Love Story

Updated Fountain Fun

2011-09-11T02:56:00.001-07:00

We took the boys again last night. See the difference of Jack in the fountain - with his new hair cut like Dad's!

Fountain Fun

2011-08-10T03:44:00.000-07:00

A local Mall has a great fountain kids can run and play in. All the boys enjoyed it during Mandy's recent visit. Grant mainly watched.

2011-08-10T03:39:00.000-07:00

The Flying Squirrels are Richmon's Minor League Basebal team. They put on a great show with plenty of small events between innings. We went last week with Mandy and the boys and Brandon (john was travelling). Everyone had a blast!

Pool Time

2011-08-10T03:32:00.000-07:00

We got a membership to our community pool for the first time this year. Jack and I try to go at least twice a week, and he goes with Dad also. We can even go in the evening and have pizza delivered for dinner. Grant goes too when it is cool enough.

Last week we took Mandy and the boys so everyone could show off their jumping skills. A great day.

A few new photos

2011-08-07T14:40:00.001-07:00

A good friend of ours took photos of Grant when he was 3 weeks old. Below are a few of my favorites.

Grant Update

2011-07-25T07:20:00.000-07:00

We stopped by the Doctor's office when Grant was 5 weeks old. Now 12 pounds and 22 inches! He is growing so fast!

Grant stays awake much more now and likes to check things out. Pretty observant. He likes being entertained by his brother.

Jack Update

2011-07-25T07:14:00.000-07:00

Jack has turned another milestone - 2 years old.
Lots of new things in the month since he turned 2. Had to share a few:
- Stats
He is 36" tall - 90%
He is 33 lbs - 70%
I wonder where he gets this?
- Learning
He is recognizing letters which we think is amazing. He has an alphabet letter game from Grandma Montana and knows about 20 letters by site. You can also show him these in books etc and he can say them. AMAZING! The alphabet song and counting to 15 going well also.
- Helping
A lot of my time with him is focused on fun and development. Playing puzzles, shapes, letters, coloring. And afterwards cleaning up - not his favorite thing but getting much better
- Personality
I love my sweet boy. He is really so kind and sweet. He stops and smells flowers. He hugs and kisses all the time. when he wants to be held he says "hold you" which is adorable. He is fun and often smiling. And very imaginative (also read mischievous) and can find lots to do on his own. We are having a great time. Spending my maternity leave with him is a joy.
- Big Brother
He loves Grant and usually calls him brother. Lately he has 2 fascinations. If I lay Grant to nap in the pack n play downstairs, Jack loves to stand beside it and watch him sleep, saying "night, night" and "he's so cute.". He also wants to play with Grant and share his toys. Though he gets frustrated Grant will not keep holding what Jack tries to share!

Jack Turns 2

2011-07-12T11:40:00.000-07:00

The family at the party (Grant is sleeping)

Jack in his 2 shirt Poppy gave him. Everyone having fun

The "snowball" fight

Jack turned 2 a week after his brother arrived.

On his birthday we did some of his favorite things:

- Played all day

- Opened presents - boxes and tissue paper are still fun

- Went to a Mexican restaurant for dinner as a family - he loves the chips!

- Then to our frozen yogurt and dessert place

Jack had a great day which I probably enjoyed even more than him.

The following Saturday was Party Time.

We had planned a party at his favorite place - Romp-N-Roll. Jack goes here once a week and loves it. And with a new baby at home a party out seemed perfect!

Jack's cousins from North Carolina came, and some friends from Richmond.

More presents, dessert and fun. So Far, 2 is great!

So far

Two Boys

2011-07-12T11:10:00.000-07:00

Life is great at our house with two boys. Jack loves his little brother. The first thing he said when he saw him was "he's cute." He whispers to him and loves to kiss him and hold him. If Grant starts crying Jack will look at me and yell "Mama, Paci!" to let me know what to do. He also wants to help - a lot of help.

Grant Snow Toler Has Arrived

2011-07-12T11:04:00.000-07:00

Grant made his debut on Tuesday, June 14th, at 3:24am.

A healthy 8 pounds and 8 ounces and 20.5 inches long!

Everything went pretty quickly and smoothly and we were home from the hospital by Wednesday afternoon. A true joy to have another healthy baby boy.

Jack's Smile

2011-05-19T04:50:00.000-07:00

Jack has started a new smile lately - where he tries to hide it. Adorable. It cracks me up so I copy him sometimes. Below is an example from this week.

Baby Shower for Grant

2011-05-19T04:42:00.000-07:00

Evergreen - our office - threw John and I a surprise baby shower yesterday. Poppy and Jack came and made it a faily event. It was overwhelming to have so many of our friends and colleagues there to celebrate for Grant. We are so excited that any chance to share that excitement with others is fantastic.

A few photos are below. We held it in our corporate showroom filled with product, so Jack thought he was "Shopping." He loved all the attention.

