Laughs

I'm not quite the filmmaker Bech is, but here's a pic of Jack laughing.  This is more for family (and for me!).  Also, please ignore the annoying noise I'm making.  Jack liked it...that's all I can say!

The Weekend...

For once I can honestly say we had a semi-slow weekend!

On Friday night, we headed to UVM for a Classics event.  Jack loved being ohhed over, and I enjoyed seeing classmates outside of class time.

Saturday we had NO plans.  Well, I was working on a paper all day.  But other than that, NO plans.  It was glorious.  I wore PJ's and didn't wash my hair.  Amazing, I tell you.

Today we had church then the library staff picnic.  Again, Jack enjoyed being fawned over.  When we have friends with babies, he is going to be in for a shocker.  Right now, he is the only baby around in a lot of our circles, and he eats up the attention.

And of course, I don't have pictures from any of these events.  Oh well!  There was a camera at the library picnic, so hopefully pictures will be put up on facebook, and I can add them here.

These past three or four weeks have been so busy and tough, but Bech and I are in the homestretch now.  I have 9 (almost 10!) pages of my paper written (I'm shooting for about 15) and I have my other two projects done.  All I have left is to study for a final and to give a baby shower for a friend this Saturday.  Not too bad!

Bech is finished making work for his art opening Friday!  So my house doesn't look so much like a pottery studio anymore...thank goodness.

And Jack is just being sweet, adorable Jack.  He's pretty good at it.

Finally, some pictures.

Someday Jack will kill me for this.  But this picture is of Jack "doing his business."  I am sure my mom is dying (I give my mom a bad wrap on my blog--she's really great, but seriously, she's probably dying right now!), but I think his little face when he poops is too funny.

A future chef, like his Uncle Hunter?

Not his finest hour.  This is what Jack looks like when he wakes up from a nap!

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

Lazy days...

Today is in-service for Jack's daycare, so they aren't open.   I got a sub for my shift at the library (and my class was cancelled), so Jack and I are spending a (somewhat) lazy day at home.  He is playing and getting into everything, and I am attempting to write a final paper.  I have 3 pages done, plus I have done a lot of research.  I am hoping for a total of 15 or so pages, so I can definitely get that done by next Friday!

So Jack is spending his day playing and making a mess (two things he is very good at!).

Love his little tongue!

He is also very good at pulling every (carefully alphabetized) cd out of the shelves and throwing them on the floor.  Today, I don't care!  If it lets me work, he can happily mess up the shelves!

Here is my view.  Books, articles, and my laptop. Almost done with school!

Midweek Confessions

Today, I'm linking up with "E, Myself, and I" for Midweek Confessions.

- When I do embarrassing things throughout the week (which, let's just be real here, is often!), I find myself secretly excited that I get to post it in Midweek Confessions.  Is it even okay to confess concerning confessions?

- Case in point:  I bought a new hairbrush this week.  That may not be that exciting, but it will be when you hear how old my last brush was.  Any guesses?  Oh, try 9 years.  Yes, that is disgusting.  Yes, I am completely embarrassed.  Yes, my mother is probably dying as she reads this.  But, I'm kind of enjoying being able to confess about it!

- And for yet another week, my house is a wreck.  There is a pottery wheel in my hallway.  Oh well.

- Jack has been crawling for 1 1/2 months, and we just now got a baby gate for the stairs.  Before now we just put down a kitchen chair in front of the stairs.  Cause we're classy like that.

- I am doing weightwatchers, which means I can only eat a certain amount of points each day.  But I get some extra each day.  So I've been saving them for wings tonight!  Some people save their points for good quality foods--you know, a nice steak out, a margarita.  I'm going for wings.  

Ah, I feel better now!

10 Months!

Happy 10 Months, Baby Jack!

Sweet Jack is now weighing in at 21 lbs, 10 oz.  He is 29 inches tall.  And his percentile?  50th!  I can't even believe it!  Our chunk, who was consistently in the 95th percentile, is now right in the middle.  

And because he has lost weight (well not really...more like stopped gaining it super fast!), he can still fit in some 9 month clothes.  Mostly, though, he wears 12 month sizes.

