Adventures of Our Little Chunky Munkey

We've moved!

2008-11-01T20:26:00.001-04:00

To a new home, on wordpress.com.

Please visit us there, and update your links!

http://thefunindysfunction.wordpress.com/

With 2 weeks until Election Day

2008-10-21T14:29:00.018-04:00

Jackson wants to remind you to vote!

Now let's think about this, which would you rather have encouraging you to vote?

This:

Or anyone of these adorable pictures:

I also thought this would be the perfect way to tie in some pictures from our trip to Washington D.C. An all around patriotic blog post, you know!

What do you do when your toddler falls asleep and you are in Washington D.C?

Why you pose for cheesy pictures with the Capitol building and the Washington Monument in the background with your sleeping toddler in the picture, of course!

When we were in D.C., we stayed with Jeff's brother, Jerry, and his wife, Julie. On Sunday, we went to the Washington Monument and went all the way to the top which was a lot of fun and we also went to the World War II Memorial, which was a really neat memorial.

Flags at the Washington Monument:

Family picture at the World War II Memorial:

Julie and Jerry at the World War II Memorial:

On Monday, we rode the metro to D.C. from Arlington (many thanks for the borrowed stroller go to Andrew, Courtney and Benjamin), and while in D.C., we got a great tour of the Capitol building through Senator Lugar's office. We even got to sit in the gallery at the Senate and hear some debates on the floor. I got to listen to Jeff's favorite Senator, Tom Coburn, speak, and he was really jealous because he was sitting with Jackson during that time (children under 6 are not allowed in the gallery). We also saw Nancy Pelosi right after the first bailout bill failed to pass in the House. A pretty exciting day, really, but we didn't take too many pictures.

Jackson at the Capitol building:

The view of the Capitol building from behind, near the Supreme Court:

The Supreme Court:

We had a great time in D.C., and we're glad we got to visit with Jerry and Julie! We also got to see some of Jeff's friends, too, which was nice. We'll have to go back soon!

Finally, Jackson really would like to endorse a candidate in the 2008 Presidential election. All the newspapers are doing it, so he wanted to as well. If you know Jeff and me, you know we enjoy politics, and we hope Jackson will feel the same way as he gets older. He's going to go vote with me on November 4th and will be wearing his stylish voting t-shirt that was pictured on the blog today. Since we want Jackson to be involved in politics, I decided that he should pick his own candidate to endorse, and not be swayed by my opinions or Jeff's opinions. Since he really doesn't get it yet and can't tell me who he'd choose, I had to use special powers of reasoning to figure it out. So here you go, Jackson's endorsement for President of the United States, and how I arrived at the candidate he's endorsing.

As some of you may have seen in the past, Jackson has some super cool aviator sunglasses he likes to wear, and we call him "Maverick" when he wears them.

The nickname Maverick comes from the movie Top Gun:

This picture is sort of similar to this one:

Who happens to be this guy, who is running for President:

And all of that leads to this:

He is clearly the cutest Weepublican ever, but all Jackson and I care about is that you get out and vote on November 4th!

And maybe one day soon I'll get around to posting all of our beach vacation pictures! :)

School Picture Day

2008-10-13T20:20:00.002-04:00

Today at Jackson's Mother's Morning Out program, they had picture day, and that is what he wore! Isn't it the cutest outfit ever? He's so stylin'!

Our Fishing Trip

2008-10-13T19:37:00.011-04:00

Or should it be titled, Jeff's Fishing Trip?

I know, I know, I promised pictures of the beach and Washington like 2 weeks ago. Well, they're coming, I swear. But I figured I better get on the fishing trip pictures before I got even more behind.

We went to Kentucky Lake in Gilbertsville, KY with our friends Doug and Sunny. Doug and Jeff were really into the fishing and even caught some fish that they ate (ew!). On Saturday, we all got to go on a boat, but much to my dismay there was not a lot of boating, but a lot of fishing. Bo-ring! Jackson had a good time though.

The view from the lakehouse.

The dock, Jeff fishing off it, and Doug fishing off the shore.

Jackson letting me know Daddy was home from fishing.

Jeff and Doug walking up the evil, awful hill to our lakehouse.

On Friday, when we were waiting for Jeff and Doug to get home from fishing, Jackson took some pictures on the dock.

The view:

The lovely Sunny:

On Saturday, we met Doug and Jeff at the marina. When we got there, Doug showed off the baaaasssssss he caught.

And, finally, Jackson, on the boat.

We had a lot of fun, and had great weather! Maybe we'll do it again sometime, but if we do, Sunny and I are going to do a little more coordinating. We can't trust the boys to do it! ;)

Happy Birthday, Jackson!

2008-10-01T22:18:00.005-04:00

Today Jackson turned 2 years old! The time has certainly flown by, but we love our sweet little boy, even if he isn't so little anymore. I have a lot more pictures to post from his birthday, our beach vacation and our trip to Washington, but it's late tonight so you only get these two pictures.

The cutie pie birthday boy:

Blowing out his candles; he did it all on his own! So cute!

We ate at Cheeseburger in Paradise with my parents and Jeff's parents. Jackson had a blast with all of his favorite people, and we're so glad both sets of grandparents could join us. More pictures to come tomorrow!

Happy 2nd birthday, J-baby! We love you so much. You are the sweetest little boy we know and we can't imagine life without you!

A daily dose of Jackson's cuteness

2008-09-16T14:33:00.013-04:00

Today when we were playing outside, I decided to take some pictures of Jackson because he looked so cute! It was a beautiful day outside, a bit cool, so we got to break out some of the fall clothes, which I enjoyed. Jackson, well, he liked the hat. Otherwise he couldn't have cared less.

Onto the cuteness.

I LOVE this picture. He looks so handsome and adorable. I love his eyes. So blue!

Showing me his hat. He was a fan, thankfully!

Playing a little peek-a-boo with his hat. Where's Jackson?

I think I see him...

Oh there he is! He had a blast doing this and thought he was SO funny. It was and it was pretty much the cutest thing ever.

