repetition

"did you poo? it smells!"

I honestly say this sentence probaoly a dozen times a day, my baby is a reakasaurus (although sometimes I must admit his father adds to it and blames it on the baby) but seriously we have so many poo scares each day. How do his farts smell exactly like poo?? geeze!

Letters to Branden Part 1

Branden is away today, he left early this morning with his Mom. He's gone to his parents house to spend boy time with his brother and friend Russell who is just getting back from being away with the army for 4 months. He's gone until Monday morning, which is the longest ever and especially since Jack has been born. Part of me is excited because I LOVE alone time, part of me is scared because I've never been all alone with not even 10 minutes of relief with Jack before for that long and part of me misses him already, so I decided to write him an email each day giving him an update on life at our house while he is gone. It's below (keep in mind jack is a NUTBALL whenever one of us is missing, he just prefers his parents together and with attention glued to him!)

Hey Babe!


Since you are gone for a few days I've decided to email you a daily update on the happenings of the wife and son you left behind and let me tell you, did you ever choose a good day to leave. You son has been a nutball today! We have no semblance of schedule or normalcy and as I write this he is screaming his head off in the background so loud I cannot hear the girls of Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants over-emote on the screen.

After you left I changed Jack (from the vomiting incident I'm sure you remember fondly) once he was naked he pretty much refused to be re-dressed he screamed and yelled and kicked, so I let him hang out naked for a bit before finally forcing him into clothing, much to his protest. He then promptly fell asleep on my hip ( I think the tantrum wore him out!) So I put him down for a nap at 11:30 since I was terrified to wake the cranky monster and force him to wait for his normal nap time. I had a very nice 2 hour break and then he woke up so happy and nice and cuddly. He was being totally adorable and he just sat for over half an hour cuddling on my lap until he decided it was time to break free. He then screamed and rolled for along time... He got under my rocker and I narrowly saved him from getting rocked right in the skull.. he rolled under the chair and got entangled in its legs and he half crawled he got his left arm and leg going , but the right side remained dead so he kinda just went in a wierd circle and then collapsed in tears! so back to bed he went for a mere half hour.

He awoke and screamed and rolled and screamed and rolled and found paper somehow and ate that paper and screamed and rolled and wanted to be picked up, then put down, then up, then down. He was very indecisive today! I decided to feed him, we tried Prunes to get his juices flowing (looking back I'm not quite sure why I chose pooping prunes while you were gone and all diapers fall to me, but oh well!)

Seriously Branden the kid LOVED prunes. I took a video for you because he was so cute. He would kick and get all excited whenever another bite was coming, check it out....



Then I decided I was tired and wanted a bath. so I set him up on the bathroom floor with towels all under him, he usually just lies there and plays, but not today (the kid is getting far to mobile for his own good!) so while I was oblivious he rolled all the way over to the doorway and grabbed onto that boingy noise making door stopper thing and grabbed on and PULLED I heard it boing and snapped to attention just to see the kid pulling it and the baseboard along with it right of the wall! I know its not secured very well, but still.. thats crazy. check out his destruction....

I jumped out of the bathtub and grabbed him before that thing could boing and hurt his hand.. it was a catastrophe.

Then bathtime for him where he kicked so violently he splashed water ALL over me and now I'm enduring to 7:30 he's tired and whiny and crazy, but I'm trying to force him to stay up until 7:30 (thinking selfishly of my own wake up time tomorrow morning)

wish me luck the next few days, our son apparently gets insane when you are gone!

I love you and miss you so much (and so does Jack!)
Robin

PS. as I was about to press send I heard grunting and toots in the background and this happened.

(here in the email a picture of Jack's humungously poop rear end was attached, but I won't subject anyone but Branden to that hideous sight!)

I will however share the picture of how happy he was as I wiped his stinky tush! so happy when he yucks his Mommy out!

apparently prunes work their magic fast.


PPS Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 sucks hard just like you said it would. I should listen to you more often.

PPPS yes Im' gross for sending you a picture of your sons poop, but I just didn't want you to miss anything!

Seriously though Jack is just getting crazily mobile lately. Usually while we are getting ready in the morning we set him on the middle of the bed and he can't roll (he's an expert roller on the floor, but we have a HUGE puffy pillow top and he sinks in alot and it inhibits him, but apparently not anymore) He rolled almost to the edge and we saved him just as he was half dangling over the edge (and the pictures below are so staged after the fact, yes I'm a nerd!)

Anyways I look forward to Branden returning, being a single parent is not fun!

I'm melting...

You know that feeling that I"m sure every Mother gets, the feeling where you look at your little baby doing the most adorable thing and you can literaly feel your heart melt to puddles! Jack is being so cute today that mine is liquified. I can't believe that I love him more every day than the day before!

New Nephew

I've been such a slacker on updating, but we've been sick here and busy.  However, big news is that 2 weeks ago my sister had her baby. He's totally adorable and lovely and makes me want another squishy newborn with his perfection.  His name is Thomas Charles and I think he looks like his Dad! More later I hear the sounds of my son forcing out some poop!

I wish I was rich so I could afford a Green Screen

How funny would a baby be if you owned your very own green screen and your very own green suit. Imagine how much more hilarious all the bizzare things I make Jack do would be if you couldn't see that I was making him do them.. like when I play shaken baby syndrome with him (a game where I shake his booty while he laughs uncontrollably) it would be HILARIOUS if you just saw him shake shake shaking and laughing.

Man, when I become a millionaire I'm buying a green screen and no matter how old I am having another baby!

Crying it Out

Last week we had Jack's six month appointment/slash/shots with our Doctor. Branden came with me this time which was nice since Jack screamed his face off when he got the shots (and oh joy we get to go back tomorrow for a flu shot!).  When we were there we talked to the doctor about Jack's sleeping habits. Despite a few freak nights where he's only woken up once or twice on average the kid has been waking up between 6 and 8 times a night and I was getting pretty sick of it and far to exhausted to survive! I was feeding him atleast 3 or 4 of those times because it just made it faster/easier to get him back to bed.  The doctor stated very matter of factly that I have been spoiling Jack and if I keep it up he's going to expect it for the next few years and that we needed to start letting him cry it out. She told me to try it a few weeks and see how it worked and to just wake up with him once to feed him about the middle of the night. She said to go in and check on him when he cried but not pick him up or comfort him. I was not impressed to have to start this!

