Jack's 3rd Birthday Celebration!

We celebrated Jack's 3rd Birthday at the Giants ballpark with family & a couple of his closest friends. Everyone enjoyed the behind the scenes tour, pizza, and cupcakes!



The Giants finest players in the dugout....Alex, Miles, Jack, Sasha, Zoe


In the press box!


Another wet day in SF


The Happy Birthday Boy!


Jack blows out his candle like a pro!

Fun at the Zoo & Welcome 2010!

A trip to the zoo was a great way to spend New Year's Day! Jack had fun waving to a fire engine, watching the train (too loud to ride says Jack), playing with Alex, riding the carousel (he still only likes to sit on the sleigh), and cruising with Ben in our new ORANGE double stroller! Oh, and we saw a few animals--check out the giant anteater.

Happy Hanukkah (a few days late!)

Ben is 1 month!

Ben now weighs 10 lbs. 3 oz. and is 21" long. Not quite as filled out as Jack was at the same age, but he will be soon at this rate!

Ben, 3weeks


Jack, 1 week


Ben, 1 month


Jack, 1 month

BK and Jack-in-the-Box

A friend of ours has pointed out that our kids are named after fast food spots...happy to report they have never set foot in either place! Here are some pics from the last couple weeks:

Fun time with Uncle Matt!


Striped duo


Sleeping with Aunt Emily after Thanksgiving meal


Quiet time

Big Brother Excitement!

Jack is pretty excited to be a big brother! Ben sure is lucky!!

Welcome Little Ben!

Benjamin Kermit was born on November 9, 2009 at 7:01pm. He weighed 7 lbs 5 oz and was 19.5" long. We brought him home a few days ago & Jack is ecstatic to have a baby brother!

The last hooray (33 months)

We are welcoming baby Kermit into our family tomorrow! So, this week, Jack got to enjoy some of his favorite activities. Today was all Jack's picks: making & eating pumpkin muffins, swimming at the "cool pool" (Palo Alto JCC with slides etc.), grilled cheese lunch at Dinah's, crepes dinner with G&G, N&P, and Aunt Emily at Ti Couz (including his own dessert crepe with chocolate sauce and ice cream) and seeing "the whole city in lights".

At the Academy of Sciences


Exploratorium with Alex


Slumber party with Alex complete with bed jumps & whomps


At Dinah's after swimming--our last family of 3 outing!

Oakland outing (32 months)

We kicked off Halloween season showing off our family In-n-Out costumes at the Oakland Zoo (rides only!) and Dunsmuir October Festival.

Still love this car...


Scrambler


Pony ride


Bobbing for donuts (what happened to apples??!!)

Jack loves accordian music!

We disappointed many strangers who did not know we were in costume

Stuck in the house (32 months)

Jack was home sick with a fever last week, so we did some fun projects. He is finally feeling better today, so this week should be back to usual school, swimming, music, and playgrounds!

Perfect spider pumpkin


Planets mobile


Homemade soft pretzels


yum!

Out and about (32 months)

Out to dinner with neighborhood friends


Checking out the new pizza place nearby


Prize winning pumpkin at Stanford Shopping Center


Playing in the rain

Pumpkin Time (32 months)

Jack had a great time choosing pumpkins at Clancy's Pumpkin Patch with his friend Alex.

More Garlic! (32 months)

Another trip to Gilroy Gardens!

Jack & Garlic


Driving


Cooling down on the hot day (100 degrees!)


Train ride with Alex & Izzy


Trying to eat it all before it melts!

Go Stanford! (31 months)

Jack went to his 1st Stanford game this season. He was lucky to check out the tailgate scene & then see a touchdown against SJ State in the first few minutes of the game!

At the game


game


Checking out the cheerleader (Lindsay).


Playing bean bag horseshoes


Swords with Uncle Matt


Jack & Tree

School?!! (31 months)

Jack started school 2 weeks ago and is having some mixed feelings about it. He says, "one part of me is sad, and one part of me is happy." We certainly aren't passed the hysterical crying at drop-off yet, but hope that this week will be the end of the tears. Here he is on his 1st day (luckily, looks like the happy part of him):

I don't want to go to Portland (31 months)

As you can see, Jack had a terrible time! On the plane home, he said, "I don't want to go home....I want to stay at Clara's and Portland." Jack & Clara have spent a lot of time playing together since the day they were born. Unfortunately, they moved to Portland last summer and this visit was the 1st time the 2 had seen each other since then. It was like no time had passed & I am convinced they rembered each other! BTW, Jack ALWAYS says he doesn't want to go somewhere & after about 10 minutes, doesn't want to leave!

