Jackson Wallace Ramer

This might just make your day...

2010-03-03T12:06:00.000-08:00

Beware the Ides of March...

2010-03-01T12:52:00.000-08:00

Well, Spring is just around the corner and so is a little boy looking for trouble. He is in full on two year old mode at this time in our lives. Over the past few months, there have been countless occasions where either Justin or I has to abandon the other in a store to remove the screaming banshee trapped in our arms. It's not just the tears, it's the blood curdling yells, the flinging of the body, and the limbs that have become very adept at hitting the right target. In his mind, this behavior will result in whatever action he was hoping for. Whether it be a new Thomas train for his collection, or that we will let him pull down every box of cereal from the shelf, or that we will let him run helter skelter through a crowd of people, it doesn't matter as long as he gets his way. Unfortunately for him, we have gotten to the point where these little displays do not make us sympathetic to his plight in the least, rather, we are spurred even more in the other direction. A note to those people out there who give me dirty looks as I am carrying my rebellious son out of a store - I do not beat him, I do not treat him badly, rather I am a patient mother who loves her child and if you think you can do better with him in this situation, be my guest. I bet you will be running away in just a moment's time leaving me to once again deal with this "phase." What makes it harder, though, is the remorse that he feels afterwards if he accidentally kicks you too hard while in the midst of his tantrum. He looks at me with those pretty eyes still full of tears and says "Sorry Mommy." How can you be mad when your devil turns into an angel instantly? Justin and I took a much needed vacation in February to our nation's capitol - right after the deluge of snow. Yes, we thought it would be a good idea to trek through the grand city through four feet of snow. We had a great time, and so did Jack. He stayed at T and Red's house and learned all kinds of new habits like washing our hands ALL THE TIME. Jack did get a pretty cool souvenir from our trip - an authentic NASA spacesuit for all his outer space exploring adventures. Justin and I argued about who got to give it to him, but Justin tricked me when we got home and gave it to him before I could protest. We quickly learned that our suitcases that were being unpacked were the spaceships and that Gus was required for all space travel. Gus was not keen on the close quarters with a two year old, though, so I had to climb in my own "spaceship" to make the ride with Jack. You know, carry on luggage was not designed to hold a 28 year old woman. This month plans to be exciting with a photo shoot with our favorite photographer Ms. Erin Jaffe on March 13th. I'll be sure to post the link whenever they are finished so everyone can see. She is such a talented photographer and she manages to capture the true personality of everyone she shoots. I love her pictures with Jack. I am including a picture from our last photo session as well so that you can remember just how awesome she is. Her website, if you need a little more, is http://www.erintracy.com/.

2010

2010-01-21T12:11:00.001-08:00

I think this may be my resolution for this year - to update and maintain this blog with a better sense of dedication. I mean, really, my last post was in August 2009 and I am sure you are all wondering what Boy Wonder is up to now. Well, he is up to everything in answer to your question. He flys, he digs, he jumps, he climbs - and these are only the activities that involve using me as a springboard. I am his favorite jungle gym with an added bonus - if he falls while playing with this toy, it kisses him and makes it all better. Don't you wish you were still like that? That a kiss from one of your parents would make all the pain go away and you would shout out "better" and really feel it? I wish I had an ounce of his resiliency. Fall and the holidays were big times around the Ramer household. We had a house full of family over Christmas and the boy couldn't have been any happier. I distinctly remember telling everyone that we wanted a low key Christmas and that he didn't need any more toys, but for some reason, no one listened. Now our house is even more like a toy store. We had to chuck out all the stuff in the closet under the stairs to turn it into another impromptu playroom. I would be upset, but this is a really cool space that Jack loves since it has a sloped ceiling. Now all I need to do is convince him that it is not a good idea to bang his head against the ceiling while saying "ouch" and grinning from ear to ear. Catch phrases at this time include: "hey, how ya doin," "s'okay mommy," "no nap, no nap," "hello in there," and "your turn." The "your turn" means that whoever is in the near vicinity must repeat whatever fun new game Jack has invented. Whether it be throwing a ball, climbing under the table, or attempting somersaults, it's all you. The new year holds lots of fun new times including the inevitable transition to the big boy bed. Prayers will be needed at that time. It is looming closer and closer. Hopefully the other big development, potty training, will be complete and may make the new sleeping arrangements a little easier. Stay tuned for more.