So that week we went home and began our quest to let Jack cry it out with his afternoon nap. He woke up 3 times screaming his face off for a good 10 or 15 minutes each time before going back to sleep. I was a wreck. I was crying and so upset. Branden was so wonderful comforting me and trying to make me feel better, but in my emotional state I decided to yell at him like some insane irrational beast. Apparently hearing my baby cry makes me CRAZY! But he continued to be understanding. His nap was so hard I did not think I could do it through the night, but Branden made me promise to try. That night he woke up 3 times screaming before I even went to bed, it was TERRIBLE. I went to sleep about 10:30 and he didn't wake up again until 1:30, I fed him put him back to bed and he slept until 7:30. INSANE!

everynight since (except one freak night he decided to wake up at 2:30 am and play in his crib) he has only woken up once in the night to eat. Its amazing! Its taken me a few nights to get used to it (who knew your baby sleeping better could be SOOOO painful for your poor chest!) but now I'm sleeping better than I have in months and for the first time since Jack has been alive I feel well rested its amazing!

I'm so shocked it worked so fast! Either I have a genius baby or crying it out really does work!

Days away at Grandma and Grandpa's

On Wednesday night last week at midnight the expansion to the computer game Branden loves came out and we both knew he would be obsessed at first. He walked to the video game store at midnight got it and played all night. Thursday morning (in order to save our marriage and allow him the freedom of a few days of indulging in computer games) I dropped him off at school and headed to my parents house for a few days so he could enjoy his computer and Jack and I could enjoy my parents.

When we got to my parents house we decided a fun way to spend the day would be to go and visit my very pregnant older sister (she is due Saturday YAY!). We had such fun. I haven't seen her house since they've done a bunch of renovations so it was good to see. Jack christened all her baby (Elron as we call him in utero)'s stuff.  He played in her jolly jumper and loved it soo much so we've borrowed it for now.  WE had lunch together, then decided to go shopping. The girls perused while my Dad watched Jack in the stroller on the benches.  

We went to baby gap and their were several ladies from my sisters ward that worked there and wanted to see Jack. So I went out and got him and brought him in, just to discover he had taken a GIANT duece and it had gone everywhere. Luckily baby gap is well equiped with a washroom and baby changetable as well as plastic bags. He had pooped eVERYWHERE it was the most enormous poop of all time. It was in his socks and all the way up his back, almost in his hair. All of his clothes were finished. ITs a good thing we were in baby gap because his wonderful grandparents bought Jack a new outfit. I'll have to take a picture soon, but he got the CUTEST shirt ever that says "I'm kinda a big deal" (quote from anchorman for the will ferrell impaired) and Branden has a shirt that says the same thing and I'd been looking forever for one for Jack. We were so lucky and he got cute knee high socks and cute sweat pants that will be super comfy for winter and warm! I secretly think the kid just wanted new clothes so he chose well where to crap his pants. Thank goodness for grandparents eh!

Jack sitting on his Cousin Elron and His Aunt Sarah

After the mall we headed back to my parent house, where Jack proceeded to not sleep but scream until 11pm and then woke up about a billion times that night. So the next morning we were set to go swimming with Grandma and Grandpa, but I was to exhausted so Jack got to have his first outing without me (we've left him with people, but he's never gone out anywhere without us). He went swimming with them and my parents said he was so good, didn't cry at all, charmed all the old ladies at the pool and was obsessed with splashing everywhere and everyone and then wiping his cute little face with the back of his hand. I was sad to miss his adorableness, but glad for the break.

Jack and his very proud Grandpa!

My mom and I did a bit more shopping that day, just looking around mainly and hung out. For dinner my Aunt sue and cousin Zach came over and Jack always loves them. Then Jack and I headed home to a very lonely Branden who was over his game and ready for me and Jack time. It was quite a fabulous weekend!

Jack and his adoring Grandma.

Six Facts for Six Months

Jack was 6  months old as of yesturday. I can't believe he is soo old! The last six months have been the best I've had yet, also the hardest and I can't believe how fast they have gone by. I was really, really hoping my sister would have her little baby boy yesturday, but no such luck. I though it would be cute if they were exactly 6 months apart, but oh well they will be close enough.

Here is Jack's facts for now

1. Jack thinks his feet are the greatest thing in the world. If you tap his foot to  his nose its a guaranteed smile/slash/laugh fest.

2.Jack loves to sit, he's become such a sitting champ lately. The only problem comes when he doesn't want to sit anymore he doesnt' know how to get out of sitting position so he just screams until I get him or he falls.

3. Jack is just the most pleasant baby on the planet now. he's alwasy been a really good baby, but was a smidge fussy sometimes and clingy. Now he will go to anyone, do anything and he just smiles and laughs and is just so agreeable. Its great. He still definately has grouchy days and moments, but he is just getting more amazing by the day.

4. Jack is finally getting hair! thank goodness. Its not exactly thick and lustrous yet, but he's definately got a thin layer covering his whole head now.. its sooo cute and soft. I love it. ITs soo long right at the back so it sticks straight up back there... so cute!

5. Jack is trying super hard to crawl, but he just ends up swimming on the floor. He hasn't figured out getting his body off the floor yet so he does the crawling motions ont he floor. its sooo cute. Occasionally he gets his tushy up and lunges forward and bifs his face of the floor. It makes me laugh!

6. Jack has the flirtiest smile I have ever seen. He is just so cute and whenever someone makes eye contact with him he gives this winning, adorable, charming, perfect smile. you can't help but love this amazingly flirty kid!

