THE BENSON CLAN

Thank You Diapers.Com Box Of Fun

2012-01-31T08:22:00.000-08:00

This large cardboard box has had more play than ANY toy in this house for weeks. This was its final night before it collapsed, became a tunnel and then got recycled. In honor of the cheapest best toy my kids have come across so far....it was a boat, firetruck, house on fire, construction sight, safety play place that B could not get to for Jack, race car, ball pit, climbing mountain (see photos below), and tunnel!

I will DO IT by MYSELF

2012-01-31T08:19:00.000-08:00

scoop and eat...figuring it out

For anyone that does not know Brookie well...she is VERY strong willed and independent. Currenty, we are dealing with the fact that she will only feed herself and now only wants to feed herself with a fork or spoon like the rest of us. She will sit in her chair and scream till given an utensil. So finally I gave in and she is a happy camper! My other choice was for the whole family to ditch utensils and also eat with our hands. Here is B's first attempt at feeding herself oatmeal.

the mess is still contained....

After about an hour, gave up on the spoon and went to hands briefly before....

deciding to just drink it from the bowl directly!

San Diego in January

2012-01-31T08:14:00.000-08:00

It was a rough weekend here is San Diego, last weekend of January. We got the special treat of going out on a boat with our good friends to our own private sand dune! The kids had a blast on the boat and loved playing in the sun!

11 Months Old!!!

2012-01-21T10:10:00.000-08:00

How time flies...I just keep growing and growing and growing! This month I got to celebrate my first holidays...wow...lots of fun snuggle time with family and friends and so many interesting things to explore (colorful paper, boxes, string, lights) super interesting.

Did you know that people like to point these strange "cameras" at me and then say CHEESE? I don't really understand why they are talking about food but I smile a big silly grin and then everyone claps. Adults seem strange and yet very simple at times! But now it is fun to ham it up anytime I see those camera things...

I have been very busy learning to stand up without holding anything...but still only like to walk when I am holding onto something for support. The best part about walking is that I often push my brother around in things which is super fun and makes everyone laugh! My mommy made us a ball pit which makes me scream in delight, I wiggle all over the place and then usually Jack jumps in and things get really crazy.

I also have gotten to try some really fun rides this month...we got to ride on an airplane that flew around in circles, we went super fast and I loved it. I like to go fast, fast, fast! We also went on a train, choooo choooo choooo! I stood up and loved when we went through the tunnel!

See what a big girl i look like? This horsey went up and down and I held on all by myself for a bit. I have learned to dance to music this month and thankfully there seems to be music EVERYWHERE...on the carousel, grocery store, at home on my toys, at Sea World...I have become a dancing machine.

Finally, I am still a big fan of water! It is so fun to splash and kick and I love to put my face in. I used to sit in the float at the pool and be a big girl all by myself and then I learned that is what baby's use (they tricked me)...so NO MORE float mom! I want to be free to move and explore and jump in the pool. Here is my first experience with jumping in, it was AWESOME.

My newest favorite activity is to climb up as high as I possibly can. I finally learned to climb down...and figured, why not be able to go both directions? So now I can climb up anything...stools are the obvious choice, but did you know you know you can use: fireman hats, firetrucks, drums, boxes, your stroller, and my personal favorite...riding toys? I have gotten ontop of strollers, tables, baskets, stools, beds, couches, super fun! Plus to be honest, it gives my mom a run for her money and that is fun too!

Next time, I will be one years old...can't wait to start using words to tell you all everything going on in side my head cause there is A LOT going on!

Hope 2012 is going great so far for you as well!

xoxoxo
Brookie Cookie

Christmas

2012-01-21T09:43:00.000-08:00

We spent Christmas this year at home in San Diego and enjoyed a special time with family and friends....

"Bunny" brought Brookie a cow to bounce on...utter bliss

Christmas Eve was shared with the Reitter family, a short 20 min visit to a christmas eve service and then Jack's friend and his parents came over to play...a fun late night awaiting the arrival of SANTA!

Jack got some very special cars that he had a blast playing with

Santa arrived at our house and brought all kinds of fun toys. Jack totally got it this year which was fun and enjoyed learning about Santa and his reindeer, also about baby Jesus ( a bit confusing how they go together!) Brookie loved paper and trying to play with any toy that Jack was playing with.

And then as most do on Christmas Day...we went SWIMMING! It was a gorgeous sunny warm winter day and we all enjoyed some time in the sun!

That night..."fireman Jack" enjoyed taking in the Christmas lights at our neighborhoods crazy Christmas Street.

The next day we celebrated Christmas with Grandma and Grandpa which was super fun! Opening presents round 2 (or maybe more like 10) and a trip to SeaWorld.....

this is Jack's face in utter delight over the remote control helicopter Mark got from Grandpa this year...shortly thereafter, Jack got his own! Boys of 3 generations totally obsessed with the thing, hilarious!

What a fun holiday season and we feel so blessed by our little munchkins, family and friends this year!
HERE IS TO 2012!

Brooke is 10 Months

2012-01-20T08:53:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone...
I am 10 months old and before we know it I will be ONE!!!! How time flies when you are busy learning this world and playing! This month has been full of new adventures and time with family. I love love love to stand up and explore the world and am on the go to explore anywhere I am able to get to! Here are things I am learning about this month...using objects like my mommy/daddy and brother: I can talk on a phone, play the drums, read books, push buttons, shovel sand....it is all very exciting.

My daddy thinks I am going to be a rough and tumble little girl....this picture is a perfect example of how I get all dressed up in a cute girls outfit and then....GO GET IN THE DIRT! It is definitely more fun to just dig into life and play then stay clean....I do look pretty cute though huh!!?!

It is a tricky feat to get access to the dogs water bowl...I try every day but usually someone gets there before I do and takes it away...on the off day I get there first...splashing is BLISS. Do you see how big I can make the splashes...it is awesome. I really really love water!

Another set of adventures for me right now is playing with my doggies, they give me kisses and I love to crawl all over them, they are so very cuddly. I am also very interested in figuring out how to get outside all by myself (of course) when the door is open. Bear always stays this close to me to help me not fall out, it sure is nice to have big best friends like my doggies. My mommy keeps saying to turn around to go down things, it seems to make much more sense to just see where you are going and go head first, hum.....

Do you see how much fun we have at our house...this night Jack and I were playing a splashing game, it was the greatest game ever!

Back to my rough and tumble days...I love to explore Jack's big boy playgrounds and see where it leads me ...like to tunnels like this were I love to just fly down without a moments hesitation and flying down is so very much fun, I squeal in delight and all of the grown ups laugh at how brave I am!!! I am quickly learning the advantages of a big brother to teach me everything fast and fun!

At the end of these busy days of exploring...I love to just be snuggly and hang out! This was me snuggling at my grandma and grandpas after a long day of playing! Each day brings new joys and adventures...my next goal is to get up on things...I am trying to figure it out but have not figure it out yet...I am confident I will prevail!!!!

Hope that you have a happy holidays (rumor is that there is lots of fun in the next month for me!!!) I can't wait!

Lots of Love
Brooke!

Thanksgiving

2011-11-30T09:00:00.001-08:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING...

We enjoyed having our cousins here to celebrate the holiday....it is always fun to have cousins here!!!!!

Add caption

Wedding Weekend

2011-11-28T21:09:00.001-08:00

We got to spend a fantastic week in Carmel earlier this month to celebrate our Uncle Bret and Aunt April getting married! It was a super fun time with family and exploring the area. Highlights...living next door to grandma and grandpa, their phone with a cord (what is that?), the Monterey Bay Aquarium (B loves fish and Jack loves scuba divers), playing at the beach in the rain and sun and the awesome park and the sheep. Here are a few photos from the weekend!

hanging with grandma

FISH

Wrestling on the jumpy tent, of course!

scuba diver fun

running the sand dunes in the rain

SHEEP! The spot where Bret and April got married

A sunny day at the beach....so fun! Probably one of the most beautiful places to be!

