Action Verbs

Playing with an especially loud favorite toy

With his basketball because he wouldn't hold still next to the monkey

On Thanksgiving at Grandma Joans

Still a great eater...though he likes it best when he can feed himself and grabs spoonfuls of food. A messy but funny ordeal!

John is encompassing so many different abilities these days...the ings just keep piling up! He is constantly on the move crawling, scooting, turning, reaching, hitting, biting, throwing, eating, pulling, pushing, banging, chewing, clapping, screaming, bouncing. I know there are some I forgot too! Teething of course - how could I forget that? - continues to be a major challenge and joy at the same time. He just added 2 more teeth on the bottom for a total of 8 and each breakthrough seems to bother him just as much as the one before...poor guy.

John is 8 months old today and just moved into his 18month clothes :) He is so fun to play with as he explores EVERYTHING around him. Steve and I have baby-proofed most of the house but John still manages to find the few things we haven't removed that we don't want him to get. Clever kid. He crawls all around and screams as he goes. He bobs and bounces to music and recently became thoroughly enthralled with balls of all sizes.

A big, happy announcement is that tomorrow is my last day of work for who knows how long!!!! I have resigned my teaching position to stay home and be a mom. Going back to work was not at all what I thought it would be and I missed being with John every minute I was gone so we made some cuts and won't be doing a whole lot for a while but it is going to be totally worth it. We are so grateful and thankful for Debbie and Ellie who shower John with love and attention while I have worked these last 4 months. He is a lucky little boy and so spoiled by us all.

It's official...John's a mover!

A brief moment of stillness so mom can snap a picture to show how big John's getting.

John has made amazing progress in his development in such a short time. He has been sitting on his own for a couple weeks now and this last week has been working so hard to move towards a destination. He went from rocking on hands and knees to scooting on his belly to crawling in a week! John is 7 months old now and getting him to lay still next to his size monkey for pictures is becoming near impossible. He is on the verge of growing out of his 12 month clothes! I can't find a way to keep socks on this kid's feet either! He is exploring every part of his body, our faces, his room and toys, and the dogs when they let him get close enough. He is eating and breastfeeding well and mostly sleeping through the night. He can no longer go 10-12 hours without eating at night so we are up for his first feeding around 4:30 or 5 am. It's tough getting used to but he goes back to sleep right away so I can rest a little longer too. John is showing new interest in his toys that make noise when he hits and plays with them. He is really catching on to the 'cause and effect' play. His colorful blocks are still the favorite but he looses interest in everything faster than before and looks around for something new to grab and mouth. Last night Steve and I got him to move across his bedroom floor by stacking the blocks and moving them a few feet in front of him. Once he reached them and knocked them over we stacked and moved again. He made it all the way across in less than 10 minutes! I am preparing for a nonstop kid :) Videos to follow soon...the blog is not loading them right now

Fall fun

It's not the official day for costumes yet but John and I went to a party for the mom's group I am in this last weekend. John was a bear and could barely move in his 12 month costume from my Aunt Chandra so he only kept it on for pictures. He was a good sport and all the babies looked so cute in their outfits!
We visited the pumpkin patch as well and picked out John's first pumpkin.
He was so interested in the decorations and pumpkins we couldn't get him to look at the camera the whole time :)
We thought maybe he could be a cowboy but then we would have to take the horse everywhere with us! Thanks for the cool toy Jena! John is wearing a shirt that Steve wore as a 1 year old!
Bath time continues to be a highlight for John, he loves to splash around and get us all wet.

We are battling through John's first cold this week. It is so rough on us to not be able to help him more. It has been very mild so far with a runny and congested nose and a couple throw-ups but no cough and no cranky-achy baby. He is getting extra sleep and fluids. When he is awake he is his same happy and playful self which is a relief because it means he isn't terribly miserable or in pain. We had a busy weekend with lots of new faces and people holding him so he probably picked something up then...I have a slight runny nose too...lets hope we both get past it without it getting any worse. John still has the energy to work on scooting around the room and rocking back and forth on hands and knees as he gets ready to crawl. He is so fun to watch and play with and laughs a lot. He loves his solids but is still breastfeeding or taking a bottle of pumped milk regularly. He grows so fast and has such a good time interacting with everyone he meets.

