Armen Family Updates

Almost 20 week Ultrasound pics...

2011-11-28T09:38:00.001-05:00

Here's our little guy's face (right) and tummy (left)...

His 'boy' shot... :-)

We are very excited to meet our baby boy! Jack thinks that his name is going to be either 'Ollie' or 'Jack Jr.'...we'll see! ;-)

2011-11-28T09:14:00.001-05:00

Just wanted to share this deal with all of you!! Pass it on!! :-)

Cyber Monday is Giveaway Monday on Melissa & Doug's Facebook Fan Page!

“LIKE” us on Facebook to be eligible to win! Answer the active giveaway’s question, to enter that giveaway. At least one random entrant will be chosen to win each giveaway.

JOIN US BEGINNING at 8am EST for the FIRST GIVEAWAY…OUR TRAIN TABLE!

We’ll be giving away terrific educational toys from 8am EST, right up until midnight!

Check out Melissa & Doug's Terrific Twenty Holiday Toys to see some of the great prizes we’ll be giving away!

Giveaway event ends midnight EST 11/28/11.

2011-11-25T15:21:00.001-05:00

Thanksgiving Surprise!!

For those of you who didn't already know, we are having another baby, due April 13, 2012! We surprised our family at our Thanksgiving Feast with the news that baby is healthy, and that we know the gender! Check out our reveal...

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Elizabeth's 1st Birthday! (159 photos), by Tiffany Armen

2011-03-14T14:44:00.001-04:00

I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.
Click here to view photos

Another comparison...

2010-12-06T22:41:00.004-05:00

Well, you can definitely tell that they are siblings, but I think that Jack and Elizabeth are starting to branch away from their 'looking alike' stage...what do you think??

Jack @6 months old

Elizabeth @ 6 months old

Jack @ 9 months

Elizabeth @ 9 months

Save time this holiday season with Shutterfly!

2010-11-11T15:35:00.006-05:00

Hello friends and family! It's that time of year again...Christmas card time! As many of you already know, we try to send out a photo card each year to everyone, and this year we are planning to order them from Shutterfly. We have never actually ordered from Shutterfly, but have known many people who have, and are all very satisfied with their products.

Below, I have listed a few options that we are discussing for our Christmas cards and/or holiday shopping. They are just a FEW of the many wonderful things that Shutterfly has to offer:

1. http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/with-love-chartreuse-christmas-5x7-folded-card?sortType=1&storeNode=93491&fc=2
I love this card type because of its many options for photo display, as well as its classy look.

2. http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/lovingly-wrapped-american-lung-association-holiday-5x7-folded-card?sortType=1&storeNode=93491&fc=2
This card is also very cute, because of its unique style! :-)

3. http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars/wall-calendars
I love the idea of creating a calendar for family to enjoy ALL YEAR THROUGH!

So, if you are busy this holiday season (like MOST of us!), just put Shutterfly to work for you! It's stress-free. It's easy. It's affordable. Sounds great to me!!

If you're really interested, just follow the link below to get 50 FREE HOLIDAY PHOTO CARDS!!
http://bit.ly/sfly2010

Only 6 days left to vote for my friend Tiffany's school! They are soooo close! Please vote daily to help them win!

2010-10-27T19:05:00.000-04:00

View and vote for my school's nomination.: "Help choose the winner. The Clorox Power A Bright Future site gives schools a chance to win grants and daily prizes. Let’s show our support for a Bright Future together!"

View and vote for my friend's school music program's nomination.

2010-10-17T16:29:00.000-04:00

Please take a minute to vote for my friend's school music program! They could win $50,000!! They are St. Clement School (teacher: Tiffany B.) Thanks!!

2010-10-11T21:01:00.001-04:00

Power a Bright Future Program: "The Clorox Power A Bright Future site gives schools a chance to win grants and daily prizes. Let’s show our support for a Bright Future together!"

Jack (3 yr) & Elizabeth (6 mo) (14 photos), by Tiffany Armen

2010-10-06T22:33:00.001-04:00

I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.
Click here to view photos

Pigeon Roost Farm 2010 (63 photos), by Tiffany Armen

2010-10-06T22:32:00.001-04:00

I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.
Click here to view photos

Ocean City 2010, by Tiffany Armen

2010-09-25T14:13:00.001-04:00

I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.
Click here to view photos

Apple Picking 2010, by Tiffany Armen

2010-09-10T17:08:00.001-04:00

I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.
Click here to view photos

Our babies are growing up!

2010-09-10T15:53:00.004-04:00

Jack turned 3 this week! He wanted a Toy Story birthday, with cupcakes, balloons, and ice cream. So, that's what he got! :-)

Below is a link to look at pictures from his party...

http://www.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=4792818007/a=53744725_53744725/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/

Being the big 3-year-old that he is, Jack is about to start his first year of preschool this month! Time sure does fly!

Jack's birthday was also extra special this year, because his baby sister turned 6 months on the same day!

I'll be sure to post pictures from our vacation soon! Have a great weekend!

It's been a long time...

2010-08-31T15:20:00.009-04:00

Well, it has been quite some time since the Armens have given an update. ;-)

We are all doing well!

Todd has had a very busy Summer at work. He's also been participating in a weekly Golf League, which has helped him get some R & R throughout the summer months.

Tiff has been busy taking the kids to our weekly playdates, the park, music class, and other fun activities to help pass the time.

Jack has had a busy Summer! He's been hanging out with his buddies Kai, Kullen, Colin, Donovan, Corinne, & Lydia, as well as spending time with his cousins Cameron, Caiden, & Lillian. Pool days, park days, sprinkler days, and storytime days have kept him busy, along with his weekly Music Class with Miss Janet. It's hard to believe that Jack is also about to celebrate his 3rd birthday!!! He's also going to be starting preschool in September! Where has my baby boy gone??

4th of July Parade

Playing Dress-up

Swingin' together

Love...

Elizabeth has been growing like a weed! She will be 6 months old on Jack's birthday!! She has been 'participating' in Jack's weekly scheduled activities as well. ;-) With each passing day, she seems to be changing...she can now sit up (without support!), play with fun toys, has TWO teeth, is enjoying a daily helping of cereal (we'll be starting veggies next week!), rolls all around, and is just our little princess!

Tasting Rice Cereal for the first time (she was 5 months, 1 week old)

Sitting up all by herself!

Showin' off her chompers

Soon, our family, along with Pop-Pops & Mimi Armen, will be traveling to Ocean City for our annual beach vacation! Jack is very excited about it this year! I'll try to post pictures in a timely manner. ;-) Until then, have a great end-of-the-summer!!