A flower for mommy, and a smile as I showed him how to blow on the dandelion.

Demonstrating his new skill.

We had a lot of fun outside today, and Jackson confirmed, yet again, that he is a HAM for the camera. It just makes me more excited for family pictures. We scheduled some for November at Purdue University's West Lafayette campus with Samantha Uphold of Samantha Uphold Photography. I seriously cannot wait - she's incredibly talented, and I think our pictures will be gorgeous!

Jackson's First Day of "School"

2008-09-08T11:59:00.006-04:00

Jackson had his first day of school today, and by school we mean Mother's Morning Out. The church that his grandparents go to has a preschool and then they also offer a morning out program. So we signed Jackson up, and today was his first day! Now for some pictures of this momentous occasion.

Eating his breakfast - it's the most important meal of the day, of course!

Smiling for his first day of school.

Looking a little mischievous.

Bye, Mom. I'm ready for school now.

Showing me his baa-paa (thank you DORA!).

Headed to the car for his first day of school.

I think he had a good time, and he had a good report as far as behavior goes. I think the real test will be next week at drop off, but I think he'll do just fine!

Some Fall Hats

2008-08-07T16:12:00.003-04:00

My love of hats for Jackson is well known , and it's something he usually fights me on. However, he has recently been indulging my love for hats! He likes to try them on and have me take his picture or try them on and look in the mirror. He knows he's the cutest thing around!

Uncle Brad's Commissioning Ceremony

2008-08-04T14:56:00.010-04:00

This weekend, Jackson's godfather (my brother Bradley) graduated from college - Purdue University in fact! Both Jeff and I went to Purdue as well, so we are extra proud of him. Not only did he graduate, but he had his commissioning ceremony as an officer in the Army! We could not be prouder of Brad, and we had a great time in West Lafayette with my family. Jackson was pretty good considering he was basically nap-less and had to behave himself.

First up, a picture of Jackson wearing a hat. He usually refuses, but he's recently been wanting to wear hats and look in the mirror. He also loves shoes, so he's a stylish guy. I call him my little gaybie.

Another picture of him in the hat - I had to document this momentous occasion! I buy hats for almost every outfit and he rarely wears them.

Bradley taking his oath.

My mom (Ju-ju to Jackson), Brad, and his girlfriend, Caitlin.

Brad and our dad (PAW to Jackson).

The whole gang - my brother Zach, my mom, Bradley, my dad, Jackson and me. Jeff took the picture for us.

Ok, so this picture has a really funny story. This is a picture of Brad when he served in Afghanistan a few years ago. Jackson LOVED it. Carried it around, kissed it, kept saying "SEE!" to us and wanting us to look at it. We have several similar pictures, but I'll treat you to just two.

A kiss for the picture and my legs. OH and my new skirt. I love this skirt - I have this one and another one (different fabric). Go visit www.sweetbirdie.com if you want a weekend skirt! I seriously love my skirts. Almost as much as Jackson loves his picture of Uncle Brad.

Swimming!

2008-07-31T16:10:00.009-04:00

At the beginning of the summer, Jackson was not so sure about swimming. Now , though, he loves it and has so much fun swimming and jumping in the pool.

He had a blast with Jeff at the pool last weekend!

Swimming w/ Daddy:

Waving HI to mommy:

A little more swimming, this time with a noodle:

OH swimming is so much fun!

Jumping in the pool!

We're so glad that Jeff's parents have a pool we can use - Jackson is a huge fan!

A Belated 4th of July

2008-07-30T18:49:00.008-04:00

The month of July has been a long month of bar exam studying for me, so it took me awhile to upload these pictures and update the blog. Fortunately it is STILL July, so I'm not too behind, right?

We spent the 4th of July at Lacey & Corey's house (thanks for having us guys!) along with some other friends. What's funny is that at the time, Lacey was pregnant, but because I am so behind on my blog updates, she's since had her baby! Jeff and I got to go see Lacey, Corey and Ella at the hospital last week.

Anyway, on to some festive 4th of July pictures.

Corey has drums. Jackson is a big fan. He might be a rock star someday. Hopefully not of the Tommy Lee variety, though.

Jackson got to play some basketball with Daddy and Daddy's friends, as well. Maybe he'll be a UK basketball player?

Anyone need a beer?

Because we always strive to win the parent of the year award, we let Jackson hold fireworks.

What do fireworks do, Jackson? Why, they go POP, of course!

Roasting marshmallows, another incredibly safe activity. He was supervised by Corey, though, so we didn't worry.

Trying out his first s'more.

And finally, something you don't see very often - a picture of Jackson and his Mommy! Usually I am the one behind the camera.

It's been a long month around here, so we are excited that I am finally done with the bar exam. Hopefully I passed, but I won't know until October whether I did or not. At least it's over, because then I can update this blog with more cute pictures of Jackson and maybe some of the other new babies in our life. It seems like everyone we know had babies recently! Erin and Paul welcomed Gillian on July 18th, Corey and Lacey had Ella last week, Danielle and Ryan had Rece in May and Steve and Corinne had Kramer in April.

Cutest Picture EVER!

2008-07-08T20:01:00.003-04:00

Jackson and his Uncle Brad reading a book together. How adorable are they? Brad is Jackson's godfather, and we got a chance to see him a few weeks ago when we were at my parents'. Clearly, Jackson is a fan!

Countdown to 2 is ON!

2008-07-01T19:19:00.010-04:00

I can't believe how close Jackson is to two now! He is 21 months old today, and will be 2 three months from now! He is growing up way too fast.

A crazy hair picture for his Aunt Danielle. Yes, he needs a haircut. It is getting a little long in the back. Last week when we were visiting Danielle, Ryan and Rece, Danielle said that every time she sees Jackson his hair is even crazier than it was the last time. So this picture is for her - CRAZY HAIR:

Jackson has a little red wagon we got him, and he loves it. He decided to give me a break from giving him a ride tonight and he pulled his wagon around the neighborhood. Unfortunately he had no one who wanted or needed a ride.

I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want a ride from this handsome guy! Even if he does have crazy hair.

