Weekly Update 8/9/09

The weekend was spent mostly in the house. Playing catch-up on sleep and trying to finish getting on Japan time. Mission accomplished!

Monday was pretty busy. The E-Club had membership appreciation free breakfast. Nothing major, but hey, free food! We also went to the WIC office to get transferred back here from being in the states. I called to check on swim lessons for Jackson, but they aren't doing the "Mommy & Me" classes this month and he's obviously too little for regular classes. We'll try again in September.

Monday night was the Enlisted Spouses Club (ESC) meeting. It was a potluck, and the theme was "bring something from your home state/country." So I made buckeyes. They were a hit!!! A few people had no clue what a (real) buckeye was so I pulled the one I keep in my purse for good luck out and showed them. Everyone was surprised that I carry one with me. =)

Tuesday, Jackson had a re-check for his MRSA. Well, I thought he had an appointment. There was some glitch in the system and when I booked it online it didn't go through. Luckily he has an awesome doctor who just let us come in his office, looked at the spot, then talked to me about it. He said he thinks the infection is gone, but put him on 4 more days of antibiotics just to be sure. It was probably just leftover skin discoloration. It' looks completely healed now. He also said that we'd both be tested via nasal cultures. Jackson to make sure it's gone, and me to make sure I don't have it. I'm really hoping they get that done this week because if I do have it and need to go on antibiotics, I need to have them finished before I hit my third trimester on the 23rd. So, we'll see.

Wednesday we babysat two kids so a friend and her husband could both go to OB orientation. It's her third (duh) so she didn't need the info, but it's mandatory. Her son is 4 and her daughter is 1. It was an interesting combo with the 3 kids. Karter plays a little rough, but we managed to keep things under control and no one got seriously injured. Jackson wore himself out, though and we had to come straight home and take a nap.

Thursday was speech therapy. It was our first session with the new therapist at our house. We'd had one short session at the EDIS office, but this was much more comfortable for Jackson. He really likes Holly and her bag of toys. She had lots of good things to say and gave me plenty to work on. A few highlights: no more sippy cups. Regular sized straws are okay, but phase out the sippies. Working on that! I'm picking up some tupperware cups today that have lids with a spout, but no valve, so if it tips it still spills, just not as fast as a regular cup. Also, she repeated what she had said before about signing. Stop signing anything he already knows and only use it to introduce a new concept or word. I've been trying to do this for a while, but sometimes the signing comes unconciously with the word when I say it. So now I'm really focused on keeping my hands still when I say things that he already knows. And she recommended getting some party toys that have different shaped openings to encourage him to make a seal with his mouth and use sustained blowing. We picked up some cheap ones at the BXtra the other day and if I see more I'll get them.

Friday we were at the BX and I saw a toddler bed that is regular $40 on sale for $20. So I snagged it. We came home and put it together and he took a nap in it right away. He did pretty well staying in it. Bedtime was a different story. I sat in a chair by his bed and it took 90 minutes of consistantly putting him back in bed when he got out, laying him back down when he sat up, ignoring cries for milk, rocking, etc. and finally he fell asleep. I was pretty excited that I stuck it out. He woke up at 5am like normal, and it only took 45 minutes to get him back to sleep. His morning nap was the same; 45 minutes but with the chair towards the end of the bed. I really felt we were making progress. Then came bedtime on Saturday. I had moved the chair by the door and after 2 hours of picking him up and putting him back in bed when he got out, my back was screaming. I just could not do it any more. And he was showing no signs of being almost asleep at all. I gave up and put his mattress back in his crib, put him in it and shut the door. I didn't hear a single peep. So maybe we'll hold off on the toddler bed for now. I'm going to rearrange his room to make room for the crib and the toddler bed both so he sees it and it's there in case he decides he wants to try again. Plus since we probably won't have a 3 bedroom until after Alex is born, they might have to share for a while. Not at night, but I'd like Alex to nap in the crib to be used to it, so having both set up will be better anyways.

Saturday was the deployed families' dinner. I was excited to see this on the calendar. It was at the Samauri Cafe. I found out after I signed up that that's the name of the chow hall. So I thought maybe they just used the chow hall since it already had the tables, chairs, dishes, etc. for the dinner. Nope. It was chow hall food. You signed in, then went through the line like normal, and at the end we just didn't pay. They had someone there to help us carry our trays (since most of us were carrying a kid), and also gave us a bag of stuff to take home with us. I was a little disappointed, but like the free breakfast, it was a free meal. So now that I know what's going on, I'll be better prepared for next time. And I later found out they make grilled cheeses so then I'll have some more Jackson-friendly meal ideas.