Memory Corner Round #2 Already!

Well I'm still unable to sleep from Jack wakings so I thought I would move up my schedule and move on to my second round of Memory Corner and hope that effort makes me tired enough to actually sleep.

One summer some time ago my good friend Kevin came down to visit me in my hometown of browntown.  As part of that weekend me and my friend Jacquie decided to take him and our other friend Andrea to the rope swing. The rope swing is a thing frequently visited in my youth, I spent one summer going their almost everyday with a large group of my friends. It is basically a rope tied to a tree over a dirty grimy river. You, as the name of it clearly implies, swing out on the rope and drop in the dirty grimey river. Doesn't sound to exciting now, but it was alot of fun! 

Picture of Kevin, me and Jacquie after our rope swing trip. Please forgive my hideous blond hair stage and welfocity (I had just jumped in a dirty grimey river after all).

So off to the rope swing we went this Saturday afternoon. When there Andrea decided that she didn't want to actually  jump IN the dirty, grimey river so she decided just to swing out on the rope and come back in. However, this was a big failure for her. As the rope swung out and back in Andrea missed her footing on the ground and swung back out again screaming all the while. Kevin, being the big strong man he is, decided it was his time to jump in. He yelled  out "I'll save you Andrea!" in his most heroic voice (which sent Jacquie and I into our first fit of hysterical laughter) and he jumped out to save her from the rope. He failed at this effort miserably!! He grabbed onto Andrea and the Rope as the swung back in, but did not have a good grip on the ground himself and out onto the rope he went with Andrea and they both went tumbling down into the river. Oh my holy heck did Jacquie and I think this was hilarious we collapsed into laughter as the two of them climbed out of the river. They were unimpressed, but Jacquie and I laughed and laughed and laughed. It was a grand day and we mocked Kevin for his failed heroics for years to come!

Kevin and I later that day, clearly he had forgiven me, but is making a very strange face for some reason?

Date Night

So this weekend on Saturday night Branden and I had a date night. Our good friend Elaine offered to watch Jack and we took her up on that offer. We were really looking forward to a nice, fun, romantic evening alone...

Know how to ruin a romantic evening alone...

Start it off by ordering copious amounts of chinese food...

You will then spend the next few hours alone watching Tropic Thunder and laughing at jokes that are too stupid to actually laugh at while on separate couches with your pants undone or in sweat pants moaning to eachother about your sore MSG filled tummies.

Not romantic, but we definately did have fun together.

So Jack woke up alot and refused to sleep from about 3 to 4:30 tonight and now I'm wide awake and unable to get back to sleep. So I was looking through old picture files and reminiscing and I found a picture of Branden the first night I met him. I think he's like 15 or 16. Ahhh.. how I love him, even so cute when he was a skinny little guy.

Memory Corner

This is the group of ladies I travelled to YSA stuff that summer and were witnesses of this event (actually I don't think Hilary was there that particular time,but she usually was)

The picture is Hilary, Heather, My sister Sarah, Me and Jacquie.

Recently I've been reading through my old journals while in the bathroom (too much information I know). I've been reading my journals from my teen years and I laugh and laugh and laugh at myself because honestly I was ridiculous and also I had forgotten many of the hilarious things that happened to me when I was younger so I have decided to institute on my blog Memory Corner where once a week (or so, basically whenever I feel like it) I will tell a story from my past that  I think is funny or important in some way or another.

Today I share the T-Rex story.

Way back in the day (which was a Friday in case you were wondering) my dear girlfriends and I were heading off to a YSA conference in Kingston. We arrived rather early so we hit the mall in town and were (for some unknown reason) browsing around toys r us. We found this jumbo t-shirts with a t-rex on them which for some reason we thought were hilarious and were joking about wearing and walking around the store holding our arms up in perfect T-rex fashion pretending to be t-rexs and saying in a growly voice "I"m a t-rex". I know this sounds retarded, but 4 girls together equals much silliness and ridiculousity.

Anyways fast forward to the conference. The second night there was a dance in a building by a harbour and it was the hottest building ever so everyone was sweatier than you can imagine (this doesn't really apply directly to THIS particular story, but I thought I would mention it anyways). Anyways after the dance we were walking back to our car and the boy that I liked at that moment was walking along beside us and started talking to me. And honestly I was such a spaz around boys I liked. I was super chill with boys when I was just friends with them, but when I wasn't friends first and just liked them out of nowhere... TOTAL spaz. I was (and still am, even with Branden now) about the least smooth girl you will ever, ever meet. So anyways he starts talking to me like a normal human being and I spaz out and all I can think of to say is "I'm a T-rex" in the ridiculous growly voice, with my arms raised up like a t-rex and then I ran away. ARE YOU SERIOUS? its probaly my most ridiculous moment ever. It was a tale told around YSA for years to come and everyone always mocked me by saying "I'm a t-rex" in a ridiculous growly voice, with their arms raised up.. UGH. So embarassing, yet still to this day I honestly think its hilarious and am proud of myself for being such a tool! (needless to say NOTHING every became of me at that boy, but a hilarious story!)

Half Way Done

Today marks the official halfway point of my maternity leave. As of today I have been off work for 6 months and have 6 months left.  This is a day (for some odd reason) that I have been dreading. It feels so weird that my time at home with Jack is half over. This morning while I showered and Jack laid on a towel on the floor beside me looking up at me, reaching for me and singing and yelling I cried and I cried. I got so sad at the thought of leaving him, which is pathetic because I still have 6 months left, but I just felt so sad. 

And then I decided this wasn't a sad day, this was a day to remind me to treasure my little guy. So I got out of the shower and spent the rest of the day playing with, cuddling, laughing with, throwing around and just adoring my little man.  And I resolved that the next 6 months will be even better than the last 6 months (if thats even possible). That I will spend more time playing with, laughing with, adoring and enjoying my little Mom. I will be a better Mom every day and I will intrench in him so firmly my total love and adoration for him that he will never be able to forget when he's off being independent at Day Care.