The new Cohune family addition......Congrats Bret and April

Brooke is 9 Months

2011-11-28T20:32:00.001-08:00

It is official, I am 3/4 of a year old and MOVING! This 9 month photo captures me still (which is rare as I master moving) and cracking up which I do ALL DAY LONG! I am holding a piece of paper in my hand and laughing at my mom, I love to put paper in my mouth...don't tell mommy but I do it just cause she always has something to say about it. Let's get down to business because I have a ton of things to share about my last month.....

First of all, I have learned to crawl. I can high tail it anywhere I want. Currently, where I want to be is either pulling up on something or playing with whatever my brother is playing with (my brother is not loving this). We are playing this great game where we both crawl around on the floor and take turns chasing each other. It is hilarious and when Jack chases me I start to laugh so hard that I usually fall on the floor. Unfortunately, then my brother lays on me, but no worries, I just yell real loud and he gets off. I have things figure out :-)

See...this is me pulling up to look out the window. I love to bang on the window and yell about everything I see out there. There are so many things to see up high and I want to see them all now!!!!

I also learned to clap! I clap when I am happy, excited, wanting attention, etc. I also am mastering waving (usually only to my mommy or daddy), blowing kisses, and tapping my knees (cause my brother does it!)

Last month was my FIRST HALLOWEEN! I dressed up like a lady bug and everyone said I was pretty cute. Below is my favorite friend Olivia, we celebrated our first halloween together as true girlfriends do!

We carved alot of pumpkins and I always was in charge of the top. I did a pretty good job of gnawing on it till I had to give it back. Overall Halloween is pretty cool, this beautiful shiny stuff entered the house, Jack calls it candy and every time I get my hands on it, people rip it away....don't worry, I scream about that too!

This is my friends car and I love to pretend I am driving it around. My brother pushes me around the park really fast and I squeal with delight. It is so fun to feel like a big girl.

This month has been full of me becoming a big girl. I am super independent and love to try to do things all by myself. I love to talk talk talk talk talk talk talk talk all day long. Rumor has it I used to do a lot of "unhappy talk" but now I do mostly happy talk. My new favorite game is to imitate the dogs barking, if I time it right, I can keep Kona going forever!

About 3 days after I started crawling I decided I want to walk....so I'll let you know how that goes! Life gets more fun every day and I can not wait for more.

xoxoxoxo Brooke

Fall Fun Times

2011-11-28T14:06:00.001-08:00

Fall has been about PUMPKIN CARVING...I think we carved a total of atleast 5 (they rot quickly when you are so close to the ocean!). Jack did not like touching the inside and much preferred to direct the process. Brooke would have swam in it all if we had let her.

It has also been about DRESS UP. Jack is constantly dressed up either like a fireman (see Halloween costume below) or a scuba diver. He is a lucky boy that we have bags of various diving stuff to choose from in the garage. On him here is dad's: mask, snorkel, spare air tank held on by a belt and fins.

It quickly converts to a fireman outfit to help with the BBQ fire!

Brooke was a ladybug and loved her costume and going to all of the events

Most photos these days end like this! Excellent intent on Jack's part to be a good loving brother, Brooke not happy about it.

Pumpkin hunting!

More pumpkin carving! This time daddy was doing it!

We also went to our first carnival and Jack did all of the rides and loved every minute of it. Here is our little man at the top of the 20 foot slide ready to go down "super fast"

Of course, driving the train! Notice the sunglasses are upside down.....this is standard sunglass procedure these days.

Fall has been great and we are excited for the adventures to come.

Brooke is 8 Months!

2011-10-20T20:17:00.000-07:00

Hello to everyone!!!! I am 8 months old and I can MOVE! I am crawling on my tummy and scooting wherever I like....FINALLY all of those toys that sat just out of my reach...are mine. Don't you worry, when my brother or mom tries to move something before I get there...I have a few things to say to them!!!! This moving toys away while I am crawling there idea seems VERY UNFAIR! I have spent months and months trying to figure out how to get there and now that I can, you take it away! I am LOVING exploring and trying new things.

This is an adventure my brother and I went on to my daddy's work! He was playing in water by boats and so we got to watch him, it was very cool and so fun to see all of the boats up close.

You can't explore and keep up with my brother without taking some hits. My first black eye...was actually not caused by my brother! I pulled myself up onto a stool ALL BY MYSELF it was awesome and then it tipped over...that was not awesome. My eye hit the leg of the stool, thankfully for records sake, the photos do not do it justice! It was a good one!!!!

I got two teeth! See them right there on the bottom? It is pretty cool to have teeth and now I get to feed myself finger foods. I will pretty much try anything as long as I get to feed it to myself and I feel so grown up!

Now I can get to the music makers...I love to play this guitar and pluck the strings. My brother is trying to teach me some songs and is sharing very very nicely with me! I also learned to use my pointer finger to push buttons and poke things, very cool. I have also learned to bang things which is totally cool and works well when I make my way to the drums.

Again, proud of myself for making it to the puzzles! I love to use my fingers to pull them out and just discovered this incredible game of dropping them into a big bin. They seem to disappear, but I am too smart for that...if you look way inside they are hiding in there! Trust me...if you have some down time and want to be really entertained you should try it!

All the grown ups call me a wiggle worm, I still love to snuggle but just for a minute because I have important things to do and places to be! The world is my oasis and I plan on conquering every bit of it before next month (why waste time!?!) Other things that I love to do is to talk with my family. I make a funny noise and they make it right back. Pretty interesting...my mom keeps trying to make me say "mamama" I laugh and say "dadada". I hope that this month has been full of adventure for you as well!
xoxoxo
Baby Brooke!

Really behind!

2011-09-19T15:44:00.001-07:00

I was months behind in updating the blog....so scroll down...there are lots and lots of updates!

Tractor Riding

2011-09-19T15:43:00.000-07:00

We got to go play at our friends grandma's house today and they have a motorized tractor for kids...Jack gave Brooke a ride....they had a blast!

Sea World

2011-09-19T14:49:00.000-07:00

Fall has hit the air and school is back in session and that is when San Diegans return to Sea World! Jack was so excited to get back and see the dolphins, whales, turtles and bears. Brooke loved it as well. It was so cute seeing her fascinated by all of the swimming fish and colors. Jack did a great job of teaching her everything he could about the fish.

World Cup!

2011-09-19T14:24:00.000-07:00

Jack is learning all about his newest sport...Rugby! He is loving it, throwing the ball sideways/backwards (confusing after learning to throw a football) and getting to wrestle!! Our goal is World Cup 1015 as a family, maybe we can convince some friends to join us?!

Here is our little man in his Irish jersey.....

Brooke is 7 Months

2011-09-16T15:08:00.000-07:00

I am 7 months old and this month has been about JOY! I love all of the things I am able to do now...and love to squeal with delight all day long. The world is full of so many exciting things and I am learning more and more every day! I am trying so very hard to move myself and can wiggle around like an inchworm and roll all over the place. On my first 2 days of rolling I rolled: into my brothers trains, into some furniture, off the bed (oops) and onto the hardwood floor. Lots of booboos, some because my brother really wanted to help but it felt great to move!

I am also BIG into swinging, I love feeling the wind in my face and the tickles on my toes! Plus it is one thing I can do just like the big kids.

My daddy put me in this awesome jumpy thing where I can stand up, twirl around and play play play. It is awesome!

Otherwise, my mommy and I had it out over a bottle (we are going to have some challenges in my teenage years!) and we were 14 hours into a standoff over breast feeding when I voodooed the largest power outage in Southern California history, 6 million people. Take that for trying to make me do something I don't want to do! Because I feel sorry for my mom for losing, I will now take an ounce or two from a bottle when I feel like it.

I saw lots of new things this month, particularly beautiful Tahoe. The whole family played together and I went swimming all the time which I love and even went in this freezing lake. On the last day I got to touch sand, it was there all along and I did not know, it is incredible!!!!!

swinging...bliss

trying to move!

chillin at the beach...in my first high chair!

my version of golf

in the lake with mommy, it was cold but fun

SAND

My chipmunk face when I am super super happy

my new toy...thank you daddy this is awesome

A toy my brother taught me, I love it!

