Holidays!

I had two trips since I last blogged - one to Connecticut and one to Michigan. Here are some of the best photos from the trip. It was wonderful to see so many family members. I never had so many hugs.

I got to open lots of presents. I had some help, but did a pretty good job by myself.

Thanks to everyone who was so generous and got me such fun things!

By visiting Lansing (and East Lansing), I got to step foot in my third state capital (Boston, Hartford, Lansing). I had a little conflict though - I was in East Lansing during a bowl game where they played Boston College. (One is where my great-grandpa taught and one is where Grandpa went to college). Needless to say I did not express my ambivalence to anyone there.

How on earth is this comfortable?

Only babies, with their amazing flexibility could sleep like this....

Visit

We had a lovely visit from our cousins (I think they are technically my first cousin once removed and my second cousin?!) last night. Robby and I were fascinated by the toy trains...

Busy Week

So I have had 2 playdates this week. I am quite the ladies man, I guess. I got to play with 3 different baby girls in just one week. I had lots of fun playing in their exersaucers. Believe it or not I do not have every toy out there, not that I need one. My jumperoo is just as fun! I don't think there is room in our house for it anyway.

I also tried some sweet potatoes. Until today, I had mommy/daddy fooled into thinking I was really getting the hang of this eating thing. However today I didn't want any food.

And there is more to come. My cousins Nikki, Rob, and Robby are going to have dinner with us on Friday. They are coming all the way from California. We also leave for Connecticut in just a few days, and then to Michigan after that so there is sure to be lots of packing going on. Maybe I will be nice and not poop on every outfit every time I wear it and save mom some laundry.

Weekend Trip

I got to visit Keene this weekend and visit with my Great Grandparents and my Great Aunt/Uncle. As you can see, I thought Floppy was super soft and friendly.

Half Birthday

Updates on Jack

1) He can now sit up unassisted. Generally he can sit up as long as he wants, though he may fall on occasion. He is not able to get to a sitting position from his back, but that should come. While sitting he can grab for toys, move them from hand to hand and generally look all around while holding things. He is better at this than most babies his age, at least he is much better than those in our current isis class!
2) He rolls over from his back to his tummy way more than he used to. He sometimes even will do it in his sleep and stay asleep. I have only seen him roll tummy to back 2 times and he seems to have little interest in it. He is a little "slow" on this.
3) His 6 month check up is next week, but the bathroom scale says he is 19.5lbs. It is pretty accurate.
4) He is just starting to get the hang of eating. Yesterday/today he actually seem to want to lick the spoon I offered him. He also seems intent on feeding himself as he wants to hold the spoon and lick it himself. He still has only had rice cereal. More to come soon..
5) When given a bottle, he can hold it himself pretty well. He certainly wants to hold it himself. Usually a little guidance/support from us is all he needs while it is still full. (When it gets close to empty it is another story).
6) He can stay contented playing in his mat by himself for quite some time (maybe 20-30 minutes?). This is great.
7) He has just about outgrown his infant car seat, and luckily a new one is on the way from he Hickey Grandparents (thanks!).
8) His 6-12 month clothes generally still fit, though a few of his 12 month onesies are too tight. He has started wearing some of his 12-18 month clothes, though the pants are still a tad too long.

Here comes Santa Claus

I met Santa today for the first time. He was super nice. As I was a bit shy and didn't tell him what I wanted in front of mommy, Santa was nice enough to relay to her that I want a BMW.

(Actually that would be far from mommy's first choice of car, but at the same time she wouldn't turn it down of if a man in a flying sleigh left one for her for free).

This isn't how it is supposed to work, Part II

How on earth did I do this? My shirt is half off!

Food, Glorious Food..

New Skills

Biting my lower lip



sitting up SO well, handing toys from hand-to-hand

This isn't how it is supposed to work...

Just Plain Cute

Like father, like son?

Kids Table?

Now that I have gotten so good at sitting up on my own, I was able to join mom and dad at the table recently. I don't get to eat anything there yet (a few more weeks for that!), but I enjoy being at their level and being able to drop things to the very faraway floor.





The nifty seat is Phil and Ted's Me Too Chair
The specs are pretty amazing. It weighs less than 2lbs, but can hold up to 40! It also folds up flat for traveling. It seems easier than a real high chair, (of course this means our table will get filthy as opposed to a high chair tray).

Happy Belated Thanksgiving

hmm, this weather is very weird. I saw snow on Tuesday and on Thursday it was in the mid-60s! You can see we were sitting outside before lunch!

Jack Frost

is here---

Our first snow of the year came. It didn't amount to anything, but pretty flakes fell for a few hours. Sadly the camera didn't do a very good job of capturing them.

Visitor...

We had a visitor the last few days. Grandma Anne was here and I was all about showing off! I have learned to sit up, which has happened all of a sudden. Everyone is impressed! It also has gotten very cold so I needed to be all bundled up for a walk with Grandma and we couldn't resist putting up the snowsuit pic!

Bath Time Fun

5 Months Old!

Here are some pictures from today!

