Jack is One!

We can't hardly believe that Jack was born one year ago. However, we cannot remember our lives without him. He has been such a good boy, we often wonder why we are so lucky. He has always been a happy baby; he has always slept well; and he has always eaten pretty much anything that we put in front of him. Jack is a very busy boy. He is always on the go and keeps us moving non-stop. He never slows down, but when it is naptime we lay him down, and he goes to sleep without a fuss (most of the time). Don't get me wrong, he throws hit share of fits. When he wants something, you better believe he is determined to get it. If you are eating anything, you better be prepared to share with him or suffer the scream. He is such an awesome kid, and we are having so much fun watching him learn and grow.

We had a little birthday party for him today with family. Thank you to everyone who was able to make it. Here are some pictures of the party.


We decorated the house with baloons and signs, but we don't think Jack noticed very much. I guess it was more for us than for him.



After eating lunch, we opened presents from everyone. Jack didn't care too much about opening the gifts. We kind of knew that he wouldn't be extremely interested, because he was not excited about opening Christmas gifts either.


He was more interested in the gifts after they were open, which is probably a good thing. We have just always heard that one year old kids are usually more excited about the wrapping and the boxes than the gift. Jack is the other way around. He doesn't want to open the gift, but he will play with it afterwards.


He got several items of clothing from everyone. Here is a snapshot of most of the clothes he got. He is kind of between sizes right now. Size 6-12 month clothes are getting a little small, but 12-18 month clothes are still quite big.


Here are all of the toys that he got. I'm not sure where we are going to put all of these toys, because he just got several new toys for Christmas. I guess we will figure it out.


The largest gift Jack received was a brand new, front-facing car seat. We aren't really sure how we feel about this, because Jack is so awesome in the car. He usually falls right to sleep when we drive anywhere, but I'm not sure how comfortable how this seat will be to fall asleep in. I guess we will see.


This is Jack's own, personal birthday cake. We haven't given anything like this before now, so naturally he was a little timid. At first, he didn't want to put his hands in the cake, so he tried this for a minute.


After awhile, Jack realized that I wasn't going to take the cake away or wipe his hands clean, so he dug in and loved every minute of it.


We let him eat quite a bit of the cake. He just kept playing in it, and we think a lot of it missed his mouth and ended up on the floor.


Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..............................................

We think this is the point when Jack decided he was done. Afterwards, he threw up this same red cake about three times. We kind of felt bad. Below are just some cute pictures of Jack playing after he got all cleaned up.

We've had a lot of fun with Jack throughout this past year, and we look forward to what his next year of life brings. Oh ya, we have an announcement to make.................................................. ........................................................................................................................................................

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Jack's going to be a big brother!!!!!!!!!!..........................................................................................

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in three years or so.

This summer so far...

I officially suck at this blogging thing, as you can all see. Anyway, I figured I could update everyone on the activities of our little family. We are enjoying our summer so far. Casey is working for a landscaping company doing sprinklers (mostly), and I'm enjoying being a mom for the summer. Jack and I have done some fun things with my mom, Jordan, Fischer, and Sophie and some of the other cousins. Casey is busy studying for the DAT again, but he takes it on July 10. I know he will begin to enjoy the summer much more after he takes that test. I am supposed to be studying for the CPA exam; however, I'm having a hard time focussing because there are so many fun things to do besides study. I wanted to have a couple of the sections passed before I start with PwC in September, but it's looking like I will be lucky to have 1 out of 4 taken by then. Oh well... So, I'll tell you about some of the fun things we've been doing. Earlier this summer Thomas the Train came to Heber, and even though Jack is to young to really care, we went with my mom, Aunt Pat, Jordan and her kids, Chelsi and Whitli, and Hollie and her kids. It was fun to be there with everyone, and all the other kids were really excited.

Here we are in the gift shop. Jack seems to be having a good time, so I can't complain about that. He is such a smiley boy these days; however, in most pictures it seems he isn't smiling. You have to get right up in his face and then he will smile at you all day long.

We are on the actual train ride here. This is Landry (my cousins daughter), Jordan (my sister-in-law), Sophie and Fischer (my niece and nephew), and Jack and me. You can tell Jack is having the most exciting time of his life (yes, he is asleep). I had fun!

We took a trip to the zoo with all the kids. I haven't been to the zoo for so long, so it was fun! Jack just stared at the animals and was a very good boy. I think Jack's favorite part was the giraffes (I think). In this picture is Aunt Pat, Sophie, Jack, me and Riley (my cousin's daughter).

We had a picnic at Vivian Park with some of our very good friends, the Newmans. They were down for a family reunion, and luckily, they had time to hang out for awhile. It was a beautiful day, and as soon as we got to the park, it started to rain. We hurried under a shelter and finished our picnic and visited while Ava played in the water fountain. I actually stole this picture from the Newman's blog (thanks Anna).

