All About Jack Walter

Our life forever changed last year on September 21, 2010 at 3:55 pm when Jack was born. He began life at a whopping 8 lbs 2 oz & 19.75 inches, and as of his most recent well-check the big man is 24 lb 2 oz & 30.5 inches!! He has done A LOT of grrrrrrowing this year :-) Since my posting has been almost non-existent I want to devote an entire blog to Jack now, and one on Alexa soon, in the hopes that if I am focused on updating about only one child then I will not leave anything out. The goal is to try to capture in words how amazing each of our children are!

With no further ado here is the update on our Monster Man/Buddy/Jack-Attack :) Jack's Day...

• It usually begins somewhere between 7-8 am. With a smile. A huge one!
• Before long he is fussy and saying "ba-ba" (even though he doesn't get a bottle anymore) to signify that it is time for breakfast.
• Breakfast is usually around 8:30 am and consists of waffles, fruit, toast, zucchini/pumpkin bread, yogurt, oatmeal, or something along those lines.
• Then we either play in the basement, run errands, or go to the gym, zoo, library. I have to say, Jack is a hit at the gym! The staff in the playroom love him!! He never cries when I drop him off, which is amazing considering the separation anxiety Alexa had at this age when I would take her there. If we stay at home, Buddy is surely causing mischief - climbing on the fireplace, opening the TV cabinet, tearing toys/books off of shelves, trying to get into the pantry, dumping out toys, taking apart Alexa's puzzles, etc. The boy is busy!
• He eats lunch usually around noon. This meal is usually a PB&J sandwich, a quesadilla, fruit, veggie straws, hot dog, etc. Jack has become a kinda picky eater lately so I try to make his favorites for breakfast & lunch so I know he is eating, and then I offer him a variety at dinner.
• After lunch is nap. He is a solid napper, from like 1-4 pm (or so).
• I'm usually cooking dinner to some extent when the kids get up so we will either play in the basement or the kids will play in the kitchen (with a few pans & utensils I've designated for them) depending on how close by I need to stay to the meal.
• We eat dinner between 5:30-6 pm, whenever Daddy walks through the door :) Whatever I make is what goes on Jack's tray. If he likes it, great! And he'll devour tons. If he doesn't like it (or more likely, refuses to try it) he doesn't eat. I figure if he's hungry enough, he'll eat.
• After dinner we play in the basement as a family.
• The kids get a bath every-other night, so if it is a bath night they head upstairs with Daddy for "bath time fun" at 7:10 pm.
• We read him a book (or 2-3 depending on how tired Jack is), say a quick prayer, sing a song, and the little man is diving for his crib by 8:00 pm. He does NOT want to be late!
  

**Every day with Jack is exhausting & entertaining and frustrating & fun - seems to be the job description of parenting: It is challenging yet rewarding!! It is so great to see him learn new things. He really won't sit still to work on shape sorting, basic puzzles, flashcards, animal noises, body parts, etc. like big sissy would at this age - which makes me frustrated because I'm not directly teaching him things, like I used to do with Alexa. Although he doesn't know these things that she did at his age, he knows things that she didn't (i.e. if he is holding a brush he will put it on his head and brush his hair, he puts a phone up to his ear, he puts toys back in the containers, etc.). I'm sure as the weather continues to go downhill and we are staying home more he will begin to learn these other basic baby knowledge facts! Some of you might remember the Milestone Charts from Babycenter.com that I was using before to identify where Alexa & Jack were developmentally. As a reminder, M (Mastered), E (Emerging), and A (Advanced)... I'm gonna try to identify if Jack was doing each thing by the listed age - if I can remember, hahaha.

10 months

• Waves goodbye (M): He's an excellent waver :)
• Crawls with belly off the ground (M): Check... He started crawling while Daddy & Mommy were in Mexico!
• Stands alone for a few seconds (A): Negative. He hardly ever does this now.

11 months

• Says "mama" or "dada" to the correct parent (M): Definitely. We produce talkers, not walkers LOL
• Plays Peek-A-Boo (M): Absolutely. He LOVES this!!
• Understands "no" and simple instructions (E): Debateable. He can follow directions and I think he understands no, he just doesn't listen!
• Says one word besides "mama" or "dada" (A): Yes. I believe by this age he had words for Chloe, bottle, book, woof

12 months

• Imitates others' activities (M): Check
• Indicates wants with gestures (M): Check
• Takes a few steps (E): Negative
• Scribbles with a crayon (A): Doubtful - He normally eats it! Haha.
• Says two words (A): Yes!

13 months

• Bends over to pick up object (M): Yes, if he is holding onto something. He is still not standing/walking alone.
• Enjoys gazing at his reflection (E): OMG, YES!! And he loves to watch videos of himself - he points and says "Jack!!!!"
• Holds out arm/leg to help you dress him (E): Check
• Combines words/gestures to make needs known (A): He points at things and says "this" or "that" ALLLLLLL DAYYYYY LONGGGG!!!
  

