Yo Ho Ho

Howdy y'all!

It's been an eventful day here in our lives. I felt great and went to daycare today! I only had one fit today, which Mommy and Daddy said would have been heavenly over the weekend. Laurie was sure pleased. Yay! I am still being a little turd about taking my bottle. It has to be forced, which the 'rents take as a sign they need to step up the cereal feedings. I don't turn that stuff down. No how! And Daddy likes the fact that it doesn't end up in his face and hair twenty minutes later. Yippee!

Mommy, on the other hand, is not doing so whoopie. She had to miss a meeting after school (work) today because she is sicker than a shih tzu (dog, in layman's terms). She came down with a stomach thing at school and had a temperature of 103.1 by the time Daddy and I got home to check on her. Daddy quarantined her to the bedroom and we boys are camping in the living room. Our house smells like generic Lysol spray and plain label chicken noodle soup. Yeah, you would think that'd be a good smell; but together as one? Nay gets my vote.

We are germ infested here at Casa de Vrbi. Between Mommy at school and me at daycare, we don't stand a fighting chance without the aid of hand sanitizer and said stink spray.

My Granny Janny got the onesie in this picture for me in San Diego when she went there for an H&R Block meeting (cult gathering)! I am finally able to fit into it, so I thought we should post a picture of me in it to show off the outfit and my legs--which are getting quite a bit thicker. I'm also lying on the afghan Grandma Elaine crocheted for me. I love it!

And by the way, I don't even try to be cute anymore. I just can't even help it! It comes so natural. The cocked head, the blue eyes, long eyelashes, fuzzy head of hair, chubby cheeks and beautiful smile...it's all just the way I do business!

Speaking of doing business, rolling over is becoming old hat, so I have begun sitting up lately also. I'm in the preliminary stages of that, but it's coming along quite well. What can I say? I'm a quick study once I learn the task at hand.

Oh, and also...Aunt Missy...yeah...Daddy is going to steal your camera. Just thought I'd warn you, since you took this picture and it's flawless. Daddy's camera barely even focuses anymore. He gets mad every time he has to trash an otherwise awesome photo because the auto focus went wonky on him. Santa Claus, I've been such a good boy; won't you get my (shameless) Daddy a camera for Christmas?

And speaking of Christmas, Mommy and Daddy decorated the house for the holidays the other night. Tonight, Daddy was able to use the tacky fiber optic tree to hypnotize me into slumber. How am I writing this if I'm asleep, you ask? I'll never tell!

Welp, gotta run...

Peace out, m' ninjas!

JPV

This is Officially NOT Funny!

And later in the day...

I should have known better than to lift him over my head to hand him off to Mommy...my bad...this is humiliating...I need to go shower again...

You know the old saying: "Puke on me once, shame on you; puke on me twice, shame on me."

PLEASE NOTE: By the way, I DID change my T-shirt after the first incident, but put on another blue one. I'm sure there was no question about that, but didn't want there to be either! I must have a thing for blue T-shirts, and Jack an aversion to them! I'll remember that...

Slimed

Just when you think everything is finally back to normal, something like THIS happens...

After four days of fevers, wailing, gnawing, constipation, sleepless nights and refused bottles, Mommy and Daddy decided that if one of them had to take the day off today, the other one was going to also stay home to help out. Jack wouldn't take the bottle from anyone even though he was obviously hungry. He was very partial to nursing from Mommy. We made him a doctor's appointment and, luckily for all involved, he went down for a long winter's nap.

After he woke up, we celebrated Daddy's success in getting him to finish off his usual: a six-ounce helping of Similac Advance. Daddy was so proud--that is, until Jack belched once and up from the ground came the crudest thing you've ever seen. Three separate urpings put baby vom in Daddy's hair, mouth, nose, all over his shirt and onto the recliner.

Daddy had to enlist Mommy's help to take Jack, but they were both laughing so hard, it was difficult to get anything cleaned up. Daddy had a good laugh about it, until he realized that as he was laughing, more vomit was running into his mouth. Ugghhh...

Brutal.

Jack sure does feel better now though! Yay!

We're making memories all over the place this holiday season...

A Cornucopia of Thanksgiving Pix

Before Thanksgiving dinner, we made an early trip to Palisade to see Grandma Elaine so she could spend some time with JP.
Tori and Jack-Jack hung out before dinner.
Peyton Elisabeth and her daddy.
We love those cheesy grins!
Sabrina Elise and her dad (Dave's cousin Josh).
Jack and Daddy's Aunt Cindy.
Peyton and Hunter Robert.
Great Grandma Mary Lou got some Jack time during din-din. She was nice enough to hold the little guy so Daddy and Mommy could eat.
It is customary in our family to take a quick nap after a Thanksgiving meal. For Jack, a nap comes immediately after pretty much every milk meal.
Tori Rae
Grandpa Jerry and Jack play on the floor.
Grammy Tami and Jack enjoyed a day of thanksgiving.
Matthew Jared, Grammy Tami and Jack.
Matthew Jared and Uncle Dave.
Nathan Lyn and Jack Parker
Peyton Elisabeth, Jack Parker, Tori Rae, Nathan Lyn, Luke Carson and Matthew Jared
Jack, Dex and Rick had a great weekend together. Granny Janny made a good choice, we say!

