18 month Check-up

Well, we are back from Jack's 18 month check-up and all is well. He weighs 20 lbs. and is 32 inches tall. He's at about the 30%ile for height, but still below zero on the curve for weight. No worry though, he has been his entire life. We should all be so lucky! HA! He did have to get one shot this time, chicken pox vaccine. I swear it hurts me more than him. I start stressing out even before we get in the car to go to his appointment. This was the first time he really understood where we were and why. He whimpered and cried the entire time we were there...even when they weren't in the room with us! Thank goodness the doctors had Aviation Safety Journal in the waiting room! The pictures of airplanes helped a bit. Wjat do you think of THAT Grandpa Jim?

Bubble Boy

Summer vacation needs special, fun daily activities. Today we went shopping (only a little fun), changed the oil in the car (only fun because we saw lots of cars at the Honda dealership and got to play in the jolly jumper), played at the mall play area (very fun) and the best part of the whole day was blowing bubbles with Daddy (supreme fun)! Jack loves bubbles and we have been blowing them like crazy for the last few months. We even bought a battery operated bubble blower to keep Mommy from passing out or hyperventilating. But tonight when Daddy got home, Jack learned to blow them himself. It is a little tricky getting the right air pressure when you blow, but Jack cracked the code tonight. He is still not a professional because Daddy had to "help" in order to keep Jack from constantly licking the wand! Yuck! After bathtime Jack got an adorable teddy bear from his Ventura Grandma, our wonderful neighbor Lora Ruffin. What a great surprise! Jack cuddled his new friend while enjoying his night-night bottle and watching Cars. Does it get any better than that?

Zip, Zip, Clip, Clip

What a busy weekend! We headed down to Long Beach on Friday. First stop, Grandpa Phil's place. One of the things Jack loves most about Grandpa Phil is that he gets to hang out in the bar with the guys and do "guy" stuff. He loved Grandpa's yummy mahi-mahi salad and did plenty of "cheers" to celebrate their fun afternoon together. We even ran into Uncle Troy there. After that we headed to Redondo Beach for dinner and fun with Pa. Jack was sad to miss Grandma Laura on her birthday, but he did enjoy lots more "guy" time. We walked to Mexican food for dinner and then watched muscle cars on TV before bed...WOW! Jack wants a Corvette now, so he and Pa have a project to work on together.

On Saturday, we brought lunch to Auntie Nikki and got to meet cousin Max for the very first time. Zia Andria joined us for plenty of butterfly kisses. We had lots of fun at the condo, but had to leave for a haircut. Diane is such a great stylist and she knows some great tricks for getting Jack's hair just right. We started by taking him outside and then he had a great time squirting everyone with the water bottle while Diane gave him the fastest, cutest cut we ever dreamed of. He and Daddy look very handsome together. We came home last night for a bath and a great night sleep. It's always so nice to wake up at home and cuddle in bed on Sunday morning. We hope you are all having a nice weekend too.

Relaxing Friday Morning

Daddy had to run to the office for a couple of hours this morning, so Jack and Mommy had a relaxing morning, lounging in bed. Jack was a happy camper with milk in his sippy cup and Sesame Street on TV. He really loves Elmo. Even Gracie came up to cuddle with us. He was very comfy in one of his new pajamas. Today we will head down to Redondo Beach and have dinner with Pa. Kelsey and Grandma Laura are out of town, so we'll have to celebrate Grandma's birthday without her. Then, on Saturday we get to see Max and get haircuts. I'm sure I'll have lots of great photos to share by Sunday! Have a nice weekend.

Fun with Amy

Our friend Lorena came by yesterday with her children, Edgar and Amy. Edgar was one of my students many years ago and is now in high school. Amy will be going into third grade next year. Jack had a great time with both of them. He shared his cars with them and dragged Amy around the house for hours. After tearing the couch apart looking for a remote, Jack decided he liked it better disassembled. We decided to turn it into a fort. It was very fun. Thanks for coming by!

Penne Pomodoro

Last night was bocce night for Rob, so Jack and Mommy headed to Santa Barbara to support our favorite player. Jack loves Arnoldi's restaurant and has been dining there since he was a tiny little baby. In case you are ever there and unsure of what to order, Jack recommends the penne pomodoro. He wears it well. And believe it or not, there was even more in his tummy than on his face.

Mohawk Boy

Jack's hair is so long that his shampoo mohawk won't even stay standing. Despite his hairstyle malfunction, he was having lots of fun in his bath last night. Lightning McQueen joined him for a while and he turned his submarine into an airplane, complete with "whooshing through the air" sounds. We are all headed to Long Beach this weekend for haircuts. Jack's is especially overdue. I can't wait to see how handsome he and Daddy will look in their stylish new dos.

Jack and Rob will also get to meet Max for the first time. I can only dream of the mischief these two little cousins will get into in years to come.