Standing up!

I apologize for the delay in writing an update on our blog. As Jack gets more active, I seem to have less time to sit at the computer and write :). He is sure keeping us busy! Since our last post, I took him for a playdate with Nick and Jill at Roger Williams Park Zoo. It was so weird to be back at the zoo that I grew up going to and to be showing Jack around. We had a great day (overcast, but muggy) and saw a bunch of animals. The boys seemed to like it and we made it out right before a thunderstorm started! Tom and I also took him to another favorite spot from our childhood-The Crescent Park Carousel. We visited with Tom's grandmother (who lives right around the corner) and then walked over to the carousel with Gramma, Big Papi, Uncle Paul and Nana for a ride. Jack was very interested in all the music and all the decorations of the carousel...almost unsure of where to look or what to do. The first ride we all sat in a little booth together. The second ride I rode one of the horses and even caught a few rings to throw into the clowns mouth. I tried to have Jack ride with me, but couldn't get the belt to fit around us both and the carousel, although old, actually goes pretty fast. Jack loved watching me go up and down on the horse and was squealing with delight. It was a great day!

Jack is now standing up! Since he figured out how to go from his belly to sitting up he has been moving around like crazy. He quickly figured out how to pull himself up to standing. Now, he will pull himself up onto everything and anything in his path. Boy are we in trouble. When he is in his corral, he stands up and will start scooting his feet over and move his hands as well until he moves all the way around the corral. The other day, Tom got a video of him standing up in the corral, watching tv and holding on with just one hand. Next thing he knew, Jack had let go with the other hand, but didn't really realize and actually stood on his own for a few seconds! His little legs are SO STRONG! We will keep you posted on when he takes his first steps! :)

Grammy has been working with Jack to teach him how to play Pat-a-Cake and he will sometimes play with his stuff monkey George. HYSTERICAL. Too bad he is a camera nut. Everytime I get the camera out and ready to video him playing with George, he turns away from the monkey and starts hamming it up for the camera, making this silly smile (as if he is saying cheese) or just trying to attack the camera and get it into his little paws! :) I think we will have to tag team him to get a video of it! We are always working on clapping and waving. He was clapping today, all on his own, but when I prompted him later, he would not cooperate! :)

As always, the summer is crazy and goes by way too fast! I can't believe that we are at the end of July already!! Enjoy the rest of the summer!

Summer finally arrives!

After a very looooong month of June with lots of rain, summer finally decided to arrive for the fourth of July. As is usual in the summer, we have been very busy with many trips back and forth to RI for baby showers, birthdays, graduations, etc. Since I had to work the day before and the day after the fourth of July we decided to stay in CT. We packed Jack up and spent the day with our friends Chris and Sonia. We boiled Lobsters and just relaxed. It was a great 4th. We brought Jack to see some fireworks in Waterbury and he LOVED it! The noise didn't bother him at all. Just when we thought his eyes couldn't get any bigger or wider, they did. He was trying to take in ALL the wonder of the fireworks. Last week we spent 4 days in RI on our mini vacation. We had NO PLANS, so we got to really relax and see our families with out having to rush around all day everyday. The weather was BEAUTIFUL! We bought Jack a little pool and he played and splashed and even swam (aka crawled around in the water). He loved it! I was a little overly cautious and filled it with water from the sink in the kitchen so that it was nice and warm...maybe too warm....once the sun started heating it up I had Mike bring out some COLD water to cool it off! haha :) Jack loved splashing around and loved trying to climb over the sides to get to the grass even more! :)

On Sunday night when we got home Jack was playing on the floor with Daddy and figured out how to get from his belly up to the sitting position. Later on when he was in bed, I heard him working hard to "get into trouble" and went to check on him. I found him standing up in the crib (the mattress was still in the high position). I pulled him right out and Tom took it all apart to lower the mattress before he came tumbling out! I can't believe how much he learns and changes everyday. it is so amazing! He is into everything, crawling and pulling and poking! We have a little corral to keep him contained and out of trouble in our apartment. He loves it when Daddy puts a sheet over the top and makes a fort. It is so cute to see his little hands coming up from under the sheet.

This week has brought more beautiful weather and Jack and I ventured to the pool at our apartment complex. The water was much colder than in his kiddie pool, but he loved it just the same. I have a float that I put him in and he just kicked and kicked his little legs loving every minute. He even made some "friends" with other babies and was babbling to them.

After some resistance on my part, we have started giving Jack more table food to get him used to more textures. I have been so nervous about him choking I have held off, but now realize that he will be fine and it is time! He loves to eat, but when he tries a new texture he gets this look on his face that is priceless and he starts spitting and sputtering. It is hysterical. So far he has had some banana, mandarin oranges, yogurt, pasta and veggies.

In another week and a half Jack will be 8 MONTHS OLD! I will try to update the site more often, but the summer days just seem to fly on by.

Thanks for reading our story!!