The Happy Holcombe

Jack spent the day in his usual manner - playing, napping & eating. He is officially crawling now - and at warp speed, too. He also has been pulling himself up on everything. I am looking for a sturdy toy that he can use to practice his standing. Not that I want to encourage the walking - it's hard enough to keep up with him now!

The Jumping Jack

The Taste Test

Now that Jack is eating a more varied diet, it's really fun to give him bites of what we are eating. Today for lunch he tried YoBaby yogurt (not a success - I think it's because it was cold. He hates cold food.) and some macaroni and cheese. He really liked the macaroni and cheese, but in true Jack fashion, he refused to feed it to himself. Maybe it is a texture thing - he will feed himself crackers and Cheerios, but not "wet" foods. I'm sure he'll start self feeding someday...right?

The Intimidator

Some Possible Captions:

*You Wanna Piece of This?

*Naptime? I Don't Think So!

*Do I Look Like I'm Going to Feed Myself Those Green Beans?

*Don't Make Me Fill This Diaper...

*Leave A Comment On My Blog Today...Or Else!

Just kidding about that last one...or is he?!? Let's not test him :)

The Big Cheese

As my clever and witty title, suggests, Jack tried some cheese with lunch today. He seemed to enjoy it, but refused to put it into his mouth himself. I tried putting it on the edge of the high chair tray, putting a piece in his hand...neither worked. I even demonstrated what to do by having a bite of the cheese (sacrificial, I know!). He won't put anything in his mouth but Cheerios, biter biscuits, and my old cell phone. Perhaps I will have to tempt him to self feed using more exotic foods than green beans and cheese...any ideas?

The Success Story

Today Jack achieved. He got up on his hands and knees and perfected the crawl. He only went a short distance before returning to his preferred army style crawling, but he did it! I have no pictures of this feat, so you will have to console yourself with this sibling shot. I hope to have video soon…so you’ll have to check back. How’s that for a teaser?!?

The Outing

The weather has been fabulous for the last few days, so we decided to take Jack on a walk today. As you can see, he was really impressed by the foliage and beauty of Elmwood Park. He fell asleep as soon as we got out of the car, and woke up again when we were leaving the park. Our next stop was Whole Foods, where we found some new goodies for Jack to try. He is a good little shopper and loves to look at everything. Being around all the yummy fruits & veggies must have made him hungry - when we got home he tried mango for the first time. Another success! His little palate is expanding:)

The Green Bean Machine

After having his meal, which consisted of squash & zucchini as well as pears & raspberries, Jack was still feeling a bit peckish. I gave him a few green beans to try and he loved them. I also slipped him a few spaghetti noodles and he thought those were tasty, too. He really liked eating the green beans, but he refused to even attempt feeding himself. He kept his hands at his sides and let Cassady & me do the work of getting them into his mouth. He is apparently not into self service. And really, I don't blame him for enjoying being waited on hand and foot!

The Poser

Of all Jack's poses, this one is by far my favorite. We call it the GQ. He typically uses this move mid-crawl when he is distracted by something (usually a toy, Cheerio or electrical cord) and has to stop to check it out. If he decides that the item in question is worth investigating, he will then pull himself up to a sitting position. He isn't technically crawling, since he hasn't coordinated his arm & leg movements yet, but he can sure get around. Over the last few days he has gotten very fast - we spend most of the day chasing him down. I don't think that is going to change anytime soon :)

Please excuse the mess behind him. He really likes to get all his toys out & scatter them all over the room. Is he too young to learn the "Clean Up Game"?!?

The Mega Grump

Although you can not easily tell from this photo, Jack had a very cantankerous day. He may be teething again. Maybe it's because we ran out of Baby Mum Mums. Or maybe he was bored since it was just the two of us all day. I don't really know. I'm sure tomorrow will be better and he'll magically morph back into his normally sunny self. We'll be shopping for replacement Mum Mums first thing in the morning...how could he not be cheerful?!

The Intellectual

Since discovering his freedom to move around, Jack is everywhere and messes with everything. Luckily, he has lots of toys to keep him fairly occupied. He also likes to look at books. We have a few baby safe books for him to play with/chew on. He prefers the stories with colorful pictures. He will spend several seconds scanning the page before turning to the next one. Another favorite item to hold? Daddy's library card. We aren't really sure what the draw is, but he loves to carry it with him as he makes his way around the room. He still doesn't like the library, but he loves the card. His preferences can be quite puzzling :)

The Escape Plan

Is it just me, or does it look like he's trying to make a break for it?