6 months old!

6 months old today! No more laying nicely next to his monkey...he wants to play and move.

Celebrating his Dad's b-day in Big Bear.

Snoozin' in the afternoon

Laughing and making faces with Great Grandma Pat

A cool dude...of course.

John is half way through his first year of life and is doing great. His Dr appointment yesterday went so smoothly. He only cried for 30 seconds after his shots, though he cries a LOT louder now that he's bigger. John is 21 pounds 10 ounces and 27 1/2 inches long. He is eating great and expanding his menu every few days. The only thing he has turned down are green beans and I don't blame him because without butter, salt and pepper they smell gross! I am making all the food myself which is extra work but it feels great to know exactly what he is getting and nothing more. His bottom two teeth are pushing out and getting bigger and he chews on everything he gets his hands on. He can sit up and play on his own and he has even started to scoot around on his belly. Crawling is just around the corner but I'm not ready yet! His favorite toys these days are ones that make noise...especially paper but he sticks everything in his mouth so we have to be extra careful what he has access to. We are having so much fun interacting with John and he continues to be an easy to please baby.

The big eater in his high chair and all!

Hanging out in the office with mommy...check out those thunder thighs!

John on his 5 month with his size monkey JZ who he loves to hold and chew on.

My close friend Mallory gave birth August 23rd to Payten Jane...John's girlfriend :)

At Steve's cousins wedding in Idylwild...how had we never been here before?

Where has the time gone? There just is not enough of it these days when all I want to do is hang out and play with John. He is learning and growing so much. His two bottom teeth are continuing their push through the gums and they are sharp! At 5 1/2 months John is sitting for longer periods of time without help, chewing on everything he gets his hands on and jumping and standing with help whenever he can. No Dr appointment this month but he's got to be pushing 22 pounds because he has grown out of most 9 month clothes and wears mostly 12 month shirts, shorts, and onesies. He is eating solids twice a day now with regular feedings and he eats so well. It is adorable to watch him open his mouth for a big bite and whine when I take too long to get the spoon to him.

A Few Firsts

John had a lot of firsts this weekend...we can't blink or we will miss something! His teeth are starting to cut and we could feel the first one on Friday. Teething has made him a bit fussy but mostly he just chews a lot, drools everywhere, and sucks on his pacifier.

John visited Great Grandpa and Grandma Bremer in Big Bear for the first time and spent one night there with lots of Bremer relatives. He did okay for the night away but he wouldn't sleep in his playpen like I had planned. He is much more aware of his surroundings and was a little freaked out not being in his home, any time I tried to lay him in his bed he would wake up, look around with BIG eyes then start crying :(. Steve and I got to find out up close just how noisy and active John is when he sleeps because he would only sleep in the bed with us (a first for Steve too!).

After watching Steve and I eat dinner for the last few weeks John started staring intently at our food and making sucking noises. We decided to give rice cereal a try...and it was a running mess! Two nights later we tried again a little thicker and after the initial shock of a new taste and texture he sucked it all down. He actually leaned and reached for the spoon when I had to re-fill it. I think he will be a good, strong eater :)

John also fed himself a bottle for the first time. It occasionally slips out and gets milk on his face but he enjoys helping out and having something to hold onto when he is without a boob :) We have taken so many pictures and videos I never know what to post and where to start. One thing for sure...we can't get enough of this little guy!

Naked Baby!

John sporting his APU gear from Grandpa Rick

It has been 3 weeks since I went back to work part time and we are settling into the new schedule. John is doing great with his sitters and I am hanging in there being away from him in the mornings. It seems like he grows every night and when we get him up in the mornings he is longer, chubbier and stronger than the day before.

John has been working on sitting up on his own, doesn't work well on a full belly though!

