Zach's Blog

GO BLUE!!

2008-11-10T19:56:00.004-08:00

About 4 months ago, I got in the car after work only to hear Zach start singing the Notre Dame fight song. Apparently there was some secret traning going on for a few weeks and he couldn't contain himself any longer.

I bit my tongue, but I might've just won the war with my own bedtime training that was topped off this week with the introduction of Zach's new favorite toy! Lets hope he doesn't realize it's a beer bottle opener. Even Blake tried to get in the act!

Best Buddies

2008-04-02T16:29:00.007-07:00

"Boy, he doesn't stop with the camera, huh?"

"Don't worry, we'll get him back later!"
Taken back on March 9th when Blake was only a couple weeks old, but definitely Kevin's favorite picture to date.

Easter in Review

2008-03-28T21:15:00.004-07:00

We began our 4-day Easter extravaganza on Thursday. We dyed eggs-- although did not manage any pictures as there were more pressing matters...like making sure dye wasn't spilled everywhere and the eggs weren't broken!

On Friday we did an Easter egg hunt with some friends in the neighborhood. It seemed brilliant to leave out only empty plastic eggs-- they're all only 2 years old after all, and surely the colorful eggs would be enticing enough?

Saturday we attended another neighborhood Easter egg hunt. Zach, in his infinite wisdom, managed to avoid every egg -- as he had enough empty eggs at home-- and collected only the lollipops and straws which were also stuck in the ground. We begged him to put eggs in his basket (and it was only because all the other kids had reached their 10-egg limit that he even collected any at all!).

On Sunday we had a small egg hunt at home, followed by a brunch with friends, and finally Easter Mass. And finally (after 5 weeks) we have our first family photo of all 4 of us!

Settling In...

2008-03-16T21:58:00.008-07:00

The newest addition to the Jarvii household has been nothing but a joy so far. Blake is already 3 1/2 weeks and continues to sleep a bunch, stare endlessly at all things black and white, and cry very little.... We can't get over how similar the boys look at the same age.

Zach has been adjusting really well (helped by the fact that Blake is sleeping so much and crying so little!). Here's a quick clip of a video-- from one of our first days back home-- of Zach singing to his little brother.

Bundle of Joy

2008-02-26T22:45:00.007-08:00

We are thrilled to announce the arrival of our latest addition to the jarvii family!

Name: Blake Elliot Jarvis
Born: Wed. Feb. 20th 5:31PM
Weight: 9 lbs. 1 oz.
Height: 21 inches

Sorry it took us 2 full weeks to post!

Blake is still in that sleepy newborn state, so we're enjoying all the snuggly moments with him.

Zach is adjusting amazingly well -- he is nothing but curious and sweet. He is always happy to sing to his brother, announce when he is crying, and welcomes every chance to sit with him and check him out up close.

We're so happy he finally made an appearance (5, yes 5, days late!) and are enjoying getting to know him a little more each day.

Final Preparations

2008-02-18T12:26:00.007-08:00

Everyone is ready for baby Jarvis #2. Everyone, it seems, but baby Jarvis himself. The bags are packed and Zach's stuff is ready to stay with friends for a couple days, but someone forgot to tell this baby that the due date was last week! As we rack our brains to figure out what he might be waiting for, we decided that perhaps he's waiting for one final blog of our family of 3. We just can't wait to meet him!

Zach turns 2!

Zach is officially a contributing member of the family- stacking dishes, cleaning messes off the floor, and vacuuming around the house. Our word for him is exuberant- you know exactly what he's feeling at all times. He's the first one at a playdate to announce he's leaving with a "Goodbye! Car, Mommy" when he's ready to go, and he'll declare "Fun!" or "Funny!" over and over again when he's having the time of his life. He loves to test our boundaries, but we're figuring out that the more boundaries we give him, the more content he seems with a predictable world.

Christmas morning... Chef Zach

He still loves to cook, play hide and seek, and he loves trains or anything else that he can roll on the floor, table, wall, and couch. Music, however, seems to be his favorite past time- between dancing and singing and playing musical instruments, he can't get enough! He'll ask us to sing the ABC song, but as soon as we start, he tells us to stop so we can enjoy his solo.

