Our Boy - Happy 1st Month Tucker!

Wow - does time ever FLY by...when you are havin' fun!

Happy 1st Month to our boy.  Tucker is a true GEM of a newborn...now can you all PLEASE send me the good vibes that this continues ;)  If he's anything like his big sister then I have no worries....only until he hits 3 years old, and then will he too only POOP IN HIS UNDER PANTS and NOT the toilet and DRIVE HIS MOMMY & DADDY NUTS!  Oh we can only hope not.

Speaking of Stella....she really has been a true gem too.  She has not hit the jealousy phase with her new baby brother and we think she will not.  She offers a really good balance between wanting to hold him and kiss him (always so very gentle, she's really good like that) and not paying much attention to him - so basically she's not hoarding all over him which is nice and she's able to go on about her toddler life at home with not much interruption, so far, from her brother.

As I did with Stella - I'll be sending out a monthly email on the anniversary of Tucker's Birth Date, June 30th, throughout his Very First Year....so let em' roll.

This first Month will have a whole lot of pics here :)

Month #1

Tucker Leland Clark

Tucker's First Photographed Smile

Tucker, You Are So Loved Already By So Many....

First Day Home - Stella Brought In Her Baby To Do What Mommy Was Doing....

This Was So Adorable

Stella Enjoying Her Gift From Her Baby Brother - The Day We Came Home From The Hospital

Tucker Got Her The Bangles & Make Up

Look Up Adore In The Dictionary And This Is What You Should See

Stella Really Does Adore Her Brother 

Daddy Time

Just Chillin'

Tucker Is A "Chill" Baby 

Now You All KNOCK ON WOOD He Stays This Chill!

Sibling Love

Snuggling On Daddy's Chest

One Of Tucker's Favorite Places

 First Bath, July 5th 2012

Daddy Is So Good At Giving Newborn Baths

(Mommy Doesn't Like It So Much!)

Tucker's Newborn Photoshoot

Click Here To See Some Of The Best Shots

http://momentsbyjem.com/blog/2012/07/16/introducing-tucker/

Our 5th Wedding Anniversary

July 7th, 2012

Just 3 Days After We Came Home From Hospital - Felt Good Enough To Celebrate By Going Out To Dinner....Took Tucker With Us While Stella Played With Tonya At Home

Stella Was So Cute - She Kept Running So Excited To Get In Our Anniversary Photo

At Our Table

 Mommy's Precious Boy

Stella Helps With Bathtime

Sleepy Heads - 11:30am

This Is Not Typical, But Welcomed!

Tucker's First Week Visit To The Pediatrician

He Passes With Flying Colors

(phew!)

Stella Was A Good Girl During His Appt.

My Friend Brittany Stopped By To Drop Off Dinner 

I Have A Wonderful Group Of Mommy Friends...Who Are More Than Just "Mommy Friends"!

We Were Delivered Several Dinners Over The First Two Weeks - Thank You Ladies!

More Sibling Love

In One Of Stella's Adorable Hand-Me-Downs

My Dad's Cousin, Linda, And Here Son, Scott (who I consider my "2nd Cousin) Stop By For A Visit

Scott Is An AWESOME Comic Book Illustrator & He's Painting Some Murals For Tucker's Vintage Airplane Nursery

Baby In The Frame Is Stella, August 2009

Baby In This Pic Is Tucker, July 2012

Tucker At Noon Tunes, Wildwood Metropark

Lola Meets Tucker!

Aunt Amy Visits & Lets Stella Give Her A Beautiful & FLAWLESS ;) Manicure

Stella Loves Her Alec (My Cousin's Son)

Papa & Tucker 

Tucker's First Trip Up North To The Cottage

Papa & Stella

Up North

Sterling & Stella

xoxoxo

Stella Loves The Cottage Outdoor Shower

Sterling Loving Babies - Just Like Her Mama, Britny

Lovin' Her Aunt "Ah-Mee"

Tucker On His Daddy's High School Skateboard

And...MORE Sibling Love

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

 Lovin' His Swing - Just Like His Baby Sister Did

Life Is BUSY These Days

Awwwww

Great Aunt Janice, Flies In From Georgia To Meet Baby Tucker

Aunt Janice Comes In From Geogia To Meet Her Great Nephew Tucker

 So These Two Slept Through The Amazing Opening Ceremonies Of The Olympics 2012

Stella's "Welcome Home Tucker" Artwork Dry Mounted and Hung For Permanent Display

She Painted TheWhole Background Herself Choosing All The Colors

Combined Total of 2.5 Hours To Finish

Thank You Tonya!  What A Wonderful Surprise To See When We Arrived Home

What A WONDERFUL Month It Has Been

It's A BOY!!! Tucker Leland Clark!

Introducing our precious little boy.
Tucker Leland Clark was welcomed into this world 11 hours after we arrived at Toledo Hospital.

Born June 30th, 2012
7lbs. 8oz.
21"

We cannot wait for Stella to meet her brother...she is going to adore him.

First Ballet & Tap Class - PRECIOUS!

Our hearts seriously MELTED when Justin & I watched our little girl at her Very First Ballet/Tap Class.  She's taking a 4-week Summer Session to see how she likes it and she absolutely loved it.  They do it right too with this age:  10 min. Ballet, 10 min. Tap, then 10 Min. Tumble....ending it with a sucker!