First Day of School in Humboldt

2009-08-18T13:49:00.000-07:00

Well, as you can see, Jack's first day was so fun that he just collapsed from exhaustion and didn't want to go home. Let me tell you, he really didn't want to leave. In fact, he let me know how much he didn't want to leave ALL THE WAY HOME! You know, after a while a toddler's cries can sound like sweet music to your ears. I am just happy that he likes his new home and his new school.

Jack's Photo Shoot

2009-06-05T10:12:00.000-07:00

Check out these awesome photographs taken by Erin Tracy Jaffe. She does AMAZING work and I totally recommend her for any photography needs you may have.
http://flickr.com/gp/ejaffe/UD605v

Mother's Day and an end to the EUMK era...

2009-05-20T06:34:00.000-07:00

Well, our second Mother's Day was a huge success! T (Tina) decided to treat me and the boy and take us away to the magical land of Opry for the big day. We had a fabulous mother/mother/son trip with many highlights including Jack's first prom. You will have to ask her to see the souvenir family photo. All I know is that they boy LOVES music and LOVES to dance. We walked in the room and he just started jiving. It was hilarious. He's definitely got some rhythm. He also loved the balloons and refused to give up his new toy until we left the hotel the next day. We ended our wonderful trip with a real treat - Loretta Lynn's Country Kitchen located somewhere between Jackson and Nashville, Tennessee off of I-40. Jack liked the fried catfish from the buffett, but I think that mom and I both agree that those were some of the best sweet potatoes we have ever had. Nothing like a little country cooking to fuel you up for entertaining a boy for the rest of the car ride. Last week was the end of Jack's tenure in the EUMK toddler program. This program has been wonderful and we are so grateful to Ms. Jenny and Ms. Shannon for teaching our little man so much. I attended the year end party on Friday and it was definitely one for the books. Jack decided he needed to lead the class during music time and impressed everyone with his locations for the spider to land. Well, it seems like the tubes we had put in a few months ago are not doing all they are supposed to do, or it could just be that Jack likes to break the trend and not be like all of the other kids who have the surgery, because we once again have ear infections in both ears!! That boy, that boy.

Can Jack come out to play?

2009-03-10T13:20:00.000-07:00

Reading with Mom

2009-03-10T13:18:00.001-07:00

Long time coming

2009-03-10T13:10:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been a while, but when you are running after a toddler, it seems everything has to wait. Jack has been up and down, in and out, around and through everything. (And, no, he is not Skippy John Jones for all of you who thinks this sounds a little too familiar!) He has now experienced snow first hand, attended his first funeral, learned to blow and give kisses, and learned to give into the love of books that had already claimed his mother. We have seen the giraffes and the pandas, as well as chased chickens until they decided they needed to cluck some other place. Growing at an alarming rate, we are in the midst of updating our wardrobe to accomodate an ever expanding "cookie belly." If you happen to catch this little monster, you may be rewarded with one of his famous hugs. There is nothing better in the world! This Friday Jack is having tubes put in his ears since has had eight ear infections since September 2008! He is not scared at all. I, on the other hand, am a nervous wreck. They do offer tranquilizers to mothers?

Jack in a Bag!

2009-01-01T19:15:00.000-08:00

So, his daddy saw this bag sitting by the stuff to go into the recylcing bin and he had a brilliant idea. Why not cut a hole and see if Jack would like to play dress up. Jack LOVED it! All I knew is one minute I was eating pizza, the next my son comes running into the room covered from head to toe with a brown paper bag and giggling up a storm. He definitely had a SpongeBob SquarePants thing going for him.

2009-01-01T19:10:00.000-08:00

Halloween Fun

2008-11-03T17:05:00.000-08:00

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

2008-09-17T12:42:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-08-26T09:51:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-22T07:24:00.001-07:00

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

It's been a long time...

2008-07-21T18:49:00.000-07:00

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?

2008-05-14T07:36:00.000-07:00

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.

2008-04-16T10:48:00.000-07:00

Teeth!

2008-04-16T10:42:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-26T10:05:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-03-18T08:07:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-05T14:54:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-20T14:34:00.000-08:00

Finally, a breath of fresh air

2008-02-20T14:24:00.000-08:00

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!