John was getting a little heat rash on his lower belly and diaper area from the cloth diapers+100 degree heat. Great-Grandma Pat recommended lots of air time and it worked wonders. The little guy spends hours a day naked on a blanket or towel and the rash has mostly cleared up without having to use medicines or creams. The result is that most of his pictures this month are of him naked so I hope you don't mind naked baby bum and weenie :)

Having fun with his toys!

John gets to practice standing, reaching and grabbing on this cool ExerSaucer, a great hand-me-down from the Olsen family. He can fully roll over whenever he wants now too which is fun but worrisome at night in the crib. I keep waking up and finding his face in the mattress or crib bumper so I roll him back over just to find him in the same position the next time I check on him! He is becoming more vocal (check out the clip below...screaming and laughing) and discovering all his new movements and sounds. It is so fun to watch him learn and play. He likes to watch Elmo, Barney, Kipper, Baby Einstein also though only about 15 minutes at a time. We may need to start solids sooner than I thought because John is super interested in what Steve and I eat and drink...we now have to be careful when we hold him at the table because he can reach and grab so quickly. I can't believe he's already 4 1/2 months old!

4 months old

John was 4 months old yesterday and is becoming quite an animated baby. He sleeps through the night most of the time now, which is great for us all. He has a pretty established routine too. I was offered a part-time teaching job August 6 (with school starting August 10, ahhh!) It was a bittersweet opportunity. I am so sad to leave John at all but to be able to work only 4 hours a day with good pay and great benefits can't be beaten. John spends his mornings with my cousin Ellie, Aunt Jean or his Grandma Debbie. It is wonderful to be able to leave him and feel comfortable that he is still getting all the love and attention I would give him if I were home.

John had his 4month check up today and is still topping the charts. He weighs 18 pounds 10 oz and is 26 inches long, his head is 17 1/4 inches around. He received another round of vaccinations as well and did a great job. He cried, of course, but for only a minute or so before being distracted by me making faces and cooing noises. With the doctor's advise we are sticking to breastfeeding only as long as he continues growing so well.

We still get visitors which John loves...he is so social and smiles and plays with whoever is willing to make faces at him! Clifton just moved back to Orange County from Arkansas so John gets to see much more of him and Steve has a surfing buddy back :) Our good friend Michelle visited last weekend from San Francisco and got to meet John for the first time (but I don't have any pictures...sorry Michelle!)

John's developing skills include reaching and grabbing any objects around him, pushing up with his arms and hands during tummytime, lots of laughs and squeals, and babbling gallore. He is working on rolling from his back to his belly and will probably have that down in the next week. We are preparing for baby-proofing the house because once he is mobile I think he will be all over the place. Now that I am working the updates will probably not be as frequent but I will try to keep up!

Visit with Friends

Getting ready for his evening shower.

Steve can really make John laugh! It's amazing to me how babies realize so young that dad is playtime and mom is business (and playtime too but not like dad!). John already shows different reactions to me and Steve and loves when dad gets home with his fresh energy to play. We have pretty much ditched the baby tub and shower John together every night as part of his bedtime routine. He really loves the water and the sound it makes too. Once he can sit on his own it's bath time fun but for now he gets a thorough cleaning in the running water.
This last weekend was spent with one of my best friends who lives in Idaho. Megan and Travis flew out for 3 days with their 14 month old Oliver to meet John. Oliver was a great preview into what to expect in the future and how much energy it takes to keep up with a mobile little guy!
We spent an afternoon at the beach...it was Oliver's first time at the ocean. He didn't seem to care much for the chilly water but had a blast playing in the sand while John watched and learned.
Megan, Travis, Steve and I look forward to watching our little guys grow up from afar and taking summer vacations together. Having a baby and 14 month old in the same house was a great chance for some family planning! It was so fun but I was exhausted by the end of the visit and that was with 4 adults watching and caring for 2 kids :)

