We're Crawling!!!

Yes that is right, Baby Jack is crawling! He's still working on getting it to look like what you would typically call crawling. Right now he looks like a seal moving across the sand. He's gotten really fast at it too. On Tuesday he started to get the knee and cross hand crawl down a little. He gets frustrated b/c he can't go as fast and returns to the seal crawl.

For Christmas we got a little video camera to document all of his upcoming milestones. For those of you that know me well, this is a big accomplishment. I extremely DISLIKE being on camera! (We don't say hate in my class) I don't like hearing my voice so I stay away from them. Of course while I was video taping Jack crawl after Kona he managed to get his first bruise, smacked his cheek against the coffee table. You guys wont be seeing that video. As soon as I figure out how the get the videos on the computer I will be getting them on. (baby steps here)

Since I was home for a couple of weeks we were able to spend a lot of time together. It is amazing how much every month gets better and better. Each month I keep saying I love this age the best so far, but I really have only experienced 7 months. I know the time ahead is going to keep getting better.

Jack has such a cute personality. He loves to laugh, and pretty much anything makes him laugh. I look at him while he's eating and he cracks up. Kona walks by and he thinks it's hilarious. She licks his hands and face and he is rolling over on the ground. Rissa got him to laugh so much one night just by rolling an apple on the counter, and he was rolling it back. I will definitely have to get that video on for you.

Aunt Casey took some amazing pictures of us as a family and a couple of our little man on his own. If you saw our X-mas card you have seen one of her many great works of art. Here are a couple more.

Enjoy the pics! We love you!

6 Months

Hey all! Sorry I have no new pictures to add this time, I'm not at home where all of them are. Once I get a chance to breath I will download them and add them to the blog.

Baby Jack turned 6 months today! I can hardly believe it. The time has gone by so fast. Those of you who have seen him recently know how cute he is. With all of the attention that he is getting these days he has turned into quite the ham. He loves it when some people talk to him and hates it when others do. He starts to cry in an instant, his face turns bright red, his eyes fill with tears, his mouth opens wide, and the noise starts to come. Or if he likes you he gets the biggest grin on his face.

He went to the Dr. today for his 6 month check-up. He is now 26 1/2 inches long and 15 1/2 pounds. If you look at him he's got roles and chunky thighs, he hardly looks skinny. The Dr. says he is 1 1/2 pounds under where he should be. Looks like I need to start feeding him more rice cereal and baby food.

Well I've got to go feed him. I'll try to add more later!

Monica

5 MONTHS!!!!!

Jack is 5 months tomorrow. In the past 2 weeks he has reached many milestones and does so many new things. He is eating rice cereal and sweet potatoes. He enjoys it when they are mixed together, thinks that the rice is plain by itself and puckers his lips when the potatoes are on their own. Last night we made the biggest mess! There were sweet potatoes in his eye, eyebrows, on his fingers, all over his hands and on my face. How, I don't know! On Thursday he was so tired he fell asleep in his high chair, it was the cutest thing.

He has mastered the "raspberries" and is spitting everywhere. When I try to get him to sleep for his naps and lay with him, rubbing his back and singing he just lays there spitting all over my face. Jack thinks its pretty funny.

He can hold on to anything and everything he gets his hands on. It can be the phone, papers, toys, clothes, skin on your face, and lips! Last night he had a good hold on my hair which he ripped out. I might be bald in the back soon.

He rolls over from his belly to his back and back and forth. He scootches along on his belly and kicks his legs back and in the air like he's trying to crawl. I have a feeling before long we will be chasing him around the house. It's exciting, but happening way too fast.

Friday night was a big night for us. He finally spent the night in his crib. Jack and I had been talking about it and decided it needed to happen soon. He was getting too big for the bassinet and now that he can role over it made me nervous how much he could get it to rock when he moved. We gave ourselves a week to get ready for it mentally. Finally on Friday we set up the monitor, and put him in the crib for the night. We layed their watching him from our bed watching to see if he was moving, crying or anything to give us a reason to bring him back. He had a great nights sleep and woke up at 4:30 am. which is late for him. I couldn't believe how well the first night went. I was hoping that he was going to be sleeping longer now that he was in his own bed, but so far it hasn't happened.

