Lincoln, Charlotte and Jack

My friend Julie has passes to the Children's Museum and makes sure to always invite us when she's off work. We went this past week while she was on spring break. Jack loves going to the museum and climbing on things and spending the day with Lincoln (who was born the day before him) and Charlotte. It's also nice for me to spend the day with a good friend.

Jack and Charlotte in the Indy race car.

Jack and Lincoln at the sand table.

Jack's first attempt at a climbing wall.

Lincoln enjoys the museum's "good eats"

Fun with Friends

My friend Stephanie had to do some work today, so her son Max came over to play. Max is 4 1/2 months younger than Jack. Jack had a blast playing with Max. They kept very busy as babies often do. Jack pushed Max in the swing for a while. Max especially enjoyed the underdoggie!

After swinging, they needed a rest and discussed the finer points of a good paci. Followed up with a dramatic reading of "The Itsy, Bitsy Spider".

We hope that Max can come back and play more often.

Learning to Write

I gave Jack some markers today and we wrote on the wall. This is probably a bad habit to start, but he seemed to have so much fun doing it. I think he got as much marker on himself as he did the paper!

Spring Chores

This weekend the weather was beautiful outside so we decided to do some much needed work outside the house. It was the first time we'd had Jack out in the yard while trying to get a few things done and boy! what a big help! I don't know how we ever got anything done before

Jack! He had such a great time raking leaves with Jason and playing with and in his wagon while I worked in the flower beds. He even helped sweep up the sidewalk after I was finished.

It's hard to imagine that he's 10 months old...almost 11. He wants to try to do everything that the big people are doing and doesn't seem to be afraid of anything. He seems so big and yet he's still just a baby.

I love watching Jason and Jack interact and seeing how much Jack really is like his daddy. Jason is so good with him. Everything a father should be, kind, caring, loving, protective, patient yet firm. And above all that, involved and interested. He wants to show and teach Jack all the things a daddy should teach his son.

Mommy's Little Helper

It seems that Jack has taken to helping me around the house these days...

Unloading the dishwasher

Changing the trash

Getting things from the fridge

(He climbed there by himself, Daddy was there just to catch him)

Helping with laundry and folding diapers

Winter Months

This has been a busy winter for us with lots of traveling and meeting loved ones. In the fall GG got sick and Grandpa Ravenscroft visited quite often. The Koons cousins (Kevin and Karen's families) made it up to visit so Jack got to meet them for the first time. Karen was pretty funny! He enjoyed playing on the floor with her. We spent Thanksgiving at Mamaw and Papaw's house wtih all the Strole family. Right before Thanksgiving Jack and I traveled to Peoria, IL to meet up with our friends Stephanie and Sami. We spent the night with them and then drove to Savage, MN the next day to visit with our friends we met online. Krystal and Zoey, Shannon (who left Kaitlin at home), Mickey and Piper, and Bethanne and Wilton were all there. It was exciting to see everyone again. Jack loved being surrounded by all the girls...He LOVED to pull their hair!

Bumper friends!

For Christmas we celebrated early at Mamaw and Papaw's house with Granny and Grandpa II before traveling to Tulsa, OK to meet up with the entire Ravenscroft clan. Uncle Dan, Aunt Christa, Tyler, Emmi, Uncle Todd, Aunt Jen, Chloe, GG, Grandma and Grandpa were all there. We spent an entire week with the family and enjoyed every minute of it. Jack had a lot of fun playing with Emmi. They climbed on the step to the dining room, chased balls, hid under the high chair and got in baskets together. Chloe liked to serve us all tea with Grandma's tea set and Tyler liked to play with the train set that used to belong to Uncle Dan. Uncle Bob, Aunt Cathy, Lisa, Maya and Luke all drove down from St. Louis and spent some time with all of us as well. Tyler really loved Maya and thought she was hysterical. It was sad to see everyone leave. Jack really loved seeing all his cousins and getting to play with all of them. He started crawling on Christmas Day so he could keep up with them. He just wanted to do everything his cousins could do. He also started to pull up (well, he'd get on his knees and look over the coffee table), started crawling and ate my first bites of chicken while with my cousins. We can't wait until we can see them again. I wish we didn't live so far away from them. BUT!!! We are going to San Fran in June to meet up with Uncle Todd, Aunt Jen and Chloe!! Jason said hopefully Uncle Dan, Aunt Christa, Tyler and Emmi will be able to make it up for a visit as well...and maybe even Grandma and Grandpa, so that will be exciting!!