Catching Up

2011-05-11T04:28:00.001-07:00

If you have not been able to see or Skype Jack lately, you will be amazed at how quickly he has grown. He keeps me pretty busy which is why the BLOG always stays so far behind! I am just in awe of his personality, the things he thinks of, what he learns, and just how cool he is. A few updates for you:
- On Being a Big Brother - Jack hugs and kisses my belly and says Brother. Poppy taught him to tell his brother "shhh" when he is crying. Other than that he is completely uninterested. Not at all curious as to why the office is now a nursery, why there is a new crib, etc. When I am working in there to get it ready he does come help me (ie. play with the new toys and take everything out of containers), but then he moves on. Will be interesting to see how he feels in a month.
- Mother's Day - To prepare for the baby we went to Build A Bear on Mother's Day to build a wolf for Jack and an owl for Grant. Jack thought the experience was okay, but loved the end where we use the computers. Computers are his fascination. And Ipads.
- Emergency Room - The night before Mother's Day was punctuated with our first trip to the emergency room when Jack fell at a friend's and bit into his lip. Mom and Dad were much more upset than Jack, who played it pretty cool while there. He is such a rock star.
- Jack is Brilliant - seriously. The latest things he has learned include how to go to the shoe basket, which has probably 12 pairs of shoes between all of us, and always pull out a matching set of his when time to go outside. He can open anything. And now keeps trying to get himself dressed, especially zippers. Counting is still at 14. And he has decided he is beyond the alphabet game now.
- Time with Dad - Jack and Dad went fishing last weekend at a friend's. It is the only time I have seen Jack sit still and quiet for 20 minutes straight while outside - amazing. I see a lot of this ahead

Easter

2011-05-11T04:18:00.000-07:00

John was in China for Easter, so Poppy, Jack and I headed to North Carolina to visit with the family and attend church. We had a great visit including several Easter Egg hunts which Jack loved! To my surprise he also loved the Easter Bunny and followed him around, giving him high fives and hugs until he left.

We went to the sunrise service which starts at 7am and Jack did awesome getting up early and greeting everyone at church.

The highlight of our trip was as always time with Aunt Mim and the boys. Jack just loves them plus thinks it is awesome that they have so many cool toys around!

Winter Vacation

2011-03-15T18:48:00.000-07:00

Everyone had cabin fever after a long winter, so the family headed for a 4-day trip to Snowshoe WV for some R&R and fun in the snow and pool.

It snowed 6 inches the day we arrived so lots of fun for Jack and us. There was shopping in the village, plenty of good food, and no work, errands or house cleaning.

Jack had a ton of fun in the indoor pool and kept John and I so busy there are no photos of that. His second favorite part was our hike in the snow to some waterfalls. We also built snowmen (which Jack loved knocking down) and and ate icicles and learned cold and ice!

Pictures of Jack!!

2011-02-01T14:03:00.000-08:00

This is Mandy.

I have decided that since Brittany and John have been too busy to get some new pictures of my nephew up on the Blog, I would do it myself. These are from Christmas and our recent trip to Richmond.
When you get out the camera, Jack automatically starts smiling and says "cheese." The only problem is that he also starts jumping and moving around, so you never know how the picture will turn out.

Apple Picking at Carter's Mountain

2010-11-23T07:59:00.000-08:00

It is so funny how each of these firsts seems so cool. Because they are! We took Jack apple picking this month - both a first for me and Jack. John was apro from his summer job in high school at a Wisconsin orchard, so he quickly showed Jack the ropes. When Jack pulled off the first apple he said "Whoa." This is one of his favorite new words and is hysterical when he says it!

Walking on a mountain side is a bit difficult for a toddler so there was a lot of carrying. On our way out John bit into one apple and then let Jack hold it. Jack chewed on it for an hour and loved it!

Happy Halloween

2010-11-23T07:51:00.000-08:00

This year had a stellar Halloween cast. Jack and John joined forces with the Marketing team at Evergreen (one of the teams John manages) and they all dressed as Star Wars characters. Jack stole the show as the cutest Ewok ever! I took him to the office to join the contest, where he quickly found a sample from our Children's catalog company and started to play!

We went trick or treating Sunday night with friends. Jack was not interested in candy but very interested in neighborhood cats, etc. And John was a hit with all the dads dressed as Chewy!

Baby Toler 2.0

2010-11-11T09:26:00.001-08:00

Jack will have to share the attention soon - the next Baby Toler should arrive early June 2011. John and I are ecstatic. Jack already seems to know. He has been in a non stop Daddy phase for months, but this week decided Mom was pretty cool and he bettter be sure he had her attention also.

The Big Man

2010-11-11T09:17:00.000-08:00

For those of you wondering what Jack is up to these days, let me tell you!

The Stats:
- 26 pounds
- 31" tall
- Eating tons but rarely what I want him to eat
- LOVES water and is continually proud of himself for being able to drink from his cup unassisted - it never gets old

Mr Personality:
- Jack is hysterical. In constant motion usually in an effort to get your attention or make you laugh. He even has this new big almost fake laugh he does when others start laughing.
- Stranger Danger phase seems to be over. He loves brunettes almost anywhere, talks to anyone he passes in Target or Kroger, and LOVES hanging out with Mom and Dad's friends.
- He is also a lover. Many, many times during the day he wills top what he is playing to come over and give you a hug or kiss - then he is off again
- He likes his down time, especially sitting in your lap to read a book (pop ups are big now) or watch his favorite cartoons (curious George and Sid the Science Kid)

Action Jack-son:
- Climbing the stairs is one of his favorite activities - and he is fast. He crawls up them with Poppy and I, but when Dad is there he wants to take each step standing - hilarious. He can almost do it with those long legs
- There is a lot of leaf raking to be done outside these days in Virginia, and Jack is already a pro. Anything outside is a popular game these days

I cannot wait for you to see him - he is Amazing!

Beach Trip

2010-09-29T04:36:00.001-07:00

Some friends of ours rented a beach house for the week at Salvo Beach at the OUter Banks. We drove out and stayed Thursday and Friday with them to get in some MUCH NEEDED beach time. The whole family went!

Jack LOVED IT. I think the photos say it all...

We hope to go every year. You may remember we went last September for a week before my matrenity leave ended. Amazing to see how he has grown since then!