Today is a lazy day. We're having lunch with Trysta and dinner at home. Tomorrow we'll start all over with chores and activities. Sometimes the time seems to drag, others it seems to fly. It feels like we've been home for a lot more than 10 days!

Weekly Updates for 7/26/09 and 8/2/09

Two weeks worth of updates in one. This should be a long one!

We spent Sunday night and Monday at Dad's in KY then came home Monday around dinner time. Jackson started getting tired and was ready to go home and go to bed, but we stayed a little longer to avoid Cincinnati rush hour. Good decision.

Tuesday and Wednesday were SHOPPING days. Sheila took me, Camden, and two of his friends to Bed Bath & Beyond. We spent almost 30 minutes digging through 5 shelves with curtains 3 packages deep to find some. It was actually kind of rewarding. After what I saved from everything being on clearance, plus enough 20% off coupons for each item, I spent $155 and saved $160. Not bad! That covered curtains for the living room and master bedroom. Wednesday we went in search of curtains for the kids' rooms (no luck!) which need 72" lengths. And also a duvet cover. We ended up back at BB&B where I picked out a duvet cover and exchanged the master bedroom curtains from burgundy (our current color) to brown (to match the new duvet cover I picked out.

After we got home on Tuesday, Uncle Cam Cam shared his Twix bar with Jackson. See, if it had been me, I would've given him bites. Instead, Camden handed him almost a whole bar. The following ensued:




Thursday was a big day for Mr. Jackson! Mom got him to go poop in the potty. He followed her everywhere, including the bathroom when she went. She was done and he squatted like he was going to poop, so she said, "Are you pooping?" "ah"(yeah), "Do you want to poop in the potty?" "ah". So she took his diaper off (which already had a little poop in it), and put him on the potty. He finished there, then wanted to wipe and flush 50 times. And wash his hands 100 times. Probably a one-time accomplishment for now, but I'm going to start trying to figure out the best way to go about potty training him without Mike. He's starting to show signs of being ready.

Thursday was also a doctor's appointment for Jackson. He had a suspicious spot on his butt that looked like a pimple, but of course turned out to be MRSA. We're pretty sure he got it when we were in OH since he kept signing "hurt" every time I put him in his car seat even before he was buckled. The doctor said that 60% of the abscesses they see now are MRSA, so she put him on antibiotics even before the lab results came back. As of now, it's looking much better. It stopped draining after a day and a half of antibiotics. We'll follow up with doctors here just to be on the safe side, but since we caught it pretty much immediately, I don't foresee any complications.

Jackson also played buddy-ump and this little piggy with MiMi and O'Sheila. It was a lot of fun for Jackson and very entertaining for those observing the craziness!


Friday was a fun day for me!! I had an ultrasound to look at Baby Alex, details in previous post. Also, some packing and laundry.


Saturday was a BIG day! The baby party for Alex, and the big reveal that it's a boy! The party was really fun. We had 16 adults and 5 kiddos. Four of them were born between August and October, 2007. It was really fun to see them interact with each other. Not that I saw a whole lot of it. Matt had the job of child-entertainer and did a GREAT job. (Can we say tent under the cake table?) It made it easier for the moms to play games, eat, etc. It was a lot of planning, but everything went off without a hitch and was all worth it in the end. I'm really glad we got to have a party for Alex.

Then came Sunday. The beginning of the trip back to Japan. I was dreading the trip but looking forward to being home. Surprisingly, the 3+ days of travel went by pretty quickly. Some of you already received this in an email, but I'm just copying and pasting since I already did it once:

(All times local to the location)
Sunday July 26th
0415 Depart Tipp City for airport—actually left more like 0430. It was an early morning!

0615—Depart Dayton (DAY) on Continental Flight #2367 seat 11A
Mom and Sheila got gate passes and entertained/wore out Jackson in the gate area and on the escalators while we waited to board, which was only about 30 minutes. Jackson slept about 2 hours of the 2.5 hour flight. I slept pretty much that whole time, too.

0745—Arrive in Houston (IAH)
We found the USO in our terminal and hung out there and ate some snacks while we waited for our flight. We got to the gate area just as they were boarding “people who need extra time” (that’s us!).