Playing the drums and playing hide and seek

That's the update in our neck of the woods. Hopefully we'll be posting sooner than later with news of the newest addition to our family!

Our Kitchen Helper

2007-10-22T21:56:00.000-07:00

Zach has a passion. We really don't know how this obsession even came about since neither of his parents are even close to master chefs, but Zach is CRAZY about the kitchen. Jenny wonders if it is passed down from her own obsession and the fact that no matter how many times she begged, she was never given a play kitchen as a child. (Sorry, Mom, had to throw that in here.)

Zach refers to any kitchen as "Cook", and literally every time we mention any of his friends who happen to have a play kitchen, he immediately responds with "Cook". "Zach", we ask him, "do you want to meet Brady at the park today?" "Cook", he responds. "Yes, Brady does have a play kitchen at home. Now let's go to the park." We have located all the play kitchens on display in local stores where he is allowed to play, and we were almost banned from the nearby Pottery Barn Kids after we showed up 3 times in the span of 10 days. (Side note: since then, we have not been back in over 6 weeks, and yesterday as we briskly strolled by the storefront on our way to another store, Zach melted down pointing and yelling "Cook! Cook! Cook!"... He has an uncanny sense of direction for a one-year-old....)

Aside from the usual activities like getting his 'help' while we attempt to prepare breakfasts and dinners, we have come up with very clever ways to appease his need for discussing kitchens. We watch the Rachael Ray cooking segment regularly-- and we're really hoping that he's learning a lot so he can become the family chef in a year or two. We also have cut out and compiled some pictures from catalogs of play kitchens so we can talk about every detail of each kitchen.

We might need to chat with Santa about helping Zach explore his cooking abilities with his very own play kitchen. This way we can also stop begging out friends to let us come over and play with theirs!....

Dancing Fool

2007-10-14T23:58:00.008-07:00

Let's dwell on the Oktoberfest events for just a minute longer... until next September, anyway. This video is for grandparents only (or anyone with 30 seconds of free time that they will never get back... and perhaps any dance scouts out there looking for a talented 1-year-old polka dancer).

This doesn't show off his best dancing moves even, but we can't figure out how to crop the video and it's the shortest one we have. Zach, in his lederhosen, managed to steal the show at all of these festivals. He'd start dancing the minute we arrived and we had to pull him away after an hour of nonstop dancing. He was typically the only boy in a crowd of 4 to 8-year-old girls....

Since then, often when he's getting dressed in the morning, and we ask Zach what he wants to wear, he points to his lederhosen and says "Par-tee". He's even been spotted directing his stuffed animals to dance while mumbling "Party" over and over again. Honestly, we couldn't make this stuff up.

September in Review (yup, just another photo montage)

2007-10-11T12:51:00.000-07:00

In our efforts to get our blog up to date, here's a quick recap of September. We kept particularly busy in September throwing our first annual Oktoberfest party (with the help of some German friends to ensure its authenticity) as well as attending a few other Oktoberfest events throughout the Bay Area... We were looking for any excuse to put Zach in his lederhosen and enjoy some yummy German beer. We also managed a few day trips-- one to the Bay Area Discovery Museum and another to the Little Farm and Skunk train at Tilden Park in Berkeley. Zach enjoyed all the outings- he loved feeding the cows and goats celery, and he really enjoyed riding a real train (he's practicing his sign for 'train' in the upper left picture).

Towards the end of September we flew to Columbus, OH to hang out with friends Kurt and Dawn and meet their very sweet and beautiful 6-month old boy, Ben. We enjoyed a wonderful visit and even managed to attend the annual Columbus Oktoberfest party while there!

Phew! I think we're mostly caught up to date and can finally begin posting about some of the more recent and interesting aspects of our life out here on the West Coast... Hopefully we'll manage to post again before 2 more months go by.

