Tumbling!

We started tumbling class tonight! Melissa and I signed Addi and Jack up for tumbling class at the YMCA. Turns out the two of them plus Melissa's friend from work's daughter Lily are the only three in the class (Lily wasn't there tonight though). We missed week 1 due to Jack's bronchitis, but made it tonight, and boy was it fun!! Jack and Addi just ran all over the place loving it! There are mats everywhere, a balance beam to walk on, a bar to hang on, a cheese mat with steps and a tunnel to crawl through. What more can a kid ask for?? They had a ball! I can't wait for next week!

Crawling through the tunnel:

They LOVED the cheese mat!

Rolling!

And sliding!

And a couple videos - fun times!!

Cured!!

All is right in Jack's world again. Daddy got home, and Jack was so excited to see him when he got up from his nap. He hasn't been fussy since! Apparently our little guy was missing his daddy. So glad he's feeling better!!

Sick Boy

Jack's had a bit of rough week. The week before last, he started coughing a little bit, then last weekend it got worse. Monday morning he woke up with vomit in his bed from coughing so much - the first time he's ever vomited!! Monday evening he had a low fever and Tuesday morning he woke up with a temperature of 101.8. We took him to the doctor that day and they said he had bronchitis. Luckily there's an antibiotic for that! Tuesday and Wednesday were pretty rough - just a fussy, irritable little guy, and he also refused to eat. Thursday day care said "he was his normal, happy self - you wouldn't know he's been sick." But then Thursday night he was up from 10:00pm until 2:00am, including more vomiting from coughing (all over Mommy this time)!! Wow - Friday was a sleepy day at work for Mommy and cranky day at Grandma & Grandpa's for Jack. I think he's feeling better now because he's started eating again, but all weekend he's still had quite a few bouts of fussiness. Just not his normal self yet!! Hopefully soon!

We're looking forward to Daddy getting back home from his boys' weekend in Springfield. Hopefully that will make the little man a bit happier too!

Fletch Lives!

The sequel to Fletch is in production!! Jack's going to be a big brother!

We had a check-up today and I'm 12 weeks along, tentatively due on September 6th (in my three appointments I've moved from September 13 to September 14 to now the 6th, so I'm not holding my breath yet on this new earlier date). Baby is doing great, and Mommy's doing pretty well too! I generally have bouts of nausea on my way home from work and for some or all of the evening, but nothing unbearable. I've vomited only once, and that was on a plane during a long day of travel home from Argentina, so can't entirely be blamed on pregnancy. My biggest complaint is how tired I am! Jack and I pretty much share a bedtime of 7:30 right now. Last week I had a conference call with Asia at 8:30pm and I literally had to set my alarm to wake back up to take the call. Yikes - that's pathetic!! I'm hoping I get my energy back in the next few weeks - I'm getting way behind on my shows!

My belly is already growing - much faster than last time! Depending on what I'm wearing, you can tell I'm starting to round out. Luckily I've avoided maternity clothes so far, but I have spent several days and nights with my pants unbuttoned. Only a matter of time before I make the big switch to elastic waistbands!

We have decided to be surprised once again by the gender (sorry Lisa!), and sticking with our Chevy Chase theme, this baby will henceforth be known as Sparky (until baby is born, at which time baby will receive a real name). Speaking of names, while we haven't even had a single discussion on that topic yet, when we do, I think we're going to keep that quiet this time - I had a few instances of negative responses to our names last time, which are unfortunately forever ingrained in my brain.

Here is Sparky as of today! Big already just like his/her brother!

18 Month Pictures

Jack turned 18 months this week, and we got his pictures taken on Saturday. He cooperated a little better than he did at 12 months (Jason and I didn't have to be in them with him, which is an improvement). There weren't a lot of smiles, but he did start to open up after awhile. The photographer already posted a sample on Facebook for us, so I'm sharing them here. I'm happy with them!







Such a big boy!!

Way Behind!!

This post is way behind - it's been 3 weeks since my last post, and a lot has happened in those 3 weeks. The biggest thing, and my main excuse for not posting, was my work trip. Last week I went to Pergamino, Argentina for 5 days to visit one of our plants. It was a great trip - I had never been there, and I got to meet a lot of people that I work with regularly on the phone and via email. We had a lot of good meetings. BUT it felt like I was gone for SO long - I was missing my little guy like crazy. I'm not sure if it's because I was so far away or what, but boy, I was homesick! Jason and Jack picked me up at the airport and I cried like a little baby when he ran up to me and gave me a big hug. A little embarrassing when the two people I traveled with (including my boss's boss) were there to witness it! Ah well.

Also, Jason bought a new boat! Several weeks ago, he was going fishing and the roads were slick with snow, which resulted in this:
Jason and his friend were uninjured, but it was a sad day in our household. Turns out the boat and trailer were totaled. SO Jason's been on the hunt for a new boat since that day and he found one yesterday, just in time for the warm weather we're supposed to get next week. All is right in his world again.

