Happiness and Head Control

If you're a parent, friend of a parent, or anytime reader of this blog, you are probably well aware - babies grow fast.  Too fast.

Julia's Gap tunic - $1 at the kiddie consignment store.  (I'm jealous.)

I'm jealous of her moccasins too.

It seems like I just gave birth.  I keep having to remind myself she's not a newborn any longer, she's so 5 months ago.  She's "filling out", "coming into her looks", and all those other cliches that people say.  And holding up her head.  It's obvious she's enjoying the new vantage point.  Then again, Julia is happy all the time.  It's easy to win her smile ... unless I'm behind the camera.

Since she's doing so well with keeping her head from wobbling and has been sitting in the Bumbo for longer and longer, I decided this week would be a good time to test out the Jumper.  Actually, this had little to do with Julia and more to do with me desperate to find something to keep the boys entertained so I could make lunch.

Can you just imagine the scene?

And were they entertained!  Jude couldn't stop laughing, and slapping his thighs, and jumping, and laughing again.  And Jack was more than proud to perfect his "gentle" bounce.  And the little girl we did this all for?  Well, she didn't seem to care either way and just basked in the extra attention.

When simply bouncing and twirling was no longer enough Jack decided to bring out the puppets.  All 5 of them.  And then he proceeded to introduce Julia to each of them by name.

"Hi Jew-wee-uh, my name is Charlie the Horse!"

She withstood this "entertainment" just as well.

"Hi 'Little Sweeite' want a kiss?"

I often say Julia is a happy and content baby, but I think I'll be adding a new word to her repertoire: TOLERANT.

"Charlie gonna eat your hair!"

She takes an awful lot from these two fellas. 

Can you spy Jack's fat lip and Jude's fat nose?  Weekend casualties.

Speaking of the boys, Jack told Jude he was his best friend the other day.  It touched my heart. ... A few hours later he told his toy rhino that he was his best friend, and the giraffe, and the lion ...  But really, he does love his "little buddy" Jude. 

"Cheeee!"

While they're not so good at sharing toys or getting along inside the house, they seem to really hit it off once they're out of doors.  And we've had some great opportunities to spend time outside lately.  I'm all about snow and cozy winters, but I can't deny that I haven't appreciated these warmer temperatures.  I'll take huge winter storms a few years from now, when my boys can put on their own snowpants and keep their gloves on their hands.  For now, the less work it takes to get all three kids out the door the better! 


I took this video specifically to catpure, for all time, Jude's swagger.  I just love that swinging arm!

Lately, Jack's activity of choice is football.  He's actually quite good at catching the ball.  Much better than I was at his age, or any age really.  He also likes it when I chase after him and the ball.  But heaven forbid I actually catch him, or get the ball out of his hands.  He usually stamps his foot, screeches "You can't take the baaaaaallll, Mom!" and then is back to running again the moment he gets it back.

And then at some point the ball ends up in an area of our landscaping that Jack refers to as "the volcano" and suddenly it's my responsibility to retrieve it before the the volcano explodes.  So far, I've made it in time, every time. Phew, this mommy business is so much more extensive than I originally thought!

All this football and volcanic activity can wear a mama out. I may have put the little guys to bed 30 minutes early this evening... because I needed a break. But now that I've mastered covert pigskin rescues, it's time to move on to other dilemmas. Like how to remove a loaf of bread from the oven while holding a sleeping baby. Oh motherhood, thy challenges never cease to exist!