Needless to say, as those who know me best have said, I am 100% committed to whatever mood I am in and most of the time I am utter joy these days! Life is so full of exciting new things and I am loving every moment of it. Now if I can just move!

xoxoxo, Baby Brooke

Tahoe!

2011-09-16T13:56:00.000-07:00

We had the pleasure of spending almost two weeks in Tahoe this summer as a family. It was great to all just chill together and enjoy the sun. We spent most of our time: swimming, at the beach or playing golf. Jack learned about golf...watching off our back porch and he loves it. We would go to the putting range in the evenings, see below, it was hilarious. Brooke worked on taking a bottle and learned about sand, she loves it! Mom enjoyed a change of scenery and being a mom in a new spot. Mark enjoyed so much time with the kids!

Jack and Mark out floating on the "canoe" could that be a more beautiful place?!!!

Family time in the pool

our little swimmer...he got so brave in the pool over the days of multiple swims daily

Our perch for hanging out in the evening to enjoy the beauty of Tahoe and watch the golfers

Brooke humoring the idea of a bottle or sippy cup. We made some progress with sippy cups!

Brookie and mommy playing at the beach....

Swinging looking at the lake.

We shared the weekends with "bahbum and this bahbum!" It was such a treat. Thanks for sharing Tahoe with us!

GOLF!

adapting our singing stage for our vacation home.

It was a great great trip!

Trains

2011-09-15T21:01:00.000-07:00

A family that plays trains together....stays together!
Some of our favorite mornings are spent all hanging on the floor playing trains...Brooke loves to eat the pieces, Jack is super into making elaborate train tracks and teaching Brooke and we love watching them play together.

Brooke is 1/2 a year!!!!

2011-09-15T20:50:00.000-07:00

Hello all....well my mommy is getting slower and slower in her old age, I on the other hand am getting faster and faster! I have been here for a whole half of a year. I am finally able to show the world all I have to share now that I can move around a bit better and use my voice! I love smiling and laughing and watching everything going on around me, there is just so much to learn!

I love smiling for the camera when it comes out. Often times my brother is standing right there pretending to be taking photos too. He is so silly, doesn't he know that is pretend!

I am getting to learn about all kinds of new toys, this one is particularly exciting and frustrating at the same time, it sings and rolls around but I can not seem to get it in my mouth. I still like to play with it everyday and am convinced eventually I will win.

I am such a big girl now I get to eat wherever we go...this time we were at concerts at the park. I loved all of the music and all the people. So much to look at.

I still love my playground and making the toys make noise. When I am out playing I love to roll from my back to my tummy so that I can play more. I very rarely feel the need to roll back again onto my back. However, in my crib...just to mess with everyone...I will ONLY roll from my tummy onto my back and then yell out for someone to come pay attention to me. Why would I roll over all by myself if someone will come in and play with me and do it for me?

This photo captures one of my most proud skills: I DONT take bottles. My mommy, daddy, friends, friends mommies, babysitters, grandmas EVERYONE has tried to get me to take one and I am happy to gnaw on it and chew on it...but drink from it? I think not!

The happiest moments of my day are when I get to play with my brother. He lets me play the craziest games with him. Here we were playing fort. One minute I was sitting and playing with a toy and the next I was covered with pillows and peeked out and saw my mommy, it was hilarious.

The major accomplishments of this month have been being able to roll anyway I want when I want to, being more sturdy so that I can keep up with my brother when he tries to play with me and finally being able to reach way way out and grab things that no body thinks I could get. I love playing laughing and giggling with people and blowing bubbles. Everyone says I will be up and moving soon and that sounds fantastic...I'll let you know next month how that is going!

xoxoxo, Baby Brooke (half way done with being a baby)

Family Visits

2011-09-15T16:44:00.000-07:00

We had the pleasure of a portion of our Cohune cousins coming down to play in the sun for a week! The kids LOVED it! Lots of attention, pool, beach and fun! Thanks Cohune's and Back's for coming down to San Diego! We can't wait for next year.

Jack and Brooke both loving the attention and play with their cousins upon arrival of the crew

Jack Turns 2!

2011-09-15T16:28:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that our little baby is a big boy and already 2! He is such a joy to have in our home each day and we enjoy watching him growing into his own little person!
To sum up Jack at this age:

Kind
Inquisitive
Energetic
Determined
Social
Enthusiastic
Hilarious
Loving

Jack spends his days playing, playing, playing. He loves to play baseball, football, rugby, and soccer with his dad. (Mom does not throw well enough to play with him :-)) He loves to do puzzles and problem solve. He loves to teach his sister all about life and is energetic to share everything with her. He LOVES music which is hilarious for anyone who know Mark and I and our lack of any knowledge about music. He particularly loves singing, guitar playing and drumming. Finally, trucks and fireman games consume the rest of our days.

He is generous to give hugs, loves to check in and find out what everyone in his life is doing. Jack is learning to make jokes (his favorite is to call people by the wrong name) and seems to attack life with zest and joy! We enjoy every moment with him and can't wait to see more.

What is today about me?

Here is a rundown of some of the best moments of Jacks 2nd year

Joyful Love!

2011-07-14T22:08:00.000-07:00

This is what Brooke and Jack do each time we pick Jack up out of his crib...they squeal in delight to see each other, it is TOO cute! Hope it makes you smile too!

Brooke turns 5 Months!

2011-07-14T21:52:00.000-07:00

Hello, Everyone I have made it to 5 Months and I am loving everything that comes along with it! My major accomplishments this month include: getting to eat food, starting to sit up and I can get my feet into my mouth which is pretty cool! I am enjoying learning all that life has to share and sitting up really helps me be able to explore...and follow where my brother is.

It makes me so very happy to see my mommy, daddy and brother and I try to greet them always with a big smile! It seems that if I squeal a bit, I make them really happy! I also am into smiling for other people but tend to be a bit coy and look away...it keeps them wanting more!

My mommy thinks this photo says it all! I am sitting up like a big girl and it captures my zest for sharing my opinion and passion about life.

During moments of serenity and peace (hard to find in this house) I enjoy a little nibbling on my toe! It feels funny and makes me laugh

We like to go swimming a lot and afterwards I get snuggled up in a towel which is cozy. I love to float in the pool, splash and kick so I usually end up screaming a bit about being taken out!

So...I got to start eating food!!!! It is very very yummy...I am currently loving ANYTHING that I am given: peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, avocado, apples, pears and prunes....when I first started eating, I looked like this...now I like to wear it as well...from head to toe! It brings me back to the foot sucking fun again!

Anyhow...I am very busy growing and learning and to be honest I still need A LOT of napping to keep up with everything around here! So if you come and visit please don't be offended when I take some beauty rest! I look forward to figuring out how to move...that is my next goal! My mom hopes...it is NOT this next month. Ha! I love you all and look forward to seeing you soon!

xoxoxo, Baby Brookie Cookie

Nor-Cal and Baptism

2011-07-14T21:20:00.000-07:00

We headed up north at the end of last month to spend a week with family and friends and have the kids baptized! It was a great time for Jack to really get to know his fun family and friends and we enjoyed celebrating the kids baptism at MVPC. Here are a few photos from the week!

We spent a lot of time at the park and it was fun....

Grandma and Brookie.....a good team over the week, and a nice break for this mommy!

Brooke started sitting up while we were up north

Jack LOVED playing with his cousins!

Mimi and Pops with their grandkids

Daddy and Brooke just chillin

a rare photo of the whole family

Jack's highlight of the trip...we went on the Tilden Train

A tough life!

2011-06-21T21:24:00.000-07:00

Our family decided to take to plunge and commit to some fun in the sun this summer at a local swim club! Although Mark and I found it very strange that there were not local swim clubs like we were used to from home, once we did our research of where we could spend some time as a family in the pool, we were not disappointed! Most evenings we meet for a quick dip, the boys swim (ending in Jack's favorite bubble pool, hottub) and Brooke and I lounge and relax.

Brooke has it rough, notice the beach and water behind her! However, she would prefer to be in the pool too!

Jack's MOST FAVORITE thing to do with his daddy. He knows we go after nap so now he is waiting a few minutes after I put him down, pretending he has gone to sleep and then yelling out "mommy Jack awake, POOL!" Nice try kid, you still need your nap!

