Top Chef

Jack is very helpful in the kitchen. He helps unload the dishwasher, as well as all the cupboards and drawers. He has a few favorite items - the ones he usually steals (and carries off to hide around the house) are: the giant spatula, a red cooking spoon, a small frying pan & lid and his multicolored baby spoons. After a busy morning of cooking, he was quite worn out. He snuggled with his favorite stuffed animal (he loves Baby Tad - best Craigslist find ever!) and quickly fell asleep. perhaps he is dreaming of the next meal he will help prepare...or the next item he will swipe from the kitchen!

Friday Fun

After a week full of work, school and being busy...Jack just needs some time to unwind. He spent the evening eating pizza, playing with Daddy, hiding my iPod (I still can't find it...even after searching for almost an hour), annoying Cassady and her friend, jumping in his Johnny Jump Up, dancing (until I got out the camera - so I have yet to capture his cool moves), , destroying the living room/getting all his toys out, and trying to steal my camera. He also practiced being as cute as possible - so that all the not-so-fun things listed didn't really matter one bit! (except the missing iPod - I'd really like to find that!!)

The Many Faces of Morning

PS: yes, that is yesterday's outfit. last night Jack fell asleep in his Johnny Jump Up & we didn't get him changed into jammies :)

Out Like A Light

Looks like all the climbing and running is wearing him out. Seriously...climbing. He figured out how to get up on top of a file box and was standing, proud smile firmly in place, just waiting for us to notice. We noticed all right...and immediately Jack-proofed the room (again). I relish his naps - if he's sleeping he's not being naughty!

Winter Walk

We celebrated an amazing 64 degree day with a trip to the park. The sun was shining, melting all the snow (note the bottom of my jeans: Jack and I got stuck in a muddy lagoon/sidewalk) and it was great to be outside. We are eagerly anticipating spring....we're almost there!


Today's photography provided by Cassady, which is why she's not in the picture with us. Next time we will ask a fellow park-goer to snap a family picture for us :)

Cause & Effect

When you sleep like this:

You're bound to get hair like this:

I am so excited that he finally has enough hair to have a little bedhead. It's not much - but it's a start! PS: You may have to click on the 2nd picture to actually see the bedhead. It's there...really!

Cry It Out

Can I just say that I detest the cry it out method? I hate putting my little guy in his crib and leaving him to cry. I hate that even after he falls asleep, his little body is still wracked with his sobs. I hate that this is the only way that we can get him to go to sleep anymore. We have been doing this for 3 days now, for night time as well as naps, and his crying time has decreased to under 2 minutes. It's still awful. I am hoping that within the next few days the crying stops and he falls asleep without all the heartrending tears. Until then, I will be hiding in the other room, trying not to cry. Being a Mommy is just no fun sometimes!

Taking a Sick Day

Jack has his first cold. He has been running a low grade fever on & off since last night and is a wee bit grumpy. He has a runny nose and a little cough. He didn't sleep well last night, waking every few hours. We were glad to return to our apartment today so that he can recuperate in the comfort of his home. He needs lots of TLC and extra rest. Poor little guy!

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 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 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!

My Baby Can Read!

Just kidding on that reading thing. Although lately, Jack has been very into looking at magazines and books. Or pretty much anything he can grab while rolling around on the floor. He started out playing peek a boo in the blanket, then somehow twisted himself up in it. Then he needed a little reading material for entertainment. He really does have baby toys...you'd just never know it by looking at what he chooses to play with and chew on!

Staring Contest

Jack's favorite person in the house is definitely his Daddy. Oh sure, he has fun playing with Cassady & me, but Daddy's the one who gets the big belly laughs. Jack likes to sit and stare at Daddy, demanding attention and he becomes rather disgruntled if he's ignored. Not that he's ever ignored...he's quite skilled at getting what he wants, when he wants.

Mushy Musings

Jack & I spent the day by ourselves today, since Daddy was at work and Cassady was with her dad. I love these quiet days together. When I found out that we were expecting a boy, I admit I was a little nervous about raising him. I know that this is the "easy stage", but I have to say that it has been wonderful. He is such a sweet baby. His little giggles, his giant smiles, the way he will reach out and stroke my face with his soft little hands..I just love it. I like being a Mommy. Especially to my two babies :)

Road Trip: Day One

Today was the first day of our exciting road trip. We traveled through Iowa and Kansas to Oklahoma to stay with Aunt Sharon. Unfortunately, we had her old address, so we initially showed up at the wrong house..oops! We got that straightened out and were able to visit with her. Jack really enjoyed being out of his carseat for more than a few minutes, too. (So did we!)

Safe and Snuggie

Jack prefers to nap in his swing, but the only place for it in our crowded bedroom is by the window. He seems to be sensitive to light when trying to nap, so Daddy set up this ingenious system to block out some of the afternoon light. Sorry the snuggie had to be pink, Jack....

Rut Roh!

This could be a problem. The current time? 8:57 pm. Little Jack has been snoozing for the last three hours. Things are NOT looking good for us to get to bed at a reasonable hour tonight. I have already enlisted Daddy to pick up a soda. If you happen to be in the neighborhood, stop by with a caffeine laden beverage.

I'll be up!

Note: If you've never had a toddler obsessed with Scooby Doo, then I apologize sincerely for today's blog title :)

Lap Nap

Today we had the pleasure of visiting with Aunt Sharon, who is in town for a few days. We have been pretty low key the last few days, so apparently being sociable wore Jack out. Luckily, he did all his tricks prior to snoozing. His title of "cutest baby ever" (courtesy of Great Grandma Thompson) has been defended and still stands. Phew!

A Day in the Life

Jack is finally settling in to a schedule - he goes to bed by 10 pm and generally wakes up around 5 am. He then eats and takes his first morning nap until 7:30 or so. (He pretty much gets up to refuel!) During the day, he has playtime, frequent snacking sessions, and a series of catnaps. It's a very nice schedule - now we just have to work on getting him to sleep in his crib. He prefers to either co-sleep or be in his swing all night. One of these days, he may actually use the crib...that will be our goal for May!

Who's A Big Boy?

Jack had his official 4 month checkup with his pediatrician today.

His stats: weight - 16 lbs 14 oz (85th percentile) and height - 25 and 3/4 inches (75th percentile). He didn't mind being measured - in fact, he flirted shamelessly with the nurse the whole time. However, the two shots did not go over well at all. He refused to even look at the nurse afterwards, despite the snazzy bandaids she gave him. His affections can't be bought that easily! (The trick is to feed him...shhhh!!)