0855—Depart Houston on Continental Flight #1767 seat 28C
The plane left a few minutes late, but nothing significant. It was a big plane, with 3 seats on each side of the aisle. We had an aisle seat, but the two girls in the seats toward the window were with the girl in the seat across the aisle so I switched with them. Jackson and I are better off in a window seat anyways. They were 12, 14, and 14. It was really nice because they were playing with Jackson some and pretty much could’ve cared less that he was being squirmy the first three hours of the flight. They were going home to Seattle after being in FL for a tennis tournament. The 12 year old and one 14 year old were sisters (Maddy and ALEXANDRA—Alex =), and the other 14 year old was their cousin. They were really nice girls. About 1000 Jackson fell asleep finally and woke up as the front of the plane was emptying and I was putting his shoes on.

1118—Arrive in Seattle/Tacoma (SEA)
Baggage claim was uneventful, but Jackson was pretty tired and hungry at this point, so he was fussy. I couldn’t hold him since I was getting our suitcase and his stroller all situated. I called Days Inn and they said the shuttle was already on the way. It took a while to get to the Ground Transportation area where the shuttle pick up is, and I thought I might have missed them, but just as I called back to check on the status of the shuttle it pulled up. Car seat installation was a breeze and there was enough room in the back that they didn’t even have to fold the stroller when they put it in there, which was nice!
Hotel in Seattle:
Days Inn Seattle South Tukwila
13050 48^th Ave South
Seattle, WA 98168
206-241-2200
Confirmation # 58552155
Check in was a breeze even though we were 3 hours early and she made sure to give me a ground floor room. The hotel wasn’t anything spectacular, but was REALLY clean. I could tell our nonsmoking room had been smoked in before, but that’s pretty much a given anywhere. Small fridge and microwave in the room. The bathroom was nice and had zero mildew—pretty unusual for a motel. We walked to the restaurant next door for lunch. It was decent food. Nothing spectacular, but edible and decent prices. It was completely deserted at 1245 though, so that may say something. It was pretty lacking in any kind of welcoming atmosphere, but it was at least a sit-down hot meal. Then we walked to the gas station next to the restaurant and got milk and Gatorade for our stay and came back to the room. We were both pooped and took naps. I fell asleep about 1415 but Jackson was up and down until almost 1500. He woke up briefly at 1615, and I put him in bed with me. I woke him up at 1800 so we could go to dinner. Jack In the Box. Yum. We both barely touched our food, though. I guess neither of us was very hungry. He was asleep by 2000 and I was too shortly after.

Jackson sleeping in MOMMY'S bed! I love how he crosses his ankles.

Monday July 27^th
1115—Depart hotel for airport—actually didn’t leave until noon since the shuttle was only hourly and I knew we’d still have plenty of time to get through security.

1340—Depart Seattle/Tacoma (SEA) on Northwest Flight #5134 seat 14A
Shortest flight ever. Although I’ve never flown from Cincinnati to Dayton, so I’m sure that’s shorter, but still. Totally uneventful minus some kicking of the guy’s seat in front of us.

1435—Arrive in Vancouver, BC (YVR)

Never without his Daddy Doll.

Hotel in Vancouver
CoastVancouver Airport
1041 Marine Dr. SW
Vancouver, BC V6P6L6
604-263-1555
Expedia Itin #128537439876
This was a really nice hotel. It got some pretty shady reviews online, but was only $80/night with a free airport shuttle. Everything else I could find was twice that. So I figured we’ll just deal with whatever it’s problems are since it’s only for one night. It was fine. The hallways weren’t air conditioned, but the rooms had very good window units, so we stayed comfortable. Dinner was in the attached White Spot Restaurant downstairs. Worst service I’ve had in a long time. Maybe there’s some secret Canadian signal to get your server’s attention. I had to ask for a water refill three times, and therefore ate my entire meal with nothing to drink. Then I had to ask for the check twice. Dinner took almost two hours, and the last half-hour was after we had both finished eating and were just waiting to pay. I can’t remember the last time I felt compelled to leave $.01 for a tip, but I left 10% instead.

Then we walked to Safeway for some milk, powerade and a banana (which never got eaten). There wasn’t a fridge in our room, so I made do with ice buckets and cold water. The walk was a decent distance, probably 20-30 minutes. Uphill on the way there, which was nice for the way back when I was pretty exhausted from pushing Jackson in the double stroller.

