month pictures here. Happy Valentine's Day, Everyone!!!

My First Ski Trip

2007-02-12T16:56:00.000-05:00

I went to Beech Mountain for a ski-trip this weekend! Well, I suppose it was just a "trip" since I didn't really ski with the rest of the family. Maybe next year? Mom tells me that in Colorado, kids learn to ski as soon as they're able to walk!!! I think that's a bit young for the Carolina skiers though.

So I didn't play in the snow like Mom and Dad - but I still had a blast horsing around with my buddy Grayson. First thing we did was move the furniture out of the room and tossed all of our toys onto the floor. We played for hours and hours each day! I love his toys and he loves my toys. Mom and Dad took turns skiing and hanging out with me so we all got to have some fun.

On Sunday we all went out for pizza before driving home. Grayson and I shared food, everything seemed to be going well, and then we both exploded into screaming tantrums (guess we were officially DONE with our vacation). Good thing Mom and Aunt Kelly ordered their beers before hand - it made it more amusing to them. Dad didn't think it was as funny though and Uncle Tim was pretending that he wasn't dining with us. Jeeze... can't a couple of kids have a little melt down every now and again??? Too bad mom's camera wasn't handy for this ordeal- it was quite the scene! Once the pizza arrived, we settled down with a few pieces of pizza crust. Whew!

You can see Mom's pictures here
Aunt Kelly's pictures

Where Have I Been?

2007-02-07T09:14:00.000-05:00

Sorry that my posts have been few and far between... Mom used to have all the time in the world (sort of) to update my blog, but now that I'm cruising all over the house, she's got to keep her eyes on me at all times - even when we're in her office... I used to just play in my exersaucer or on the floor, but now I'm up and knocking all of the books off the shelves, and pulling on the blinds, and opening/closing the door... I climb up onto her computer and pull all the cords... I pick through the trash... you name it! As fun as it all sounds, Mom doesn't have extra hands for typing. :(

Anyhow, I'll be turning 11 months old in one week - this month has flown by! I saw my first snowstorm, but I'm getting over a chest cold so Mom wouldn't let me go outside to play - it's ok, I got to watch it from the inside...

I saw my first superbowl with my buddies, though we didn't care much about the game... we just enjoyed knocking each other over and steeling each other's pacifiers...

I'm going skiing with the family this weekend with the family! I'll miss my doggies, but I'm sure they won't miss me since I chase them around all day. I'll post more next week for my 11 month update!

10 Months Old!!!

2007-01-15T20:25:00.000-05:00

Only 2 months until I'm one year old! Isn't it exciting? Every day mom and dad are amazed while they watch me learn another new task. And nothing pleases me more than exploring new ways to use my toys and to get around. I actually "think" about how to do what I want to do, and strategize about different actions. I still fall short a few times before getting it right, but I'm sharp and catch on quickly! I'm starting to mimic mom and dad when they show me new things (like clapping, and using my toy hammer, and starting/stopping my musical toys, etc). I love using my toys for their intended purpose - I finally figured out how to put the pieces together and the shapes inside the box, etc. Putting things inside of other things is way cool.

I'm now 21 pounds and 30.5 inches long. My growth seems to be mostly in fat, rather than length these days. I'm happy to report that I now have 2 (maybe 3) teeth and have had my first hair cut (a few hairs and only around my ears and neck but hey - a cut is a cut). I'm sad to report (very very sad) that I've outgrown my bouncy seat... yes, my bottle-drinking, tv-watching, stuffy-nose-sleeping, monthly-picture-taking, plush, blue, bouncy seat is gone. :( One day I bounced too hard and snapped it. Rest assured, there's a new seat in play - though make no mistake...it is NOT my bouncy seat. However, mom's going to use this chair now, for my monthly photo (seen above).

My top 10 favorite things to do:

Pull up on anything and everything.
Once I'm up, I like to drop small objects and pick them up without getting down.
I like to cruise from furniture to wall to toy to mom and back again - I'm starting to cruise with one hand and sometimes no hands at all (using my pot belly to balance against something)!
I also love to chase the dogs and laugh at them as they scurry to the corner or hide in another room.
I love taking baths in the big-boy tub where I can crawl around and splash and really stretch my legs. Bye-bye baby tub!!!
I REALLY love riding around on my little car and airplane. I've figured out how to push myself too (so that mom and dad can save their backs).
I love following mom into whatever room she's going to (even the bathroom) and I'm fast enough now that I can keep up.
I love playing with all of my crib toys that I couldn't reach until now.
I love talking to my toys, and my binkys.
After a long nap, I love seeing mom and dad peek into my room to wake me up... I get so excited and I kick my legs and squeel and fling my blanky around. Then I scurry to my knees and stand up and rock against the crib rail until they pick me up and hug me. And...
I LOVE getting and giving hugs... ( I know - I said top 10, not 11 ).