Joy in the Journey

This weekend was our Stake Conference. One of the focuses of this stake conference for us was finding joy in the journey and it really hit home with me because I think its something that I often struggle with. Somedays it just feels like I'm waiting for my life to start. I'm sure just about anyone who is married and waiting for her husband to finish school so they can buy a house etc. understands. But its such a waste of my effort and my life to just wait for my life to start. I really want to resolve to find more joy in the journey.  There are so many things about our life now that are amazing and that we will never have again.  With Branden in school he is around the house alot more and is able to spend tons of time with me and with Jack. Its such an amazing opportunity for us to get to be together so much as a family and I can really see the effects in Jack's relationship with Branden. I think I just need to appreciate more of what we do have now and stop worrying about what we don't have.

Halloween

Jack's first halloween went pretty well. He spent the day dressed up in a halloween onesie and the cutest pumpkin hat in the world. Seriously I don't care if its not in season I am putting that hat on him every day until it no longer fits his gigantic noggin'. It's just way too cute.

Halloween night we went to our friends Elaine and John's house to take Jack out trick or treating with them (we felt stupid actually taking him to doors when he is clearly to young for candy, but wanted him to have the experience).  So Branden and John took the kids out and Jack just watched the older kids trick or treat. He conked out on his Dad's shoulder after only a few minutes though so they came on home and helped Elaine and I hand out Candy. It wasn't too exciting for Jack but he did seem to enjoy it.

And now a photo montage of the event.

All dressed up in his Halloween outfit with his Daddy.

Cutest/drooliest pumpkin head EVER!

Ready to go out trick or treating

On his way out

Conked out on Elaine after he got back.

 He woke up after just long enough to develop a love of chip bags and smacking them on the ground. he fell asleep again still clutching on.

The next morning he was still loving the chip bag!

He Sits

So this past week (Tuesday, October the 28th to be exact) Jack finally sat by himself. We never thought he would. He hates sitting and hardly ever practices. He just loves to stand to much so goes stiff as a board when we try to sit him. But I have been vigilant about karate chopping out his middle and making him practice every day so now he sits. Obviously if anything distracts him he's over in a second. But when he focuses he can sit quite awhile. We are so proud!

Branden and Robin

Information about us, idea stolen from a friend.

How did we meet? We met at Erin Puddicombe's going away party when we were like 16 or something like that. Clearly we didn't start dating right away, but were friends for a long time before we actually realized we enjoyed eachother like that.

Where did you go on your first date? Branden's house. His family was out of town so he invited me over, we played monopoly, cards, laughed and joked and talked like mad and watched part of ice age. It was a great first, first date.

How long have you been together? Umm that would depend what you count as the start date, from our first, first date Almost 6 years. From when we got back together after his mission 4.5 years.

Who said I love you first? Him, he said it WAY first and I responded with a rousing 10 minute chorus of "are you sure's?" Then told him I loved him like a month later. 

Who is taller? Definately Branden.

Who sings better? Definately Branden, I sound terrible and he's really good. Even though he hasn't sang in like forever because I made fun of him for singing at his farewell (I'm such a bad wife)

Who does the laundry? I do, Branden will change a load now and then for me, but he doens't b elieve in separating colours so if he does it our clothes get dingey. he also doesn't believe in folding so obviously its my job.

Who does the dishes? I do, its the one chair Branden hates most (as much as I hate ironing) he's maybe done them 3 or 4 times our whole marriage (including when we had a dishwasher and you just had to load and unload it!) I don't mind dishes though so its fine and besides when he does them they never get put away in the right place. Sometimes I secretly think Branden does chores poorly so I'll just stop asking him to help.. hahah.. and its not an unfounded thought because he's said its true!

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? I do now, Used to be the other way around but the right side of the bed is closer to Jack's room and since I wake up with him I have to be there so not to trip and make quite a racket getting around the bed to Jack.

Who pays the bills? I do, but Branden is aware of what they all are.

Who mows the lawn? We dont' have one currently, but when we do Branden will. that horticulture degree has to come in handy somehow.

Who cooks dinner? I do. Branden will occasionally,but then its like chicken nuggets and fries or delissio pizza. I like cooking though.

Who drives when you are together? Until like 4 days ago Branden always did, now me because we took him off insurance to save some money. 

Who is more stubborn? I'd go with Branden, although I definately have my stubborn moments too.

Who kissed who first? He kissed me first. I was not the experienced kisser so there is no way I'd venture that. He did it in front of my sister too when we dropped him off at his parents house one night. so smooth. It took me like a month to initiate a kiss in our relationship and when I did I totally forgot to tuck my hair behind my ear so it was just a big gross hair sandwich. I was such a newb. 

Who is more sensitive? I don't know, I'll ask Branden.....he says he doesn't know either. No answer here.

Who proposed? Branden and he did it really cutely too. First he was going to propose on my birthday, but chickened out and just gave me the ring as a "promise ring".  Then he did for real a few months later at a YSA dance he took me upstairs and did this game show thing.. it was pretty cute. I about ruined it though because after I won the game show as my prize he took me blindfolded into a room (and hte room was all decorated with twinkly lights and cuteness) but when I was still blindfolded I felt one of the light cords and thought he was putting a snake on me and freaked out... sooooooo not romantic Robin!

Who has more siblings? Branden does. I have a brother and a sister, he has 2 brothers and a sister.

Who wears the pants? Both of us I would say. We come to pretty much all decisions together and both of us HATE it if the other tries to tell us what to do, so that never happens successfully.

Weekend Update

We had a very busy, very fun weekend. I think Jack is definately ready to just crash today, but unfortunately me and him get to go spend 3 hours at the hematologist's office. FUN!