It was another early night, with both of us in bed by 2100. Jackson fell asleep right away, I read until close to 2200 before completely passing out. Travel is exhausting, no matter how smoothly it goes! I also had a sore back from either lifting the suitcase a bunch, having the backpack on all the time, or a combination of both.

Tuesday July 28th

Breakfast was White Spot again. I figured we’d give it another shot. Still pretty crappy service, but not quite as bad as the night before. It was decent food, but not exactly great. I guess kind of expensive, although it was all in CAD so it wasn’t as expensive as it first appeared.

After breakfast, Jackson napped, then we got up and had lunch. I was NOT going to White Spot again, so we found a little place called Cravings Bistro about a block away from the hotel. I had a very yummy strawberry/spinach/chicken salad and soup, and Jackson had fries and some of my chicken. Then we went back to the room and finished packing before heading downstairs for the shuttle.

1300—Depart hotel for airport

1515—Depart Vancouver (YVR) on Japan Airlines Flight #11 seats 39A and 39B
Oh the flight. The dreaded 10 hour flight. The car seat was too big to fit, so we had to gate check it with the stroller. I was sure we were doomed without it. Turns out we were probably better off. Jackson fell asleep within a few minutes of take off for a nap. He woke up after an hour and a half in a great mood, and ate his dinner. (FYI for anyone flying Japan airlines. Order yourself the kid’s meal. He got just as much food as I did, but his was way more appetizing!) Then we watched cartoons on our video screens for an hour. He was hilarious with the headphones. He wanted them on so he could hear, but every time I put them on, there would be music and he’d start to dance in his seat and they’d fall off. In the end, we watched without sound. Then he went to sleep for what would’ve been his normal bed time. For when he was sleeping, I used an airline blanket to make a tent by draping it over the back of his chair and the video monitor in front of him. I tried to figure out a way to keep air circulating because whenever I stuck my head in, it was super stuffy. He wanted no part of that. If he was awake and I lifted up a side to check on him, he reached over and pulled it back down. He probably laid in his seat-tent for almost an hour, awake and perfectly happy! He did eventually go to sleep and so did I. He woke up about 10 minutes before we landed, pretty unhappy. I think his ears were bothering him, and he was still VERY tired since it was 1am Seattle time.

Wednesday July 29^th
1705—Arrive at Narita (NRT)
Then the drama. The only kink in our whole entire three day trip. The car seat and stroller didn’t get delivered gate-side like they were supposed to. The flight attendant had told me it would take a while to get it delivered, and she would help me with my bag (just a backpack), so to wait after we landed and she’d come get me. Okay, whatever. Then she came to get me after everyone was off the plane and we went and sat in a seat right by the door. I had no idea at this point what we were waiting on. Turns out, the stroller got delivered to baggage claim with the luggage. So they went to their little office and got one of their airport strollers for me to use. I was on the plane a full 30 minutes longer than any other passengers by the time they got there with it. So I RAN through the health screening and immigration (always a problem for us until they finally understand we’re military). At this point, all the immigration officers are gone since there are only a few people waiting to get through, so we actually waited a long time. Then when I got down to where baggage claim was, there was a closed off gate that said “No Admittance” blocking where I needed to go to get our stuff. We got that straightened out and they let me through. I collected and arranged the stroller, car seat, Jackson, back pack, and suitcase and went through customs (easy since we never have anything to claim).

Then I was off to find the shuttle to the base. It was in another terminal. So I had to board a bus (with stroller and suitcase) to go to the other terminal. I had to stop and ask again where the bus was parked, and got good directions. By the time I got to where it should be, it was 1818. Thanks to sitting on the plane for so long, I missed the 1800 shuttle. I cried. Twice. It had been a long day despite my great fortune with Jackson sleeping. I was exhausted, hot, pregnant, and frustrated. But we just went back inside the airport to sit until 1930 when we could load our stuff onto the bus. It wasn’t that bad, I was just mad that I knew if Mike had been with me, he would’ve said something and we would’ve never sat on the plane for that long and probably would’ve made the earlier shuttle.

1800—Depart Narita on base shuttle—didn’t make this one and had to wait for the 2000 shuttle. The last shuttle of the day stops at New Sanno, which is a military resort. It only added about 30 minutes to our trip, but at that point it was 30 minutes I wasn’t happy about. Not to mention that Jackson and I were the only ones on the shuttle and no one got on there, either.

