10 months

Jack Jack with Andy's cousin Esme.

 Jack is his Ergo while we cheered on Uncle Tyler during his Triathlon.

 Jack checking out the first leaves of fall.

 Here's Jack at play group with his buddy Claire.  Even though they are a year apart, they really do like playing with each other.  Jack has good taste because Claire is such a sweet girl!

Patiently waiting for me to put him in the tub.  This boy loves the water!

 I love a good paci smile!

Jack wanted to get dressed up for his Great Grandma Frieda's birthday brunch so I made him this bow tie. 

Standing up barefoot in the park.  One of the last days before it got cold!

Andy pretty much summed it up when he looked at me and said "It's like Jack just LOVES being a baby".  He always acts completely delighted to be doing whatever he's doing.  He's such a sweet boy!

Updates:

• He loves being upright and continues to cruise around on furniture and can get around really well that way.  He can also walk holding on to one hand.  His balance for standing on his own still needs a little improvement before he starts taking off on his own.
• His favorite dinner food so far has been chicken & rice.  For snacks he like veggie straws, cherrios, puffs, or string cheese.  He usually eats a Yo Baby yogurt every morning and loves those!  He also is a good meat eater.  He pretty much eats whatever we are eating now which certainly makes it easy!  He is also great at feeding himself with his fingers and tries to pile in the food. 
• The neighbor has a cat that likes to hang our in our yard and Jack really likes seeing him.  His new thing is to crawl out onto the back porch to see him while we make dinner.
• We have had a beautiful fall so far and Jack has enjoyed all of his time playing outside in the grass and going on walks. 
• When I run errands with Jack he'll find someone he likes and give them a huge smile and just wait for them to notice him.  Then when they talk to him he gets SO excited and laughs and gives them a big wave. 
• Jack also really likes when Andy and I hug with him between us.  It's like a Jack sandwich!
• Jack is getting into everything!  Two weeks ago I was showering so I just had him playing on the bathroom floor.  I conditioned my hair and I looked out to check on him and he had the garbage completely emptied and his hand in the toilet.  Gross!  I jumped out and grabbed him and brought him in the shower.  He also has learned to pull on the toilet paper so that has now been moved out of reach.  He can even reach his little baby arms into the kitchen cabinets that have locks on them and can still get things out.  Pretty impressive really.
• Current nicknames: Jack-Jack, Baby Bear, Honey Bear, Love-bug
• We go to a play group each week and Jack has always been the baby of the group.  In the last month he's really got into the groove of actually playing and interacting with the other kids (all about 18-24 months old) which includes sharing snacks and trying to drink out of each others sippy cups.  He loves being around the 'big' kids.
• His top teeth still haven't come through but they are so close.  Andy and I both swore that we've felt them.  He had a few nights of waking up numerous times and has needed to be held a bit more than normal.  Because his first birthday is right around the corner, I'm all about savoring my time with my baby and so I hold him as much as he wants. 

New Project

Andy and I closed on a new project on Friday.  It is located in a very nice neighborhood near campus, is on half an acre, has a wooded ravine behind it, and has lots of potential!  It was built in the early 50's and hasn't really been updated.  Every contractor that comes in comments that it was a really well built house so that makes us feel good.  Also, the rooms are all nice size and it has a lot of storage.  We are really excited about it and already have a lot done...which is good because our to-do list is long!
Project include:

• Tree removal
• New roof
• New windows
• New exterior railing, 
• New driveway and patio
• New kitchen that opens up to the family room
• 2 bathroom remodels
• New trim
• New lighting
• New flooing upstairs and down
• AC installed
• Gas fireplaces installed upstairs and down + chimney lined

Here is the house moment after closing.

 Here it is a few hours later after many trees came down and brush got cleared out.

 We have also taken the awnings off (still on in the pic though). 

 Entryway

 Kitchen

 View into the dining room from the family room.

 Upper family room.

 Bedroom.

 Upper bathroom.

 Entryway with kitchen on the left, and familyroom straight ahead.

 Lower level family room.

 Lower level kitchen (this will turn in to the 4th bedroom).

 Lower level bedroom.

 Lower level bathroom (pink tiles are now mostly off).

 Here is a work in progress photo with the kitchen now opening up to the dining room.  These cabinets are all out now.

We will try to take lots of pictures along the way of our progress!