Perfect Pumpkin Pickin'

Bruns Family 1st Annual Perfect Pumpkin Pickin'!

And a reminder of how little our pumpkin was! ;-)

This past weekend we made our annual trip to pick the perfect pumpkin! Jack had a much more difficult time this year picking out his pumpkin but he had fun deciding and also seeing the goats, chickens, and pigs! (We didn't get a family shot of the 2nd annual pickin' because our little pumpkin was in need of a nap!)

A goat says "meh"!

The pigs say "oink" all day and night! (Especially when someone sticks his fingers in ones nose!)

I like this one!

Hmm...how am I supposed to choose?

I need to take a break!

This one is the perfect size!

Forget-me-not

In my attempt to think of a clever title for September's blog entry, nothing was coming to mind (last month wasn't so fab either)! So, I decided to search the web. In my lack of creative thinking, I just looked at the Wikipedia page for "September"...Harvest Month, Pompey and Augustus' birth, President Garfield's assassination, the Constitution signed in 1787, William Howard Taft's birth (in Cincinnati to boot), The Star Spangled Banner was written, President McKinley's assassination, the sapphire, the forget-me-not... What a month! Not so great for some of those Presidents though!

Needless to say, there's not much for me work with so, the Forget-me-not it is... Mark: forget-me (us)-not...school and football are quite time consuming; friends: forget-me-not- Labor Day 2010...hope to get those forgotten items in the mail to the Donahue's this week (can't wait for Labor Day 2011); house: forget-me-not to clean, laundry, and grocery shop...we've been out of town and had visitors every weekend; family: forget-me-not, how could we? We've seen everyone except the Garza's this month (and we miss them dearly)!

How can you not miss this face? (He makes my heart smile)!!!!

Helping with laundry!

Phew! Like I said...its been QUITE a busy month! We kicked it off (and said Goodbye to summer) with our annual gathering of UD peeps over Labor Day Weekend! A great time was had by all (I hope), but especially the kids! Jack, Izzie, and Olivia were actually all able to play together this year! Although, the word "together" might be a bit generous as the kids are all 2 and under and sharing isn't in the vocab! But, we can't forget about sweet baby Sammie who just bounced in the bouncer as long as one of the big kids wasn't in it!

Making sure the rainforest is still fun for Baby Sammie

Making sure the bouncer still works! Jack missed his friends!

Sammie in the bouncer!

The girls & kids

The boys & kids

Looks like trouble!

The tots playing!

Cornhole!

The following weekend we made a (long) day trip to Coldwater to celebrate Miss Avery's birthday!

Jack driving to the party!

Someone's ready for cake!

Jack and I spent a few days in Columbus as well. I was working on-site at a client's and thankfully Lolly was available to Jack-sit for a couple of days! They both had a great time and Jack even opted to cuddle with Lolly instead of give his mom a hug one day after work! Hooray for Lolly but sad for mommy! Poppy took Friday afternoon off and we all went to the zoo! (I ended up not having to work either!) Jack is really only interested in the big animals and can't seem to get past his reflection if the animals are inside. And, of course he still likes to watch the other kids! He seems to really like the petting zoo, starting a tantrum because he wasn't able to get to the horse poop, watching the elephants, and the bonobos were crazy!!!

Mike & Donna came down for the Glenville game and Mom came down to Race for the Cure! And we also went to Jack's 1st UD football game!

With Kevin Cripe (one of Mark's former DB's)

Of course, during all of our adventures we had lots of time at home. And since the baby book monthly updates end at "12", I'm just going to continue on here. (I apologize if this is boring ;-)!)

• We cut all 4 molars
• He LOVES eating chicken nuggets, grapes, bananas, apples, corn-on-the-cob, and pickles. (I even put peanut butter on a banana one day and now he won't eat them without! Can't say I blame him!)


• He's discovered the joy of ketchup! (Its much needed with the soy burgers I accidentally bought!)
• He's still taking 2 naps! Thank goodness! And going down for the night around 8 and up with a full diaper and hungry belly at 6:30.

Playing peekaboo bright & early!

• He's become quite interested in using silverware. He's not very good at getting food on it but he'll take the spoon/fork out of my hand and put it in his mouth. He did successfully use a fork at Lolly & Poppy's with a yummy dinner of meat loaf, sweet potatoes, and corn!


• He LOVES to go outside (please see previous "dog" mentioning ;-)!) He goes to the door when he wants to go outside and Eva has mentioned his mini-tantrums he'll throw if he thinks she's going outside without him. We don't even say the word unless we're ready to go out!

• He loves his stuffed animals. A different one joins his normal "guys" each night in his crib. Talk about a party!
• He honks our noses! And thinks its pretty hilarious!
• He repeats our actions! He'll shake his head along with us and we've started "cheers"-ing with our drinks!
• He'd rather push his car outside than ride in it.
• He's putting smaller objects in a larger one (i.e. toys, sippy cup in bowl)
  

Here are some fun pictures from the rest of the month!

Painting!

Busted!

What's in there?

"Blowing" bubbles!

Busy with...

Its Football Friday in the Bruns Household! (Football shirt, Football Guy, Football Game!)