2000(approx)—Arrive at the base—got back to base about 2230, and home to our apartment by 2300. We were pretty hungry since Jackson slept through the second meal on the plane and I couldn’t eat it since it was a deli meat sandwich and a cookie with nuts. I had a bowl of soup, he had a granola bar and about 20 Nilla wafers. The fridge was totally empty. We were in bed and asleep by midnight, then up at 0730. Jackson had a hard time falling asleep for his nap, but slept from 1030-1315 when I woke him up.

He was a CRANKY boy and definitely not ready to get up. We went to the bank, the post office, quick stops at the BX and commissary, then Burger King for lunch and home. We ate our lunch and then he crashed. It was only 3, but I thought he MIGHT just nap. No luck. Around 5 I woke him up, changed his diaper, put jammies on him, and laid him back down. Then I went to bed, too. He woke up briefly at about 10, then again at midnight. I put him in bed with me at 2 where he messed around for an hour before finally falling back asleep. Then we were up for the day on Friday at 0600. ALMOST back on a normal schedule.

I'm going to assume nothing interesting will happen in the next two days and post a little early since it's already so much in one post. I'll put any weekend stuff in the next blog on 8/7.

It's A....

I'll post the weekly blog later today or tomorrow... or the next day. I have some pictures to upload and it's going to be a long blog. I might just combine 2 weeks worth into one since we'll be majorly jet lagged for about a week.

Anyways, just a quick note for now. In case you didn't get a call, text, email, facebook update, or see the puzzle reveal at the party.... It's a BOY! Alexander John Deiderich. (Maybe AJ when he's older if he wants, but Alex for now). There's zero question. Just like Jackson, he was very cooperative for the ultrasound. In fact, their ultrasound pictures are from the same angle and look almost identical. It was a 45 minute ultrasound that was pretty fun to watch. They measured EVERYTHING imaginable. Internal organs, bones, spine curve, heart rate, etc. etc. etc. Everything measured normal except his head circumference is bigger than his abdominal circumference. The ratio is off enough to be out of normal limits, but the doctor thinks it just means he has a big head. Mike has a big head, Jackson has a big head, so probably just a genetic thing. We'll know by the end of the week for sure, but no one really seemed concerned about it. Also, he's measuring almost a week ahead. At the ultrasound I was 20 weeks, 5 days and he measured at 21 weeks, 3 days. They're keeping my due date the same (December 6th) because the earlier ultrasounds are more accurate for claculating a due date. And they said that all that really means is I have big babies. Since Jackson was 8#3oz at 11 days early, I was basically thinking, "Duh!" =) Soooo glad that I'm having another c-section.

Some people have been asking about gifts. Especially since it's another boy, we really don't need much. If anyone is interested, amazon.com gift cards are really helpful. There is a video monitor that I picked out on amazon. I also want the extra camera for Jackson's room, and the internet adapter to be able to turn it into a webcam so everyone can see the boys whenever they want to online via a secure website. It's pretty expensive. And we did pick out a new bedding set for Alex. There are a few other minor things I'd like to get, too. Everything is on the baby registry at amazon.com, if anyone wants to see the bedding pattern we picked (fire trucks).

Weekly Update 7/19/09

Cleveland
BDP--part 2
Dad's

Monday was our zoo trip. LOTS of fun in Cincinnati. We had a large group to say the least. Me, Jackson, MiMi, Grampers, Ben and Amanda (cousins), Camden and three of his friends (Joel, Jordan, and Matt Eads), and O Sheila and Uncle Don. We stopped at Perkins for breakfast, as usual and then on to the zoo. Before we went in the boys had to have a huddle in the parking lot.

First stop was the reptile house. We saw aligators and turtles. There were snakes and stuff, too but Jackson wasn't real interested in anything else.

There was an "encounter" with a cat-like animal.

One of the tigers had cubs, and they were VERY cute!

Of course we couldn't go to the zoo without visiting Mike's FAVORITE. The polar bears. They weren't very active and were quite stinky, so I snapped one picture and left.

One of the biggest highlights for Jackson was the new stroller. I got a double stroller since we'll need one for the upcoming baby and it was a great deal. I brought it with me from Japan, but took the back seat off to make room to haul the car seat around the airport. It folds up the same size as our single stroller, so it just made sense. But I didn't anticipate Jackson loving the sit-n-stand on the back. He really enjoyed standing on the back and sitting on the jump seat. I didn't bring the buckle to strap him onto it since I thought he'd sit up front, but he was still pretty good about staying put where he belonged.



