Baby Einstein

Thanks to Brian and Zach for the hip T - it finally fits!

Jack Be Nimble, Jack Be Quick

Jack has been sitting unsupported for a while now and has suddenly started to lunge forward onto his hands and stomach when reaching for a toy. Crawling can't be far behind. In some ways, we're always anxiously awaiting the next steps and we want to see him crawl and walk. On the other hand, we know that's a whole new ballgame and those days of letting him play on the floor with one eye on him and one eye on the blog will be behind us. In any case, we're enjoying every minute as it unfolds. Watch below as he lunges forward and peaks Stella's curiosity.



This pre-crawl maneuver concurrently started with him pulling himself up in his crib. Jack can now pull himself up to his knees - but thankfully not all the way up yet so we have time to lower that crib mattress!

Oh Garçon!

Wine country is beautiful this time of year -- sunny, perfect temperature, grape vines are starting to turn fall colors. And if we were true oenophiles then I would go on and on about the end of "crush" and the (grape) harvest season. Oh sure, we go for a tasting now and again but we mostly go for the food because, well, its some of the best food in the nation. We escaped the fog this past weekend and drove to Napa's Bistro Jeanty for lunch and the bakery at Bouchon for dessert. It was a perfect day.

CLICK HERE for a few more pictures of us enjoying the day.



AND CLICK THE SHORT VIDEO below to watch Jack play with Tom:

Recent Random Shots to Share

UPDATE 11/3/09: Courtesy of Aunt Polly:

I heart winter squash.

Bubble time at Gymboree is fascinating!


Mom's a germ-phobe.

Stella Triptych

Jack's New Ride

It was finally time to let go of Jack's beloved infant carseat stroller frame - often called a "Snap & Go" like you might call tissues "Kleenex" or a photocopy a "Xerox". For you language geeks (like me!) that's an eponym. Yeah, Google it.

Anyway, we loved being able to move the carseat from the car and click it onto the stroller frame and presto, instant stroller. But our carseat is heavy and Jack is now heavy which made the frame more unstable and difficult to maneuver (especially if you have a 50 lb. bulldog pulling you back and forth during a walk around town). The frame has small wheels and wasn't able to jump the train tracks or sidewalk curbs anymore. And Jack was increasingly nudgy with being in more of a reclined position than a sitting position.

So it was time to get a big-boy stroller. We opted for the mid-line City Mini by BabyJogger and both he and we are very happy with its snappiness, lightness, maneuverability, big sun shade, bigger wheels and its ability to fold up like a taco with one hand (great for when we have Jack in the other arm). We miss how Jack used to face us in his Snap & Go (he now faces out), but he didn't seem to have any separation anxiety about that like we did - he just enjoys the world as it strolls by him.

Peekaboo