Let's see, what's new with Jack. Well, while I was gone, St. Louis got the crazy sleet/snow storm, which kept Jason busy plowing (he worked for 29.5 hours with almost no break!!). As a result, Jack spent an unexpected 3 days at Grandma & Grandpa Lang's house. We're lucky we have the grandparents in town and willing to help us out (Jason's family was ready to help too)!

We've played with the neighbors a few times (Nathan and Addi). Jack LOVED Nathan's ride-on train - we struggled getting him to take turns with the other kids.
Jack is talking more every day and just amazes us with how smart he is! He is starting to really like Thomas and really just anything to do with trains. Today we were leaving Target and he started "woo woo"ing like a train out of the blue. Well, I thought it was out of the blue until I realized there was a train off in the distance blowing its whistle. Man, the kid is smart!

Here is raiding our kitchen cabinets:Wearing a pillowcase - silly guy:
Watching a movie (Thomas, of course) on Mommy & Daddy's bed:
Notice the crossed legs and the hand glued to the remote.

17 Months, Snow & Fun!

Jack turned 17 months old on Monday. He's growing up so fast!! He is really starting to talk a lot now. He says a lot of words and repeats a lot of what we say! He's going through a fun phase where he hits and pulls hair when he doesn't get his way. We're working on righting that ship ASAP! He also has decided that about 50% of the time, he's going to completely revolt against diaper changes, so that has become a two-adult task a lot of the time. Other than those things, he is absolutely perfect. He is quite a charmer, always smiling and flirting with people in stores and restaurants. He loves to give hugs and kisses. He plays great with his friends, especially Addi, who we have been spending a lot of time with.

He loves day care these days and I have to fight him to put his coat on when it's time to leave. He does the same thing when we leave Grandma & Grandpa's house on Mondays and Fridays. It's a bit of a bruise to Mom's ego that he never wants to go home with me, BUT I am so grateful that he is in such good hands while we work!!

We celebrated our day off on MLK day with a trip to Creation Station at the Museum of Transportation. Melissa and Addi went with us, and we had a lot of fun! That place is great for kids their age - LOTS of fun stuff to play with.
We also got about 10" of snow Wednesday night/Thursday, which led to an unexpected day at home for Mommy. Here's a picture of Jack demonstrating how deep the snow was - where did his legs go??I had to put him in the snow for him to play in it - not sure what to think yet.



Today we finger painted with pudding - another fun idea from my friend Alison. Her daughter Giana is 2 days older than Jack so we like to compare ideas. Jack loved it and especially loved eating the "paint."Jack's friend Addi got a new computer for Christmas and he loves it so we used some Toys 'R Us rewards coupons and got him his own - hopefully he'll keep his little hands off our laptop now (not likely!!).

Play Dough

Last night we celebrated Jason's birthday by having family and some friends over. There were LOTS of kiddos (Jack, Mia, Lily, Addison, Reghan and Cameron and Zachary (Reghan's cousins). Everyone played great together and it's nights like these that we LOVE our segregated toy room (formerly our hearth room).

Here are Mia, Lily, Jack and Reghan (and Chrissy) eating dinner. Jack loves to say "cheese" every time you bring out the camera these days.
Today we made some play dough (thanks for the idea, Alison!), and it was a big hit! I bet we played with it for 45 minutes - not too shabby for a toddler of (almost) 17 months. We discovered that Jack can say "circle," though it sounds more like "gircle." Love it!

This video is a little belated, but we let him play with the new water table Grandma & Grandpa got him for Christmas for a few minutes. It's now in the basement awaiting warmer weather so we can play with it outside, but I think he's going to really enjoy it (if Mommy's smart enough to put warm water in it instead of cold!!).

NYE and Play Dates Galore

Every year I have the week between Christmas and New Year's off of work, and it is heavenly! Jack and I had a few play dates, and Jason and I started tackling the basement project (new shelves, getting rid of stuff and just general organization). The time off went by way too quickly, as it always does, but it was nice.

Here's a summary of the play dates in photos.

We had Addi over on December 26th and played with all of Jack's new toys from Christmas.
Then Monday our friend Caroline came over to play. Doesn't she look like such a peanut next to him? She's 9 months old to his 16 months, but they had fun together (and so did their mommies).
Tuesday Jack's cousins Mia and Lily came by for a brief visit.
And Wednesday we went over to play with Ella and Maci.
Fun week!! And to top it off we had a BIG play date at Addi's house on New Year's Eve!

Addi & Reghan:Ava, Jack and Addi (who knew the booster seat would be such a hit??):
Miss Reghan holding on to daddy Darrin's leg
Jack & Addi:
Reghan & Jack engrossed in Addi's laptop:
Ava, Jack and Tyler - toys everywhere!!Jack & Sloan (again, with the laptop):
Also, here's Jack's play room all put together with his new table/chairs, train table and our new cubby organizer. Just need to hang his white board on the wall and we'll be all set!