One of our few family photos, and Brookes first day in the pool!

She loved it!

In case we did not mention, that it is a resort on the harbor so we feel like we are on vacation in our beautiful city every day! Bet you want to visit now huh!

A peek into our days!

2011-06-19T08:51:00.000-07:00

Brooke LIVES IN THIS WRAP! The Moby Wrap has saved our life....she loves to hang in it, it is comfortable and she loves to snuggle up for her morning nap and crash out while we are playing with Jack at the park, beach, seaworld, etc.

Jack is learning about "taking a break" when he gets a bit out of control. Lucky for us...he seems to enjoy his breaks and goes there very willingly. Sometimes he does things on purpose so he can put himself in a break. HA

Every morning Jack and daddy make a cool train track...this was a good one.

Jack is really into gardening, he calls the gloves mits and loves to put on our mits and cut the flowers and dig in the dirt. It is working for me to get some long needed work in the garden completed.

Still loving to perform

Brooke and Jack love to snuggle and laugh together, it is too adorable

4 MONTHS OLD

2011-06-18T17:31:00.000-07:00

The fourth month mark has come and gone and my mommy finally got her act together to help me write a little bit about what I have been up to! As you can see from this photo....I am getting very big and love to be upright and try to sit up! There is just so much to see in this world and you miss it when you are laying down.

The biggest thing about this month is that I have finally learned to use these sticks that I have to play with toys and it makes life much much more interesting. It started with just being able to hit things and now I can grab them, hold on and if I am lucky even get it to my mouth! I feel like I have a long way to go from what I see my brother doing, but I will take what I can get and for now....this is AWESOME.

I also love to suck on soft bunnies....it seems to entertain me in the car a bit so dont tell mom but I am so occupied with figuring this stuff out that I am crying a bit less....then I remember I hate the car and I start crying. I would hate to not live up to expectations of being fussy in the car.....

I have also learned to follow Jack WHERE EVER he goes and sometimes that puts me in some interesting positions! He is 1. entertaining, 2. a bit scary the way he used to sneak up on me and give me loves, so now I have learned to follow him! Dad says soon I will be rolling over, not sure what that means but this side thing is pretty cool and I can really suck on my hand!

Finally, I really love my brother and he loves me! I smiled for the first time at my brother, laughed for the first time with my brother and much prefer to play with him! Thankfully, he loves me too! PS. I also LOVE being in the water!

That is 4 months in a nutshell....next month brings: FOOD and as all Benson's I can not wait for that! I send my hugs, smiles and giggles to everyone!
xoxoxo Baby Brooke

Family Bonding At Its Best!

2011-06-18T17:13:00.000-07:00

This is one of our prouder moments as parents after a long day of having two little ones! It could be a poster for the new age of technology! Out of the photo is the TV that Brooke has found to watch! Ah....it cant be perfect all the time right!?!

3 MONTHS OLD

2011-05-16T14:57:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

I am now 3 months old! It has been a busy month! I took my first cross country trip to visit Alabama! My auntie Erin got married so I got to party it up with all of my mommies friends. I loved the flying but HATED the car ride! My mom and dad say I have determination to cry for a 2.5 hour drive without stopping. They are sure it will be a great character trait in the future, ha!

I have discovered my hands this month and it is awesome! I love to suck on my hands and am starting to grab stuff with them if things are in my reach. Sometimes I can make these things spin when I am sitting in my chair, usually my brother has to spin them for me. Did you know that there are toys? They are pretty cool...I cant wait to learn to play with them even more.

I love to explore what I can do with my hands and I am also trying really hard to get upright. Everyone else is up and about and I have been stuck on my back for too long! When I am on my tummy, I love to push up and try to see what is going on around me. I also get to sit in this green chair sometimes when we eat dinner as a family. I love to watch my brother eat...he is funny!

Overall, this month has been pretty good...I am loving laughing and giggling at my family and friends. The world seems so full of exciting things for me to learn about and I can not wait to explore more. Feel free to come down and play with me anytime....

xoxo Baby Brooke

EASTER

2011-05-16T14:42:00.000-07:00

HAPPY EASTER!

We spent the holiday with our San Diego Family...enjoying an Easter Egg Hunt with our friend Makena and a brunch just chillin. Jack finally got the idea of hunting for eggs, particularly he was excited about what was inside! Brooke enjoyed looking at all of the colored eggs and getting some cuddles.

Our Easter Baskets

Dying Easter Eggs, a very messy activity with a one year old

The GandG Easter Bunny brought shark and shamu...a big hit

THE HUNT

2 Months Old

2011-04-16T13:42:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone....I am two months old now! What a month it has been. As you can see from my pictures...my major accomplishment this last month was to learn to make eye contact and smile. Wow what a reaction you get out of people with such a little action. I am enjoying it quite a bit!

I am also working on my tummy time! My mom makes me do it every day and I am enjoying it more and more. Sometimes my brother lays on the floor and stares at me which makes it much more interesting. It also seems to be giving him something to do rather than just crawl all over me. Phew, I appreciate the distraction. I love him but there was nothing I could do when he was just right there on top of me out of nowhere. I guess that is another benefit of the whole using my eyes to see thing....I can hear him coming now and if I am fast enough I can turn my head to his voice and atleast see him coming!

So...another thing about me at 2 months...I am a bit of a crier when I am tired. My mommy says....I just want to make sure that everyone knows how I am feeling. I am learning to communicate early! Things that make me cry: driving in the car (I HATE IT), when I am tired, when I have been left down on my own too long, when I need to get an air bubble out but cant, and when I have had way too much stimulation (happens everytime I am awake in this house of craziness :-)). So this photo below...I was crying (it was nighttime) and my mom thought...how appropriate I will take a photo of Brooke crying with the Instructions Not Included shirt on. HA I showed her, and whipped out my cutest smile: Instructions are clearly not included with me!

I love to make this face and say "oooooooo"

Here is my mommy, brother and I right before bathtime! I do love a good bath these days

So another thing about this month is that I have found toys. I can not seem to reach them yet, but love to stare with my eyes. My brother helps me spin, shake and reach them when he is in the mood. Otherwise, at this point I am content to watch them move around. There are so many things in this world to figure out and I am just at the beginning....

Happy Spring to everyone and I hope to see you all soon. Xoxoxo Baby Brooke

What's Up At Our House?

2011-04-16T08:50:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of the things that Jack has been upto while Brooke has been growing!

TRAINS! We are obsessed with trains! We like to talk about them, read about them, watch videos of them, ride on them....you get the point!

Teach Brooke everything we can about life...in this case...cell phone usage!

This was a hilarious night where we found Jack had brought over the stool and was finishing off his raviolis. He was very proud of himself for getting a stool, fork from the drawer and eating before we figured out where he had gone! Ha....

NO MORE MONKEYS JUMPING ON THE BED....an indoor activity for when Brooke is napping and Jack is getting stir crazy!

Also fun to sit and color in big boxes!

Mommy...I am going to get you!

Jack is very very into Baseball (more in a later blog post) and loves to sit with his pups!

TUR-DUCK-EN.....Jack is now like John Madden's Tur-duck-en....a kid in a closet, in a crib, in a tent. Needless to say...Jack is a bit of a crawler and climber and enjoys escaping from sleeping. He transitioned from his nursery to the closet of his big boy room (his sleeping cave) He looked this grumpy (see photo on left) for the first few days but now enjoys his new set up!

ONE MONTH

2011-03-27T08:53:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone...I can not believe I am already one month old! How time seems to be flying by....

Some of you I have had the pleasure of meeting and snuggling with, others I hear about from my brother, and look forward to meeting. This month has been full of firsts for me: obviously!

