This week Little Man, like the rest of the world ushered in a new year and a new decade, and in just 8 days, he will usher in his first birthday. Mommy could spend this entire post talking about how quickly this past year has gone by and how neither Daddy nor I can believe the date on the calendar or how big our Little Man is, but alas, that’s for next week. This week we’re focusing on fun, family, and football!
Compared to last week, compared even to Christmas weekend, New Years was very quiet. Mommy spent most of the week cleaning and organizing while Jack spent most of the week playing and learning new skills. Unlike Christmas, yummy new foods and a playroom back into commission a side; Jack didn’t even notice the global milestone. He was far more interested in his new kitchen play set he received for Christmas from Oma and Grandpa Turner. More specifically, Jack has been thoroughly entertained by the oversized light switch on his play kitchen.
Baby Crack
For New Years Eve, Aunt Ali joined us! With movies, games, and yummy munchies the grown ups had a lot of fun together. Of course midnight is a little past Jack’s bedtime so he missed the official start to the New Year, but Mommy and Daddy were sure to mark the moment while he snoozed. Aunt Ali can be seen in the background hiding from camera flashes and Carson Daly. In a few years Jack will be old enough to ring in the New Year properly, but in the mean time we’re happy to help out.
Happy New Year!
The next morning, while Daddy slept in (midnight is a little past his bedtime too), Mommy made special New Years pancakes. Jack didn’t get any syrup with his, but enjoyed them none the less. I think he also enjoyed Aunt Ali’s breakfast company as she makes silly faces and has a tendency to talk to babies in a very high pitched tone.
Nom, nom, nom
Once Daddy was up and about, Jack was ecstatic to see him! Usually if Jack doesn’t see Daddy first thing when he wakes up, he thinks he won’t see Daddy until the end of the day when he arrives home from work. So, when Daddy emerged before Jack’s first nap of the day, Little Man was happily surprised. Daddy was equally happy to have the day off and to share it with the family.
Daddy and baby-man
Just as the morning had brought a pancake into the menu, the afternoon brought with it Jack’s first experience with peanut butter and jelly. Now that Jack Jack is almost a year old, he can have a piece of bread with a thin layer of peanut butter and real fruit jelly, which is exactly what he had for lunch. Baby Man thoroughly enjoyed it! So much so that Mommy and Daddy learned a very important lesson, only give Jack a few pieces at a time because if given the opportunity, Jack will put as many pieces as he can in his little chipmunk cheeks.
Yummy, but dry
So much cheesy goodness
Where as Friday was a day spent happily in pjs as we lazed about as a family, the only appropriate way to spend the first day of a New Year in Mommy’s opinion, Saturday was spent at our favorite family retail outlet, Costco. Since before Christmas, Mommy had been sending Daddy to the grocery store to pick up a few things here and there, but we hadn’t actually been grocery shopping because it was the holidays. So, as one would expect, the New Year didn’t just bring a new decade, it also brought with it an empty fridge. However, learning from previous experiences, Mommy and Daddy broke up our shopping into two days. Saturday was when we did our bulk shopping at Costco and Sunday Mommy sent Daddy to Fred Meyer as there was a great deal around the house that needed attention.
Monday, once again Daddy went back to work leaving Jack and Mommy to our own devices and with the playroom now in working order, which meant it was time for the two of us to have some “free range” fun. So, Jack Jack roamed free in his room while Mommy took pictures. Interestingly enough, despite all of the new toys laying about the room, the first thing Jack gravitated for were his stacking rings. He eventually grabbed two of them and made his way over to my chair where I was snapping away.
The Little Boy Blue Series
Innocent
Inquisitive
Shy
Mischievous
Just a cute close-up
Once he grew bored of Mommy’s camera and the flashing light, he made his way over to his table, which was once his exer-saucer. We spent most of the day just playing about in this room. I think he’s happy to have a room in which he can have free reign again. Plus, he had the opportunity to rediscover some of his other toys and books he may have forgotten about.
