Video from Christmas and Beyond

My parents got me a small Flip Video camcorder for Christmas, which is awesome. I'm not big on video, mostly because it seems like the technology is always changing and so those old videos can never be watched again because you don't have the film projector/beta vcr/vhs vcr to play them back on. I didn't even hire a videographer for our wedding, preferring instead to spend more money on great pictures, because you don't need any technology to look at pictures again. (And as a sidenote: For my parents present this Christmas, I converted their old filmstrip from their wedding into a DVD, allowing us to watch their wedding video for the first time since the Reagan administration!). Anyways, even though I'm not big on video, I do enjoy having this small camcorder. It's small enough to throw in my bag and it has the usb connector as part of the camcorder, so you can plug it in anytime--no searching for your usb wires. Here's a short video taken from Christmas, along with some taken the couple days after. In the background is a Harry Connick Jr song playing.

Christmas

Here are a few pictures from our Christmas. Jack got a new tricycle that he seems to like, even though he is still a bit too small for it. His feet barely reach the pedals, so Terry or I have to stand in the back and push him. Or he likes to push it around (and crash it into stuff). He also got some great bath toys from Aunt Gigi, his own laptop from Grandpa, a grocery cart from his grandparents in Cape Cod and a whole lot of dinosaur books from Daddy. Jack made out like a bandit.

We enjoyed the children's service at Floris Methodist church on Christmas Eve and followed it with a dinner at the same Italian restaurant that we went to last year. It was strange to think about how little he was last year and how much he has grown. Everyone at the table had to take turns walking Jack around the restaurant to prevent any obnoxious toddler tantrums. Luckily, we were one of the few people eating there (we got there early), so I didn't feel like we were ruining people's night by walking all around. On Christmas morning, we opened presents at our house, followed by a nap and then dinner at my parent's house. It was a wonderful Christmas.

For Grandma and Grandpa

Please note how Jack strategically covered his boy bits for the pictures. I guess he knows that mom posts pictures of him on the web and he wanted to maintain his modesty.

Trip to Disney World

Last week we went down to Disney World where Jack got to experience a little bit of Disney magic. Unfortunately, we were hit hard by a stomach bug during our trip and so it didn't turn out the way we had imagined. In fact, my parents are still down there, after taking a detour in the hospital. I'm trying to focus on the positive aspects of the trip, like Jack's excitement over seeing the parades and riding on It's a Small World. I know that one day we will be back and he will get to experience it again. And hopefully, the next time will be a little happier and healthier.

Say Cheese!

Jack is fascinated by the small camera that I have, so we have started a new game in the morning called, "Say Cheese!" It's basically me holding the camera and taking a picture of both of us while saying Cheeeeeeese! And then we get to look at the picture! And do it again! And again! For me, it's mostly just funny that he gets the idea of smiling for the camera and will imitate my cheese sound. But it does end up with some awful pictures (of me, not him--can't take a bad picture of him, of course). Above is one of the not so terrible pictures.

A Sweater For Jack

I've been working on knitting this sweater for Jack. It's actually a really easy pattern, knitted in the round from the top down, making it seamless. I have a feeling that Jack will be getting a lot of new sweaters this winter season since it's so easy to make and can be knitted in about a week's time. Here's the almost finished sweater:

Old Friends

This past weekend, I caught up with my first year roommate from college, Diem. It had been almost five years since we had last seen one another. Over the years, we had lost contact with each other after various moves, changing phone numbers, losing phone numbers and the like. But through the wonders of facebook, we were able to find each other again, only to find out we both had gotten married within a month of each other and had little boys that were two months apart in age. So, on Sunday, Diem brought Charley over and the boys played while we gabbed. I swear, I think it was nonstop talking for three hours. It was so wonderful to see her and I can't wait to get together with her more often. Here's a picture of us on the move-in day during our first year at UVA.

Loving the Spatula

Fast Car

It's a Good Day

Wooohooo! What can I say--I'm very excited that Obama will be our next president! And I cannot believe that Virginia actually went blue this election. This is the first time that I feel like my vote actually counted (because we know the popular vote doesn't actually mean anything, it's all about the electoral college).