Fun May Days...

2010-05-16T15:22:00.003-04:00

Two Months Old!!

2010-05-05T15:54:00.013-04:00

Mommy was having some fun with her Mother's Day present...a new camera! Hopefully, these pics and videos will turn out for you all to see!

:-)

Look at me! I'm two months old today!! :-)

Our pretty little princess...

Playgroup at Colin's House...

The boys had a blast dancin' in the 'construction zone' at Colin's house!

Jack is such a big boy now! We started our potty training adventure last Friday, and so far, so good! He has been 'accident-free' for two days now (well, minus going #2 during naptime...lol)!! We are SOOO proud of him!! :-)

Our sweet girl is already TWO MONTHS OLD!

Comparison...

2010-04-17T15:41:00.004-04:00

Elizabeth: 6 weeks old

Jack: 6 weeks old

What do you think? Do they look like brother and sister??

;-)

More pictures...

2010-04-17T09:52:00.006-04:00

Elizabeth is 6 weeks old! Time has surely flown by...

Here's a pic of one of her first real smiles. She's been giving us little smiles here and there for a couple of weeks, but it seems more consistent lately. :-)

Here are a few other pics of the kids...

J practicing his T-Ball Game...

J going for a drive...

Easter Egg Hunt at LCC after church on Easter Sunday...

Elizabeth in her Easter Dress...

Mommy having fun with the camera...

J climbing the rock in our backyard...

J blowing bubbles....

Awww...

2010-04-05T15:27:00.001-04:00

I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.
Click here to view photos

1 Month Old (172 photos), by Tiffany Armen

2010-04-05T15:07:00.001-04:00

I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.
Click here to view photos

More pictures of Elizabeth...

2010-03-14T15:31:00.001-04:00

Fran posted a couple of new pictures of Elizabeth to her blog! Click the link below to check them out...

http://www.franbarkerphotography.com/blog/newborn-photography/elizabeth-smiles-%e2%99%a6-pickerington-ohio-newborn-photographer/

We had a baby!!

2010-03-13T23:10:00.004-05:00

Elizabeth Annamarie was born on Friday, March 5th. She weighed 8lbs 8oz, and was 20 1/2 inches long. She is absolutely perfect. :-)

Here are some pics of our one-week-old princess...

Our family of four...

I will post more pics from her first week at home (once I actually upload them! LOL). But for now, here's a pic of her from our photo shoot with Fran Barker (www.franbarkerphotography.com) today (Elizabeth is 8 days old in this photo)...

Brooke Anna (27 photos), by Tiffany Armen

2010-02-27T14:49:00.002-05:00

Here are some photos of Jack's new cousin, Brooke! Congratulations, Scott & Melissa! :-)
Click here to view photos

It's almost time!!

2010-02-26T15:02:00.004-05:00

After many weeks, our baby girl will be here! :-) If we do not have her before March 4th, we're scheduled to be induced! She will most likely be born on Friday, March 5th! :-) We can't wait to meet her!

Here's a pic of what Mommy looks like (taken on 2/25/10) at 38 weeks...

J is giving his 'baby sisser' a kiss...

Here's another picture of Jack, which was taken right before we left for church on Sunday. Look at my little man! He's so handsome! :-)

This will probably be our last post before baby girl gets here! Check back for pictures! :-)

Cute video...

2009-12-27T22:08:00.001-05:00

This was taken at our friend Michele's house a few days before Christmas...too funny...

http://krafjackkrew.aboutmybaby.com/video/119323

Baby Update

2009-12-23T16:37:00.007-05:00

Hello everyone! It has been WAAAY too long, but things have been pretty busy around here. :-)

Jack is growing up so fast! His favorite things to do right now are: Sing 'Frosty the Snowman' (well, the title anyway), play with his cousins & buddies, and sleep in his NEW big boy bed in his big boy room! He is saying more phrases with each passing day. It amazes us every day how much he is growing and changing.

Posing with Santa...he didn't cry, he just kinda sat there...frozen...haha

Say cheese!

During the 'snow day' that we had last week, J and Mommy built J's first 'Frosty'!

hug-n-hugs for Frosty...

more hugs...

Speaking of growing and changing, our little girl is also getting prepared for her appearance in March 2010! Mommy had to have an unexpected ultrasound this morning, and everything was perfect! Here are a few pics of her....

Her little hand (on the right)...

a face shot with her fist above her head...aww... :-)

another face shot...

a side profile (with an arm and a leg!)

her heart (her heart rate was a perfect 154)...

She's still a 'she'! :-)

a 3D shot

She was covering her face with her arm (on the right) AND her leg (on the left)! Already the Diva! ;-)

another profile shot (her leg is above her body, and her arm is above her head)...

That's all we have for now...

Have a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!!

Fall Fun!

2009-10-17T16:01:00.014-04:00

We were able to visit a Farm last Sunday! Jack had a blast (and so did Mommy & Daddy!!). Here are a few pictures from our day...

Jack climbing up on top of the straw pile. He was trying to shake off the straw as he climbed! (-:

Getting ready to slide down the "Giant Slide" on a muslin sack. :)

Yay! I LOVE to slide! :)

Doing the 'Straw Crawl'...

The Corn Maze..."See ya, Mom!!"

Jack loved running through the maze!

"Are you guys coming?!"

Finally, someone got tired and wanted "Up!"...

Smile boys! :-)

...getting ready for the 'Barrel Train Ride'...It's a tight squeeze, but Daddy would do anything for his little man!

Almost done!

We had a great time! We are actually planning to go to a couple more farms before the season is through. We will try to post pics as soon as we can! :-)

Ultrasound Pictures...

2009-10-17T15:53:00.003-04:00

Here are the pictures that we received after our baby girl's ultrasound on Wednesday!

Her foot...

It's a GIRL!!

Her arms...

Her face (on the left), belly and arms!

We are so excited, and can't wait to see her again in a month at our due date confirmation ultrasound!

:)

BIG NEWS!!

2009-10-14T21:20:00.003-04:00

We are having a little girl!! We had an ultrasound today, and she is doing well! It looks like she might be due a little earlier than we thought. We will have another ultrasound in a month to figure out her actual due date, but as of right now, she is measuring to have a due date of March 11th!

We'll post pictures soon!! :)

?

2009-09-18T13:15:00.002-04:00

Sorry about that last post. I have no idea how it got there!

Jack's 2-Year Pictures

2009-09-10T23:41:00.007-04:00

Taken on September 4th (the day before Jack's 2nd birthday)...

Jack's Big News...

2009-08-27T17:36:00.003-04:00

Check out the pictures below, and see if you can figure it out...

