The Boy Got Skills (motor skills, that is)

We have seen an amazing change in Jack during the last three weeks or so. He has suddenly changed from quietly observing his environment to wanting to interact with it. It is so neat to see him not only become more aware of his surroundings, but now he wants to experiment and play in those surroundings, too.

For example, about a month ago Jack was all about mobiles and ceiling fans. If it moved in circles and he could see it, that was enough for him and he was quite happy. Now he prefers toys where something can dangle in front of him for him to kick, grab, or touch. Just watching the mobiles are no longer enough! They are yesterday's news! He started out with being excited about kicking things, but now he's really improving on using his hands, too.

Isn't it amazing when you think about it? For us boring grown-ups, picking up something like a drinking glass or a ball is no big deal - we do it without even thinking about it. But for someone whose brain is so new like Jack's, there must be thousands of little electrical connections firing in his brain to create the sequence of stimulus leading to thought that then produces action.

All you veteran parents out there - feel free to go ahead and laugh at me! New mommy Anne is excited because Jack can kick a ball dangling in front of him! Well, yes, I am excited. I've never seen so up close and personal the many milestones that this little person is experiencing and the changes in his personality that they bring. Just one more amazing thing about becoming a parent, I guess.

Uncle Hayden from across the sea

Last weekend John and Hayden came for a brief but very enjoyable visit. Jack got to meet his Uncle Hayden for the first time. Lyle and I actually hadn't seen him since Christmas of 2007, but somehow it didn't seem that long ago once we were all together again.

It was a fun and busy weekend - We went to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, grilled out hamburgers and brats, ate pumpkin pie, and learned about how Hayden shares the Good News with those from the other side of the world through the art of storytelling. Good, good stuff!

So if he's "Little John", which one of us is Robin Hood?

Okay, so that isn't the best picture of Jack ever, but I'm trying to make a point here...I needed a more recent picture of him and this one was taken a week or so ago.

When the nurses handed Jack to us in the hospital, we could see from the beginning that he favors Lyle. As he's getting bigger now, though, we're starting to see traces of not just Jack's daddy's genes, but definitely those from Jack's grand-daddy as well! Sometimes I'll look at him and see John smiling up at me in Jack's face!

Well...whoever he looks more like - Lyle or John - there is no question the boy is a Sewall, that's for sure!