Happy New Year!

Best wishes for a great start to 2011!

Love,

Tom, Jill, and Jack

Merry Christmas!

This year we tried something new and guess what we are all home sick. Jack has been the worst. He has had a horribly runny nose and not been eating for about 3 days. Mommy has been warding it off with a sore throat and stuffy nose at night. Daddy is starting to get sick. Hopefully, we can get over this soon and enjoy the rest of our vacation. Here is a clip of Jack opening Christmas presents. He is very slow and meticulous, but enjoyed. Merry Christmas!

The second video is from tonight. He was opening and received a vet kit with medical equipment. He proceeded to show us where the thermometer goes. I would have loved to have captured this the first time, but here is the reenactment. We got laughing so hard I was crying. What a smart bug though!

Happy Halloween

Back by popular demand we are finally getting around to a post. Here are pictures from last night's Halloween celebration in York! Jack picked out this costume this year as we were going through the store he grabbed it and let out a big "ROAR". He then proceeded to hug it all the way to the register. Last night, he enjoyed trick a treat and learned a new word - CANDY. He loves Kit Kats - wonder where he got that from (definitely an inheirted genitics from the Ruff family)! Also included is a pic of Daddy's wonderfully creative pumpkin carving creation!

Happy Early Independence Day - Mommy I Can Do It

Today when we went to pick up Jack at daycare we had our first incident of INDEPENDENCE! Jack was playing on the playground when we arrived. First he wanted to walk to the car and then he wanted to carry his own lunch bag. I tried several times to take it ( . . . screamed) and help him carry it (. . . he jerked it away from me)! Uuuugh my little baby is growing up.

Sitting Pretty

Mommy is sad tonight as I am getting ready to go to Dallas. Never like to go and leave my boys! Here are a couple pics of Jack - Jack's heavy breathing video, Jack getting ready to go for a neighbor's first birthday, and Jack sitting pretty in the chair from Grammie Cat. Don't mind that mom had absolutely no fashion sense and dressed him in a tank onesie and tennis shoes. I realized today when I picked him up at daycare that it did not look good. Yikes!

A Big Weekend

This was a great weekend - couldn't we declare 3 day weekends a federal law. We first enjoyed a visit from Aunt Julie, Uncle Chris, and cousin Aiden. It was a lot of fun and great to see all of them. We went garage sale shopping, play land Gymboree (Aiden was a wild man while Jack cried and watched), had Jack's first swim in the pool, grilled out, and went to play mini golf. I was excited as I actually won for the first time ever. However, I am certain if Aiden played all holes he would have been the big winner as he has a knack for the hole in one!!!

Jack loves my garage sale finds and has spent most of the weekend walking around with his Handy Manny tool set.

The big news is that Jack took his first steps today (actual series of repetitive steps without help). Yeah!

Attached are some photos and videos from the weekend.

Jack and Aiden

Jack with Handy Manny's Tools

Jack enjoys the pool and learns the concept of no as he tries to eat a blade of grass.

Jack's First Steps

Flying Fish

Jack's new favorite snack treat is Baby Goldfish. Tonight he was really funny after dinner he must have decided that he was full and they started flying! He was quite amused with his discovery.

It's not all about Jack . . .

Congratulations to my other boy - Tommy! We were very proud last weekend to celebrate his completion of the associate degree at Penn State in York. He has worked very hard and it hasn't been easy to juggle - home, work, new baby . . . he has done a great job. So summer is off and then it all starts back in August for finishing the Bachelor's!!!!

Jack's First Birthday - Part 1

Last Monday, April 12, Jack turned 1! We celebrate at home with Grandma and Grandpa B visiting for the weekend. His cake was a dinosaur and he enjoyed some Neapolitan ice cream. Here are some pics of his first cake. I think he enjoyed it thoroughly!

A Belated Mother

I have been so behind with Jack's blog and not much better lately as I have had a horrible cold. So right now as I sit in seclusion in my house with a bright red nose and fuzzy head from all the medication I am on - I am updating my pictures of Jack. Over the next couple of days I will post. Love to all - Jill, Tom, and Jack

Giggle

Movin' and Grovin'

Jack is really starting to get around - pulling up on things, walking around assisted, and here is a video of his crawl/walk - we call it his crooked spider walk. This weekend's agenda . . . baby proof the house!

Since this video he has become even faster, so I will have to capture again soon.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Love and laughs to all our family and friends!

Love,

Jack, Tom, and Jill

Anybody want some snow?

Between yesterday and today - we have about 20 inches of snow. Tommy spent the morning out with some guys in the neighborhood digging out driveways. It is entertaining watching 3 shovelers and 2 snowblowers trying to dig out 1 driveway!

Well, I had been hoping for weeks for snow, so that we could put Jack's snowsuit to use. So we bundled him up for some fun in the wet stuff!

The forecast calls for another storm on Tuesday and next Saturday, so should prove to be an interesting week!

Here are some pics and a video from our trip outside.

Hey, look at all the snow - let's go out!

All bundled up . . .

Where is our mail?

Maybe I'll just stay in and play by the fire.

I Love to Laugh

Sometimes Jack has the most crazy laugh. Often this occurs at bedtime as he has discovered that if he kicks just right he can SOAK mom or dad! This is my best capture of it to date. He usually is even more animated than this. Hopefully, this will not be his permanent laughing style or we will have to seek help! :)

Look at what I can do . . .

The Groundhog Says . . .

6 more weeks of winter and tonight true to Phil's forecast snow is falling. Yuck! Although, I am hoping for enough to put Jack's snowsuit to use for some fun in the snow and new pictures. I have been so negligent in updating the blog. Jack is almost 10 months and is a growing boy. Starting to stand, walk with assistance, and eating mommy's food - Chicken lo mein, cornbread, beef brisket, and spaghetti. Still loving to babble and laugh a lot. He is continuous joy and entertainment for mom and dad!

Here are some recent pics and I will catch up soon with some additional updates.

P.S. Jenni I beat you . . . time for a Clem update.

Happy 9 Months!