Summer Vacation, stop 3: Connecticut

2007-10-04T16:57:00.000-07:00

The final leg of our vacation was a long weekend in Connecticut where 2 good friends of ours got married. Meg, a college friend of Jenny, and Stacy, a friend of Kevin's from childhood, were getting hitched. Where did they meet, you might ask? At our wedding 4 years ago! Who knew that actually happens in real life? We were honored to stand up in the wedding and owe a ton to Kevin's parents for taking on most of the Zach responsibility (while we were doing things like getting pedicures and living it up in a limo!) We were so busy with wedding activities that we took zero pictures of the entire weekend.... Here's one someone sent to us.

Summer Vacation, stop 2: South Carolina

2007-10-04T16:55:00.000-07:00

After a week in Michigan, we headed down to Pawleys Island, SC, for the Welde family reunion. It had only been a year since the last reunion, but this year was even more chaotic with the 4 members '06 Gang running about.
After the reunion ended, the three of us stayed an extra week to enjoy the sunshine and golfing. It took Zach most of the reunion to get comfortable with the beach, but eventually he loved it.

Summer Vacation, stop 1: Michigan

2007-10-04T16:44:00.000-07:00

Very overdue postings (as always), but we wanted to post about our month-long trip in August to the East Coast. Our first stop was a Jarvis family reunion in Au Gres, Michigan, for Kevin's mom's 60th birthday celebration. We showered her with 60 gifts to open and dressed her up like we thought a 60 year old should dress.

It was a great chance to see everyone and relax 'up north'. Kevin played in the big tennis tournament, but he lost in the first round to his dad!

Camping with cousins

2007-07-08T21:39:00.000-07:00

Zach and Jenny spent a great (but busy!) 2 weeks in Idyllwild, CA at the beginning of July. We spent the time with Jenny's sister, Michelle, and her 2 boys. Michelle is a music therapist at Kris' Camp, so while she was providing intense therapy to kids of all ages and abilities with autism, Jenny was hanging out with the boys. It was an incredible experience to be a part of such a special camp and observe the value this intense therapy has on these families, and it was a great experience for Zach to be surrounded by lots of kids, all the time! After we returned home, it took us a while to recover, which is why it's taken us so long to post...

Asking for Help

2007-05-17T21:55:00.000-07:00

A couple months ago, Zach discovered a piercing scream which he used often to get our attention. Get our attention it did, and in order to stop the noise, it became his very efficient way of asking for help whenever he wanted something. We immediately learned a sign for help, and our training began. Zach realized remarkably fast the difference between the words "help" and "no". When asked if he wanted help, he would hand over the item to allow us to help, yet when we said no, he was off and running away from us with whatever contraband he had in his possession. And as soon as we introduced the sign, he caught on. Now he signs for help several times a day as you can see in the picture.... it is a wonderful way to decrease his frustration when he can't work a toy or wants to take off his shoes.

These days the only point of contention is that Zach doesn't understand why we won't "help" him open the toolbox, "help" lift him out of the stroller so he can walk around, and "help" him put on Sesame Street. Just yesterday he demanded that we "help" him get on his tractor to go for a ride.

It's so amazing for us to watch him express what he's thinking. He certainly seems to have a lot of opinions already!.....

Monkeying around on Mother's Day

2007-05-16T22:04:00.000-07:00

On Sunday we visited the Oakland Zoo. Zach is obsessed with animals in books, so we thought he would get a kick out of seeing them in real life. The weather was perfect, and it was fun to walk around and observe the animals.

Zach only lasted a short while before he escaped from his stroller and could really explore. Of all the animals in the zoo, his favorite was the duck that he could chase. And the highlight for Zach was the playground just outside the zoo where he could practice his climbing and sliding skills. Nevertheless, it was a fun day and a great way to spend Mother's Day.

Shiver Me Timbers!

2007-05-12T20:57:00.000-07:00

Ahoy, mateys! Zach experienced a buccanneer's life today at a friend's birthday party. He wasn't crazy about the hat and face paint, but he loved the plundering and playing with his mateys.

Last weekend Zach completed his first 5k run! Jenny hoped he would enjoy the views from his stroller, but Zach insisted on walking the last kilometer. At least they finished big- the final runners to cross the finish line in 1 hour, 8 minutes. Kevin ran the 10k in less time than we walked the 5k!