Cooper and Conner's Birthday

2010-09-08T05:59:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that my sweet, tiny, adorable twin nephews are now 4 years old! We had a great birthday party at White Lake and I managed to steal a few photos from my sister's blog to share!

Summer Fun

2010-09-07T18:20:00.000-07:00

We went to see the cousins at White Lake to celebrate Cooper and Conner's 4th Birthday. It was great. We had so much fun, though it was a whirlwind trip. Mandy and Jerry live on a great lake and have a boat for touring around. Everything was SOOO busy that John and I never got a photo - but luckily Mom and Mandy took some.

Montana

2010-08-15T18:30:00.000-07:00

We just finished our family summer vacation - a trip to Montana to see Grandma and Grandpa. Now, you know my travel agent John - he makes the most of each trip. We did a LOT on this trip. It was a big, GREAT week, and I will share a few details.

Friends met us in Montana, inlcuding Alison and Rod and Kelly and Eric. Jack was the only kid and the center of attention so he LOVED IT. Most of the group had never been, so it was a fun experience for all. IT took Jack a while to settle into a new place, new people, new altitude (we were at 6000 feet!) but he loved the Toler's Dogs right away.

We had fun adventures (some adult-only), including rafting, hiking, and touring Yellowstone.

Happy Birthday Jack

2010-06-27T10:44:00.000-07:00

Can we sound completely cliche and ask HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? OUR BABY IS TURNING ONE!?!? The time has really flown by, and we were all very excited to celebrate Jack's first birthday.

Some help opening presents - we had 3 experts on hand! Thanks Spencer, Cooper and Conner.

Jack made sure to review each card first - very polite!

Because we can see many pool parties, pizza parties and trips to Chuck E Cheese's in our future, we decided to do something EVERYONE could enjoy, duirng this time when Jack just wants to be with everyone. We rented a cabin on a creek in the Virginia mountains and invited my whole family to come. It was great - little to no cell phone reception, perfect weather, good fishing, a waterfall nearby - even charming restaurants and a river paddle (sans Jack and me!).

Jack loved having everyone's attention, and all the down time - 4 straight days of family time.

He took his first 3 independent steps with most of the family looking on, on Saturday June 19.

The cake was enjoyable - he only ate it off the fork - never with his hands.

Poppy got him his "1" shirt which he loves. AND, he actually had fun opening his presents, seeing everyone else get excited etc.

Overall - a dream birthday for us all!

Father's Day

2010-06-27T10:36:00.000-07:00

I imagine few men are lucky enough to have 2 Father's Days in 364 days! John had a great second Father's Day with Jack. We were at the cabin - more on that later - and went to a historical sight - Appomatox Courthouse, which has always been on John's list.

This is John and Jack at Cascade falls - a 4-mile hike we went on. Well worth it - the falls were beautiful!

The Zoo

2010-06-08T17:54:00.000-07:00

Jack went to the zoo over Memorial Day Weekend. We had ben wanting to take him and decided to join the crowds in 90 degrees and go feed the giraffes. John was interested in several animals including fish, monkeys, and then the giraffes.

Love the Pool

2010-06-08T07:31:00.000-07:00

The hot days of summer are here and Jack now enjoys some time in the pool to cool off. This only lasts about 20 minutes, but is pretty fun! Mom got him several toys, but of course he loves the plastic cup the most!

Mother's Day

2010-05-22T07:48:00.000-07:00

Many of you who watch this Blog know the joy of seeing your own child grow, and then the amazement you feel on your first Mother's Day. My Mother's Day was awesome - a relaxing weekend at home. We went out to a great dinner to celebrate and of course Jack was great and even the wait staff was talking about how cool he is!

One reason I am even luckier than most - I spent my first Mother's Day with my Mother as well. It is so cool to get to have this type of time together - especially after years of living in different states. And to see her and Jack grow so close. Hope everyone had a great Mother's Day.

Las Vegas

2010-05-22T07:31:00.001-07:00

John and I ran Sales Meetings in Las Vegas last week for our teams. Mom and Jack came along! It was Mom and Jack's first trip to Las Vegas. Jack did great on the flights (oddly, John flew separately a day earlier. Hmmm). Our teams see his photos all the time - we put him in newsletters, have brought him to other meetings, etc.

Jack enjoyed all the people watching as we toured Bellagio, the Venetian, etc. And he went into the pool for the first time - and really enjoyed it.

We also went on a hike in the Red Rocks Canyon with some of the work crew. Below are a few photos.

Overall it was a great trip - made even better by having Mom and Jack there.

Batter Up

2010-05-20T19:32:00.000-07:00

So we all know that Jack will have a love of baseball - he will be exposed to so much through John! So we decided to expose him early and went to a ball game last month - our local AA team the Richmomd Flying Squirrels. We ALL went, including mom, Mandy and the boys, and the three of us. And it was A LOT of fun - especially after Mom bought all the boys foam fingers. Jack still plays with his every day. Many more games are in our future.

Cousins

2010-05-20T19:16:00.001-07:00

As soon as I got home from China, I came home to a houseful - Mandy had come to visit with Spencer, Cooper and Conner. It was great - I think Jack was happier to see his cousins than he was to see me. He loves them and thinks they are so entertaining. And they all do anything they can to make him smile. The funniest moment - when we are out and Jack is fussing because he does not want to go in the stroller when the big boys get to walk. Suddenly, he stops fussing. Mandy and I turn and he is holding her cell phone, Conner standing next to him. Conner says" I didn't want him to cry so I gave him your phone!" Too cute!

We went canoeing, for lots of walks, and just had great time together. Amazing what can come up in conversation! we also went fishing at Rod's. Rod and John have to work REALLY hard keeping the fishing going for the 3 boys.