14 months

• Eats with fingers (M): He's been doing this for months!!
• Empties containers of contents (M): He is a master at this!
• Toddles well (E): Still not walking
• Responds to instructions, e.g. "give me a kiss" (E): Yup
• Uses a spoon/fork (A): He can kinda use utensils - but he makes a big mess!
• Pushes and pulls toys while walking (A): He walks pushing anything, the walker, the toy piano, the tricycle, chairs, bins, but does not pull anything

Other accomplishments

• He claps at the right time to If You're Happy and You Know It
• He turns pages in books
• He understands when someone (usually Alexa) is sad and gives hugs & kisses ♥
• He is beginning to stack blocks (does better with larger ones then small ones... and the best part for him, knocking them over!!)
• He can climb up stairs completely independently, as well as safely slide down 'em on his belly
• He dances to music
• He gave up his pacy!! (Well, I took it away from him, but it is still an accomplishment)
• He will fake cough if you ask, "Jack do you have a cough?" Then after doing it a few times, he laughs and laughs. The boy is getting a sense of humor :) I also had this pacifier game I played with him (that he usually initiated by putting his pacy in my mouth & laughing), he would tug on it until I would let it go and then quick as can be shove it into his mouth, repeat repeat repeat, and he would be in hysterics the whole time!
  

Jack loves...

• playing in water! He had so much fun going to pools this summer :) LOVES taking baths (even though Daddy spends lots of time saying "Jack sit down") and really enjoyed swim lessons (that he took in Sept - Oct)
• his tag blankie and stuffed moose at nap/bedtime... so much so that when we forgot to pack them for Perry this past weekend he was extremely upset when being put to bed :(
• Alexa ♥ She is seriously his favorite person in the entire world. He calls her name, looks for her, follows her... For right now, they are the very best of friends :) (And I hope that we can find a way to ensure they always remain so close!)
• Chloe... He loves to watch her, and most particularly to feed her (even though we tell him no)
• Daddy ♥ As soon as he gets in the door from work, it is all about "Dada" all night. I'm chopped liver, LOL
• playing! His favorite toys include (but aren't limited to and are constantly changing) anything to do with the kitchen set (a spoon, pots, the ear of corn), various cars, the vacuum, phones, dinosaur, books (although he tore apart his favorite Oscar the Grouch book on Sunday, boo - his other fave is The Three Bears by Byron Barton), motorcycle, Pokey the rocking horse.
  
• food: bananas, blueberries, grapes, apples, PB&J sandwich, waffles, yogurt, hot dogs/sausage, chicken nuggets, rolls/biscuits, Chex mix... Notice a trend? Mostly things with carbs (i.e. breads and fruits)
• playing Peek-A-Boo!!!! He is starting to do a good job of actually covering his eyes (rather than placing his hands on his forehead, that both our babies have done initially when learning this milestone game) and will sometimes say, "Jack???" or "Boo!"
  

Jack is...

• (and has been) completely transitioned from bottles to sippy cups. He stopped breastfeeding at about 11 months old and was on formula for a month then we switched him to milk in a cup.
• no longer on medicine for acid reflux. We weaned him from it back in July and he has done great without it!
• the proud owner of 7 (I think) teeth. He doesn't really let you get in there and look around! I've always been a big fan of the gummy grins since they only last a short part of a baby's life, but even I have to admit that when he smiles and shows those ' teethers' it makes me smile too :)
  
• a total handful! But I absolutely love this boy to pieces!! Even when he is frustrating me, it is hard to stay angry because he has the cutest face ever. His smile just melts my heart ♥
• a sponge - ready to learn, I think. He has become fascinated with teeth recently and can also identify where his belly is :) I really am excited about the winter weather forcing us to stay inside more often so that I can really begin to work with him on some stuff! I've also been encouraging Alexa to help out too - she knows to help him with his words by telling him what something is when he points to it :)
  
• a camera's delight, haha! Seriously, our lil buddy takes THE best pictures!!!! In fact, one of his pics from his Sept 1-Year photo shoot was on display at Portrait Innovations the entire month of October.

Many of you can probably remember when I was posting about Jack's plagiocephaly condition back in the spring... I'm sure by now, you know that we opted to NOT treat it with a molding helmet. It was an extremelyyyy tough decision for Dan and I, one that we constantly second-guessed ourselves about, but ultimately we came to the conclusion that the potential help it would offer in reshaping his moderate condition did not offset the potential damage it could do to him in all aspects of his development. The doctors/nurses told us that either way his head would always be slightly asymmetrical (i.e. even the helmet would not have made Jack's head perfectly round). Studies showed that in cases similar to his, equal success was made with repositioning techniques while sleeping and keeping the child off his head while awake. Mainly with those two points in mind compared to the risk of the helmet hindering breastfeeding, crawling/walking, talking, and his overall personality, we just thought it was in our/Jack's best interest to be diligent with repositioning him to his left side or belly while sleeping and staying upright while awake. And that is exactly what we have done. When I took him back to see the pediatric neurosurgeon's nurse practioner back in May or June (I can't exactly remember when) she was astounded at the progress his head had made!! Our pediatrician comments every time we see her that his head just looks great too! Of course, there are days when we over-analyze, question, re-think our choice - but in the end, I think we made the right decision for Jack.


Just to be a tad nostalgic - Let's take a quick look at photos to see how much my most favorite little boy has grown and changed in his first year!!

Welcome to the world, Jack Walter Ritchey!!









A newborn photograph taken when Jack was 6 days old








We knew those eyes were gonna stay baby blue - 4 months








Happiest kid alive - 8 months old












Our big boy (this is the pic of him that was on display at the portrait studio) - 1 Year








Happy 1st Birthday!!












What an absolutely incredible year it has been with the amazing little boy that God blessed us with last fall. Jack Walter brings us so much joy and happiness! We are looking forward to making many more marvelous memories with our remarkable son ♥ Ciao.

A Moment to Cherish

SURPRISE!! Bet you didn't think you'd be hearing from me again so soon, huh?! Well, I had such an amazing experience with the kids this afternoon that I want to share while it is still fresh in my mind - though I'm sure I'll never forget it...

