Halloween Fun

Okay, okay, I know I am seriously behind on updating everyone on Jack's adventures. My apologies. However, if he didn't keep having so many great adventures, maybe I would have more time to update. Anywho, things are going along at a breakneck speed at our house. With the little man walking everywhere and getting into everything, keeping up with Jack has become quite a job. He is everywhere! Before you know it, he is rounding the corner into the kitchen and has not only managed to get a handful of dog food but also to find the mini chopper which he finds quite useful in making music. Needless to say, Justin and I are constantly running after him and putting things up that he should not touch and trying to teach him what is appropriate to play with. That being said, Jack pretty much has a mind of his own and regardless of what we say, he does what he wants. I know some of that is due to his age, but he has a stubborn streak a mile long (just like both of his parents)! We had a great first birthday party. Thanks to everyone who was able to make it. Jack really enjoyed playing with all the boxes and wrapping paper that his gifts came in. Next time, think cardboard. It makes the boy really happy. Then, we had a really fun Halloween. Jack was a dragon - courtesy of T (Tina) and Gus was dressed as Jack's damsel in distress. Pink sequins on his dress and everything. It was great. We took them both to the Trunk or Treat event up at church where they were both quite a hit. Jack wanted to touch everything we didn't want him to touch and refused to be carried at all. I got quite a few dirty looks as my son went tripping along, but what could I do? He was quite proud of himself and I was as well. So, I am including pictures from Jack's first birthday, Homecoming at Lambuth University, and Halloween. Hope you enjoy!

School Daze

Well, Jack has settled into his new routine quite nicely. Unlike the other children, our son can't wait to leave us in the mornings. He literally jumps out of our arms and into the classroom. I kind of feel a little jealous listening to the other children cry at the thought of leaving their mother or father behind, but then I realize how much easier life is with a child who loves other people. Boy does he love people. Going out with Jack is such a fun time as I watch him watching everyone around him. He knows how to turn on his charm to melt a stranger's heart. One thing that hasn't been quite so fun are the bad habits that he has been picking up along the way. Temper tantrums and rebellion. Yes, our son has quite a mind of his own and he is not afraid to voice his opinions. Justin and I often try to hide smiles as he flings his body around on the floor and gives us his best "I hate you" glare after we have taken away some object that he feels he should have - usually something electrical and dangerous that we know is best for him not to play with. He has also started hitting - just a little bit. Last week it seemed that his favorite thing to do was to hit me when he wasn't getting his way. Isn't it a little early for these tantrums? I am sure that Tina is laughing really hard right now and thinking that it is just great that I am already getting a taste of what I put her through as a toddler. Why do my genes have to be so stubborn? He gets it from all sides of the family. Okay, now for the big news. JACK IS WALKING! Not very well, but walking all the same. He can take about four or five steps before he decides he would rather be on the floor. Do you hear a loud heartbeat? That would just be me, as my heart as still not slowed down from the full on panic attack that the thought of Jack walking has brought on. I am terrified and exultant all at the same time. Can you believe that next week our little man will be one year old? I am including pictures from Jack's Emmanuel school days. Every day it seems we get a note that he has been playing with some other girl. I don't know what we are going to do with this little rascal. I think he is breaking hearts already.

Jack's First Day at EUMK!

Here is a picture from Jack's first day at Emmauel United Methodist Kindergarten. He made lots of friends and had a good orientation week. I think he is going to love it there! How could you not? They are amazing!

Jack and the Horse

Not sure who won...Jack was pretty determined to take that horse down.

It's been a long time...

Well, it has been quite a while since I have had a chance to sit down and update everyone on the little man's life. He is almost ten months old now and into EVERYTHING!! Crawling everywhere, pulling up on everything in sight, emptying out drawers, bookshelves, baskets, and anything else that comes into his path along the way. He and Gus are officially best friends now. Jack really likes to pounce on Gus and give him a big hug and Gus likes to nibble on Jack's toes (he doesn't bite, just gums them a little). It is quite a sight to see. Justin is also proud of the fact that Jack can officially palm his little basketball and throw it like he is making a jump shot. He likes to think that he taught him this move. Stuffed animals are a new favorite. It's almost like Jack suddenly realized they existed. That they weren't just pretty little things for him to look at and maybe touch, but that he can wrestle them and tote them around like treasure he has found during his expeditions. Which gets us to the latest bit of treasure that he is determined to capture at some point - Gus's food. It is a little nugget of goodness in his mind that he knows would be better off in his mouth. It is definitely a race to the finish to see who can reach the food first to move it out of Jack's way. This has been close at times, but so far we have avoided disaster. At this point, anything and everything goes into his mouth. Babbling nonstop, Justin he is already saying MaMa and DaDa and we think that Gee is what he says for Gus. Pretty sure, actually. He loves the ladies, that is for sure. It is so funny to see him checking out women out in public. No lie. One night he actually turned his head to follow a pretty woman around the room. Justin and I laugh about that a lot. He is also making friends now and loves attending his Parent's Day Out programs. He can't wait to start school at Emmanuel in August. We have a new EUMC lunchbox just for the occasion. What Justin and I are enjoying most right now is just the pure joy that Jack is experiencing when he discovers something new or finds that he can do something he couldn't do before. The other night while I was feeding him, he spent quite a bit of time staring at his hands and looking at the details of his fingers and what happened when he moved them. It was wonderful. He is so detail oriented and I love to watch his little mind work. Also, we have discovered quite a few tickle spots that if you are lucky, you may also discover. You will be rewarded with the most infectious laugh and an impish grin. Hopefully the next update won't take quite as long for me to get around to. Hope you enjoy the pictures of Jack from this past weekend. One is of Jack with Megan and Lauren on Saturday when they were here to visit and the other is just Jack being Jack after our trip to Brownsville on Sunday.