The boys also liked the newest addition to our family - 4 baby birds nesting in the gardenia tree on my deck!

Headed to China

2010-04-18T18:31:00.000-07:00

I leave for China in the morning. I cannot even imagine being that far from my baby for 11 days! My Mom and John have it all under control - Jack probably won't even notice. But I will desperately miss them all. These blogs are blocked in China, so you won't see anything from me while I am travelling. Send your good, fun thoughts to Jack - and to me!

Climbing

2010-04-18T18:11:00.000-07:00

These days Jack is learning new things everyday. Lately he is really working on how to climb things - still learning. This cracked me up - he can do this for hours.

Play Time

2010-04-18T17:51:00.000-07:00

Jack and I had our friend Alison over Friday night and Jack really wanted to entertain her. Everything was funny and he was all smiles.

The peak came when we played with his dump truck. Short video below. He laughed like this for almost 10 minutes until we took the toy away - he was getting hysterical!

EASTER

2010-04-05T18:23:00.000-07:00

This Easter was so special. Mom, Jack and I travelled to NC to visit my family and had a great visit. Jack LOVED seeing his little cousins. He thinks they are so cool and wakes up from every nap etc so excited to see they are still there! He hugs them, laughs at them, tries to follow them, really cute stuff.

We had a busy weekend - shopping and seeing friends Friday, easter egg hunts and a cookout Saturday, then another easter egg hunt Sunday morning before we returned to Richmond.

The trip was really great, but a highlght of the weekend was getting home Sunday and John returning from almost 2 weeks in China. We were ALL happy to see Daddy.

Nine Months Old

2010-04-05T18:20:00.001-07:00

Okay, so everyone tells you the time will fly by, cherish each day, and be prepared to be amazed, but really nothing can prepare you for this! Jack is growing so much. Not just in size but also in personality. He has smiles, frowns, fake cries, raises his eyebrows, giggles at you - just tons of things to express himself. It is really so fun.

On March 22 we had his 9-month check up. The stats:
30.25 inches (99%)
21.5 pounds (70%)
and a happy, healthy baby

Walk with God

2010-03-04T14:23:00.000-08:00

John Love Toler III was baptized at Carver's Creek UMC in Council, NC on Sunday, Feb 28, 2010. It was such a great day for me to see him baptized in teh same church I and my family were baptized in so many years ago. And where John and I were married.

It was a gorgeous day - finally the sun and no snow. The day was made perfect by the family who attended: John and Judy flew in from Montana, and my whole family came as well.

Jack did great during the service, and so did all my nephews. Mandy and Jerry had a great lunch for us at the house before we headed back to Richmond.

This church and my faith mean so much to me and my family - I look forward to taking Jack there whenever we are in NC.

Cozy by the Fire

2010-01-31T17:31:00.000-08:00

With 12 inches of snow and temps in the teens, we have been using the fireplace non-stop. Jack LOVES the roaring fire, watches dad start it, loves to play with his toys in front of it, etc.

At this age, something els ehe loves is not being dressed. He is happiest in just his diaper. So we let him sit in front of the fireplace and unwind at night before bed. It is hysterical - he loves it.

Below are a few of my favorites of the many pics I snapped tonight.

Come Here you Geese

2010-01-26T18:15:00.000-08:00

Spencer, Cooper, Conner and Aunt Mandy came to visit Jack last weekend. (And maybe to see Poppy and I!) Numerous highlights from the trip:

- The boys love everything Uncle John does

- Jack loves everything the boys do. He wanted to hug them, kiss them, talk to them, etc

- We learned there is no such thing as too much time at the Bass Pro Shop

- The boys are GREAT at stacking firewood

- Feeding Geese is a lot of fun

The Days of our Lives

2010-01-25T05:48:00.000-08:00

We are having a blast these days watching Jack develop. Wow - they grow so quickly! He is at a very fun age - interested in everything, likes to emmulate you, and thinking of plenty of things on his own. Some recent fun times:
- He is quite the talker. Loves to call out, talk to himself, talk to his Spohie Giraffe, etc.
- Since usually him and Poppy at home each day, he knows and watches everything she does, and so therefore knows where all noises come from. So he has recently developed some extreme startle reactions when John and I are home and make loud noises behind his back! John is usually the culprit - coughing or sneezing or laughing loudly. Jack will cut his eyes at him like "WTF," then usually starts to cry until we take him away from Dad!
- He loves the fireplace - his recent fascination. I do not know what we will do when the weather gets warm!
- He is a HUGE flirt (cannot imagine where that comes from).
- Maybe the most tickilish baby in the world!

6 Month Check-up

2010-01-12T16:53:00.000-08:00

Jack had his first month check-up yesterday. The Doctor said what we already knew - Jack is happy and healthy! He is now 20 lbs and 28.5 inches long. Clean bill of health and even did good for his shots. We are so blessed!

My Loves

2010-01-04T05:15:00.000-08:00

I am in the Airport now - my first trip without my Loves! Missing them already, so decided to post this pic we took during Christmas hanging out at Aunt Mandy's.

Supporting the Cause

2009-12-29T05:40:00.001-08:00

Our friend Holly started a business called Onesies for a Cure. Jack has been a staunch supporter of the cause and has one in every size. Here he is supporting his newest one last night.

Jack & his new chair

2009-12-29T05:35:00.000-08:00

Jack received this chair from Mom and Dad for Christmas. He loves it! He sits there, watches everything going on, or plays with a toy. I think he feels like a big boy like Dad!

