What you really want to see:

Isn't he darling? This is Jack in his new swim trunks, courtesy of his Mimi. Random aside: the hat he's wearing I had originally bought for when he was going to be at the beach when 2 months old...what was I thinking? Like that would have fit him- the hat now fits him over a year later. It's amazing how blissfully ignorant you are before kids.

ANYways, I don't think I've said what an AMESOME swimmer he is. To illustrate this point I will share a story. (Not to brag or anything...okay, a little bragging.) Jon and I took Jack to the pool a few weeks ago; it was around 88 degrees outside- so it's hot, but not so hot that the pool water was warm. Once inside the pool gate, the parents of another little baby saw Jack and said hello, etc., etc. We found out our 2 boys were the same age, literally like days apart. While their boy sat with them in the lawn chairs, we headed toward the water. The dad remarked how cold it was and basically hinted that we were dumb, mean parents for taking our kid in the cold water. Well that's tough, because I'm a water fanatic and my kid's going to be too!

We get in the water and he doesn't stop smiling or laughing the whole time--that is until we get out of the oh-so-cold water. He literally pushed off of me going out on his own. There was just the vastness of water out in front of him- no wall, no other person- just water. And he's trying to swim without help. I'm thinking, "Hello, Jack! You do need some help in the pool!" Whatever, this boy is really athletic, independent, and stubborn. He's going to do what he wants to do, you just try stopping him. We threw him high up in the air, let him go under, helped him "jump" in the pool, and swim between me and Jon. Well, it wasn't long before the other pool-goers took notice of Jack. Comments like "he really loves the water" and "wow" flew around. And then as we walked out of the pool area, past the sun-bathing parents, a mixture of amused/resentful looks were seen. What can I say?, he's a pool prodigy.

To counteract the bragging in the above story, here's a testament to his cleanliness skills. Not the best in that area. I let him "feed" himself using the spoon...didn't work out too well. Yeah, I had fun cleaning that one up, she says sarcastically.

How my sleep eludes me

Curse the new tenants, new dog, thunderstorms, and car alarms.

For those of you who don't know me well, I love my sleep. I cherish it in fact. I look forward to going to bed and falling into blissful slumber. But, this week, it is not meant to be. For the past 4 nights, my long-lost friend known as sleep has gone missing. For the culprits, refer to the list above! The tenants above us, for the past WEEK have been stomping around and moving. Why does it take more than a week to move out of a place, I have no idea! It's not like it's a spacious manision, or even a cozy house....it is exactly the size of a 1100 sq ft, 2 bedroom apartment. How much stuff do they have to move? Okay, to be fair I really don't mind the noise during the day...it's at 4 in the MORNING that it bothers me! Yes, the first night of my sleepless journey was due to stomping sounds above me the entire night. Did I mention I love my sleep?

The next culprit is a new dog in the neighborhood: a large animal with a deep-resounding bark that echoes thru my apartment. It is made worse that this large dog seems to have made enemies with the local yippy dog, so that they yip and bark back and forth at each other. And of course, this seems to always happen during Jack's nap (and duh, when I'm in bed).

The final culprit is perhaps the most amusing one in this whole mess. Last night there were major thunderstorms in our area, causing the power to go out multiple times. Bedtime rolled around, and the storms were still hitting overhead. I was in my comfy bed, right at the spot where you're on the edge of sweet oblivion, when a thunderous roar sounded- and immediately following, multiple car alarms. The thunder was so loud and amplified that it set off the car alarms! So for the next half hour while trying to fall asleep, there'd be the clap of thunder swiftly followed by the annoying car alarms.

I have little hope tonight for a much improved sleep. Sigh.

The tales of a sneaky boy

Walking? Check.
Being irresistibly cute? Check.
Sneaking around to complete his secret missions? Check.
His future as a black ops agent? Secure.

