greenfield village

yesterday on a really hot labor day, we took jack for his first visit to greenfield village. we has a great time learning and relearning. we rode the steam engine train, watched many model t cars drive around and enjoyed a little lemonade. jack even slept (and snored) an hour in the backpack. patrick says he's going to hate this picture as a child.

day at the pool

jack loves the water and the camera!

hugs

tonight jack stood up on his own and walked toward me and gave me the sweetest little hug. it was a nice way to end the day. after i laid him in the crib, he waved to patrick and i.

jack took his first steps 2 weeks ago. now he is up to about 8 steps. he prefers me to hold his hand and run from place to place.

jack went to the doctor today. he is pretty much perfect! he is 20 pounds 15 ounces and 31" tall. he is long and lean! this visit was the worst for shots. he got just 2 ( there was a month that he got 4) but he was very aware of what was happening this time. the recovery time was short. he accepted some graham crackers from me to help forget what happened.

ear of corn

jack eats a lot of what we eat now, along with baby food. he loves butter and eating the whole cob! he is working on his 5th tooth and is such a great son. we do many laps around the house each evening while he holds my hands and literally runs. jack has a lot of confidence and takes giant steps up the stairs or giant leaps off the beds.

On the 4th we descended into Hell Toledo to enjoy the relaxed yet always enriched Toledo Zoo with Jack and his cousin.

Jack's favorite activity is to be lead around in brachiating style. This week he's attempted a couple one-handed variations. I think we're gonna have a walker on our hands in the next few weeks.

Animals caught feeding:

Pacific Octopus
Sloth Bear
African Elephant



I think we'll be lucky if I get another summer of carrying him backpack-wise, which is a lot of fun. On the downside, he's quickly becoming heavier than just about anything I'd put on my back, including my backcountry pack, and a six hour day of hustling him around really works the upper back. On the upside, it's a lot of fun, he has a place to sleep and I satiate a deep tribal psychological need that I'm battle ready.

Animals caught doing it:

Seahorses
Giraffes (the guy really gave it the college try)



We really strive to give our (only) niece this kind of experience. She's just getting to the point at 3 where she can at least take some direction, and I've already excited her about dinosaurs and robots, so there's plenty of tinder there for us to light a spark in the arts and sciences when she matriculates to 4 and up. I'm not sure she'll remember me explaining to her how bromeliads are great epiphytes, but I've learned in my short year of parenting that persistence is a virtue.

Best in show:

Japanese Giant Salamander (For being a bigass amphibian)
Orangutan (Disturbing show of strength in the pullup competition)
Cheetah (for showing predator instinct towards dangling toddler)
Giraffes (hats off and pants off)

he's walking_almost

jack is keeping us busy. i am glad we've been jogging, cause jack is moving quicker and quicker!

baby jack 1 year

what can i say, he's a natural!