The next day was the BIG HAIRCUT. Jackson's first. I was very excited, and he had watched MiMi cut OSheila's hair beforehand and was pretty anxious to have his done. Luckily it was Daddy's day off so he got to watch the experience via webcam. Turns out he didn't really want to sit still. But two hours later it was done. Mom just had to follow him around the house and cut when she could. Might be a problem for the next one since we're pretty sure no barber is going to do that. For the rest of the week whenever Jackson sees the hair scissors he says, "more" and wants more hair cut off. I didn't take an actual "before" picture, but here's one from the zoo the day before side by side with the "after" picture.

He really looks less like a baby and more like a little boy now!


Wednesday was a return trip to Boonshoft. More playing in the shredded tire fossil pit:

And sometimes I forget how little Jackson is for his age. He's almost always been in the 20th percentile for height and weight. The kid standing next to him is a month younger than Jackson.
He and pregnant Mommy went crawling through the tunnels. Fun fun. You can't tell really in the picture, but that mirror is inside one of the tunnels.


He also insisted on Mommy getting into the truck with him.


Then he found a recycling truck to drive. There was some other kid in it who ended up getting trapped in the passenger seat because Jackson refused to get out of the driver side. Luckily, he was a REALLY nice little boy. He even entertained Jackson and showed him how the buttons worked. I wish I could've found his parents to tell them what a great kid they have.


Then we found the truck that digs in the garbage at the landfill. He wasn't real sure how to work it and was starting to get sleepy, so he definitely insisted on Mommy's help.



Thursday we left for Cleveland. My favorite band was playing at Wilbert's downtown and even though I just saw them two weeks ago, I wasn't passing up the chance to see them again. Plus we got to visit with my cousin Amber (plus unborn twins) & Gary V, and Aunt Teresa & Uncle Gary. Then Saturday was my cousin Todd's daughter Ella's birthday party. The concert was decent, but not one of their better shows. The crowd wasn't as great as it is when they play in the South because they don't have as much of a fan base up North. Still fun for me though. And of course I talked to the band for a long time after they were done playing. Which is always fun! Saturday was the party and the drive home. For some reason the drive home always feels longer than the drive there!

Now it's Sunday and we're at my dad's house in KY. Currently Jackson is fighting a much needed nap. He did fall asleep for a SHORT nap on the way here.


Once he naps and wakes up we'll head to Grammy & PaPa's for dinner, then back here to spend the night. Back to Dayton tomorrow after dinner.


That's all for this week. Right now the plan is to write next week's blog on Saturday night after the baby party for Alex since we'll be travelling on Sunday. And Monday. And Tuesday. We'll just have to see when it actually gets done. But look for BIG NEWS in the next blog, whenever it may come.

Weekly Update 7/12/09--a day late

So yeah, this one is a day late. We were traveling yesterday and I didn't get a chance to do it last night. Oh well.

We went to Imagination Station on Monday. Jackson had a lot of fun. It was kind of cloudy outside, so it was a good day to go. He drove the ambulance
and then got distracted from driving and was looking for the cell phone on the seat next to him.

Then he rode the horsey. I think this is one of my all-time favorite pictures of him.


When Grandpa asked him if he was swimming he said, "Yeah" so I guess this is his idea of the breaststroke.


His idea of boat-entrance


Doing laundry


Jet skiing!!


In the fire truck


Grandpa rocking him on the zebra


On Thursday we left NC for OH. What a long trip! Not as long as our Japan-Dayton trip was, but still tough. It was 8 1/2 hours of drive time, plus an hour and ten minutes of stops. Jackson only slept for an hour of that, so there was a lot of singing from me and Grandma. But we made it. Thursday night we went to dinner at Mike's aunt Barb and her husband Eddie's house. Their son was there with his two boys (ages 2 and 4) so Jackson had someone to play with. We also got to see Mike's second cousin Stefanie and her new baby, Colt. He's 3 months old, but was 2 months premature, so is about the size of a 1 month old. He's pretty cute!!

On Friday we hung out at Bonnie and Steve (another cousin)'s house until a lot of people left to go to the dog track. Jackson and I went back to the hotel and Andy and Char went back to Barb & Eddie's. Saturday was the reunion and Jackson had a blast! It's at a lake and Grandpa took him to wade in the lake. He got a little overzealous and ended up soaking the bottom of his outfit. He also got filthy dirty playing in the sand and dirt. He played on swings, slides, and all kinds of stuff. Mike's cousin Aaron who has 2 kids--Kyle, 4 and Abby, 2--helped Jackson with the pinata. Jackson was the youngest kid there (except Colt), and he didn't quite understand the pinata concept, but it was a good effort.



