I have to admit, I am addicted to capturing memories.
Kevin and I practically live at the Sears portrait studio.
Jack is only 5 months old, yet we’ve already had 8 sessions.
C’mon…low as their prices are, who can resist??
One day, my sweet Jack-Evan will be all grown up.
The chubby baby cheeks, the toothless gums,
and the milky breath will be long forgotten.
We’ll look back on these days,
and think…
“Wow, when was he ever this little?”
(Voiced by 5 month old Jack-Evan, Typed by Mommy)
Once upon a time, I went to the fair.
I was immediately taken aback at how foreign everything looked.
This place is definitely very different from my home.
Since my mommy and daddy are now old,
they claim that they can’t ride the rides anymore.
I asked them if I could ride. They claimed I was too young.
How fair is that?
After they told me I couldn’t attend the concert either, they decided on lunch.
While everyone was having a late lunch…
…I took a late nap.
After lunch, it was time for us to explore.
I was amazed at how crowded it was.
I’ve heard some adults saying lately that they have no money.
For some reason, I find that hard to believe.
I decided to ask some cows about it.
They said adult humans are like that sometimes.
They’ll say one thing, yet their actions say something else.
The cows said they were glad they were not human.
I said I was glad I wasn’t a cow.
As we wandered past the petting zoo…
…I felt glad that I wasn’t any animal.
Over in the exhibit buildings, I got to see many new things…
At one point, mom handed me a weird object.
I wasn’t sure what she wanted me
to do with it until I saw the candy booth….
…and I realized I should use it to slap mommy’s tempted hand away!
We also passed these scary looking things called teeth whiteners.
I wasn’t really sure what teeth are, so I hid under my bag.
We also saw some milk for sale.
It reminded me of how silly adults are again.
Why would anyone pay for milk?
Later, mom took me out of my stroller.
I had the distinct feeling that everyone was staring at me,
although I wasn’t sure why.
As we journeyed through the ride section…
I was beyond speechless.
I had never seen such a gigantic wheel before!
I was afraid the giant wheel would roll on top of my mommy…
But PaPa assured me that everything was A-OK.
And it was. 
Especially when Daddy played a game….
…and won a teddy bear for me!
Finally, it was dinner time.
After polishing off a turkey leg…
I threw the bone to Daddy.
Then we went to the duck pond.
Dad seemed a bit more excited than I felt.
I was too worried about the poor, exploited ducks.
They reminded me so much of my own beloved duck back at home
that I wanted to scoop them all up and rescue them.
Not even a new teddy bear could ease my worries about how unfair it all seemed.
I asked mommy if we could take the ducks home.
She said her bathtub wasn’t big enough.
As we were leaving, though, she did promise me
that I’d get to see the ducks again next year.
I wanted to argue about how unfair the fair truly was,
but no words would come out.
I was just too exhausted.
Then, with visions of teddy bears, ducks,
and cotton candy dancing in my head….
I drifted off to sleep.
The End.
————————-
Hello, Jack-Evan here with an urgent message.
Please go out tomorrow and rescue a duck. You can send them to me and I will hide them in my PaPa’s bathtub. I’m sure his is big enough and he lets me do anything I want.
Thanks.
(P.S. Do not tell mommy)
(Voiced by 5 month old Jack-Evan, Typed by Mommy)
“IT’S THE GREAT PUMPKIN, JACK-EVAN!”
Hello! Linus…uh..I mean, Jack-Evan here.
Has anyone seen my pencil and paper? I have a letter to write.
Dear, Great Pumpkin. I’m looking forward to your arrival on Halloween night.
I hope you will bring me lots of presents….
“Who are you writing to?” asks Gabby the dog.
This is the time of year to write to the Great Pumpkin.
You see, on halloween night, the Great Pumpkin rises out of his pumpkin patch
and flies through the air with a bag of toys for all of the children.
Wouldn’t you like to sit with me on halloween night
and watch for the Great Pumpkin, Gabby?
“You must be crazy. When are you going to stop believing
in something that isn’t true?” says Gabby.
Suddenly, there was in the air a loud thundering noise….
….and the Great Pumpkin appeared before our very eyes.
Ohhhh, you didn’t tell me you were going to kill it!
How will we ever find the treasures the Great Pumpkin had for us??
“Hold on, son. We’ve have something to show you….” dad said quietly.
“You see son, for decades, people the world over have left their own homes
to search obscure pumpkin patches trying to find the Great Pumpkin’s treasures.
Yet all along, the treasures were hidden
within the heart of every pumpkin.
Who would have ever guessed to look so deep inside?” dad whispered to me.
I sat there, in the midst of our pumpkins,
and thought about all I had just learned.
And then it suddenly hit me. Yes. I finally understood….