Still A Merry Christmas

2009-12-28T07:26:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos from Christmas day with Jack.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-26T18:08:00.000-08:00

To all of the readers on this Blog - Merry Christmas! And to all you parents, I am sure you smile knowling when I say this was our best Christmas ever. Our miracle Jack helped us remember the reason for the season.

We started the holiday with lunch with our company owners on Christmas Eve. Jack was too excited to nap there and kept everyone entertained.

Then we left for North Carolina to spend the holiday with my sister and her family. A great vist - the boys all had fun and the adults enjoyed the time together.

Santa, Family and Friends were too generous, and we all received a lot. Below is Jack opening a present from Grandma & Grandpa Montana.

Jack also got a Jack in the box that plays Pop goes the Weasel! (John's family understands the irony).

Jack was very happy with all his gift and wanted to play with (chew on) everything. THAT IS, until Spencer, Cooper and Conner started playing with their new remote control cars - Jack was fascinated and watched for 20 minutes. Then looked at me with a disappointed expression that I had not thought of this for him! Maybe next year.

We had a great time. More pictures to follow.

Snow Day

2009-12-23T07:58:00.000-08:00

Richmond had its first big snowfall of the year last week. It started snowing Friday and by Saturday afternoon we had 10 inches. A weekend of fires in the fireplace and play time with Jack.

We took him for a walk on the nature paths in our neighborhood. He seemed pretty interested and did not complain about the cold!

First Flight

2009-12-21T06:37:00.000-08:00

Jack went on his first flight on Dec 10. We flew to Atlanta - the whole family of four! John and I were hosting our annual National Sales Meetings for our 2 sales teams, so Mom and Jack came along. Jack did awesome on the flight - can you beleive I do not have his picture in the airport?! And the trip in Atlanta was good. Though it was mostly work for John and I, it was so wonderful to be able to see Jack several times each day. And we took him to every function we could.

We went out for brunch on Sunday with our friends Eric and Kelly who live in Atlanta. Then Jack's first art museum experience -the High Museum in Atlanta for a Da Vinci exhibit. He was awesome and quite as a mouse!

The trip culminated with a visit to the Georgia Aquarium - the world's largest - where John had his awards dinner. Jack thought it was pretty cool!

In front of a Da Vinci sculpture replica outside the High Museum Atlanta.

Art makes me Smile!!!

Family at the Aquarium - this tank holds the whale sharks and 6.3Million Gallons of water!

Cool!

Play Time

2009-12-21T05:34:00.000-08:00

Jack's Play time is so much fun. He really loves to talk. He is fascinated by the fireplace and stares at it and talks. But this was too funny when he was playing with John and I this weekend.

2009-12-18T07:29:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

2009-12-18T07:26:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Santa's Little Helpers

2009-12-13T05:05:00.000-08:00

After Thanksgiving my sister and the boys came to visit. Things had been really busy so we had not yet decorated our house for Christmas. Mandy and the boys spent the whole day helping me - while I was at work! They found a Christmas Tree, set it up, got the decorations down from the attic - you name it. These are the best Santa's helpers Ever and I am so lucky! We did not get any photos of decorating the tree, but I had to show some photos of this gorgeous family!

Long Time

2009-12-13T04:54:00.000-08:00

It has been a long time since I updated - so sorry! We have been very busy. Jack is growing so fast and each week his personality develops so much more. It is so incredible to watch!

In November, our big adventure was our family trip to Wisconsin. ALL the Tolers met in Lake Geneva to spend a few days together. That was the first time 80% of them were able to meet Jack, and I had not seen some of the family since our wedding, so I was really happy to spend time with everyone.

It is a 1,000 mile drive - each way - so we spent 4 days of our 6 days of vacation in the car. Would you believe my Jack was an angel? He rarely cried (only once on the Chicago Expressway but that could make anyone cry!) He kept his schedule, slept well, and best of all LOVED seeing all his cousins and family. There were 7 other kids under the age of 8, and Jack loved watching all the cool stuff they could do. The best Thanksgiving of my life.

Just to make you smile

2009-11-01T18:45:00.001-08:00

First Cereal

2009-11-01T18:37:00.000-08:00

Tonight was a milestone - Jack had his first spoons of rice cereal! After a big weekend trick or treating and hanging with his cousins, he was an ANGEL on the drive home. Plus, he had to try to overcome the whole time change thing. So mom decided to add ONE MORE THING and try his first cereal. He tried it tonight and did great. We'll try again tomorrow.

Trick or Treat

2009-11-01T18:29:00.000-08:00

The family travelled to North Carolina to let Jack trick or treat with his cousins for his first Halloween. Spencer, Cooper and Conner were cool dragons, and Jack was the world's cutest lion. Mandy lives in a great neighborhood, and some neighbors even had special treats for Jack - baby food! It was really sweet. We had a great time.

we trick or treat in style - we ride golf carts!

My Little Boy

2009-10-27T11:47:00.000-07:00

Jack had his 4-month check up today. He is doing great and starts some foods next week. I cannot believe it! Where has the time gone? John is already planning our first big family vacation.

The Stats on Jack:
16 pounds and 4 ounces
27" long (97% - don't know where he gets that from)

And he even did great again for his shots. He may be the world's best baby!

Family Hiking Trip

2009-10-26T19:24:00.000-07:00

We took our first family hiking trip on Sunday. John found a hike on Mount Pleasant, Virginia, ranked among top 10 in VA. The trail is about 2.5 hours drive from the house. Jack was a trooper for all that time in the car, and seemed to enjoy the hike! John and I managed the 5.5 mile and 1000 foot climb pretty well, considering we had not hiked for a year, and John had Jack on his back! We had a blast, and the mountains were beautiful.

