Out of Hibernation

Today was 70 degrees, can you believe it? All of the neighbors were outside, it was great! JW washed the car, Jackson and I played on the new swing he got for his birthday from Grandma and Grandpa, and he went about discovering grass, woodchips, and leaves. He handed me every leaf that he picked up. His favorite, though, was the flag that stands outside our house; he sees it from his window inside every day, so I think he was excited that he finally got to touch it.

Today was also his one year check-up. He now weighs in at 21.25 pounds and is 31.5 inches tall. He was very brave when he got his 4 shots, and he had a great day playing with Mommy and Daddy.

Happy Birthday Jackson!

This weekend we celebrated Jackson's big first birthday! It was so much fun--we had a house full of guests, and J. had a blast. He was not interested in the presents, however, as Grammi brought him a balloon, and he just thought that was the coolest! He also enjoyed his first sugar rush, eating a cake that I made for him in the shape of a basketball. JW showed his creative side by creating his T shirt and a scoreboard for decorations--thank you darling! As the title of my blog states, I was literally "on call" this weekend at 2 hospitals, so I was a bit overwhelmed (to put it mildly, just ask my loving husband); but God saw me thru it and here I am, still with energy to write at 11pm!

Back to Michigan!

The long delay has been because we were skiing in Seven Springs in PA with my family last week. We had a blast--it was great snowboarding weather, we didn't get frostbite, and little J had a great time bonding with Grandma, Grandpa, and Aunt Paula. We all memorized "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" because J wanted us to keep reading it over and over and over...

J is more active than ever. We just bought him new shoes today, with Elmo on them, so that he can walk outside as the weather starts to get nicer. It took him about 45 minutes to adjust to them before he would start walking, it was so funny! It was like he had lead bricks on his feet, and he would only crawl. But he's a pro now, so if it starts to warm up and start raining, we're back outside for sure!

This week we're preparing to celebrate Jackson's first birthday! I'm excited, but sad too, because my little baby is getting to be a big boy, and as I prepare to start weaning, I'll just have to find other ways to bond with him. But overall I'm super proud of the little boy he is becoming and of the great dad JW has become. It makes me smile to see all of the progress. God continues to help me realize the kind of mommy I am, but it helps to remember that I'm HIS child as well.

Beans are a hit!

Well, this weekend has been great. I went on a women's retreat at my church and really had a great time with the Lord. I missed my little guy, but he did just fine without me. Today, he waved hi at Daddy shoveling the snow outside (welcome to Michigan!) and came down the stairs on his behind all by himself (I taught him that.) We fed him beans for dinner, which he loves. His face looks like he has measles, but be assured, it's just food. :) Right after dinner we went straight to the bathtub, and as you can see, he is now nice and clean all over again.

Our Little Explorer

It's been awhile since I've posted, sorry. This is a picture of Jackson playing with Emma's Valentine box--he gets a kick out of putting his hand in the opening and pulling out a surprise. It entertained him for quite awhile! He also has been playing with his bead blocks and is getting really good at putting the lid ever so carefully on top. It's pretty amazing, actually. He's been sick with a cold, but he's feeling a little better every day. This morning, I fed him egg yolk, toast, and bananas, and he did pretty well. Three-quarters of it ended up on the floor, but hey, it's a start! Today, we're going to Toys'R'Us to pick out his birthday presents, yay! He's almost a year, I can't believe it. More later...

The temperature is rising...

Well, yesterday lifted all of our spirits--the temperature got up to 58 degrees, and we felt like it was summer! Or at least spring. JW, me, and J took the BOB stroller out for its first run, and we had a blast. Thanks to everyone who contributed to the BOB fund, it was totally worth it.

Jackson also had a rise in temperature--he has a fever so has been feeling less than his best. He's still a trooper--he tries to play and read his books, but he would rather just be held. Hopefully he will start feeling better soon.

To some more warmer days--or at least above freezing will do...

Perchville, USA

Yesterday, we made our first trip to Tawas, MI to visit Aunt Sally and Uncle Ed and the cousins for the annual festival of Perchville. We started the afternoon with the "Chilly Cook Off," which was really fun, though it wasn't so chilly yesterday, reaching over 50 degrees! We didn't give any chili to J, though, because I remembered the scene from "Mr. Mom." After we got home, JW took Jackson sledding, and he had a great time! Granted, he only went down the hill once, but that was enough. He got a kick out of JW's wolf hat he borrowed from Uncle Ed; he was giggling! And another milestone, he waved "bye-bye" all by himself for the first time! It was adorable!

Check out the silly video of Jackson sledding: