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!

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!

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!

Mommy - 1, Jack - 0

We have begun the bedtime battles. Or, rather, the bedtime battles continue. Jack will sleep in his crib, it is true, but getting him to sleep has become a challenge. Two nights ago, he was awake until almost 3 am (no, really) refusing to sleep. Last night I decided I'd had enough of his nightly shenanigans and put him in his crib at 9 o'clock. He did cry and fuss (loudly) for nearly 20 minutes, but I won. He slept all night and woke up in a great mood that's lasted all day. We'll be doing that 9 pm bedtime thing again. Tonight, as a matter of fact. And then again tomorrow :)

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!

Crib Update

Although it is nearly impossible to ascertain this from today's (adorable) photo, Jack has become more accustomed to sleeping in his crib. Now, before you go thinking he's sleeping in there for 8 hours a night or something ridiculous like that, let me tell you that we are pleased with his 4-6 hour stints at this point. Yes, we are certainly working on those oft-dreamed of full nights where Jack is happily ensconced in his own bed. Until that happens, however, our nights look a little something more like today's (adorable) photo. It's going to happen someday. Right?

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 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 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!

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 :)

Why Jump When You Can Nap?

Jack is quickly settling back into old routines - including his preference for sleeping anywhere but his crib. Daddy was pushing him in the Johnny Jump Up and he fell fast asleep in this adorable (albeit rather uncomfortable looking) position. Clearly we will have to work on this crib thing soon!

Snoozefest/Utah

We had to get back on the road this morning, much to our disappointment. We would have much preferred to stay! On our way out of Las Vegas, Daddy decided to stop and spend one whole dollar in a slot machine. Surprisingly, he did not win anything. There's always next time, I suppose. Today's drive took us primarily through Utah. I think Jack can sum up our collective feelings about this state pretty well with the following picture.

In & (Passed) Out

We took a mini road trip today and visited all the beaches between Malibu and Dana Point. We took Pacific Coast Highway so we could see all the gorgeous views along the way. Since Jack has super fair skin and parking at the beach is expensive, we ended up just doing a drive by. We wrapped up our day of sightseeing by visiting another California staple - In & Out Burger. Jack stayed true to form by sleeping his way through the entire experience. Not that we're complaining :)

Disney Daze

We almost didn't have any pictures of this momentous occasion. First, I left my camera behind. Then, Daddy's camera didn't have a memory card. We used Grammie's camera for a few hours, but the battery died. What a fiasco! Even with all the camera trouble, Jack managed to pull through and have a great day. He went on several rides (he grabbed a quick snack during the Haunted Mansion and the train, but his favorite was It's A Small World. It's hard to say how he felt about Pirates of the Caribbean, since he slept the entire time, cradled in Grammie's arms. He was quite a trooper, and managed to hold out til 9pm when the park closed. Of course, it took another hour to get to the car, but he slept through all that!

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....

A New Use for an Old Toy

What an exhausting day! Jack spent the morning in extreme grump mode.The crankiness ended only with a giant diaper explosion. We don't normally discuss these kinds of things here, dear reader, but I want to tell you that I literally cut his outfit off because he made such a mess. It just wasn't worth saving the onesie. Once all that was over, he was cheerful. Which was a good thing, because we had lots of company today. After flirting up a storm with Lia and visiting with Grandma Colette, Jack took a power nap. Poor baby was so worn out that he passed out in the Johnny Jump Up. He's getting so good at providing me with impromptu photo ops :)

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!

Thompson Twins

Jack and I have been spending our days with Great Grandma Thompson. We have so much fun visiting with her, and she loves to see Jack. Apparently being sociable can be a little tiring, though. Today after a full morning of chatting and playing together, the two fell fast asleep for an afternoon nap. Aren't they cute?

Coffee Talk

Blog readers, meet Marcy - our super awesome barista friend. Everytime anything newsworthy happens in our lives, we always end up at Barnes & Noble to tell Marcy about it. Why? Well, mostly because Marcy is fabulous. She has been among the first to know of Bill & I dating, then our engagement, then the wedding date...and of course we scurried to the mall to announce the pregnancy too. Everyone needs a barista friend!