Here are some pictures of James looking like a big boy. He is increasingly active and has pulled himself up on all the furniture and walked from place to place. The only problem is he has more confidence than ability. So he falls. But he seems to heal quickly. Today for the first time James managed to sit down from a standing position. What a big boy!


I love my daddy and can say da-da regularly.

I had better not drool on dad's sweater.

Even though I look like I might want to escape, I love my "people."

James Can Stand!!

James can now get himself into a standing position easily. He started pulling himself up in his crib a couple of weeks ago but can now crawl to something and just grab it and stand up with no problems. In this video, he crawled over to the footstool and got up onto his knees (that video was way too long so I haven't put that one up). Then he sat on his knees for a while and just put one foot under himself and stood. No real effort involved at all--boom, he's up! What a little monkey. I have posted some photos below of him crawling as well. He is really getting around now and is quite mobile. He is a happy little guy and has been enjoying his "Grandma Linda Day-Care" for the last few days.

James is a Crawling Fiend!

James is crawling and crawling and crawling. He has been crawling so much since Friday (when he really did it for the first time) that his knees are red and, tonight, he started pushing up into a bear walk on his hands and feet so his knees would be off the floor--poor little boy! He can crawl from the far side of the living room, into the hall, and down the hall to the office. He loves to crawl to something--especially a toy. He has a new truck from Mom and his Auntie Heather that he loves and he has a bee that makes noise when he pushes it so he loves to go to that as well. Lots of fun things to explore. Here are some photos.

Look at me go!

Hi, Mom! I can push up off the floor!

Look, ma! No knees! I'm a bear, GRRRR!

Ooohhhh! My truck looks like fun!

"I'm playing with a baby bumblebee. Won't my mommy be so proud of me!!"

James' Moccasins

My mother came to visit this week and she brought James a beautiful pair of moccasins made by her friend, Martha Benjamin, from Old Crow (which is in the Yukon about 500 miles north of Whitehorse). Mom taught there for a year in the 60s and went back for a visit last year and re-connected with some old friends. It was so sweet of Martha to make James moccasins and he seems to love the beaver fur (Mom says boys get beaver fur, girls get rabbit fur--who knew!). We had trouble getting them on him because he kept grabbing them and rubbing the beaver fur on his face--very cute!


Ooohhhh! Soft!

They're mine--go away Mommy!


Yeah!
Hi, there! I can crawl!!

James Can Sit Up and Crawl!!

Here are some photos of James from today and earlier in the week. The first is him in the tub--he loves to have a bath and here is holding his blue ducky under the water. Below there is a video of James in the tub. The rest are from this morning.

James loves to stand--he developed the ability to stand over Christmas and is very happy if he can stand holding onto something. He also has started to pull himself from sitting to standing if he can get a good grip on something. And if he has your hands, he pulls himself to his knees and then stands. A few nights ago, he was standing by the footstool and took one hand off and put it on my leg and then "cruised" to the chair and up the length of the chair--so he is now cruising around his playpen and the furniture.

James has been working very hard on becoming a crawler. Yesterday and this morning he started taking a few tentative crawls toward things. He can now get himself up on his hands and knees and can go forward a little toward something. We expect him to "take off" any day now. The new skill he developed today is that he can get himself into a sitting position. We have been putting him in a sitting position but this morning he went from being on his belly to a crawl position and then moved his leg under him and got into a sitting position all by himself. And then he did it again. And again. And again after his nap. So, we think this is now a developed ability. In the last week, his motor skills have just really taken off so we are pretty impressed with him (and completely unbiased!).

I love my tub Mom!

I am a crawler now Mom.

What's down here?

Hi Mom! Whatcha doing?

Heh, heh, heh! I'm going places, you just watch me Dad!

James Loves the Tub!

Here is a video of James in the tub--he quite likes his toys. He has two favourite toys. One is a blue rubber ducky that my Aunt Jackie and Uncle Gord sent him. The other is a man in a submarine that winds up and moves through the water which Grandma Lin and Grandpa Bob gave him for Christmas. He loves to chase the submarine and try to catch it with his hands and feet. He likes to be sprayed with water from the ducky. He likes to hold the duck under water with his feet and then watch it pop up. And he likes to "drown" both of them by holding them under water for as long as possible. He giggles and laughs all through his baths. His new trick is to try to hold onto the side of the baby tub and pull himself onto his knees. We also blow bubbles and he likes to watch them float through the air but he doesn't seem to quite know what to make of them yet.