Louisville Zoo with Ju-Ju and Paw

2008-06-21T20:50:00.014-04:00

Funny names, I know, but that is what Jackson calls his grandparents (my parents), specifically my dad. He yells, PAWWWWWWWWWWWWW whenever we see him. It's pretty cute.

We went to the Louisville Zoo with them, and it was a lot of fun. Jackson had a blast, and was much more into the animals than he was last year when we went to the Indianapolis Zoo. We got to see lots of fun stuff, and he walked around the whole zoo, no stroller. He's a big boy! He was also appropriately attired for the zoo, naturally.

Ready to go to the zoo!

Holding hands with his PAWWWWWWWW

Jackson and Daddy, waiting to go into the zoo.

The first animal we saw. Jackson was really intrigued. He wanted to get down there with it.

More fun with Paw.

The Louisville Zoo has several animals carved out of various materials. Jackson was a big fan of the rhino. He thought it was a slide because it was pretty smooth.

Checking out the giraffes with Daddy.

YOU! With the camera! QUIT TAKING MY PICTURE!

(and a good picture of his appropriate zoo attire)

Getting up high for a better view of the baby elephant.

Waving bye bye to the camels with his Ju-ju.

Jackson has been acting a little wild tonight, so we think maybe he picked up some bad habits at the zoo. He loves animals, so I guess I made a good decision when I bought him some big boy bedding with safari animals on it later today! We're not ready to switch him yet, but it was on sale. So it's ready and waiting whenever he is.

Memorial Day Fun

2008-05-25T19:07:00.009-04:00

As most of you probably know, Memorial Day weekend in Indy means the Indy 500, but because I have about zero interest in watching cars go around a race track (unless we could be up in the suites where there is free alcohol), we were just glad the weather was nice so we could play outside all weekend! Yesterday we went to the park, and today we hung out at home and played outside. We also went over to Jerry & Judy's for a cook out, and Jackson's Aunt Jenny was there, too!

Of course, while we were playing outside, I had to take some pictures of Jackson and his holiday appropriate attire!

He's an American All-star:

One of his favorite expressions - he always throws his hands up as if to say, "what? I'm not doing anything wrong!"

Jackson really enjoys sticking his head through this fence. He does it at least 5 times every time we pass it on walks, so today I captured his love for it on film.

Jackson is also a fan of bubbles, but I think his new bubble machine confuses him at times.

Bubbles, Jackson with a serious face, and my jeans.

Bye everyone! Have a great holiday weekend!

Seriously, see ya!

We hope everyone is having lovely weather and a great long weekend! We certainly are!

Toddler Art

2008-05-14T20:05:00.006-04:00

Earlier this evening, Jeff and I were both in the kitchen making dinner. Jackson was quiet in the other room, which should have been the first sign that something was up. I went in to get him for dinner, and I found this:

Of course, he is innocent, look at that face! He could never color with a sharpie on my laptop.

On closer inspection, is that a sharpie beauty mark on Jackson's face?

It looks like we have solved the mystery and found the guilty party... giving Mommy the stink eye won't save you, Jackson! We caught you, black handed.

If you'd like a sweet customized laptop, feel free to email me. I can probably arrange something.

The next Tiger Woods?

2008-05-13T12:01:00.013-04:00

Or maybe just his caddy?

And some bubble fun.

I start BarBri (bar review) next week, so Jackson and I have a week to spend together. Luckily, today the weather was nice, so we went outside and tried out some new things we got yesterday. Jackson loved his cheapie golf set (maybe he will love golf like his great-grandparents!), and the bubble machine was a hit too.

19 months... sigh

2008-05-01T17:58:00.008-04:00

So, where does the time go? I feel like we were just saying he was officially 18 months old, and suddenly he's 19 months old?!?! It definitely goes by too fast. 19 months old isn't much different from 18 months old. He has a few new words (a favorite being "UH OH"), and tantrums are in full force. He loves to be outside, and he still loves the phone. If you call us, you will hear him screeching in the background because he wants the phone.

Enough boring commentary - onto the real reason people check this blog. THE PICTURES! He is pretty much the cutest kid ever, so I understand.

Calm Jackson:
Happy Jackson:

Not-so-happy Jackson:

I'm a very lucky mom, though, because Jackson has already learned to pick flowers and bring them to me. I certainly don't mind that they are dandelions. He is on a budget. If you know Jeff, you know that's true!

Isn't he the sweetest?

Next time this week, I will be finished with finals, and Jeff was finished with finals today. Just a little update for anyone who cares about our scholastic pursuits. Oh and I graduate NEXT Saturday. Finally, right? Don't worry, Jackson has a super cute ensemble to wear to the ceremony.

Wagon Rides

2008-04-25T19:16:00.005-04:00

Jackson loves to go on rides in his little red wagon, and so does Annie! She and Jackson actually get along in the wagon, which is funny considering she usually doesn't like him to get too close. But they co-exist peacefully in the wagon.

A few close ups of Jackson's adorable face:

We are loving this weather - we hope it stays this way for a LONG while!

New shirt & Funny story

2008-04-24T16:53:00.005-04:00

So one of Jeff's college roommates, Doug, sent this shirt for Jackson. It's a little big right now, but Jackson had a good time modeling it. Don't ask why grown men are into Thundercats, because I don't have the answer. :) It is, however, a cute picture of Jackson, so it makes the blog. Jeff was thrilled with the gift, so many thanks to Doug!

Doing his best "look at my shirt" model pose:

And now for your funny story. On Monday, I had my last day of classes, so as usual, Jeff's mom came over to watch Jackson. During the day, she went out to the garage, and Jackson followed behind, shut the garage door, and apparently threw the dead bolt. Jeff's mom was locked out, and Jackson was alone in the house (and enjoying every minute I'm sure). She also didn't have a phone, so she had to go ask neighbors to use their phone to call Jeff. He had to come home and unlock the door. While Jackson was alone in the house, he just watched TV and rode on his rocking horse (Jeff's mom could see him from the patio door). Hopefully that is a look into the future and if we leave Jackson home alone, he will only watch TV and not throw wild parties like his Uncle Brad.