He's all over the place these days. Today, he figured out how to open and shut a dresser drawer and (gasp) was trying to pull himself up to a standing position. I'm not ready!!!

The Drinking Game

Jack has decided that he loves water. He is getting better at using his sippy cup, but prefers to drink from water bottles or cups. I'm honestly not sure how much water he actually consumed during dinner tonight, but he certainly enjoyed holding the cup. He also really liked dumping all the water out of the cup. Of course, he then got mad that the water was gone. We are still working on figuring out the concept of cause & effect!

The Lowdown

At eight months and 1 week old, here's what Jack is up to. He likes to clap, make noises and chew on his sippy cup. He does this really cool series of movements that look like yoga poses - and yes, we have named them. He has "The GQ", "The Triangle" and The Sun Salutation, (okay, so that one isn't made up) to name a few of his favorite and most popular. He has mastered getting into a crawl position from a sitting position, and just yesterday he figured out how to sit up from laying down. He will army crawl/scooch/roll from across a room to get to the following items: any electronic device, a stray Cheerio (he can seriously spot those from an amazing distance) and any type of cord (although Daddy's computer cord and the Wii seem to be his favorites). He has also mastered being seriously cute and getting lots of hugs and kisses. It's a tough life, but he seems to be getting by :)

The Inmate

We are working on transitioning Jack to the crib. It's not the easiest process, since he has been slightly spoiled with co-sleeping and spending the night in his swing. I've started putting him in the crib for naps (after he's already fallen asleep) and sometimes at bedtime. He's really not into it - the longest he's slept (so far) has been the three hour stint a few nights ago. We will keep trying though, especially as he's almost outgrown his swing. This is what I get for spoiling him :)

Safety Note: We will be lowering his mattress tomorrow, and he usually doesn't have all those blankets. He woke up as soon as I put him down, so I gave him the blankies to see if he'd go back to sleep....no such luck this time!

The First Day

Cassady went back to school today - and we miss her already! We had to get up early (for us, anyway) to help her get ready and drop her off at school. Once the weather cools off a bit, Jack & I will be walking her to school every day. It'll be a good way to get up & moving for the day - a regular schedule will be nice, too. We can work on wearing Jack out earlier in the day so we don't have to stay up until after midnight!

The Squinty Smirk

After sleeping in his crib last night for a record three hours, Jack had lots of energy to play today. He is getting so close to perfecting the crawl - he can now get wherever he wants to go. And quickly, too. I think he might also be going through another growth spurt, as he is nearly always hungry and he is napping more. His next appointment with his pediatrician is September 14, so we'll find out just how much he has grown. I think we'll be upgrading to a convertible carseat soon - he is outgrowing the infant carrier. I stopped carrying him in it months ago - it was just way too heavy. We just leave it in the car and he rides in his stroller or the cart. He's a big boy now!

The Bathing Beauty

Here's another entry in our "Photos With Which To Embarrass Jack When He Is Older" series. Jack loves bathtime and prefers to stay in the tub as long as possible. His favorite bath toys? A plastic spoon and cup from the kitchen. He likes to keep it simple. For now, anyway!

Oh...and I don't want to jinx it or anything, but right now, as I type this, Jack is sleeping. In. His. Crib. I know. Shhh.....let's see how long this lasts...

The Troublemaker

Jack has taken a fancy to electronic devices. He particularly enjoys grabbing my cell phone and chewing on it. This has proved disastrous - I'll be ordering a new phone on Monday because Jack slobbered all over the receiver and my phone is only good for text messages now. Oops! In addition to small electronics, Jack also likes cords - my computer cable, the USB cable for the iPods and the Wii remote have all been removed from his grasp in the last few days. While I appreciate his interest in technology, I'd rather he focus on his own toys!

The School Visit

Despite the extreme heat, we attended Back To School Night. We met Cassady's new teacher, saw last year's teacher and said hello to lots of friends. Jack is never one to disappoint an audience and was in full charm mode. Until he got overheated and hungry. And then...he was d-o-n-e. I am fairly sure the rest of us were feeling the same way, but somehow it is not quite as socially acceptable for us to break out the tears. Life is just so unfair that way!