I first heard Alexa waking up from nap (around 4:35 pm), and within seconds I heard Jack too. Funny how they almost always wake up at the exact same time! Since Alexa was crying and Jack sounded happy, I went to her room first. When I got there she was extremely emotional. I have no idea why, I guess she just "woke up on the wrong side of the bed." So carrying a crying Alexa, I went to Jack's room to get him up. As I changed his diaper, she clung to my leg whimpering. So instead of rushing back downstairs to go back to my To Do List and putting off Alexa's unexplained cries, I decided to sit down in the rocking chair in Jack's room and cuddle my two babies. I am SOOO GLAD that I did!!!!

The moments spent in that chair this afternoon are ones to cherish forever ♥ ♥ ♥

I watched as Jack intently put his hand to Alexa's face and [not so gently] started wiping away her tears - after I said "nice" and "gentle" a few times he did it so sweetly. Then he leaned across me to rest his head on her chest. The both sighed deeply in the sweet snuggle. Finally, he sat upright, opened his mouth, and planted a big kiss on her. To see the compassion that Jack had for his big sister just astounded me. To see the cheerfulness that lit Alexa from her little brother had me in awe. With big smiles, much laughter, and lots of love the kids continued to cuddle, hug, and kiss right on my lap for several minutes; barely noticing I was there.

It sounds cliche to say, but I cannot even find the proper words to describe these moments with Alexa and Jack... There are no words to illustrate the looks and touches of compassionate love these two shared. I felt so blessed to witness such an innocent, unconditional exchange of love between my two remarkable babies!

This really makes me stop to think about my priorities. Does it really matter if dinner is later than usual? Does every speck of dust needed to be removed from the house? Do the dishes need to be done right now? Can't that load (or loads) of laundry wait until later?... Anyone close to me will tell you that the fact that I actually set aside heading back downstairs to continue making dinner (the item on my To Do List I had been 'interrupted' on when the kids woke up) to cuddle Alexa & Jack, especially considering how Alexa's unexplained whining often unnerves me, is a big deal. And I think in making that decision, in experiencing such a special time with my kids, I have realized my priorities, my focus, needs to completely return to them. It's not that I ignore Alexa & Jack by any means, but sometimes I do put other (non-important, in the grand scheme of things) things in front of spending quality, undivided attention with my children. That stops today. Making memories like the one I shared with Alexa & Jack today are going to be my #1 priority. All the other 'stuff' can wait.

Like I said at the beginning of this post, I had a few moments with the children today that I will never forget. I'll hold them forever in my heart. I am going to be a better Mommy because of them ♥ Ciao.

Write a [Overdue] Blog Post: Check!!

Lately, I have been really sad and disappointed in myself for my absence in the blogging world. I recently sat down to revisit old posts... It made me miss blogging even more! The posts triggered so many great memories with the kids & Dan from the past several years, they reminded me of cute things Alexa said/did, and I enjoyed reliving how I was feeling/thinking about everything going on in our life. I wish I could find the time to update more frequently for many reasons. One, so I could look back years from now and "relive" life with 2-year old Alexa and infant Jack. Two, so the kids could look back at what their childhoods' were like. Three, to serve as a refresher on various life stages (e.g. how many times a day each child napped or how much food I was feeding them or how I transitioned them for one thing to another) so that it could help me with my parenting. Four, to share with family & friends the awesomeness that is Alexa & Jack (and me & Dan too) on a regular basis!

Although I don't think I will ever make the time to blog as frequently as I should (or used to - life is extremely busy with 2 kids!), I know lots of other SAHM who make the time to do things (or have hobbies) besides taking care of the kids and tending house. So for me, I am going to try to post cute short stories frequently (no promises on how often) and longer updates on a monthly basis. My hope is that if I stay somewhat current, it won't be so overwhelming or time-consuming to write a post. With that said, here is an update on the past 6ish months....

March

• Alexa took swim lessons on Thursday nights and did a really great job!
• Alexa went to her first play - Perry Middle Schools' production of Aladdin. She was such a good girl during the entire performance!
• Jack continued to try new solids, including learning how to self-feed various items (like Gerber Puffs and Rice Rusks). Clearly eating is his favorite past-time, hehe.
• Jack learned to sit unassisted!

April

• Jack began riding in the stroller like a "big boy" (i.e. not in the infant carrier).
• Went to Kalahari for 2 nights/3 days - Alexa, Jack, and I joined my parents, sister, and two of her friends at the huge waterpark in Sandusky for a Spring Break-cation :-) It was a fabulous time!
• First trip to the Columbus Zoo of the season! We will DEFINITELY be renewing our family membership!!
• We traveled to North Carolina... we stayed one night with Maureen & Dan (in Greensboro), then stayed one night with Andy & Cathy (in Durham) - and got to meet our newest niece, Jocelyn, and then had three nights with my family (in Monroe). It was a WONDERFUL trip!! We had such a great time with everyone we saw and the kids did an excellent job traveling :-)
• Celebrated a nice Easter in Perry, which included an egg & basket hunt on Sunday morning and an extended family get together in the afternoon.