18 months!

2008-04-14T11:02:00.004-04:00

Ok, so we're a little behind, since Jackson has been 18 months old since April 1st. But, we had our 18 month well baby visit today, so I decided to just wait until now to post about our 18 month visit too.

Jackson was 29.5lbs and 34 inches! He's a pretty big boy. He got a clean bill of health, and the doctor said he looked great!

Starting the morning off right

2008-04-10T09:25:00.002-04:00

Don't you wish your mornings started off with a tantrum and crazy hair? I had no idea what I was missing out on before I had kids!

Is Spring Finally Here?

2008-04-06T13:43:00.006-04:00

We'd hate to jinx it, but we are loving the beautiful weather! Jackson and I played outside before lunch/naptime today, and he had a blast, of course.

Don't mind the crazy hair, he is just excited to be OUTSIDE!

Check out the new shoes! They're bright, just in time for spring.

Running around the yard is so much fun!

Notice the letter in his hand - he has been obsessed with letters and numbers recently.

We had such fun outside today (and yesterday too), and we hope everyone else enjoyed the weather too. Hopefully, Spring really is finally here!

Easter Fun!

2008-03-23T20:44:00.009-04:00

Jackson's Easter basket... a few new Ugly Dolls, and some other fun stuff:

Posing for the camera in his cutie pie Easter outfit (we love you, J&J):

AWWWWW! How cute is he?

Starting to get a little silly...

Easter is REALLY funny!

We had a great Easter, and we hope everyone else did too! Jeff, Jackson and I went to eat at Cracker Barrel for breakfast, and then we went to church with Jeff's parents, his sister, her boyfriend and his parents. Then we had lunch over at Jeff's parents and Jeff's brother, Jerry, and his wife, Julie, were able to come, too! It was great to see everyone. Happy Easter!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2008-03-17T18:29:00.004-04:00

Some of you may remember that last year Jackson wore some sweet shamrock glasses on St. Patrick's Day. Jeff said it was child abuse to make him wear them. Well I kept them anyway, and here are some pictures of Jackson enjoying his St. Patrick's Day sunglasses for the second year in a row! I've mentioned he likes accessories, right? Oh and don't mind the drool on his shirt, or the slightly runny nose.

As you can see from the pictures, Jackson is feeling a little better. He had croup last week, caught from Germboree, no doubt, because some parents seem to think the rest of us take our kids to Gymboree classes to get sick. NO, we take them for the great music. Ok, not that either. I take Jackson because he loves it, and he likes being around other kids.

Beautiful Weather

2008-03-02T19:07:00.006-05:00

Today we took Jackson to the park, because it was so nice out! We had a great time, and here are a few cute pictures we took.

Jackson LOVES the park!

Unfortunately, the weather forecast includes possible snow this coming week, so this will probably be the last nice day we have for awhile. We can't wait for Spring to really get here.

Happy 17 months!

2008-03-01T17:22:00.003-05:00

Today Jackson is 17 months old. I can't believe the time has gone so fast. He is such a big boy now, running everywhere and talking up a storm. Both Jeff and I love when he barks like the dogs (so funny!) but our favorite is when he says, "I love you," which sounds like, "I wuvoooo." :)

Jackson loves accessories

2008-02-28T19:45:00.006-05:00

First, a cute picture of our happy little boy:

His first pair of sunglasses:

He's so stylish!

His other favorite accessory, monkey slippers!

Jackson has a great sense of style. He loves shoes, hair barrettes, and now sunglasses! I think he is going to be a fabulous dresser, like his godfather, Uncle Brad. :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-14T09:32:00.002-05:00

We hope everyone is having a great Valentine's Day! Lots of love to all of you!

*credit for the design of the card goes to Courtney - she's the best*

Toy Storage By Daddy

2008-02-11T16:43:00.000-05:00

Awhile ago, I found some toy storage I liked from www.landofnod.com, but it was a little more than Jeff thought we should spend. So he decided to make it for Jackson's toys instead. I was excited because it meant I got to pick out the paint colors!

Here's a picture of the original, our inspiration:

Jeff's toy storage with Jackson's trucks inside:

Jackson and his new toy bin. I think he's saying, "Daddy, you really didn't have to do this for me."

Now I think he has gotten a bit more excited about his toy storage. He's saying, "YAY TOY STORAGE. Everything will have a place!"

"Seriously, Daddy, this is the best gift ever!"

Jackson, testing out the strength of his new storage bin:

Jeff is in the process of making one more storage bin... and depending on how many more toys Jackson gets, we might have him make 10 more. But for now, two will do, and it will make our family room much nicer. Jackson and I are both thrilled that Jeff is so handy.

Our 100th post!

2008-02-07T22:07:00.000-05:00

So I can't believe this is our 100th post! I started this blog last year, and at the time, Jackson was learning to roll over and sit up. It's hard to believe that he is now running everywhere and talking!

Here is the picture from our first post, and he looks SO different now! He's such a baby in that picture.

And now he's a big boy, who loves to wear Mommy's barrettes, and has a crazy, silly personality.

And a side view, so you can see his Pebbles ponytail better.

Sorry it has been so long since I last updated - I am going to try to be better from now on. I know you all missed his incredible cuteness!

15 month appointment

2008-01-08T16:46:00.000-05:00

Our camera is being fixed currently, so no cute new pictures to go with this update. Jackson had his 15 month appointment today, and he did very well. The doctor said he's healthy and looks fantastic. He also said that he is right on developmentally. Also, he's still a big boy! He was 33.5 inches tall, and he weighed 27lbs. So he's grown since his 12 month appointment, but like all toddlers he has slowed down in his growth a bit. His height is greater than the 97th % and he's dropped down to the 75th-90th percentile for weight. He used to be in the 90-95th percentile for weight.

The good news is that today he had his last shots until he is five! Despite his cold, he did really well, and only tried to get the nurse to leave a few times by saying "bye bye." I think he knew she gives the shots!

A Belated Merry Christmas!