Kona is great with him and such a good protector. He was sleeping in his stroller one day and she wouldn't leave his side until he was awake. Their buddies now, he watches her walk around the room and sometimes won't take his eyes off of her.

At his last check up he was almost 14lbs. so I'm sure he's hit the 15 lb. mark by now. His first Halloween is coming soon and he has some cute costumes. We've taken some pictures in his Jack-o-lantern costume, get it "Jack" - o - lantern?

We love you!

The Raders

4 Months

Baby Jack is now 4 months old. He is the cutest little guy and usually very happy. I swear if he could walk now he would. My little man wants to stand ALL the time and is so interested in looking at everything. He no longer wants to lay down and is always trying to sit up. It looks like he is doing little baby sit-ups. He hasn't quite figured out how to rollover all the way but likes to practice during diaper changing time.
He is having a good time with his Grandmas during the day and is being spoiled rotten I'm sure. He decided he was going to start giggling the other day and hasn't stopped. Kona is very funny or funny looking b/c he likes to giggle when she is around him.
At his 4 month appointment he weighed 13 lbs. 13 oz. and was 24 1/2 in. long. He's growing like he should and right in the center of all the averages. The shots of course made him cry and very cranky that night. I wish we didn't have to give them to him.
Baby Jack is very observant and watches everybody who walks by him. His neck is so strong now so he is able to turn his head and follow things. He loves mirrors and looking at himself. He doesn't know that it's himself yet, but he really likes what he sees. His eyes get really big, he starts bobbing his head and he starts to babble.
We are playing with all of his toys full speed now. Anything that plays music or lights up are his favorite. He has started to play in his exersaucer, but can't sit straight up for very long. He starts to get really mad because he leans forward and gets an arm stuck in the leg hole. I always know when the arm is stuck b/c he has this awful cry that I have never heard before (it kind of makes me laugh).
I will try my best to keep updating this, I was bad at it before and now that work has started I'm even worse. I'll post new pictures later!
Love you all,
The Rader Family

12 weeks old

Baby Jack is 12 weeks old today! I can hardly believe that the time has gone by so fast. He has changed in so many ways and grown so big. I unfortunately have to go back to work a week from tomorrow so baby with drawl is going to be kicking in really soon.
At his last appt. (4 weeks ago) he weighed 11.4 pounds so I'm guessing he is around 12-13 now. He is getting some really cute chunky thighs. He is smiling all the time and giggles every once in awhile. I try all the time to make him laugh, but he seems to do it only when he wants or maybe we're just not that funny to him. He has found his hands and has been trying to stuff them into his mouth. I have found him trying to get both fists into his mouth. I'll catch him sucking his left thumb, I pull it out and try to stick in the paci which he doesn't like and cries. He is finally noticing some of his toys, but still not playing with them. His favorite toy right now are the ceiling fans, who would have guessed they would be so interesting. What ever makes him happy!
He has been very busy going to the Zoo which he slept through, Padre games to watch them lose, shopping with mommy for back to school clothes, lunches with friends, walks around the bay to lose baby weight, Del Mar races for birthdays, pool time as a family, and the boat to visit dad when he's working.

Love you all,
The Raders

Baby Jack Mohawk

So I left baby Jack for the first time to get my hair done. I was a little hesitant just b/c he has been with me non stop for the past 7 weeks and one day (Who's counting?). My hair appointment went great and I guess baby Jack was having one too because when I went to pick him up, this is what my baby looked like...!

4th of July

For baby Jacks first 4th we did a little BBQing with some family and friends and then went on a boat ride to watch the fireworks. We were worried that the sound of the fireworks would be too loud for him, but I don't think he even noticed. He was pretty content eating through the whole show. Here's a picture of him sleeping earlier in the day in his red white and blue outfit!