8 Months old and Jack's got skills!

Jack is 8 months old and the orchid he gave me for Mother's Day with 8 blooms!
Sweet 8 month old Jack with Dad!

Jack is 8 months old! I find myself looking back over the past 8 months and realizing how far we've come. Our little family grew by a whole person...and a pretty adorable one at that! We're getting more comfortable as a family and it's beginning to be difficult to remember what we did with ourselves pre-Jack! Derek asked me just the other day what we did before our lives revolved around sweet Jack. We are still in awe of this little boy and all the wonderful changes he's brought. These really must be the best days of our lives!

Jack is doing great. I've been sitting him on our bathroom scale and weighing him. Based on that scale he's 19 lbs. I took him to the pedi to check on a pesky diaper rash today and their scale said 18 lbs 41/4 oz. So, our scale's a bit off. He is starting to get chunky. It's nice that he's filling out some. Tonight I put him in a new pair of 12 month jammies. I thought they'd be a little too big but, they're really just right. He really is growing like a weed!

Over the past couple weeks Jack has been discovering all sorts of skills. He is working so hard on moving. He is still not crawling yet. He gets up on all fours and rocks a bit. He thinks it's really funny and usually does a face plant and keeps on laughing. He loves to stand up and is getting more comfortable cruising the furniture with us close behind him. If you take your hands away he plops down. He is obsessed with pulling up to a stand and attempting to walk. Crazy kid. I keep reminding him he's only 8 months old and there's no need to rush it. I'm already realizing how many things I need to pick up so he'll stay out of them.

Last Tuesday during nap time, we caught a glimpse of Jack sitting up in his bed all by himself. He was supposed to be napping but he was working on his skills! ha. The funny thing was he just kept watching the door while he was sitting up. I guess he was waiting for us to blast through the door, come in and clap for him...typical first child I guess waiting for our cheery reaction! I think it's good to know he already realizes we're his biggest fans!

We dropped Jack's bed down because he's pulling up on the railings of his bed and I'm afraid he'll just flip out of the bed some morning. We probably did it a little early but, it makes me sleep better at night! I am sure it will just prompt him to work that much harder on his skills. See photos below:)

Speaking of clapping, Jack has mastered clapping. We've been working on clapping for some time and he recently got it. It is awesome to glance in the back seat and see him clapping along to songs on the radio. He actually claps on beat which I'm hoping is a sign of his fantastic rhythm and not just coincidence. He also works on clapping while he is supposed to be napping which is funny. The other afternoon I noticed him clapping on the video monitor. He clapped for about 2 minutes, rolled over and immediately went back to sleep! Amazing.

I also taught Jack to roll a ball a couple afternoons ago. He thinks it's pretty great. He also has accidentally started kicking the soccer ball. I'm trying not to teach him too many athletic skills. I'm hopeful that Derek, Lauren and Bess will work on the coordination factor. We don't want him imitating any of my pathetic sports skills.

Jack's looks are changing so much. When we look back at his first pictures and his dark hair, it seems like we got a new baby at some point because he looks different in various pictures. I think he has been cute at every stage of course!!! He's very expressive and I think that changes his look in pictures not to mention his out of control hair. I'm not sure where he got that from! I pulled out some pictures of Derek and I so we could compare them to Jack. There are so many features of Jack's that I think favor both of us. Jack definitely has my nose and mouth, Derek's eyebrows & face shape; both of our double chins! ha. Take a look for yourself and see what you think! I'm sure he'll keep changing and one day he'll probably be a dead ringer for Derek!

Sadie is quickly becoming Jack's favorite member of the family. The moment he wakes up he's looking for Sadie. Sadie has taken a new interest in Jack and actually enjoys Jack's pats. It is pretty cute. Sadie wanders in most evenings during Jack's bath and licks his feet or head. Jack cackles with laughter and it's pretty sweet to see him smiling right at Sadie. We go for a walk almost every night in the neighborhood and Sadie walks out in front of the stroller on her leash. She looks like she's the lead reindeer pulling our sleigh. She looks so proud of her little brother and the neighbors all comment on her taking Jack for a walk. She's been so good with Jack and with the exception of sneaking out his bath toys, she's done great at respecting his toys! We have been shocked how well she's adapted to Jack. We've taught Jack to give Sadie treats and she reciprocates by licking Jack's hands after his meals in the highchair. I see the beginnings of a great friendship!

Here are a couple pictures of our sweet boy. We're excited that the summer days are here. I see a lot of swimming days in our future, walks, snow cones, playing with Jack, park days, beach days and whatever else we come up with! It is so great spending time with Jack and we hope to see all of you over our summer!

Love Tam, Derek, Jack and SadieDerek sporting a face that Jack makes often

Derek at probably a year old...Do you think Jack looks like Derek!?
Tamara at maybe a year old? Check out the pic I took of Jack tonight...strange resemblance!
Tam in the crib we used with Jack. I think if we put jack in pink jammies he would like almost the same.
Jack eating a biter biscuit...

Seems like it's good...
Wait a minute, this is weird! (He ended up not really liking the bisquit!)

Sadie and Jack-not quite awake but, wanting to be near each other!
Wiggly Jack--wearing his moose jammies probably for the last time!
He is really getting big!
Jack at 8 months loving life!

I wish you could hear him laughing. Precious baby boy is so excited to pull up on this crib!
Deleriously excited from pulling up + kinda sleepy = cute Jack!