New Hat

2009-10-19T10:29:00.000-07:00

Aunt Mandy bought the cutest fall hat for Jack, and we wore it this weekend. As you can see - Jack loves it! Thanks Mandy!

Jack and Dad

2009-10-19T10:25:00.000-07:00

Poppy and Jack play all day, so sometimes when John and I come home from work he is pretty mellow and quiet. That is, until after his evening power nap. Then is when we hang out for "talk time". Lay Jack down in a quiet room, on the bed or a blanket (just away from the more interesting play mat), and sit next to him, and get ready to hear about his day. He chats and giggles and likes to grab your face. I caught Jack and John in a serious conversation last week.

Check out that hair!!!

Bath Time

2009-10-19T10:22:00.000-07:00

Jack likes the bath - most days. He talks, giggles, etc. I know he will love it when he can sit on his own, etc. But his favorite time lately is after bath - he gets wrapped in a big towel and then a lotion massage and he loves this! We kep trying to catch photos but he always stops smiling!

TMI

2009-10-09T12:13:00.000-07:00

So, we bought a video camera. Ideally it will capture jack crawling, walking, playing, etc. And then we will share Too Much Information all the time! We are already practicing. So for Grandma and Grandpa Montana, their first clip where they can see Jack talking! Jack and John have talk time each night. John is making the noises he thinks Jack makes, and Jack always responds. I have to stand off to the side because Jack goes quiet every time he sees the camcorder!

September

2009-10-08T18:37:00.000-07:00

Somehow September has flown by! Work kept John and I busy, and Jack is growing unbelievably fast. This weekend he and dad took a walk and Dad snapped this!

Differences between Moms and Dads

2009-09-29T05:41:00.001-07:00

Mom: Play time means working on baby's coordination, tracking, sounds, etc
Dad: Play time means wrestling or chilling on the couch while dad reads or watches TV

Mom: Bath time for baby is fun time where we sing, talk and relax in the tub
Dad: Bath time is to get clean - why would you want to sit around in the tub? Plus, a little stressful with all that water and a small baby

Mom: Buys clothes like cute polos and cool jeans
Dad: Buys clothes with funny but maybe inappropriate pics or verbiage, and/or camoflauge

Mom: Baby is growing too fast! Makes tears come to my eyes
Dad: Baby is growing too slow. Ready to go fishing, kayaking, hiking, etc.

Mom: Parenthood is even better than I expected
Dad: Ditto.

Blessings

2009-09-29T05:40:00.000-07:00

We are blessed to have such a happy child. Smiles and giggles, rarely gets upset, and just easy going. On the weekends we tend to throw his schedule way off with naps, etc, and he always just rolls with it! Feeling so blessed.

Baby Fever

2009-09-28T05:20:00.001-07:00

I have several girlfriends - shout outs to Deb, Gretchen, Britney and Jennifer - who are pregnant now! Congrats ladies!!!

On a roll now Baby!

2009-09-28T05:15:00.000-07:00

Jack rolled over last week - September 24th! I had a crazy week that week as I had my sales team in from around the country. Mom was stopping him from rolling when I was away from home so I wouldn't miss it. (Hope we don't stunt his development!) Anyway, left the house at 6:45am and walked back in the door at 8:30pm, picked up my little man and took him to my room while I got ready for bed etc. He rolled over as soon as I laid him down. So he can now roll from back to front, but has no idea what to do once he does that!

Makes night more interesting as he now wants to sleep on his belly or at least his side, since he is all grown up!

I know, I know, I need to update some photos. Will do sometime this week.

Back to the Real World

2009-09-16T06:10:00.000-07:00

This week started my first week back at the office! Jack is doing great and having tons of fun with his "Poppy" at home. I am missing him more than I could have imagined! But work gave me a great welcome back and there is tons to do!

Outer Banks Continued

2009-09-16T06:03:00.000-07:00

We had a GREAT time at the Outer Banks. After visiting lighthouses and exploring the islands, most of our time was spent at the house and on the beach. We had great food, great fun, and great times together.

Walks on the beach to collect shells...

Jack was able to soak up some rays and some love from his Aunt Mandy and his cousins!

And there is ALWAYS some time to shoot uncle John with Water Shooters!

First Big Boy Bath

2009-09-09T04:25:00.000-07:00

Jack had his first bath in the tub last night! He liked the jacuzzi tub in our beach house and did great!

OBX

2009-09-09T04:02:00.001-07:00

We are on our first family vacation - a week at the Outer Banks. We drove over Sunday and Jack did great on the 6 hour trip. We love the house we rented - 3 floors and plenty of space. It has rained the first few days, so we are spending our time cooking and exploring the light houses.

First, we took Jack to see Bodie Island Lighthouse. He got to eat there, so was not interested and Dad just took a photo.

We drove on to the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. The observation deck was closed due to the wind and rain, but we tried to take some photos anyway.

The drive back was an adventure - some flooded streets!

More fun to be had - we will keep you updated!

Two Month Check Up

2009-09-03T18:34:00.000-07:00

John Love had his 2 month check up today. (He is actually 10 weeks this week).
Stats:
- Weights 14 lbs and 12 oz
- 25.25" long

Remember Birth weight was 8lbs 4oz and length was 21 inches.
He is growing SOOO fast - too fast!

He was healthy and happy and received a great report. The shots were no fun, but he stopped crying immediately after which was a big relief to me!

What is Jack up to these days?

2009-09-01T17:00:00.000-07:00

John Love is growing too fast. He has started reaching, chewing, trying to sit up and trying to roll! He is getting more hair - he really has a head ful now! But it is the smiling and talking that is the most fun.

