Greatest thing since sliced bread...

TUPPERWARE!

So Scary!!

So I did it, I finally did it. I had over 10,000 pics on my computer and I have been dreading moving them from computer to CD. I wanted to so bad because it is such a hassle going through all the pictures when you are just trying to find one and having more than three years of pictures at some point starts to make your computer drag a little. So today I put them all on disk then I did it, I deleted all the pictures from my computer. I did this after checking a hundred times on each disk to make sure the pictures were there. They were each time but I would always check one more time. This is Jaxson's whole life we are talking about! Then, I pushed delete, all gone. Then when I opened IPhoto nothing was there. It was so nice to have a fresh start, now I know how I will organize them to make it easier to find when I am looking for just that one perfect picture and I am going to try to put them on disk more than every three years. Now that I add about 100 pictures per week to my library I need to make sure I don't get buried under pictures again. Wow, what a relief. This is my first step of spring cleaning. Now I am off to the next 100 things on my list!

Bells, Drawers, and Tupperwear...

Jaxson spends Monday and Tuesday at Elaine's while Dave and I are both at work. Just as he does at home he has his favorites at Grandmas too. Yesterday I stopped by and Jaxson quickly made his rounds to all of his favorite activities.


First he checked out the bells. Elaine has bells hanging from both the front and back door, they were just next to the stairs when we got there. Jaxson has learned that the bells mean someone is coming in. He also enjoys playing with them when they are within reach, babies have a hard time not playing with something that makes that much noise!


Jax has recently learned that he is able to climb, and he quickly translated this to climbing stairs. So, with Grandma or I close behind he will climb up her stairs. We help him down but try to teach him how to do it feet first and on his tummy. This is Jaxson on his way up Mount O'Stairs.

Jaxson's next stop was the kitchen. He enjoys it because he knows how to open cabinets and and most imporantly knows how to open the drawer underneath the stove. Once it is open the fun starts by pulling everything that is light enough out and onto the floor. His favorite items are the straw hot plates, they might be his favorite because the seem to get sprinkles of straw everywhere. Babies love to see what they can do to make a mess. They can just get away with it since they are so darn cute.


And it was onto the living room. He first goes to the TV to hit some buttons and try to put as many handprints on the screen as possible. This makes me nervous but Elaine doesn't think he can hurt it so I try not to be too anxious. We have learned as soon as you keep diverting his attention it will quickly become a game of, I will stand here, bang on the screen, you will come get me, laugh.


Next he found he oh so favorite tupperware. He finds it much more interesting than any of his toys. This may be in part of him opening a cupboard and finding it himself, and then some of them were kept out for him to play with. I think he thinks he is not supposed to have it therefore it is more fun... kind of like my cell phone. Tupperware consultants should market to moms with babies, their products make great baby toys!


And we finished up our playtime with yet another item fromt he kitchen. Along with the tupperwear he found a small, red strainer and he thought that was so fasicinating. One of his favorite games is to put it on his head and have it fall off, then you put it on your head and have it fall off. So fun.



Believe it or not, a few bottles and a nap or two included in the routine this occupies our little bundle of joy for hours and hours. And he looks so cute doing it too!

Cleaning out the closet

Jaxson has outgrown so many of his clothes and I finally put them all into a laundry basket. Then that laundry basket sat in his room because I didn't have anything to store his old clothes in. I finally went to the store and got a bunch of plastic totes to put away some things that need to be put away and stored. I got a tote that can fit under his crib for now, and we will soon need to find more room but this will work for now! While I was filling up the plastic tote Jaxson couldn't stay out of it. He would climb in, climb out, usually taking some clothes with him. He was so cute, I couldn't resist but encourage this in and then out so I could grab a few pics. I am glad I did, he is so adorable.

Dinner Time

Jaxson was such a tired boy the other night but was still up for some dinner. So I had a bite then Jaxson had a bite, this continued until we had two empty plates. Jaxson decided that he didn't even want to wait to be taken out of the highchair before lying his head down and a big yawn.





Jaxson also decided he wanted to play with my camera that was in his face all night. (Not that he isn't used to this) He is beginning to throw mini tantrums when you don't give him what he wants to play with. I am sure that he will get much better at them as he gets older, not something I am looking forward to. This is a progression of one of his mini tantrums when he wasn't able to play with my camera.