May

• Jack began to sit in the booster seat and Alexa in a 'big girl chair' for meals - both kids do a fine job in their new seats at the table.
• Jack started playing and exploring his world. He was getting more mobile (i.e. rolling) and showing preference for certain toys.
• Alexa had been yearning for more outdoor play time, which was hard given the constant rainfall. But enjoyed the times we did get to go outside - including a few trips to the zoo, several outings to the park/playground, and hanging out in the backyard!
• Prom and Mother's Day in Perry. A fun-filled family weekend ♥ Cute story: The week before Mother's Day, Daddy asked Alexa what she wanted to get me. Here were the items she told him... a Mickey, a lollipop, a bib, a blanket, a white, and a pink shirt. Knowing that a pink shirt was probably the only thing I may want from her list, he asked her, "what kind of pink shirt?" and Alexa told Daddy, "one with big letters." He ended up getting me a 90-minute Grand Massage at Charles Penzone (which I did last week - AMAZING!), yoga capris from Victoria's Secret, and the most meaningful gift.. a 'pink shirt with big letters. It is so great knowing that it was a gift Alexa picked out for me, and she gets so excited/proud when she sees me wearing it :)
  
• Had several playdates with the Nguyen's, Hinton's, and Huston's! It is so great to have other "Mommy" friends to visit with while our kids play :)
  
• A Girls' Night Out for Mommy - I went to Big Bang Piano Bar downtown with Bobbi & her friends/family. It was a great time!!
• A new way of bathing for Alexa and Jack... I bought a new laundry basket at Target for Jack to sit in in the tub (instead of the baby bathtub). This has encouraged more interaction between the two during bath and they really enjoy it!
• A visit from Maureen and Dan. We had a nice dinner at Abuelo's (and a walk around Easton) and a fun trip to the zoo :-)
  
• Memorial Day weekend in Perry was jam-packed with the kids getting their 1st haircuts, going to the Cleveland Zoo, swimming at Johnny's pool, attending the Perry Memorial Day parade, and seeing some of my high school girlfriends (and their families)!
• Jack began talking ♥ He started putting the sound Dada together first, but I think that Mama was the first word he said with meaning. I loooove hearing him call my name :)
  

June

• Jack learned to clap :)
  
• Had lots of pool, Splash Pad, park, etc. playdates!
• Took Alexa & Jack for new pictures. Check out the Professional Photos on Facebook.
  
• Watched Auntie (my baby sis) graduate from high school!! She gave an excellent speech as Senior Class President and then we enjoyed a nice dinner at Bahama Breeze :)
• Jack was 'upgraded' to a convertible car seat because he was outgrowing the infant carrier... the best part?? The kids LOVE the box - they still play in it everyday!!
• Dan and I celebrated our 5-year anniversary: we had friends over one night, went out to dinner & a movie another night, and then went to MEXICO for 6 glorious days! It was so great to celebrate this milestone anniversary so many times :) :)
• The kids finally met their big sister, Hope - Dan's birth daughter who has been living in China & Taiwan for the past 3.5 years. Alexa warmed up to Hope really fast and had so much fun playing, reading, and eating lunch with her! We've been trying to spend as much time with her as possible because they leave to go back to China on September 10th.
• Had a nice Father's Day. Jack got Daddy a stepping stone with his footprints (Alexa got one for him the first Father's Day after she was born, so I figured we should carry on the tradition). And Alexa picked out statues of a gnome and a bunny for Daddy all by herself. He really liked his gifts :)
• Me, Dan, my parents, Paul & Katelyn, and Danielle & Anthony went to the Kenny Chesney concert. Great time!! Thanks to Gram, Aunt Janine, & Uncle Ken for watching Alexa & Jack so we could have an adult night out! :)
• Danielle's Grad Party... another great time (we've been so blessed to be having so many great, fun, interesting things to do these past few months!).
• While Dan & I enjoyed our vacay to Mexico, Alexa & Jack had a Perry-cation. We missed them tons and they missed us, but we all enjoyed our vacations! Thanks to Mom, Dad, & Danielle for taking such great care of our babies so that we could take an anniversary trip kid-free. It was great to be Nikki & Dan (not Mommy & Daddy) for a few days!!
• We also learned that several of our friends are expecting... really looking forward to the arrivals of A&J's new friends in the beginning of 2012 :)
  

July

• Of course, while we were in Mexico Jack started crawling! :( :) I have mixed feelings about this because while I am super excited and proud of him for getting that gut off the ground and beginning to move hehe, I am sad we missed it. It seems as though our children are bound to crawl for the first time at Noni & Papa's house while Mommy & Daddy are away (Alexa crawled for the first time when we were at Cedar Point 2 years ago).
• Jack sprouted his first two teeth :)
• We hung around Perry for 4th of July! We were able to attend my parents' friend, Johnny's Annual Pool Party, go jet skiing (including Alexa's first ride), bum around Mardi Gras, and watch fireworks on the beach. It was wonderful ♥
• We've taken full advantage of our renewed Columbus Zoo membership with several trips to see our favorite animals.
• Alexa had tubes put in her ears on July 8th. After enduring 9 ear infections in 13 months, the pediatrician referred us to the ENT for this simple surgery. She did a FANTASTIC job!! Although she was inconsolable when she first woke up from the procedure, by the time we got home she was singing "I Just Can't Wait To Be King" and "Hakuna Matata" as if nothing ever happened :) We've already had a follow-up with Dr. Powell (the ENT surgeon) and he said that she has been an A+ patient! Two audiologists have tested Alexa's hearing and speech and they were both blown away with her language development - saying it is extremely advanced for her age! Very proud of our brave, lil chatterbox ♥
• Had lots more playdates
• Enjoyed Noni & Auntie's visit to Columbus for OSU's orientation - can't wait for her to get down here in just 11 days!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I am pumped that the countdown is no longer months, or weeks, but now days!)
  
• Add another gross motor milestone to Jack's repertoire... learning to pull himself up to stand! Between the crawling and standing Jack is now into E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. Definitely keeps this SAHM busy!!
  
• Our dear friend, Art, came to town for a visit so we had a big party. Had lots of fun and made great memories with many of our closest friends! So thankful that they are all willing to come hangout at our house because it is easy for us with the kids.
  

August

• Been trying to stay cool despite the summer heat... loads of time either spent at the Splash Pads or various pools (thank goodness for Bobbi, Becky, and Stephanie, who have all been so nice to let us tag-along at their condo complexes!! Although I think we are gonna just have to get a pool membership somewhere so we don't necessarily have to 'bother' people to cool off).
• Somewhere along the way, Jack has picked up a few new words: baby, hi, bottle, book, and recently dog & woof! It's fun trying to get him to say things! Although he doesn't say a ton, you know he understands a lot of what you say to him. For example, when I go to get him out of his crib and say "Jack, take out your pacy" he immediately spits it out :) He has also learned to sign for "more" - no shock there, the kid HAD to learn a way to get more food LOL ;-)
• Went to the Zoo with The Randall's & Butcher's (Hope & her family). We had such an excellent day bumming around, looking at animals, eating lunch together, etc. The relationship that we have with this family because of Hope's open adoption is so special!
• Went to The Fest, which is a Catholic festival in Wickliffe, OH. It was great to hear the Christian bands, eat yummy food, and attend an outdoor Mass. I could have done without the torrential downpour at the end of the night that had all of our clothes stuck to our bodies by the time we got back to the car though, hehe.
• For awhile now, I have had to do something with Alexa's hair every day - whether it be a side half-pony, a full pony, a bow, a braid, etc. - to keep it out of her face. Now it is Jack's turn. When he has his hair spiked, Alexa tells him "You look like a stud!" :)
  
• We had a sleepover with Hope!! She came over on a Saturday afternoon and hungout with me & Dan while the kids napped. Once they were up, we played, ate dinner, went to the park (where Alexa was stung 4 times by a swarm of bees!), and had Menchies (fro-yo). After putting Alexa & Jack to bed, we watched a movie with Hope. We enjoyed breakfast together as a family before returning Hope to her parents. It was nice to see the bonds forming between Hope and Alexa & Jack. They have all really grown attached to one another!
• I took Hope, Alexa, & Jack to have their picture taken as a surprise for Dan. It turned out great! Then the five of us had lunch at Mirror Lake (Pita Pit for me, D, & H and McDs for A&J) and got smoothies at Berry Blendz (my fave - can't wait until Danielle is living on campus, I'm gonna go here ALL the time LOL). It was a nice morning together :)
• Auntie and her boyfriend, Anthony, came to visit for a weekend. Among the fun things we did, had ice cream at Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream, and played/picnic-ed at Homestead Park in Hilliard. So glad they made the trip down to see us!!
• We went to Perry the last weekend of the month and enjoyed ice cream, playing at the park, dinner at Joe's, and some down time at home. Always the best to be with my fam ♥
• Alexa & I had a quick 12-hr stomach flu. It was brutal on both of us :(
• The kids & I went downtown to have lunch with Daddy. We ate at Boston's Pizza and then played in a nearby grassy area. It was so nice to see him mid-day!! Now that it is cooling off a bit (but before it gets too cold), we'll have to go have lunch with again!
• Overall we did lots of playing in play areas at malls (when it was too hot to be outside), went to the SplashPad a few more times, went to the Zoo, had playdates at friends' houses, cookouts with neighbors... just busy Busy BUSY making memories ♥

September (so far)

• Our Labor Day weekend was action.packed.to.the.extreme. Let's see if I can remember everything we did... Friday: nothing. Thank goodness for this day of relaxation to gear up for a big weekend! Saturday: Dan & I went to campus for the home opener vs. Akron. It was scorching hot (over 100 degrees inside The Horseshoe) so we left after watching TBDBITL perform Script Ohio. While on campus, we got to hangout with the boys at BW3s and tailgate with Jamie & her bf, Alex. The kids stayed at home with Frankie. Once we got home & they woke up from nap, we went out to Pataskala to see Maureen & Dan (who were babysitting Andy & Cathy's kids). It was great to see them and it gave the cousins an opportunity to play together! Sunday: We had a cookout at Dan's parents' house with them, Andy & his family, and the Randall's. It was chaotic to have our 2 kids, Andy's 3 kids, and the 3 Randall's all playfully busy, but it was a lot of fun! Hope gave Dan a stepping stone with her handprint to be paired with Alexa & Jack's footprint ones in our backyard :) He was shocked and really loved it! Monday: Had dinner and ice cream with Maureen & Dan and Pat & Becky. The kids both enjoyed quieter playtime and the undivided attention from Dan's family members. It was hard to say goodbye to Maureen (who is now living in California) and Dan (who is still in NC until the end of the year) because we don't know when we will see them again :( Hopefully, we'll be able to keep in touch using Skype though!

This month (like every other) is going to be super busy. We have resumed going to Storytime at the library, and I have Alexa signed up for a few different classes (a couple at the Zoo, a ballet class, and swim lessons) and have Jack waitlisted for swim lessons. Two weeks from today our "baby" is going to be ONE!! I made the comment to Dan the other day that "The first year with Alexa went by really fast. But this first year with Jack went by even faster!" I can hardly believe that he is almost 1. It has been such an incredible year becoming a family of four, getting to know him, establishing new routines, watching the kids grow fond of one another... the list goes on. We have Jack-Attack's 1st Birthday Party on Sept. 17! :) Then on Sept. 18th my sister moves to Columbus!!!!! There are loads of other things going on this month, but these are the things that I most look forward to!