We visit the doctor this week and will have new stats to share. Then off for his first beach vacation.

New Photos

2009-09-01T16:53:00.000-07:00

There is no way I could take enough photos to fill recent demand, but I have been trying to get some of him smiling.

He giggle and talks and gives BIG smiles all the time, but always stops when I hold the camera in front of my face to take a photo!

Play Room for Jack

2009-09-01T16:48:00.001-07:00

If you have visited us before, you know that even though we have lived in our house for 3 years, one downstairs room had not yet been furnished. This room is off the dining room and is basically a formal living room. But we are not too formal, and had left it empty!

Well, once we decided to have a baby, we knew we would need a playroom and this room was it. We just finished it this week - with a comfy, durable sofa, a recliner for Dad (he thinks he will have timw to read), a coffee table that holds tons of toys, and a rug to make it kid friendly. Now all we need is some fun art!

Jack is already enjoying his new room!

Big Weekend

2009-08-24T02:55:00.001-07:00

Jack had a big weekend for such a small boy! Thursday we took our first road trip and Poppy, Jack and I drove to NC to see my sister. Jack was, of course, an angel.

My nephews were so excited to see Jack. Every time Jack coos, they yell "he talked!" Then they put their hands on his and say "He's holding my hand!" it is so cute and hysterical. Jack LOVES his Aunt Mandy - he recognizes her and knows she always knows just what to do for play time and cuddle time. When she has been holding him too much and her boys want her back, Cooper or Conner will come to me and say "I think Jack is hungry - can you take him?"

We had a great Sip-N-See for Jack Saturday AM for my friends in NC to get to meet Jack - it was so much fun! Then 3rd Birthday party for Cooper and Conner that afternoon - a big day. Jack just watched it all. Must have been exhausting - he took every nap and slept through the night. I was so proud of him. Next stop - beach house! I will post some photos soon.

Catching a Smile

2009-08-17T13:13:00.000-07:00

It is so fun because Jack has started smiling a ton. Especially in the morning - he wakes up in a great mood. Each morning he lays in his crib and watches his mobile while I clean his room, make my bed, etc. (He likes the mobile, but no more than 15 minutes!). He has started smiling at the mobile. BUT, he does not smile at the camera. I swear I think he knows what it is!

Today I caught a half smile. I will keep working on it!

Sunday Night

2009-08-16T19:20:00.001-07:00

Had a great weekend with my family. Jack is such a joy and a great baby. With John back in town, we really had a great weekend. Plus had time for dinner with friends and a few hours in the new canoe. Feeling very lucky today.

Cousins

2009-08-14T08:06:00.000-07:00

Spencer, Cooper and Conner came to visit this past weekend. It had been 6 weeks since we had seen them, and they loved seeing baby Jack! They get excited every time he makes a noise and call out "He Talked!" They also love when Jack grips their hands - but who doesn't? I had such a great time with Mandy. The time flew by and we only got a fw pictures, but we see them again next week.

John was in Canada for work for most of the visit, but got home in time to take the boys for a ride in his new canoe!

Jack really found the boys interesting and exciting. The boys sang to him and showed him how big boys play. Jack was exhausted at every nap and slept better at night - the cousins need to come more often!

Love this face

2009-08-08T10:25:00.000-07:00

It is amazing how much Jack has changed in last 2 weeks. Eyes focusing and tracking, he is smiling, and making more faces and noises. I captured this one with my cell phone today - hysterical!

Art

2009-07-29T05:23:00.000-07:00

Our friend Toiussant painted this for Jack's room. We sit in the rocking chair and look at this picture everyday - a very generous gift!

Hair

2009-07-28T18:17:00.000-07:00

I love Jack's head full of fair - seems Jack does too. I have noticed that when I lay him down lately, he puts one hand to his head and runs his fingers in his hair, twirling it. He does this all the time now. Too cute!

Lucky

2009-07-28T18:15:00.000-07:00

Jack and I had a great day - I am feeling super lucky. After a night of good sleep, we went to the office to have lunch with Dad and so Icould run a conference call. Jack was an angel all AM and let everyone hold him at the office.

In the afternoon, it was too hot to go for a walk, so I put Jack in the baby Bjorn and hopped on my elliptical trainer. He loved it!

He is such a good baby!

Three JTs

2009-07-27T11:39:00.000-07:00

John's parents came to visit us last weekend. It was awesome to have the 3 John Love Tolers together - I tink all the boys loved it. Grandpa was pretty proud.

Not wanting to miss a second of the action, Jack showed everyone how grown he is by staying up until Midnight each night. The last night Grandma told him to go to sleep earlier and sleep longer so his mom could rest. Not one to rebel, Jack listened to Grandma and did just that. Way to go Grandma Montana!

Jack's Aunt Les and Cousin Zach came to visit from Milwaukee as well. Jack loved Zach (and Zach loved that their names rhyme!) Jack was an angel, but pretended to be fussy so Aunt Les could show us some cool new holding techniques. The best was when Zach sang Jack to sleep - too cute. Even with a cast from a monkey bar incident, Zach was great at holding Jack.

Today it is just me - Jack seems bored!

Growing so fast

2009-07-20T14:21:00.001-07:00

Jack loves to be held - who doesn't. But he is already a big boy and sometimes wants his space. One of his new favorites - to be propped up on pillows so he can sit alone for a few minutes. Even when you are only 4 weeks old, sometimes you just need your space!