2008-02-11T09:52:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-28T10:51:00.000-08:00

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!

2008-01-10T11:11:00.000-08:00

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.

Jack wanted to say "Hello!"

2007-12-29T13:15:00.001-08:00

Jack's First Christmas

2007-12-29T12:48:00.000-08:00

Well, Jack's first Christmas was wonderful! I can't believe the little bugger is three months old! Three months on Christmas Eve! It was great having everyone here for Christmas, but I had no idea that just having everyone over could be so much work. I think we are all fully recovered now. Jack loved it. He enjoyed every minute with his grandparents, aunt, uncle, cousin, and great grandparents. His first acting gig as the baby Jesus in the church's live nativity was hit from what we hear. While Justin and I were not there for the event, Tina, Bert, and Jane made sure that no sixth grader lost a limb as a result of dropping our child. I have heard tales that Tina was pretty close to tackling the poor little Mary, but that she maintained her composure and trusted that everything would be okay. Everyone at church said that he was perfect as the baby and that he may have been the best. Of course you know that we think he is the best; there's no contest in my book. Now, we didn't think that there would be any problems with Santa this year, but once again, we were definitely wrong. Who knew that putting together a giraffe play tent could be such a hard job? If you want a detailed account of the fun times that were had during this escapade just ask Bert and Tina. Well, Jack is doing great and gearing up for that day when he is finally allowed in his new Jumperoo (courtesty of Gram (Jane)). The instructions say four months and up, but he is really vying for early entry. He keeps wanting to stand up in our laps and bounce up and down on his little fat legs. Now, I was a little worried about his tummy time development, but after yesterday, all worries are gone. We put him on a blanket flat on the floor to see what he would do and it was like a little turtle the way that head came up. Of course I got on the floor with him to see if he would follow me and crawl, but he said he wasn't ready just yet. I can't believe he is growing so fast! On January 7th he starts in a Mother's Day Out Program and he will be going twice a week for five hours each time. What am I going to do???? I would love to find some type of job, but really, who is going to hire me for two days a week, possibly a night or a weekend, but that is all. This is a test to see how I do with him being in some type of child care to see if I am ready to go back to work. You do notice how it is to see if "I" am ready and not Jack. Yeah, he's gonna be fine. Well, hopefully it won't be another month before I update again. I am attatching Christmas pictures for all to see.

Two months old and great!

2007-11-28T14:56:00.000-08:00

So, yesterday was Jack's two month check-up at the doctor. Drumroll...he is now 24 1/4 inches long and 11 lbs. 14 oz. What a big boy, don't you think? He has gained four pounds since his last visit. No need for cereal yet the doc said. He also got three shots and a dose of some liquid immunization. He took it all like a champ. Just one scream at the doctor's office and a little fussy at home, but not at all what I was expecting. His first Thanksgiving was a big success. He had soo much fun at GG's (Grandmommy's) in Kentucky and at T and Red's in Jackson. I am including a picture from his first Thanksgiving meal. Jessica said that we were striking the sorority girl pose down in front. Now that he has gotten through this holiday, he is focused on Christmas. Mainly his acting debut as the baby Jesus and figuring out what he wants Santa to bring him. Okay, so maybe it is just me and Justin who are obsessing with all the stuff we think he needs/wants. He told me yesterday he is ready for a johnny jumper and a walker and a rocking giraffe and much, much more. Santa, are you taking notes????

Cause for Celebration - First Pair of Overalls Day!!

2007-11-18T08:52:00.000-08:00

Jack will be 8 weeks old tomorrow - can you believe it? I know, he is growing in leaps and bounds. This is a picture taken this morning to commemorate the wearing of his first real pair of overalls. Justin thinks he should always wear overalls. It also shows his new favorite position - sitting up! He loves to sit propped up (he can't sit on his own yet) and look around. The place of choice is on our bed propped up with pillows watching everyone get ready around him, but I think that he may come to love this rocking chair. Of course, he isn't ready to sit on his own in it (there is a stuffed animal behind him to cushion him for all of you who are worried that he might have hit his head on the wood and I was right by him the whole time), but I think it could be a winner. The new Similac Isomil seems to be doing the trick for his gas problems - it just has a whole other set of problems all its own - mainly stopping him up and the awful smells that he now emits. If you thought that his poots/poop stank before, you are in for a real treat. It is AWFUL! Last night Justin and I almost fell over laughing when we went to change his diaper and Jack got the new name of mud butt baby (you can come to your own conclusions). He is definitely a little stinker now.