I had my first bath, then I had my first bath with my brother where I learned what a waterfall is. Interesting...my mom and dad seemed a bit panicked that they had missed something, but I liked it.
I have had my first tummy time, it is much more interesting when there is something to look at and my first playtime on my back.
I had my first ride in a swing....it seemed that I was going really fast (I think my brother was pushing me!)
I had my first ride in a bouncy chair....it seemed I was bouncing really high (I think my brother was bouncing me!)
I have had my first visit to parks in town, wow they are full of loud kids, I prefer to nap all snuggled up with my mommy, it is bliss. Actually, in general I prefer to be all snuggled up against my mommy!
I have read my first books, they are full of interesting colors and shapes. I love how different the same book sounds depending on if my mommy, daddy or brother is reading it.
I had my first dog lick....cold and slimmy
I had my first ride in the car to run errands, hated that! I am pretty sure I shared my opinion on that one with some good screaming. My mommy says that when I cry I am very talented and can look and sound either really sad or really mad, that makes sense to me....it helps me get my way!
and most of all I get a lot of LOVES. Everyone seems to want to snuggle me and love on me, which I think is great. I am still a bit on the fence about all of the loving from my brother but he seems to mean well....as mom and dad says....good intent, poor execution (we are all learning!).

I can finally see a bit more of the world around me, what a busy place! I am really excited to learn and see more as I grow bigger and stronger.

Starting to look at people!

The beginning of smiles!

Reading books and cuddling with the boys

kisses, kisses and more kisses

tummy time

the first bath...Brooke loves being in the water.

I hope you enjoyed the update of my first month. I will be back with more next month, I can only imagine what that will bring! I hope to get to snuggle with you soon.... Baby Brooke

First Month as a Family of 4!

2011-03-06T20:07:00.000-08:00

Our first month as a family of FOUR started out with lots and lots of family visiting! It was a great chance for everyone to meet and love on Brooke as well as play with Jack. He ate up the attention!

Uncle Bret and April.....

"Bumpa....as Jack is kind of calling him that!"

Grandma was a rock star and stayed with us for almost two weeks, the attempt at a photo at the end of her stay was a bit of a challenge! Lesson....take photos earlier!

Aunt Ev came and snuggled with the kids....

So did Mimi and Grandpa B!

After all of our family had gone...it was time for us to figure out what life would be like. We are enjoying playing together, loving on each other and having fun!

Jack LOVES to hold Brooke. Brooke TOLERATES being held.

Their favorite game is to play EI-EI-O

Jack got very very good at climbing the jungle gym while on dad's watch the last few weeks

Jack also got a lot of Liam time this past few weeks....decorating cookies

riding bikes

finger painting with the rest of the frosting!

Jack went to the OB Kite Festival (the longest running kite festival in the US) and colored a kite and flew it.

Ultimately, we spend a lot of time loving on Brooke.....we are thankful he is excited to have her around!

In summary, we are doing great. Loving seeing how things have changed and grown. Brooke is a sweet little girl and pretty much has been asleep during all of Jack's above adventures and Jack is doing great as a big brother, hamming it up and trying to talk up a storm. If miming was a career he would be great at it! Stay tuned for Brooke's one month update.......crazy it has been a month!

Jack becomes a BIG BROTHER

2011-02-20T17:24:00.000-08:00

Brooke Elizabeth Benson joined us Monday February 7th at 10:12am. She weighed in at 9 pounds, 5 ounces and 21 inches! We are all doing great and feel so blessed to have this new addition to our family.

Our little nugget arrives!

Welcome to the world BROOKE ELIZABETH BENSON

The family's first moments as a family of four!

Ok, Jack decides he likes her....

The paintings Jack and Liam made for Brooke and mommy....

Brooke with a bow on her head....Mark is still not sure what to think about this

Jack is loving taking care of Brooke and doing all of the things she does...he is a great big brother and learning gentleness. The dogs thank Brooke for this lesson!

Our Precious little one with her eyes open....she is a sleeper right now!

Practice makes perfect?

2011-01-24T20:15:00.000-08:00

Snuggling with practice nugget....

We have introduced a baby doll to the Benson household. Don't worry, we introduced a tee-ball set on the same day to balance out the testosterone of toys. Jack actually discovered a doll while shopping at a baby store with mom and I thought it would not be a bad idea to get in some practice. He is enjoying: tucking her in for bed, snuggling with her, reading to her the same way mom reads to him and.....dropping her on her head. Another favorite is ....throwing her like a football while yelling "fuuuuutballlllll" and trying to get her to ride the dogs. Well, we can't have it all right!????!

can i sit on her?

I wish I had video as he is literally talking to her as he reads her a book. He then took her to the table he is allowed to stand on and tried to teach her how to jump off by chucking her to the floor......18 month old big brothers?!!!!!

ONE AND A HALF YEARS OLD!

2011-01-19T21:11:00.000-08:00

War Paint....Jack learned to color!

Jack is already 1 and a half years old! Where has the time gone? It seems like yesterday he was a little munchkin just curled up in our arms. Now he is a big boy full of personality, joy and adventure.

He loves loves loves to read!

Mark's last dayin the Navy was celebrated with a sign....Jack loved getting to color like the big people. Unfortunately, this later led to the "war paint incident".

Can you believe it? He is big enough to ride a scooter!

Jack thinks he and Bear are best best friends....it is still up for debate if Bear thinks the same thing. Anyhow, Bear is very patient and Jack loves his big lug of a brother.

To summarize Jack at One and a half years:

He is full of spirit and adventure and constantly on the go.
He is just as likely to look at me with a look of defiance and do exactly the opposite of what I have just said as he is to run up to me and give me cuddles cuddles cuddles
He finally learned M words.....mama, moon, more!
He is OBSESSED with fish....Sea World is his most favorite place ever
He imitates EVERYTHING that his dad does
He has better rhythm than either Mark or myself and loves music, dancing and playing drums
He would prefer to do everything himself
He can tear a room to pieces in a second flat but has a great time
He is an utter joy to spend each day with and we are so thankful for him!

Hopefully our next post will have the arrival of little sister nugget! Jack thanks for a great year and half we can't wait for what is to come!

xoxoxo Mom and Dad

Christmas a little late

2011-01-08T19:53:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas.....we spent our first Christmas holiday here in San Diego and had a great time, until Jack got pneumonia, poor guy! We got to celebrate for a whole week with family flying down to visit which was a blast.

Our neighborhood has an incredible block of christmas lights and this is pretty much all Jack wanted to do to celebrate. Every night when it would get dark, he would go to the door and point and say "hohoho?". He loved the lights and music and was cautiously fascinated with all of the moving objects. A fun way to celebrate the holiday season through the eyes of a little one.

Jack got a tool kit for christmas and it was a hit! Now hc can safely be just like his daddy!

Our little christmas elf Christmas morning was excited about his big boy bike until his fever spiked and it was downhill from there for about a week. Thankfully, we have finally all recovered! We hope you had a great holiday season with friends and family!

OB Christmas Parade

2010-12-04T20:52:00.000-08:00

This evening was the OB Christmas Parade....it was Jack's first parade and we think it was a HIT! He loved.....

1. Being in the street without having to have his hand held since there were no cars

2. All the people on the streets around him

3. All the sounds, lights, music of the parade

4. Clapping and cheering with the crowd

It was a great way to ring in the holiday season!

Jack had his nanny (Chelsie on left and her friend Amber) with us at the parade, with Liam (his best friend) We are not going to lie...he had fun with us, but chose to spend most of the time with the girls...do you blame him?

Thanksgiving....

2010-12-04T20:35:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed a great weekend in northern california with family for our holiday season. Unfortunately I am not organized enough to have all the photos online at this point, but these are a few. Ultimately, this year we are thankful for Family, Health, Nugget (baby girl Benson's nickname), and Friends. Jack had a blast with the attention from everyone!

A boys' best friend?

2010-12-04T20:26:00.000-08:00

Jack is currently obsessed with sitting in the dogs laps and spends most of his morning snuggling up with his doggies. It is still out for discussion if Bear and Kona enjoy this game as much as he does.

Sometimes he gives them kisses, sometimes he plays the drums on them, sometimes he reads them books and sometimes he shares his toys!

Kona just hopes that she will get a treat after sharing Jack's train with him so nicely!

RAINY DAY FUN

2010-11-20T14:40:00.000-08:00

WHAT TO DO ON A RAINY DAY WITH A 1 YEAR OLD?