Anyways Friday night we went to our friends Elaine and John's house for a games night.  Unfortunately it didn't get off to a great start because Elaine was at emergency with her oldest son who had a pencil eraser stuck in his ear. They came home not too long later though because there was an enormous wait so they just went to the clinic the next morning. We played with Jack and their kids and then their kids went off to bed but Jack decided sleep was for hosers (usually he sleeps so well at their house, but not that night) and stayed up as we played banagrams until we left around 11ish. It was a good night though and Jack fortunately slept in until atleast 8:30 saturday morning which was enjoyable for both of us.

Saturday we hung around the house all day trying to get Jack to nap lots and catch up on  his sleep so he would not be a grouchy baby when we went to a Halloween party that night at our friends the Neebs. Jack borrowed Ben's costume from last year and was a hotdog, Branden and I did not participate in the dressing up.

My lonely little hotdog with the group.

Me and my hotdog!

Jack was highly unimpressed with his costume as it did not leave his feet the freedom to stand and walk and stomp as he pleased. So after just a few minutes he rebelled and screamed until I freed him from the costume. The party was lots of fun.We chatted, ate delicous food and played a rousing game of "Things". By the end of the night though all children were in melt down.  Not Jack though because he slept on the floor upstairs for a good hour mid party. I was proud considering his rejection of public sleep the night before. All in all it was a great night.

Sunday was church, a nice afternoon nap and then we went over to Elaine and John's house for dinner. I'm pretty sure they wanted Jack more than us as this was our invitation. 3 o'clock the phone rings. Elaine asks is Jack awake?? Branden says no. Elaine says call us and come over when Jack is awake.. hahaha. Oh well.. we had a delicious dinner. Then we went to Stake Christmas choir practice. Branden stayed the whole time but I didn't even make it into one song before Jack screamed for food and sleep so I took him home and put him to bed.

Swaddle

We never really swaddled Jack much, maybe for the first few days of his life and thats it. He just hated it, he woudl kick and scream and kick and scream until he worked his way out. He likes the freedom to move and thrash about. Add to that he's a sweaty beast of a kid who (in the summer when he was really little) hated having blankets on that just made him even sweatier and hotter.

BUT the other day Branden and I thought it would be funny to see what he would do if we swaddled him now that he's bigger. WE thought he'd scream and kick and just be entertaining in general, but he didn't. He thought being swaddled was the greatest thing since sliced bread, he smiled and laughed and cooed, then got frusterated until he got his thumb out, then sucked his thumb while he smiled laughed and cooed. He really thought the whole process was quite funny, until he became bored and screamed, but still it was mucho fun for us!

Sleep

So I've done a post like this before about Jack's many sleep positions, but seriously this kid never sleeps the same way. Lately he's been so cute in his sleep/slash/when he's waking up going to sleep. The other night Branden and I army crawled into his bedroom together just to peek up over his crib and stare at him and laugh as he thrashed about trying to fall asleep. Something is so cute about babies sleeping. Anyways recently he's just been sleeping so cute everytime I"ve gone in that I HAVE to snap a picture (and pray the flash doesn't wake him up). Some samples for you...

On his side

Hands under head

Rubbing his eyes in his sleep, the cutest BY FAR!

Wash Cloth Thief

Last week I was innocently giving Jack a bath, I was washing him everywhere and getting him all de-stinkified and clean when the child stole the wash cloth from me. He snatched it right out of my hand (where did this kind of finger/slash/hand dexterity come from). He then promptly shoved it in his mouth and ate it for a good 10 minutes while I stared on. It was so cute, but weird he's never been able to grab anything away from me before, but now its becoming a recurrent thing!

Thanksgiving.

Better late than never, over a week late here comes my Thanksgiving post.

Thanksgiving was pretty great. On Saturday Branden, Jack and I headed down to his parents house in Brampton for the day. We spent the day with his family, visited an apple farm, played scrabble and had a most delicious dinner. It was alot of fun. The only unfortunate part was that Jack and Branden both had major colds and Jack REFUSED to nap so it was major meltdown time earlier than we would have preferred.

Sunday we stayed home, went to church and  Jack and Branden slept and recovered.

Monday we woke up and Jack screamed for 3 hours straight, we thought it would be a terrible day, but packed up the car to go to Brantford to visit my family. He miraculously changed mood and was the best baby all day long. We met my family at the apple orchard and walked around picking apples (usually we all pile on the trunk and drive, but thats not so safe with a 5 month old so it was walking this year) It was alot of fun. Then we spent the afternoon playing board games /slash/ wii mario kart and had a delicious dinner where Jack had his first taste of mashed potatoes. He seemed to enjoy them quite a bit. It was a great holiday and we had so much fun with both of our families.

5 Months

Today Jack is 5 months old. I feel sad and excited! How is his life going by so fast, how can it be that in just 7 months he will be a year old and I will have to leave him and go back to work. UGH! But my baby is 5 months old and here are his 5 facts.

1.Jack doesn't sit yet. He refuses to sit ever, he will not practice so he will never learn. I secretly (or not so secretly now that I'm putting it out in blog land) fear that he will go on his first date and not be able to sit down for dinner. The kid will just NOT sit. As soon as we try and sit him he goes stiff as a board and you have to chop out his lower half to get him to sit. This makes getting in the bumbo, highchair, sitting on my lap all very difficult things.

2.Jack has more to say with every day that passes. He just makes noises all day long, I like to say he has a few words under his belt because his main sounds are "MOooooooom" and "Booooooooob" (I like to think he loves me extra special because he uses these words so frequently) But apparently they are just the easiest sounds for his little mouth to form because he is sooo not knowing what he's talking about, just rambling away.

3.Jack has started reaching for us and I/slash/we LOVE it.  Some days when he is feeling particularily clingy I take him in his bumbo into the bathroom with me and he sits in his bumbo while i shower. Well last week he spent the entire 15 minute shower making "moooom" and "booooob" sounds with a pathetic little sad face on reaching up to me in the shower. It was so cute I wanted to die!!

4.Jack thinks his Dad is the funniest person on earth. I mean he thinks I'm pretty funny and definately gives me and others my fair share of smiles and laughs, but NOONE and I mean NOONE can make him laugh like his Dad does. Perhaps it has something to do with all the silly voiced rhyming about his stinky poop, but he just laughs at his Dad all the time.