Who needs clothes?

Sorry for the delay, but things have been moving mighty fast around here. There simply has not been time to update everyone on our little man's progress. With weddings, holidays, parties, and more, we have been go, go, going nonstop. So has Jack. We had a little scare a couple of weeks ago when we took his shoe off one night and he foot was swollen up twice the size of the other foot. Of course we thought he had broken it, so we went to the urgent care center. Turns out it was a little blister or bruise and Robees that were a little too tight on his footsies. Needless to say, those shoes have been retired. Justin had been telling me they were too small, his expertise on the matter crafted from his days as shoe capitain. We are also scooting. So close to crawling, but he just can't seem to understand that his tummy needs to be off the ground. We can't close our eyes without him making it across the room in record time. Where does he want to go? To the brick hearth of course. It is enough to make your stomach churn and the impulse to lock him in a padded room where he can't get hurt kick in. Another fun thing is that he has now learned how to get his arm out of his shirts. It is a fun little trick that he accomplishes with great speed and a sly little smile on his face. Yesterday we started chewing on teething biscuits. It was great to see him trying to feed himself, even if most of it ended up on his clothes, face, and hands. All in all, things are going great. He is just growing way too fast.

Teeth!

Well, the teeth have officially made their entrance into the little man's mouth. We have one in and still growing and another that has broken the skin beside it and is struggling to catch up. It seems to be causing him some distress, though. The orajel works, but the problem is getting it into his mouth. He also seems to go on a little bit of a hunger strike when they are really hurting. Which brings us to - rainbow poop. This is a new addition to our lives. Justin was changing Jack's diaper the other day while I was vaccuming when the phone kept ringing. I finally answered it and it was Justin telling me I had to come into Jack's room to see the technicolor rainbow. Definitely interesting when you have no idea what you will find when you pull the diaper away. Still no crawling, but definitely struggling to. He can get into position, but then one or the other side will collapse out from under him.

Thank you Easter Bunny

Well, Jack's first Easter was a success. The bunny brought him lots of goodies and he even participated in the Egg Hunt at church. They had tiny size eggs that were just right for his little hands to hold. We also had our first picture with the Easter Bunny, and there was no screaming! He did get fussy but only because I took my necklace away and not because he was scared of the bunny. We went to the doctor yesterday for his sixth month check and everything is going great. He is 16lbs. 3 oz., 27 1/2 inches, and a little big boy. Now that he has learned how to use his Jumperoo that his Gram gave him, he jumps all day. Justin took it with him up to church one day and Jack just jumped and jumped in the front office, greeting everyone who came in. I am sure that was quite a sight. We also took Jack to the Rendezvous where he was quite determined to get a rib in his mouth. We told him maybe next time. After that we went to see the ducks at the Peabody who were quite frisky for the occasion. He was fascinated by the ducks, but next time we will have to find a better place to change his diaper as holding him on my lap on the floor of the bathroom was not the best idea I have ever had.

Walkers are the Best!

Well, Jack has a new best friend...his walker. Red and T let the Easter Bunny come a little early, the Mississippi Easter Bunny, and now Jack is the happiest boy ever! He likes to make out with the dragon, turn the pages of his book, spin himself around, and play his music. It is great! It has also helped him figure out how to use his Jumperoo which is now a toy of choice as well. He gets in it and just goes to town jumping up and down. He really figured it out on Friday when Megan was over here and we were all amazed. For a while now he has sat in his Jump Up and just enjoyed the toys and everything, but he is fascinated and so excited now that he knows how to really use it. It is great! Can you believe that he is going to be sixth months old next week? It's crazy!

Working Mom

Well, Jack decided to let me go back to work part time. If only for a short time. I took a contract position for part time work a few days a week. He is going to his regular PDO programs and also getting to spend a whole day with him and his dad. Justin has been great about helping out and doing everything he can to help me be able to go back to work. It's been hard, though. I didn't really know just how hard it was going to be until I was actually in the position where I just sat there and wondered what he was doing with every minute. If this position works out okay, then I will think about maybe going back to work full time, but I am definitely not in any hurry. I am enjoying being with Jack too much. Who wouldn't? He is a wonderful child and soo much fun! He is really trying to get his legs in position to crawl right now. He just can't quite grasp it. We are also well on our way to sitting up by ourselves. He can tripod but hasn't figured out what to do when he starts to topple over. There have been a few mishaps along the way, but he has come out fine (I think it scared me more than him). He is getting excited about going to visit his grandparents this weekend. I know that Red is excited, it has been over a month and a half since has seen him.