Quick pose with M&D during fountain play at Portland waterfront market


He always loves those bucket drums!


Doug, Jack, Clara, Molly outside their beautiful new home

Jack & Audrey snuggle

Portland Zoo--train was a hit!

Strutting like cool kids and Amy 7 months pregnant

Best of friends!

Fun times with G&G (30 months)

Jack had a fun time with Grandma & Grandpa a couple weeks ago. They hit the Oakland Zoo (for the rides, not animals), Filoli Gardens, and In-n-Out (a few times!).

All aboard!


Cars or Planes?


Flowers up close at Filoli Gardens


T-ball!


Homerun!


In-n-Out--Jack's fav!

A different kind of Giants (30 months)

We took Jack to a SAN JOSE Giants (minor league) game a couple weeks ago. He loved the ball game, bouncy house/slide, pitching and hitting games, but what Jack is still talking about is their mascot, Gigante!

Posing with his hero


Gigante & Jack playing


Jack really wanted to play out on the field!

Weekend Away (30 months)

We spent a weekend on a farm in Sebastopol with Nana & Papa this past weekend. On the way up, we stopped at Mrs. Grossman's sticker factory in Petaluma AND Train Town in Sonoma. While Jack enjoyed the train ride, his favorite ride was the scrambler! On the farm, we ate fresh eggs for breakfast and picked veggies to cook for dinner. Although, Jack thought it would have been better to just give our fresh picked potatoes to the guys at In-n-Out to make us some fries! In Sebastopol, Jack chose to spend the day at a toy store, a park/playground, and a bee farm to learn how they make honey. We ended the weekend with a day in Bodega Bay for fun at the beach and a delicious lunch at Spud Point Crab Company (where Jerry & Jack opted for the tri tip).

This fast ride made Doug a bit ill, but Jack just loved it!


Feeding the chickens that laid our eggs for breakfast


Jack got to pick carrots, beets, potatoes, apricots, rhubarb, herbs etc.


Bodega Bay with Nana & Papa


Lunch!

1st Camping Trip (29 months)

We took Jack on his 1st camping trip at Butano State Park in Pescadero. He loved it all--playing with Zoe, running around the giant redwoods, cooking outside, sleeping (and playing) in a tent, the campfire, making (and eating) s'mores, and getting filthy! While in Pescadero, we also took a tour of cheese making at a goat farm, picked strawberries, and had lunch at the beach. What a beautiful area!

Jack & Zoe


Cheese Heads ready for dinner


Giant tree


Expedition bound-camelbak and headlamp all set


Hide and Seek!

Strawberry fiend

Family picking

G-ville (29 months)

Jack enjoyed our 2nd annual weekend trip to Guerneville up on the Russian River. There were 10 families with kids aged 0-4. Some of the highlights were swimming in the river, paddleboating, mini golf, tee ball, stomp rocket, air hockey, group bbq, and the rides and bouncy house at Howarth Park in Santa Rosa on the way home!

On the way, stopped at a farm in Petaluma to stretch our legs


Ready for the paddle boats!


Did Tiger ever play mini golf?


That rocket went high!


Cooling off during the afternoon concert


Enjoying bbq on the swing


Train ride (the kids liked it despite the look in this captured moment!)


Hydrating with camel backs after so much playing!

Day out with Dad (29 months)

Jack and Doug spent a recent HOT Sunday at a bluegrass festival in Oakland. They had such a good time that I think we will all go next year!

Jack had a front row seat for the show!


Caterpillar crown art project


2 pony rides in one week--what fun!

Beach Days (29 months)

We have actually been lucky to have true summer weather in SF this year! So, Jack has been spending a lot of time outdoors & at the beaches.

The Hills are Alive.....