We thought it was getting better

but the crazy hair is back!





Since I am starting to sit up on my own quite well, I suspect mommy will bring to get a haircut sometime in the foreseeable future (maybe in time for Christmas).

Brrrrr...

So, now that is become cold here in MA, mom has had to break out some of the cold weather gear, including shoes (which makes mom very happy she has a new thing to shop for!).







(The last one is hard to see, but it is a stroller attachment than keeps my legs/feet toasty warm!).

Hanging with Daddy..

Sadly Dad is away this week on a business trip. I miss him - see how much fun we have together?

More Halloween Fun

Jack O' Lantern

I was worried, but I didn't need to be!

THEY WON!

More visitors...

We had more visitors on Saturday. Grandma Linda, GG Sue, Popa and Rebel came to town.

So Big!

I am loving my jumperoo even more now that my parents realized that I am SO tall that the height adjuster had to be changed.

For the record, I was 26 3/4 inches at my check-up on Friday. That means I grew 5 inches since June. Whoa.... (Oh, and I am 17lbs 11oz for those who care).

On the other hand, I am NOT loving my 4 month shots - I have been totally out-of-sorts since Friday and have continued my cycle of not sleeping longer than 3 hours at time for 5 consecutive day. The first 3 nights can't be blamed on the shots, though, but the shots have made it worse. (If this post makes no sense, you know why).

Fun Weekend

We had a visit from Grandpa, Nonny, and GG Polly. Besides that BOTH the Pats and Sox won! Yipee...Too bad the Series games are after my bedtime.

Studied at Harvard today

Ok, that is a bit misleading. I WAS studied at Harvard today. The Harvard Lab for Developmental Studies is always looking for participants for their studies. You get $5 and a free tee-shirt (see photo) or toy for participating. Mom got to stay with me the entire time and I listened to music and watched animals on a computer screen. Apparently they are studying how babies respond to "Western" and "non-western" rhythms.

4 months old! (yesterday)

Report from mom: what is going on with Jack?

~ He can roll over in the crib (back to front) but only when nobody is looking! He tries very hard to roll over both front-back and back-front when on his playmat too, but so far unsuccessfully.
~ He can laugh/giggle longer, especially when we tickle him. Strangely he is only ticklish sometimes.
~ He decided to stop sleeping well about the time I posted how well he was sleeping back in September. Maybe this post will reverse the trend. He has been getting up a million times a night for the last three weeks, and a half-million for the weeks or so before that. This was about the time he started going to bed early (like 7:30 - a normal time for his age).
~ He pretty much sleeps on his side now. As soon as we put him down, he rolls to his side and starts eating his hands.
~ He now (we are pretty sure at least) indicates when he wants to be picked up by holding his arms out.
~ He loves to be "standing" - supported by us obviously. However, he needs less and less support and is getting quite solid. Apparently around 5 months he should be able to stand just holding on to our fingers. He isn't there yet, but sure is getting there.
~ He grabs his feet a lot, but hasn't quite gotten them in his mouth yet, should happen next month according to "experts." He also likes to cross his ankles when seated.
~ His hands are almost always in his mouth (for the last month or so).
~ He is much louder and seems to want to will his toys to move by speaking sternly to them. He bats at them too of course...
~ He is moving out of his 6 month clothes (3-6) and into his 12 month ones (6-12) as sizes are all over the map, it does vary quite a bit for piece to piece. He is probably approaching 17 1/2 lbs. We have our official 4 month check-up on the 26th so will know more accurately then.

Bleh

So we are all sick with moderate-mild colds. I thought all that breastfeeding and day-care avoidance was supposed to prevent this? I guess we will be having a quiet weekend at home recovering. We went to the pediatrician this morning (there are these lovely open office hours from 8-8:45 for sick visits) and the doctor declared I was suffering, from you guessed it, the common cold. Hopefully we will all be better soon and we can have some family fun on Sunday to replace our planned visit to Hanover.

Bright-Eyed and Bushy-Haired

My hair was like this from a nap...no intervention from mom.

Fall in Boston

I am quickly learning about the rapidly changing weather here - yesterday we went to buy pumpkins and it was about 85 and sunny. Today we went for a walk and it was about 55, misting (off and on) and windy!

Just Some Cute Pictures

Jack of the Jungle

I have an aunt! I have an aunt!

This weekend I went to my 5th state - Maine. I had a wonderful reason to do so, my Uncle Andy married a wonderful woman named Katie. Here are a few, not amazing pictures of me at the delightful events. Mommy was quite busy with me and Daddy was as busy being the Best Man so this is all they could muster. I am counting on lots of relatives to send us some more pictures of our family at the wedding! It was great getting to see so many relatives and meeting some new ones.

Sleeping at the reception...


sleeping at the rehearsal dinner...


Showing I am not a true Scotsman at another family dinner, though that is my family tartan (paternal grandfather's side)...


Relaxing in a hotel room...


Don't let the pictures fool you, I wasn't all that quiet and serene at the events:)