And today is also our third wedding anniversary. Three years ago today we spent an incredible day in Disney World exchanging our vows and partying with our friends and family. We will be going back there very soon, only this time we will be bringing along someone who has never been before: Jack. I hope he loves it as much as we do :)

Mickey Mouse

I feel a little badly--I didn't take Jack trick or treating this year because I was sick. I mean, we did have the Halloween party, so it's not like he completely missed out, but I do feel a little guilty about not parading him up our street begging for candy. I mean, when he looks this cute, it's hard not to want everyone to see his adorableness in all its glory.

Halloween Party

Farmer Kyle

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Originally uploaded by jennifer.karras

This is Jack's friend, Kyle, riding a toy tractor at a great park near his house. Poor little Kyle had just gotten his first bloody lip a little bit before this picture was taken. He is obviously a very brave little boy to soldier on and keep playing.

Jack on the Hayride

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Originally uploaded by jennifer.karras

Jack Petting the Goats

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Originally uploaded by jennifer.karras

Cox Farms

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Originally uploaded by jennifer.karras

This past week, my parents and I took Jack to Cox Farms. I had been there with my sister a couple of years ago, pre-Jack, and was very impressed with the farm. They have a great hayride, which meanders through corn, woods and water. Along the sides, they set up wood cut outs of different cartoon characters and do different stunts, like pretend that the tractor is stuck in the muddy water. In addition to the hayride they have lots of different farm animals,slides, and a corn maze. It was a wonderful fall day and lots of fun for Jack.

Months 14 and 15

Dear Jack,

Over the past two months you have hit one of the biggest milestones of your little life: you have learned how to walk. It officially started at 13 and a half months and you haven’t slowed down since. In fact, if you are awake, you must be walking. Even when you are two exhausted to walk, when your legs are so tired that they can barely support you, you MUST STILL WALK. Unfortunately, during those times you tend to fall quite a bit, which results in a lot of crying. But despite the crying, you still muster up enough strength to pull yourself up again and walk some more.

In September, we took a trip up to Boston and Cape Cod. You and I toured the city of Boston while daddy worked. You really enjoyed the Children’s Museum in Boston, as well as the aquarium. You were not very impressed with the science museum, but that was mostly because it was designed for kids a little older than you. We spent some time at the park in Boston Common and even took a trolley tour of the city (where you took a nap). We also went on the subway, which was our first experience with public transportation.

After spending a few days in Boston, we left for the Cape to spend some time with Dani and Bampy, as well as Aunt Sammy, Uncle Jim, Jack and Mia. You had a fantastic time running around with your cousins. Every time they came over to the house, your face would light up and you would do your happy dance (which involves you taking tiny steps very quickly). If only we lived closer and we could hang out with them more often—I know that this would make you very happy.

I’ve been amazed by how much more you seem to understand these days. In fact, it seems like over the past week, you have really started to communicate with words. This weekend, you picked up the phrase “uh-oh” and would use it after you dropped things on the floor. I have also noticed that you will occasionally say “hi” when you wave. And when we were reading a book yesterday, you saw the little girl in the picture cover up her eyes and you covered up your own eyes. This is just amazing to me—that you are observing your world around you and learning from it. I guess it’s time that daddy and I start watching what we say around you—we don’t want any of your other first words to be ones that can’t be said on the playground!
Hopefully, mommy will be better about keeping up with these letters to you and won’t do them every couple of months. I’ll definitely try to be better.

I love you, from the tippy top of your head down to your cute little toes.

Love,
Mommy

Visiting with Aunt Gigi

Wearing Our New Hats

Jack at the Playground with His Cousins

Pictures from Jack in Boston

We're Back

For the past two weeks, we have been on a mini-vacation. Well, it was more of a vacation for me and Jack since Terry actually had to work for most of it. We went up to Boston for a week and then spent a week on the Cape with Terry's parents. When I have a bit more time, I will write more, but for now, I will leave you with these pictures of Jack's first beach experience. Despite the pained expression on his face, he really did enjoy it. Well, until he fell face first into the water, then not so much.