I've been getting my little fingers into everything so mom and dad have really had to clean-house. They even put little annoything latches on the cabinet doors. :( It's ok, it's only a short crawl to dad's office where I can chew on all of his construction plans and reach up to the top of the desk and knock all of his papers to the floor (he hates that because I ruin the organized piles).

In the next few months, there's talk of "walking" and I CAN'T WAIT to see what that's all about!

On With 2007

2007-01-01T10:08:00.000-05:00

Although 2006 was amazing, I'm eager to get on with the new year. I'm ready to have my schedule back, my routine back, and everything else back to normal!
I am very grateful though, for all of the wonderful things that have graced my life in this past year (well, past 9 months)... I'm grateful for:

My bottle
My binky
My blanky (definitely my blanky)
My dogs
My toys
My bathtub
My Gerber puffs
My health
And most of all, My family who love me very much and tell me all the time that they can't imagine life without me.

Happy New Year, Everyone! I hope 2007 is as amazing as 2006 was!!!

"All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth... My Two Front Teeth...My Two Front Teeth"

2006-12-21T07:12:00.000-05:00

Well...Ok, I'll settle for just one front tooth!!!!
Finally... I have one itty bitty tooth to dig into all of my toys. I obviously don't need it for chewing since I do just fine with my gums, but it sure is cool to touch with my finger, and Mom's thrilled that it's looking more positive that I might escape the odd missing-tooth gene that runs in the family. :)

Once it gets a little bigger, Mom will try to take a picture of it to show the world (or just the viewers of my blog)!

Merry Christmas, Everyone!!!

2006-12-20T07:27:00.000-05:00

9 Months Old!

2006-12-12T18:44:00.000-05:00

It feels like it was just the other day when I turned 8 months old! But 9 months- now that's a milestone... 3/4 of a year old. I'm just shy of 20 pounds and I'm 30.25 inches long. My weight gain has bumped me to the 50th percentile, while my freakishly long body keeps me in the 95th percentile. If you've seen my dad, it would all make sense...But the big growth has been in my head! It's now 18 inches, bumping me into the 50th percentile (it's always been around the 10th percentile until now). My Nagy says that little heads run in the family, but we'll see!

I'v accomplished a lot this past month:

*I've survived my second cold (and my first fever!).
*I've learned how to walk while only holding onto mom's fingers (I use my own strength to do it, and just use mom for balance...and I'm fast too!!!). I'm working on using only one hand and holding the coffee table with the other.
*I've figured out how to get underneath and around just about anything that's in my way or piques my curiosity... ANYTHING. I crawl under the dining room chairs, I crawl inside my exersaucer... under my walker and rocking horse...under the lazyboy when dad's relaxing...and of course, under the Christmas tree!!!!
*I've figured out how to get into the sit position after crawling...it's a lengthy process but it works. Aunt Amy showed me a few tips, but in the end - I figured out a completely different way to do it.
*I've started "dancing" when there's music on... well, sort of - at least I bounce a little and wave my hands and kick one leg. It all stops when the music is off.
*I've eaten so many new foods too - cheese, yogurt, bread, all kinds of veggies and meats...whatever mom and dad are eating for dinner!
*I THINK that I said "doggie" on numerous occasions now. Mom and Dad aren't sure if I really said it, but I only say it when Hannah or Otis come near me.
*In addition to doggie - I have added several other words to my vocabulary, like bababa and kakaka and anything that follows a sloppy raspberry. This morning, I was whining and reaching up at mom and said "mamama" - she thinks I was calling for her, but we all know it's too early for that...or is it???
*I met Santa Clause (see previous post)
*Most importantly - I've learned how to get what I want. I now SCREEEEAAM whenever I drop something (which I like to do repeatedly), or when I'm bored, or when I want something that mom took away from me, the louder I scream, the quicker I get what I want. :) It's my new trick. They try to resist, but in the end, mom and dad cave in every time.

All and all, it's been a great month! I had a blast during Thanksgiving at my friends Ella and Kellyn's, and then again at Aunt Jill's wedding! Can't wait until Christmas - Mom says there's tons of stuff under that big shiny tree for me... I like the wrapping paper, in fact, I've already started unwrapping most of the presents (even the ones that aren't mine - sorry if one of those is yours).

And oh ya... still no teeth but the doc said my gums were swollen today (though she said that 2 months ago).

