How big is too big?!

As a baby, Jack loved to stare into the mirror on the bouncing seat that was Kennison's.

Apparently, as a toddler, it's equally fun. :-)

Blast from the Past

 

Charlie, January 2010, 4 months

Jack, January 2008, 3 months

New Year's Eve Fondue!

Every year for New Year's Eve Allison's family and ours have a fondue party. We've had this tradition since just after Mike and I got married, so this was our fifth party! We traditionally do cheese, meat, and a chocolate fountain (see pics below), but this year decided to forgo the fountain for plain old chocolate fondue in a pot.

We were joined this year by our good friend Amy and Mike's brother, Dave.

 

Here's a look at New Year's Eves past!

December 31, 2005- The first one, where we realize how easily the chocolate fountain clogs and how hard it is to clean. And by we, I mean Mike. :-)

 

December 31, 2006- The one where Mike found his shirt from the year before so he wouldn't mess up a new shirt

 

December 31, 2007- The one with no picture, most likely due to a screaming 2 month old who shall remain unnamed... {cough}

 

December 31, 2008- The one where Allison and her family got sick, so Amy and my mom hung out with us and we just did cheese and chocolate

 

December 31, 2009- The one where Charlie slept the whole time. 

Nothing's gonna stop me now!

BEFORE...

AND AFTER...

The hair and the cast. Both gone. And I don't think Jack's missing either of them! :-)

Both were pretty uneventful, too! My mom had the brilliant idea of making a "milkshake" and taking it to the big event of getting his cast off, since it worked so well at his haircut. He's happy to be free and running around like CRAZY!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

We had a great day today, including sleeping in, a birthday playdate (which I managed not to get any pictures of) and an Irish dinner with Allison and Kenny and clan. Here are some pics from our evening.

reading with Daddy

playing in the window

the many faces of Colton

(click here to see some other shirts I've been busy making lately!)

cutie Kennison

and just a few more of my favorites...

just for kicks, a couple of pictures from last year (yes, Kennison is wearing the same shirt again! she is just that tiny... look how much bigger Jack is this year!)

Grow on

Eighteen months ago, Kennison was preparing to be a big sister.

She showed up to my house two weeks ago in the same shirt. Now a pro big sister, no longer a baby.

Grow on baby girl, grow on. We're just trying to keep up and hold onto the memories.

What a difference a year makes!

Something about the holidays makes me aware of how far we've come in the last year.

Christmas, 2007

Christmas, 2008

Here are some things Jack is doing at (almost!) 14 months old:

• Standing up from sitting without any help from Mommy, Daddy, or furniture
• Saying new words: nana (banana), cracker, night night, one, two, Al-sin (Allison), grandma, grandpa, woah! (said very emphatically), ok, yes! (too funny- he says this whenever I bowl on Allison's Wii), bee (for Barney)... and some Christmas words like baby, angel, tree, and light
• Saying some two word phrases: more please, up please, my nana, and hi dada
• Knowing to say "please" or "more" in order to get something he wants without Mommy or Daddy prompting
• Calling Mama and Dada to get their attention, or when we're in another room... and walking into a room where we are and saying "hi"
• Initiating songs by "singing" parts of them (row, row, row; patty-patty) or doing motions (taking my hands and clapping while saying "patty" or signaling "head, shoulders" ) then saying "again" after it's over
• Walking up to things he knows he not allowed to do and saying "no, no, no" while wagging his finger (and then often trying to do it anyway)
• Fighting with Colton and Kennison over favorite toys
• Testing his independence at just about every chance he gets
• Crawling up into my lap to give hugs... sigh, SO sweet
• And my favorite... sleeping in his crib until at least 6 am every night! (He even slept until 8 once!) It seems after 14 months, he's finally figured out the sleeping thing!

We're so in love with this little boy! He amazes us everyday!

A 9 month old boy

Our big boy is growing up so fast! Jack celebrated turning 9 months during our vacation, and I can't believe how much he's learned in the last month! Here are just a few of the new things he's accomplished this month:

* cruising the furniture, including transfering to different pieces of furniture, changing direction, and turning in circles

* getting from a sitting position to his hands and knees

* sitting himself up without anyone's help

* pulling up on people and furniture

* taking a few steps on his own... although now he's decided he's too afraid of falling to do that anymore!

* FINALLY picking up and holding toys securely, transfering from hand to hand, and getting things easily to his mouth (I thought this would never happen!)

* eating some foods by himself (but no cheerios yet)

* eating foods with texture by mashing them

AND... last but not least... he decided to start crawling today! It's at the moment more of a military style crawl, but he's getting where he wants to, and working hard! We're so proud of you, Jack! Stay tuned for crawling pictures and videos. For now, a few then and now photos...

3 months

6 months

9 months

Recliner evolution

I was just looking at my little guy tonight, and he looks so old! I remember the first time I looked at him and he looked older- he was probably a month old or so. Today I looked at him and he doesn't look like a newborn anymore! Here is a brief evolution of Jack in the recliner.

A couple of weeks old

One month old

Two months old (yeah, we missed the recliner, but got the couch)

Three months old- haven't taken the 4 month pic yet- we better get on that asap!