If you haven't guessed by now, check out his shirt...

Jack is going to be a BIG BROTHER! :-)

Mommy is due on March 15, 2010, so Jack has a few more months to prepare himself for what being a 'Big Brother' means. lol ;-)

(I guess he thinks it means that he's gonna have to share everything...) (-:

Summer 2009 Pics...

2009-08-27T17:35:00.003-04:00


	Summer 2009 I have added new photos! Tiffany has shared a link to an album with you. To view the album or to reply to the message, follow this link: http://www.facebook.com/p.php?i=692704458&k=4VG2YZS54T6G6BD1PJVUW3W2P&oid=266129455321

Father's Day Weekend & More...

2009-06-22T14:31:00.008-04:00

We had a nice Father's Day weekend. On Saturday, we spent the day at Nana & Pa's house playing outside, swimming, fishing, cooking over the fire, and just enjoying the gorgeous weather. Below are some pics of our day...

Lounging by the fire...

Pool volleyball...nice shot, Tabby!

"Pool!"

Jack is a little water baby! He LOVES the pool!

On Sunday, Todd was one lucky Daddy! He got his favorite breakfast cooked for him, he went on a special golf outing with his Dad, Jack made him a special handprint craft, and he finished his Father's Day with a relaxing outdoor evening concert (complete with a picnic that Mommy prepared). Here are a few pics from the day...

"Yay! Play another song!" :)

"Let me see this..."

"It looks good on me, doesn't it?!"

"Ok...you can have it back, Dada..."

Mommy takes a picture of Daddy, so....

Daddy takes a picture of Mommy. :)

Daddy's "Father's Day" cake that Mommy made (Chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting...yum!"

This morning, our friends Celeste and Corinne came over for a playdate. It was SO much fun! The kids played outside most of the time. Here are a few pics from our time hanging out...

Corinne trys the rollercoaster...weee!!

Jack and Corinne play with the sand and water table. They had a blast & made a HUGE mess all at once! :)

"Yummy! Peaches!"

Banana popsicles to finish the meal...

Fun in the Sun...

2009-06-16T14:23:00.006-04:00

It has been a while since we have posted...probably because we have been enjoying some quality time outdoors. :) It's just that time of year, right!? We finally have a relaxing backyard landscape, with a new planting bed that we plan to use for our summer vegetables. We also put together a few 'outdoor' items for Jack to use while we are outside enjoying the lovely weather.

As for Jack, he is growing more and more each day. He is just turning into a little 'boy' rather than a 'baby'. Sometimes, it's a little sad for us, but we are just so happy that he is doing well. He was actually in a wedding two weeks ago! He was the Ring Bearer for our friends, Jeff & Jeemaa. It was TOO cute!! Unfortunately, Mommy forgot to bring her camera along, so we are waiting for the pictures to post on the wedding photographers website. Here is the link: http://newimagestudios.weddingherald.com/index.php/view_storefront_home.php. Click on Jeff & Jeemaa Kaufmann (May 30, 2009). The password to view the photos is: 7943. Like I said, as of today (Tuesday, June 16th) they are not on the site, but if you check later this week, they might be there...

Anyway, here are some other pictures of the little guy from the last few days....

coloring a picture...

playing on with his friends Colin & Kai in his NEW clubhouse!

Dinner time!

Look...DEER!

Playing 'blocks' with Colin...

eating lunch...

"This popsicle is YUMMY!"

Smile Colin!

Getting settled...

2009-06-01T17:04:00.002-04:00

Well, it has been a while, but we are still here! :) We arrived home from our 2nd WDW vacation safe and sound. We had a lovely time, even though it rained throughout the entire week! :) If you would like to see some pictures that the Disney photographers took (during the dry parts), you can check out this link:

http://www.disneyphotopass.com/photoshareviewer.aspx?share=748ec401-4521-4062-81f9-010b5098a7ff

I will try to post again soon...

The MEGA Post

2009-04-30T16:03:00.029-04:00

Hello everyone! This is the MEGA post! We have not posted in a while, so there have been many things that have happened in the Armen household. From Easter, to going to the Zoo, to just playing outside, to going to Disney World...we've been a busy family!! Below are a ton of pictures of our adventures...

Mommy & Jack pose next to the Manatees at the Zoo...

The flamingos were crazy the day that we went! They kept flapping their wings and running around...too funny!

Brushing the goats at the 'petting' Zoo...

Caiden's 1st birthday cake (that Tiff and Tab baked, and Aunt Tiff decorated).

Jack is eating his yogurt all by himself!

Playing with my new T-ball set...

Daddy teaching Jack how to play t-ball...

Jack & Daddy posing for a shot at the LCC...

Jack's hunting for eggs at his 1st Easter Egg Hunt (at the Lancaster Country Club)...

He found some!

Playing with Colin in the ball pit/tunnel...

Colin plays peek-a-boo!

Racing horses...

Hunting eggs at Colin's house during our playgroup Easter egg hunt...

Lily is lookin' good while hunting for eggs...

The three amigos...

Say cheese! (Jack, Kai, Lily, Sophia, Colin)

Jack making his 1st craft...an Easter placemat!

Kai works hard on his placemat...

Great job, Colin!

Jack is hunting for Easter eggs that the Easter Bunny left at our house...

Yay! He found some more!

Cameron found some, too!

Ready for our first walk in the rain...

I love the rain!

For Jack's 18-month pictures, Caiden's 1-year pictures, and just cute 'Easter' pictures, we took the cousins to Celebrity Kids. They had live ducks and bunnies...too cute! Below are the pictures that we chose...

Cute Cousins!

Jack LOVED the bunny!

The ducks...not so much...

Senior picture pose...

So handsome!

Smile Caiden!

Yay! I'm one!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WDW April 2009:

Our 1st night at the Magic Kingdom...

Jack was SO tired on our first day that he fell asleep right before the parade started!

Daddy was having fun with the camera...Smile Mommy!

On our 2nd day, Jack got his first haircut! Here's a pic of him sitting in the barber chair.

After they get their first haircut, they are 'sprinkled' with pixie dust and given a pair of Mickey Ears with 'First Haircut' embroidered on the back...too cute!

After the haircut...

First character meal. This is with Leo from Little Einsteins...

This is a pic with JoJo from JoJo's Circus. Jack was a little unsure when they came up close (as you can see), but as soon as they would walk away, he would call for them and wave at them...too funny!

1st ride on a carousel...

A pair of Mickey ears given by a lady who helped Mommy surprise Daddy on his birthday...

Much happier this time around...I love Tigger!

Hugs-n-Hugs for 'Bear-Bear' (Pooh Bear)...

