Leaving on a jet plane...

You're just going to have to do without me for a little while. My mom is taking me on a fabulous, all expenses paid vacation to Grandma and Grandpa Huffman's house in Texas. But before that, we are flying to Seattle to see my Uncle John and Aunt Shelly. Not to mention the lovely cousin Lucy. I have promised my worried mother that I will behave on the plane, but she doesn't look reassured. Apparently I have a temper, and I get bored sitting in one spot. (I didn't know this about myself.) She says a 5 hour plane ride is like 17 hours in baby time. Really, I think she underestimates the power that these sweet cherub-like cheeks will have over the most disgruntled of seat mates.

I may only be 4 months old, but this traveling thing isn't new to me. I've already been in 7 states! Two more will be a piece of cake!
Bon Voyage!
Jack

Sleeping Beauty

I slept through the night last night! The ironic thing is that my mom had the worst night of sleep ever- She kept getting up to make sure I was still breathing! A creepy ghostly hand hovering in front of your face doesn't lend to sweet dreams. Still, I don't want to worry my poor mom- I think I'll be considerate, and go back to waking up every three or so hours...


Have a great weekend everyone!!!
Jack

Water Baby

I went swimming for the first time! Along with Aunt Sherri's big new house, comes a big new pool. Surely a guest as cute as me will always be welcome. I wasn't sure about this swimming thing at first, but  thanks to my cousin Olivia, I got the hang of it really quick. I even went under the water twice!

A proverb..

Give a boy some parents, and he will be loved and cherished...

Give a boy some cousins, and he will be a prop and plaything until he's big enough to retaliate.

Happy First Father's Day!

Doesn't this look like the face of a good dad? I think so! I posted this picture to remind you what Daron looks like. So much of my photo documentation these days seems to go like this: Thanks Daron for being such a good Daddy! For loving this boy as much as I do, and for making sure we have everything we need to be healthy and happy. So what if your idea of babysitting includes a little XBOX time? I like to think of you as a multi-tasker!

Bottom line- We love you and are looking forward to many more Father's Day's with you!

Love,

Elisa and Jack

I have two little hands...

..Today's post is for my mom.  To say that she loves this picture is an understatement!  Try not to notice my badly clipped fingernails-  it takes a surgeon's precision to clip these nails!   To be fair, I've only suffered one injury at her hands. I cried pitifully, and she was appropriately remorseful.  I'll let that one slide, and hope for improvement. And just in case you haven't had enough of my cuteness, how about this one:

(Jack at 7weeks)

She calls them "little piggies," and pretends to eat them.  Should this be cause for alarm?  If any of them turn up missing, I'll be sure to let you know.

 Enjoy your Friday, everyone!!!

Jack



What's the big deal?

Mom always gives this huge sigh when she talks about this stuff called "laundry."   I can tell you that I've now participated in this dreaded event, and I don't see what the big deal is.   Seems like great fun to me.  There's soap, there's bubbles, there's water (which I'm a huge fan of).  Not to mention those soothing vibrations that make me want to take a little snooze.....   almost.    I will admit to taking a tad bit of offense when Mom asked me if I wanted to help, and then proceeded to prop me in this wretched laundry basket.   If that's helping, I believe my talents are being largely underutilized.  

Nevertheless, I'm learning to be patient.   These people amuse me, so I believe I'll humor them a bit longer...

Recipe for a perfect Sunday afternoon

Eat some Wheat Thins:

Snuggle in for a nice Sunday nap:

I'm craving something...

I see TWO tacos there, Aunt Sherri. That can't be a coincidence!

*Disclaimer: No babies were actually fed chips and salsa in the course of this Tijuana Flats outing..

Deep Thoughts..

Don't let that slack-jawed look fool you. I'm really a deep thinker. Some things I've been pondering:
1. What is it about a Binkie that makes everything ok?
2. Why do my parents insist on putting me to bed at 8:30? I have several hours of crabbiness left to share.
3. When are they going to get the blasted A/C fixed? I didn't know naked was going to become this season's new look.
4. Should I be flattered or offended that my mom uses the same sweet voice with me that she uses when talking to the dog?
5. And finally, what's with the magnet obsession on the fridge? Do they multiply in the night? I'm too short now, but I anxiously await the day when I'm tall enough to pull them all off and throw them on the floor. Jolly good fun!