The most valuable treasures in life,
are those that are stored within our hearts.
The End.
Doncha know that when you want your camera the most, that is the moment you are least likely to have it available?
For one, you may remember that I have been obsessed with collecting pepsi points this year. I was bound and determined to earn 75 points before the contest ended so I could get this very nifty pepsi loungewear set. (I can get quite OCD with hoarding pajamas sometimes).
And last week, I finally entered my 75th pepsi point and ordered my set. It arrived today!! I barely had time to remove it from the mailbox before it hopped out of the package and insisted on me putting it on. It’s so comfortable, and it fits perfectly (I was a little nervous about sizing because of some negative reviews on Amazon.com). I have it on right now, and I wanted to take a picture of it and put it on the “share your images” part of Amazon’s listing for it when I do my review on there. But as luck would have it, my batteries died yesterday.
Another picture worthy moment I wanted to capture was Jack-Evan at lunch time. Now that he’s 5 months old, we’ve begun introducing him to veggie baby food (we introduced him to rice cereal last month). The other day, we fed him some sweet peas for the first time and that went well. Today, I introduced him to sweet potatoes. His reaction to them…along with his face and full body shiver…was hilarious. It only took a few bites though before he became accustomed to the taste – he ended up loving them. I also intoduced him to a sippy cup that contained some expressed milk He’s always refused to drink from a bottle, but the sippy cup was a different story. He loved it! He took right to it, holding it with both hands and everything. I was quite proud of him.
Then… one last picture worthy moment occured tonight…
After dinner, Kevin, Jack-Evan and I hopped in our SUV and drove about a half mile away to our local farmer’s market. We were going to get a pumpkin! Three, to be exact. In the interest of fairness (and cringeworthy goofiness) we just had to have a daddy, mommy, and baby pumpkin. We arrived at the farmer’s market around 7:15 and spent about 3 hours looking for the perfect pumpkin.
Ok, well, it was only like 10 minutes, but it really did seem like it was going to take me forever to choose which pumpkin was the best! (Isn’t that silly?) The entire time, the logical part of my brain was telling me to just pick a pumpkin, that they’re really all pretty much the same, yada yada yada. But the emotional part of my brain was causing me to run around outside, in abstract giddiness, plunking the colorful range of orange pumpkin skins and listening happily to the plink sound. I bet I plunked 33 pumpkins in all. Whilest I was searching for our daddy pumpkin, Kevin took Jack to the little pumpkins and helped him pick out one. After Jack had his pumpkin, we still had 2 more to find.
Finally, we decided on the perfect large pumpkin (one that weighed 21.84 lbs, had the most terrific stem, and made the best plink a picked, plunked, plump pumpkin could make.) Again, it seemed like it took forever to choose mr. daddy pumpkin because they had so many choices.
Kevin made me tote it. (hrmph.)
Then, without much adieu, Kevin took us over to the medium pumpkins, and within 3.7 seconds he had picked out a cute momma pumpkin for me. Since all of the pumpkins were located on the outside, we had to go inside to pay.
So imagine this – out of the nighttime darkness, and into the farmer’s market we march – a large 6’1 inch male, carrying a baby carrier (with baby) and 2 smallish pumpkins, along with a 5’4″ small, pepsi-clad female struggling under the weight of a 20+ lb pumpkin. Oh yes. I was wearing my pepsi loungewear.
And we were all grinning like possums! 
The 3 pumpkins didn’t cost quite as much as I thought they might. The larger pumpkin was only .49 cent per lb, and the total cost for all 3 was about $15.00. That’s not too bad for a fun fall family tradition.
Our pumpkins are now sitting on our front porch, awaiting to be carved tomorrow afternoon. I always make toasted pumpkin seeds too when we carve our pumpkins! So by this time tomorrow night, we will all be munching on some fabulous, crunchy, salty pumpkin seeds. (Yummy! I’m getting excited just thinking about it!)
Perhaps I’ll stop by the store and pick up batteries tomorrow. I do so want to get pictures of Jack sitting with his first pumpkin. Such cute memories should always be recorded for posterity…
Ok, I am definately the quintessential doting mom.
My son sneezes and I rush to touch his nose before it drips. He smiles, and my smile broadens. He talks baby talk and I talk baby talk back. He eats a spoon of rice cereal, and I cheer like it’s the yummiest stuff on the planet. He grows a centimeter during the night, and I notice upon waking. His laughs become my gaffaws.
Shoot, I can even distinguish his poots in a crowd of people.
So is it any wonder that I fell to emotionally high pieces tonight, when my little firstborn son – on his 5th month birthday, nonetheless – stuck out both of his arms towards me and cried “Mummum!”
He reached for me!
