Infant Daily Intake Monday October 27

Jack was extremely happy today he was playing on the slide with his friend Jazlyn. He also was attempting to clap his hands :) while looking at myself (possibly Adriana, student teacher) and Shelby.

Have I mentioned that I LOVE Jack's daycare? I actually feel more relaxed when I'm there.

Oh yea! I almost forgot

Jack officially outgrew his co-sleeper while I was away. Or rather, he's just too mobile for us to safely leave him in it unattended. Now he's sleeping in his crib every night! For the time being, we're sleeping in the room with him, until he's totally adjusted and I get over my fear of not hearing him when he wakes in the middle of the night.

Pumpkin season 2008

I've been out of town for a week, attending the wedding of my dear friend Colleen and Vivek. It was really hard to leave Jack behind, but as I was the matron of honor, I knew I couldn't fulfill my duties if I had Jack with me. Check out the hat Grandma made for him while I was away!

When I got back Jack had FOUR TEETH coming in on the top! He looked so much more grown up in just one week, it's utterly amazing. He crawls around like crazy now and he's getting better and better at holding onto things and standing up. Jack also seems totally acclimated to daycare now. When I came in to pick him up on Friday, he was sitting at the table with the other Jack and Edward, and was drinking out of a sippy cup and talking really loud. Jack loves eating Cheerios and talking. He's also started a little waving bye-bye. He continues to intake lots of information with his hands and turn things over and over, studying them. He has a big plush fish with huge lips that my friend Steve got for him and he kisses the lips when I hold it up and say "glub glub".

here's what we missed (from Jack's daycare sheets):

10/12/08

For the first time, Jack went inside the tunnel while he was holding a rattle in his hand.

10/15/08

Jack was so talkative today. This morning he got a book and he was turning pages & reading it loudly

10/17/08

Jack had a great day today he enjoyed turning the pages of books and also enjoyed playing in the kitchen area

10/2o/08

Today Jack enjoyed crawling back and forth from the door to the loft and also was laughing and talking to his friend Olufemi

10/22/08

While outside with his friends, Jack enjoyed playing in the sandbox. He also crawled around and took time to explore what ever object or toy was in his path!

10/24/08

Jack was extremely active and happy all day

From Jack's daycare sheet

10/10/2008

Jack was trying hard to climb on the steps today! 

Jack loved warm mashed banana mixed with cereal & water!

Bad Mama

So as a rule, we don't let Jack watch TV. Not only because of the trash and violence, but because I've read in several places that it can mess up a kid's brain and visual development if you let them watch it in their first year. 

However, we did make an exception for the Democratic National Convention. In part because it was on at a time that Jack is normally going to bed, but not asleep and neither Sean nor I wanted to miss any of it. Also we figured, he wouldn't be too interested, which was an accurate assessment. He played in the room, but didn't pay much attention.

I had missed Michelle Obama's speech so a few days later I decided it was okay to have it on in the room while Jack and I played. Jack sat on my lap as I cued it up on youtube. Then I noticed a link for the new Britney Spears video with Beyonce and Pink, singing "We Will Rock You".

Now, not only do I have a secret guilty pleasure of most things involving pop culture, but also I've been fascinated by how lame Britney Spears is ever since I saw her sing "I Love Rock and Roll" in the movie Crossroads (I was on a plane back when movies were free!)

So the video starts up, and Jack, who has been bouncing on my legs, grabbing my face, yelling "BA BA BA!" is suddenly motionless, staring at the screen and a minute into the video he looks at me with his eyes bugged out and says "WHOA!!"

Wednesday, October 8

Jack finally got over being sick. He seemed mostly unphased by the experience, but it was hard on all of us. Vomiting, diarrhea and a rash. I can't believe how much laundry we had to do, because he'd throw up all over his bed in the morning. It was just awful. He missed two days at daycare, and developed a case of clutchiness. He didn't want to be put down to play, and would send out a distress call whenever I'd leave the room. It was tough getting back into the swing of daycare, but he seems pretty adjusted to it again now and well on his way to being the little "people person" that we're used to. He likes to catch people's eye on the bus and play with their iPods, cellphones, backpacks, whatever. Once they look at him and smile, though, he usually buries his head in my arms.

Jack has pretty much gotten the crawling thing down, but hasn't started the racing around that some kids do. The funny part is how he juts one arm out in front of the other, with all the smoothness of the animation in Year Without a Santa Claus

Now he's dying to stand up.

He's also getting better at going to sleep. He makes all kinds of noises, and rubs his blanket on his head.

from Jack's daycare sheet on Monday:

Jack was trying to crawl inside the tunnel. 

and today:

Jack was trying to pull himself up over and over today