PS: Doesn't Cassady look grown up? When did that happen??

Eight Months

Every day, Jack learns new things and amazes us with his skills. I love the stage we are in, I can't wait for what's to come...but there's still that bittersweet part where I wish we could go back to the beginning and do it all again. Even with daily pictures, (and sometimes video) I still miss the "old days" sometimes.(Like how he would rub/smash his blankies in his face. He doesn't do that any more. And, as much as I love to hear his laugh and see his smile, I remember how much fun it was to try to make him giggle for the first time. We would do everything we could think of - and he would look back at us like we were crazy. Ahhh...sweet memories) I'm so very grateful to be with him every day, all day, so that I can kiss and love on him anytime I want. I get to watch him grow and learn - and watch as he transitions out of babyhood. Oh, the adventures we have ahead of us :)

The Cart Cutie

Jack, Cassady and I went on a hunt for school supplies today. It was his first time riding in the shopping cart - we've always used his stroller. He loved holding onto the cart and being able to see everyone and everything. He especially enjoyed getting a few treats - a new bath toy and some Baby Mum Mums. Funny, but Cassady didn't seem to enjoy her treats as much as he did. Maybe it's because she doesn't see notebooks, pencils and folders (all for school, which starts Monday) as a treat? Imagine that :)

The Explorer

Another low key day here in the stiflingly hot midwest. With high temps and humidity at a ridiculous level, we chose to stay indoors today. Jack spent his day being cute, napping, eating and almost crawling. He is still right on the cusp of mobility. I added Baby Legs to his wardrobe today, as his poor little knees are getting rug burned from all his exploring. He maneuvers backwards, which can get him into some interesting locations - mostly under furniture. He is then basically stuck, since he can't quite figure out how to scooch forward yet. Any day now, he will be getting the hang of it. And then? Watch out, world!

The Dynamic Duo

Have I mentioned lately how much Jack loves his Daddy? All Bill has to do is walk in the door and Jack lights up with a huge smile. I am happy to report, though, that so far I am the only one to get kisses. Daddy gets the big laughs, I get the loves. Works for me!!

The Bongos

Cassady has been showing Jack how to play one of her favorite games. He should be good at it, since he loves to clap and slam his arms down. Now all we have to work on is his timing/rhythm and he will be a Super Simian. It's on like Donkey Kong!

The Sippy Cup

We've been working on mastering the sippy cup, and for the most part, I think he has it down. Sometimes that means literally pointed down, as he really likes chewing on the bottom of the cup for some reason. I think he uses it more as a teething toy than a hydration tool. He always refused to drink from a bottle, so this is all new to him. I don't think he cares for the water much, but I'm not introducing juice quite yet. I think he'll get plenty of sugary goodness eventually, so there's no need to rush into it!

The Show-Off

After a few fussy days and sleepless nights, Jack sprouted a pair of bottom teeth. He prefers to keep them hidden, (except when nursing...ouch!) so it's rather difficult to get photographic evidence of their existence. Here they are, in all their tiny glory. They may not look like much, but they're certainly equal to the task of chomping Cheerios!

The Midnight Snack

Well...technically it wasn't midnight when Jack decided that he needed a little something in his tummy. Naturally, he decided on Cheerios and a few biter biscuits. He tries very hard to eat the Cheerios without help - and he is getting better at it. The biter biscuits are easier for him, but they're super messy. Plus, then he doesn't get in the self feeding practice. And, it's really fun to watch him wrestle a Cheerio & he gets all excited when he gets it into his mouth. He's fed and we're entertained. It's a win-win!

The Repeat

I know we just did the super happy close up yesterday, but how was I supposed to resist this face? You're welcome to try...I just don't see how it's possible. We'll return to our normal levels of cuteness tomorrow. I don't want to overwhelm anyone :)

The Checklist

Chubby cheeks? Got 'em.
Big blue eyes? Check.
Slightly pointy ears? Got those too.
Giant smile? Of course!

He's got everything on the list. Jack's officially adorable!


Disclaimer: This checklist was compiled by a totally unbiased source...His Mommy :)

The Piano Man

His legs are the best part...love those kickin' dance moves!