2008-01-02T08:23:00.000-05:00

Before we tore into the gifts - the wrapped gifts are from us and the gifts from Santa are in the Santa bag.

Jackson would rather "play" pool than open his gifts.

So we got him interested in one of his gifts - his toolbox from Santa.

Instead of opening more gifts, Jackson wanted to cook us breakfast.

Is this all for ME??????

He got a little closer to check out all of his loot.

Sweet, a pirate potato head! Christmas is the best!

We had a great Christmas, and I'm sorry this update is so late. I have more family pictures that I'll post later. Jackson opened a few gifts himself, but for the most part, that job was left to Jeff and me. Although, I am happy to report that now that we are home, and the gifts are out of the boxes and available to play with, he is much more into them! We hope everyone else had a great holiday!

Happy St. Nick's Day!

2007-12-06T08:39:00.000-05:00

St. Nicholas visited our house over night, and left a few treats for Jackson. He hung Jackson's new ornament from the stocking holder, because the stocking was too heavy.

A full stocking and Rudolph!

Jackson's reaction to his stocking and Rudolph.

Showing mommy what he got.

Playing with the blocks St. Nick brought him.

Reading one of his new books.

Thinking hard about what he just read.

Giving his new buddy Rudolph a kiss.

All of his loot.

Celebrating St. Nick's day was always something my parents did, so it's fun to continue that tradition with Jackson. Now I can't wait for Christmas - he had so much fun pulling the books and blocks out of his stocking.

If you're interested in St. Nick and celebrating the day, here's the wikipedia link.

Climbing on the Couch

2007-12-05T19:44:00.000-05:00

Jackson really enjoys getting on the couch, and he loves to stand in the middle of it, or sit on the arm. It's constant, all day long, climbing on the couch.

Here he is, in his fave spot. Try to ignore the Hurricane Jackson mess in the background.

Jackson and his new bear, Marshmallow. He loves Marshmallow, and he picked him out! We were at the store a few days ago, and he saw it, picked it up and hugged it for a good five minutes. I couldn't resist getting it for him.

This one is for Aunt Danielle - Jackson and Patches!

Sometimes, Patches and Marshmallow fight. Because Jackson is a good stuffed animal owner, he separates them, and gives them the evil eye.

Sometimes, though, he thinks their fights are funny...

How Jackson gets on the couch, via his chair:

You must notice, he puts Patches and Marshmallow on the couch first.

It makes for a softer landing:

He's such a silly boy, and does this probably 100+ times a day. I think he might be part-monkey.

Reading is so fun

2007-12-04T15:14:00.000-05:00

Even when it's done upside down!

Jackson got this new book from his Aunt Janet and Uncle John - it's quickly become a favorite, and because he's such a big boy, he loves to sit and look at his books!

We've been busy, so we haven't posted much recently, but I hope to take more pictures soon. Jackson is just getting so big! Yesterday, we went to the mall, and on our way out, we stopped at Johnny Rocket's. He got a milkshake and colored. It's funny to think that last year this time, he had just started smiling and laughing for us!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-24T00:36:00.001-05:00

We hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving, because we certainly did! It was great to see our families and to be able to spend some time with them. On Wednesday, we went to New Albany, and stayed until after we ate on Thursday. We drove back to the Indianapolis area after we ate, and then got to eat again with Jeff's family.

Here's the set up at my mom and dad's house - notice the lovely pumpkin placecards (courtesy of me!):

A close up of a place setting:

Jackson and his gammy at the top of the steps to the basement:

Jackson, thinking I take his picture too much.

Jackson, growling at us, which is his new favorite activity.

Jackson, and his cousin, Garrett, playing with his school bus:

The bunny Jackson, Garrett, and Leanna:

Annabelle & Jackson K-I-S-S-I-N-G!

2007-11-16T18:21:00.001-05:00

Jackson and Annabelle are really good friends. Ok, not really. Annabelle tolerates him, and Jackson likes to try and grab her tail. Occasionally, they are friends though.

Hello, Annabelle...

Annabelle's going in for the kiss!

Jackson's thinking: "FINALLY, she returns my love."

And last but not least, Jackson's kissing face.

Jackson + Santa = Not Friends

2007-11-10T21:09:00.000-05:00

We took Jackson to see Santa today, even though it is a bit early. Today was the first day Santa was open for business, but Jackson's grandparents were visiting so we decided it might be fun to take him to see Santa.

We were wrong.

Well, wrong that it would be fun for him. It was, however, hysterical for us.

And the reason why? This picture:

We may try to go back sometime to see if Jackson has warmed up to Santa. He didn't even want a piece of candy. Santa offered it, and Jackson threw it on the ground! It's funny, because I thought he would enjoy Santa. Every time we go to the local hardware store, he always wants to walk over and see the inflatable Santa. I guess the real, live Santa is too much for him.

OUTSIDE

2007-11-09T15:02:00.000-05:00

Jackson loves being outside, so we spend a good portion of the afternoons I'm home with him outside. I think he has figured out what outside means, because I asked him if he wanted to go outside and he went and got his shoes. :)

What is up with the rainbow in this picture?

He had a good time picking up leaves.

We visited Maggie in the backyard. Jackson just loves her.

Oh and thanks to Aunt Julie and Uncle Jerry for the cute hat - it fits perfectly this year, and is so cute! Plus, he left it on, which must mean he loves it. Or he understood when I threatened him w/ returning inside if he didn't keep his hat on.

GO COLTS!

2007-11-04T13:57:00.001-05:00

As most of you know, today is the big Pats/Colts game, and thanks to some fabulous birthday gifts, Jackson is ready for the game! GOOOOO COLTS!

Another trip to the park

2007-11-03T21:10:00.001-04:00

He looks like he's sick of having his picture taken.

Favorite from the day! Jeff claims he took this one - I'm not so sure.

We tried to get him to put his face in the hole, but this is the best we got.

Climbing up the stairs on his favorite thing at the park, the tractor!

I love their shadows in this one!