6 weeks old and going, going, going

2007-11-07T11:09:00.000-08:00

Well, this past weekend we had our first trip with the little man. Jack and I went to stay with Bert ("Red") and Tina ("T") in Jackson. Jane ("Gram") and I rode down together on Wednesday afternoon and we came back on Sunday. Jack slept the entire way there on Wednesday and on the way home, he slept part of the way and then he played the rest of the way. He was excited because now he has toys on his carrier so that the other babies won't be mean to him. In Jackson, we stayed on the go. Turns out that at this stage in his life, Jack is a great shopping buddy. He really likes to sleep in his stroller. Also turns out he is a real ladies man, they all just love him. Thanks to T and Red, he also will no longer have broken neck syndrome when he is in his carrier. Now his head is fully supported on all sides by neck rest. Thanks for helping to ease all the worried ones out there who fretted when his head would lean over. Jack is doing pretty well except for the continued saga of the gas. We just don't know what to do with him. You burp him and burp him and still it persists, especially at three in the morning. Justin went a little crazy without us here to keep him up all night. He couldn't wait for us to get home. As of this weekend, Jack was almost 23 inches. Can you believe he is almost 2 feet long? Those legs just keep going and going. I am attaching pictures from the first trip as well as a picture from this morning when he was staring at his girafffe while getting ready for the day.

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-31T12:18:00.000-07:00

2007-10-18T09:46:00.001-07:00

So, this week has definitely been a lesson in patience so far. Jack had a rough time of it at the beginning of the week. Despite our vigorous burping efforts, Jack seemed to have a bad gas problem. You know, he just doesn't always want to burp but that leads to other issues in his system. After three or so nights of Jack screaming bloody murder at times and pulling his legs up to his chest, I called the pediatrician, yet again, and asked if we should switch formula. Of course we are on the sensitive formula that is supposed to help with gas, but it just didn't seem to be doing the trick. We had been giving him gas drops, but those also didn't seem to work for him. Rather than switch his formula yet again, they wanted to try a prescription gas drop first. Wouldn't you know that yesterday he didn't seem as bothered by the gas after they called in the prescription. It was definitely still there, you could feel it in his tummy when you held him and hear it coming out, but there weren't as many screams. We only had to use the drops once last night, so maybe he is learning to manage the problem better. Who knows. All I know is that it must be really frustrating for him not being able to communicate what is wrong. He is depending on me and Justin to be mind readers, and I hate to disappoint you, but we are awful at it. I am still bewildered every time he cries and frustrated by trying to figure out what he needs, especially now that he seems to be having different time periods between his feedings. We are getting to the point where sometimes he will go almost four hours or three and a half and other times it is right at three hours when he is hungry. I just wish it was a little more routine so that I wouldn't fret so much. We are getting much enjoyment out of watching his little turtle head move about. He just wants to be able to hold his head up on his own so badly that he is doing his exercises any chance he gets. It's really funny when he is feeding and we have burped him and he wants the bottle back and that little head just starts moving from side to side frantically while his eyes get real wide. When he finally gets the bottle, he makes a little smile like it was just what he was looking for and goes back into hungry, hungry hippo mode. Now that his dad has gotten a little rest, maybe his mom can get some rest at some point. At least I can hope, right?