Emmi and Jack playing at Christmas in Tulsa

Ravenscroft Cousins

Upon returning home Jack and I traveled to northern Indiana and met up with Bethanne and Wilton who were on their way home from visiting Wilton's Moma. Jack had so much fun crawling around chasing Wilton. He's so much fun! Wilton showed Jack how to play on the play place at the mall and slide down the bridge. Wilton even caught Jack at the bottom of the slide! In January Jack really started moving around, crawling all over the place and pulling up on everything. He really likes to stand at the wall of toys we build around Bernie's cage and yell at the bird. Bernie doesn't like Jack too well yet, and even bit him once, but Jack still loves him and think he's the best thing ever.


I took my first trip east in February. Jason had a conference in Washington DC and Jack and I traveled with him. We stopped in Philly to visit my friend Megan and play with Remi. Remi and Jack liked getting into the forbidden bowl of things not for babies, helping unload the dishwasher and playing in a drawer of kitchen stuff. We walked around the city and enjoyed our time with Megan, Raavi and Remi. Then we headed to DC and spent the rest of the week there. We got to see the White House and a couple of other monuments and Jack enjoyed exploring the hotel room. I took Jack to a park one afternoon to play which was really fun. He is able to pull up on almost anything now as well as cruise around furniture. He likes to say uh oh when he drops things and rides on toys. Everything is so much fun right now and he just wants to see and do it all. Jack is even able to stand by himself for short bits of time, although he sort of gets nervous and prefers to crawl around. Jack also went to his friend Emma's first birthday party this past weekend. How fun! Lots of babies his age to pull on and play with!!

Jack and Remi...Jack loved him

Daddy and Jack at the White House

Jack at Rose Park

Making progress in October

So this past month as been full of milestones for Jack. He's finally mastered the art of rolling over. Grandpa Ravenscroft was in town and got to see the first few rolls that Jack was able to complete. Now that he's able to roll over onto his tummy all by himself, he actually prefers to play like that. He's been playing on the floor a lot lately. Since being on the floor so much he's learned how to scoot. The only problem is, he only knows how to go in reverse. All Jack's toys keep getting further away instead of closer!! But, at least he is able to turn around in circles, roll and move so he's content to play and explore. He's also begun to sit up without anyone holding on to him. He's still not sure how to get into a sitting position on his own, but I'm sure that will come in time. Right now Jack's just working on getting stronger and stronger at sitting so Jason and I are confident enough to move away and let him play. The other big news for this month is Jack now has teeth! Okay, well a tooth! But it's through and I can feel another one working its way through my gums to join the bottom right that is through.

We've really enjoyed the fall weather that we've been having. We've been to the pumpkin patch a couple of times, took our first trip to the zoo for Zoo Boo and Jack got to go to his first bonfire at my Uncle Robert's house and we also traveled to Missouri for Uncle Bob and Aunt Cathy's anniversary. (Yes, we have an Uncle Robert and Aunt Kathy on my side and an Uncle Bob and Aunt Cathy on Jason's side) At Uncle Bob and Aunt Cathy's house Jack got to go on his first slide and swing rides and also got to play in the fall leaves. At Zoo Boo and Uncle Robert's house, Jack dressed up in his Halloween costume. A lobster!! I even have a big pot to sit him in to look like a real lobster cooking. My mom bought Jack a HUGE pumpkin while at Uncle Robert's and we all helped carve it. We sat Jack inside the pumpkin and he was a true Jack O'Lantern!! The pumpkin patch was a lot of fun as well. The first time Jack and I went with some other babies. Jack fell asleep before we actually got to the pumpkin patch, so Jason and I took him back. (I think Jason just felt left out and wanted in on the fun!) In the patch Jason and Jack picked out another pumpkin. Daddy and Jack had a great time!

First time at the pumpkin patch

Back to the pumpkin patch with Daddy

Swinging and sliding at Uncle Bob and Aunt Cathy's house in MO

Lobster!!