Jeff and I took Jackson to the park today, and he had such a fun time. He seriously just loves any opportunity to walk around, so that's what we did for awhile. He also likes to stalk other kids, which is really cute. He's still not a fan of the swings or slide, but hopefully one day, he'll enjoy those too.

Oh and hilarious story from the park: We were up on the larger play equipment area, where kids under the age of 8 need adult supervision. Jackson was just watching the older kids. Anyway, a young kid (maybe 5?) came up there and climbed to the top to go down the big slide. He was there with his grandpa, so his grandpa came running up and started to climb up to the top. He saw the teeny tiny doorway the kids have to go through to get to the slide, and said, "SHIT!" which cracked us up. He made it through the tiny doorway, and then we heard, "JESUS!" SO funny - we're still wondering what was going on up top where we couldn't see!

Fun outside

2007-11-02T15:36:00.000-04:00

Trying to open the gate to let Maggie out.

Bye, Mom!

He's always on the go - running away from me!

Wait, here's one where he's running towards me!

Ok, gotta go again!

And here's a flower for Mommy!

Jackson has so much fun outside these days! He loves walking around our house and neighborhood, waving to the dogs, to our neighbors... whatever he sees!

J-SKUNK!

2007-10-31T19:33:00.001-04:00

A Skunk temper tantrum to start off the evening just right.

Skunks enjoy wheelies on their tricycles.

Happy Halloween, everyone! Jackson had so much fun walking around in his costume. We went to a party in our neighborhood, and he enjoyed seeing all the big kids and the babies dressed up. And seriously, is he not the cutest skunk you've ever seen?

Oh and what he looked like last year:

Trip to the park!

2007-10-24T16:22:00.000-04:00

Jackson and I went to the park today, and we were the only people there! Usually there are a lot of people at the park, but I guess it was either too windy and cold or naptime for everyone else. We had a lot of fun though, and Jackson loved walking around there. When we were leaving, there was a bee flying around us, and I swatted it away. We got into the car, and I was taking Jackson's shoes off because they were a bit dirty. He started fussing, so I reached into my pocket for his pacifier. I got stung by the bee! It had flown into my pocket. What are the odds? Anyway, I sort of flipped out because it was in the car with us and because it hurt, so Jackson started crying and then kept giving me hugs. He must have known I was hurt!

Pumpkin Painting!

2007-10-20T13:07:00.001-04:00

Since Jackson got to pick out a pumpkin, I decided it was only fair to let him decorate that pumpkin. So we put him in the bathtub with finger paints and let him get to work. He had a lot of fun making a mess, and he got paint all over himself. His pumpkin is, of course, a work of art.

Just a few notes about the pictures...

2007-10-17T22:07:00.000-04:00

Click on them and you can see the full size image - it's very large, but great to see such detail. The image quality of the new camera is awesome. Also, if you want any of the pictures, you can click to get the full size image and then right click to save. It's easier than sending them out via email because the files are so large. Which, by the way, is another reason (besides being busy) that it is taking me forever to update the blog. The files take a long time to upload.

Anyway, just wanted to add that info for everyone, since most of the pictures now are from the new camera! Hopefully I'll be better about updating now!

Pumpkin Patch!

2007-10-17T21:16:00.000-04:00

The first pumpkin he picked out

Then he had to put on his poop face. It's a sign that this is his pumpkin, since he was comfortable enough to poop by it. Toddlers are seriously so funny.

Jackson and his Aunt Danielle (his godmother).

Ooo, a weird bumpy pumpkin. Maybe he wants this one instead.

Getting a closer look.

And, we're back to our first pumpkin. We decided to get this one, because I thought the bumpy one was ugly. We had a lot of fun at Huber's with Danielle, and tomorrow or Friday, Jackson gets to paint his pumpkin. Don't worry, I'll take lots of pictures of his artwork. I'm sure it will be beautiful! I'd also like everyone to note his super cute "little pumpkin" onesie. Very appropriate for the pumpkin patch. :)

12 month appointment today

2007-10-16T22:03:00.001-04:00

And a recent picture! How cute is he?

He got four shots today :(
Poor little guy, he was so upset, but other than that it was fine. He's 32.5 inches tall (>97th percentile) and 26lbs, 10oz (90-95th percentile). The doctor said he is healthy and looks great! He's such a big boy!

Birthday Party Pictures (finally!)

2007-10-16T20:54:00.000-04:00

Jackson and his daddy. Look at Jackson's cute outfit!

What is this cake stuff?

I think he liked the cake. He rubbed it all over his face.

Looks like he had a great birthday!

The party was great, and it was so nice to see everyone. Neither Jeff nor I can believe our little baby is one now and a toddler! Where does the time go?

Today Jackson is ONE!

2007-10-01T11:12:00.001-04:00

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

I made a montage of Jackson's first year, and there are tons of cute pictures on it of him. Enjoy!

Smashing cake pictures are coming soon!

In honor of 1 week until the big birthday..

2007-09-24T07:03:00.000-04:00

As most of you know, we sent out photo invites for Jackson's birthday party... well, these are the outtakes.

Fun at the park

2007-09-15T15:36:00.000-04:00

My favorite picture from the day.

Still not a fan of the swings.

He really enjoyed this steering wheel. I think it was his favorite thing.

Down the slide!

Playing with the steering wheel again.

In the tunnel

We took Jackson to the park today, and it was more successful than the last time we went. It was a beautiful fall day! We really hope this weather continues.

Fun w/ the family!

2007-08-25T22:41:00.001-04:00

Jackson is so excited about meeting his new cousin, Iris.

And here she is!

He's not too sure what exactly Iris is.

I think he warmed up to her though, and got a little interested.

Look, his Gammy is trying to give him some wine. She's not babysitting anytime soon. ;)

Aunt Janice with sweet baby Iris.

I think he wants me to stop taking his picture.

Uncle Jeff, torturing Jackson, while Gammy looks on, not saving Jackson. Did I mention that she's not babysitting anytime soon?

Jackson and my cousin, Stephanie, but we consider her an "aunt" since she's the closest thing I have to a sister!