Aunt Jill's Wedding

2006-12-06T10:23:00.000-05:00

Aunt Jill and Uncle Chris got married on Saturday, and I got to go to the wedding!!! My babysitter and her family were sick so Mom and Dad packed me up and brought me to the wedding. I had a blast...I even got to dance a few times!!!

Check out our pictures here...Kruger Wedding

Me and Santa

2006-12-04T09:30:00.000-05:00

I met Santa for the first time. Everyone thought I would be scared of him but I wasn't - he's a pretty cool dude! I especially loved his long beard and big red suit (red is my favorite color). Here's a few more pictures from my visit with Santa...

GO GATORS!!!

2006-11-27T07:55:00.000-05:00

Birthday tracker

2006-11-26T15:39:00.000-05:00

Aunt Kelly found this cool birthday tracker... Mom's still trying to figure out how to use it, but this is what it looks like. :)

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2006-11-24T15:03:00.000-05:00

My first Thanksgiving was a blast! We packed up and headed to my friend Ella's house for the day... I got to spend lots of time playing with my cousin Grayson and my Aunts while Dad and my Uncles goofed around on motor bikes that were WAY TOO SMALL for their tall bodies bodies. :) And for dinner, I got to eat turkey, squash and mashed potatoes. Here's a few pictures of our day.

I did it!!!

2006-11-18T12:48:00.000-05:00

I've figured it out - I'm crawling!!! Well, it's not the most graceful crawl, but I can move one arm and and then one leg, then the other leg, but when it's time to move my other arm forward, it gets stuck under my legs and then I'm back to square one. Then I start all over again until I get to where I want to be. :) Dad's gone backpacking but he'll be so proud of me when he gets home!!!!

Look at me go!!!

How did I get over here????

My Dogs

2006-11-17T09:54:00.000-05:00

Here's some pictures of me and my doggies (Hannah and Otis).

I love them soooo much! I smile and giggle every time they walk into the room. Hannah loves to kiss me... all over my head, my hands, my face, my ears.... Otis doesn't like to come near me though (he's jealous of all of my squeeky toys because he can't play with them). I think I'm starting to respect that Otis doesn't like me much because I don't reach out for him like I do for Hannah. Mom and dad thought it would be the other way around... that Otis would be by my side, since Hannah is older and set in her ways. But instead, Hannah is always checking on me - if I cry or yell - she comes running every time!

Otis will come around one day too... he's starting to pay attention to me (especially when I'm eating at the table like a big boy). Like last night - I was eating a cookie and Otis was sitting next to my chair, so I held it out to him and he licked it and licked it and licked it. Then Mom and Dad told him "NO", so I put the cookie back in my own mouth instead. They made "yuck" faces at me but I thought it tasted just fine. Oh well, maybe next time they'll let me share my cookie with Otis again.

8 Months Old

2006-11-14T09:30:00.000-05:00

Today is my 8-month birthday. I feel like a little boy these days... no longer a baby! I just love all of the new things that I can do and say.

I've got a few words that I like to say regularly, but I'm the only one who knows what they mean: like Dobbin and Blaadin and banabanabana to name a few.... I also say dada but that's just what I call everyone (not just dad but mom, Hannah and Otis too). Mom and dad have been signing with me since I was about 6 months old - I think I'm starting to understand some of the signs, but I don't know how to use them yet (like doggie, no, quiet, more, help, and all-gone).

I'm not quite crawling but I'm still getting around just fine... I think I'd rather crawl with my feet and hands instead of my knees and hands. Mom (and my Nagy) have seen me attempt to do this several times now and today, I actually got to my toy by moving on my feet and hands (and sometimes elbows). Otherwise, I just scoot like I'm in the army and that works just fine for me. I've been pulling myself up on the side of the bathtub (dad gets scared when I do this) and if Mom puts me in front of the coffee table, I like to stand there and grab stuff - I've even taken a step this way! Luckily, Mom and Dad started protecting me from things like electrical outlets and the corners of the brick fireplace... Just wait until that Christmas tree goes up though - Wooohooo!

Mom and Dad measured me and I'm now 30" long and 18 pounds. Mom said I grew last week because all of the sudden, my 9 month clothes stopped fitting. :( It's no wonder that I'm growing because I eat so much now! I'm still a slow eater, but I eat large quantities when I'm hungry... my latest favorite is Dad's cream of wheat! Last night I ate some of Mom's green beans but they weren't as yummy. But mix anything with applesauce and I'm all over it! I eat three real meals a day, but I still love my bottles and have 4 or 5 of those a day too. I also love my cookies and cheerios... i figured out how to gently pick up one piece at a time and feed myself.