5.Jack's life is a song. Jack loves music/slash/singing so we sing to him all the time. We sing about his dookie diapers, about his baths, about each body part as we clean it (including his man bits), about his food and his toys and everything and he LOVES it (even though his mom has a vomity gross singing voice!)

General Conference

General Conference was an interesting experience for us this year. It was our first conference with a baby and it definately did not result in as much spiritual enlightenment as it normally does. First we didnt' make it to many sessions because since Jack has been the lack of sleep baby lately, we were busy napping! Sunday  morning though we woke up early with the best of intentions. We headed over to our friends Elaine and John's house and made their family a waffle breakfast and then we all headed to the church for conference together. Jack was remarkably well behaved (he is not too frequently well behaved at church, it falls right at his nap time and therefore equals him being a grouch) but he was so good. I fed him and then he fell asleep on John which was a miracle because he hates sleeping in public, but maybe the room being dark for conference helped or something. All was well until suddenly John felt his front getting a little too warm. Thats right my son had peed right through is very recently changed diaper all over himself and John. I ran off to the bathroom with Jack and his clothes were DRENCHED and this of course was the Sunday I had forgotten to bring an extra outfit (I usually have atleast an extra sleeper with me) so I get my baby out of his soaking wet clothes and into a new diaper and do the walk of shame back into the meeting with my ghetto diaper only baby to collect his stuff and father and take him home to get some clothes (it was freezing!). While i am doing this, John has had to go home and change his whole outfit, he was also soaked in pee. Man oh Man, what a Sunday.

When I got home I gave Jack a big lecture about peeing on people. We advised him that if he keeps on bodily functioning on our friends we will have none left. I hope he understood!

Hair Ball MacLean

So Jack's new favourite thing is eating my hair. He's been rather obsessed with pulling it out by the handfull for quite some time, but now he's taken to eating it. Its soo cute and funny, but also painful for me and the kid is going to get a hair ball.  We've been trying to get pictures of him doing it and finally succeeded.. he looks so devious like he knows what he's doing is wrong and then when he realizes his father has caught him in the act he throws away the hair with disdain!

My Baby loves his thumb a little TOO much!

Jack is obsessed with and addicted to his thumb. It is soo cute when he sucks his little thumb, I just love it! I know many people say thumb sucking is a bad thing (for future teeth issues etc.) BUT there is not much I can do to stop and almost 5 month old from sucking his thumb and I really don't want to. His thumb is his new best friend, his surrogate Mommy. We often hear Jack get a little upset during nap time or sleeping at night and automatically 5 seconds later we hear him sucking away on his thumb and we dont' have to wake up. Its delightful.

However, lately I think the thumb sucking has gotten a little bit out of control. He is so addicted to his thumb that he won't even let go to eat.  He doesn't suck his thumb when he is playing or yelling (which is most of the day) but when he is sitting, cuddling or being held in general he is all about that thumb and since he is ALWAYS doing one of those three when eating it causes issues. When we are trying to feed him rice cereal (a recent thing we are starting solids a bit early on the advice of our doctor) he will not let go of the thumb. We have to hold both his hands to get the spoon in and then he loves the food, but as soon as we let go of the hands to get another spoon full his thumb is right back into his mouth. This makes a MEGA mess since the food is not only all over his face, but also all over his hands and anything his hands touch. UCK! 

He does the same thing when I am breastfeeding him. He tries to eat and have his thumb in his mouth at the same time. Its soooo strange! I have to restrain his arms at the same time as feeding him, its quite a complicated process!

Do you think the church would let me sign him up for their addiction program??

My baby spins circles around your baby

This picture has nothing to do with the subject of the post, but its just so cute!

Okay so I'm so not bragging my baby actually does spin circles. Jack lately is a circle spinning machine. He has this little toy mat thing and we will lie him down in it facing the kick pad and then head off to do the dishes/shower/anything really and come back and he has spun himself 180 degrees, then we'll leave again to make dinner/change the laundry and come back and he's spun around again. He just spends all day (well atleast the time he's in his play mat) spinning around in circle after circle. Its cute.

The only problem is I have never seen how he does it. Whenever Branden and I are around he is to busy making faces/slash/noises/slash/staring at us longingly DYING for us to pick him up and play with him that he does not spin his circles. Which is disappointing to say the least. I want to see how he does it. I'm quite certain it is some sort of support myself on my shoulders crab crawl type thing, but for all I know he could be standing up, doing the macarena and lying back down facing the other way.

To be a Better Mom

This morning I was sitting on the couch eating my cornpops and watching Jack playing on the floor and he was staring right back at me with this super serious look he gets on his face when he's trying so hard to figure something out. We sat there and stared at eachother for a good 10 minutes him just trying to figure his Mommy out. He does this alot. When I rock him to sleep at night or for his nap he stares into my face for anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes and he plays with my face and he just tries to figure me out, he copies my expressions and watches my reactions. Its moments like this that make me realize I need to hurry up and become a better person and a better Mom immediately. I didn't think it happened so quickly that your children started noticing your behaviours and copying them and following your example, but I can see it happening already. This little guy is going to learn so many things from me, he is going to cling to my testimony and pattern his behaviours after mine and Branden's and it just makes me realize that I need to stop procrastinating all the things I know I need to improve. I need to make sure my testimony is as strong as it can be, that I am as healthy and happy as I can be and that I am the best possible example I can be.

Strange Day

Today has been a strange day. Jack has been a strange baby. We had his 4 month appointment yesturday (he weights 14 pounds 8 ounces and is 25 inches long, in the exact fiftieth percentile for everything) and got his shots. Yesturday he was slightly grouchy from the shots, but today he has just been strange.

Jack is normally a baby who enjoys much attention. He loves his Daddy or I to be dedicated to him alot. He wants us to play with him, sing to him, throw him around and entertain him in general. He's pretty good at playing on his own for half an hour or so, but other than that wants to be playing, standing and laughing with us.