Yay! It's Piglet!

Posing with Daddy on a balcony at the Contemporary Resort's 'California Grille' restaurant...

Mommy's turn...

Our last breakfast. Jack LOVED Goofy!

Before we left for the airport to go home...a sleepy (and starting to get a cold) little boy...

Well...that's IT for now! I hope that this did not crash your computer! :)

Fun with family & friends!

2009-03-24T16:23:00.005-04:00

On Monday, Jack & Mommy met Aunt Tabby, Cameron, & Caiden at the zoo. It was a chilly morning, but warmed up quick. Because it was a little chilly, we were able to see some animals that were up and about! It was a fun day. :)

Below are some pictures of our day at the Zoo:

The flamingos were very active! :)

Aunt Tabby talks to Caiden about the Flamngos...

Jack talks to the Flamingos...

We all watch the Gibbon swing in his cage and play with his toys...

We watch the Gorillas as they run around...

The boys pose for a picture after we visit the Lions and Tigers...

Today, Jack went to his regular music class. Afterward, his friends Colin and Donovan came over to play. They had the most fun playing with Jack's 'Hide & Seek Easter Bunny'. Mommy would run and hide it, and Jack & Colin would listen for the bunny to make noise. Whenever the bunny made noise, they would take off running to find him (giggling all the way!). It was too cute!

Playgroup at the Park

2009-03-18T13:35:00.011-04:00

We spent this gorgeous morning outside at the park with our playgroup buddies. It was so much fun (well, except when Colin fell down and hurt his lip, but other than that, we had a good time!).

Here are some pictures of our day...

Jack loves it outside!

Colin plays 'Peek-a-Boo'... :)

Sophia goes down the slide...

Colin goes down the slide...

Working hard to get situated on the slide (gotta love that little tongue that's sticking out!!)...

Here I go!!

Close-up of Kai... :)

A strong gust of wind!

Jack loves the wind!

Jack 'helps' Kai take his hat off... :)

Braven rides the motorcycle...

"Navigator Jack"

Lily & Sophia climb up the stairs (there's that

What are you doin'? :)

Just swingin'... :)

Party!

2009-03-14T20:29:00.003-04:00

We had a nice day today with family and friends. It started with a Tastefully Simple party. We got to try all kinds of yummy food! Afterward, we had a Sargento Finishers House Party. We got to try Sargento Salad and Potato Finishers for free! They were yummy! :) Below are a few pics from our day...

By "George!"...he's 18 months old!!

2009-03-05T13:59:00.004-05:00

I just can't believe it! Jack is 18 months old today! It seems like just yesterday that I was snuggling my newborn baby boy, and now he is a silly, loving, on-the-go toddler. It seems that even just this past week, he has learned to do more new things! He has learned how to sign the word "Eat", he has said "Mommy" and "Daddy" (instead of Mama & Dada...even though he still prefers to say the it the old way...), he has been 'pee-pee'ing on the potty (almost every day!), he says "Ch-Ch" (which means "Choo-Choo") when he sees any train, and he is even more sweet and loving than ever. He always has kisses and hugs to give to those around him. :)

Another new thing that he started to do this week is say his favorite monkey's name. Just watch & listen...

He is truly a blessing. :)

Playgroup fun...

2009-03-04T13:47:00.004-05:00

Playgroup was at our house today. We had a blast! We played, ate lunch (paninis & fruit), and played some more! We missed our friends Colin & his Mommy, Michele, who are in Pittsburgh this week :( , but Kai, Lily, Sophia, and Kullen were all in attendance! :)

Below are some pictures of our day morning together...

All playing quietly together (a rare event!)...

Say Cheese!

Lily stikes a pose...

The boys also had a fun time playing a game that started during our playgroup last week, at Kai's house. Jack has recently learned (with a little help from Daddy) to show us his belly. He lifts up his shirt when you ask, "Where's your belly?". Well...he decided to try it on his buddy, Kai. Watch the video below to see them in action! :)

More pictures...

2009-02-27T09:35:00.003-05:00

Daddy would be proud!

...playing with balloons at Lily & Sophia's Bday party...

"Would anybody notice if i just took these??"

Taken yesterday...

The boys & their Mommies...

Jack posing after his award presentation...

The boys playing in the ball pit...

Mommy & Jack play with the parachute.

Jack runs across the Tumble Track (an air-filled track).

2009-02-26T13:39:00.006-05:00

It was a big week for Jack this week. First, he was moved up to the "big kids" class in Music. He is not in the 0-18 months music class anymore. :( He is now in the 18 months-3 years class. He is just growing up too fast!

He also completed his first full session at Fit Kidz Club this morning. It was too cute. The instructors had a medal "Award" ceremony for all of the kids at the end of the class. Each child had his or her name called, and then they would climb up a set of stairs to receive their 'medal'. Check out the videos below...

Jack gets his Star medal!

Colin gets his Star medal!

Jack and Colin had a fun time throughout the class. Below are some pictures of their adventures...

Yay! We love the ball pit!

Smile!

We tried to pose the super stars...

Don't look so happy, Jack. :)

Time for stamps!! (At the end of every gym class, the kids get stamps on their hands...)

Hello again!

2009-02-19T14:43:00.003-05:00

I realize that it has been a while since our last post. :) We have had a rather uneventful couple of weeks. Mommy had a concert to perform in, Daddy has been working a lot, and Jack turned 17 months old!! He is a funny kid. :) He is changing daily (by the minute, it seems!). He can now sign "Thank You", say "Up", eat peas (by choice!!), and is constantly giving kisses and hugs-n-hugs. He is just a joy to have around.

Below are some pictures that I took of him this afternoon. He was "helping" Mommy fold clothes (one of his favorite things to do...he sees a basket of laundry-clean or dirty- and points and says 'toes', which means 'clothes', and signs "please"...too cute...)

So much fun!

Shaking my new "big boy pants" (which I will not be wearing for some time, but I at least try to pee on the potty every day!)

"Let's see...what else is in here?"

No comment.

On Wednesday, we had a playgroup birthday party for two of the girls in the group who had February birthdays. It was too cute! Mommy forgot to bring her camera (AGAIN!!), so here's a link to Colin's site with the pictures....

http://colinmichaels.aboutmybaby.com/photoalbum/211833/slideshow

Have a great weekend!!

Happy Birthday, Cameron!

2009-02-03T15:20:00.009-05:00

Jack's cousin Cameron turned FOUR this weekend! He had a fun birthday party at Magic Mountain (which has an indoor tunnel/ball pit gym and an arcade for the kids to play). Check out the pictures below...