I found my mouth!

For a solid week, I've had my fist in my mouth.   I'm not sure why, but I can't get enough of it!  Mom was afraid people would think I wasn't being fed, so she bought me this fun little toy.  I'm amused by its colors, but the chewy beads are really where it's at.   Bon Appetit!

Who you callin' little?

Being in charge of a whole household is hard work. Good thing I have this comfy position on Mom and Dad's bed. It makes ordering the help around so much more satisfying.

My shirt may say "Little Peanut," but I'm pretty much "The Big Cheese" around here..

More Jack? You got it...

Jack has his own blog now:

http://www.jackhappenings.blogspot.com

Due to huge demand for a daily dose of the little bugger, we are going to try to keep it updated a couple times a week. Keep checking this blog for the usual Barnes Family musings and adventures.

Welcome Friends!

Mom says she is going to help me post pictures so that my family can see me grow! I will try to post at least one a day, because let's face it- I'm always doing something cute.


This one is of me sleeping on Mom and Dad's bed. The AC has been on the fritz, so I stripped down and had a nap under the ceiling fan! My trusty binkie is never far from my side....

3 Months!

Let me make a little confession: Being a mom is every bit as awesome as I thought it would be. It's hard work, and I'm tired a lot of the time, but this "new normal" that we've settled into is pretty darn satisfying. These days, Jack sleeps more, smiles more, and coos constantly. How could anyone resist that?


At 3 months:
1. Still hates the swing. Heaven knows I'm still trying, because I have a hard time spending $167 on a torture mechanism.
2. We're firmly into the 3-6 month clothing range. I cried like a little girl going though his drawer and weeding out all the outgrown outfits and onsies. What's worse is that I now realize I'll have to go through this every couple of months.
3. Jack gets bored easily. He seems to need/love constant stimulation, usually in the form of being held, and walked around face forward. He won't sit and chill out, he needs to be moving. Especially outside.
4. Bathtime has suddenly done a 180 degree turn. He still loves the bath, but instead of relaxing and falling asleep, he will kick and thrash like he's trying to swim. He's smiling the whole time, so I'm guessing it's very enjoyable for him.
5. At his last checkup, he weighed exactly 12 lbs, and is measuring at the 60th percentile for growth. I feel like he's huge, but he's pretty average as babies go.


As far as the blogging goes, we've just been trying to keep our head above water. It all started about a month ago, when Jack started coughing. At first, it seemed like just a little tickle, and then quickly deteriorated into racking fits that kept him up all night long. Of course, to lay there and listen to him was maddening, knowing that you couldn't do much for him. He soon became stuffy, and was introduced to saline and the brain sucker (sounds like a good name for a band). If he wasn't pitiful before, the brain sucker made him crrrazy. He screamed bloody murder, but at least he could breathe a little better afterward. Between monitoring his fever, and keeping him hydrated and comfortable, I don't think I slept for a week. Hence, my weakened immunity. Hence, the horrible cold I then contracted. Hence, the horrible cold Daron contracted. At one point, we were so sick we had to take Jack (who was now much better) down to the sitter for the day just so we could konk out on some Nyquil, and sleep the glorious drug induced sleep that only modern medication could provide. There were quite a few days of missed work, and as bad as Jack had it, I think we fared even worse. Daron improved somewhat, only to get worse again, and have a massive ear infection. He's still not quite right, but you all knew that about him.


Somewhere in all this, I celebrated my first Mother's Day! I don't mind telling you that there was some smug satifaction in finally qualifying for that Mother's Day rose at church. Sure I've received the pity-rose in years past, but I'm a card carrying Mom now!! Gimme that rose!! Jack was nice enough to give me a card, and also buy me a cute little baby booties charm for my charm bracelet. Just to be clear, that was baby BOOTIE, not booty. A little baby rump would make a weird charm.


Again, apologies for the lack of posting. We seem to be well now, and I've been doing some thinking about the blog. I think I'm going to construct a seperate blog for Jack pictures, which I will try to post to daily. Not as much writing, but it will contain the pictures that the family craves so badly. I'll keep the Barnes blog going to post our happenings and adventures. That way everyone wins! You get your daily pictures, and I don't keep putting off the blog because I haven't had time to write anything.

I'll post the new blog address as soon as I have something up for your viewing pleasure.

Elisa