Today he neither wants to play with us, nor on his own. He is the cuddliest baby in cuddle town. All he's done since he woke up today is cuddle and sleep and sleep and cuddle. He's just so clingy I've barely put him down all day. At first, I was annoyed. There were so many things I wanted to do today and clingatron baby was not helping. Then I realized, there is going to come a day soon that my baby will not be a baby anymore and will be a toddler, or a boy who doesn't not want to cuddle his Mommy so I better enjoy it now. So I sat down in the glider and spent my day cuddling my baby and it has been a day well spent.

4 Facts for 4 Months

I'm late as usual, but a few days ago Jack turned 4 months old.

1. Jack refuses to smile or perform in any way for the camera. He is seriously one of the happiest, smiliest, laughiest babies ever. He smiles all the time and laughs like crazy, but he will not do it for the camera. I dunno if the camera scares him or what, but even if I try and sneak up while Branden is playing with him he notices and the smile is instantly removed from his adorable little face. It makes me soo sad because when I look back at pictures I won't get to see that gummy grin I love so much.

2. Jack is a drolling machine, seriously the kid cannot stop. He soaks through bibs, outfits everything. Branden's shoulder is constantly covered in the stuff. I always feel it drip onto my foot when holding him and its weird drool too. You would think it would just be watery, but the stuff is wipe resistant. I think its oil based or something. weird. weird.

3. Jack now rolls and moves around like crazy. We put him to bed on his tummy at one end of the crib and in the morning when I hear him playing and go in to get him he is at the other end of the crib, on his back arms entangled in the crib posts. Its ridiculous.

4. Jack loves the water. He loves baths and swimming. Every time we go visit my parents we go swimming with him and he's just happy as can be. My Dad carries him around, so proud to all the lifeguards. The other day he interupted the water fitness class and gave the instructor Jack and she used him as a weight. its to funny. But he just loves it!

Oh No!

So Jack has been a major grumposaurus the last few days and this morning when feeding him I discovered why. He chomped down and a tiny little stupid 1/4 tooth has made an appearance and oh my gosh. I feel like I'm gonna die, it hurts so bad. Stupid tooth coming on a baby that doesn't understand no yet.

Baby Food

When I was pregnant with Jack I had all the best intentions for making all my own baby food for him, then he was born, I was overwhelmed and forgot my desires. This morning as I sat staring at a basket full of peaches I was never going to eat my desire returned and I spent the morning making baby food for him to eat in a few months when we start him on it. I made banana's, green beans and peaches of course. I wish I had started earlier in the summer so I could have caught more fruits and veggies in season, but I'll just start from where I am. My Dad will have a good squash from his garden for me to use. We always go apple picking on thanksgiving so I'll get lots of farm fresh apples and the rest will just have to be out of season.

I thought the making of baby food would be tedious, but it soo wasn't! And it got me started feeling all home makey so I followed it up with fresh bruchetta Bread for Branden and I for lunch and fresh brownies for dessert.. yumm.

Give Away oh Give Away

Jack absolutely loves music, he giggles like a maniac when Branden puts on some music and dances around with him. When we are in stores and music is playing he loves to be bounced to the beat. If you want a smile from him, sing to him. He just loves music and has since he was pretty little. One of the first few smiles I got from him was when I was singing the commercial song "Good things grow in Ontario". Lately he has quite a favourite little diddy though and that is "give said the little stream" He just smiles like crazy when I sing it to him. If I'm holding him close after I feed him and rocking him I'll sing it to him and he gets the most adorable little smile on his face, he grabs my mouth and starts to sing (slash make random noises) along with me. ALWAYS keeping a firm grasp on my mouth and trying his hardest to imitate the motions of it. I've changed the song though to be about him. I sing to him...

Give said the little Jack, little Jack, little Jack
Give said the little Jack as he hurried down the lane.
I'm small I know, but wherever I got the people smile more.
Singing, Singing all the day
Give away oh Give away
Singing, Singing all the day
Give oh Give away

farts

I think farting is funny, I really do. I am endlessly fascinated and entertained by farts. Anyone who knows me well could tell you this. You will be hard pressed to make it through a conversation with me without a humorous fart or poo story making its way out of my mouth. I think it is hilarious everytime I toot and laugh psychotically while my husband looks on in terror. Everytime Jack lets one rip Branden and I both laugh uncontrollably. I just love farts, they are HILARIOUS.

I was quite shocked earlier today when I discovered a fart I did not find hilarious. Not hilarious farts occur when you are carrying your stark naked baby boy to the bath tub and he wet farts on your arm. That is not a hilarious fart, no not at all.

(and yes my baby is having naked tummy time in that picture. I feel bad for him being stuck in a diaper all day so after he's recently pooped (so it doesn't happen sans-diaper) we let him have naked tummy time and get some air for his business)

Out of Shape

Some women manage to workout throughout their entire pregnancies, eat only the perfect healthy foods and jump right back to the gym a week after giving birth. I am not and was not one of these women. I didn't put on too much weight during my pregnancy, but I was not such the good one at keeping in shape throughout. The first trimester I rode my bike to and from work every day (about a half hour trip each way) and was in good shape, but as I went into my second trimester it was too cold for bike riding and I gave up on working out. I just felt too tired (although I am quite sure I would have been less tired if I'd actually managed to keep working out, but oh well).

Now almost 4 months after having Jack I'm finally really wanting to get back into shape. I've lost all the actual pounds I put on, but I have less muscle and therefore am still not small enough to fit into all of my prepregnancy clothes. I NEED to work out very badly! So this week I got myself a gym membership and have been going all week and let me tell you I am seriously soo out of shape. I want to die right now my muscles hurt so badly I can barely carry Jack.