Cameron's "Diego Rainforest Cake" that Tiffany and Tabatha made...

Mommy climbs through a tunnel with Jack...

Jack is trying to get Daddy's attention...

Jack plays in the ball pit...

Cameron and his friends playing in the tunnels...

Cameron and Trisha have a "Dance Dance Revolution" Tournament...

Jack loves the gold token game!

Nana helps Jack get on his first "Ride"...

Jack driving the Sesame Street Fire Engine...

Jack and Caiden drive the sports car together...

Smile, birthday boy!!

Cam opens his gift from Aunt Tiff & Uncle Todd (and Jack)...

Snowed In...

2009-01-29T14:48:00.002-05:00

Well...in case you haven't heard, we have had some lovely Winter weather lately. We had a few inches of snow, then it was covered with an inch of ice, then it snowed a few more inches over that. Schools have been closed for two days now (which means Jack's Gym class was canceled, too!). Mommy and Jack have been going a little stir crazy inside, so we decided to head over to Colin & Michele's house today. We had a nice morning! If you are interested in seeing pictures of our snow-day fun, just click on the link below. It will take you to Colin's website.

http://colinmichaels.aboutmybaby.com/photoalbum/209174

The weather man is calling for a couple more inches of snow overnight...we'll see what happens!

:)

Busy days..

2009-01-27T14:39:00.009-05:00

Well, it has been almost two weeks since our last post, and many things have happened to our family.

Todd threw a suprise 30th birthday for Tiffany (and she was TOTALLY suprised!). He sent her on a spa day (to throw her off track), and when she arrived home, many of her friends and family were there to suprise her. It was a great day. Click the link below to see pictures that Kasey took of the festivities...

http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=275164015/a=53744725_53744725/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink

Since our last post, Jack also had his first real experience of playing in the snow! Check him out in the videos below...

Todd was honored at a dinner party this past weekend for passing his boards and becoming a partner in his Anesthesia Group. :) It was a lovely evening.

As for the rest of the time, we have been visiting with friends, going to Music and Gym class, and just hanging out as a family. We'll see what the rest of this week will bring (probably, more snow!). :)

Communicating with our toddler...

2009-01-14T15:16:00.009-05:00

Throughout most of his life, we have tried to initiate simple 'sign language' to Jack. It seems to help with communication, when it's difficult for him to form actual words with his mouth. He has used the "More" sign for about two months or so, and has figured out that it is effective. He uses it when he wants food, a toy, help, and other various things. He is also starting to use the sign for "Milk" (randomly). Yesterday, I did the typical sign for "More, please", just like I always try to do, and he signed in all back to me! Not just the "More" sign, but the, "Please" sign, too! I tried to catch it on video. This is the best that I could do...

I know you're probably thinking..."a cookie?!" Well, they were healthy cookies (oatmeal raisin cookies made with zucchini and banana). It's a recipe from the Jessica Seinfeld book, "Deceptively Delicious". She basically adds healthy ingredients to things that kids already love. They're actually not bad!

Fun Thursday!

2009-01-08T19:44:00.015-05:00

Today, Jack and his buddy Colin had a blast playing together! They went to their 1st Fit Kidz Club "Toddlerz" Class. Then, Colin's Daddy came over to help Todd move the washer and dryer out of our house (the washer broke, so we're getting a new washer & dryer). Colin's Mommy, his brother, and Colin himself came over to play and have lunch. It was too fun! Below is a video of the boys playing in Jack's "Little People Village". :)

After they left, Jack (and Daddy-who had a busy night while "on-call") napped, while Mommy ran some errands. Then, after Jack's (and Daddy's) short nap, we headed back over to the Fit Kidz Club for "Open Gym". Below is a video of Jack walking across the "air runway".

We'll see what the rest of the week has in store for us! :-)

Happy New Year!

2009-01-02T21:32:00.004-05:00

Hopefully, everyone reading this blog has had a wonderful start to 2009. =)

We were able to spend some time with family and friends to ring in the new year! On New Year's Eve, we hung out with Celeste, Jeremy, and Corinne. We ate homemade pizza and watched the kids play...good times. =)

Below are a few pics of the kids opening their gifts...

Jack really knows how to open gifts!

Corinne works intently on her present...

Teamwork!

On New Year's Day, we sat at home, watched football, and ate Pork 'n Kraut with some friends. It was a lovely and relaxing day....well, except for the final score of the Rose Bowl. :-(

Today was also a day spent at home...putting some things away, playing with Jack and his new toys, setting up our new printer, and just relaxing.

As for the week ahead, Jack begins his class at Fit Kidz Club, Mommy returns to her regular choir rehearsals, and Daddy has work as usual. We also host our weekly playgroup on Wednesday. We'll fill you in if anything else exciting occurs! Have a great weekend!

Thanks Uncle Scott & Aunt Melissa!!

2008-12-30T13:35:00.011-05:00

This post is really for Jack's Aunt Melissa & Uncle Scott, who live in Florida. They sent our presents in the mail. I thought that they might enjoy watching Jack while he opened their gifts. :)

If you are reading this, Scott & Melissa, thank you!

I tried to upload the one of him opening his outfit and his Teddy Bear, too...but, it took too long. :) Hopefully, this will let you know how much he appreciated his gifts! :)

We love you! Happy New Year! =)

LLL-Dice

2008-12-30T12:57:00.004-05:00

I took a video of Jack saying "lights" (LLLL-Dice) before Christmas. I'm not sure if this will work, but I'm trying to post it. :)

It's funny too, that just two days ago, he started actually saying LLLL-ights! :) It's SO cute! I'll try to catch a video of it soon...

Holiday Photos...

2008-12-26T20:41:00.007-05:00

We took Jack to have his picture taken on December 12th. After a few Christmas pictures, we posed for a Family shot. We're pretty happy with how they turned out. :)

Let's go for a sleigh ride!

Smile!

Family Photo...

We had a very nice Christmas. We were able to spend time with family and friends (and we still have a few left to visit with...). We feel very blessed. :)

Most of our family made it over to our house for Christmas dinner...

Jack had a blast this year! He really figured out how to open wrapped presents, and seemed to enjoy doing so. :) Below are a few pics of him on Christmas morning...

Climbing out of his new "big boy" chair...

Working intently on opening a gift from Santa...

Chatting with Elmo...

Mommy & Daddy's Christmas Gift...

After a long Christmas day, Jack relaxed with his new "friends"...

We hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas! Please keep in touch throughout the coming year. :)

'Tis the Season...

2008-12-23T21:41:00.009-05:00

Jack recovered wonderfully, and we had a blast during our playgroup "Family Christmas Party" this weekend! Below are a few pictures from our evening...

