More pictures will follow of recipes using the fruits of our labor (aka our trip to the blueberry patch where we successfully picked a gallon of yummy blueberries, enjoyed some hot dogs and blueberry lemonade), but for now, let's start with a family picture of us with our blueberries!
Happy 234th birthday, America! Thank you to everyone we know who has served, is serving, will serve, or is a supportive family member of someone who has/is/will serve! Let the freedom to pick blueberries, worship as we please, BBQ and drink beer with friends, etc RING!
I'm sure we're not the first parents to think that our children know exactly when we go for the camera - whether for still shots or video, but we still call Jackson Michigan J Frog for this reason and he shows it again. Last night when I got home, he crawled out of the kitchen, stood up and walked 6 steps to greet me. It was one of the best moments EVER. He did the same for Joey too and I know we're both overflowing with joy with each milestone and can't believe that we can love him more every day, but we do! Of course catching as much on video is the tricky part, but after a few attempts and a mean mom moment (I pulled Mater away from him), we caught a few steps! Enjoy - Jackson has learned the Shoup Shuffle!
We've known it was coming for a long time because as soon as he really started crawling, Jackson had us chasing after him, but it's a whole new ballgame now - Jackson got "Mater" from Trent, Amanda, Riley (and Baby V) for his birthday and is loving being able to push it around as evident by yesterday's video (sorry that part of it is so dark - the hall light is at the other end of the hall, but you can see him motoring around and then making a beeline for the toilet in our guest bath - which he seems to think is one of his own personal toys (along with Buddy's water dish that seems to serve as his "indoor pool".
Yesterday, however, he took his first solo step and while most of the time he still chooses to sit down and crawl to us...or if he gets close enough just fall forward into us, we know that these first few stumbles will soon be a distant memory as Joey and I run after him as he learns his own Shoup Shuffle! Scary, but exciting, all at the same time!
Stay tuned because I still will get a few blog entries finished soon with titles like these: *Decade in Review *Up and at 'em *Jackson is 9 months *Snow day(s)! *Jackson is 10 months *Chompers *Bluebonnets *Happy Easter! *A hippy no more *Play Ball! *Jackson is 11 months *Picture time! *Having a ball *A trip to the beach *Margaritaville *Turn around *Jackson's 1st birthday party *Holy Water Some may be brief, but I WILL finish them all before this year is over! :)
My little man is 1! I have so much to write and many blogs that really just need to be finished with a few words and then have some pictures added. I'm REALLY hoping to make that a priority this Memorial Day weekend since we don't have much planned beyond preparing for Jackson's party and baptism next weekend and hanging out with some friends, but we'll see how well that works out.
In the meantime, though, I still can't believe my "baby boy" really isn't a baby anymore. He's 1!
I keep trying to find time to post but it just hasn't happened so while I'm sitting here waiting on lunch I thought I'd throw up a quick picture post with the hopes that I'll get to actually post months 9-11 updates soon...
Our insurance company decided that the accident a few weeks ago totalled Ruby so we've added a new (car) member to our family. Meet Dixie. She's got some miles on her, but Joey found her and is loving her so far!
No words - just sounds. He's only recently started blowing raspberries, but once he gets going, it makes us laugh so he just keeps going, even when he should be eating. :)
Well, the crawling is almost full speed now and the hardwood floors are definitely going to have to be cleaned much more often than they have been lately! While Jackson's biggest mischieveous activity so far is just taking all the movies out of the entertainment center (we don't have that many thankfully, but I must remember to get a picture of that), I know that with a smile like this, there's more in store in our future, but I wouldn't have it any other way! ...Til next time, Keep Shuffling!
Finding time to blog lately has been challenging, however, since I've opted to give up facebook for Lent and downloaded a blogger app instead, I'm hoping I can do at least a few quick little posts from my phone. Snow day! Hard to believe this wad taken in Dallas! We had a record amount of snow-a whole foot!
Jackson is really starting to enjoy bathtime! These pictures are just too cute not to share! I need to get some better ones of him actually playing with some toys (we're still using the baby bathtub inside our tub to minimize water usage).
Having a good time!
Posing for the camera wrapped in his ducky towel Waving to all his adoring fans
I have been feeling run down but did at least manage to snap the official 8 month picture despite not having the energy to update much else for now (maybe this will be the weekend??) Yes, Jackson is now 8 months...2/3 of a year old, only 4 months from his 1st birthday and happy as ever (although I sense mischief in his smile too)!
I still owe a holiday/Christmas update and I've started a decade in rewind recap as well, but in the meantime here's a quick happy update. Jackson is now sitting up really well on his own. Still can't sit himself up (without help) from a laying position, but I have a feeling it'll happen soon, however, being able to sit up has allowed him another fun thing with daddy - riding on his shoulders! Here's just one of many rides he's been on and while Jackson really seems to love it, I have a feeling that Joey enjoys it just as much, if not more! ...Til next time, Keep Shuffling!
Today marks a year since I started the blog so I'm quite proud that I've managed to keep it up. There have been times when it's taken me longer to catch up, but I did average at least 1 post a week and that's really what I was hoping to do so I'll call it a success given all the changes we experienced in 2009!
I still need to update from Christmas and hope to do that before my office officially reopens full time on Monday, but do want to wish everyone a Happy New Year before January is over, but for now, the previous post with the comparison pics from the first 7 months will do. :)