We celebrated my birthday, and I had a very good day. I got some great gifts like clothes, a driver and 3 wood golf clubs, sunglasses, and giftcards. We went to one of my favorite restaurants, Macaroni Grill, and then later that week had a barbeque with the whole family. I'm getting old! :(

Jack attended his first campfire. We lit a fire in my parents' back yard and roasted hot dogs and marshmallows for memorial day. Jack was mesmorized by the flames, and we all enjoyed smelling like smoke to go to bed.

We also went to Lake Powell with Casey's family, but I don't have the pictures on my computer yet. I will work on that and post about it a little bit later. Jack had fun and was really good. We had to ease him into the water, but he sat in his floatie for awhile. He really liked the wakeboarding boat rides. It was a little windy, but we all had fun surfing behind the boat. Thanks Duff and Amy for taking us!

Graduation and Jack update

I'm sorry that it has taken so long to post. April was a super busy month, and we are glad that it is over. Casey and I both graduated this semester from Utah State, which is very exciting. Casey earned his Bachelors degree in Biology, and I earned my Master of Accountancy. We are both very happy to be done with this semester. It has been busier than usual, but it made graduation that much sweeter. Casey decided not to walk for his graduation, because he is planning to go to dental school and doesn't feel like he should participate in commencement until he is actually finished. I felt the same way when I graduated with my bachelors, and I didn't walk. However, I wanted to walk this time mainly to get the pictures.

My mom, McCall, Kyle, Chelsi, and Whitli all came, as well as Casey's parents Val and Kathy. I really appreciated everyone supporting me, and the best part was that they were all there to help us move. During finals week, we worked really hard to pack up our apartment, so that we could move the weekend after graduation. We didn't want to get stuck paying any rent for May, so we needed to move that weekend. For those of you who aren't alreadly aware, we decided to move back to Heber for the summer to save a little money. Casey is trying to get a job with a landscaping company, and I'm hanging out with Jack and studying for the CPA exam. Casey is also studying to take the DAT. In September, we will be moving to Salt Lake where I will start working for PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Casey will hopefully find a dentist he can work with part time until he gets into dental school the next fall. As for now, we are very excited to be so close to family for the summer.

Then there is Jack, who is getting so big, so fast! He's getting more and more fun as time goes on; however, I look back at pictures and clothes from when he was barely born and can't believe that it was only four months ago.

He is developing his little personality. He smiles a lot, but he lets you know when he is mad or wants something. Often times rather than crying, he yells at me with a loud scream/grunt noise. Its actually kind of cute, but gets frustrating in excess. He has recently started laughing, but he has only laughed really hard at 3 people: Kyler Mahoney, Chelsi Adams, and Kyle Adams. Casey and I have both gotten laughs out of him, but nothing like these other three. His little laugh is so infectious, and you can't help but laugh with him. He makes many different facial expressions that are so funny. For example...

You may have noticed a little red in his hair in the picture above. Yes... it is true... we have a little red head on our hands. I guess he is not totally a red head, but there is definitely hints of red, especially in the right light. I have a little red in my hair, and Casey's facial hair grows in red. So, that is where he gets it. He has also perfected the technique of rolling over, but now he actually enjoys being on his stomach for awhile. Although, it seems that he gets frustrated sometimes because he cannot crawl yet. He gets his legs and arms going, but then squeals when he cannot go anywhere. He's figured out how to move when he is on his back, and most the time he is in a completely different spot in his crib when I go to get him in the morning than where I put him the night before. He likes to sit in his bumbo chair and puts everything he can grab in his mouth.

By the way, Casey dressed him complete with the hat and took this picture. It doesn't really match, but he looks pretty cute anyway.

I will be better about posting now, hopefully.

He's Tough

Jack is getting strong. He likes being on his stomach, and he is really good at holding his head up. Today I was playing with him, and I propped him up on his hands, and he rolled over three different times. I don't know if it counts, because I propped him up. However, I don't think it was an accident... I really think he was trying to roll over because it took him a little while to do it each time. Anyway, he is getting more and more fun. He smiles more, and we've caught a few "almost" laughs.




This isn't the best picture. He focusses a lot more, and actually smiles at you.

Here is an example of Jack playing on his stomach. He stays happy for awhile hanging out like this.

On a side note, Casey and I are doing well. We are making it through this semester doing the bare minimum. Well, I guess I am doing the bare minimum, but Casey is better at managing his time and gets everything done. We are excited to graduate in May, even though neither of us are really done. I still have to pass the CPA Exam, and Casey has another 4 years of dental school. It is still exciting to fulfill the goal of graduation.