Phew, I would be outta breath if I had just verbally said all of that - haha! So yeah, that is a pretty comprehensive synopsis of life in the Ritchey household for the past few months (and a brief preview of our next few weeks). Now I am just gonna jump onto my observations/thoughts/feelings on both of the kids:

Alexa

These days Alexa is super talkative, bossy, sweet, and ornery :-) She loves anything Princess or Fairy, her brother, and playing - whether it be in the basement or outside. Her brain is like a sponge and she just soaks up new vocabulary and knowledge every single day. She is also quite inquisitive and will ask me a string of "why" questions until I finally tell her "Because that's the way God wants it (made it, or whatever appropriate phrase to end her questioning, haha)." Then she will look at me with a silly face and say "Why? Why? Why? Why?" and laugh hysterically. Alexa has always been quite the lil jokester ;-) Another hilarious thing she used to say is "Cause be" instead of "because" (she even did it 10 seconds after you correct her - we have since corrected this though). She brings me such joy (and sometimes frustration) every single day... We definitely have our moments (like sitting at the dinner table) when I wanna pull my hair out. Or when I call her name or repeatedly ask her to do something and she doesn't. I know she is not quite 3 (holy cow!) but sometimes it is so easy to forget because she doesn't sound like or even act like a 3 year-old hardly ever. Alexa is so smart, so advanced for her age, that I think I hold her to higher standards then I would one of her peers. Maybe that's because I know she is capable of more, maybe it's because she is my daughter... All I know is that I keep trying to remind myself that although she is extremely verbal/communicative her mind still processes things & she still will behave like a 3-year old. It's a work-in-progress :-)~ But oh the joys, my Lil Rose brings me ♥ We read books together and she loves to retell the story back to you. She wants to learn what letters make what sounds, and she is already pretty good at a lot of the strong consonant sounds and a few others (T, D, P, B, X, Z, O, F, J), the K-C-S thing is confusing but she's figuring it out. I am so proud of her for not only how smart she is but for the kind/caring and funny girl that she is. Here's a recent Alexa story: She has a MAJOR crush on Tommy (a boy at the gym). One night she tells us, "He doesn't even know my name." And after asking what he calls her then, she proclaims, "Spooky!!" Hahahaha. I'm pretty sure she does not understand the meaning behind it (nor am I sure if a. this is true or b. 3-year old Tommy would get the meaning to make the statement funny) but as an adult, it cracks me up! I bought her a Halloween shirt that says Spooky on it, LOL. I could go on and on with funny stories, bragging about her stories, but the bottom-line is this: I love Alexa more with each passing day and am so thankful that God gave me her as my precious first-born baby ♥

Jack

These days Jack is super smiley, getting thinner, and into everything! He is totally aware of his world and eager to move around to interact with things. He can seriously demolish the basement playroom in 3-5 minutes. Tops. He loves to stand up and empty out any drawer, bin, etc. Makes for one heck of a clean-up session at the end of playtime, hehe! We finished breastfeeding just a few weeks ago - and he is getting 3 feedings of formula a day still (2 in bottles, 1 in a sippy cup - working on the transition). Jack doesn't seem to be as adaptable to change as Alexa was as an infant, so I foresee a few things in his near future being a bit problematic (e.g. taking away the pacifier in about 2 months). His head (the plagiocephaly) has continued to improve with our "repositioning" techniques... after repeat visits with the neurosurgeon (and his wonderful nurse practioner) and the orthotist, we made the decision to forgo a molding helmet. Jack's head was showing measurable progress without it and we thought that the helmet would just hinder his development while only offering very miniscule different to his head shape then what the repositioning was doing. We had to accept that helmet or not, Jack's head is never going to be perfectly symmetrical. This is something we struggle with (still) almost every day. Did we make the right decision? Is it noticeable? Will he be teased/tormented later in life?... We just want what is best for Jack!! Most days though, his head looks great and we are happy with the decision we made :) Jack is very "talkative" and I have a feeling he too is going to be a chatterbox - our pediatrician, Dr. Jacob, even teased me that we just create talkative offspring! It is so neat to be able to communicate with him - for him to call out for us, ask for his ba-ba, or woof at Chloe and for us to be able to give him simple instructions. He is definitely more physically active then I remember Alexa being. He can already go up and down the stairs with no assistance, he crawls fast, he stands on everything and walks around furniture. I'm sure before too long, he'll be walking! Jack loves to eat and will almost anything you put in front of him! Some of his favorite foods are blueberries, bananas, waffles, yogurt, bread, peanut butter, sausage, peas, corn, ice cream. The one thing I cannot get him to eat: lunch meat. But other than that, mealtimes with Jack are always enjoyable because he just loves food! Jack has been such a perfect addition to our family! He excels at things Alexa didn't/doesn't (and vice versa), he is so loving, and he has a smile (and eyes) that make all right in the world. I love my lil man (or lil monster, as I call him) with my entire heart and feel truly blessed that God gave him to us as our sweet second-born ♥

So yes, being a stay at home mother of two is certainly challenging and tiring. But it is also extremely rewarding!! Their giggles, smiles, and zest for life is contagious and heart warming ♥ It is so wonderful to see how much Alexa and Jack love one another and the people around them. They both are charmers and brighten everyone's days, most especially mine. Every day I am more thankful for those two precious little humans that God gave us :) Tends to be a repetitive comment I make, hehe.

Oh before I forget, I wanna share this photo with you comparing my Papa & Jack. The resemblance is amazing! So happy to see my Papa living on in my son ♥











For more photos though, please check Facebook.
March 2011
April 2011
May 2011
June 2011
Mexico
July 2011
August 2011
September 2011
Professional Photos
Mobile Uploads I
Mobile Uploads II
Mobile Uploads
**Although I am not quite as diligent with my photo-taking as I once was, particularly with the camera, I have done a decent job of capturing things and posting frequently since I got my iPhone in July. So definitely check my various Mobile Uploads albums for current pics!

