We just love sitting outside with Jack! On this night, Jack, Jonathan, and I were sitting out on the back porch after supper watching the sun set! Jack got excited when the sprinklers came on to give Daddy's grass a drink....and he let out a squeal everytime they spun around and almost got him wet!
This is not a great picture, but I thought I should document our first attempt at a garden! Tomatoes, corn, watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, and basil were the plants we decided to plant on our maiden voyage! Happy, happy days!!
Grammy and Poppy had been in Huntsville for a birthday visit, and so they decided to drop by and see us "on the way home!" Jack had wasn't feeling 100%, but a trip to the Bonefish Grill must have been exactly what he needed! He ate and ate and ate and ate!! In fact, Jack ate sooo much, the he must have hardly looked up at all! When he did finally come up for air and gaze across the table, he got SOOO excited to see his Grammy and Poppy sitting there! He squealed so loudly and clapped his hands......! This really made us all laugh so hard!
Jen, Al, and the kids came to visit~and it had been a much anticipated visit!! :) We went to the sprinkler park, ate at the Smith's, swam in pool, played outside in the Daniels' blow-up water toy, watched movies, and ate popsicles! Here are the older kids staying up late in Ju Ju's bed to watch WALL-E! The boys just love the girls, and the girls just love those boys too!! We always have fun when the Chandlers come to Mississippi!!
How cute is this!? Jack looks so cute in his little swimsuit from the Gibsons! Sara Kate helped Jack take his first plunge into the baby pool we bought last year when Hannah and Benjamin came to visit! Jack didn't wear that cute hat too long, but I snapped a few pictures while I could! It was really cold water, but Jack didn't mind! He loves water, and he loved making big splashes. He did make a bit of noise outside today, which is a new thing for him too! Usually he is COMPLETELY silent~just taking in everything! Today he let loose and played! It was so fun to watch!
Granny and PaPaw were traveling through north Misssippi, and they could not imagine not stopping to visit baby Jack! Granny and PaPaw from Birmingham are such important people in our sweet past-life there in Alabama! When Jonathan and I moved there in 1997 for Jonathan to attend seminary, I was the nanny for their then 1 year old grandson, Logan Chambers! Being Logan's nanny was SUCH a joy....and one of the highlights of my life! We shared such good times with Logan and his whole family......which includes Granny and PaPaw!!
Jack thoroughly enjoyed this visit! He loved getting loved on, and he loved trying to confiscate PaPaw's glasses! It was such fun visit...and we are so thankful that Granny and PaPaw took time out of their day to come meet our sweet Jack! Their grandson, Logan, was the one who made me realize that I could love a child that was not biologically my own with a very, very deep and extraordinary love! It was then that the dream was born......and Jack is that dream realized! God was laying the groundwork all along!
Look what Aunt Keri is letting us borrow!! Jack has a ball in that Johnny Jump Up!
I am sad to report, though, that now Jack has outgrown this toy....we should have started it a bit earlier! We didn't know Jack would be dragging the ground so soon! :) He's a big old boy!
We are guessing that Jack weighs about 24 ½ pounds now, and is about 30 inches long…based on mommy’s estimates.Jack was very healthy during the month of May, but he did go to the doctor this month for his 9 month check-up on May 6th.At that time, Jack weighed 23 pounds and was 29 inches long.He also had an iron check-up and passed with flying colors!He also must be getting used to receiving shots, since he got two this month and hardly cried at all!Jack will turn 10 months old on Friday, June 5th, and Sunday, June 7th, will mark ten months since placement!
Jack is crawling!!One night Jack was so determined to reach a forbidden item across the carpet in his room (the mobile that used to hang above his bed) that he gripped the carpet with both fists, and propelled himself across the floor!This was only the beginning!!Jack began propelling himself in every direction…until finally he raised up on all fours and crawled!He even puts his little bottom in the air, standing on his legs…but keeps both hands on the floor.That position looks very, very funny!Jack can also get into a sitting-up position from a lying-down position.We were not sure exactly how he was doing it, but we would come into his room after a nap, and he would be sitting up in his bed…looking very proud of himself!!Then…one evening, when Jonathan was home alone with Jack, I got a phone call.Jonathan was calling to see what should be done. It seemed that Jack had been crying for a bit in his bed…and Jonny told me that had already eaten, had been changed, and had been acting very tired.He was wondering if he should just let him fall asleep, or go in there and get him.Jonny decided to go ahead and get him, but then I got another phone call almost immediately.It seems that Jack had found a way to pull up and stand in his bed, but he couldn’t figure out how to get back down!He was so tired, but he was stuck standing up!!Poor Baby!Since then, Jack has stood several times…and just laughs his head off!!He thinks he is hot stuff!!(And he is!!)
