Jack O'Lantern

I'm sure this will come back and haunt me the first time I bring a girl home.
Mommy carved the pumpkin to match my suit. My only saving grace is I'll have outgrown it by next Halloween.

My first day at Mother Goose group

I went to my first Mother Goose group yesterday. Luckily, it's at the Child Development Centre next door, so Mommy doesn't have far to carry me. I was the youngest of the six babies there, but I was the cutest by far.
Apparently, everyone sang a lot of songs like "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "May There Be Sunshine." I say apparently because I slept through most of it. I woke up early in the morning, and I was tired. But I was awake long enough to notice Mommy has a really nice singing voice, and that I can't wait to play with all the toys like the older kids.
Daddy says I should stay awake and participate so that I develop my social skills. We'll see. Right now, I got all the social skills I need in my cute face. Just today, I had all the ladies at Daddy's work all over me. All I had to do was open my eyes!

Happy day!

Today was Mommy's 30th birthday. Wow, that's old. Thirty years! Of course, what do I know about time? Five minutes without eating feels like forever.
But today was a great day! I don't know what it was, but for some reason, I was just so happy! I laughed, and I smiled, and I gurgled. Maybe I was happy for Mommy. And now that I can see a little further, I'm really enjoying the coloured lights on my swing chair.
For her birthday, Daddy got Mommy a new phone, and a DVD. With Daddy's help, I got her flowers and a plaster frame kit so Mommy and Daddy can make impressions of my hands. They'll have to wait a while, though. I don't feel like unclenching my hands just yet.
Mommy really liked her presents. Although I think Daddy was more excited about the fancy phone than Mommy. He kept saying all day that he couldn't wait for the batteries to charge so he could play with it. I think he should relax.
Oh, and one last thing: I am thinking about a career in pro wrestling. Just yesterday, I was holding my head and chest up while I was on my tummy. I didn't last long (my thumb was right there in front of my face, and I couldn't resist) but I did get myself up pretty high.
Won't be long before I learn the Stone Cold Stunner.

The big 4-0

Sunday marked my 40th day since being born. That's a long time - it's length of the flood that Noah and the animals had to ride out the flood; it's the length of time Moses convened with God on Mount Sinai; and it's the amount of time Jesus spent in the wilderness.
Those were periods of great transition, but my ride has been pretty smooth. I picked up breastfeeding pretty quickly and I'm getting used to sleeping. I still like my baths and my car and stroller trips. I've been working on finding my hands. Those pesky things just won't stay put. One minute, they're by my side, the next I've got one up over my head like I'm a flying Superman. Sometimes I have both out at once, like I'm Nixon flashing the peace sign. It's a good day when I can get one of them in my mouth. I'm an all-natural boy; it's flesh only for me. No pacifiers or bottle nipples.
One new thing after forty days is that I smile now, but just a little. I gotta save up the charm for when I grow up and decorate the walls with crayons or pull the cat's tail.
I'm looking forward to the next forty days. Daddy's waiting for me to smile more, and coo, and roll over.
All in good time.

Great news!

Looking through the community listings in his paper, Daddy found a parent and baby group starting up Oct. 30. And the awesome thing is, it's at the Child Development Centre right next door to our place! If I could throw, I could hit it from our windows. I can't wait to meet other babies and I'm happy Mommy can meet other mommies.

My first bottle

I had my first-ever bottle Friday. Daddy wanted to see if I would take it, in case Mommy needed a break. After two days of trying, I finally gave it a whirl. And I'm glad I did! I drank two ounces non-stop. That formula stuff is supposed to make you groggy, but I'm made of stronger stuff than your average five-week-old boy. After my two ounces, I was raring to go all night (and I fed from Mommy a couple more times too)!

Yeah, I have a question. When's dinner?

My second checkup

I went to see Dr. York today. He was very nice. A nice nurse weighed me, and I'm now 12 pounds, 12 ounces. That's a pound and a half up from my birth weight. Dr. York said I was completely healthy. And he sure knows I have some good lungs. I cried through the whole visit. And I did get a free diaper out of the whole deal.

Daddy thinks he's Anne Geddes

The rumour must be true: I am cute. Why else would Daddy (and Mommy, when she can pry the camera out of his hands) take dozens and dozens of pictures of me?
I'm a bit bored with them, but if you want, you can see them all at www.dropshots.com/JacksDad.