His sleep has still been a bit off this month.  He is waking up at 5 pretty consistently.  We have tried some of ya'lls suggestions (thanks!), but to no avail.  So the past week, we have been crying it out.  He only cries for a few minutes, then falls right back asleep.  He takes two naps a day, averaging about 1 1/2 hours for each.

He still just has his bottom two teeth, but the top two are near the surface.  I wonder if that could be waking him up at 5?  He doesn't seem too bothered by them during the day.

He can crawl really well and pull up on everything.  He is all over the place!  He loves to walk along on furniture, and he can even stand by himself for a few seconds at a time.  But then he always realizes what he's doing, gets scared, and sits back down!

Jack still loves to eat!  He nurses (or takes a bottle at daycare) 4 times a day and eats solids 3 times.  He loves yogurt and puffs.  The past week or so, we have tried to give him more table food.  He has eaten banana, beans, naan, bread, raisins, and pasta with pesto.  He likes almost everything he has tasted (although I think some of the Indian food he tried last night was a little spicy for him!).

He still likes to rock out to music.  He also loves to clap.  He claps for fun and he also claps to say "more" (he doesn't quite have the hand coordination yet needed to do the sign correctly).  

He is still about the sweetest thing ever.  He loves to snuggle and he loves to laugh!  And we love him!

Likes:  his lovey (he has gotten so attached to it the past few weeks!), books, his Very Hungry Catepillar stacking toy, bathtime

Dislikes:  being told "no," getting his diaper changed

A Video...

My sister shared this with me yesterday.  Don't watch this unless you are prepared to cry.  But please watch it!

Midweek Confessions

Time for Midweek Confessions!  I'm linking up with "E, Myself, and I." 

- So I'm doing WeightWatchers right now (which I love, but that's a side note).  Last night we had a "S'mores" event for graduate housing.  I didn't eat dinner so that I could eat s'mores.  Pretty sure that's not a good dieting technique...

- But if I loose ten pounds by Saturday (10 lbs in 1 month!), Bech will shave off his beard.  And, sadly, that is a better motivator than smaller sizes in clothes...

- My house is disgusting.  Like seriously, it's the messiest it's ever been.  I have pulled out boxes and clothes (to start the packing process), and it's ridiculous.  

- Which brings up another strange quirk of mine.  I love to pack.  And I love to pack way before it's necessary.  I used to pull out my camp trunk at least a month before I left.  

- I know this isn't Bech's midweek confession time, but I'm going to confess for him.  He hates to pack and puts it off til the last minute possible.  The last two times we have moved, he has not packed his stuff until the last day--which obviously stresses me out to no end.  But we will NOT be doing that this time around!

- I didn't take Easter pictures of Jack.  I know...it's his first Easter!  But it was cold out that day (I do live in Vermont).  So maybe next week or the next, I am going to stage pictures.  Is that wrong?

- I also didn't give him anything for Easter.  He's too little to know.  I figured if I got something, it would really just be about me.  Next year, I promise I will give him something and I will actually take pictures on Easter.  I will redeem myself!

Ya'll should link up, too!

Weekend

We had yet another busy weekend.  I am beginning to think our life will not be calm again until we pull into Mississippi in early June!

Friday night we ate dinner with some sweet friends of ours, the Carters.  We rarely get to spend time with them because of our crazy schedule, but I always enjoy seeing and talking with them.  They are very like minded with us--which is rare here!

Saturday was Bech's birthday!  He worked in the morning while I finished up some Greek composition homework.  Not so fun.  But then our sweet friends Mark and Renée watched Jack so we could have a date night!  We went to Farmhouse Tap & Grill right off of Church Street.  All of the food is local.  I had a grass fed beef burger and some Citizen Cider (they have it on tap there!).  Bech had a lamb burger (local as well).  We grabbed some Lake Champlain chocolate for a dessert then headed home to relieve our babysitters.

We were on nursery duty Sunday morning--easiest nursery day ever.  We had three people (Bech, a 7th grader, and me) and 3 of the cutest, easiest babies ever.  The weather was amazing, so I grilled chicken for us for lunch.

(Mark manning the grill)

Mark and Renée had us over for dinner--another night grilling out.  When it finally gets warm here, you have to take advantage of it!  We had fun sitting outside and talking.

