Rice cereal is yummy!

Jack ate his first solid food on Thursday. He is still trying to figure out the mechanics of getting the cereal into his mouth and swallowing without his tongue getting in the way. I think it was a good first attempt though.

Jack's first solid food.

Choo Choo, Woo Woo!

Jack fits in his conductor overalls now. That last photo is his excited face - in this case elicited because his daddy was shaking the crib mattress to make "earthquakes".

Tummy Time

Jack HATES tummy time. He hates it slightly less now that he has his new tummy time activity mat. He finds the baby in the mirror to be alternately fascinating, hilarious, and terrifying. Hey, come to think of it, that's a little how I feel about him too...

Big boys sit in Bumbos

The Bumbo Baby Sitter is this clever little baby seat made out of a squooshy foam material. It has a soft rounded seat, cut-outs for little legs & a tray that attaches to the front for feeding (once he graduates to solids). Our friends Chad & Beth recommended the Bumbo, as their daughter Cassidy loves hers. Today was the first day that Jack seemed interested in sitting in his chair (for more than 30 seconds) - and with his new improved head control, I didn't have to help him to stay upright (although I still used a pillow behind his head for my peace of mind). He seemed to think that the new view of the world was quite interesting, and was content to sit there and play with his toys for quite a while.

Reading Hurts!

It's hard (impossible) to see in this photo, but there are cuts on his fingers.
A few days ago, Jack started reaching for the pages as I was reading his books to him. I teased that he was trying to turn the pages...but the more I watched him, the more it seemed like he actually was. So, I let him try, and sure enough he turned the page. I have to hold it out a little at the corner so that he can get a good grip, but he takes hold of it and turns it (about 80% of the time anyway). I thought it was so neat that he was enjoying his books so much, that I read to him tons that day... The next morning when I looked at his little fingers I discovered six little paper cuts. Ouch! I felt really bad that I hadn't noticed he was cutting himself while we were reading. So, at least until the cuts have healed, I'm turning the pages of the paper books, and letting him turn the pages of the board books. His favorites so far are "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and "Are You My Mother?" Anything with big, colorful pictures - especially red. He LOVES the butterfly picture at the end of the caterpillar book, and the Snort (bulldozer) in "Are You My Mother?".

Incidentally, I'm wearing a band-aid in this picture because I have a paper cut also... I was trying to read one of my cooking magazines while holding Jack. He managed to kick his feet in just such a way as to grate the edge of the page against my finger. He certainly has busy little feet.

Bathing Beauty

Jack has graduated to sink baths. He seems okay with the whole thing...but just okay. He doesn't fuss, but doesn't seem overjoyed by the process either. I try to make it fun, but he seems less than amused by my antics, and is always eager to get out. It takes a while afterwards to get him dry and warm and happy again, so I am fairly lazy about his bathing schedule. He gets a full bath only once a week (or more if he really needs it - I will leave a detailed description of what that means to your imaginations).

Cutie in Booties

A huge thank you to the lovely & talented Emily (recent graduate of WWU's Woodring College of Education, soon to be elementary school teacher, good friend, and knitter of badass booties...who knew?) for Jack's newest footwear (see above)! Thank goodness, because he had just grown out of his previous pair of booties that our friend Kerri (another amazing person - marine biologist, loving mother to Bella, and one of the nicest people I know) had made for him while he was still swimming around in my tummy. How do these ladies find the time to knit? Amazing I tell you.

Kerri with Jack at 3 days old - sporting her handmade booties (the only thing that fit his tiny little feet for the first month and a half).

Emily with Jack - 2 months old.