Visitors

2009-07-20T14:15:00.001-07:00

Jack Loves company - I think he gets bored with just me. This past weekend, Uncle Chris, Brandon and Abbi came to visit. We had a great time and Jack was in a good mood so was ready to be passed around and held a lot! Uncle Chris held Jack the most - even when he was crying. The visit was too short, but it was great to see the Germaine Family!

One Cute Boy

2009-07-10T06:13:00.000-07:00

I wonder if years from now Jack will grow to hate this great camera dad bought - we take so many photos! Charting each week. This week I took a few more in our sunroom. He is growing so fast!

4th of July

2009-07-10T06:05:00.000-07:00

John Love hosted hist first party last weekend - a get together for the 4th of July. This has started to become a tradition with our friends. We cook out and then take our kayaks and canoes to the neighborhood reservoir and paddle out to watch the fireworks. Though John was only 13 days old, he was up for it. We had about 10 people over and Jack was great!

Jack with "The Girls" Alison and Jen.

Uncle Rod - becoming a pro at holding Jack!

Jack and Dad - hanging out on the deck.

Super Baby continued...

2009-07-07T09:54:00.000-07:00

Jack had his 2 week check up this morning. He has gained 2lbs and 5 ounces since leaving the hospital! Needless to say, he is doing great!

John Love Toler III
July 7 2009
10 lbs and 5 ozs - 90%
22.25" long - 95%

Dad is very proud.
Mom will have to start working out to be able to carry Jack around!

Super Baby

2009-07-04T17:57:00.001-07:00

Jack is Super baby. He loves to sleep with his hands above his head - like Superman flying. Dad got a cute photo this week!

Cousins Visit

2009-07-04T17:51:00.000-07:00

Mandy brought The Boys - Spencer, Conner and Cooper - to visit their cousin Jack June 27th for the weekend. The boys LOVE baby Jack and want to hold him, sing to him and play with him. They are so sweet. We took a few group photos.

Our friends Rod and Allison invited us all over Saturday night (yes, they are very brave) and let the boys fish. We did some more fishing at our house. Uncle Johnis a big help!

Jack is already missing his cousins - it is very quiet at the house with just the adults.

Family Photos

2009-06-24T18:42:00.000-07:00

Jack is 3 days old today. Dad arranged for our company photographer and good friend Lee to come over and take some photos in our sunroom. Jack was rockstar - stayed awake and relatively happy for 2 hours of photos etc. He was exhausted afterwards.

How we are so lucky and blessed, I cannot even explain.

We cannot wait to see them all, but Lee already sent us a great one of our family. I am wearing a few very special pieces of jewelry here - no, I am not walking around the house like this right now! The pearl necklace is a gift from John on the Birth of our Son - 7 Tahitian pearls for the 7 years we have been together, given to me the day our son was born. The bracelet is a gift from my mom and has JLT and a pearl (his birthstone) on it.

Love's Birth Day

2009-06-24T18:35:00.000-07:00

John Love Toler III arrived at 5:27pm on Sunday, June 21st. Father's Day. Happy and Healthy - Thank you God.

This is the most amazing thing -impossible to describe let alone write about on a blog. If you are a parent, you know what I mean! Happy and Helathy.

Baby Update - He is Happy Where He Is

2009-06-16T17:23:00.000-07:00

I saw the Doc today. Seems John Love is perfectly content and not making any real movement towards coming soon - likely another week or so. Thanks to everyone sending notes of encouragement - we cannot wait to see him!

Love's Room

2009-06-16T17:14:00.000-07:00

Some of you have heard the saga - took 17 weeks for the furniture I ordered to arrive! Well, all came last week and John, Poppy and I put the whole room together over the weekend. Hoping this will convince John Love to come soon. Still some wall art to hang, etc, but baby ready!

Here are a few photos:

Shadow Box with JLTI's dog tags and ID bracelet, and JLTII's photo

Date Night

2009-06-16T17:11:00.000-07:00

John and I decided to try a new restaurant over the weekend - one we were sure we would not take a small child to. We had a great time, and Poppy took this photo of us before we left.

What is hysterical is people stare at large pregnant ladies, or at least me, usually with a look of fear as in "I hope you do not go into labor right in front of me!"

Who's baby is this?

2009-05-28T10:04:00.001-07:00

When I had the 4-D ultrasound a few weeks ago, John took one look at JLT3 and thought he looked like me. However, Judy mailed me this photo of John at 2 days old. I think there is no doubt who's kid this is! (Plus, he is huge - maybe trying to compete on the scales with Jacob!)

Baby Update - No Update!

2009-05-28T10:00:00.001-07:00

Saw the Doctor today and everything going well. I hit 37 weeks tomorrow and no contractions or anything yet. (Probably good since we have now been waiting on crib and dresser 16 weeks and still 2 weeks away! At least his Poppy gave him a cradle so he has a place to sleep when he gets here!)

Still hoping for the baby by June 17 (will make Lily happy)! Lily has agreed to take care of him at Thanksgiving so John and I can hang with the family.

And my Mom is getting settled in at our place - takes a lot of the stress and worry out of everything - thanks Mom!

Baby Showers Continued...

2009-05-21T06:50:00.001-07:00

On May 1st, Frank and Ting (our friends and the owners of our company) hosted a baby shower for John and I and 50 of our family and co-workers. My family came up for the weekend which was great. Frank and Ting have a beautiful home and everyone had a great time - we feel so fortunate. Here are a few pictures including us with Frank and Ting, the group in general and some of the kids giving us a piano recital. With Spencer, Cooper and Conner there, plus 4 other kids 4 and under, we opened all the presents in 30 minutes! (Guests were guessing it would take 1.5 hours!)