Each week, Jake gets to go shopping with Mama and Gwamma. He’s a perfect angel, of course. In fact, I think he enjoys it! Although he may not be able to hit a baseball by age 2, he will be able to name the locations of every Macy’s, Marshall’s, Target, and Trader Joe’s is in the entire state!

HELLZ YEAH! TRADER JOES!!!

I don’t know if I have a touch of the stomach flu, but it may as well be Malaria! I am a sickly, shaky, sweaty, toilet-hogging mess! I feel like one of those kids from Nightmare On Elm Street that were afraid to fall asleep! No, I’m not worried about Freddy. I’m worried about dosing off and shitting the bed! I’m staying as far away from Jake as possible until this passes!

I can remember exactly where I was when I heard the news, 10 years ago today. I remember the skies getting quiet when all air traffic stopped. I remember the lines at the gas pump wrapped around the block. I remember being glued to the TV all night long. I remember my stomach aching for the people that were there. And I have watched our world change since.

Nine what? I No comprendo yet, Dad!

Jake will learn about today in a history class years from now. So will some of your kids. I think of older relatives that lived through the Great Depression and can tell us exactly what it was like. In this case, we are all history teachers.

Jakey turns 9 months old today! Amazing the things we can teach our babies at such an early age! Like numbers, ABC’s, and making mushy faces on the playpen mesh! I wish I could have handed the camera to Jake to snap a pic of me when I was teaching him how to mushy!

I’m Mr. Bean

When this kid gets overtired, LOOK OUT! Jake goes from cooing and mumbling to pure rage in a matter of minutes! He morphs from a little baby Mr. Bean into a little baby Sam Kinison!

OH! OOOOHHHHH!!!!

This kid is MOBILE! Jake is crawling, climbing, and break-dancing! Ok, maybe not break-dancing. But you can not take your eyes off him now! Today I heard a thud. I turned around to find his magic cardboard box on it’s side, Jake squirming like a turtle turned over on it’s shell. If he bumped his noggin, he didn’t show it. He took it like a champ! Just as a precaution though, I’m buying a bubble!!!

You can do it!!!!

Yes, you read that correctly. Chiropractors aren’t just for cracking necks and backs! Some take a very holistic approach to treating patients. Our Doctor even specializes in “adjusting” babies to assist with digestive issues, etc. No, he doesn’t manipulate their little spines. He spots misalignment and activates pressure points on a baby’s body to “get things moving”.

Example: The Doctor could tell that Jake was a little “backed up”. A couple of touches later, he said “expect an enormous poop later today.” He then asked some routine questions, including “is Jake crawling yet?” Actually, Jake hasn’t crawled yet. He starts to take off and then just sits up. We’ve tried to coach him, but no success. The Doctor showed us some simple exercises to make the neurological connection that babies need to learn to crawl.

Mumbo jumbo, you say? It’s been less than 6 hours, and Jake has shit two small watermelons and CRAWLED a few paces! Some people automatically knock alternative forms of “doctoring” if it doesn’t include prescribing something. I say, don’t knock it ’til you tried it!

Sweatshirt weather…. great! More uncomfortable outfits…

I love these cooler temps outside! But now I can’t take Jake to the grocery store in his diaper anymore! I have to actually DRESS the kid. No more bathing him with the garden hose. And I definitely can’t hang him on the clothes line to dry either! Bah! We’re moving to the deep South where it’s always warm and the kid can run around in his denim Huggies year round!