As August is coming to an end, I realize its time to send an update on the Brunsy Bunch...but, life has slowed down! After the craziness of July, it is much welcomed! Well, I guess part of life has slowed down...but for Mark...its busy season! (No longer does busy season mean February-April 15th in my mind, but August-November...err...March!) Two-a-days started on the 2nd and school just started back this week. Needless to say, between school and football, and Jack's bedtime, we have about an hour of family time each night. That hour consists of wrestling, giggling until the point of hiccups, Jack trying to eat Mark's dinner (even though he has a full belly), and of course bath, bottle, bed! Its a short 60 minutes!

Can't wait until I can drive this car! I'm going to pick up the ladies!

As for the little guy, he is full of energy! He's walking 97% of the time and I think he's going to start running soon! He's definitely keeping us on our toes, as he's figured how to slide the gate at the bottom of the stairs over and start climbing up them. (Our harebrained attempt at blocking off the stairs was no challenge for our genius son! A little banister kit is on the list next time I hit Babies 'R Us.) He can also get into the pantry and although it can be slightly amusing that he is entertained playing with Crystal Light containers, he pulls out the giant box of goldfish or container of Cheerios and thinks he gets a snack even if he's just finished a meal. One of these days he's going to figure out how to open that container of Cheerios, goldfish, and everything else on the lower shelves and I'm going to have myself a disaster! The toilet is another cause for fun! It is most definitely at the proper height for driving cars, the lever is shiny and looks like tons of fun, and if someone forgets to put the seat down, its free game for splashing with hands or objects!

In the midst of his wild shenanigans we found ourselves spending lots of time snuggling on the couch together and after a few days of a high fever we went back to the Doctor's for a strep throat diagnosis. Poor guy! I spent most of the time attributing his fever to vaccinations administered the week before but based on his actual temperature, it was a tad high. I should've known something was really wrong when Jack spent an hour snugging on the couch with me watching "A Bee Movie". (It was a lovely hour ;-)!) Thankfully the lip-smacking-good amoxicillin kicked in quickly, all in time for Jack to break out in a rash. I'm just thankful the Dr. didn't order tests for Roseola since there's nothing they can even do! The rash disappeared overnight and the growing boys appetite started to come back with vengeance!

We even had visits with the Grandma's this month! Nana came to watch Jack so we could go to a football party (yes, I'm too cheap to pay for a sitter), and Lolly came down for a quick visit before school started (I think she felt guilty that she spent a few days with Ben)! Regardless of the reasons for a visit, we love it and are relieved to have someone else read the same book over and over and over again!

And, Mark and I have officially decided that Jack is part dog. He pants when he's excited or being silly, he plays with sticks, he eats mulch, he eats a meal and then will beg for food if we let him out of his highchair and are still eating or if Mark is eating separately because he's gotten home late, he makes circles around floor mats and in bed before sitting down, and he gives big smiles to his furry friends on our daily walks (if only the owners knew he wasn't smiling and "waving" at them)!

1st Football Game (trying to get Dad's button off!)

Hut-Hut

Future Redskin QB!

Then & Now

8/09 (leaving the hospital)

The full effect of the feet!


August 2009


May 2010 (now-ish)


Labor Day 2009 (then)

Spring 2010 (now-ish)

August 2010

A few fun then & now stats:

Then:

Weight: 9lbs 1 oz

Height: 21 3/4" tall

Teeth: 0

Hair: Dark brown

Eyes: Newborn baby-grey

Foods: (breastmilk); 10 - 2oz bottles

Now:

Weight: 24lbs 10 oz

Height: 32" tall

Teeth: 8

Hair:brown (not dark, not light...)

Eyes: blue

Foods: 2 - 8 oz bottles; Table food (struggling with fruits & veggies) - favs include: spaghettios, hamburger, chicken, grilled cheese, peanut butter, apples, beans, cheese, goldfish, cheerios, yogurt melts, corn-on-the-cob, breakfast bars, french toast, and anything his Daddy sneaks him when Mom's not looking!

Happy 1st Birthday Jack

I know I say this month after month, but I cannot believe how quickly time has passed! Everyone has told me to enjoy Jack being small because before I know it he'll be asking to borrow the car. I know they're right! Even looking back on pictures...Jack used to fit on Mark's chest while he was sleeping and now well, not so much =(

I was certainly a bit nostalgic over Jack's birthday weekend. I couldn't help but remember how a year ago I was driving home from my last Doctors appointment, full of anxiety because I knew I was going to meet my baby boy very soon! And on Friday, when I went back to the Doctors office for a blood pressure check, all to be sent to Labor & Delivery (with an added pit-stop to Target for fun magazines to read (which didn't get read) and nursing bras (which hardly were worn). To thinking about when I was being induced at 5:00, pushing by 9, and at 10:27, holding my son in my arms! And lets not forget the feeling of uncertainty when we pulled out of the hospital parking garage with a child in the back seat! The only certainty in my mind was that I had no idea what I was doing! And then there was our first night home...we didn't know what to dress him in, I remember setting my alarm to wake up to feed him, and then there was the misery of trying to get him to latch!

But, we survived! Through tears of frustration, we have giggled, and loved with our whole hearts! I cannot imagine my life without Jack in it! He is my entire world!