Jack did cut another tooth this month…seemingly without too much pain!YAY!
Jack’s sleeping habits have not changed much this month but his eating habits have! He is still taking four 8-oz bottles daily at 7 a.m., noon, 5 p.m. and 8:30ish, but now he is also eating everything he can get his hands on!!Jack eats the same meals we do…just in smaller pieces!Jack loves butterbeans, green beans, hot dogs, pork chops, barbeque pork, chicken, strawberries, pineapple, and grapes…but he doesn’t care for mashed potatoes!Interesting!Surely that will change!He is completely self-feeding now, and is also starting to use a sippy cup regularly.
This month Jack traveled two times to visit both sets of grandparents in Nashville and Kentucky.At both locations, he got to visit with aunts and uncles and lots of cousins too!During the month of May we also traveled up to school several times for mommy’s yearbook meetings and to see daddy’s students who love Jack so much!Jack also attended graduation…where he was passed around for over two hours being held by so many people….He finally fell asleep on the president of the school board!Precious!!Everyone loves Jack—because he is so loveable!!
June will be an exciting month!! Mommy is teaching a science camp, everyone will be working at VBS, daddy will be planting a yard full of grass (11,000 square feet!!), mommy will be finishing the yearbook, and Uncle Al and Aunt Jen are coming to visit…finally!!Jack might also be attending his first family reunion here in Mississippi!Jack has enjoyed talking to Jessica this month on the phone, and I got a bunch of wonderful Mother’s Day cards…the two most special being a card from Jonathan and one from Jessica’s mom, Maria!We also called Jessica several times, and she called us several times…and finally, the day after Mother’s Day, we finally got to talk to each other!!What a gift you are to us, Jessica!!Jack is such a blessed boy to be loved so much by you!We are so proud of Jessica who is wrapping up her junior year of high school…and is really hoping to take summer school classes to get a head start on her senior year!What a girl!We can’t wait to see her again!
I taught the 5th and 6th grade VBS class again this year! Since they are the oldest group (and because our church is always full of kids and need extra space), we get to have our VBS class at the Cunningham's house! And they have a POOL!
Sometimes there is a competition to see who gets to ride out to the Cunningham's house in Jack's van! :) Jonathan and Jack got to come to Miss Penny's house every day too! Jack took a nap upstairs every morning, and Jonathan helped with being a mentor to the kiddos! VBS is always a blast!!
(But also exhausting!! And this year was worse for me! When VBS was over at noon, I would head to the Collierville Public Library to work on the yearbook. I stayed every night until the library closed at 8 p.m.!)
Jonathan worked so hard getting the yard ready for the grass seed! He got outside early everyday and stayed out some nights using flood lights to try to finish the job! Unfortunately during some of the week that Jack was in Kentucky, it rained! So, Jonathan had to finish up the huge task after we went to get our baby back!! Can you see Jack!?
I can't believe this is the only picture I have of the week Jack spent in Kentucky with his Grandma and Granddaddy! Mommy was busy trying to finish the Westminster yearbook, and Daddy was trying to plant his Zoysia seed in the front yard before he missed his chance! So, since both parents were working hard to meet very important deadlines, Jack enjoyed having Grandma and Granddaddy all to himself during this week in June! He had such a good time!
This summer in order to make a bit more money, I offered the CSI camp to Westminster students. This was the same camp I had offered up in Northbrook, Illinois when I worked at St. Norbert! It was very, very fun and a great chance for kids to learn to love science! Everyday when the kids arrive, we find we have been delivered a big bag of evidence that goes along with a crime the police are trying to solve. The police always need help from scientists who analyze the crime scene evidence to uncover who the culprit really is! Everyday we solve a different crime using different scientific techniques such as chromatography. The students have lots of fun, and the time goes by so quickly! This year I offered two weeks of camp (one in June and one in July). We were featured in the Commercial Appeal and Fox News even came and featured us on the evening news!!
Goodbye old mattress!! My sweet Grandmother had given us this mattress when we got married back in 1996. At that time, it was HER old one! So no telling how long this mattress has been in circulation! :) But today it was replaced by a new Serta mattress from Sam's. We love the way our bed feels now! (And our backs are soooo thankful!!) :)
Uh-Oh! Could this be the next step to walking? Jack is now crawling with his knees up off the ground! Kind of a turbo-crawl! He looks like a baby gorilla!! :)
We just love sitting outside with Jack! On this night, Jack, Jonathan, and I were sitting out on the back porch after supper watching the sun set! Jack got excited when the sprinklers came on to give Daddy's grass a drink....and he let out a squeal everytime they spun around and almost got him wet!
This is not a great picture, but I thought I should document our first attempt at a garden! Tomatoes, corn, watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, and basil were the plants we decided to plant on our maiden voyage!
Happy, happy days!!