Attack of the Mombie

2007-10-15T07:20:00.000-07:00

So, it is official. Today I am in Mombie mode. Mom Zombie. Very little sleep for two nights in a row combined with lots of caffeine makes for an interesting Katie. Jack slept well Saturday night, but it was just that I was a little nervous since I was going to do all the feedings for Justin since he had to work Sunday morning, so of course I woke up much more than I needed to. Then last night Jack had slept quite a bit during the day and he just wasn't quite as tired at times. He would wake up and be alert for an hour and then go back to sleep. At 1 a.m. he woke up with bad gas and just wanted to be held for a while and then went back to sleep until 2:30 a.m. when he got hungry. Of course between 1 and 3 a.m. I was up and alert and checking on him every few minutes after I laid him back down for the little nap in between. Up again at 5:30 a.m. when Justin went to feed him and Jack wasn't really ready to eat yet and he had some impressive vomit/spit up. We are talking out the nose. It was great. Then Justin had to go make a hospital visit at 7, so I just stayed up with my now quite alert and ready to go baby. There was a brief period around 7:45 when he decided that he might like to nap for a while in his bouncy chair, but by that time the coffee was made and I was up and at 'em. Jack thoroughly enjoyed his picnic yesterday in the Pumpkin Patch, despite the fact he slept through the entire event. The cat hat was a hit so he thinks he might just bring out some more Halloween duds. While I can, I am going to make the most of being able to dress him in seasonal wear. I know the day will come when I try to put a pumpkin shirt on him and he will tell me he is way too old for such a babyish item and it will probably break my heart. Other than that, Jack is doing great. Seems like he is eating his way through house and home, but maybe it is just a growth spurt. Otherwise, I am going to have to consult the doctor about our little greedy gut.

I'm a little behind, so here are the updates

2007-10-14T08:16:00.000-07:00

So, I haven't updated in a while, but things have been a little crazy here. On Wednesday night, Jack and Justin slept in the living room so that I could get a little sleep, which was much needed. Big thank you to Justin for that since he was not able to ever fully fall asleep in the living room. I ended up relieving him of his duties about 5:30 a.m., but I was definitely more rested. On Thursday, Jack went to a MOMS group run by Methodist Germantown. It was interesting even though the other babies there were 8 and 10 months. I think maybe as he gets a little older and a little more interactive it could a good time. Later that day, Justin and I took Jack for his first store outing - Walmart. You should have seen us. We were trying to figure out how to hook the carrier into the cart like other parents do, but we just couldn't seem to get it secure. We were going around the store scoping out other parents with their babies in carriers and trying to get the logistics down, but we ended up just putting his carrier in the main cart part since it never seemed quite secure enough to make his nervous daddy comfortable. We'll have to work on our technique. Thursday night was a lesson in patience for me. I took the first feedind shifts since Justin had been up the night before and it just seemed like Jack never wanted to go to sleep. When he did sleep, it would only be for 1 1/2 to 2 hour periods, so of course I was panicked on Friday morning. He was soo fussy all night and morning and nothing seemed to soothe him and I knew he had been having bad gas, so I called the pediatrician. We switched formula on Friday to Similac Sensitive. I'm not sure if I jumped the gun there, but he does seem to feel a little better and doesn't seem to be having quite as much gas. We are talking the gas was bad...you could feel it in his little tummy and then hear it when he was sitting on your lap and he would poot. Every time we couldn't tell if it was him pooping or farting so we would trudge on back to the changing table and usually waste another diaper. We went through quite a few Pampers for a while there. Also, Friday he was quite active most of the day and by that night, I was exhausted and had a little melt down. It just seems like I am going backward in my mom development. For a while there I was thinking I was starting to understand what his cries meant, and now, I am just lost. I know that they don't always mean he is hungry, but I am confused because if they are that he is hungry and I'm not feeding him, am I hurting him? Yeah, that is my mind all the time, just think about it. On Saturday, after a night and morning of crying when he was done with his 3.5 oz. of formula, we decided to up him to 4 oz. I thought this might slow him down, but he is taking all of those 4 oz. in on a regular basis. If he starts crying again when we are done, I'm going to call the pediatrician to ask what to do about my endless hunger pit son. Saturday his Gram - Jane - came over because she had a Jack attack and just had to see him and we had a great time. She even took care of him for a little while and Justin and I tried to get out for a little time to ourselves which ended up just making us both nervous wrecks who couldn't wait to get back hom to make sure Jack was okay. I am sure Michael Clayton was a great movie, but my mind was definitely somewhere else. Jack is still trying for that Mr. Olympia baby title. He keeps rolling over from his back to his side and when he is on his tummy, from his tummy to his side. The other day he went from his tummy to his side, back to his tummy, back to his side, pause, onto his back. Wow. Also, that neck is like a little turtle, poking up at every opportunity. I am attaching a picture from Thursday when Jack wore his first set of overalls - they were a little big, but he seemed to like them.