Can I play with the camera??? Please???

NO! Are you serious.. wwwhhyyy noooooott?????

Whaaaaaaaa

Pumping Stainless Steel

Jaxson was working his way to pumping iron by pumping some stainless steel at Elaine's house yesterday. Enjoy the video.

Easter Sunday

Happy Easter everyone! Today we went to Carol's today for Easter lunch really and hung out with the Williams crew. Carol made a ham and everyone brought a little something. I was in charge of deviled eggs, I think because those are REALLY hard to mess up. But.... I messed them up. After I made the mixture it just didn't look right, then I tasted it and it didn't taste right either. I checked all the dates, eggs were good, mayo was good, mustard didn't have a date anywhere so by process of elimination I'm assuming that was the culprit. I didn't feel right about feeding my family something that I didn't intend eating myself so I went to Carol's empty handed. Everyone agreed that was for the best.



Jaxson had a cute outfit on that I found at the Children's Place, some great deals! It was his first day wearing shoes and it must be a practiced skill. He wasn't sure what to do with these things on his feet and ended up looking similar to a cat with tape on his feet. After a few pics we ended up taking of the shoes so he could get around easier.



Addison was the only other kiddo that joined because all the others were busy with egg hunts and various other Easter day activities. She brought along her baby stroller that she adores. Jaxson, who uses stroller like things to walk behind, chased Addi and the stroller down all day. He tried to walk with it but it just toppled over with his weight. Despite this problem he continued to chase down Addi and the stroller no matter where she went or how fast she tried to get there.


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Eventually, after a jar of baby food and exerting some energy chasing Addi around he was so tired and crashed. Surprisingly he stayed that way for quite a while and we ended up waking him around 5pm to put him packaged up in his car seat. Once we got home he has been going and going and going, similar to the energizer bunny. He crawled right out of his cute little pants and took off one sock and has been a happy camper. He is heading to bed now, his first Easter was a success!

Yes, we forgot a bib. But really, this covers more and was probably safer since he was all dressed up!

is it in the DNA?

Jaxson loves remotes. We have a sesame remote that is one of his faves, we also have an old remote without batteries he thinks is real, but his favorites are still the real remotes. Maybe it is because when he has them stuff happens, and dad jumps up in horror that the channel just changed. Kids are smart, they know things. Lately he gets one of the real remotes in each hand and simply crawls away with them. He laughs as he goes knowing that we will soon chase him down to reclaim the remotes. This chase game is quickly becoming a favorite.

Watching his fascination with remotes makes me think that the love of the remote is somehow etched into a males DNA. The only time I have the remote is when he is gone or if we each have a remote. (We have a few remotes all programmed to the same TV, it makes remote wars particularly interesting) For the most part Dave and I agree with what to watch, he even enjoys some of my more girly shows, example The Hills (but who doesn't like that show???) We have come to remote peace but it looks like we have up and coming competition for the remote wars, his name is Jaxson.

Making a quick getaway, loot in tow.

They are so much fun they must taste good as well.. the logic of a 9month old.

Girly Boy or Boyish Girl...

I found some great deals at Children's Place and got Jaxson a few button-down dress shirts and an outfit for Easter. One of the shirts I found was a nice collared light pink shirt. I think guys look so handsome in pink so even though it was one size too big we bought it and will wear it through summer. I needed to go to the Apple Store today and Dave was working on an accounting test so I had Jaxson in tow and thought we might as well try out the new pink shirt even thought its a little big. He looked nice in his dark jean and button down shirt and we roamed the mall. We stopped at Starbucks when Jaxson made eye contact with three girls in line ahead of us. They giggled and then mentioned what a cute little girl he was. Then they wanted to know how old "she" was. They go on to make cute little voices at "her" and ask her if she loves shopping yet and that they think her favorite drink will be the passionfruit something or other.

This continued through waiting for all three of their drinks, which can take awhile at Starbucks. One told me how she babysits an 8mo old but how "your little girl" is so much more alert. It was kind of annoying, more than kind of really but I guess I asked for it putting him in pink. Throughout the conversation I was trying to decide if I should correct them. At this point it was established they were completely convinced Jaxson was a girl and it might embarrass them to find out they were incorrect. I was worried they were going to ask, "so whats her name" next and then they would either think I have a serious problem naming and dressing my little girl in boy clothes, or they would be absolutely embarrased. I would be anyway.

