I don't take as many pictures anymore...

 I need to take pictures of Jack growing, learning to crawl, learning to walk, his 3 freckles, 4 teeth, and hair down to his eyelashes. I should somehow capture how much he hates having his nails cut, how he loves to brush his teeth with me, and the look on his face when I feed him plain yogurt. However, if I leave him to grab the camera, he runs away and then I find him gnawing on candles or feeding the cat (or helping himself!), so the video camera allows me to record him until he is almost in trouble, but not quite in danger yet. At the moment that is much easier to use. I will resolve to take more pictures soon. Really. As soon as he learns to sit still. (Ha!)

This video is of a game he tried to teach us last week. We named it "No Nap!" (I think he learned it in utero from Aunt Chush) and it consisted of not taking a morning nap and trying not to take an afternoon nap. One day his first nap landed at 3:30pm. This video was one intermission between me trying to get him to sleep and failing. Jon thought it was funny. I just missed catching Jack laughing pretty hard every time Jon says "No Nap!" but you'll get the idea that he liked the concept.

The Crazy One Came to Town

 Katrina can't get enough of self torture. She once again drove straight through Christmas evening to get to Kansas on Sunday morning. She stayed more than 18 hours this time though. We kept her for about 1 1/2 weeks!

 She came bearing Christmas gifts! Jack opened his...half dressed. It did allow the new socks with Thomas the Train to show off better in the pictures though :) Our vain kid's favorite Christmas gift was a photo collage of Aunt Treen and himself. He still gets excited every time he sees it in his room. And, yes, he knows it is him.

 Modeling the rest of her gifts. We hired her as Jack's fashion assistant after seeing this adorable coat, but she will not be allowed to select his literature in the future...

 Somehow this is the only picture we took at Faithwalkers. It made me laugh, kind of emphasizes how "shocked in the headlights" Jon and I were trying to take a baby to a massive conference. Next year we'll hire a photographer and show you how it's done. This year's survival highlights are visible in this picture - Goldfish crackers (for mom), Andes mints (for mom), pacifier and blanket (for dad), and a large stroller to hold all of Jack's toiletries and toys.

After Jack learned not to flail his affection at Aunt Treen's face, they got along very well. Please come visit again!

In case you missed my post about Christmas...

 A month later, my mind thinks back to our first Christmas with Jack. Then I realize that I haven't posted any pictures of his first Christmas :) So, here they come!

 We each have a unique stocking holder. Jack is glad because his is the most interesting, it has a bell inside.

 We tried to find a stocking bigger than him, but this one had to do!

 Jon doesn't quite fully appreciate the gravity of hanging your stocking with a picture. He insists he already had his picture taken with this stocking last year. And well, he did. But, the point is that his goatee looks different this year, not that the stocking does.

 I almost claimed my right to not post pictures of me, but it would have missed the finality of all three stocking hung, and Jon might have noticed and complained that I didn't like my picture with my stocking either. But I do! My baby bump was definitely bigger last year with my stocking :)

 Christmas morning was quiet and warm by the fire. We opened stockings...

 Played with the peanuts...

 Tasted the peanuts. And spit them out. Salt is gross.

 We made the beginning of a block set for Jack.

 And then Kim, Daniel, Josiah, Grandma, Grandpa, and Steve came in the noon time for a late brunch and exchanging gifts. My parents followed through on their threat to get Jack something noisy, but he still thinks the mallet is actually a brushless toothbrush. Thus it only makes noise with help. He was enthralled though!

Later in the day we finished exchanging our little family's gifts, and played games with my siblings. We had a fun skype call with Jon's family and I don't think we ate dinner. The End.

This one's for you Stephen...

Jack wrote this in honor of your test. He'd like for you to transcribe it, please.

I like waffles.

 I don't believe in forks and knives, they slow a fellow down. 

If you set the food in front of me, I'll see it gets devoured.

two peas in a pod

This picture would be perfect if we hadn't disturbed little Josiah's sweet nap. He may have even given us one of his charming new smiles, but we'll forgive his slight frown and accept the beautiful open eyes. I must say they both look pretty spunky in the outfits from Great Grandpa Carl. Thank you to the 14 people that helped us get this picture after church on Sunday. It wouldn't exist without you.

Top tooth!

Jack also got his first top tooth in yesterday. Not that we'll be allowed to see it or touch it anytime soon. We might not have known til it was completely grown in save for the fact that 3 seconds after it broke through his gums he learned how to grind his teeth. What...music.

First Snow!

 Seeing my favorite things through my baby's eyes is pretty awesome. He loved the snow, stood at this window multiple times during the day just mesmerized. It snowed about 8 inches yesterday, and was so fluffy and steady.

 However, going out to play in it was a different matter. He maintained a stoic, non-enthused, somewhat perturbed face the entire time. Not one smile, not one noise.

 Just suspicious malice.

We'll try again.

Good Material

 

Good content is not always the same as a good picture. I love taking pictures of Jack man, but the more active he becomes the more of a challenge it is :) Sometimes I feel like for every one of these (look up) I also get one of these (look down) But, the bad ones amuse me just as much because they capture him blurry with motion.

 

 

Miscellaneous Holiday Cheer

 We searched high and low and finally came up with the perfect Nativity. 2 ornaments, 6 little people, 2 willow trees, 1 metronome, 2 scenes handcarved in Jordan, and my mom's manger and Baby from downstairs later, it is finished! Unfortunately, mom noticed her missing Baby about 14 hours later and retrieved it.

 Cousin bonding time. Please don't count my chins, that isn't nice or fair. This last picture was the sudden thought that I will have two 24/7 in less than 6 months.

 This is my cheeky monkey. I hope he keeps the fluffy face forever.

 At our Good News Club Christmas party we had about 50 kids! Only about 1/3 of them were our normal kids. So many sweet ones, I hope they come back!

 The cheeky monkey likes to snuggle too.

 Kim would like everyone to believe that this is all I did while others did my baking, but if that is true, then why was I so knock down tired the next day?

 Chillin' with Aunt M

 Stage 3 of clean up

 "while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads"

The next night we had a caroling party and Jack went along for a few houses before his bedtime :)