Jack carving the big pumpkin and him as Jack O'Lantern

First bites from September

When Jack went to see Dr. Robb for his 4 month appointment she told me and Jason that Jack could start on solid foods if he seemed interested in what we were eating, was able to hold his head up, grabbed things and put them in his mouth and stopped thrusting things out of his mouth. So now after almost a month of staring us down at the dinner table and putting everything in his mouth, we finally gave Jack his first taste of big people food. His first food was a taste of an avacado! It wasn't too bad! He's still not sure exactly how this swallowing thing goes, but he lets me know to keep feeding him by fussing if I'm not putting the spoon in his mouth.

First bites

The First Four Months

So I've decided to blog and am going to transfer the journal entries from Jack's babysite to the blog and then try to be a lot better about keeping the blog more current. I like the blog format because I can add videos and add pictures within the text instead of making photo albums separate. I hope you enjoy!

Hello world!

Well ladies and gentlemen, I just have to say that life is good with a baby. The last four months have been an absolute dream. Jack has added so much to our lives. We give him lots of hugs, kisses, cheek pinches and squeezes. His Mamaw and Papaw cannot stop taking pictures of him and his Grandma and Grandpa are full of love. Everything that a baby could want...he has. Let me see if I can recap some of the highlightes of the last four months...

Uncle Todd, Auntie Jen and Cousin Chloe came out right after Jack was born. He was just a skinny little thing then, but Chloe reassured him that in time he too would gain some chubbers just like her. While Uncle, Auntie and Cousin were here, Grandma and Grandpa arrived as well. It was really nice spending a day in Bloominton with them all and eating at Nick's Bar and Pub. Yes, at three weeks Jack hit his first bar. I think he and Chloe made history as the youngest patrons ever. Also that week Jason and I took Auntie, Uncle and Chloe down to the canal where we all walked around. All in all for being three weeks Jack got around pretty well. It was great getting to see the San Francisco Clan especially since we will not get to see them until Christmas in Tulsa.

Uncle Todd and Cousin Chloe

The second month of life was fun filled. Jack went to his first pool party and his first birthday party. Although I didn't let him swim he had fun hanging out by the pool in his shades soaking up some rays. With such fair skin like his though, I didn't want him to stay out too long. I'm such a fuss budget... Everyone thinks Jack keeps getting cuter and cuter by the day, and he offered up his first smile at around 6 weeks.

The first smile

At the end of July the three of us traveled to Grayling, Michigan for the Au Sable Canoe Race. It was great seeing Uncle Jason, Auntie LA and getting to meet Uncle Bob and Auntie Wendy. This was Jack's first trip out of Indiana and it was a beautiful trip. He did sleep most of the way, but that allowed him to stay awake for the party on Saturday!! He slept most of the way home as well...but that was just because he was wore out from partying. Watching people play Corn Hole and eat makes a little man very tired!

In Michigan for the Au Sable Race with Tracy, Dean, LA and Jason

The third month of life proved to be just as busy. Jack got to attend another birthday party downtown at Jillians (it was Kelcee's birthday) as well as meet GG and Uncle Mac for lunch at the Kladaugh. Which brings his total to 3 bars now that he's been to. Not bad for a three month old!! He doesn't just hang out in bars though. He has been to GG's house in Anderson and love traveling there to visit with her. He's also ventured out to Plainfield and spent some time with Granny and Grandpa II. His greats on the May side of the family. It's always great being with the grandparents...they make such a fuss!! Jack and I also traveled to Madison, WI at the end of August to meet with friends met online. It was great hanging out with other babies Jack's age. This marked his second trip out of Indiana! WOO HOOO...he's turning into a world traveler!
Day to day life is going great as well. Jason and I love reading stories, playing games and singing. Jason says the best thing about being a daddy is kissing Jack's chubbers (yes, Chloe was right, he did grow some of his own!) and seeing Jack's little face. I am just too in love with this little baby for words and do not ever want to leave his side. The three of us have a lot of fun together blowing raspberries, acting silly and spending time together. Jason and I are so amazed at all the things Jack learns each day. He is proving to us what a strong man he is. He loves to stand on his legs and face out to look around at everyone and everything. There is so much to see and learn. He is not rolling over yet, but is so close and lays on his side while trying to get from back to tummy. We are seeing the benefits of tummy time and with each session he gets better and better at holding his head up to look around and reach for toys.

Jack with his Granpa II

Getting some tummy time