Then it had me wondering, when babies are.. well babies maybe its too early to dress a boy in pink. At this point a lot of people base the sex of the baby on the clothes, bows, etc. But on the other hand would anyone really think a little girl dressed in boyish button down shirt?? Then it had me thinking, maybe it is just never appropriate to comment on a baby unless, without a doubt, you know exactly what sex the baby is. Its the same rule I use with a pregnant women, I will only comment on her pregnancy if she asking me to drive her to the delivery room, otherwise I won't say a word until she does! If you keep to this rule you eliminate that uncomfortable moment when you said it was a boy or girl and it wasn't. I think most of us have had that moment. Here are some of our lovely BOY in his GIRLY pink shirt.

Oh Joy AppleCare!

A week ago or so my computer cord stopped working so I moved over to "Dave's couch" and plugged the computer in and still nothing. Finally I wiggled it enough that I got some juice and it continued to work for about a week or so. Then yesterday it stopped working again but this time it didn't matter if I wiggled left, right or center; it just wasn't going to work. So I trucked over to the Apple store to get a new computer cord and 80 bucks later I had one. The best news was that they guy told me AppleCare expired in three years not in the two years like I thought. This was great news. I bought the cord anyway just in case it wasn't covered or my AppleCare ran out. I called them this morning, put in my case number, went to the apple store at 11:30am and got my new, FREE, replacement cord and returned the one I bought. YAYAY. I was so happy about the money I saved that I bought my self a new shirt at Express. :) It was on sale then on sale again so I still brought home more money than I spent, which is always a good thing!

The worst sound EVER!

Finally the top two teeth have come through and so now we are just waiting the two next to the front. It is a new feeling for Jaxson and is going to take some time to get used to teeth being next to each other. Until then we may have to deal with him GRINDING HIS TEETH! Oh, it is absolutely the worst noise ever. It sounds like nails on a chalkboard but worse, it is definitely worse than scraping a fork through your teeth. I hope this stage is something that goes by very quickly because every time I hear it I cringe. Dave is the worst, noises like that bother him more than they do me so when Jaxson gets started grinding away Dave can barely be in the same room. We will either get used to it or we won't but either way I hope it stops soon!

It won't be long.....

Jaxson is getting very good at crawling fast and can get into a doorway left open in 10 seconds flat but lately he has been working on balance. Balance on two feet that is. When he is playing he will throw his hands up in the air accompanied with an enthusiastic yell. After a 10 seconds or so he will plop down on his butt and will start it all over again. Aunt Mimi, you might get to see some of his first steps!

Ennen's

Eric Ennen was one of the first of Dave's friends that I met so he is one of my favorites. He and dave have been friends since elementary I believe so of course they are very close. Kristy is one of the nicest people we know so they make a good match. We haven't seen Kristy since the wedding and Eric only once so it has been way too long. Although, since Kristy is a blog reader it still seems like she is in the know but we are missing out on their news! They both are busy people so we were happy to be able to meet them for dinner Thursday night at Trostel's Dish. It is a great restaurant so that was nice too. We each ordered a couple of things and ordered the sampler dessert so we got to try each on the menu, oh so good! Jaxson, being his fun active self quickly knocked over my pop to get the night started. The waitress brought a couple different fruits and some bread that Jaxson tried and seemed to like. All in all it was a good night and we will make sure we don't wait another 6 months to do it again. By the way, thanks Kristy for taking some pics of Jaxson and I. I am always the one behind the camera, it is nice to have some of the two of us!

Blounts

Last Friday, the same day I chopped my hair, we went to Meghan and Marty's for pizza. They invited some friends over who all had kids and it was a big pizza party kid fest. They have a son Marty Jr who will soon turn 2, and their friend have a daughter who is near the same age named Addison. Holcomb and Leah also were there with Aubrey and Tyler of course and Jaxson as always was the youngest. They recently bought a house near Waukee in a very new development. They were just getting the sod in when we were there. They ordered pizza from a new pizza place near them, one of the choices was called crack pizza.. because it's addicting like crack. The name might leave something to be desired in my opinion but then I tried it and it truly was addicting.

My handsome boys

Dave with two babies... he looks like a natural! Hmmmm......

Marty Jr