EAT POPSICLES ON THE FLOOR WITH MOM!

HELP DAD AROUND THE HOUSE!

PLAY IN THE RAIN.......

STOMP IN PUDDLES

AND PLAY IN THE POOL OF COURSE!

Fun times at home!

2010-11-11T20:38:00.000-08:00

Jack is into being a big boy....just like his daddy. His most favorite thing to do is to play with dad's drill! We tried to buy a kid drill but that did not cut it at all! He wanted the real thing.

Jack is in to climbing....he has learned to push chairs over to where he wants to explore.

He has also learned to climb on the kitchen table to dance in the mirror and explore

up he goes....

Look mom....I can reach the shells all by myself!

One day after our new cabinetry was installed....it has become our favorite climbing and hiding spot...plus sometimes it holds, dad's drill!

Adventure at the Children's Museum....

2010-11-11T20:21:00.000-08:00

Jack had a blast exploring all of the animals....the moose was a favorite!

A Lizard!

This place is fun....

You could dress up like a bug, and Jack had a great time dressing up. Even in shoes 3x his size!

Drums, drums and more drums....they are Jack's favorite thing to do right now. Anything can become a drum....anything!

Ultimately, with all of the incredible displays....Jack enjoyed most....entering through some curtains to flirt with the beautiful young museum docents! He did this over, over, and over. It was a riot!

Carving Pumpkins

2010-11-11T20:07:00.000-08:00

Our First Family Pumpkin!

Hey dad, what are you doing in there?

Scooping out the insides!

You want me to do what? Touch that stuff....I don't think so!

Yea....we made a Jack-O-Lattern

October Pumpkin Patch

2010-11-11T19:56:00.000-08:00

We went to a great pumpkin patch/farm for the fall with some friends and Jack got to ride on a tractor ride, feed the animals and play in the pumpkin fields. He needed some warming up to the idea of feeding animals, which is hilarious as his favorite thing to do is give Bear and Kona treats and most of the animals were smaller than Bear and Kona.

Digging thru the pumpkin patch to find the perfect one......

Look mom and dad! I think I found one!

What is better than getting to ride in a wheelbarrow full of pumpkins? Standing and seeing if anyone is going to tell me to sit back down!!!!!! They dare not do it!

Sooooo Big!

2010-10-05T15:49:00.000-07:00

Jack loves to do "big boy" activities and is very proud of himself when he does! Here he is clapping as he figured out how to sit and scoot inside a box.....below is our fireman outfit (thank you Loren and Carly)....the laddle really seems to help with the whole outfit!

Jack also loves loves loves playing with a hose....he will play with water in the sun, rain or snow I think. This saturday he was helping dad wash the cars.....doesnt he look like such a big boy!

He also is obsessed with helping cook food (a bit of an issue seeing it involves heat.....) The spatula's are found all over the house!

Finally, the biggest thing that designates Jack as a BIG BOY is that he is going to be a big brother to a little sister in February....he is very excited!

PILLOW FIGHTS!

2010-08-17T21:24:00.000-07:00

Jack's new favorite past time is to pile all of the pillows on the floor and have a pillow fight. He throws them in the air, tackles them and crawls around while squealing with delight. It is hilarious. He loves it even more when the dogs join him!

Fun at Balboa Park

2010-08-17T21:19:00.000-07:00

Jack and Liam went on their first ride alone like big boys! They loved it and Jack asks to watch the video of them going around in circles about 50x a day! I can not believe I have a big boy that can go on a ride all alone! He is growing up....

On the Merri-go-round....

We also went on the train ride and a few days earlier were at the same part of the park with daddy when we went to the zoo and on the train...however, the camera battery died so no pictures of those adventures!

Jack Turns 1

2010-07-23T08:05:00.000-07:00

We can not believe our little baby is ONE! He has become a little munchkin right in front of our eyes and we have loved every moment of being his parents. To be honest...Jack has made being parents seem like a pretty easy job so far. He has the temperment of a little person that sees the world as a glass FULL. Everything he encounters is with joy and excitement. He finds humor and adventure in everything and brings those qualities to our lives daily. Now, of course, he is also a very strong willed little man who is stubborn (just like his mom and dad). He wants to do things for himself and he wants to do the same thing the grown ups are doing. Jack loves people....anyone who will talk to him and play with him. He is definately a social little guy and he makes friends everywhere we go! To sum Jack up: Inquisitive, Playful, Stubborn, Joyful, Loving, and Social. We look forward to getting to know the little man even more as he grows over the coming years! Happy Birthday little guy we love you! xoxoxo, you mom and dad

11 Months Old

2010-07-23T07:53:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends and Family.....well I am 11 months old. My birthday is right around the corner.

The highlight of this month was getting to play in Hawaii with my mom, dad, grandma and grandpa for a long time. I learned a lot of new tricks, had a lot of firsts (ice cream was the best one) and loved having all the adults just hanging out with me for days. Dad tried to teach me to surf....maybe next time, but I sure did have a blast crawling around on those boards.....if I might say...I think I look like a natural!

I would have to say the coolest thing I have learned this month is to explore....I explore under places, over place, in cabinets, etc. There are so many exciting adventures to be had in the little things of life, I love it. Below are some photos of my newest and most fun explorations.......

The kitchen cabinets seem to be full oft unexplored treasures...at first I would just pull the boxes out and explore them...now I have learned how to get into them and explore what is inside. I check out the noise they make as I throw them across the floor, drop them in the dogs water bowl and taste them. I also love climbing around under all of our furniture.

Another highlight of this month...playing with my toys. I love my truck! It is so fun to play with...particularly with my dad. He is much better at it then my mom. He builds these tall towers and puts Bob ontop and then I knock it over! It cracks us all up! I am learning to place Bob back on the blocks which is cool, but not as cool as knocking it over! I can also open a few of the push buttons on my pop up toy, put the circle and square in my shape sorter and still feed my doggies my toys....which will always be the most fun game around. My most consistent trick is waving goodbye! I still reserver the right to wave only when I feel like it. Sometimes grownups make you wave when it makes no sense, huh, they are strange.

Finally, at the end of the day....Bear, Kona and I wait for dad to get home from work. We get really excited he is coming home, but also the screen I stand at....is like a music machine...so I play music on it while I watch outside, it is the greatest. Then eventually my daddy pulls up and we all get really excited!

Rumor has it I am going to love being one so I will let you know what my thoughts are on that! I send my love to everyone!
Baby Jack (only a baby for a few more weeks...then I am a big boy)

Not a baby anymore....

2010-07-13T20:51:00.000-07:00

So this post comes a few days before Jack turns one! Unfortunately there are no pictures to go with this story, but I dont want to forget this moment and figure here is the best place to keep it. Every once in awhile...Jack has a rough time falling asleep. Tonight was one of those nights and after hours of crying, I happened to be with him near a water bottle. He reached for it and signed "yes" his way of saying I WANT THAT! Poor little guy chugged half a bottle of water. Stopped, looked up at me and smiled then clapped his hands two times, laid his head on my chest and fell sound asleep. My goodness, I have a little boy who knows what he needs (sometimes!) I think I need to teach him the sign for drink! :-)

More photos to come!

Hawaii

2010-06-29T20:31:00.000-07:00

We had a great time in hawaii, enjoying the sun, sand and water! Jack loved spending all day exploring and playing outside.

He loved loved loved all of the faucets! It was hilarious.....playing in this huge pit was the coolest part of playing in the sticky sand!

Jack crawled and crawled on the lawn and we all enjoyed relaxing in the beautiful setting, he learned to throw a ball, kick a ball and try to hit a ball with paddles...he is very proud of himself

He also got to enjoy some ice cream on a really special day....he loved that as well!

What a great week to just relax and hang with family! Bye bye, hawaii we will miss you!

The Ranch

2010-06-05T20:41:00.000-07:00

We went to northern California with our dear friends the Olson/Koetts for a great weekend with family! There were 3 generations present and everyone had a blast.

Jack on his first horse ride

The Truck, boys will be boys!

The boys playing ball

10 months

2010-06-05T20:32:00.000-07:00

Hello to all! Well I am almost 11 months old now but I have been bugging my mom about getting my update finished for the last month! And what a mont it was!