Becoming quite the sneaky boy as of late, Jack has exhibited ninja-like behavior, which if was not so darn cute, would be downright annoying. For a bit of history, Jack has a love-hate relationship with the tv remote controls. He wants them, but he can't have 'em. Blessed with the misfortune to witness his parents use the remote day in and day out, Jack is tortured by his desire to hold the remote control. Seriously, the look on his face when he sees it is priceless. Imagine a stranded man in the Sahara, seeing water for the first time in days. Time and time again he attempts to grab the remote, only for Mom or Dad to hide it in the couch cushions. Thwarted. At times he has miraculously grabbed the remote, only for it to be ripped from his victorious fingers seconds later (ensue tears and pathetic face). Well, that is the history.

This is the present. His troubles have created some sort of ninja baby who operates in secret. His latest attempt on the remote was successful, for a few brief seconds. In our living room, the recliner and couch are angled next to each other, where the gap between the two are inhabited by Jack's swing. I foolishly put the remote on the couch arm (blocked by the swing), while I relaxed across the room and Daddy was at the kitchen table. Satisfied that both enemy parents were otherwise occupied, Jack snuck to the back of the recliner, crept through the swing, and reached his arm up, and grabbed the remote! I say he is ninja-like because thru my peripheral vision I never saw his head or body once....but I did see his little hand pop up in the air and come down with the remote in it. How sneaky is that?! Alas, I cried out to Daddy, who immediately confiscated the holy remote from the ninja-tot-- from whom flowed indignant tears and the look "how could you Daddy?"

Both Jon and I now fear a rebellion is on the horizon. Jack has exhibited more ninja-like behavior in recent days. One example is of the missing high chair. In our dining room, it is carpeted, so to push his high chair around is a little difficult. But, Jack got behind it and pushed it all the way across the room and into the kitchen. What is his plan? All I know is that while sitting on the couch, from the corner of my eye, I saw the high chair gradually inching closer to the kitchen, with Jack nowhere in sight.

And so are the tales of the ninja Jack.

Finished Project

For those of you left wondering for weeks what flowers I chose....the answer is begonias! I actually really liked the look of petunias but unfortunately, they needed 8+ hrs of sun daily (atleast according to the tag). So instead I bought pink and white begonias, really liking the colors. They liven up our balcony and are so pretty! While planting, Jack threw a fit wanting to be outside with me (imagine dirt, flowers, more dirt, and a 1 year old), so Daddy finally brought him out and held him so he could watch from a safe distance. Overall I'm happy and really hope that they'll survive my care!

Birthday Boy

How much more fun is your kid's birthday than your own?!

We threw an awesome party for Jack this past Saturday to celebrate his 1st birthday. I don't know how in the world he is already 1, but time passes, and he's officially a big boy. He walks, nearly runs, and is just so full of energy. But that is besides the point- we had a poolside BBQ, where family and friends helped us celebrate. Jack LOVED the attention, got passed around from person to person, smashed his cake, rubbed the frosting all over his face (from which his chin stayed blue for several hours!), and opened presents. It was a big hit, and I LOVED seeing Jack have fun. Isn't he adorable? Here he is wearing his special b-day hat.

Enjoy some more pictures from the party!

Jack with his daddy, wearing matching Hawaiin shirts

Me and Jack by the pool

Jill, me, and April (I'm so glad ya'll came!)

Jack acting silly with his party hat!

Jack with his smash cake

Cars birthday cake

It was a great day and we're so grateful for the past year, but we are even more excited for the second year!

The Perks of a 1 year-old

Who knew a car seat had so many uses?...

One of the more exciting things about Jack turning 1 is that he will soon be able to face the front while riding in the car. I don't know why that is soooo exciting, but it is to me! Above is a pic of the new seat, a gift from his Mimi and Pappaw. Isn't his expression great?! It captures the essence of Jack.

And the best perk of a new car seat?...The box it comes in!!! The "essence" of Jack is even more apparent in the video below.

The Double got Doubled

Yea!!!!! We finally got a new bed! Isn't it beautiful? I know you can't appreciate its size and comfort from the photo, but let me assure you it is a
H-U-G-E king sized bed, that is so soft and lovely. There's enough room on it for me to roll over twice before hitting Jon (which should help relieve his sleep-slapping fears). Thank you so much to Jon's parents who generously bought the bed for us!

I can hardly wait for bedtime.