Jack & Colin see something outside...or are they just looking at their reflections?? :)

Jack gives Colin a refresher course on how to make the snowman sing...

Colin's Daddy (Donny), reads a book to Jack...

Just the Boyz....(Colin, Donovan, Kullen, Kai, and Jack)

We ran a few last-minute errands on Sunday, and had our Christmas with Kasey on Sunday evening. Jack loves his new clothes and books! Thanks, Aunt Kasey! :)

Early Monday morning, Todd woke up with the same illness that Jack had experienced! At 6:30am, he looked (and felt) awful, but attempted to go in to work anyway. :( Needless to say, he was sent home early to rest. After a rough day, he woke up this morning feeling much better. Thank goodness the 'bug' only lasted 24 hours! :) (...and hopefully I don't catch it!)

As for us, we have a busy Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Day-After Christmas planned. Tomorrow, Jack and Mommy have playgroup, then we're headed to Todd's parents for gift exchange, dinner, and church. Christmas is at our house this year, which makes it nice for us, so we'll be at home all day. :) On Friday, after possible early-bird shopping, we have a furniture delivery scheduled.

On Saturday, we are meeting with a friend of mine from high school (who I have not seen since I graduated!!), and we are very excited about that! :)

Here are a few pics that I took earlier this week (just thought I'd throw them in!)....

Jack playing with his toy train...

Cute pic...

Santa's little helper...

Silly boy...

Another cute shot...

I know that this is a little early, but we might not post soon, SO...

Have a very

Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!!

Poor baby...

2008-12-16T15:31:00.005-05:00

After his fun weekend with Nana & Pa, Jack had his not-so-fun 15-month check-up on Monday. He got two shots, and only cried a little. I thought that would be the extent of it...oh, no. This morning, the poor little guy got sick. Then, after his nap, he got sick again. Hopefully this is only one of those 24 hour bugs (and hopefully, Jack will not get sick in the middle of the night!).

On a brighter note, I am finally posting pictures of Jack's various adventures throughout the past week....ENJOY! :)

Colin's Playdate at our house...

the boys playing with the toys...

Jack gives his buddy a hug...

Colin gives his buddy a kiss...

Hungry boys (they ate 10 Chicken Nuggets between the two of them!!)

Thursday, December 4th (AHA! Children's Museum visit & visit with Santa)

playing with water at the water table...

"These beads are fun!!" :)

"Hey...who is this guy!?"

"I guesss he's ok, but I'm not gonna smile." :)

Still busy...

2008-12-11T23:00:00.002-05:00

Well, it's been a very busy 2 weeks in the Armen house! After Thanksgiving, Mommy had a wekk full of rehearsals and performances for the Columbus Symphony "Holiday Pops" concerts. Jack spent alot of time with his Grammy & Pop-Pops, and he seemed to really have fun!

After our busy week, we have had this new week to spend together as a family because Daddy had a week of vacation. :) Throughout the week, we have tried to get some things accomplished around the house, spend time with friends, take some family outings, and just enjoy our time together.

On Tuesday, Jack's friend Colin came over for a playdate. The boys had a blast playing together. We then took dinner over to Colin's house and the boys got to play in Colin's "Ball House" (basically, it's a ball pit house). It was hilarious!

On Wednesday, we hosted our weekly playgroup at our house. During playgroup, the kids had fun dancing with our singing snowman (from Hallmark)...they loved to push the button to make him sing! We also made handprint ornaments for our Christmas trees. Later that evening, Mommy, Daddy, Jack, Grammy, & Pop-Pops went to the zoo to see the Wildlights exhibit. Although Jack and Mommy already went once this year, it was a new experience for everyone else. Jack LOVES Christmas lights! He gets so excited whenever he sees them (especially in the car). He still shouts "Dice!" and has even said "lights" a few times (but not every time). It's so cute. :)

Today, Mommy & Daddy had dental appointments, and Jack basically had the run of the dentist's office. They love seeing him, and he definitely loved exploring their space today! We went out to lunch afterwards and came home for Jack's afternoon nap. This evening, we went to a free trial class at Fit Kidz Club, and Jack loved it! I wish that we would have brought the camera for that one...I guess that we'll have a chance some other time, because Jack is now enrolled in their next session. :) They work on balance and coordination, and they also make it an educational experience. Today's theme was "Colors". Each physical activity was centered around identifying colors (ie-crawl under something orange, sit on a green mat, find a red ball, etc.). Jack obviously does not know his colors (or how to follow most directions), but hopefully this class will help him to obtain these milestones. Needless to say, Mommy, Daddy, & Jack are all very excited about this new experience. :)

This weekend, Jack will be spending time with his Nana & Pa while Mommy & Daddy party! On Friday, we'll be celebating Kasey's 30th birthday, and on Saturday, we'll be celebrating Jenny's 30th birthday...we can' wait (and neither can Nana!). Hopefully, all will go well...we'll keep you posted...

So Thankful...

2008-11-30T23:42:00.003-05:00

It was a fun-filled, busy, and very blessed Holiday weekend. We were able to have Thanksgiving dinner at our house this year, which was really nice. Most of our family members were able to attend, and most of us were able to sit together at one table (except little Cam...he sat at the "kid's table", and the babies sat in their high chairs). The food was great, but the babies decided that it was time to scream during dinner, so it was a little stressful. :)

After dinner, we worked as a family to put together our 12' Christmas Tree. (Well...we kinda made everyone help us...we're hoping that this will become a yearly tradition...) :) It was fun to join together as a family to work on this (and a few other) project(s). We feel truly blessed to have such helpful, loving family members that surround us.

Throughout the weekend, we did some decorating, spent a little bit of time doing some "online shopping", and spent time with a couple of friends who we had not seen in quite some time...actually, it was this time, last year (Rakhi & Steve...if you're reading this, we had a great time at dinner, and hope that your travels led you safely back home! Congrats again!).

Today, we went to church, and spent some time with Daddy, Grammy, & Pop-Pops (b/c Daddy was on-call, we went to his parents house for dinner...). When it was time to drive home, it was quite dark outside. Every time that we passed a house with Christmas lights, Jack would say "Dice!" (which was his way of saying..."Lights!"). It was SO cute! I thought that it might have been a one-time thing, but we would drive for a while and see nothing, so he would say nothing. Then, as soon as those lights came up again... "Dice!". :)

Anyway, I did not get many pictures on Thanksgiving day (b/c I was a little busy doing other things...), but I did catch a few shots...

taken the day before Thanksgiving....

