Owen's 1st Birthday!

(Click to view larger:) Enjoy some of these pics from Owen's 1st Birthday!! I was able to sneak a few in in between chasing Jaxon around. =)


Wait...that's not Owen...it's Jaxon (his moment will come next Saturday.) Hold on...

There he is! The cute little birthday boy himself!

Can you believe my fabulous sister-in-law made these adorable cupcakes??? I kid you not!!

What a fun party it was!!!

Happy 1 Year Birthday Owen!!!

One year ago yesterday, as I sat at my little cubical at Northshore, I got a text message that read, "Adelle is being admitted to the hospital." Needless to say I was brimming with excitement and sporting a smile across my face.

One year ago yesterday I sat in my brother and sister-in-law's room, (very pregnant myself mind you), chattering away on whether we thought it would be a boy or girl, and guessing how much the baby would weigh. I went to bed that night with my phone right next to me, anticipating this little one's arrival.

One year ago TODAY, I woke up to no phone call. I went to work with my phone in my pocket and paced back and forth. I wanted to be there at the hospital so badly, but I couldn't take the time off. I anxiously checked my phone 500 times and probably didn't get one stitch of work done.

One year ago TODAY, at 9:31 am I got the call that Owen William Grant was born. And one year ago TODAY...I cried with excitement! I had a new baby nephew! A friend to my son who was kicking away in my tummy!


One year ago TODAY, I held that precious little red-head in my arms and cuddled him so tight. I'm pretty sure he felt his cousin kick him too! Such a precious little baby and looked just like a mini-version of my brother. I loved him.

And I love him still...I mean how could you not love this little guy???

One year later, Owen is just as sweet as the first day I held him. With strawberry blonde hair and a smile that would melt anyone's heart, Owen is full of life! Lover of doggies, best buddy to my little Jaxon, busy little guy on the go...we are so blessed to have this little guy in our lives.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY OWEN! WE LOVE YOU!

Monkey Jammie-Wearing Friends

Jaxon has known his little "girlie" friend, Mila, for quite some time now. But only recently have the two become true friends. In fact, now they are totally aware the other exists and actually care! This week Jaxon and Mila starting playing together, even dialogued together! No joke! Mila would say (babble) something and Jaxon would mimic it. It would go back and forth!

Just look and these monkey jammy-wearing friends...

(Click to view larger)

Mila found Jaxon's antics hilarious...

And when Mila blew raspberries, so did Jaxon!

Little Mila sat so content in her little monkey jammies, watching Jaxon crawl about like a ninja.

(Click to view larger)Not sure if a little girl could get much cuter...don't you think?

All was fun and games until bedtime hit and they both suddenly and simultaneously decided they had had enough of the picture taking extravaganza.

What a fun stage. We just know they will be great friends!

Our little social butterfly has added new tricks to his repertoire over the last week. It kind of catches us by surprise sometimes the extent of what he understands these days. Mostly because we still seem to think of him as a little baby. The little, helpless baby whose days revolved around eating, sleeping, and pooping is blossoming into toddler-hood, raring to explore, finding humor in things, and wanting to communicate so badly. And a will...boy does this little guy have a will!

Here's what we've learned over the last week:


We've consistently and appropriately got signing down for "more" and "all done". He has also vocalized "more" a few times.

He's pulling up all the way now consistently. It kind of makes me laugh though, cause he's so tall he really only has to kneel to get things on surfaces. Cruising is in the works.

We've learned to throw a ball. He's mastered rolling for quite some time...but throwing is a new one! Makes things more exciting...and well, dangerous.

(By the way, can you tell that I like photographing from this angle?)

Anyway, adding to his animal sounds he is now panting like a dog when we ask what a doggy says. Apparently barking is way too yesterday compared to panting.

Other new words this week (actually some the last few weeks) are "up", "uh oh", "owe!"

We've learned that coughing after Mommy and Daddy does gets attention and is funny. So is clearing your throat when other people do. (That one isn't so funny after awhile.)

We are learning that when Mommy says, "Let's go wake up Daddy", that we crawl to his room, push open the door, and crawl up to daddy.

We have learned that when Mommy or Daddy calls from the other room, we reply, "Huh?" (Seriously the funniest thing ever!)

We've also learned that Mommy is a little too camera happy, and has run out of 2 hard drives due to so many pictures. *sigh*

Apples, Cookies & a Nikon Spokesmodel???

If you read THIS POST...

You would know that...

Jax loves apples.

And while that fact still remains...

...there is something that he seems to love more these days than apples...

It kind of looks like a cookie...

...but Jaxon has yet to taste one of those.

These days, Jaxon has taken a liking to my Nikon camera lense cap.

Think they need a spokesmodel?

I think he could pull it off!

Jax in the Box

Look what we have here...


...it's a Jax in the Box!

Who would've thought that a box could be so much entertainment? Yesterday Jaxon spent an hour (by choice) playing in this thing.

And apparently someone else likes boxes just as much...

Why didn't we think of this sooner?

Commiserate

Commiserate...

Definition: to feel or express sorrow or sympathy for; empathize with; pity.



In this case, Daddy and Jax commiserate over another Raider loss last week.

*Sigh*

Jaxon at 11 Months

The countdown is on. Only one more month til the big 1! Not that we are really counting down...we are soaking in every minute! They seem to fly by faster and faster each day!

This month Jaxon is busier than ever. Perfecting his army crawl, he is into everything he can possibly get his hands on. His specialty is opening and closing doors and drawers. He also has a liking for Daddy's computer and guitar.

He is getting more fun to take places and is becoming quite the little social butterfly! His favorite places to go are the park, petting zoo, swimming pool, and Nanna's house.

Jaxon is starting to experiment more and more with language...imitating our vocal fluctuations...If I talk really high and excited, so will he. If I say, "No, no," in a low voice, so will he.

His favorite songs right now are "ABC's", & "Itsy Bitsy Spider". His favorite book that he reads over and over is "Hop on Pop!" He squeals with excitement whenever I ask if he wants to read it.

New favorite foods are Mac & Cheese, and Chicken Noodle Soup! Oh and Daddy has been sneaking him marshmallows too. =)

We can tell he is understanding more and more of what we say these days. If we say "Bye, Bye" he begins to wave. If I ask him if he wants food, he will crawl to his high chair. If I say "Night, Night time" he whines. If we say, "Go get it", he will fetch (well most of the time.) And if we say "Hug" he will put his head on our shoulder. If we say "Come to Mamma or Daddy", (again most of the time) he will come get us.

What a fun stage this is!

Completely Normal

Our family is totally and completely normal.

Every NORMAL family goes traipsing around the yard wearing hats and having water fights on Labor Day.

And flags! Perfectly normal families run around their yard with flags on Labor Day.

Seriously, if you're family doesn't set up their camera on a tripod just to take pictures of themselves wearing hats and flying flags...you should really question your sanity.

Yep...our family is the perfect example of normal & acceptable behavior.

(Pictures in this post taken by Amy Scherrer)