Now that Jack can move everywhere, he is not so keen on pictures!

Jack and Renée are buds.

Jack's latest trick is making other peoples hands clap!

Now we are smack dab in the middle of the week, and it's proving to be a busy one yet again!  Lots of work is due, lots of final projects due dates are creeping up, lots of CA responsibilities and events, and lots of details to figure out for the move!

But the weather is getting warm.  And in 1 1/2 months, I will be sitting on the front porch of my parents house with a snowcone...that thought alone can get me through all of the stress!

Current favorite products

I am supposed to be working on Greek homework for tomorrow, so naturally I am writing a blog post!

I have a few new products that I love--I decided to just make a post out of it.

1.  Citizen Cider

This local cider company just opened down the street from where we live.  I LOVE it!  I have never really had hard cider, but theirs is amazing.  I am thinking we may need to buy a case before we move!

2.  Weight Watchers Chicken with BBQ Sauce

I think I have mentioned that I am doing Weight Watchers.  I have done it once before and really liked it.  I am normally not a freezer meal kind of person, but they are so much easier to take to school for lunch.  This meal is actually from the fridge section and is a lot fresher.

3.  Satsuma Shimmer Body Lotion

Last summer we were walking past the Body Shop and I caught a whiff of the most amazing smell.  So when Body Shop gift certificates were on Living Social a couple of months ago, I snatched one up.  I finally used it this past week.  Turns out the smell is their "Satsuma" flavor (yes, I call smells flavors).  I picked up some shimmer lotion for the summer.

4.  Mango Body Scrub

I picked this up, too.  It smells amazing!  I am going to try not to be a hoarder with it.

So basically I'm drinking cider, dieting, avoiding homework--all while smelling really good!  Yup, sounds about right.

Midweek Rant...

***Edit--I published this post last night.  I was super frustrated and mad.  I almost immediately took it down.  But if you get my blog through reader, I'm pretty sure you still got it!  I feel the same way as I did last night, but I did want to add one thing.  I don't feel this way towards most people in Vermont.  There have been some amazingly kind people here, who I can talk with without feeling ridiculed or looked down on.  And some of the people that incited this aren't even from Vermont!  I just didn't want any Vermonters to read this and feel like this was a bit put down of the state as a whole!  So I'm putting it back up, with that disclaimer!***

Okay, I just need to rant.  I usually try not to put too much negative on my blog or really even share my feelings too much.  I don't want to be "that" blogger.  But at the end of the day, it's my blog and, I suppose, I can say (or rather write) whatever I would like on it.

I am so excited to be moving back down South.  And most of that is because of friends and family.  And there are some things I am going to miss about being here. 

But tonight I am just frustrated!  I am tired of being put down and made fun of for my beliefs.  It is fairly constant here.  I try to be really respectful of other peoples religious and political beliefs.  I pray for Obama and try not to publicly speak ill of him.  I do not belittle others for having voted for him.  While I don't agree with the beliefs of most of my friends and acquaintances here, I do not tell them they are wrong or stupid.  I have listened and given advice for so many situations that I personally completely disagree with.

But yet, I get made fun of.  My beliefs get trashed.  My religion (not my personal belief but Christianity as a whole) gets made fun of in front of me.  I don't understand why people think that is okay?  Why can someone demand respect for their own beliefs, but yet not respect mine at all?

And as much as I just want to speak back, I know that, in most cases, the best response is to bite my tongue and try to be kind.

Aghhh!  But I need to remind myself that, as a Christian, I have it really easy.  No one is threatening my life.  No one is physically persecuting me.  I can freely practice my beliefs.  And I am so thankful for that.

So perhaps you could pray for me.  Pray that I would have a gracious and loving heart.  Pray that I would know when to speak and when to keep quiet.

Less than 2 months...

What I'm reading lately...

I have seen a few other bloggers do this lately, so I thought I would join the trend.  I am going to link to a few articles and posts that I have enjoyed.

Ten Things I Want to Tell Teenage Girls

Love!  I wish I knew (and believed) all of these things when I was a teenage girl.  A must read.

A Yankee's Perspective: Why I Love Ole Miss, Mississippi, and the South

This was an article in the Daily Mississippian, the student newspaper at Ole Miss...sweet and cute!