A lot of this month I spent 1. sick (cold, ear infection, lost voice, another cold...etc) and 2. in northern california! It was really nice to see a bunch of my family. I went up to northern california to give lots and lots of loving to my grandma Vicky for a few weeks, and I made her giggle and laugh even when I was sick! A highlight of my time at home was playing at new parks and going in the hottub with my cousins! It was so so fun.

Back to life in San Diego....a few of my new tricks and I find very exciting! I love to hide in this basket and play peek-a-boo. My daddy taught me the game and it cracks us both up. I also learned to pound. My friend Makena taught me, it is much better then a hand wave or high five. Next time you see me, I would be happy to show you that trick over and over and over. Otherwise, we put in new doors in the playroom so now I can stand there all day looking outside.....I love it!

Finally, my I have learned to sign airplane and a" DA-D" for my daddy and "DA-d" for my doggies but totally get the difference and love them all so very much! Bear and Kona play tug a war with me and let me feed them toys!

I am off to this magical place called Hawaii...it is all my mom and dad can talk about so when I turn 11 months we will be gone. I promise to make sure my mom gets her act together sooner this next time. Then I will be one! Wow what a year!

Love to you all!

Baby Jack

A Happy Night

2010-05-04T20:30:00.000-07:00

Jack was a riot tonight! He cracked himself up all night long moving from one thing he should not be doing to another! When I thought he we following me to the bathroom for a bath, he scooted straight for the mirror to play! For an hour...his squeals of utter delight filled the house, it was a night of joy and remembering how blessed we are to have this little man as part of our family!

We finally made it to the bathtub!

Yosemite

2010-04-23T09:41:00.001-07:00

Yosemite was a great quick family get away! Jack loved exploring all of the woods and lawns. He did not love the very long car ride on the way home, but was a trooper!

His new favorite thing is to walk everywhere he can....and is very proud of himself when he does it!

The weather was perfect and Yosemite is as beautiful as we both had remembered!

2010-04-22T20:27:00.000-07:00

Hello to all!

Well I am now 9 months old...where has the time gone?

I am sure you have all been on pins and needles...but YES...I finally figured out how to crawl! It is so much fun!!!!!! I can crawl everywhere and am doing just that! I need to learn to control my giggles of excitement as I head off to places my mommy does not want me, cause she always seems to find me before I get there. I have also learned that I can crawl over and pull up on just about everything! Now I want to walk, like they say...onward and upward!

My favorite toys to crawl to and play with are: 1. the dogs food bowls (they make incredible noise!), 2. my sound machine cord (really seems to get a reaction out of adults) and 3. the big kahuna....the dogs water bowl (it is huge, i can practically sit in it and splash around in the water). The only other fascinating discovery is this happy little guy that seems to follow me around the house ...mirrors, glass, etc. He seems cool.

What else? I have learned a few really cool tricks. First I learned to clap...I love it! I also learned to put my hands over my head when someone says touchdown. It makes every laugh, but what is a touchdown? I am working on waving..sometimes I feel like doing it, sometimes not. I also learned to drive the car, turn the signals on and the windshield wipers too with a little help, very fun!

I had my first easter...my grandma, grandpa and uncle Bret came down and brought me a bumble bee I can ride on. I also got to go swimming, it was so fun! I got to go to my first wedding...it was a bit confusing when I could scream and laugh and everyone would think it is cute and when I was supposed to stay quiet. But there were lots of people there to play with and lots of opportunities to laugh and clap so I liked it!

Finally, I went to this beautiful place called Yosemite with my mom and dad. It was pretty cool, my daddy showed me squirrels, birds, deer and even a bear (dont worry we stayed far away!). Most animals are not as big as my dogs so I am not sure why people make a big deal about them. I think being 9 months old and having Bear and Kona kiss my face is infinately more exciting then seeing a squirrel and not even being able to touch it! Anyhow, there was water to splash in but it was very cold and I got to be really close to my mom and dad for a few days which was fun.

So I cant wait to see what this next month as in store....i think my mom put some photos of my tricks on this email...she will add someother ones to my blog.

You all know where to find me and I really love to have people over to play so please come by and say hello!

xoxoxoxo,

Baby Jack

The Sitters Outfit

2010-04-20T20:51:00.000-07:00

So this is what Jack was wearing when I got home from work last week! Pretty hot outfit...camo top and red and blue stripped pajama pants! HA he was loving it!

Jack and Liam

2010-04-20T20:44:00.000-07:00

Jack's best friend is Liam...the son of my very dear friend Megan (we met when we were just infants!)

They have had so much fun growing up together so far and it is crazy how much they have changed.

8 Months Old

2010-03-19T10:24:00.001-07:00

Dearest Friends and Family.....I am 8 months old and what a month it has been!

I left you last month as I was crawling in circles and backwards....with much disappointment I have to report that my crawling has not changed. You can only imagine the frustration and disappointment of daily reaching forward for the objects of my world (toys, dogs, cords, etc....) to always move further and further away from it! My mommy, daddy and nanny (Maci...she is great...!) have tried to show me, help me, everything and it is just not in the cards for me yet.

Despite my frustrations with this whole forward crawling thing....it has allowed me some other great opportunities! First I am a very good "talker"! Grunting "ah, ah, ah, ah" for what you want when you cant reach for it and get it is very functional (a cute little eye contact and funny face helps too). All the adults feel sorry for me, laugh at how cute I am and then give me what I want anyways...who needs that crawling business!?!

Secondly, I have also learned about what the adults call my hands! They are awesome!!!!! Did you know how many cool things you can do with your hands...let me list a few for you....

1. You can turn pages of a book, that way you can control how fast or slow your parents read and get to your favorite pages faster

2. You can feed yourself food (even better than with a spoon which is hard to believe) and hold a cup and drink water from it...INCREDIBLE

3. You can grab sunglasses off peoples faces and then see their eyes and that seems to always make everyone laugh

4. You can point at things, pick up little pieces of stuff on the floor and watch adults race to your side to steal it away and bang things together

5. You can really use those muscles and grab onto tables and pull yourself up to stand up! This is very new and I love it but feel that there is much much to explore with this trick so I will get back to you about it next month. For now I can say...if you pull yourself up to a table top...that is where my mommy has been hiding all of the stuff I have been looking for (clickers, magazines, cups, phones) I often dont make it up the first try, but it is worth it when I do.

Those are most of my new tricks for the month. My favorite game is peek-a-boo (there are pictures of it on my blog) and I also have started swimming with my mom and dad which is so very fun! I love to watch them blow bubbles ( I seem to drink the water, but am fine with that) and love to splash about. I also learned about balloons this month after a birthday party, they are so fun to bang around. Bubbles I learned about too, i love them but why do they have to pop when you finally touch them? I so desperately want to hold one in my hand and taste it!

I feel like this next month will hold lots of new adventures and I hope to share some of them with you in person! Please feel free to come down and visit with me, I always love to see my favorite people and get some snuggles!

Enjoy Spring.....xxoxoxoxoxo

Love BABY JACK

PEEK-A-BOO

2010-03-18T21:01:00.001-07:00

PEEK

BOO

THIS IS MY NEW FAVORITE GAME!

Learning to Crawl!

2010-03-18T20:43:00.000-07:00

Learning to crawl is very very hard work.....

7 months

2010-02-16T20:48:00.000-08:00

Well I am now 7 months old! Who could believe that? This month for me is about moving moving moving. I can roll all over the place and crawl in a circle, backwards and sideways on my tummy but no matter what I do, I can not go forward...very frustrating! I am happy to take some suggestions if you have them for me! I am hoping by next month this whole forward moving thing is in my control.

Moving is fantastic...one time I even got myself up and into this incredible treasure chest full of fun toys it was incredible. I have not been able to figure that one out again, but continue to work hard at it. I also have found myself; stuck against couches, stuck under chairs and stuck next to my big old doggies! Getting stuck next to the dogs is my favorite and once I realize I am there, I tend to squeal with delight in case Bear or Kona have missed me next to them, pulling on their ears or petting them.