We really like Zach's professional picture here.

Deep in the heart...

2007-05-03T09:37:00.000-07:00

The jarvii flew down to Austin, TX last weekend to attend Annie (Kevin's sister) and Jared's wedding. It was fun to see lots of family, meet lots more extended family, including great-Grandma Petropolus, and check out a bit of Austin. We indulged on delicious BBQ, fabulous Tex-Mex, and some wonderful homemade Greek treats.

Zach found a new best friend in Myrtle:

Zach had been practicing lots of dance moves for the event, including the one-legged stomp, the 8-point spin in a circle, and slapping his hands on his thighs.... He was ready for the dance floor with his crazy plaid pants.

We had been teaching Zach to shake people's hands in preparation for meeting so many people. At first he didn't quite get it because he only wanted to shake hands of the people he knew.... When he finally realized how it worked, we couldn't stop him shaking anyone and everyone's hands.... Perhaps he has a future in politics?

If the shoe fits....

2007-04-23T21:59:00.001-07:00

Zach has recently spoken a handful of comprehendable words. The initial words we figured out were 'shoes' and 'socks'. Putting on socks and shoes is a big deal in our house because it means we're going somewhere and is instantly the highlight of Zach's day. He'll often pick up his own shoes and bring them to us in hopes that we'll put them on him and go outside. He's also begun trying on our shoes and enjoys walking in them. Luckily Jenny rarely wears high heels so he hasn't attempted those yet. He has, however, been seen carrying her purse around the house and attempts to put her hair clips in his hair whenever he gets his hands on them....

His favorite word by far, though, is 'Dada'. He walks around the house yelling Dada's name in hopes that Dada is playing hide and seek in one of the closets. He'll put the phone to his ear and say Dada, unless of course Dada is on the phone, in which case he'll just press buttons. If anyone asks him to say Mama, he always responds with Dada! Jenny's favorite time to hear Dada is from Zach's crib at 6:30 in the morning. Even Dada can't resist Zach's beckoning which gives Mama a chance to steal a few extra ZZZ's.

Cruisin' Along

2007-04-19T21:43:00.000-07:00

Last month we spent 2 wonderful weeks in Florida and are finally blogging about it. Zach spent some quality time with Grandma and Grandpa Jarvis while Kevin and Jenny went galivanting around the Caribbean. They took amazing care of him, spoiling him rotten for 7 days and appreciating all the crazy Zach-isms that we love so much. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa! We can't wait to do it again.

Meanwhile, Kevin and Jenny joined some good friends for a week-long cruise to the Caribbean. It was a miracle that we all made the boat-- the cruise left the day after the Northeast snow blizzard, and cancelled flights resulted in our friends driving through the snow and through the night to get to Miami in time! We were grateful to be on the cruise where we could relax and enjoy the sun.

After a week of sleeping in and relaxing, we were happy to be reunited with the little man and enjoy a few final days in Fort Myers before returning home.

Lots of catching up to do...

2007-04-15T20:45:00.000-07:00

Our New Year's resolution of posting once a week lasted.... well, a month.... hard to believe it's already April and we have so much we want to catch you up on.

For now, we'll just post a few of Zach's antics from this month so far. Zach continues to keep us on our toes and more importantly entertain us in the process.

vacuuming and taking out the trash...

setting off the car alarm and trying to shut the garage door....

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! CHOCOLATE!!!!

2007-02-08T22:18:00.001-08:00

What is this stuff Mom and Dad let me try tonight?!?!! They kept talking about something called my "birthday" and then gave me this yummy dark colored food. WOO HOO! I'm not sure what it was, but I'm super excited now and can't stop talking about how great it was. It was so good that I had to give Mom a bite or two even. Wow wow WOW, this stuff is gooooooooood. Ok, now they keep saying something about a "sugar high". What does that mean? Oh, who cares, I'm off to do a few more laps around the table ... I feel like superman! (Click here for all birthday photos)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ZACH!!!

2007-01-31T06:59:00.000-08:00

Happy 1st Birthday little man! Oh, how you have grown!