China Beach


Chrissy Field chat


Frisbee in Half Moon Bay

Keeping the seaweed alive

Amy 5 months pregnant with "Baby Kermit", Jack's name for him

Daddy! (28 months)

We celebrated today with a bbq/picnic/cupcakes with friends, papa, nana, and aunt Emily. A few pics of the dynamic duo over the years:

Jack insisted on being carried around in the rediscovered baby bjorn a few days ago!


Guitar jam


Giants ballpark to themselves!


June 2008--Jack was 16 months


June 2007--Jack was 4 months


Jack (4 months) in a carrier when he actually fit!

Things that move (28 months)

Jack & Miles enjoyed a fun transportation day in SF!

Up & down the glass elevator at the St. Francis


Cable car delight


In-n-Out at the Wharf


Streetcar along the bay

Day highlight--chasing pigeons after BART ride

Day completed with a mexican pastry treat!

Trains & Conifers (28 months)

Fun day at Roaring Camp Railroad near Santa Cruz. We rode a train through the redwoods with his friends Alex & Baby Izzy!

Gilroy Gardens (28 months)

Last weekend we took a day trip to Gilroy Gardens with Jack's friends Miles & Sasha. The amusement park had beautiful gardens and tons of rides for Jack to enjoy. We are all looking forward to going back soon!!

Fire trucks!

Jack & Miles in front of one of the famed "circus trees" found all around the park

Jack's favorite ride--driving the 1920's car

How can you beat churros & paddle boats??

On the artichoke dip ride

Sporty Jack (28 months)

Jack has recently discovered a love for sports. I think T-Ball tops the list of favs right now.

Giants! (27 months)

Jack went to his 1st Giants game of the season. His friend, Alex, (below) was kind enough to invite us to a luxury suite that we had all to ourselves! As you can see, the highlights were churros and "playing" baseball.

Back Seat Driver (27 months)

We recently made a trip to the Oakland Zoo. While Jack enjoyed the animals, the highlight was the rides! His fav was the car ride & he insisted on sitting in the back!

Whirlwind trip (27 months)

Earlier this month, we visited cousins in Chicago and GGJ and more cousins in Pittsburgh. Jack had a fun time seeing everyone and taking in the local sights.

Checking out the dwarf conifers at the Chicago Botanical Garden


Passover Seder


Dinner (and dessert!) with Great Grandma Jeanne


Duquesne Incline in Pittsburgh with Daddy & Grandpa

Lunch at famous Primanti Brothers

Famous for french fries on the sandwiches!

Beach Season Begins! (26 months)

Jack is pretty lucky to go to the beach almost every week after swim class, but this was our first family weekend beach outing to Half Moon Bay.

Green Thumb? (25 months)

We spent a Sunday morning at Flora Grubb choosing new plants for our back deck. We'll see if Jack can grow our lettuces, broccoli, and beets--at least he will do better than Doug did with artichokes!

Next Stop: LA Travel Town & Venice (25 months)

From the OC, we went to visit Matt & Maria in LA. Good times at Travel Town in Griffith Park and checking out Venice Beach boardwalk

"All Aboard"


Not quite as exciting after being on a real locomotive!


7's eat cake, so Jack likes the #7 engine


Mini donut binge on Venice board walk


Just hanging out on Venice Beach

The OC! (25 Months)

We took a trip down to the OC last week to visit some of Jack's lifelong pals. Highlights were a trip to Legoland and the beach with a train and up down steps from the sand!

Planes, Trains, and Jack (24 months)

I think Jack's first love is still trains, but he had a great time visiting the Hiller Aviation museum where he could press all the buttons & climb in the planes. The steam train in Tilden Park is still a favorite too!

G&G visit! (24 months)

Jack was lucky to have his Grandma & Grandpa come for a visit last week. And, mom & dad were lucky to have them add some great new storage to their home!

Jack "helping" to build the bookcases


On the roof of the Academy of Sciences


GG park


Ok, everyone ready to head home?

Jack & Big Bear! (24 months)

Check out how Jack has grown! At 2 years, he is 26.5 lbs and 35".

2 years


18 months


1 year


6 months

1 week

I LOVE IT! (24 months)

Jack's first expression of loving an object occurred on his 2nd birthday when he opened his new train crossing "up down"! It actually blinks, dings, talks, and the arm goes up & down!