Cereal & Prunes

Finally, a breath of fresh air

Well, last week was pretty awful around here. Jack was sick once again and Justin caught the bug as well. We had our first trip to the doctor for a sick visit and were dismayed to learn that we could not go into the wellness room in the waiting area. All those sick children running around everywhere and touching everything, it made mine and Justin's skin crawl. We just knew we were going to come home with the flu, strep throat, and all other various and sundry illnesses. Now, though, things are back to normal around here. Jack is once again happy and loving life. He has discovered Gus, who is now his favorite thing to watch. I am attaching a video of Jack being fascinated by the Gus man.

We Survived The Stomach Flu of 2008!

Well, it has been a little rough around the Ramer house lately. Stomach flu 2008 hit Jack on Sunday, February 3. He took it like a champ, though. No fussing, no crying, just vomit shooting out of his nose. Then, on Monday, February 4, it hit me. I did not fare as well as the little man. I was out for a good four days, not leaving the confines of the bedroom unless necessary until Thursday. It was also interesting that during this time we also survived the tornados that bore down on this area bringing lots of destruction and devastation. Our home remained unscathed and we are truly thankful for that. Jack (and I) would like to thank his Gram for coming over to help take care of him when his mom went down for the count with the bug. With Justin being as busy as he was at church with Ash Wednesday, we truly could not have made it without you. Thanks.

On other notes, Jack went to the doctor for his four month check up and things are going great. At that time he was 26.5 inches (95th percentile!), and 14.3 lbs. Long, lean, little man. We also learned that he has excema on his face, which explains a lot, and perhaps a blocked tear duct. Now we have steroid cream for his face and eyedrops to help unclog those eyes. The cream burns his skin, so we try not to use it more than once a day. Eucerin baby lotion helps as well. But, enough about problems, we started cereal! It has been really fun. He pretty much took to it right away, but it didn't necessarily take to him. We had to start on the rice cereal, and true to the doctor's warnings, it stopped that boy up. Now we are on oatmeal, and things are moving much smoother. Today I bought sweet potatoes and green beans for more fun as we move into veggies in the next couple of weeks. That should probably bring some interesting stories. Jack is rolling and moving and shaking and just generally having a blast most of the time. The babbling has reached new heights and he now uses it to get our attention when he feels we giving him 100%. Way to keep us on our toes!

Baptized by the Jordan

Well, the little man has now been baptized by the spirit with water that his daddy brought back especially for him from the Jordan River. When Justin went to Israel, there were no plans for Jack anywhere in the near future, but he knew that someday he would be here and he wanted to make his baptism special. Special it was, all the grandparents showed for the big event as well as other family and friends. Everyone at church said that he was just perfect during the sacrament. Dr. Thornton, a close family friend and mentor, came over especially from Brownsville to baptize Jack and it was made even more special with the added help of Rev. Kevin Presley and Rev. Barry Henson. All in all, it was a great day. Dr. Thornton says that when he told Jack that he was baptizing him with fire that he looked up at him with a mischevious little grin. I am telling you, he is going to be a sly little thing. Sometimes it just looks like he is plotting all the tricks and pranks he is going to play on us once he can get around on his own. He is already playing games with us like turning his head when you try to kiss him and then looking back slowly at you with a little grin. The other day we were in a store and someone said that he was going to be a little heartbreaker and his just looked up a smiled a big smile as if to say, "I already am." We also had a little trip to T and Red's which was wonderful as always. Red has been shopping for Jack, ensuring that he is the best dressed baby around, and he bought perhaps the best outfit yet. Now Jack has his very own velour track suit! We have decided that either he looks like Pauly from the Sopranos or George's father off of Seinfeld when he wears it. It is adorable! Tomorrow we head back to the doc for our four month check. I will let you know the details of the bugger's stats after the appointment. Can you believe it has been four months?

We have a roller!

Well, this has certainly been an exciting week for the Jack man. First off, he has learned to roll. From tummy to back and then, the other night, he went from back to tummy. I know, it's scary. I turn away and suddenly he is no where near where I laid him down. He just looks up and smiles like he knows that what he is doing sends me into fits of anxiety. Such a little imp. Then, this has also been his first week attending Mother's Day Out. Monday went great. I was a nervous wreck, of course, but he took it all in stride. When I went to pick him up (early of course, I just couldn't stay away any longer) they told me that he was perfect and that he was such a little man. You know, when you look at him, he is just that. A little man. More than one person has commented on the fact that he is all boy and it looks like someone has just taken a man and shrunk him down to Jack size. Other new favorites include standing up and bouncing - he is just itching to get into his bouncy chair; playing with his monkey blanket; and talking. I wake up at night to a chorus of babbles from his room but when I go into to check on him, he is quite content. I can't believe that he is growing so fast! I am including his first picture of the new year - he wanted to start it off in naked bliss - and a picture of him right after he learned how to roll over onto his tummy. Also, I include a picture of Red's little rebel just for him.