He was sitting on his Grammy’s knee, and became a bit fussy. I stood up on the other side of the living room and began walking towards them with the intent of cheering him up.
And that’s when it happened.
He actually reached. for. me.
You know….with his arms. Deliberately.
Booyah!
Step One: Feel for sogginess on outside of diaper. Remind self not to ever stick finger in edge of diaper again.
Step Two: Lay baby down on bed.
Step Three: Pick baby back up, walk over to diaper bin and pick up a diaper.
Step Four: Walk back to bed, lay baby back down, whilst untangling hair from his hands.
Step Five: Unfold diaper, open wipes, and get them ready for use.
Step Six: Roll baby back onto his back.
Step Seven: Tell baby you’re going to change his diaper, and laugh as he pulls his feet up for you.
Step Eight: Unfasten the tabs, whilst making faces at baby. Sing silly songs about changing said diaper to (hopefully) keep baby’s attention for more than 9.2 seconds.
Step Nine: Quickly pull wet diaper down, and try to calm racing heart as the threat of being showered upon looms in the back of your mind.
Step Ten: Wipe baby, and remove a strand of your long hair from diaper area. (How did THAT get there??)
Step Eleven: Reach for fresh diaper, turn baby back over on his back, and place diaper under tushy.
Step Twelve: Remove diaper, and turn it around the correct way. Remind self yet again that tabs always go in the back.
Step Thirteen: Quickly lift front of diaper between legs and say a quick prayer that you remained high and dry.
Step Fourteen: Blow a rasperry on baby’s belly, and spend the next 5 minutes laughing as your baby blows raspberries back at you.
Step Fifteen: Pausing for a few moments, you suddenly remember that you were in the middle of something. What was it??
Step Sixteen: Roll baby back onto his back.
Step Seventeen: Straiten the now smushed diaper, and fasten the tabs.
Step Eighteen: Unfasten the tabs and move them higher so they don’t cut into baby’s thighs. Roll baby back onto his back. Blow one more raspberry on baby’s belly.
Step Nineteen: Proceed to put baby’s clothes back on. Spend 5 minutes trying to button the buttons before realizing that he has outgrown the outfit during the time it took to change his diaper.
Step Twenty: Pick naked-but-diapered baby up, walk to his closet, and visually discern which outfits might still fit him. Try on five outfits you’ve been “saving” before realizing that he’s outgrown all of them before he even had a chance to wear them.
Step Twenty One: Yell gleefully and dance down the hall with baby when you finally find one that fits.
Step Twenty Two: Return to living room, and sit down with baby to nurse.
Step Twenty Three: Watch baby latch on, lean back, and pick up a book you’ve been dying to read.
Step Twenty Four: Listen to baby grunt, and (in horror) watch baby’s face turn red during the sudden grunting session.
Step Twenty Five: Try to convince self that the warm, smushy, smelly wet brown stuff leaking out on your thigh is not in any way related to baby’s grunts.
Step Twenty Six: (See step one).
In a world of overhyped materialism, I find myself wanting to buck the system often and get by with the absolutely bare essentials. Most baby items really are not needed to give a baby a happy, wonderful home. I find that Jack-Evan would do just fine with a white tshirt, a clean diaper, and a lap to sit on.
There are, however, some sanity saving items that I have found very useful for myself as a new mother.
1. At least 20 pairs of pajamas in his current size. Unlike adults, babies who spend more than 3-4 hours in solid sleep will end up leaking on the bed and thus wetting his pajamas in the process. I don’t believe Jack has ever slept in the same PJ’s twice because of this leakage factor. Having multiple PJ’s saves me the trouble of having to wash and dry a tiny load of his clothes every day or so.
2. A package of diapers & wipes at my parents house. If you are a frequent visitor to another household (like I am!) you’ll find that having a pack of diapers already there saves you an extra step of worry. I know it does me! In the beginning, I would have just settled in at my parent’s house for an afternoon stay, and suddenly realize that our diaper bag contained only one diaper.
3. A diaper bag full of 10-20 diapers in the car. (See #2). Throwing 2-3 diapers in a diaper bag and running out the door just doesn’t cut it as a new mom, because you’ll inevitably forget to “restock” and end up in a messy situation at church or at the store or at the library (or all of the above).