 THESE VIDEOS ARE SHORT BUT SO SWEET! 

 She's the smallest one (2nd from the right) - and watch when she gets off her square marker how she makes sure to get back on it, awwwww

TAP DANCE

BALLET DANCE

CHOO-CHOO TRAIN

Prepping At Home Just Before Class

Anxiously Awaiting Her First Class

Peaking In On Another One

 Look at Stella in the mirror, awwwww

She was being such a good listener and little ballerina

 I just love the ever so confident, almost really experienced stance Stella has going on here - as if she's like, yep, been here done this and I'm really into making sure I accomplish what you are about to throw my way.

Someone Spotted Daddy Looking Through The View Window

She was all about making sure Justin knew she knew she saw him looking at her

making goofy faces at him

 This class has a Tumble section at the end - but honestly Stella is way farther advanced motor skill-wise then what they were doing - I know she was really hoping to do some somersaults - hopefully next time!

 And she spots us again

Go Toledo Mud Hens! June 2012

Papa & Jeamma have weekeend season tix to The Toledo Mud Hens (they are one of dad's clients) so we all went Friday night.  Although this was not Stella's first time at a Mud Hens game, it has been awhile as she was just 9-months old the last time she went where she cheered for Toledo's local America Idol Runner Up Crystal Bowersox at the Stadium in May 2010.  See link below for that adorable blog post!

Aunt "Ahh-mee" (Amy) and Todd joined us tonight too - which it's always good to spend some time with them - this is such a crazy busy time in their lives with Amy's ever growing letter press biz and Todd's 2-year dedication to his Anesthetist Program.

SIDE NOTE:  Ter-Bear has been changed to "Papa" all on Stella's accord.  That's just what she started calling him and I have no idea where it came from as we never say Papa - but it's pretty cute!

Crystal Bowersox post from 2010:
http://stellarstellaj.blogspot.com/2010/05/stella-cheers-for-local-crystal.html

And all pooped out from a big night out in downtown Toledo!  This was taken just before NOON on Saturday - and mommy was right next to her till then ;)  I needed the sleep too!

Grandpa Shorty, Stella's Great Grandpa

My Grandpa Shorty 

1917 - 2012

Grandpa passed away today on June 14, 2012 with my dad and my aunt Deb by his side in Toledo, Ohio.  He was 94 yrs. old and SHARP AS A TAC & FULL OF PERSONALITY which anyone would attest to.

He married my grandma Stella - whom our Stella is named after - and was happily married for 60 yrs.  Stella passed away several years ago, about 14 yrs. ago - so Grandpa now is reunited with the love of his life.

Grandpa is was the last to pass away out of 14 siblings.

I am so very grateful for all the wonderful memories I have of my Grandpa.

Love you Grandpa - you sure were one of a kind and will be so so missed

xoxoxoxox  Jen, Justin, "your little angel" as you always called her, Stella Jane.

 Shorty & Stella

1940's 

Grandma Stella & Me

The day I graduated Univ. of Toledo

My sister took this photo - love it

Great Grandpa Shorty with his "little angel" Stella - his one and only Great Grandchild.  I am very sad he will not be here to meet Baby #2 who will be arriving within a week or two.  But am SO grateful for all the time he and Stella had with each other as I know it's very unique and special.

4-Generations

STELLA'S 1st BIRTHDAY PARTY

AUGUST 21, 2010

 Aunt Deb, Me & Grandpa

 Look at 1-year old Stella looking at her Great Grandpa here, ha!

Grandpa with his neighbor Autumn

A COLLECTION OF OUR MANY VISITS WITH GRANDPA THROUGH THE YEARS

HE WAS ALWAYS SO HAPPY TO SEE HIS LITTLE ANGEL

If you look at the sheet of music behind Stella on the piano here - you'll see it's for the song 

"Stella By Starlight"

Grandpa told me about this song when Stella was born and so I got it sheet music.

The Toledo Zoo
Aunt Deb & Grandpa met us for a playdate there last summer 2011

A friend of mine told me years ago how my Grandpa Shorty looked just like the guy from UP.  I had not ever seen the movie until Stella was 2 yrs old - and then I saw it about a MILLION TIMES.  It was her favorite movie during the summer of 2011.
Here is a photo of Grandpa enjoying the movie for the first time while at our house for Stella's 2nd bday party.
And here is a fun photo my friend made.

HALLOWEEN 2012

Celebrating Great Grandpa's 94th Birthday

November 2011

May 2012

Just a week or so before Grandpa went to the hospital to have surgery on his leg

Although in alot of pain he was still all smiles to see little Stella

I was driving down Central Ave. parked a red light when i just happen to glance over down Grandpa's street and What Do You Know....There he was!  Many friends and family enjoyed seeing Shorty on the corner here with his Golden Retriever - I would get messages from friends saying "Just drove by and saw Shorty on the corner!"

VIDEO COLLECTION of SHORTY 

Celebrating his 90th

He was a hoot

Scooter Rides with Stella, Part 1

Scooter Rides with Stella, Part 2

Great Grandpa Plays The Harmonica For Baby Stella
October 2009

Grandpa we will miss you so much.

WE LOVE YOU