It is going to take me forever to go through the countless videos we have taken the past few months, so in the interest of posting this blog in a timely fashion I'm going to omit them this time and promise to post an all-video blog soon!! The other thing I want to do but don't have time for right now is to do the detailed Milestone charts from Babycenter.com. That too I'll post at another time! And I'm sure there are other things I forgot to include since it has been so long - I'll post those as I remember 'em. And I'm sure you all also want to know how Dan and I are doing too. Rest assured, we are doing great! We are enjoying parenthood and try to steal moments with our friends & with each other to get a break from this challenging/rewarding job! More on us in another post too!

Ahhhh, I DID IT! I WROTE A BLOG POST!!!!! I cannot explain to you the level of relief and the sense of accomplishment I feel as I get read to hit "publish." This post has been a work-in-progress since June and my [crazy early] wake-up this morning gave me the opportunity to finish it before Alexa, Jack, or Dan woke up!! YAY! GO ME :)

I hope you all enjoy hearing about our adventures, learning what the children are up to, and seeing new pictures of our prides & joy :) Until next time (which the only promise I can make is that it will be sometime in September) my faithful followers... Ciao.

A Day in the Life of Jack Walter (and other things too)

Yesterday was Jack's Half-Birthday. So 'in honor' of the special occasion I decided to take photos documenting his entire day - I did a similar post for Alexa when she was around this age too. I think it is an excellent way to remember (because we forget so quickly) what they were up to at certain stages of their life. In fact, it has made me think I need to do one again for Alexa soon!!

"Good morning, Mommy & Daddy"
Jack woke up at 7:18 am, which is in his usual window of 7-7:30 am.








Daddy almost always gets Jack out of bed in the morning and changes his diaper before his first feeding.








"Mommy, baby gotta eat!"
His first nursing session of the day is usually his longest (about 5-7 minutes per side - the rest of the day he only eats for 3-5 minutes per side).







"Give me my police car, Daddy."
While Mommy gets a shower, Jack has some play time with Daddy.








Alexa wakes up after Jack (most days), and she is so excited to see her little brother!







"That tickles!!"
After spitting up all over his pajamas while sitting up in bed, it is time for Jack to get changed into his clothes for the day.







Alexa is always nearby watching/helping with anything for Jack.








"I love my jumperoo!"
Since we have been trying to keep Jack upright most of his awake hours, he spends some time in the jumperoo when we first come downstairs in the morning.






Jack hangs out in the Bumbo and 'visits' with Alexa while she eats breakfast - he does the same thing for lunch & dinner too.








The second of MANY diapers changes.









"Look, Mom, I rolled over!"
Pretty much every time we walk away to throw J's diaper in the garbage he rolls over :-)






Tummy time... Jack's not a big fan of it (and neither are we b/c of his crying and the amount of spit up that being on his belly forces up) but he does it a couple of times a day for a few minutes.







Getting ready for nursing session #2 of the day.









"What is this thing around my neck?"
I just started putting this baby travel pillow around Jack's neck when he is in the car seat because it helps keep his head from completely resting on the back of it. Today we were heading to the gym and Jack took a brief morning nap in his car seat. It is typical that he takes his morning nap on-the-go 3-4 times/week for anywhere from 20 minutes to 1.5 hours. He naps in his crib for the same range of time on days that we are home too.






Jack is shown a lot of favoritism in the playroom... the women in there adore him, give him tons of attention, and make sure he has fun while I'm working out!






"Pears are awesome!"
Jack has his first solid meal of the day after his third nursing session. He has two ice cube sized servings of whatever food item I happen to grab from the freezer. And as typical for 1-2 days/week, Anthony (our neighbor) joined us for lunch!



Both kids love being read to - makes the former teacher in me so happy :-)









Sleeping Jack.
He is usually awake for 2.5 hour increments... meaning he wakes up in the a.m., is awake for 2.5 hrs, takes a morning nap (length varies), is awake for 2.5 hrs, takes an afternoon nap (length varies), is awake until bedtime (unless he took a short afternoon nap and needs a 'power nap').





"I'm ready to get up again, Mom!"
Today J's afternoon nap was about 2 hours, from like 1:10 pm - 3:15 pm. Afternoon nap ranges from 1 - 3 hours.







Jack is such a happy boy, especially after nap. He likes to interact with the various toys on his jumperoo.








"Gimme a kiss, Frank!"
Francesca (our neighbor/babysitter) comes over to visit 1-2 afternoons a week. Jack l-o-v-e-s her, just like Alexa loves Anthony!







"Peek-a-boo.."
Jack is great at pulling his taggie down when you cover his face :-)








"This doggie is hairy!"
Jack enjoys feeling (and sometimes tasting) his board books.








"Why do the adults always open their mouths when they are feeding me?"
After a fourth nursing session, Jack has his second round of solids. On the menu today, carrots.







"I love my mommy."
Jack was having a bit of a meltdown while we were eating dinner so I took him out of the Bumbo for some cuddle time. I think he is kinda getting frustrated that we really haven't been letting him rest his neck/head much the past few days because we are trying to give his head a chance to round out.





He doesn't take a 'power nap' after dinner as much as he used to. If he does it is only 20-30 minutes long. Daddy laid him down because we thought he was tired since he was so fussy, but Jack never actually fell asleep.