We had fun tonight seeing everyone and meeting Iris. She's a beautiful baby, and it was funny to see Jackson look at her because I don't think he knew exactly what she was.

Fun with the new camera!

2007-08-24T09:24:00.000-04:00

We love our new camera. It really captures some beautiful photos of Jackson, especially the last one! He's a future boilermaker, that's for sure!

A new camera & FOUR steps!

2007-08-16T19:34:00.001-04:00

It was a very exciting today at our house. Our new camera (Nikon D80) arrived, and Jackson decided to check it out! It was so cute, and luckily, Jeff caught the steps with our new camera. He was standing by himself, turned and took FOUR steps to see what Jeff had. We're so glad we were both here to see it!

Tunnel!

2007-08-07T17:29:00.001-04:00

Jackson's Aunt Jenny went to Ikea this weekend, so I asked her if she minded picking up a tunnel for Jackson. He loves it, and so do the dogs. I think there will be many more pictures of the tunnel!

Crazy Hair Baby

2007-08-07T17:22:00.000-04:00

Jackson woke up from his nap today with awesome hair. It must have been a good nap! He wasn't too thrilled about me taking his picture, though.

He's going to be an ENGINERD.

2007-08-02T12:26:00.001-04:00

Today Jackson flipped over his walker and tried to figure out how those wheels work. I'm pretty sure that Jeff's dream is going to come true and my worst nightmare is going to come true... Jackson is going to be an enginerd! OH NO. I'm kidding, but it was hilarious to watch him try to figure out those wheels. Too cute!

Fun on the couch (video)

2007-08-02T09:19:00.001-04:00

Jackson is celebrating his 10 month birthday with some fun on the couch. He's too funny!

10 months old (1 day late)!

2007-08-02T09:09:00.000-04:00

Such a big boy - he can brush his own teeth!

Oral hygiene is FUN!

He really loves brushing his teeth.

Look at those big blue eyes!

Looks like someone is still teething, since he's trying to bite the tub.

Jackson was 10 months old yesterday, and the time has flown! Only 2 months until he's 1 year old! I don't know if we're ready for that.

Reading is Fun!

2007-07-21T09:45:00.000-04:00

Jackson's new thing is to sit on the floor and page through his favorite book (Elmo Loves You) while talking to himself and occasionally laughing. And, that's a little pancake on his shoulder from breakfast... yummy!

I got a little video of it too:

Funny Pictures by Daddy

2007-07-21T09:40:00.000-04:00

Such a silly boy!

Jackson and the dogs!

2007-07-13T09:26:00.001-04:00

Trying to pet Annie... she's not interested.

Let us into the kitchen!!!

Giving Maggie a hug.

Maggie will bust down the gate for them.

Whenever we're in the kitchen, the dogs and Jackson hang out by the gate and beg for us to let them in. It's a very funny scene. :)

Jackson's favorite activity

2007-07-13T09:20:00.000-04:00

He loves turning the TV on and off, which probably isn't good for the TV, according to Jeff. But, how can you say no to that sweet face? I can't!

9 month appointment!

2007-07-12T09:04:00.000-04:00

We had Jackson's 9 month appointment yesterday, and I think he's recovered fully from his heel prick for his iron test. He pitched a fit when it happened though! Such a little drama queen!

His stats:
24lbs (95th%)
31 inches long (>97th%)

Happy 4th of July!

2007-07-04T14:22:00.000-04:00

The weather isn't too great today, but we hope everyone is having a great holiday!

Monkey or baby - you decide

2007-06-28T12:36:00.000-04:00

It'd be great if he could climb into his pack n play...

Getting closer!

Guess he decided to get down.

Hi everyone!

Jackson has been attempting to climb on everything this week. I personally think he might be part monkey.

The many faces of Jackson

2007-06-25T14:04:00.000-04:00

Everyone always says what a happy boy Jackson is, and this is usually the sweet smiling face we see. People also ask us if he's always so happy. Well to prove that he, like all babies, has his moments, I present the following picture:

He is MAD!

New toys (part 2)!

2007-06-25T13:53:00.000-04:00

The Laugh and Learn House

Jackson crawling through the door.

Pretty happy about this toy (or the camera)!

Hi from my house!

Off. On!

Jackson loves his new house, and thanks to Jeff, the doorbell works. It's definitely a plus being married to an engineer!

New toys (part 1)!

2007-06-25T13:49:00.000-04:00

Jackson's figuring out his new walker/wagon. He can walk with it, but likes to sit down and check out the toys on it. I'm going to try and get video and pictures of it because it's really cute!

Jackson's favorite toy

2007-06-25T13:45:00.000-04:00

is the phone!

Swimming, take two.

2007-06-10T19:56:00.000-04:00

This weekend we took Jackson swimming at Jeff's parents' pool. He had a great time playing in the water with Jeff and me. At first (as you can tell by the first picture), he wasn't quite sure about it. But as we started playing, he definitely ended up having a great time floating around.

His name is Trouble

2007-06-09T13:03:00.000-04:00

Jackson's new shirt that I got at Target fits him perfectly! His name is definitely trouble, especially since he started crawling 2 months ago. He's into everything!

At the zoo!

2007-06-04T11:51:00.000-04:00

What Jackson was doing most of the time. He was more interested in people watching!

Watching the sharks.

Jeff getting to touch the shark.

What Jackson thinks of the sharks.

Jackson seeing the walruses.

We had a fun time at the zoo... Jackson enjoyed the dolphin show the most probably. He actually paid attention during that. Most of the time, he was too distracted watching all the people.

First time swimming!

2007-06-04T11:45:00.000-04:00

We took Jackson swimming this weekend at my parents'. He wasn't too sure about it at first, but he seemed to enjoy it once he got used to the water!

Our 50th Post!

2007-05-29T18:43:00.000-04:00

Jackson and his sippy!

He's pretty happy about his apple juice.

Look, he can drink and stand at the same time!

Still pretty happy about that juice!

Don't take away his sippy!