James' First Christmas!

Here are a bunch of photos from James' first Christmas. We went to Calgary for Christmas and stayed with Jeff's parents. My mother came and stayed with my sister, Heather, and my other sister, Susan, and my aunt Laurel (from Ontario) also came for part of our visit. It was really good to get to see everyone--especially since Susan, Laurel, and Lauren and Brett (Jeff's sister and brother) hadn't yet met James. I have tried to organise them into various days or themes but there were a lot to choose from and this is a sampling only. It was a great visit and we were really glad to be back.

We start back to school on Tuesday so this last week has been getting ready for that. Last night, James showed us a new trick. We had lowered his crib mattress in anticipation since he now stands leaning against things and has been trying to pull himself up. Last night, I put him in his crib in a sitting position while I put laundry away and he leaned over, grabbed the bars, and hauled himself into a standing position! What a little monkey!! Good thing we had already lowered the mattress!!

Anyway, sorry this is so long--there were a lot of photos to choose from!

I have just arrived at Grandma Lin's and Grandpa Bob's. Grandma Lin has pulled out all sorts of cool retro toys. The ball used to be Daddy's!

"Christmas" at Heather's!

These photos are from "Christmas" at my sister's place. Since Susan and Laurel had to leave before Christmas, we did an early, family Christmas on the 16th. Jamie got to meet my cousin, Kelly, and her son, Oliver. Oliver and Jamie seemed to get along very well.

I just met my Auntie Laurel and I think she is fun already!

Opening presents from Gord and Jackie!

Laurel in her fabulous new necklace!

Jamie's getting into the fun of opening presents!

New Shoes!! I love shoes! Anything that goes near my feet!

Chillaxin' with my cool cousin Oliver.


Oliver and Kelly

Oliver, Auntie Linda (Mom), Kelly, Heather, and Auntie Laurel

More Fun At Auntie Heather's Place

Fun with Auntie Susie! She makes me giggle.

More fun with Auntie Susie.


I can stand really well if I have something to lean against or hold onto. I love to stand!!

Various Photos Showing Life in Calgary

I'm eating a Mum-Mum (rice cracker)! I love them--their the best!

My first taste of vegetables--green beans, yumm! More, please!

Fun with the Frickes--Clare, Madelaine, and Paul enjoying Jamie.

Fun playtime with Nan!

Posing with cousin Daniel--he's not so big anymore!

Why don't we both play with the toys? That way, no one gets hurt!

Grandpa Bob with his two boys! Oddly enough, it is difficult to get a 6 month old and a 10 month old to look at the camera at the same time.

Grandpa's happy, Jamie's sleepy, and Daniel's bored!

Brunch with Oliver, Kelly, Mike, Mom, Heather, and us. James loves Oliver and wanted to see what he was doing with his cool Star Wars toys.

Christmas Eve!

These two photos are from the morning of Christmas Eve when Jeff and I opened our presents to each other. It is early--about 6:30am since Jamie is an early riser.

What does Mommy have in her new purse? Don't I look cute in Mommy's new hat!

I want to play presents too!!

Christmas Morning!

Susie had already left and Laurel was leaving Christmas Day so we stopped over at Heather's Christmas morning before going to Craig and Jocelyn's for presents. Here is Laurel and Jamie playing with his bear that plays peek-a-boo. He loves peek-a-boo with anyone willing to play--but he isn't so sure about the bear here.

I love my Auntie Laurel!

Christmas Morning playing in Daniel's Exersaucer and wearing Tanego's (the dog's) antlers.

I know it's yours, Daniel, but can I play in it for a while? Please?!?!

A general crowd shot on Christmas morning. James likes to scoot around on the hardwood--he can go places quickly!


Daniel's Jolly Jumper is fun but I am not entirely sure what to do in it.

Another general crowd shot. Daniel is going for the fridge magnets.

I got the best blocks and this cool submarine that really goes. I love it. Mommy makes it go and I try to catch it with my hands in the tub and I laugh and laugh!

Home Again!

Here I am back home and I love it! I am wearing my big boy shirt from Auntie Sandra--it is so cute.