"Pictures again!?"

a fuzzy pic of Jack on Thanksgiving day (before everyone arrived)...

Our places were set for our first real meal at the Dining Room table...

The finished product...our 12' Christmas tree (yes, that is a ladder next to it...you need that to fluff the branches...and yes, that is a baby gate around the base of the tree-protection from kids & cats...haha!) :)

Highlights from the past two weeks...

2008-11-25T15:24:00.009-05:00

Busy, busy, busy...it's that time of year again! We have had a rather fun (and eventful) couple of weeks. Below are some pictures of our adventures...

Reading a book...

Cameron reads to Jack...

It's hard to keep your eyes open in this "snow storm"! :)

A cute pic of Tabby...

Tab & Cam pose for a snowy pic...

Cameron catching snowflakes...

Cameron making a snowball...

After a long day of playing, Jack & Caiden take a bath...

Cam feels left out, so he gets to join in on the fun!

Mommy & Jack at storytime at Barnes & Noble...

My cuddle bear (I guess that he's a "cuddle puppy" this year...) all bundled up for "Wildlights" at the Zoo...

Mommy & Jack pose for a picture in front of the fountain light show!

Jack & Corinne play with balloons at Corinne's 1st Birthday Party...

Corinne's Castle Cake (her Mommy made it!) :)

Corinne (The Princess) turns one!

Sorry for the mass of pictures! Like I said, it's been a busy couple of weeks! :) We'll try to post earlier next time.... :)

Fun Days...

2008-11-12T20:23:00.002-05:00

It has been a good week thus far. We have been able to spend time with family and friends, and even spend a little time relaxing at home. :)

On Monday, Jack spent some time at Grammy & Pop-Pops' house while Mommy went to a meeting. I also visited with my Great Grandma (Jack's Great-Great Grandma), Ruth. She is doing well. She has chosen to stay at a nursing home in Lancaster, and she seems to LOVE it! When I arrived for our visit, she was in the social room watching a band for senior citizens. While she was watching, I decorated her room for her a suprise. We figured that she would need a few Christmas decorations to bring some holiday cheer. :) After I finished decorating, I walked down to the social room, and watched the concert with Grandma. It was too cute! Not only did the band play great music, but they also told some really funny jokes. It was a really special performance. It also made me wonder...what will things be like when I am older? Instead of Dixieland & Bluegrass music, will they play Rap & Pop songs? :) Just a thought...
Anyway, it was great to visit with Grandma. I hope to go again sometime soon. After our visit, I went to get Jack, and then he & I, along with Grammy & Pop-Pops, went out to dinner together. It was a nice day.

On Tuesday, Todd was post-call, so we were able to spend our day together. It started with Jack's morning Music Class. This was Daddy's 1st Music Class experience, so it was too fun! There were quite a few daddies during this class (including Colin's Daddy, Donny). We had a blast! Afterward, we realxed & played together, and then went out to dinner. Mommy had choir in the evening, so it was a "boys night" at home.

Today, we had playgroup at Traci & Sophia's house. Jack started out our time there being quite shy (which is really unusual for him). He stayed attached to my hip (or leg) for at least the first 15 minutes of playgroup. Eventually, he warmed up, and had a fun time playing with the other kids. After playgroup, Jack napped, and Mommy, Grammy, & Pop-Pops helped examine our new furniture as it was delivered. Except for the ottoman (which was broken), all pieces look great! Now, we just have to figure out how we can arrange them in our Great Room...

As for the rest of this week, we'll see how things go. I think that we are going to try to take Jack in for his flu shot, so it might be a rough couple of days around our house....we'll keep you posted. :)

Fun with my buddy...

2008-11-07T20:48:00.004-05:00

Today Jack and Mommy met up with our friends Colin, Michele (Colin's mommy), Donny (Colin's daddy), and Colin's new little brother, Donovan. We went to Pottery Barn kids for a "Sing-a-Long", but the person who was supposed to perform was "stuck in Cincinnati". Instead, they offered storytime, but the boys had other plans...

Colin is playing the bells...

The boys greet the dog (it was a lifesize stuffed one!)

Jack's favorite place in the storytime section! He kept going back and climbing up into it!

After storytime, we went to Colin's house for lunch and playtime. When we finally got home, Jack took a long nap (almost 3 hours!!). It was a fun day.

Also, I told you that I'd post the pics of Jack's new hiding place...well, he ventured there again tonight...

Yes, that's our son, under the dining room table.

14 Months Old

2008-11-05T19:48:00.002-05:00

Jack turned 14 months old today...both he and Mommy are pretty sick (getting better each day), and Daddy is still coughing, so it was a pretty boring day. We played in the backyard for a while, and Jack found a fun new hiding place (actually, it was Minnie & Murphy's hiding place until Jack figured out how to crawl into it!). I'll post the pics when I get them...

He's such a big boy! He is into EVERYTHING lately! I feel like I am constantly chasing him and saying "No!", but I guess that just comes with his age. :) His favorite thing by far, more than playing with any toy, is reading books. He loves to bring different books over to any open lap and sit while you read (he chimes in quite a bit, too). He is saying more and more each day. His latest words are "cheese", "bear", "duck", "dog", "ball", "juice", and there are more it seems with each passing day. We just feel so blessed that he is a happy and healthy little boy.

Halloweekend

2008-11-02T20:23:00.011-05:00

We had a fun Halloween week (and weekend). On Friday, Mommy & Jack went over to Aunt Tabby's house to visit with her and Jack's cousins. The kids had fun running aroung the yard on this "indian summer" Halloween day. Here are some pics of our day's adventures...

I love to slide!

Runnin' around in the yard...

Jack loves it when Cam is silly!

Cam had fun catching Jack at the bottom of the slide (and Jack loved it, too!).

Smile, Caiden!

Jack and Caiden have a conversation (or a staring match...) :)

Jack mows the lawn...

...while Aunt Tabby & Cousin Cam rake the leaves.

This is fun!

Smile Cameron!

We decided to get a group shot of the boys in their costumes. Too cute!

After playing, we had a nice time during our 1st "Trick-Or-Treat" in our new house. We didn't take Jack out for candy, but we did dress him up in his costume and sat on the front porch together to pass out candy. Jack loved to watch all of our neighbor kids (which was not very many...only about 25 kids) walking up and down the street and coming up our walkway for candy. He actually liked walking up and down the porch steps more that anything! :) It was a short evening (we were pretty much done in less than an hour!).

