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April 2010 v. April 2011

Friday, April 29, 2011

When Jack saw April the first time, he napped a lot.  He wore footie suits, a lot.  He let me prop him up on the sofa and take endless pictures.  And when he got tired, he yawned.  He drank milk only, and slept for up to 20 hours a day.  He was the best thing that had ever happened to us.



This April, Jack drools a lot.  He wears shoes (for the walking) with his polo shirts and khaki shorts (for the ladies).  I don't prop him up anymore; I chase him around.  When he gets tired, he rubs his eyes and gets cranky (just like his mama).  He eats anything and everything, but is particularly fond of pizza (see below) and Nutella on animal crackers (see previous post).  He sleeps at night and at nap time (one nap per day, mind you).  And he's the best thing that ever happened to us.


Here's to the good things.  Have a great weekend.

Heather

Whatyoutalkingbout, Dad?

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

I'm not sure what Durel said to Jack on Easter the other day, but from the looks of it, Jack wasn't sure, either.


He opted to give a quizzical look and hold tight to his piece of petrified wood.

I mean, what would you do?

Hope this finds you not puzzled,
Heather

My Goofy Helper

Monday, April 25, 2011

Life for Jack and I involves frequent trips to the grocery store.

Life for Type A Me involves making lots of lists.

What happens when those things collide?


Jack, my adorable helper, holds all of my lists while we cruise down the aisles of the grocery store.  All the while making me giggle with his pure cuteness, and reminding me to Rock On.

Awesomeness.

Hope this finds you with your lists updated,
Heather

Here Come the Men in Plaid

We had a super laid back Easter this year.  We didn't do an egg hunt.  We didn't overdose on Peeps and marshmallow eggs.  We just hung out and relaxed for the day, and that was perfect.

Durel boiled crabs for my parents, which was the first time they've had that classic Maryland treat prepared in that way.  In Maryland, crabs are doused with Old Bay seasoning and steamed to bright red perfection.  In Lousiana, crabs and other crustaceans are boiled in spicy water to the same perfection.  Included in the pot are what we affectionately refer to as "the groceries," which includes:  sausage pieces, corn on the cob, celery, garlic, onions, and other yummy goodies to enjoy.

Anyway, a true Marylander is initially suspicious that there is "another way" to cook crabs.  Mom and Dad suspended their skepticism and we dove right in.  The result?  Let's just say that minds were blown.

And that plaid shorts were worn by all.


Hope the Easter Bunny was good to you,
Heather

In the Sandbox, Yeah

Monday, April 18, 2011

Yesterday evening, we had the pleasure of having a relaxed and relaxing barbecue at the home of some of our oldest and dearest friends.  There was peppercorn-crusted Brie and some of the most delicious turkey burgers I've ever had.   Oh, did I mention there was wine?

These lovely friends also have a couple of kiddos:

Callahan, the Cutie

Connor the Explorer
Cal and Connor let Jack play in their sandbox, which was fun for Jack and eye-opening for us.

Sandboxes are fun!


Sand is fun to pour on my head.  Watch this.

Yay for sandboxes!
Jack did, indeed, pour sand on his head.  I dutifully scrubbed it off that evening in the bathtub.  After the bath, the tub looked like any good surfer's shower after a long day at the beach.

Sandboxes are messy.

Hope this finds you having a grit-free day,
Heather

Friday Flashback: When We Had Lives

Friday, April 15, 2011

I know, I know.  That's not fair.  We have lives now.  In fact, we have a whole new person in them to redirect their focus, realign their priorities, and recalibrate how often I wear things that require dry cleaning.  We have lovely and wonderful lives, and are grateful and giddy that Jack is here to make them awesome.

That said, we used to, like, go out.  And have cocktails.  Maybe even too many cocktails.  We used to live in DC.  We went to school there.  We dressed up for Halloween and went to Georgetown.  Our costume was timely, witty, and most importantly, comfortable.

For Halloween 2003, we were Bennifer.  Here's proof.


Bennifer?  Why, J. Lo and Ben Affleck, of course.  When they were engaged.

Bourbon and Bennifer to you, too,
Heather

My Dog is Named After Picasso

Thursday, April 14, 2011

It's true.  Jack's dog is named after Picasso.  His name is Pablo.  Contrary to popular opinion, that's not Neruda or Escobar, but rather, the famous artist.


Why did we name Pablo after Picasso?  It's hard to explain.  He just shares some quirky, European je ne sais quois with his namesake.  I'll leave it at that.

Anyway, given that Picasso is his doggie's namesake and that his Aunt Jenny is a bona fine artiste, Jack decided to take matters into his own hands, literally, with regard to his artistic development.

I'm starting with primary colors.  You know?


I prefer working outside.  Nature is my studio.