2 months

Jack turned 2 months on the 16th, but I didn't post anything. So, I thought I would do it now. He is getting so big; its crazy how fast he's grown. When he was born he weighed 6lbs 3oz, and when we went back to the doctor for his 2 month appointment, he weighed 9lbs 13oz, which is the 10th percentile. He is 22 1/2 inches long, which is the 50th percentile. He now fits into his 0-3 month clothes, and when he was born he barely fit into premies. He's starting to respond a little bit now; he focuses on me when I'm talking to him, and he will smile too! He's working on rolling over from his stomach to his back. He likes to be on his stomach for a litte while (he gets frustrated after too long), and he'll hold his head up and push up the front of his body with his little arms. One of his favorite things to do is stand up on my lap. He gets really excited when he stands up - his eyes get wide and his arms start shaking/flailing. He also has developed somewhat of a temper, and if you don't do what he wants then he will scream at you until you do. He's sleeping better at night and will sleep 6 - 7 hours at a time on a good night; however, there are still some nights that he decides to wake up every 3 hours on the dot. Those are usually the nights that I have to go to 7:30 class the next morning (somehow he just knows!). He still likes to cuddle, which is nice for me. He still hates to have a bath and screams the entire time unless he has multiple wash clothes covering his body and either Casey or I am holding his hands and stroking his face (he's spoiled). He is so much fun, and we are so happy to have him in our home.

This was after church last weekend. He is constantly sticking out his tongue, and if you look closely, you can kind of see his little dimple on his right cheek.

He's kind of smiling in this picture. Casey is playing with him here... Casey can usually get a smile out of him better than I can.

Another smile... he just starting smiling, so I'm camera happy.

This is what happens when I leave Casey and Jack home alone. Enough said.

Here's a full body shot to show how big Jack is getting.

Happy Birthday Casey

Casey turned 25 on Friday! He is getting so old :) He was feeling pretty sad that he finally turned a quarter of a century... its all downhill from here. I am very grateful that Casey was born, and even more grateful that he is such a wonderful husband and father. He really is great and treats me so well. Its crazy that we have been married for over 3 years (I know that sounds pitiful to some of you, but it seems like a lot to me). He has been extra helpful since Jack arrived, because we both are pretty much maxed out on time with school, work, and Jack. Casey works so hard, is always willing to take Jack when I need a break, and takes his turn cooking dinner. One of the best things about Casey is that he is continually helping me keep my priorities straight and focusing on what really matters in life. I sometimes find myself worrying about insignificant things or spending my time on things that are not as important as others.

We had a pretty mello day on Friday, but it was fun to spend time together. The day started out pretty normal, except that I actually made breakfast for Casey. Usually we just have cereal, but breakfast is Casey's favorite meal of the day, so I decided to make him french toast and bacon. Casey went to school and Jack and I went to work until about 2:00. We then had lunch and took Jack to a doctor's appointment. Afterwards, we all went on a walk up by Logan river. It was a beautiful day and that was Jack's first walk. He loved it! Then I made Casey dinner - salmon, garlic mashed potatoes, and asparagas. We put Jack to bed and watched a movie while eating carmel brownies and ice cream. Casey said he didn't want a big party or anything this year, so we just spent it with our little family.

I sang to Casey by myself and he blew out the candles. There are only 24 candles in a package (you know your getting old when you have to buy two packages of candles!), so we just put 2 on one side and 5 on the other to symbolize 25.

Here's the extent of the party at our house. It got pretty crazy with the 3 of us!

This is Casey's new softshell that he got for his birthday. I think he looks pretty good.

I think this is his $5 movie that I found. You can tell by the expression that he was pretty excited about it (not).

Last but not least, his best present... gummy bears!

The Birthday Prince and his little prodigy. HAPPY BIRTHDAY CASEY!!

Jack's Blessing

We blessed Jack on March 1 up in Logan. It was a great day, and Casey did a wonderful job administering the blessing. We were very grateful to all of our family and friends who were able to come up and spend the day with us. Even though we have a small, two bedroom apartment in the ghetto of Logan, we were able to have everyone over for lunch afterwards. I'm not going to lie, it was a little chaotic, and I think I almost had an anxiety attack a couple different times; however, it was a lot of fun having everyone come to our home. Here are a few pictures:




Angie took this picture of Jack, and it turned out pretty good. I think he'd had a long day by this point, but he was a good sport. Thanks for taking some pictures Angie!

This gives you an idea of what our apartment was like. There were a lot of people crammed into a small apartment, but nobody seemed to care too much.

Casey and Jack with Grandma and Grandpa D. Thanks for letting us bless Jack on your birthday Val!

Casey, Jack and Grandma Lee... and if you look closely you will see Sierra hiding in the background.

Kyle, McCall, and Lindsay. The end.

Our adopted daughter Ava holding Jack. Well, I guess she is not technically our daughter, but we would take her in a heartbeat. Thanks Jake and Ana for coming all the way down to Logan.

Our little family outside or apartment. We had a great day, and we are so lucky to have such wonderful family and friends who support us. Jack also wanted me to tell you all thanks!