White Privilege and the Impulse to Help

I thought this article was a great take on the whole Kony facebook sensation. 

 "I believe that the impulse to help in the face of tragedy is a good impulse – I think wisdom and research are important, but I don’t think a burning desire to help should be squelched by fear of being called out for white privilege or liberalism. I know many people felt an impulse to help in the immediacy just following the earthquake in Haiti, and Kony 2012 is creating that similar passion in people.  However, I would encourage you to watch Kony 2012, get mad at the injustice, and then ask yourself:

What do I have, and how and where should it be used?

Maybe the capture of Joseph Kony won’t be your mission.  Maybe it will be women’s rights or family preservation or orphan care or human trafficking or access to education.  But maybe, like me, a film made by Invisible Children will inspire you into figuring out what cause you will take up, and what gifts you have to help others."

Redefining the Southern Belle

Another article about the South!  This one is so good.  I read it in the library and almost starting crying behind the front desk--can you tell I'm ready to be back home?

"When you are born into a history as loaded as the South’s, when you carry in your bones the incontrovertible knowledge of man’s violence and limitations, daring to stay sweet is about the most radical thing you can do."

Classics Ryan Gosling

Alright, let me be totally dorky for a minute here.  One of the classics professors at UVM has started a Classics Ryan Gosling meme.  Good way to practice Latin and  look at Ryan Gosling!

I Never Cried For You

Our new friend, Jean Luc, posted this link on facebook.  He is amazing with words!

Happy Easter

"But people will hate him, and they won't listen to him.  He will be like a Lamb--he will suffer and die.

It's the Secret Rescue Plan we made--from before the beginning of the world!

It's the only way to get you back.

But he won't stay dead--I will make him alive again!

And, one day, when he comes back to rule forever, the mountains and trees will dance and sing for joy!  The earth will shout out loud!  His fame will fill the whole earth--as the waters cover the sea!  Everything sad will come untrue.  Even death is going to die!  And he will wipe away every tear from every eye."

Praise be to God, who sent us His Son--to die for us, to redeem us, and to make everything sad come untrue!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter celebrating the Risen Savior!

2012 Goals Revisited

My friend Courtney did an update on her 2012 goals, so I am going to copy her!  I first put my goals in this post.  Now, 3 months later, here's the progress I have (or haven't!) made:

1.  Learn French

I wouldn't necessarily claim to "know" French now, but I passed my reading test!  This is a goal I still want to work on, because I want to be able to read and speak it well, but academically I completed this goal!

2.  Pass my comprehensive tests

 Um, yeah, this one going to be ongoing.  There was a miscommunication, and I can't take these until the beginning of next semester.  Oh well, it means I get all summer to study, right?

3.  Have consistent quiet times

I am awful at this one.  I have had a few quite times, but not a lot and not consistent.  Definitely still a work in progress...

4.  Learn how to use my camera!

Nothing on this front.  I have pinned lots of tutorials on pinterest, though--does that count?  I think this one will have to wait until after May!

5.  Lose 20 to 25 pounds.

Since I wrote this, I have lost 8 or 9 pounds, so I am well on the way to achieving this goal.  I started weightwatchers a couple of weeks ago.  I have done it once before and did well on it, and it seems to be going pretty well this time!

6.  Plan a first birthday party for Jack Attack

 Working ont this one.  I have some plans and some thoughts.  I need to start doing some tangible work on this, though.

7. Move

On June 1st, we will be heading back down South!  Wahooo!  I have researched moving companies, so I need to book it next week..

8.  Clean our apartment/Get rid of tons of stuff!

This is an ongoing goal, but I have made some progress.  I will make even more in the next month and a half as we pack everything up!

9.  Memorize scripture

Again, a big fat fail.  I really want to memorize one of Pauls letters, but I haven't made any start on this goal.

10.  Spend more time with Bech

I have done pretty well with this goal so far.  Bech and I have been better about cooking and eating dinner together.  We have had one date night and have another one coming up.  We also had one at home date night (take out and a bottle of wine).

11.  Keep up on academics while out of school/Present a paper at a conference

I presented my first conference paper!  It was not as scary as I thought--I actually enjoyed it.  I am going to submit some abstracts for conferences next year.