First Outing!

2007-10-10T15:13:00.000-07:00

So, today was the big day, Jack met the world outside of the doctor's office and our cars. I took Jack up to see Justin at work and to let everyone who works at Emmanuel meet the little guy. Justin had told them this morning that there was going to be a Jack siting today and the excitement was high. He did not disappoint. From what Justin said, Jack was a big hit. They want him to come up there more often. Of course, preparing for this outing was not nearly as easy as I thought it would be. Jack was asleep and so before I woke him up, I found his outfit, got his diaper bag all packed, and made sure I had everything ready to go. Wouldn't you know when I went to wake him up, the diaper was soaked. At least it gave me an excuse to get him naked so I could redress him. Of course as soon as I had his new outfit on, he decided that a little spit up would make the outfit much more presentable. A little warm water managed to get rid of this attempt at accessorizing. So, we finally get in the car - after about 30 minutes of preparation - with a pacifier in his mouth - he was a little upset after the wet washcloth attacked his face to clean it up - and we are heading down the road, just having turned on Poplar, when - horror - the pacifier falls out. You would have thought that the world had ended from the cry he let out. I tried singing to him and making shushing noises, but finally, the motion of the car did it's job and rocked him back to sleep. It was a little nerve wracking tacking him out not only for him, but for me. I can't believe how nervous I was about the whole outing. Well, that's all for today. Just for a little tidbit, tonight his dad is going to try to let me get a night's sleep and is proposing that he and Jack sleep in the living room so that I won't hear when he cries. I'll let you know how that goes.

First Visit to the Doctor

2007-10-08T12:01:00.000-07:00

Today was our first visit to the doctor - Dr. Lana as everyone calls her - and it went great. Jack is back up to 7 lbs. 14.5 oz. which is right where he should be since most babies lose weight after they are born and it takes about two weeks for them to get back to where they were. Dr. Lana commented that Jack is very strong - he demonstrated his strength for her by rolling over from his back to his side. All in all, he took the visit quite well. There were no prolonged crying sessions and the pacifier seemed to do its job while he was being poked and prodded. I would like to say that Dr. Lana was very patient with me and my list of neurotic questions about whether or not his behaviors were normal, if the formula was okay, etc., etc. My husband, however, thought it was hilarious how much I overthought everything and got a good laugh out of my anxiety. Well, now it's just me, Justin, and Jack. It's a little scary to think that we are out here on our own now, but I have a feeling that things will slowly start to become more comfortable and routine. Just keep us in your thoughts and prayers. We go back to see Dr. Lana at his two month milestone on the Monday after Thanksgiving.

Funny Video

2007-10-08T11:53:00.000-07:00

Okay, make sure your sound is turned up when you watch this. Jack was sitting in his dad's lap when he produced this little gem.

Sunday, October 7th

2007-10-08T11:46:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I know it's not Sunday, but I had to post this information as it occurred on Sunday morning at 9:15 a.m. We had put Jack on his stomach on his play mat and he seemed quite content curled up on his belly when all of a sudden, the legs started kicking out behind him like he was going to try to scoot up and he pushed off and rolled onto his side. I screamed I think and Jane came running and was lucky to catch him in mid roll. It was amazing! Of course, we just chalked it up to the fact that he is way advanced. Didn't I tell you that next week he will be starting his French courses and is already gearing up for the ACT? Jack, after this tremendous feat, just sat there looking a little startled for a few minutes and then when back to being fascinated by the ceiling. I wish I could still get such enjoyment out of staring at a black and white surface. Also, we learned today that White Cloud diapers are not worth the money that is put into manufacturing them and that Luvs do not have the leak guard that they advertise. Back to Pampers or Huggies and a slap on the wrist to me and Justin for being a little cheap. Here is a picture of Jack right before he rolled over.

Jackson is here!

2007-10-06T08:59:00.000-07:00

So, I decided to start something up so that if you want to know what is going on in Jackson's life you will know. Hope you enjoy. Most of you will probably find this pretty mundane, but I am sure the grandparents will love it. I can't believe he is almost two weeks old! Well, hopefully I will update every few days, but if you know my track record, you may know that this is probably wishful thinking. Hope you all are doing well!