Sunday we met MiMi and OSheila at Cracker Barrel in Columbus. Jackson was very excited to see them after being away for a month. After lunch, we said goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa and went with MiMi and OSheila back to Tipp City. Jackson did much better for that short trip. The combination of having MiMi in the back instead of Mommy and it being a much shorter drive made it easier for him, I think.

We went to the zoo today, but I'll save that story for next week since I should've technically written this yesterday before the zoo trip. =)

Tomorrow's Trip

I'm in bed right now and writing this blog in my sleep. Tomorrow we are driving from NC to OH for Daddy's family reunion. Google maps quotes it at 8 1/2 hours. With stops it'll be at least 9 1/2 hours since speedy Daddy isn't driving (he could make it in 8 1/2 with stops!). And I don't like to be in the car. And I have a hard time sleeping in my car seat. And Mommy will be in the back seat, and with her back there I don't understand why I can't be held and sit in her lap. It's going to be a very long day. Mommy suggested ear plugs for Gauy, Grandma, and herself. Daddy suggested a muzzle for me. I don't think either one will work. Hopefully everyone takes their patience pill in the morning! And gargles with salt water, because there will be LOTS of "Itsy Bitsy Spider", "Wheels on the Bus", and "Hush Baby Jackson". MAYBE I'll fall asleep at some point. But I'll definitely be glad to have THAT trip over with.

Weekly Update 7/5/09

Lots of updates this week!

First, we discovered Jackson has an obsession with hats. And it's not enough for him to wear a hat, YOU have to wear one, too.

Second, we went to Myrtle Beach. We left last Sunday and came home on Wednesday. The car ride there wasn't exactly great. Jackson doesn't nap easily in his car seat, and it's even less likely if there's someone in the back seat with him. I think maybe because he can see you, and expects you to get him out of his seat. He screamed the last hour on the way there. Not looking forward to the 8 1/2 hour (PLUS stops) drive to Ohio this week.... But that didn't stop me from trying to get him to nap anyways. I came prepared with Puppy Blankie, his blanket and of course Daddy Doll.

The place we stayed had a perfect room setup for us. It was a 2-bedroom condo, and the second bedroom had its own mini fridge, microwave, bathroom, and door to the hallway. Plus there was a door that could be shut from both sides (like connecting rooms in a hotel) so it could've been its own separate hotel room. There was a full kitchen with dishes, living room, and two balconies. NICE. The pool area had a small indoor pool, a lazy river, a kiddie pool, and an outdoor sprinkler play area that Jackson LOVED.

On Monday, we got up and had breakfast then went down to the pool and the beach. Mike's parents didn’t join us for a while and while we were by ourselves, Jackson and I floated on a raft in the lazy river. That was GREAT FUN. We probably did that for 20-30 minutes, which is a long time for him to participate in any activity, especially one where the main focus is sitting. But he was sleepy so I think he enjoyed it. We splashed each other and made fish faces back and forth then giggled hysterically. Too cute that monkey boy! But of course the first glimpse of Grandpa ruined that serene moment. Grandpa took him to the beach some

while I laid in a lounge chair in the sun and read and napped.

He got sand everywhere, including his face.

And Grandma went zoom zoom with him in the pool.

Then a quick rinse and lunch (peanut butter & jelly) and nap time. Took over an hour and a half to get him to sleep, but he had been sleepy for almost 2 hours, so whose fault was that? Mine. But he was having too much fun, I didn’t want to drag him away from the pool for a nap even though he signed tired/sleepy more than once. Oh well. Once he was finally asleep Mike's dad and I left for the outlets. Jackson got 4 one-piece zip-up footed pajamas, one pair of pants that turns into shorts, and one winter outfit--a one-piece with a bear on the butt. All in 24 month sizes. I splurged on a skirt at Motherhood. It was $50, and not on sale. But it is super cute and insanely comfortable. So I bought it. I shouldn’t have since it was so expensive, but I just couldn’t resist. I've worn it a bunch so far and plan on wearing it a ton over the next 6 months.