I think part of the problem is that I went in thinking I could do all the things I used to do at the gym before I got pregnant (not factoring in how atrophied my body has become in the last 10 months of inactivity). I went in and did half an hour on the eliptical, lifted heavy weights, did hundreds of sit ups and leg pressed to my hearts content and now I am paying for it.

There is something enjoyable in a sore muscle though. As weird as it sounds when my muscles are sore I immediately feel slimmer and in better shape. I know I'm not, but a sore muscle to me feels like a small muscle.

Oh well, if I keep it up I'll hurt for a month or two, but it will all pay off in the end... right??

Chatty Charlie

Jack has been babbling and chatting away for quite sometime now, but until recently it was rather sporadic. The last few weeks he's just talking more and more and more. Seriously the kid never shuts up. At first Branden and I thought it was so cute (and secretly we still do) so we would encourage it and chat with him etc. UNTIL the other night when he laid on the ground under his toy and honestly just chatted for 2 hours straight, with no break. OH MY HOLY HECK! If this kid keeps it up like this he is not going to leave any room for anyone else to talk EVER. I was telling my sister about it on the phone the other day and she said "what do you expect, his parents never shut up either." apparently we are the loudest house ever. Below is a sample of his totally adorable babbling.

Bumbo Deuce

Recently we purchased Jack a Bumbo chair. I got it at a garage sale thing for quite cheap and hence it is girly purple (don't mock him, he is a manly enough baby to handle a purple bumbo chair).

Jack for the most part quite thoroughly enjoys his bumbo chair. He likes being able to sit and look around and its quite handy for many occasions. There is only one small problem with the bumbo chair. Jack apparently thinks it is a toilet and quite honestly I get his thinking it looks like a toilet, feels like a toilet, so it must be a toilet. Everytime we set him in his Bumbo chair the boy takes a big juicy dump. Its hilarious and I really hope this means he will be easy to potty train. Also its good because should my baby ever be constipated (as if, pooing is SOO his favourite thing to do) we have an instant bumbo chair cure.

3 Facts for 3 Months

I'm late again since Jack was three months over a week ago, but better late than never.

Fact #1. Jack laughs alot now and smiles like crazy. His laugh is the cutest and best sound I have ever heard and so rewarding because you still have to work pretty hard to get it. I've tried to catch it on video, but the kid refuses to perform. He stops whatever adorable/slash/impressive thing he's doing when we pull out the camera and just stares at us blankly. Its incredibly frustrating.

Fact #2. Jack is OBSESSED with his tongue. He is constantly pushing it in and out of his mouth, sticking it out at people and licking things. He especially loves his tongue in wind, its never in his mouth when we are outside and there is even a slight breeze. He's kinda like a dog in that way.

Fact #3. Jack can hold himself up in a standing position. If we put him in front of the ottoman he'll hold himself up standing for quite awhile until he gets tired and tilts to the side. I always keep my arms right beside him for the inevitable tip, but he's doing better and better at it each day.

Rolling Baby

I have been very STRONGLY encouraging Jack to roll for quite sometime now. I know he is only 3 months and I'm probaly pushing it, but he's gone back to waking up 8 to 10 times a night and when he falls asleep on his tummy in tummy time he just seems so much happier and more peaceful. I just wanted him to be a competent roller as quickly as humanly possible so he can sleep on his stomach and hopefully then stop waking his Mother up a billion times a night.

Anyways Jack has been so stubborn about not rolling over despite my massive encouragement and giving him an hour plus of tummy time most days. He loves his tummy so much he just falls asleep half the time instead of moving around.

BUT today we finally hit the milestone. Jack rolled, several times. We're at 3 so far and he's only been on tummy time for probaly an accumulative 15 minutes so its totally not a random fluke! I'm so excited! I'll give him a few more days/weeks/whatever it takes to get really good at rolling then we'll try the stomach for naps first and see how it goes. I really hope it works and soon my baby sleeps better!

Oh and the best part of him choosing today to roll is that Branden and I both happened to be there and paying attention when he rolled. So awesome that we both got to see his first roll!

spoke too soon

4 wake ups last night. manageable but UGH.. apparently I spoke to soon.

Are You Serious?-Part Two

Okay for real he did it AGAIN last night. Only woke up once and really I don't think he would have woken up at all, but I woke up at 4:30 and was slightly uncomfortable in the chest region so sat there listening for any sound and at 5:30 when I heard minor rustling I went in, woke him up and fed him and he fell right back asleep and is still there. Is my baby seriously on the verge of sleeping through the night?? I am positive if I'd been able to sleep through he would have too today. But honestly even if he stuck with waking up once a night I can so handle that.

Its so weird to me how last night I got 6 straight hours of sleep (I couldn't get back to sleep after my 4:30 wake up and 5:30 feeding) and I feel better than when I get like 8 hours but all broken up and discombobulated. I feel as though I may return fully to my former self if my lovely son keeps this up.

This morning as I was kissing my husband goodbye for work in the morning (the last 2.5 months he has kissed me on the forhead as I lie dead in bed from being up 37 times already) he said to me " now that Jack is sleeping through the night how about we switch and I'm stay at home Dad and you work" hahahaha as if I would ever give up this delightfulness!!!!

Are You Serious?

Yesturday we were at my parents house (more on that later) and on the car ride home I said to Branden would it be ridiculous to pray that Jack only wakes up once tonight. To which Branden responded with a hearty course of laughter at the utter ridiculousness of the thought of Jack only waking up once in a nice. Jack is slowly getting to be a better sleeper, but has only managed 2 nights of waking up twice and regularly is up 3 or 4 times (which is a miracle in itself since it was for along time 6 to 8 times a night.

Well last night my son must have been drugged because he only woke up once! I am almost hesitant to write about this. I feel like I might curse it and he'll be back to 8 times tonight or something ridiculous like that. But last night he slept from 9 until 3:30 and then 3:45 to 7:15. It was insane and I feel so rested today, its like I'm a whole new person when I actually get 8 hours of sleep.

Seriously I pray this keeps up, but I'm afraid it won't. Hope for me please!!