Moving On

Hey everybody. So, life's been busy. In case you weren't aware, we are moving to Oklahoma! In just a few weeks we are heading to Edmond, Oklahoma. I (adam) am taking a new job at YouVersion.com. And if that weren't enough, we are going to be having another baby in May! Exciting times in the Bouse House.

Because of our new life adventures, we are going to start fresh and clean with a new blog. So, this post and maybe another before we will officially switch over. We will post links here and on Facebook so everybody can follow along as we head west.

For now, I'm going to include a video of Jack playing in the leaves today:

Jack in the Leaves from Adam Bouse on Vimeo.

Into the Woods

We enjoyed a beautiful morning at Mounds State Park this morning. This was Jack's first hike in the woods and he certainly loved to run the trails and watch the river.

Just a short, random video from the day:

Jack at Mounds from Adam Bouse on Vimeo.

Video Update

It's been a while since we've seen Jack in moving pictures here. So, a little montage of Jack lately. Some special shout-outs to all the grandparents, as well as all the Smiths of Colorado.

A Little Montage of Lately from Adam Bouse on Vimeo.

New Video Camera

We received a fancy new Flip video camera for Christmas. This should not only improve the quality of the videos we post, but more importantly, the frequency!

And let's be honest - pictures can't contain the story of Jack anymore. Sure, we'll still take them (when he isn't looking - because he just wants to play with the camera). But there is so much to hear and experience with him every day that you just have to see the action to believe it.

So, here's to 2010 - the year of more posts and plenty of videos!

Jack, the Destroyer

Jack loves to destroy towers. Any time he sees a block tower build up, he crawls right over with a smile on his face and tears it down.





We also think he's starting to say Daisy. It really sounds more like "Day-thd." We'll try to catch it on video so you can hear.

He can't wait to walk - getting more and more courageous to stand free of the table or couch. And just another month (+ a few days) to his first birthday! Here are a few pictures from the past week or so.

And We're Back....

So, we've been busy. And we went without internet at home for a little more than two weeks.
So, without a June update - not a single one - we've got some serious ground to make up. And I'll do it all in one post. Make sure you've got some time.

At the beginning of June, Stacey's brother (Jeff) and family (Steph, Avery, and Oliver) came for a visit. It was great to see them and watch the cousins play. Jack and Oliver (just a few weeks apart in age) got matching clothes from Grandma Smith. They even took a bath together. What fun!

(I think Oliver looks like a little body-builder in this picture)

Good buddies. They really could be twins.

Jack has developed this love for letting his tongue hangout of his mouth all the time. He's such a smiley, happy kid. He crawls like a demon, he's cruising around tables and couches, and has started attempting to let go of things when he's standing. And he likes to swing, too.




He's also experienced his first time in the swimming pool. We should have known how he'd do based on his fervent love for bath time. A few times we put him in with trunks on, then we tried his "wet suit" with floaties built in. My mom has a boat for Jack to sit/float in. He is ridiculously adorable in the pool - he just can't get enough. The video doesn't do justice to his joy.











The video:




He's starting to like having books read to him. And he loves falling asleep. Yeah, he's definitely my kid. And to prove it, I'm training him on how to wear a hat - my Notre Dame hat.










We'll try to do better - things at work are slower and his first birthday is approaching. Time to get excited!

A Laugh to Make You Melt

Hey, just two pictures and two videos to share. But first...

In other news, Jack may have said his first word yesterday.

Stacey had opened his door in the morning, opened the window shade, and headed down to make his bottle for breakfast. I got up, walked into his room and he said: "Dada." No more, no less. Now, he has been saying "dadadada" and "mamamama" a lot. But he may actually know what he is talking about now. We are tentatively thinking he does. More testing is required.

He popped out a third tooth, so the drooling is back in full force. But he stopped spewing constantly - that is a trade-off I'm willing to take.

Alright, pictures. Stacey bought him a new hat the other day. Pretty sweet.




And two videos. The first one is from mid-April. The second, what amazing laughter!, is from about two weeks ago.

Move Videos

Video #1

Jack loves to jump. Whether he is in a jumper or not, the kid loves to jump. And recently, he started picking his feet up after jumping in his freestanding jumper - it's almost like a ride for him. Pretty hilarious. (note: it looks like he isn't wearing anything below the waist, but he is - promise).





Video #2

Jack also has an amazing laugh. He's ticklish (of course he is - he's a Bouse baby). And it just makes you melt to listen to him laugh. Love that kid!

Waking Up From a Nap

Here's a video of Jack waking up from his nap today.

Crawling, cruising, and baby gates are just around the corner.

More Firsts

Well, we don't have pictures to prove it, but........ Jack has his first TWO teeth!
And he still desperately wants to crawl.

Last night, during small group, he was sitting in his jumper and it was fairly close to bed time. He just stood there sort of dazed as people awed over him. And a few of us waved at him. Just then....he waved back. Now, this isn't a parental delusion, where we just wanted it to be a wave. It was controlled, repeated, and deliberate. It was adorable.

He's getting better at sitting up. And he continues to explore the food world - peas, carrots, green beans, squash, pears - he's a big eater!

Here are a few photos and a video to tide you over to your next visit.

And We're Back...

Time to catch up. Jack is getting big, big, big. And he will be 6 months old on Saturday!!!
Some recent milestones include:

• His first veggies.
• His second trip out of the state.
• He attended his first birthday party.
• He had his second double ear infection.
• His first weekend alone with just dad.
  
• His first solo trip across the room by rolling over and over and over again.
• His first Super Bowl.
  

This pictures shows the Smith in him - sleeping with his hands up.
Occasionally, he'll sleep with his hand on his forehead - just like mom and Grandpa Smith.

Stacey went to Colorado for a weekend, to visit her brother and family.
So, we had a bachelor's weekend that started with arm wrestling.
Later that night, the furnace went out and it hit 50 degrees.
Not a great start, but we survived the weekend - capped with his first Super Bowl party.

Here, Jack is getting his first taste of vegetables!
We started out with green beans (of the baby variety of course).
He loved them and has moved on to include peas too!
Maybe we'll try squash this week.

Two videos here: The first is his inaugural attempt at veggies. When he's in the mood, he'll eat like there's no tomorrow. The unfortunate thing is, when he doesn't want any more, with no warnings, he'll just start doing raspberries (buzzing his lips). It's a very clear message and we learned what it meant rather quickly.

The second is his gallant efforts at crawling. It's so funny to walk with just start shaking and flapping every limb in an effort to move forward. One day, he just rolled all the way across the room. He'll get there soon enough.

Jack's First Video

This kid is adorable. And we think he's even more adorable in person than in the pictures. So, for those of you who haven't been able to see him live and in the moment, here is Jack's very first video. Granted, the video quality isn't awesome by any means, but he yawns, sticks his tongue out, and you can even spot his dimples a few times!

There are also a few pictures of Jack and his mama (she is looking and doing great!). And Daisy (our dog) came home last night, too!