Happy Birthday, Jackson!

The Man is one year old! We can't believe that you were born a year ago, Mister Man. At times, the past year has flown by. Other times, it feels like you've been a part of our family forever. You are growing up so fast and we cannot wait to see what this next year brings.

No big plans for today. We'll celebrate his birthday with a little party on Saturday. Pictures to come.

Atlanta Braves

Last week we went to 3 different Braves games! It was a lot of driving but it was fun! The first was the braves/cubs make up game. It was a good game for Braves fans but not for Curtis. They may have lost but it was still fun to be there. The second game was the Yankees game that we went to with Colin. That was Jackson's first baseball game and we forgot our camera! Oh well, we got a lot of pictures at the 3rd game. Jackson did great! He just kicked the person sitting in front of us several times and crawled around the ramps instead of sleeping. He really was good though! The third game we went to with Curtis' high school friends! It was great for him to see them again and good for me to finally meet them (for real since the wedding didn't count!) Two couples had daughters and they were so sweet! Jackson played the role of bully more times that I cared to admit, unfortunately. He's just all boy and they were sweet girls! Thanks to Stuart we had tickets to the 755 club, which most importantly was air conditioned! It reached 98 degrees that afternoon, which is not safe for babies! We had GREAT seats but spent innings 3-7 in the cool air. Jackson was good again even without his afternoon nap. He did sleep very well in the car on the way home and that night! Here are some pictures:

The fam (minus little Al)

Two baseball loving guys!


Sweet face among thousands!

Hanging out in the 755 club watching the people below sweat

the chop part one...

the chop part two!

the bully/drink and snack stealer

More traveling and less working!

Well things have changed around here quite a bit! I'm not working anymore! June 5 was my last day as a probation officer. It was sad but I am very excited to be staying home with Jackson. Actually yesterday was the first full day that I have been home with him. Right after I quit I worked VBS at church (and had the songs stuck in my head for quite some time!) and then we went to Washington DC for a trip to see Nana and Lalo. Lauren joined us and we all had a blast. Jackson got to go downtown and not freeze this time. We even got to do some things that Lauren and I hadn't done before, which includes riding on the boat in the Potomac and getting ice cream treats from a vendor. Yes we've "arrived"! Here are the pics from the visit:

The man hits the big city!

"Now Jackson, if everyone picked one of these flowers, there wouldn't be any left!"

We are outside the original Smithsonian museum

We were in the Air and Space museum and dad says "Hey that's just like the plane I flew to America in!" So we had to take a picture with 2 generations later!

With lolo making him laugh


that treat i was talking about
Lolo entertaining him on the Metro - not an easy job!

Pulling the stop cord on the bus!
Jackson fell asleep as soon as we got on the boat. He's not being suffocated here, I promise!

Then he got up and started crawling!

Is this the way it goes?


A view from the Potomac that we've never seen before!


Swimming and trying to get it all on tape!

Just hanging out in the pool listening to TI!


Reading his favorite book that lolo and auggie bought him!

Laughers Man

I'm not sure what this says about Jackson but gargling and spitting are the only things that have consistently made him laugh. Most of the ways we get him to laugh are fleeting and only work once. This, however, has lasted through the months and always works! Silly boy!

The New Train

Jackson got a new train from big mama on this trip and he's begining to enjoy it!

Texas

I didn't mean for this cake to be the first picture on here but it's okay I guess knowing how much I love cake! It was very good and Lauren came up with a great decoration! I'm still mad at myself for not bringing some home!

At Alex's graduation. CONGRATS ALEX!!! GREAT JOB!!!

At a park playing with the man.

At the pool with lolo and grill!
This was his first time in the pool! He was a little unsure at first but I think he liked it in the end. He liked the waterfall better than the pool itself.

Typical posers! Actually Alex, it looks like you're going to the bathroom! haha

At the stockyards with Lolo! He's not frowning, I promise!

The picture is a little blurry because Jackson would take the hat off quicker than I could take the pic! He liked being like his Auggie!
He was not excited about wearing cowboy boots! I think I'm okay with that, knowing how much they cost!

Typical Grill!



2 weeks ago we went to Texas for Alex's graduation from Southwestern and because it had been way to long since we'd seen Auntie Lolo and Auggie! We had a great time (for the most part) and they were very hospitible, especially through the tantrums that Jackson and mom had to work through! He was getting over an ear infection when we got there and the medicine made him a bit crazy! Because I'm on my computer at work I can't adjust the pics so I just commented under each one. Most are pretty self explanitory. I have to say that I just love their dog, Gisele. It's not her fault she has a silly name :) haha j/k Anyways a few days into the trip we started calling her Grill because as this last picture shows she was all up in our grill the whole time. She is so sweet though and we didn't mind a bit! She hardly barked at all, which is not my usual expierence with a mini schnauzer. She's only 6 months old but she was great with Jackson, crying and all, and she was so cuddly! Thanks again Lolo and Auggie, we had a great time and can't wait to see you again!!

Hair Cut

Well because of a couple of girl comments ("Hey you have a beautiful little girl!") we decided to get his hair cut! He was very good and didn't cry one bit. He did get wiggly at the end but his name is Jackson Wiggles! Here it is in a progression of pictures:

Bath time the night before. Check out the height on that hair!


At the salon, right before the scissors came!

During the cut he chewed on a yummy comb!



Almost done!



Finished product! Gone is our baby - meet our little boy! I would also like to add that there were no tears from mom or dad! I had prepared myself :)