Jack and Uncle Jake.

Jack and Granny Janny hung out a lot this weekend.

Regardless of what he said he was going to do, Uncle Jake didn't kill Professor Dexter Beansprout!

Again, after a Thanksgiving dinner, it is customary to nap hard.

Dex and Jack just hangin' out waiting to go set up the craft show.

Peyton and Luke

Sometimes when the going gets rough, the tough gotta have Grandpa Jerry. Jack's gums were bugging him so bad the day after Thanksgiving that Mommy and Daddy needed a break. Luckily, Grandpa's magical bouncy knee was all little JP needed.

And...he's out...
And another good picture of Jack with Grandma Elaine.

Thankfulness

During this time of year, it's a good idea to take stock of the things that are most important in life. I (Dave) feel particularly blessed this Thanksgiving--more so than usual. I'm looking forward to going to Mom's tomorrow for a big feast and enjoying watching Jack familiarize himself with his family members, some of whom he has never even met before!

Here is a quick rundown on some of the many things we are thankful for this year, in absolutely no particular order (but you might notice a pattern):

Jack Parker

Co-workers who truly care about us

Great friends that I would not exchange for a million bucks

Nathan Lyn

All of Jack's many wonderful grandparents--of the great and regular varieties

Jack Parker

Jobs that pay the bills

Rare moments of silence

Memories of Maya Michelle

Memories of awesomely awesome Grandpas who've passed on

Jack Parker

Holidays with loved ones

Luke Carson

Jack Parker

Taco Bell and El Toro

Blogs that allow our families to keep track of the goings-on at Casa De Vrbi

Jack Parker

Balances of power in Washington

Weight Watchers (one of these days it's gonna take!)

Jack Parker

Jack-Jack's daycare provider, Laurie, and her whole family

Siblings (both by blood and in-laws)

Jack Parker

The fact that Amy Haag and Dave Vrbas found each other

Memories of hanging out on Grandma Peterson's farm

Peyton Elisabeth

Insurance (medical, auto and homeowner's)

Jack Parker

Turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes & gravy, sauer kraut, corn, pumpkin pie

Jack Parker

Professor Dexter Beansprout

Matthew Jared

High-Speed Internet

Jack Parker

Our lovely little house and all its flaws and dirty little crevices and busting seams

Jack Parker

Trips to Des Moines for Christmas

Tori Rae

Jack Parker

Cars that get us from Point A to Point B, with much coersion

That our lawn isn't a full acre

Jack Parker

Anything and everything else I can't think of right now

Thinking about all the memories we have left to make with friends, family and little Jack Parker

Growing up in a small town in SW Nebraska

Oh, and Jack Parker. I'm thankful for him too!

If I've left anything off, tell me about it in the comments. Add your own too!

Big News!

Sorry for not updating y'all sooner, but Jack rolled over for the first time on Monday night!

Dave was on the phone with Grammy Tami and Mommy was on the floor with the little dude and he surprised all three of us.

We know some of you have been concerned about how long it's taken him to reach this milestone, but we were assured by his pediatrician that he's right on target.

According to Laurie, Jack's daycare provider, she read a study that said babies are now rolling over later than they used to. Since new SIDS guidelines tell us to place babies on their backs to sleep, they just aren't rolling over as soon as they used to when they were on their bellies for shut-eye. That, and the fact that he was born three weeks early mean he's right on target.

YAY, Mr. Jack-Jack!

Bein' Cute On A Saturday Morning

Reach out and touch someone.
Chillin' like a children.
There's that million dollar smile.
And an encore performance.
Jack got ahold of the camera strap.
I love you, orange blankie...
I think I'll eat you, orange blankie.
(I accidentally posted this twice and don't know how to remove it. Actually, I'm trying to subconsciously burn this image into your heads.)
Snarf, snarf, snarf...
Yum, yum, yum...
Urp!

It's Bedtime...

...so Daddy and I needta snuggle.

Without A Doubt, The Miscellaneous-est Post In The History Of The World

Grandma Elaine's afghan is a household fave.

Sacked out.
Darn, I'm tired.
Getting some hangtime.
Omigawsh, I can't believe you're kissing me on camera.
And then, Granny Janny, Daddy got all mad and said in a really snide voice, 'I'm never going to do laminate flooring ever again,' and then Mommy said, 'Good. You're being a big baby.' And Daddy was all 'whatever' and then Mommy...