We got home less than 5 minutes after Jackson woke up from his nap. The scene when I walked in the door was hilarious. Andy dropped me off close to the hotel before he parked the car. So I came up to the room alone. Jackson was in the corner on Grandma’s lap or at least looking at her. I was halfway in the room before he finally saw me. He looked up, got slightly excited, and started running. I squatted down, and held my hands out to pick him up and he ran right past me to the door to see where Grandpa was. Little shit. =) He sure does love his Grandpa!! Then more beach and more pool and more lazy river and more zoom zooming in the big pool with Grandma.

Then bath time and off to dinner. We went to Captain George’s tonight (the one with the big ship in the middle and crab legs). Jackson ate like a pig. I think he’s working up quite an appetite with all the playing and none of the snacking. Jackson was soooo exhausted that he went down pretty easily. I had to go in once to fix his blanket but after that he only cried for a few minutes.

After he was down I went out on the balcony with Mike's parents for a while. It was really nice out there at night when it cooled off and there was a nice breeze. During the day it was pretty hot so unless you were in the water you were miserable. Although I don’t think it’s been quite up to 114 here, like it has been in Kuwait as early as 0930.

Baby Alex loves seafood, including crab legs. Lots of kicking after dinner especially.

Tuesday was pretty much more of the same. Pool, etc. in the morning just me and Jackson, then attempted nap, lunch, and then nap for real. We had PB&J for lunch again, but this time on the balcony. He was being goofy, but really enjoyed lunch outside I think.

Then more beach, pool, sprinkler in the afternoon.

Bath, dinner, and bed. Dinners were definitely interesting. Sunday was Angelo's (Italian), Monday was Captain George's, and Tuesday was Bennett's. All buffets, and Jackson went to town! Angelo's he ate so much we were all done and waiting on him to finish his pizza before we could leave. Bennett's had corn on the cob which we have learned he is a major fan of.

On the way home from the beach on Wednesday, we were about 30 minutes from Mike's parents' house when Jackson started saying something that we hadn't heard before. No one could figure out what he wanted. He was saying, "Gaauy." Sounds almost like guy but with extra vowels at the beginning. Char finally figured out he was saying, "Grandpa." Of course. So now he says it alllll the time.

After we got home we bought Mike some gloves to replace some that fell out of his pocket at work. Jackson had to try them on before we mailed them to Daddy.


On Friday, I went to a Benjy Davis Project concert in Southern Pines. They have a little mini festival during the summer called First Friday that is, duh, on the first Friday of every month from May-October. It is pretty neat. But of course I wasn't there for the festival, just the music. I couldn't believe my luck getting to see them for free and like 5 miles from Andy & Char's house. I would've driven MUCH FURTHER than that!

The show was awesome as expected. Even more so because I told a couple of the guys before the show I had come from Japan and that had to be some kind of record for furthest traveled to a BDP show. They agreed. I got a shout out, AND they played my favorite BDP song that they usually don't do at concerts. Well, that they've never done at any of the other 5 I've been to, despite repeated begging. =) I spent some time after talking to them and am looking forward to getting to see them again in Cleveland. One of my friends in Little Rock teased me and said I probably just came to the states to see them in concert and it had nothing to do with visiting family.

Our Fourth was uneventful. I tried to get Jackson's naps timed just right, with one around 11 (check) and another around 4 (didn't happen), so he could stay up late and watch fireworks. By eight he was done. We wouldn't have been home until 10 or later, so I just put him to bed. He really enjoyed them last year, but he's more demanding with his sleep now. Maybe next year.

This morning Grandma discovered if she sings, "Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom ba-boom" Jackson dances like an idiot. Very cute. He also imitates whatever you do with your hands (clapping, hitting your legs, swinging them in the air like a monkey). So we've taken turns doing that all day.

He also LOVES itsy bitsy spider and if you sing he can do almost all the motions (when he's in the mood).

This afternoon, we went to Cannon Park again because it was cloudy (and therefore cool) and still decent weather. We tried to leave the first time and when I was putting Jackson in his car seat he signed "sleepy" and tapped my shoulder the way he does when he wants to lay his head down on it. I asked if he wanted to take a nap and he said "ah" which is "yeah" in Jackson-speak. So in we came to take a nap. He laid quietly for about 20 min, started crying, and refused to nap. So up we went and back out to go to the park. He had a great time swinging and sliding as usual. Eventually it started to sprinkle and we had to come home. Now he's watching Lady and the Tramp with Grandma and Grandpa. Fun times.