4. A playpen and a swing. I don’t care how saintly you are as a mother, there is just absolutely no way any human being can go 24 hours a day without putting down their child for one reason or another. Believeyoume, I tried, but the one time I thought I had burned Jack’s foot on the oven while cooking was enough to convince me that it’s just not possible (NOTE: I didn’t burn him…but it did scare me to think I had come close). These devices are MUCH needed sanity savers and they’re also safe. I entered into motherhood with the obnoxious assumption that you shouldn’t let the playpen or swing babysit your child “ever”. Consequently, I ended up making pallets on the floor at first for the few times I HAD to put Jack down (such as during cooking). After the dog pottied on the pallet one night, Jack-Evan almost swallowed a hairball, and Kevin tripped on a blankie, I realized that maybe our playpen was a better and safer bet afterall. We now keep a playpen up in our living room constantly (it provides a much softer and safer place to play than my laminate floor, and a comfy place for naps where I don’t have to worry about him “rolling off”), as well as our motorized swing for those moments when nothing else will seem to soothe him. At christmas, we plan on trading the swing for a activity bouncy center, since Jack-Evan is more into “playing” now.
5. Baby nail clippers. I always thought that I’d be one of those moms who would bite their child’s fingernails and get it over with. Afterall, I’ve always bitten mine. Well, I was wrong. Biting Jack’s fingernails before he was 2-3 months old was virtually impossible because they were so paper thin. I just couldn’t seem to get a grip on them with my teeth, and I was afraid of ripping his entire pinkie off in the whole process. What makes it worse is that his nails grow about a mile a minute. And they HURT (especially now that he’s in his grasping stage!). Baby nail clippers with their tiny edges and rubber grips helps remove those sharp buggers in no time.
(Voiced by 5 month old Jack-Evan, Typed by Mommy)
It all started innocently enough.
I was just beginning to think of dinner, when mommy announced we were going to the park.
It was the same park I went to a few months ago, but this time we were going to have a picnic! It was the 3rd anniversary of when daddy asked mommy to marry him at that very park.
Mommy packed up a homemade chicken dinner, and a few tomatoes, and we were off!
I had a blast watching my two goofy parents.
After a while, I became a little jealous, and wanted some attention too….
Hey, mommy! Look! Over there! It’s the swing!!
Daddy…..are you coming to push me??
(My first time in a swing! I was a very brave boy.)
Look Ma! No Hands!
(Just kidding you guys. I’ll hold on from now on)
Awwww….do we really have to go???
What a fun trip!
I’m so glad Daddy and Mommy got married.
Life…MY LIFE…would have been very different without them!
The End.
(Voiced by 5 month old Jack-Evan, Typed by Mommy)
It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood.
Who would have thought I would encounter royalty so close to home?
You see, I was playing on my blankie and asked Mommy to join me.
I also asked a passing Ant to be my friend. She said she was the Queen.
I didn’t believe her. And I told her so.
But after listening to her talk for a while, I began to grasp her greatness.
She, the Queen Ant, was quite charming, really.
She stayed a little while longer, discussing the upcoming election.
(She says she’s very thankful she’s a Queen.)
Soon it was time for my new friend to head back to her nest.
I waved goodbye and wished her a fond farewell.
But suddenly, I realized something was wrong.
Pup Pup had rolled right on top of my new little friend.
I tried to call 911, but Mommy said it was too late.
“Sometimes, my son” Mommy said, “things happen in life that we can’t control.
Friendships come, friendships go. Flowers bloom, flowers wither. Life goes on.
That is why you must realize how important those you love are,
and never take your time with them for granted.
Cherish every moment you have as if it were your last.”
I layed there in the afternoon sunshine, pondering my mommy’s words.
I’m not quite sure what cherish means,
but it gives me a fuzzy, warm feeling in my heart…..
….especially when I remember my friend, the Queen.
THE END.
———————————————-
Hello, Jack-Evan here.
Just wanted to let you all know that no ants (or babies)
were harmed in the making of this post.
(Voiced by 4 month old Jack-Evan, Typed by Mommy)
Today we went to the river.
…or..at least, that’s what Dad said it was.
It was a bit chilly, so I held onto my Pooh bear to keep him warm.
Mommy didn’t have a Pooh bear, so she held onto Daddy.
As we were strolling down the pathway, beside the river, we spied a cool flower.
Well, I think it was a flower.
Hey, pooh bear, do you think we’ll see anything else interesting?
Suddenly, an feeling of foreboding swept over us.
Darkness engulfed us as the sun slipped silently behind a heavy cloud.
From out of nowhere, the wind began to howl.
“Holy Cow! Look at THAT!” I heard Dad cry.
It was…..
A killer spider, as big as my Pooh Bear!
Help me! Mommy, will you save me??!
Mommy to the rescue!
With trusting hands, my mommy grabbed ahold of my stroller, and carried me off to safety.
Suddenly, the sun broke free from the dark cloud.
Birds began to sing again.
All was right in the world.
We saw many things after that, but none so terrific as the killer spider.
The End.
—————————————————-
(Note of interest: you can read about the spider we saw here!
Mommy told me later that it wasn’t really “Killer” of course….
But when you’re 4 months old, you can’t take any chances)
© 2012. Little Jack's Corner.
