AP Baby

Okay, this baby thing is weird. Jack will be going along, doing the same things, getting better at them little by little and then, all of a sudden, he's do something crazy for the first time that he's never done before. I realize that holding a sippy cup isn't exactly Earth shattering to the average person but, in baby world, it's some major news!

Anyway, I got home from work on Thursday (the close to the end of a crazy busy week where I didn't get to see my little man much) and went to play with him. When he smiled at me, I noticed that he had sprouted a new tooth. This wasn't a major surprise since he had been rolling his tongue over his gums like crazy and drooling like a rabid dog. However, I kept seeing the bump on his gums, but no tooth. Well, it showed up on Thursday. Jack must have been equally as excited and, in celebration, rolled from back to front to his LEFT! We knew he could do it, he's been strong enough forever but he just has this preference for going to his right, even if he does everything with his left hand (we're thinking he's going to be a pitcher!). But I guess, he just decided to do something different. And he wasn't done there. Right after he rolled over, while Paul and I were still looking at him and our left hands to make sure we had seen it right, he pushed himself up to sitting!

He has progressively gotten stronger in his upper body and is moving all over the place, but without crawling. He is pushing up and using his legs, but he hasn't worked it out yet. My prediction is that he'll be there by next week. In the meantime, he is Mr. Cranky Pants because he is becoming increasingly frustrated with his desire to move yet inability to do so. Every position he gets into, or gets put into, he whines because he wants something different. Hopefully, he'll be less cranky when he gets mobile. But then we're in for all sorts of trouble!! And FUN!!

DA-DA-DA-DA-DA-DA-DA-DA!!!

Jack has graduated from ba-ba-ba-ba. Yesterday, he figured out da-da-da-da, which I think is a bunch of garbage because 1) I have been pushing ma-ma-ma FOREVER to no avail and 2) Paul didn't even notice! Jack started doing da-da yesterday morning. Paul didn't hear it the first three times because he was too busy watching football. Then, when he did hear it, he didn't think he was saying da but instead ga. I told him he didn't even deserve it!

As soon as Jack figured out that he made a new sound, that was it. It was DA-DA-DA-DA the rest of the day at various levels of loud! It's adorable and he's pretty proud of himself. Can't wait for MA-MA!!!

Jack's First Bears' Game

First Bears' game

Smiling, even though he's sick!

Daddy's new football buddy

Jack loves football!

Daddy shows Jack an example of an I-formation.

Labor Day

Getting ready to go to Aunt Fran and Uncle Vince's

Dancing with cousin Sierra

I LOVE dancing with cousin Sierra!

Grandma, Jack and Sierra

Jack's first Labor Day was exhausting!

Teeth (and other stuff that's LOTS more fun!!)

Jack in his new Adidas jumpsuit

Future Number One Draft Pick

Jack's first Fremd football game with Chase Hinojosa

Teething is a pain. And if it's a pain for me, you know it's bad for Jack. He cut his first tooth on August 28th and it seems that the one right next to it is trying to rear it's pearly white head. And it's causing my boy to be pretty bummed. He's such a good boy about it and he really doesn't cry about it (though he did have a good cry for about five minutes on Wednesday night) but he just doesn't act himself. He has kind of spoiled us by being such a happy, active boy so it is really noticable when he doesn't smile and his eyes don't light up. And it's hard when you only see him for four hours a day and he is not himself. The last two days have been better and hopefully, they will continue to be so.

He also attended his first Fremd football game. They had a staff appreciation night where there is a staff BBQ and everyone brings their families. Jack enjoyed seeing all of the commotion and playing with the kids. He especially enjoyed seeing Josh Clement, who he had met at a previous playdate. He was so excited to see a baby his own age and he greeted Josh by slapping him in the face. We are going to have to work on his friend making techniques. He liked getting into everything and playing with everything he could get his hands on, including Mommy's Pepsi, Mommy's chips, Mommy's cheeseburger and Mommy's cookies. Needless to say, I had a very quick dinner that I barely had time to taste! We are really going to be in trouble when he gets mobile.

Speaking of getting mobile, he keeps on trying but has little success. He does get a big better each day but we took a couple of steps back the three days this week that he was really feeling his teeth. He seemed to have a much lower tolerance for frustration and we didn't push it! His legs are very strong and mostly, he prefers to walk holding on to your hands. When trying to crawl, he can push his butt into the air and he can push his upper body up with his arms. He just hasn't figured out how to do it together! I am thinking it is because his arms aren't strong enough to lift his big upper body. We'll see. It's just fun to see him try new things and experience the world around him. And maybe I shouldn't be so excited for the mobility part, given his desire to explore and touch everything!! Good thing we got the house babyproofed before the start of school!!