For the last 2 months I've almost daily told myself that this would be the day that I finally update Jack's blog. Most folks know how that goes. Finally, Mama's blogless streak ends. Ahhh...but I hear Jack stirring on the baby monitor now...so maybe not.
On a side note, Jack usually says these two sentences in varying order as he first wakes in the morning: 1. Time-a-find Mama 2. Time-a-eat sausage. You have to have priorities in life, you know.
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(Jack just went down for his afternoon nap, so now I can finish this post.)
I thought I'd post some pre-Christmas catch up pics before I chronicle the swirly whirly yuletide celebrations. In a nutshell...
A) We finally got some studio portraits made. Here are my favorite digital proofs. It's strange how the mood seems so still in the photos...the session was really quite kinetic. The photographer's wife was practically doing handstands with her tongue and eyes wagging out to get Jack to look up and stay put. Jack also spent all of the next day at the doctor's office and hospital getting breathing treatments for croup that took an overnight turn for the worse. Hard to believe from the photos...
B) Jack has developed intermittent empathy. MA and I saw a glimpse of it in October as Jack initiated a hug for the first time. I think E. said something about love, which Jack (apparently) took to mean that she needed some. He reached to hug her, and she recoiled in surprise. I didn't see him do much loving again until recently. For the last few weeks, he's been occasionally given to caring for Kermit. He feeds him pretend oatmeal, puts him down for naps, walks him in a stroller, and gives him pretend milk. The milk part is pretty weird to watch at times. Kermit's quite floppy, so Jack will hold his mouth open and jam the sippy cup down his throat (the kiddy equivalent of a frat boy hazing, I guess).
C) We did Thanksgiving at Mae Mae and Papaw's house, but we didn't get the camera out enough. Jack ate copious quantities of pumpkin pie and butternut squash, so we saw orange in his diapers for at least 2 or 3 days after that. Photographed highlights included walking around in Papaw's shoes and throwing rocks in the fish pond with Lola.
D) Jack seems to be cutting the last of his baby teeth...he hasn't complained much, but he's back to having his fingers in his mouth a lot. Here we admired our miniature nativity scene as Mama guarded the holy family from excessive drool from on high.
Not a whole lot of newsworthy stuff happened prior to Christmas. Historically December has been a crumby work month for me, but this year there were no deadlines. I decided to enjoy of the time leading up to Christmas as much as possible since I've missed out on much of it in the last decade or so. I did a good bit more sewing, knitting, shopping, housekeeping and cooking than in holiday seasons past (my excuse for not getting any paper Christmas cards out).
Soon it'll be nose to the grindstone again. But first, I'll do another post on the Christmas festivities.
Another aside: People who know me know that I am really bad at remembering the precise wording of 'stock' phrases...here's a Rube moment for you : in expressing this sentiment to John, I actually said, in wistful tones, "It'll be back to the old bump and grind."
Jack does the hokey pokey with Elmo...
Silly Goose Ann teaches Jack how to bowl...
Aunt Mimi introduces Jack to Frankie the race horse...
Daddy loves this picture because everything that isn't moving and everything that is moving seems to be reversed...
Jack gives a smooch to sleeping Baby Layne...
Baby Layne breaks in her rocking lamb...