Zach's anti-South Beach Diet

2007-01-16T23:14:00.000-08:00

Despite the current craze of avoiding carbs, Zach is attempting a new dieting trend. All carbs, all the time. He's been given strict instructions by his doctor to load up on bread, rice, pasta, or potatoes at every meal. These are desperate measures for a boy who weighs too little... especially after his sickness last month.

We were worried that he might become a carb addict, but amazingly, he still avoids those carbs. Sweet potatoes are a favorite food, but the only way we've gotten him to eat the white variety is mixed in shepherd's pie. After making a whole batch of blueberry pancakes, he pulled out the blueberries while refusing to eat the rest of it. And given a plate of bowtie pasta with homemade alfredo sauce with peas, the peas are picked out and popped into his mouth, while half of the pasta ends up on the floor. But the great news is that his big cheeks are back, his appetite is bigger than ever, and he is in great spirits wreaking havoc while redecorating our house.

Since eating has become a major event in the day, here are some of our latest favorite food shots... (beware those with weak stomachs).

Zach eating his first whole banana and trying to figure out how to eat from a bowl. And our personal favorite... Zach eating chili! Note the fancy German bib which includes sleeves and covers his entire body. The spoon is only an accessory that Zach feels is vital to hold while eating- that is, until he needs to use both hands and he tosses it on the floor.

Zach's pet mouse

2007-01-10T13:34:00.000-08:00

Zach has a new buddy, his still unnamed mouse. He likes to take his pet on walks all over the house. Sometimes he carries both the mouse and the leash, but normally he holds the leash and tries to turn around watching the mouse be dragged behind him as he walks.

A few weeks ago when Zach was still learning to walk, we thought he had a future in furniture moving. He managed to use many objects around the house as a 'walker'. His favorite is this toy from Ikea:

but he also walked with chairs, laundry baskets, wrapped Christmas presents, boxes, plastic bins, and trash cans. Basically any object stable enough to be pushed around was game.

Now that he is walking on his own, we realize his calling is in interior decorating. And even though he can't talk, he has expressed to us very clearly that our decorating style is unacceptable. Somehow shoes end up in the kitchen and measuring cups in the bedroom. Kevin's clean socks are decoratively strewn all throughout our bedroom and hallway, and Zach's toys end up in nearly every corner of the house. The mixing bowls in the office are a nice touch- he strategically matched the bowls with the silver knobs on the desk. We don't understand exactly his plan, but he seems focused and he's keeping out of trouble (trouble = the toilet and shower) so we just follow his lead.

Now we just need to teach him to put the items away after he's finished with them.... at what age will that happen?

Happy Holidays!

2007-01-07T20:34:00.000-08:00

(Click photo for full size image)

At long last we our posting our Christmas card. After ordering them very late, mailing them to Jenny's sister in Denver, two blizzards which closed the airport, and Jenny's sister and fam moving permanently from Denver to Phoenix, our Christmas cards are officially lost. If we ever recover them, we'll save them for next year and actually get them out on time! Hope this electronic one will suffice.

We had a wonderful Christmas and New Years in Colorado despite all the snow on the ground. Jenny's parents came to visit and we spent Christmas afternoon/evening in Colorado Springs with some of Jenny's extended family. It was very special to be so much family for the holidays.

After the excitement of Christmas, Zach came down with some sort of stomach bug which kept him from being able to eat for 2 days. After a trip to the emergency room and spoonfuls and spoonfuls of Pedialyte, he seemed to be back on track the third day (just in time for Jenny and Kevin to come down with a similar sort of bug!) A week later and we all seem to be back to our normal selves again. We realized that we had been taking all of Zach's smiles for granted and really missed it after not seeing it for 3 days!

For New Years Eve, Kevin and Jenny spent the evening in Denver at the Nuggets basketball game with Scot and Heather. Scot scored some amazing first row seats that really made it a fun game to watch! After that we headed back to Scot and Heather's for some relaxation and good eats. It was a perfect way to bring in the New Year, although since we were all just coming back from our sickness we barely made it to the midnight!!

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

Front Row Seats!