I think I prefer the table as my canvas.   Until my grilled cheese comes, that is.
Watercolors and grilled cheese to you,
Heather

The Joy of Nutella

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

One of my favorite things about Jack growing up is introducing him to new foods.  As self-professed foodies, Durel and I absolutely agree that Jack will be exposed to a wide variety of foods and cuisines.  We also agree that he will learn to eat healthily.  So far, so good on the fruits and veggies for our Little Dude.  Awesome!

That said, Jack also has a penchant for animal crackers.  (Yes, those are in the cookie family. It's all good.)  We tend to offer Jack an animal cracker as a litmus test to see if he's really full once the sippy cup starts flying around toward the end of a meal.  If he's full, the animal cracker goes on the floor, to the eagerly awaiting Pablo or Lucy.  If he's hungry, it goes enthusiastically into his mouth.

The other night, I had the inspired idea to dip said animal cracker into Nutella (the European chocolate hazelnut spread that makes peanut butter look like doo-doo in comparison).

It was a hit.

Why have I never had this before?

Why can't I get it into my mouth any faster?

And when can I have it again?

Hope this day finds you doing (or eating) something you love,
Proper Paige

Like George and Weezie

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Oh yeah, he's movin' on up, to the east side...

Jack moved up a room in daycare this week.  At his school, there are four rooms in the "baby building."  The babies progress through them by age, but also by developmental levels.  The first room is for the wee babes.  The second room is for babies sitting in Bumbos, having tummy time, and starting to crawl.  The third room is for totally mastering crawling and starting to self-feed.  The fourth room is for walking.

Oh, yeah.  He's in the walking room.  He's not walking yet, exactly, but he is about to.  Any moment now.

In the fourth room, the bottle is banished.  You've got to rock the sippy cup to rock with the walking room.  And since I've seen this move coming for a while, we've worked on doing that.

Before:  Happy Jack with Bottle


After:  Happy Jack with Sippy Cup


I don't mean to imply that the transition was effortless.  It took some work.  And we do have more than a dozen sippy cups in our kitchen cabinet right now.  Much like Goldilocks, we had to find the sippy cup that was juuuuust right.  But once we did that, Jack took care of the rest.

Pictures of his new environs to come.

Hope this finds you well,
Heather

He's All Boy

Monday, April 4, 2011

Jack was hanging out with Durel in the back yard the other day.  From inside, where I had collapsed on the couch after a very long day, indeed, I received this picture via text message:


Despite the angle that makes Jack's head look like Sputnik (it has its own weather system, that thing!), I love the R2D2 shirt, the shorts, and the chilling in the grass-ness of it all.

Hope you're hanging with your dudes today,
Heather

Friday, April 29, 2011

April 2010 v. April 2011

When Jack saw April the first time, he napped a lot.  He wore footie suits, a lot.  He let me prop him up on the sofa and take endless pictures.  And when he got tired, he yawned.  He drank milk only, and slept for up to 20 hours a day.  He was the best thing that had ever happened to us.



This April, Jack drools a lot.  He wears shoes (for the walking) with his polo shirts and khaki shorts (for the ladies).  I don't prop him up anymore; I chase him around.  When he gets tired, he rubs his eyes and gets cranky (just like his mama).  He eats anything and everything, but is particularly fond of pizza (see below) and Nutella on animal crackers (see previous post).  He sleeps at night and at nap time (one nap per day, mind you).  And he's the best thing that ever happened to us.


Here's to the good things.  Have a great weekend.

Heather

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Whatyoutalkingbout, Dad?

I'm not sure what Durel said to Jack on Easter the other day, but from the looks of it, Jack wasn't sure, either.


He opted to give a quizzical look and hold tight to his piece of petrified wood.

I mean, what would you do?

Hope this finds you not puzzled,
Heather

Monday, April 25, 2011

My Goofy Helper

Life for Jack and I involves frequent trips to the grocery store.

Life for Type A Me involves making lots of lists.

What happens when those things collide?


Jack, my adorable helper, holds all of my lists while we cruise down the aisles of the grocery store.  All the while making me giggle with his pure cuteness, and reminding me to Rock On.

Awesomeness.

Hope this finds you with your lists updated,
Heather

Here Come the Men in Plaid

We had a super laid back Easter this year.  We didn't do an egg hunt.  We didn't overdose on Peeps and marshmallow eggs.  We just hung out and relaxed for the day, and that was perfect.

Durel boiled crabs for my parents, which was the first time they've had that classic Maryland treat prepared in that way.  In Maryland, crabs are doused with Old Bay seasoning and steamed to bright red perfection.  In Lousiana, crabs and other crustaceans are boiled in spicy water to the same perfection.  Included in the pot are what we affectionately refer to as "the groceries," which includes:  sausage pieces, corn on the cob, celery, garlic, onions, and other yummy goodies to enjoy.

Anyway, a true Marylander is initially suspicious that there is "another way" to cook crabs.  Mom and Dad suspended their skepticism and we dove right in.  The result?  Let's just say that minds were blown.

And that plaid shorts were worn by all.


