Further experiments in solid foods

So we've been feeding Jasper rice cereal for over a week now, steadily thickening it so it's more like "food" than "drink." The results have been mixed. A couple times he's taken to it, including tonight, when he lunged forward at the spoon with a chomping gesture that made both Mummy and Daddy laugh out loud. Other times, after one bite, he clamps his fingers in his mouth, and we have to push the spoon through whatever opening we can find.

One thing for certain is that he really likes holding things. It's almost as though it's not eating the food that he objects to -- it's that he wants to use the spoon to feed himself, which he is so far from being capable of doing. At least whatever he doesn't eat, we mix with some milk, and he can drink it down at the end. And in this part he actually can do some holding.

Happy 6 months, Jasper! Now, eat up!

Jasper turns six months old today!

But he actually got a week's head start on "solid" foods last weekend: his first taste of rice cereal. We put "solid" in quotes because it is barely any thicker than milk. As you can see from it dribbling down his chin.

Weekend away!

It was Mummy's birthday last weekend, which meant a trip out to the desert to celebrate! Here's where we stayed. The video gives you pretty much everything you need to know ...

Jasper at the wheel

When Mummy and Daddy got tired of driving on the way out to Joshua Tree on Friday, Jasper was only too happy to take a shift.

Uncle Alan Photography, Inc.

We've been very busy this week leading up to Jasper's mummy's birthday -- a very special birthday, on February 19th. We're lucky that it falls on a Saturday, meaning Jasper's first trip out of town! We'll be in the high desert near Joshua Tree for the next two days.

As a result of our busy schedule, we haven't had much time for new Jasper footage. So I thought today we would give you a little "Jasper flashback." Here are three great photos Jasper's Uncle Alan (who also has a February 19th birthday) took while he was visiting in November. They were never posted at the time, because Jasper's dad wanted to keep them a surprise to send them as framed Christmas presents. Therefore, some of you may recognize these already.

Aren't they great?

Jasper at work

Is it too early to know if Jasper takes after his paternal grandfather? Maybe, but he seems to have a keen interest in the engineering of this particular toy, which his mummy bought him a couple weeks ago. He can shut out the rest of the world pretty well when he gets going with all the bobs and doodads. In fact, his daddy likes to think of him as being "hard at work" -- he puts his head down and get to business.

And though we don't have anything appropriate for the day, happy Valentine's Day, one and all!

Reading about wombats

Aunt Melissa tells Jasper a thing or two about wombats. He seems to be recognizing that reading books is an activity that he's involved in. Does he know the difference between wombats and wallabys? I doubt it. But give him time.




Thanks for a great visit, Aunt Melissa!

Jasper at Pitfire

One of the places we seem to go the most, especially when relatives are in town, is Pitfire Pizza. This video contains an inaccuracy -- I believe this was actually Jasper's third time at Pitfire, and his mummy and daddy's fourth time. But either way.

A little camera play

Jasper likes to grab everything these days, including the camera. (Or in this case, a blackberry phone functioning as a camera.)

Welcome Aunt Melissa!

Jasper's Aunt Melissa (Clea's sister) arrived in town on Friday the morning. As you can see, Jasper took to her immediately.

Welcome Aunt Melissa!

The grass between his toes

As a stark contrast to everywhere else in the United States, which is blanketed in snow, we've been having quite warm weather here. Last week, Jasper got out in the yard for his first touch of grass -- with Mummy there to provide balance.