Funny Picture

2007-05-27T15:55:00.000-04:00

This picture is from the other day (backyard fun), and I meant to post it then. Anyway, I think he likes being outside! This picture just cracks me up. :)

Jackson is proud of himself!

2007-05-27T15:53:00.001-04:00

He managed to climb up on the couch today. AND, his first tooth broke through!

Backyard Fun

2007-05-22T14:08:00.000-04:00

I decided to take some pictures of Jackson outside, because it was such a beautiful day and he enjoys being out there so much! Some of them turned out so cute!

Can't forget the doggies! Aren't they sweet girls?

Get in the tub, Ducky!

2007-05-18T19:40:00.000-04:00

Jackson thinks his ducky belongs in the tub.
Here's the video to prove it.

Sleepy Little Boy

2007-05-17T19:45:00.000-04:00

I think someone played a little too hard today!
Jackson rarely falls asleep on his bottle. He likes to play in his crib a little before going to sleep, but not tonight! He's such a sweet little baby!

Standing on the couch

2007-05-11T20:04:00.001-04:00

Pulling up on the couch.

Look, Mom, I can do it one handed!

Checking out Mommy's Mother's Day present

2007-05-05T14:53:00.000-04:00

Today we got a Dyson, and it's my early Mother's Day gift from Jeff and Jackson. Here's Jackson's first encounter with it... it's already been put to good use (see how dirty the cannister already is!).

Jackson helping Daddy

2007-05-05T14:51:00.000-04:00

Today Jeff is putting a ceiling fan in our living room. This is how Jackson helps him!

Jackson's newest trick

2007-05-05T14:48:00.000-04:00

He likes to pull himself to standing in his pack n play, and then he yells "bababababababa" at me while giggling. I'm going to try and get some video of him sometime soon, because it is too cute!

Jackson is 7 months old today!

2007-05-01T20:13:00.000-04:00

These were the only two pictures he'd let me take today. He kept running away! Silly boy. He's so busy these days, and is pulling up everywhere. Every day I go in to his room to get him up and he's standing there waiting. He's also jabbering non-stop, with his favorite sound being "babababababbaba". It's too cute! And, he's been eating like such a big boy. Today he had his first green veggie (green beans), and he ate it all. He hasn't refused anything yet! We'll try peas on Friday, and after that, we'll have tried all of the "stage one" foods. I can't believe he's 7 months old!

Jackson in his towel

2007-04-28T11:20:00.000-04:00

I realized I hadn't updated in a few days, so I thought I'd post a few cute pictures.

What a difference 6 months make

2007-04-23T11:18:00.000-04:00

When we got out the pack n play, I had forgotten that we had 2-3 newborn diapers in the changing portion. It's crazy how small they were... look at the difference of what he was wearing then and now!

After I saw the diaper, I remembered that we had him sleep in his moses basket during the day, so I decided to get out the picture of him in it then, and take one of him in it now. I can't believe the difference. Look how big he is!!! The time has gone by so fast, and I can barely even remember him as a newborn.

Funny faces

2007-04-22T21:20:00.000-04:00

I think he was trying to steal the camera from me. :)

Jackson in jail

2007-04-21T17:55:00.000-04:00

Hey this is weird, I'm stuck.

How do I get out of here?

Never mind, I found a toy.

We initially planned on using the pack n play in our room, so Jackson could sleep in there when he was a newborn. He ended up being a really noisy sleeper, so we moved him to his crib much sooner then planned. We thought maybe the pack n play was a waste of money, but now that he's mobile, it's the best thing ever.

A GOOD crawling video - Finally!

2007-04-21T08:32:00.000-04:00

This morning, Jackson was all over the place, trying to capture Annabelle. Of course, she just jumped up on the couch away from him. I managed to get video of him crawling! YAY! The video may not be finished processing on youtube, yet, but shouldn't be too long.

Crawling time

2007-04-20T16:44:00.000-04:00

I took a picture of two of Jackson crawling, and I also captured some video. The video isn't great, because he still wasn't really cooperating with me. Anyway, I'm going to continue working on it. :)

Lunch with Daddy

2007-04-20T16:39:00.000-04:00

About once a week, we go meet Jeff for lunch. Sometimes we go out, but this week, I brought Taco Bell to him. He was glad to have the opportunity to show Jackson how to be an engineer, since his plan is for Jackson to go to Purdue and study mechanical engineering. Jackson had fun, and he loves going to visit Daddy at work!

Jackson's crawling!

2007-04-20T09:22:00.000-04:00

I'm trying to get a video to post, but he's not cooperating with me! Anyway, he's been pretty mobile for about a month now because he scootches around, but he's a bit faster now that he's actually crawling. He's everywhere!

Family time

2007-04-10T16:30:00.000-04:00

Jackson and his cousin, Elliott

With his Uncle Zach and Uncle Scott

With his Uncle Zach

We spent the weekend in New Albany for Easter, and we also got to go to Elliott's first birthday party. We had a lot of fun seeing everyone, and Jackson did great!

By popular demand...

2007-04-10T16:28:00.001-04:00

Jackson in his Easter outfit. He's not looking at the camera, but it shows off the cute outfit the best.

The Easter bunny came!

2007-04-06T09:25:00.000-04:00

How cute is Jackson with his bunny ears and easter egg?

I think I went a little over board on the whole easter basket thing...

That's okay, because he seems to like it!

Happy Easter!

6 month appointment today!

2007-04-05T10:58:00.000-04:00

Jackson had his 6 month appointment today, and he survived! He's playing happily now, but he wasn't quite as happy when we were at the doctor's office. He certainly gave them a show! The doctor said everything looks good, and we're going to start fruits now! I think Jackson is going to enjoy that.

The second picture is of his little bandaid... he was not happy about those shots! Poor baby.

Playtime with Annie, part 2

2007-04-04T13:02:00.000-04:00

I posted last week about Annie attempting to get Jackson to play with her. Well today, I managed to capture the two of them playing on video! Twice! It's pretty cute. The second video may not be finished processing on youtube yet, so it may not work if you try right now. It should work soon, though! The first one is already processed, so enjoy it.