Jelly Beans

Jackson is almost sixteen months old and I am proud to say that he eats more healthy than anyone else in this household. I am a sucker for candy and I have tried so hard to not pass this on to my son. However, Easter is around the corner and I love Jolly Rancher Jelly Beans. I bought a bag when we were out at the store the other day and poored them into a bowl to munch on. I placed them on the end table far from Jackson's view and eye sight. I thought that I would treat him to one and let him have one a day for about three days. By then he knew where I was keeping them and he would lean into them and come to the edge of the table and sign please and say "ease". Of course it is super cute but he doesn't need all that sugar and some how the couch and table seperated the other day and Jackson was able to get himself to the bowl and I hear his little fingers grabbing a handful. He was so proud of himself to getting some of the prized jelly beans. I have sense moved them so I don't have to share with him. :) I am going to have to get some jelly beans and keep them so that when we start potty training he will enjoy the prize.

Where is.....?

The other day we were playing with Jackson and we were asking him where is Daddy? Where is Mommy? We asked him where Honey and Papa were and he walked over to the computer and peeked his head around so that he could see the monitor. It is so cute. He loves talking to Honey and Papa on Skype!

Welcome To Oklahoma

We are officially in Altus, OK. It is taking some adjusting on my part but Steve is one week into his training so we are well underway. Steve arrived here at the beginning of February and the other person that was suppose to be in his class didn't show so they pushed Steve to the March class. After a month of waiting he has begun. Although during that time he was able to finish his Masters classes which is great so that he has more time to spend studying and spending time with Jackson.

Jackson is adjusting well also to the change. I have been so impressed with all of the traveling through time zones and living out of a pack-n-play for a month and a half. He is quite a trooper and is sleeping well...now a days he sleeps until about 7:45 and still takes two one hour to one and a half hour naps. He is learning new words everyday. The other day we were in the doctors office and I pointed out a monkey and he said "monty". He is great.

Last night Steve and I took advantage of the CDC offering date night. We were able to drop Jackson off at 6:30 and pick him up at 11:30. We went out to dinner and then went to a movie. We went to see Taken. It was really good.

We are waiting for Courtney to call us tomorrow to let us know what the doctor thinks about the new baby. We will be making our reservations and will be heading out there to meet the newest addition and send some time with the family.

Thank You!

The power of prayer has worked again! Ian, Courtney's husband finally made it home last night around 10:30 pm. That was after a broken plane in England and being delayed a day. After many calls and plane rides later he is safely home with his family. The other good news that Courtney got yesterday is that the baby is breech but her doctor is going to give this little drama queen a week to turn herself around. We think that she flipped herself because Courtney has been very stressed out with Ian being gone and this baby trying to make an early exit. We will find out next Monday if the baby has turned or if she will have to have a C-section. We are all glad that things are not has bad as they could be and Courtney is off of her morning bed rest. I am sure that Kate is so glad to have her Daddy home. Welcome Home Ian!!!

Prayer Request

I know I have a lot to catch everyone up on. But if you read this blog for any reason I have to ask you to say a little prayer for my sister, Courtney. She is pregnant and she has had a whirlwind of a pregnancy. This baby keeps wanting to come early. She has been able to keep her in "her room" and everyday is great for the baby. Today she found out that the baby is breech so she will find out tomorrow what the plan is going to be but the prayer comes here because her husband, Ian, is deployed and they are trying to get him home. He is stuck in England with a broken plane. I am just sad that she is there without any of her family and just wants to have her husband there to hold her hand. They said that if she goes into labor again that they will not stop it this time. I just hope that little baby girl will hold off until her daddy makes it safely onto US soil. I don't want my sister to go through a possible C-section without him. We are waiting to hear from her tomorrow and what the doctor has to say but Jackson and I will probably flying out there on Wednesday. Thank you in advance.

OK where the wind comes sweeping down the plane.

It has been another whirl wind three weeks. We have made it to Altus, Oklahoma…not great but it will do. After we left Honey and Papa’s house we drove to Nashville to spend the night with my friend Leanne and Chad. They were so great to put us up for the night and Jackson was great and slept well. The next day we got a late start because of a storm coming through the area but were able to get to Little Rock that day. We were in Little Rock for two days and we were able to see all of my friends and visit with Maw-Maw, Aunt Inny, Aunt Shirley, and Aunt Velma. We went down to Sheridan on Thursday and we had lunch with the family. While down there Aunt Inny taught Jackson how to honk his horn for eighteen wheelers. Now he has added his own sound to the arm motion and says doot doot. It was so nice to see everyone. We stayed with Mark and Olga and were in town to go to Mark’s going away party…they are moving to Germany. A big thank you to Laura’s Mom for watching Jackson so we could go out to dinner for a girl’s night out. We left on Saturday, Valentine’s Day, to Oklahoma City and met up with Steve. The three of us had a great dinner out and then did a little shopping before heading to Altus the next day.