3 months old already

We watched the World Cup at Grandma Joan's last weekend and worn our orange to support the Netherlands. We don't have TV at home but it seems that John likes to watch the TV with all it's colors and movements, he was mesmerized by it.
Grandma Joan discovered that she and John owned matching shorts so we had to capture the moment before he grew out of them...which is about to happen.
We have spent our third day at the pool and John is loving it now. Naked is the way to go for him and it is so nice to have a not freezing salt water pool to swim in...thanks Trautwiens and GG Kershaw! John almost fell asleep in my arms in the water last weekend, it was so nice to escape the heat for both of us.
John enjoys hanging out at GG Kershaws just like me. We go over at least once a week as a way to get out of the house and get used to other places. John seems to know that Grandpa John is special to him and loves to laugh with him and lay on his belly to sleep.
Aunt Jenn is a frequent visitor since she is so close by and comes over after work a couple times a week to dance and sing with her nephew. She is great at entertaining and it gives me a chance to garden and get dinner together.
John was 3 months old yesterday and man is he growing fast. He is in all 6 month clothes and I have adjusted his car seat twice now...I only have one setting left. Besides the length of John increasing I can see his thighs bulking up daily! He is much more animated and makes all kids of noises when he is awake and playing. He can fully laugh now too which makes play time tons of fun for Steve and I as we make fools of ourselves trying to get him to laugh more. He grasps better and we work on sitting and holding objects everyday so he can be strong and ready to sit on his own. Steve and I are having so much fun interacting with John and watching him grow and develop.

This clip is from yesterday, John is such a noise maker already!

Beach Bum...kind of

It has been a busy time since the last blog for John. He has spent lots of his days hanging out with friends and family who come over to visit. I think we have a guest every week day...John is so lucky to have so many people who love him and want to be around him!! Aunt Makenna and Uncle Connor are so good at playing with John and making him smile. Grandma Joan is off for the summer and comes over regularly to help out. It's nice to get things done around the house and know that John is safe and happy playing.

We celebrated Steve's first Father's Day at Doug and Debbie's house with some family. This is John's Bremer scowl face, one he wears most of the time. His little eyebrows furrow like he's thinking really hard or pooping :).
We just returned from a Kershaw family vacation in Newport Beach. John had his very first boat ride (above) and his first day on the beach (below). It was a cold and breezy week so John did not spend much time on the sand or in shorts at all but he did spend lots of time with aunts, cousins, grandparents and greats. It was a nice week for Steve to surf and for me to relax. We spent most of our time on the porch of the timeshare and walking the boardwalk and we both look forward to next summer when John will be running around in the sand and water!

John is growing so fast and learning so much. He can control his hands more these days and looks at them a lot. He has started to find his voice too and screams and laughs when we play. His first scream was when we were driving in the car and it scared the crap out of me, I thought something was wrong, but he was smiling and laughing when I checked on him! He can sit with help for minutes at a time now and turns his head to look all around and learn about his environment. He is starting to like looking at faces more than objects which his grandmas love :) I will get a video posted next week when I do his 3 month old blog...almost 3 months?!

John had his first trip into the pool at Great Grandma Pat's last week. He cried the whole time, then I took off his clothes and he was the happiest baby. Next time he goes in with just the diaper because he loves the water and the shower so he must love the pool and being naked and hate the swim clothes :)
John had his 2 month appointment today and got his first round of vaccines. It was tough, more for me than him I think, but Steve was there to hold him so I didn't have to look :). John is now 14 lbs 13 oz and 24 1/2 inches long...still topping the charts for growth and size. He is super alert and lively too. He now wears his hats on walks so he can look around from his carrier instead of being trapped under a blanket.
I know he is gaining weight and getting chubby but he just looks so long to me! He is wearing 6 month clothes these days. Good thing we got a huge variety of sizes at the baby showers :) Getting ready to celebrate Steve's first Father's Day this Sunday. I think we will go to the beach in the morning so he can surf then BBQ at Grandma and Grandpa Bremer's house.

John spends lots of time on his activity mat that my Aunt Gina and family gave us at John's baby shower. He was too little to appreciate it at first but now you can see that he absolutely loves it! He stares and smiles and laughs and moves the whole time then cries if I take him off of it too soon...so so cute.