Still likes this old thing
After a day full of playing in his playroom, Jack was ready for a Fiesta and he was in luck because Monday night was the Fiesta Bowl. At 6 PM Boise State played TCU and the whole family was dressed for the occasion.
Ready for the game
Jack hasn’t watched too many football games this season, especially of the winning variety. With the lackluster records of Mommy’s and Daddy’s teams, the Chiefs and Seahawks, I think if the game would have ended before Jack’s bedtime he would have been confused by all the smiles and celebrating. Especially since the game was such a nail biter. But of course, the Broncos pulled out a win in the end and as for the Seahawks and the Chiefs, there’s always next season. Hopefully by the time Jack understands football, one of the teams will be a winner. At the moment, we’re still undecided who he will be a fan of, which leaves all future Christmas card pictures up in the air.
Nailbiter
Today has brought with is a new first. Jack had his first “booboo”. While Mommy was working on compiling the photos for the Christmas extravaganza post, Jack was playing in front of me in the Theatre. I had brought in a few of his toys including his crawl through tunnel. However, given that he doesn’t usually play in the Theatre, he was more interested in exploring. First he was quite impressed with his ability to sort through his Disney DVDs. He especially liked holding one up and giving it to me. Then he was all about cruising around the room. Although the entertainment cabinet in the Theatre has cushioned baby proof corners Mommy still didn’t like the idea of him cruising near such a hard piece of furniture. Furthermore, Jack discovered how to turn off the TV and considering it takes a full 90 seconds to turn off and then another 90 seconds to turn completely back on, this was also a bit of a problem.
Unfortunately, Mommy was unable to grab Jack before he lost his balance and whacked his little noggin on the vertical corner of the cabinet. This would have only scared him if he had hit the cushioned corner, but neither Mommy nor Daddy thought it would be necessary to cushion the vertical as well. So, Mommy’s little baby man has a little vertical line on the right side of his forehead.
Fortunately, in the end, he was more scared than hurt and after about a minute of crying while Mommy attempted to cuddle and kiss the pain and fear away, he was back to laughing and was more interested in trying to eat the bag of frozen corn I grabbed quickly to put on his head, than allowing me to hold it to his head. Daddy took the news surprisingly well when I called him to tell him what had happened and to ask his advice. He simply said that “I’m trying not to react too much as he’s a little boy and we’re just going to have to get used to bumps, bruises, and scrapes.” This is definitely the sort of thing that mommies don’t get used to, at least this mommy can’t imagine getting used to it, but since Jack is rather mobile a far quicker than I ever could have imagined, Mommy is just going to have to not be so surprised.
Our Little Man is growing up and that means all sorts of things will be happening and changing that we’ll have to get used to and come to terms with, but for the time being, Mommy can still call her Jack a baby. He isn’t officially a toddler until the 13th and I’m going to take advantage of every day leading up to it to relish and enjoy our baby.
Quick Jack Facts
Jack is growing more and more self sufficient. Most of this self sufficiency is making itself known during meal time. Jack has been quite insistent on feeding himself in recent weeks, but it’s only been this past week that he’s attempted and been very stubborn about trying to feed himself with a spoon. So, with a lot of wipes and a camera in hand, meal time has become an exercise in self sufficiency.
I can feed myself now
Although he is still getting the hang of using a spoon, Jack seems to have mastered the bottle, just in time to give it up! This is a skill he usually only shows off for Daddy as I think he still enjoys being “babied” by Mommy, but it’s a skill he possesses none the less.
Play time is always a fun time with Jack. Both Mommy and Daddy enjoy crawling into Jack’s play space and sharing in his discoveries and fun. Just tonight, after Daddy arrived home, he jumped right into play time with his little buddy. Sometimes Jack will climb on Daddy or he’ll show him different toys or show off some new skill he has been working on. Tonight, he let Daddy show him something new, stacking blocks, and together Jack discovered a new source of enjoyment, knocking down Daddy’s tower of blocks. This game repeated for several minutes. Like one heck of a team, Daddy would set ‘em up and Jack would knock ‘em down. Mommy just loves watching her boys at play.
Stack em up
Knock em down