"Daddy, you are so funny!"
Both of the kids love the funny faces and noises that their daddy makes at them :-)~







"What does this foam puzzle thing taste like?"
In the evenings the four of us have family time in the playroom.








"Bath time fun!"
The kids get a bath together every other night - Daddy always does bath time.







"It's my half-birthday!!!!!!!"
Cute pic of Jack with Bear and Moose in his rocking chair before his final feeding of the day.







"This medicine makes me feel good."
Jack continues to take a half of a 15mg tablet of Prevacid once a day for his acid reflux.







"Yay! We're reading my favorite book!!"
Sometimes we read a few short books together, sometimes I read a short book to Jack while Daddy reads a longer one to Alexa, and sometimes we do both before bedtime.






"Mommy needs to take singing lessons.. hehe."
I always put Jack to bed (b/c Daddy claims he goes to bed easier for me). Before I lay him in his crib I sing him a few songs, including You Are My Sunshine, and say a few prayers for him.






"Thank goodness I have my taggie."
Jack went to bed at 8:10 pm.








As you can see Jack has quite the busy day for a 6 month old! He spends lots of time upright and exploring the things around him, eating, getting his diaper changed, watching Alexa, sleeping, etc. It has been such a blessing watching him grow every day, getting to know him, and being his mother. Words cannot express how much my life has changed for the better since having these two wonderful children that God gave us.. Hope you enjoyed spending the day with our Mister Man as much as we do ♥

We went to the pediatrician this morning for Jack's 6 month check-up. He received two shots and one oral vaccination. He took it like a trooper, only briefly crying before a smile once again lit his precious face :-)










His stats:

• 20 lbs 4 oz (90th percentile), he has gained almost 3 lbs in 2 months!
• 26.75" long (75th percentile)
• 17.75" head circumference (90th percentile)

Dr. Jacob was very pleased with Jack's growth, how he is doing with his solid foods, his [breast]milk intake, his 'milestones' (like rolling, sitting, putting weight on his legs, etc.), and how social he is (making eye contact, smiling, cooing, etc.). She also gave me recommendations on more foods to try. We discussed what happened with the orthotist last week, and she fully supported our decision to wait a month before deciding one way or another whether or not to treat Jack's plagiocephaly with a molding helmet. Dr. Jacob said she would be doing the same thing if it were her daughter. I definitely got the impression (that although she cannot guarantee it), Dr. Jacob thinks Jack's head will self-correct and that the helmet is unnecessary. In the meantime, we are going to see a pediatric neurosurgeon to get his opinion as well. It's certainly not that I don't trust Dr. Jacob because I absolutely do, but this isn't her 'specialty.' And the orthotist is not a doctor and kinda gave me the 'salesman' vibe (not that that is a bad thing) because I know he makes a living from selling these helmets (and other orthotic and prosthetic devices). After doing some research about plagiocephaly it seems like the best person, medically speaking, to consult is a pediatric neurosurgeon. We see Dr. Raffel next Monday morning. Please PRAY that he has good news for us :) While at the pediatrician we did get good news that Alexa's pesky ear infection has cleared up - thank goodness!! Hopefully, that was her last bout of sickness for this cold/flu season! Sadly though, Jack now has a slight ear infection and will spend the next 10 days taking antibiotics.

Our weekend was filled with loads of family time, some outlet shopping, a visit from our friend Jamie, and a visit from Dan's parents. We focused on keeping Jack off of his head during his awake hours and on his side during sleepy time. Overall it was a really good, relaxing weekend :) This coming weekend will be a busy one while we're in Perry - heading to a fish fry on Friday and then having a Girls' Night taking Alexa to see the middle school production of Aladdin on Saturday. Lots to look forward to!

Over the past few days, Alexa has been entertaining us with her 'obsession' with Pinocchio, Lucifer (the "nasty cat" from Cinderella <-- Alexa's words), and Maleficent (the evil fairy in Sleeping beauty). It is hysterical to hear her talk about villains from any story/movie. It is also pretty comical when she sends us to Pleasure Island because we've been bad and we're going to turn into donkeys or says, "I dub you ___ [insert someone's name] conscience," hehe. She is also so sweet... for example, when watching Cinderella get her dress torn apart by the evil stepsisters she said, "It's gonna be okay, Cinderellie. Don't be sad." And in fact, she comforted me last week when I was crying about what to do for Jack's head - she kept giving me hugs and telling me it was going to be okay. She says "I love you, Mommy" or "I need a hug!" several times a day and all of these things just melt my heart ♥ I look at her and can hardly believe she is so big already! How could I forget her other BIG news?!?! On Friday night, she asked us if she could wear her underwear to bed and since her Pull-up had been dry every morning for the past like three months, we decided it was time to let her try underwear all night.. AND SHE HAS KEPT HER UNDIES DRY THE PAST 4 NIGHTS!! We are so incredibly proud that at a little under 29 months old Alexa is in underwear 100% of the time! :)

Jack has been really interacting with his world lately. He explores the various items on his exersaucer & jumperoo and has really developed a fondness over a few small toys (a stuffed basketball, a police car, and a touch-n-feel book). His favorite book is Byron Barton's version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, it is bright/colorful and he loves reaching out to touch the pages.

As always, click here to check Facebook for more recent pictures.

Well, that's all I've got for now! Hope y'all have been enjoying my more frequent posts :) I know it certainly makes me feel great to be documenting what's going on with the children!! I'm a nostalgic kinda person and hope that one day they'll wanna go back through all of this to see what they were up to, things that we did, and how much joy/love they gave me each and every day ♥ Until next time, my friends... Ciao.