I've been feeling pretty good since my pneumonia last month...I've got the sniffles right now but it might just be allergies. I had ear infections with my first cold in September, and never again since then. And to this day, I still haven't ever had a fever (even with the pneumonia!!!). All and all, I'm doing pretty darn good. Mom said to knock on wood. :)

Here's a few pictures of me over the last few weeks... click here

A Word From Mom - Crawling

2006-11-03T09:09:00.000-05:00

Each day, Jack does something new and exciting and it blows us away. Sometimes we think we can follow "the manual" and watch our baby progress through life, just as the chapters tell us he will (and usually, this works out perfectly). Then other times, we find that he does what he wants and only when he's ready. No practicing or warming up first... For instance - rolling from back-to-front. We tried and tried to "teach" him...countless hours on the floor with him, coaxing, cheering (also pulling in other resources, like tid-bits from Aunt Amy)- but in the end, one day he just decided it was time and we found him rolling all over the living room. Same with drinking from his sippy cup... he just chewed on it and played with it for a month or so, then one day he grabbed it and started chugging! Even laughing and smiling (I can't tell you how many cumulative hours we've spent trying get him to smile and then laugh). In the end, he just decided one day that he was ready, and then he ran with it.

So as far as crawling is concerned... this task is a tough one, but, he'll do it when he's ready (or maybe he'll skip this all together), and that's that. Worst part is - "the manual" doesn't rate this task as a milestone of any kind and Marc and I are very much goal-orriented people (we like to follow "the manual" through life checking things off as we go). Will he crawl soon? Only Jack knows... but for now, we're just going to have to watch him "scoot" across the floor to get around, which he does well. :)

Other new milestones - he started saying "da da" (more like "da da da da da" - so no, he's not choosing to say "dad" over "mom" as his first word). He's also using his pincer grab (using two fingers to pick things up) and has become quite precise with this. He pulls himself up, but only in the bathtub (real safe) and with certain big toys that he can wrap his arms around. He has even taken one step on his own, while holding on to the coffee table. And of course all of the other "manual" goals that should have been hit by 7 months.

By the way...still waiting on teeth too, but I'm sure he'll get them when he's ready. :)

Bath time!

2006-11-01T10:21:00.000-05:00

Every night, I look forward to my bath time with dad. It's our time to bond with eachother, and play our own games, with our own toys... just me and dad. We both love this time together and even if I'm not dirty, it's just something that we do each night, together. It's our "routine". Anyhow, here's a few pictures of us goofing around during bath time.

Halloween

2006-10-31T10:09:00.000-05:00

My first Halloween was a blast! Mom and dad and I sat on the porch with a basket of candy to hand out to the kids in our neighborhood. I loved watching the swarms of kids in costumes, and they all loved my costume too... What do you think? Mom always makes me wear silly things...

Arizona Trip

2006-10-30T09:31:00.000-05:00

I just got back from Tucson to visit my cousins, and then Mommy and Daddy added on a couple of days at the Grand Canyon.
This was my second plane ride and again it was a piece of cake! The only problem was, I got a little excited and peed all over my clothes when Mommy was changing me in the teeny-tiny bathroom. But within 5 minutes I was back in my seat and in a new pair of britches.
While in Tucson, I got to meet my Uncle Chris, Aunt Emily, and my cousins Sarah, Sam and Ben who is 2 weeks younger than me. I also got to visit with Grammy and Grampy - I miss them so much!!!
While at the Grand Canyon, I got my first taste of hiking and I truley LOVE the outdoors! Mom and Dad are thrilled about that because as I get older, they plan to take me on more and more hiking and backpacking trips (maybe next time Otis and Hannah can come). It’s pretty fun, especially since Dad carries me on his back and I can just relax. Mom took tons of pictures (of course) - click here to see them!

Pumkin Patch

2006-10-15T09:47:00.000-04:00

Mom and dad took me to the Pumpkin farm near our house. They thought that they would get a bunch of great pictures with all of the blue sky and bright orange pumpkins... however... with all of the blue sky and orange pumpkins, I had a hard time relaxing and I just didn't want to smile for the camera. :( Anyhow, here's a few pictures of our day...

A Word From Mom - The First 6 months

2006-10-01T10:19:00.000-04:00

A few pictures from Jack's first 6 months of life. A lot has changed since those first few weeks... He's changed so much in such a short amount of time!
In chronological order:

month 1 - teeny, tiny

month 2 - huge hair loss

month 3 - huge weight gain

month 4 - huge length gain, and return of the hair

month 5 - rounded out some

month 6 - just plain long

Welcome!

2006-10-01T03:03:00.000-04:00

This is me - Jack....
Thanks for checking out my blog.
Please leave comments so that I know you were here!