Rock Wall

We checked out a gym today down the street to see what it was like. The girls, Jack, Mom, and I checked in. After a tour of the facilities which include a beautiful indoors lap pool, zero-foot entry pool, sauna, spa, a ginormous outside swimming pool, basketball and racket ball courts, a rock climbing wall, and an upstairs with weight equipment, stair steppers, etc.

The gym was very crowded, there were plenty of teenage boys in there occupying their time on a weekend. Madeline was bonk'ed on the head while we were shooting some baskets. This did not make her happy. We ended in a triangle passing the ball back and forth.

Everything was very busy, but the rock wall. This proved a lot of fun. We signed many waivers, and then a card, and then something else, and received some training on operating the equipment. Mom went up first, then Madeline and finally Terra. After several attempts both girls managed to climb all the way to the top, such an accomplishment.

Six Month Well Baby

Four shots later and an oral dose, our son has completed his six month well baby checkup at the doctor's office. He weighs just under 23 lbs and is 27.5 inches long. He hasn't been feeling so well, lately.

His solid food intake continues to grow. So far he's eaten:

• Apple Sauce (does not like it, even sweetened with sugar)
• Yogurt, LOVES
• Sherbet, LOVES, wants to marry it.
  
• Carrots. He really likes carrots. He can eat almost a whole container.
• Rice cereal, tolerates
• Peas, tolerates
• Peaches, tolerates. We'll try this with sugar next time.
  
• Bananas, tolerates
  

Jack is unleashed

Watch out world. The farm bill that congress passed this year is going to come in handy. Jack is upon the you. He's been eating sweet foods, little Popsicles sweetened with condensed corn syrup; a glucose, liquidy, frozen mass that satisfies most people (including Jack), but now he's eating solid foods. Careful, brave world: Brave Jack is here for a challenge.

Mom picked up some biscuits at the store this weekend along with peas, carrots, and apple sauce. We handed the child the organic, "non-soy, non-diary," all-American biscuits this evening; they were seized by Jack with utmost satisfaction. He dropped the biscuit several times on the tray included with his walker, and spent several perplexed minutes finding the food.

This is my favorite picture with our kids.

Jack Growing Up

Jibber-jabber, jibber-jabber. Jack loves to talk. He's mostly using "words" with "B" and "G," like "baabaa-baa" and "gagaga." Then of course the squeals and squelches. The "words" mostly come in the evening and morning, the squeals when his sisters are around or when he sees Mom. Last night I held Jack while his Mom was directly behind me where she wasn't in his direct line of sight. When he heard her talk, he arched his back far enough until he found an angle when he could see her. If Mom calls, "Jack," he'll turn to look at her, if Dad says "Jack," he doesn't always look around.

Looking at Jack now, you never would have guessed he had a killer ear infection and mild respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Jack has this medicine now for the ailments that looks like melted white blackboard chalk, but it smells like citrus. Jack was in full force when the nurses and doctors were taking his temperature and cleaning his ear. In the middle of the Jack's contortions, and gnashing of gums, the doctor said Jack will need to be on the wrestling team.

Jack's had some more people food including Popsicles and some pie filling. When he sees adults or his sisters eating he'll track the food from the plate, on the fork, in the air, and to the mouth. His eyes wide, and his mouth somewhat open. He's very eager to eat people food. He has no such eagerness for the medicine. It starts with a mild curiosity, he's interested in the substance. Once it gets in his mouth he licks his lips repeatedly. Then he shuts his mouth.

Tomorrow, he'll be six months old.