Hope the Easter Bunny was good to you,
Heather

Monday, April 18, 2011

In the Sandbox, Yeah

Yesterday evening, we had the pleasure of having a relaxed and relaxing barbecue at the home of some of our oldest and dearest friends.  There was peppercorn-crusted Brie and some of the most delicious turkey burgers I've ever had.   Oh, did I mention there was wine?

These lovely friends also have a couple of kiddos:

Callahan, the Cutie

Connor the Explorer
Cal and Connor let Jack play in their sandbox, which was fun for Jack and eye-opening for us.

Sandboxes are fun!


Sand is fun to pour on my head.  Watch this.

Yay for sandboxes!
Jack did, indeed, pour sand on his head.  I dutifully scrubbed it off that evening in the bathtub.  After the bath, the tub looked like any good surfer's shower after a long day at the beach.

Sandboxes are messy.

Hope this finds you having a grit-free day,
Heather

Friday, April 15, 2011

Friday Flashback: When We Had Lives

I know, I know.  That's not fair.  We have lives now.  In fact, we have a whole new person in them to redirect their focus, realign their priorities, and recalibrate how often I wear things that require dry cleaning.  We have lovely and wonderful lives, and are grateful and giddy that Jack is here to make them awesome.

That said, we used to, like, go out.  And have cocktails.  Maybe even too many cocktails.  We used to live in DC.  We went to school there.  We dressed up for Halloween and went to Georgetown.  Our costume was timely, witty, and most importantly, comfortable.

For Halloween 2003, we were Bennifer.  Here's proof.


Bennifer?  Why, J. Lo and Ben Affleck, of course.  When they were engaged.

Bourbon and Bennifer to you, too,
Heather

Thursday, April 14, 2011

My Dog is Named After Picasso

It's true.  Jack's dog is named after Picasso.  His name is Pablo.  Contrary to popular opinion, that's not Neruda or Escobar, but rather, the famous artist.


Why did we name Pablo after Picasso?  It's hard to explain.  He just shares some quirky, European je ne sais quois with his namesake.  I'll leave it at that.

Anyway, given that Picasso is his doggie's namesake and that his Aunt Jenny is a bona fine artiste, Jack decided to take matters into his own hands, literally, with regard to his artistic development.

I'm starting with primary colors.  You know?


I prefer working outside.  Nature is my studio.

I think I prefer the table as my canvas.   Until my grilled cheese comes, that is.
Watercolors and grilled cheese to you,
Heather

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

The Joy of Nutella

One of my favorite things about Jack growing up is introducing him to new foods.  As self-professed foodies, Durel and I absolutely agree that Jack will be exposed to a wide variety of foods and cuisines.  We also agree that he will learn to eat healthily.  So far, so good on the fruits and veggies for our Little Dude.  Awesome!

That said, Jack also has a penchant for animal crackers.  (Yes, those are in the cookie family. It's all good.)  We tend to offer Jack an animal cracker as a litmus test to see if he's really full once the sippy cup starts flying around toward the end of a meal.  If he's full, the animal cracker goes on the floor, to the eagerly awaiting Pablo or Lucy.  If he's hungry, it goes enthusiastically into his mouth.

The other night, I had the inspired idea to dip said animal cracker into Nutella (the European chocolate hazelnut spread that makes peanut butter look like doo-doo in comparison).

It was a hit.

Why have I never had this before?

Why can't I get it into my mouth any faster?

And when can I have it again?

Hope this day finds you doing (or eating) something you love,
Proper Paige

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Like George and Weezie

Oh yeah, he's movin' on up, to the east side...

Jack moved up a room in daycare this week.  At his school, there are four rooms in the "baby building."  The babies progress through them by age, but also by developmental levels.  The first room is for the wee babes.  The second room is for babies sitting in Bumbos, having tummy time, and starting to crawl.  The third room is for totally mastering crawling and starting to self-feed.  The fourth room is for walking.

Oh, yeah.  He's in the walking room.  He's not walking yet, exactly, but he is about to.  Any moment now.

In the fourth room, the bottle is banished.  You've got to rock the sippy cup to rock with the walking room.  And since I've seen this move coming for a while, we've worked on doing that.

Before:  Happy Jack with Bottle


After:  Happy Jack with Sippy Cup


I don't mean to imply that the transition was effortless.  It took some work.  And we do have more than a dozen sippy cups in our kitchen cabinet right now.  Much like Goldilocks, we had to find the sippy cup that was juuuuust right.  But once we did that, Jack took care of the rest.

Pictures of his new environs to come.

Hope this finds you well,
Heather

Monday, April 4, 2011

He's All Boy

Jack was hanging out with Durel in the back yard the other day.  From inside, where I had collapsed on the couch after a very long day, indeed, I received this picture via text message:


Despite the angle that makes Jack's head look like Sputnik (it has its own weather system, that thing!), I love the R2D2 shirt, the shorts, and the chilling in the grass-ness of it all.

Hope you're hanging with your dudes today,
Heather
 
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