What else? I got my first tooth! If you zoom in really close to that photo of me smiling real big you can see a little tooth that popped out, I am feeling much much better after getting through that one...mommy says only lots more of those...yikes! However, my daddy let me start drinking from a sippy cup...I LOVE IT. The best part, besides of course: holding it all by myself, finding the right drinking spot, rubbing my sore gums against it and getting some yummy sips of water, is shaking it and watching the water spray all over the place, hilarious!

The Navy must have known it was my birthday :-) cause my daddy got to stay home to go on an adventure with us this Monday, we had so much fun. I went to a magical land full of these shiny colorful swimming things that live in water, all the water was so cool to look at! My mom put pictures on my blog if you want to check it out. My other big news is that my grandparents all spoil me! My mimi and grandpa B were down here to play a few weeks ago and my grandma and grandpa C are heading down here tomorrow! They all really fall easy for my big smiles and giggles so I pretty much get whatever I want. I am hoping this holds true for quite some time!

Anyhow, when you play hard you have to rest hard so I am working on sleeping through the night (sometimes) ! Please feel free to come on down and play with me anytime....

Love to you all....xoxoxo

Baby Jack

Our Family Adventure

2010-02-15T18:04:00.000-08:00

Today we took a family trip to the aquarium! Jack loved staring at the fish....but particularly loved all of the water features!

My New Ride!

2010-01-31T12:09:00.000-08:00

My big week

2010-01-26T17:57:00.000-08:00

Hello all, well this has been a very busy week for Jack. Lots of learning and growing. First he has officially joined the ranks of those that can roll! Phew, as they say better late than never! He is also now scooting on his tummy which is hilarious...as he reaches forward he pushes himself backwards (he started on the mat towards the top reaching for the ball) and screams the whole way out of frustration for reaching his toys. Thankfully, a good old giggle is not hard to get out of this happy little man!

The next big accomplishment is getting himself to sleep! It is not always easy...it seems to take some hard work on his part but he is making great progress and successfully down for naps on his own. Below is the position he finally fell asleep in today (sideways) and the post nap look he was sporting! Too cute!

My Family!

2010-01-24T17:52:00.000-08:00

Over the holidays Jack got to play with almost all of the Cohune girl clan. He was tickled, kissed, and photographed with IPhones. As you can see, he hated every moment of it! How lucky he is to have such great family!

6 MONTHS OLD

2010-01-23T09:46:00.000-08:00

Hello!
Well I have been part of this big wide world for half of a year now and I have learned so much, and yet so much more to learn! This week I am learning a lot about the rain and wind, it makes the trees dance and shake and I am loving watching it, plus everyone seems to be just hanging out and cuddling, my favorite!

Firsts for me this month: i got to go for these rides that they call swings! I love it! At first everyone was barely letting me move but I kept saying more more more and now they finally let me fly....it is great. I think my mom attached a photo of me laughing. I love to squeal with delight and it makes Bear and Kona come and check on me every single time which makes for a bumpy ride if they are around.

I also have learned that toys do more than just get sucked on. You can shake them, wiggle them, pop them, they are still pretty cool to eat though. My aunt Ev gave me this ring you sit on and you can bounce in it and there are toys to suck on, I love it.

Food...continues to be awesome! Did you know if you yell, they will feed you faster...I have mastered this!

The other major events since my last update were the holidays and snow. I have so many fun family members and friends, I had no idea it was even possible to be snuggled with that much. Did you know if you smile at someone they smile back and if you laugh at them they will make silly faces...it is brilliant, try it, I promise it works! My mommy and daddy joke my face must hurt from smiling all day, but really it is just a kick seeing everyone else act so silly! Snow is cool too, you can eat it! I tried on some snow gear, I think mommy put a picture of me with a ski helmet and goggles.

I continue to sit up really well and am getting "go go gadget" arms. ONe of these times they will leave me alone long enough to reach all of the good stuff! I sit so well, I sit up in the bathtub now and can play with my rubber duckies, it is great. I have some friends who are able to move around on their hands and knees...it seems worth it to try but I am having a hard time getting everything off the ground. My mommy and daddy say there is no hurry but they get to all the toys first, so I am going to learn it soon!

Otherwise, I am just amazed by how much there is to learn and see

I hope that everyone is having a happy new year and I send my hugs and kisses.
Baby Jack

Play Dates!

2010-01-23T09:38:00.001-08:00

Jacks first play dates with the old crew from Moraga!

Tahoe!

2009-12-25T14:18:00.000-08:00

I saw snow! It is cold and fun to eat! We played in the snow, made a snow man with my cousins, went ice skating, skiing.... it was so fun! Now on to Christmas....Happy Snow!

My doggies and I

2009-12-25T12:48:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone, every day....Bear Kona and I are becoming better friends. They used to not let me anywhere near them, know they come and lay right next to me and let me pet them, pull at them and let me suck their ears! I love them and their big old kisses! How could anyone ever wonder if I am safe around my puppies....I would argue I am safer because of my puppies. They are much nicer to fall back on then the floor when I teeter over and NOBODY is going to get close to me if my puppies are by my side!

Sitting Up!

2009-12-08T17:00:00.000-08:00

As you can see I have learned to sit up! It is so fun and apparently I am a big boy!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-29T20:15:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving....

Thanksgiving is about thankfulness...so here are the things I am thankful for!

My daddy for always making me laugh
My mommy for snuggling with me
All of the family that comes to play with me
My aunties who spoil me rotten
My friends who are going to be so fun to play with when we get a bit older
Living in beautiful San Diego, sunshine and my first rain
My doctor who let me start eating solid foods
Shiny objects that are so fun to reach for
My doggies that lick me

So my this Thanksgiving weekend was full of firsts, good and some bad. Good one's first...I felt my first rain, my Mimi and Grandpa B came to visit, I ate sweet potatoes and got my first christmas tree with my daddy and mommy.

The bad one, I got sick for the first time and had to go to the emergency room cause I had a really high fever. The doctor said I am a trooper cause I was still smiling....my mommy and daddy have been holding me tight and giving me my medication and I feel much better!

Hope that you were able to think of lots and lots of things to be thankful for this year!

FOOD!!!!!

2009-11-18T20:43:00.001-08:00

FOOD, IT IS YUMMY! My daddy feeds me yummy yummy food and I am really excited about it. My dad has been saying forever, that I needed food and thank goodness the time has arrive that I am allowed to eat. Like they say..."like father like son!" We are having a blast together eating. These are pictures of my first bite fed to me by dad, loving cereal and even peas! I can't wait to try more yummy foods.

2009-11-18T20:25:00.000-08:00

Veteran's Day Art Project....

So we decided to make an American flag to thank daddy for his service to our country. I got to paint my hands and feet and the rest of my body, it was so very fun!

I look perplexed for a reason...can you see what we did wrong? Uncle Bret spotted it in a second...blue stars, red stripes are the American Flag. Oops, mom says that is what happens with sleep deprivation! Thanks Dad for your service and to all the other men and women who sacrifice time with their loved ones to protect our country! We are so lucky!

GO BEARS

2009-11-02T14:51:00.000-08:00

I am working on my football cheering! GO CAL!

Happy Halloween

2009-11-02T14:48:00.000-08:00

Well my first halloween was quite an adventure! I dressed up like a puppy dog so I could hang out with Bear and Kona. I had a great time sucking on the bone tie of my costume. I hope that you had a great halloween too, woof!

2009-10-29T10:19:00.001-07:00

Just hanging around the house today having a great day! Bear is recovering from knee surgery so we are spending a lot of time just sitting around and I am practicing a lot of tummy time. Today was a very happy day for me, hope it was for you too! Stay tuned...this weekend I am dressing up like a puppy for Halloween!

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-18T15:05:00.001-07:00

Today I went to a pumpkin patch! Mom says it made cute photos but I was a bit confused by the whole experience, cool I guess!I was looking at a little girl next to me that was crying. I hope she was ok! HAPPY FALL

2009-10-17T15:44:00.001-07:00

Welcome to my blog, I am so excited to have you here! Stay tune for the adventures and stories of me......