12.  Sit by the pool/beach and RELAX!

Haven't done this one yet.  But 2 1/2 months until we go to the beach with my family...!

Good Friday

 Happy Good Friday

Because today, if you are a Christian, is a good, albeit somber, day.

"I'm coming to tell you this, that the heavens of heavens can't contain Him, let alone some man explain Him. You can't get Him out of your mind. You can't get Him off of your hands. You can't outlive Him and you can't live without Him. The Pharisees couldn't stand Him, but they found out they couldn't stop Him. Pilate couldn't find any fault in Him. The witnesses couldn't get their testimonies to agree about Him. Herod couldn't kill Him. Death couldn't handle Him and the grave couldn't hold Him. That's my King."

Shadrach Meshach Lockridge

from "That's my King" (full text here)

Pictures!

I try to put pictures on my blog in most post, but I have been slacking lately.  Jack moves around so much and so quickly now that it's hard to get good pictures of him.  Plus, we have been so busy!  But I just pulled some pictures of life lately off of the memory card...

Bech thought it would be fun to stick Jack in his toy box.

Jack didn't agree!  Actually Jack really liked sitting and playing in his toy box.  He has so many fun toys, but he rarely plays with them anymore.  He prefers reaching for Bech's pottery, the stereo, the guitar, etc.

Sweet boy.  With this early waking business, we've been bringing Jack into our room when he wakes up and letting him cuddle with us.  I took this picture one morning when he fell back asleep.  Seriously, sleeping babies are the sweetest thing ever.

Bech's brother and his wife gave Jack the cutest wooden train set for Christmas.  Jack hasn't quite figured out how to push it along the ground, but he sure loves to eat it.

Check out that belly!  Actually I can't really say that much more.  Jack just got weighed, and he's now 20 lbs, 4 oz--about the 60th percentile!  What happened to my little chunk?

Midweek Confessions

Midweek Confession time!  I'm linking up with "E, Myself, and I."

*  I found out via facebook that Andrew Peterson had  a concert in Jericho, VT, Sunday night...15 minutes away!  And then I cried.  Seriously, real tears.  Because I was so upset.  I need to get my priorities in order...

*  But it gets better.  Then I emailed Andrew Peterson and asked him to dinner at our house.  That's normal right?  Needless to say, I have not heard back from Andrew (and probably never will, unless its in the form of a restraining order!).

* I was so excited last night when Chloe did well on "Dance Moms."  Goodness, I love that show!

* I just added Franks hot sauce to my weight watchers mac n' cheese...not bad...

* I think I would add Franks or Louisiana Hot Sauce to almost anything.  Maybe I should start trying...

Well, I think that's about it.  I feel like I have been boring (read: not embarrassing!) this week!

Baby Jack

I use this blog as a scrapbook of sorts (I was never good at tangible scrapbooks...I don't think I'm crafty enough!).  So I thought I would write down a few fun things Jack is up to these days.  Feel free to skip reading! 

I can't remember if I put this on his month update, but Jack has said his first word!  He says "dada."  He's been saying those syllables together for a while, but now he for sure knows what he's saying.  And if you ask him to say "dada," he'll repeat it back.  I'm hoping "mama" won't be far along!

 

Jack has also started consistently signing this past week!  Right now he just says "more" and "all done."  Okay, let's be honest...have you seen a picture of Jack?  He mostly says "more!"  But he does know "all done," and will use it on occasion.  It has been so fun to communicate with him!  We are starting now to work on "mom," "dad," "please," "thank you," and "I love you."  

Jack is still crawling around like a maniac and pulling up on everything!  We have already started the babyproofing process.  All of Bech's pottery has been moved up high.  

We have also started to have to discipline Jack when he reaches for something he isn't supposed to touch.  We pinch his hand and say no.  And then he laughs.  So, yeah...that's not working out too well!  I don't want to pinch his hand that hard, but I guess we will have to!

Jack is a daredevil!  He will crawl up and off of everything!  He is just pure boy.  

Even though he's gotten a little more 'tude now that he can move around, he is still so sweet.  And he still has his cuddly moments, which make me so happy!  I love my little boy.