This past weekend we spent in Colorado Springs with Mike, Gina, Casey, Meghan, and Katlyn, Steve's Sponsor family while he was at the Academy. We were able to drive up Pike's Peak, Garden of the Gods, and tour the Air Force Academy. He had a great time away from Altus while we are waiting for Steve to begin class.

Our Altus “home” We are in a two bed TLF (Temporary Living Facility) so we at least have a room for us and one for Jackson. We have a full kitchen and a nice living room. There seem to be some kids around here that Jackson has liked running after. The other day we went and got him a ride on toy that he has enjoyed riding around the quad area out in front of our room. He loves to play catch with the ball and will point out EVERY ball that he sees. It is funny to see things that you over look as an adult. Yesterday we went to a local playgroup that is held in town for military families and I think that it is going to be a good outlet for both Jackson and I. They meet once a week at different play areas and today it was at the local gymnastics arena. He had a great time running around on the mats, climbing over things, and chasing the large exercise balls. There were many children around his age so it is great for him. Right now we are enjoying the company of Steve’s parents that were here over this weekend to visit us. Jackson and I are going to do a little more exploring this week and hope to find more things for us to do during the week.

Here are some of the things that Jackson is up to these days. One of my favorite things that he is doing these days is that he loves to give out kisses. Some days he will just walk up to me and lean in with an open mouth for a kiss. He also likes to give hugs and snuggles. If you can believe it ge has 16 teeth...yes folks he is 15 months old and he has alot of teeth. Jackson has been pointing to a lot more things in books. He still loves going outside and stands at the door and bangs on it and pitches a fit if he have to bring him back inside. He now can say baby with both syllables before it was just be. He is also getting better at pointing to body parts, eyes, ear, toes, belly, head, nose, and mouth. He is still inconsitant but doing better. When you ask him old he is he will hold up one finger. He loves to brush his teeth and help do it himself. He likes to try and put his shoes or ooze. He LOVES to skype with Honey and Papa, and Grandma and Grandpa. The other day I asked him if he wanted to Skype with Honey and he walked all the way to the computer saying hu, hu, hu, hu. If you ask him where Honey and Papa are he will point to the computer. He likes to go to the bathroom with you and he will wave bye bye, flush the toliet and put the lid down. I am so proud. He is trying to pick up the speed and start running....when he does this he swinging only his right arm. I know that the list is long but I want to remember!

We are also anxiously awaiting a phone call from Courtney to let us know that the new baby is on her way. Jackson and I are going to go out to Spokane when we get the phone call. Keep the Slazinik’s in your prayers because every day that baby Slaz stays in the better off she will be.

P.S. To make all of you sitting in the snow jealous....Thursday it was 90 degrees. Jackson wore shorts for the first time.

North Carolina

We are officially homeless! We are completely moved out of our house in Florida and Steve is already in OK waiting for us. Jackson and I took a detour on our way to OK via North Carolina. We have been here for two weeks and will be leaving on Tuesday. We are stopping a night in Nashville to visit a friend of mine and then we are off to Little Rock to see friends and family.

We have been really enjoying our time here. Jackson loves the mornings with Papa and the evening baths with Honey. Papa loves to wake Jackson up to have breakfast with him before he has to go to work. It is nice for me though because when Dad puts him back to bed he will usually sleep until about nine. You can't beat that. He is really getting good at taking afternoon naps. He has always taken pretty good naps but they were usually an hour long. Today he slept for 3 and 1/2 hours. I had to go up and check to make sure he was still breathing. Honey then likes to sit with him when she has her breakfast (usually about 3 hours later than breakfast with Papa). Jackson has gotten wise on Baylee and feeds her food under the table. He loves Baylee and pats her on the nose and the back and Baylee has an equal love for him. So much we caught her sneaking up the stairs to see him after he went to bed.

Jackson is still "talking" and making lots of noises. He has learned to say shoes and balloon and now he says nu nu for milk (while still doing the sign). Papa has taught him about to put his head down on command, to open his mouth (so we can see if he has crewed up what we gave him), songs with hand motions (She'll Be Coming Around The Mountain, Hokey Pokey, and Itsy Bitsy Spider). Jackson is starting to learn to run and when he does this it is so funny because he is really just walking fast but moving one arm in almost a train motion. It is funny! He has learned to climb up and down the stairs. You have to keep an eye on him because he is fast when he gets going up. We have been working on who people are in his life and he will point them out when he is asked. Honey has been teaching him to blow handfuls of bubbles while he is in the bath tub.

Last weekend we took him to Marbles and children’s museum that they have in town and he could not get enough of all of the sights and things to touch. He was so excited to see all the other kids and the toys. It was a very hands on museum and he had a great time. Today I took him to a place called Monkey Joe's which has a lot of inflatables inside for you to play on. They had an area for 3 and under but he wasn't much of a fan right now. He stayed really close to me but got more excited when other kids his size were in there to play. We are going to be sad to leave but I know that Steve is waiting to see little man soon.