Thanksgiving

Grandma and Grandpa McAdie and Aunt Heather and Aunt Emily came to visit Saturday. They brought me lots of new clothes, and a playpen. My favourite was a plaid shirt with a matching T-shirt with a badger on it. Aunt Emily saw lots of badger crossing signs on the drive up, and thought it would be perfect for me. I can't wait until I can fit into my shirts; it's plaid, so I'll look just like Daddy.
They also brought a pumpkin suit. Hopefully Mommy and Daddy will just put me in it for Halloween! Grandma also brought me a snowsuit, but it's way too big for me right now. When I'm older, it will keep me really warm.
They also brought a playpen (maybe Mommy and Daddy are right; maybe I am spoiled). And Daddy used some of Grandma Mac's gift card to buy me a baby gym. Pretty soon I'll feel like grabbing at the toys hanging from it.
I think everyone had a good visit. Everyone held me lots; and took care of me while Mommy had a nap. Mommy and Daddy actually left me for an hour to eat lunch. I didn't mind, because Grandma and Grandpa and Aunt Heather and Aunt Emily took good care of me.
Daddy taught Aunt Heather and Grandpa to play Wizard. Grandpa won. Daddy calls that beginner's luck. They also watched The Wizard of Oz and some of a Canucks game.
I was a little jealous that I couldn't eat any of the delicious food the McAdies made - turkey and two kinds of stuffing and squash puffs and apple pie. Maybe next year I can have some too.
At the next big holiday, I'll get to see Graandpa and Grandma Mac - and I'll get to go on my first plane ride and see my first Christmas tree! I'm a lucky boy.

My first month

Hello everyone. Welcome to my blog. I turned one month old today, and I figured that was old enough to take a spin on the information superhighway. So here it is: Jack Attack, my very own blog.
My first month has just flown by. I was born Sept. 11 at 9:57 a.m. Daddy says Mommy did real well during my delivery. Daddy got to take me to the nursery, where I was weighed (11 pounds, four ounces; the doctor joked that I crawled out of Mommy’s tummy) and got my very first diaper. Grandma and Grandpa McAdie and Aunt Heather and Aunt Emily got to see me almost right away, but poor Mommy had to wait a little while.
But I sure was glad to see her! I started to learn to breastfeed, and it wasn’t long before I learned Mommy is like an all-night buffet. And I don’t just come back for seconds; I come back for thirds and fourths and fifths. I like to have a little snack before drifting off to sleep; I don’t like to fill up all at once. It’s super convenient for me, but I think it tires Mommy out a bit.
I share a birthday with writers D.H. Lawerence and O. Henry, the greatest short-story writer ever. Daddy takes that as a sign I’ll be a great wordsmith. I don’t know. I’ll worry about that after I can hold my head up for a little while.
Speaking of which, I can hold it up for a little while at a time. Mommy and Daddy are really proud. Now I’m working on rolling over.
My first few days after the hospital were really busy. I had lots of visitors, and Mommy and Daddy were busy packing up our place in Agassiz. I also got lots and lots of presents. Mommy and Daddy say I’m spoiled, but I don’t think so.
Look at me. Hello, I’m cute! Who wouldn’t want to buy me presents? But I really am grateful for all my wonderful things.
I think Daddy wishes he could have spent more time at home during my 10 days in Agassiz, but he had to drive all the way to White Rock every day for his job. I’m happy he’s only five minutes away now.
We had a great trip north in the car, while Uncle Peter and Jake drove my crib and the other stuff in the U-Haul, and Daddy’s friend Mark took up some other stuff. They all helped load up the house, and then the McAdies arrived, and they set up my room and some other rooms. I’m all set; I have a crib with a mobile, a dresser stuffed with clothes (plus more in the closet), and Mommy has a rocking chair. Just the other day, I got a playpen and a baby gym. Grandma McAdie just made me some Winnie the Pooh curtains. They match my Winnie the Pooh blankets and mobile.
The house is really great. It’s a three-storey, three-bedroom townhouse with two balconies. I have my own room (although I stay in Mommy and Daddy’s room for now) and Mommy and Daddy have a separate room for the computer, something Daddy has wanted for a long time. Outside, there’s lots of trees and lawn, and even a tennis/basketball court.
Daddy is all settled in at work. He likes being an editor again, and the Williams Lake Tribune has a big press, so he can watch 18 different papers come off the rollers. He’s fascinated by it the press the same way I’m fascinated by, well, everything. He works with four reporters, and he thrills them with stories about me all the time. He’s really close to home, and he doesn’t usually work evenings or weekends, so I get to see him lots. I’ve heard that before I was born, Daddy worked all the time. I’m glad I set him straight.
Mommy spends all day with me, and I’m pretty happy during the daytime. I sit in my swing, or on Mommy’s lap. When Mommy can drive again, I’m going to meet other babies at the Moms and Babies group downtown.
When Daddy gets home, I get a nice warm bath and lay on his lap. I’m an equal-opportunity cuddler.
What else? Hmmm. Well, I like walks in the stroller, car rides, and baths.
I don’t like sleeping. I’m too hungry for that. I’m a big boy, and I’m growing. And since I’m in my bassinet in Mommy and Daddy’s room, I can just ring for room service whenever I want. So I take advantage; I don’t want to sleep more than a few hours at a time. But I hear that’s pretty good for a boy my age.
And with all that eating, I sure do get gassy. Daddy calls me Grunty MacGrunterson, because I’m always trying to squeeze something out either end.
But I’m happy. I like to look around and squeeze fingers; and this month I’ll probably start smiling more, and I’ll finally find my hands.
Mommy and Daddy hope I’ll sleep more as I get older. I wouldn’t bet on it.