On Saturday, Mommy & Daddy had to work, so Jack spent the day (and night) with his Nana & Pa. I guess that he had a great time, and gave Nana & Pa a good "on-your-toes" workout! They played inside, with toys, and outside, in the leaves and with the "pony". Today, Jack also got to go to church with them, and we were told that he was well-behaved (well, as well-behaved as most one-year-olds!). :) Later this afternoon, we all went to a baby shower together. It wasn't long before mega-meltdown occured, and we had to leave. Even though we had meltdown, JJ still didn't nap. So, he had a relatively early beditme tonight (he was asleep by 7:30pm). Hopefully we'll have a better nap tomorrow...

More Halloween Pics

2008-10-28T14:27:00.001-04:00

I am slowly getting photos from other friends cameras, and will post as they arrive.

I just got this one from Celeste's blog...

Group picture...

Colin (pirate), Lily (Care Bear), Sophia (Pumpkin shirt), Jack (Flounder), Kai (Lil' Buckeye), Cameron (Batman), Corinne (Miss Kitty Cat)

Halloween Party

2008-10-27T10:57:00.005-04:00

We had SO much fun at our 1st Family Halloween Party yesterday! All of Jack's playgroup buddies, his cousins, and his friend Corinne were in attendance. Below are a few pics from our day (I will post more as I get them from friends)...

Jack (aka "Flounder" from The Little Mermaid) posing next to our pumpkins...

Colin, the "Pirate" (he actually left his hat on for a LONG time!) :)

Kai, the "OSU football player"

Corinne, "Miss Kitty Cat"

Jack & Cameron (aka "Batman") pose together...

Lily, "Care Bear", and Sophia (she's wearing her pretty pumpkin shirt) pose together...

Another Zoo Day...

2008-10-25T15:03:00.008-04:00

What a gorgeous week to be outside! It was a sunny and crisp day on Thursday when we made our trip to the zoo with Grandma and Grandpa Armen. They had not been to the zoo in a few years, and had a very nice time walking around with Jack. Below are some of the pictures from our zoo day...

Grandpa & Jack walk along a zoo path...

Jack loves to watch the penguins swim (it was their feeding time).

Jack & Grandma look for the Manatees...

Grandpa, Grandma, & Jack pose outside of the Aquarium...

Let's take this hat off, Grandpa! :)

The Red Panda was actually walking around (it's usually asleep in its "hut"!)...

It rained on Friday, so we didn't get to do much outdoors. During the day, our new bedroom furniture was delivered (well, most of it anyway). We then went out to dinner with Grandma and Grandpa Armen to celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary (which was on October 19th).

Daddy and Grandpa Armen are on their way to the OSU/Penn State game today...hopefully all goes well. :) Mommy and Jack are at home preparing for our first Halloween Party, which is at our house tomorrow! All of Jack's playgroup buddies, his cousins, and friend Corinne will be in attendance (and in costume!). We can't wait!

Spending time with family and friends...

2008-10-22T19:54:00.010-04:00

We have had a pretty nice week thus far. Daddy has been home, so we have gotten to do a few things together as a family. We went to the zoo on Monday for a couple of hours, and were able to see many of the animals that were in hiding during our previous visit. Below are some pictures of our day at the zoo...

The tiger actually was awake and right up in the front. It paced the glass while we stood there. I don't think that I have ever seen a tiger up close like that before!

Jack is in awe of the tiger, and so are Mommy & Daddy!

The Lemurs (I think that these were the Lemurs) had a baby on 8-8-08. This is a close-up of him. He was SO cute!

At the Petting Zoo area, Jack gets up-close and personal with some goats. He thought that they were pretty cool.

Still petting the goats...

Jack pets a goat napping on a bench...the goat didn't move a muscle! :)

Jack pats a resting goat on his head...

We also had our regular Music Class this week on Tuesday, and our regular playgroup time with friends on Wednesday. During playgroup at Melanie & Lily's house, we decorated our first pumpkin Halloween cookies. It was a little messy, but it was too cute! Here are some pics from our cookie decorating party!

The crew digs in to their cookies...

Jack and Kai are having fun...

Is that a smile? :)

After playgroup, we headed to Lancaster to run a few errands. We stopped to visit Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Wilson. Jack loves it when he visits because he loves to watch my Grandma's dog, Sadie, run like crazy. He just points at her and says "Dog", well, it sounds more like Doh (no "g"), but he does say it now. He is also saying "Mama, Dada, Duck, and Ball". He just keeps doing more and more each day! We're so proud of him! :)

We are heading to the zoo again tomorrow with Grandma and Grandpa Armen. Hopefully the animals will be as active as they were on Monday! :)

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...

2008-10-14T15:05:00.009-04:00

The weather has been absolutely perfect here in Central Ohio! Sunny, yet crisp...not too hot, but just right. We have tried to get out and about in this weather, because before we know it, it's going to be too cold to do anything outside. Jack and I went to the park by ourselves one afternoon, and had a great time. We walked down a path in the woods. Jack loved it when I actually let him walk on the path (he rode in his stroller most of the time). He would run for a few feet, turn around, and run right back. He loved watching and listening to the leaves crunching underneath his feet. After our walk, we played at the "playground" area at the park. Jack loves to swing and go down the slide all by himself. Below are some pictures of our day...

crunch, crunch, crunch

so much fun!

I love this pic...

Swings & the breeze...what could be better?

I love to slide!

In between "park" days, Jack spent a night with his Nana and Pa. He had alot of fun (and my poor Mom was exhausted when she gave him back to us!).

On Sunday, we went to church and then played with Aunt Kasey out in the grass. Jack loved to pick up his football and run with it. He also loves to kick his soccer ball.

On Monday, we met Aunt Tabby, Cameron, and Caiden at the park. The kids enjoyed one another's company, and had a blast walking and playing together. Below are a few pics of our day...

Running at the playground...

Cam climbs on a log along the path...

Two cute!

Pictures...

2008-10-07T15:29:00.005-04:00

We decided to take Jack to get professional photos for his "1-year" milestone. :) Here are the pics...

These were taken as a "series".

Such a big boy!

I love this shot...

He posed this way himself... :)

A mirror image...

Sitting on the dock of the bay... :)

This one is our favorite out of all of the photos taken! :)

Fun-Filled Few Days

2008-10-07T15:02:00.005-04:00

During the past weekend, we were able to enjoy some quality family time together. :)

On Friday, Todd finished work early, so we decided to head over to Lynd's Farm to pick apples and pumpkins. It was a gorgeous day! Jack even got to "pick" some apples. He didn't get to pick pumpkins, because the weeds were too high. Below are some pics of our time at Lynd's...

Smile Daddy!!

"Picking" apples...

Daddy and Jack pick apples together...

Mommy tries not to freak out about Jack touching the apples on the ground (most of which were rotten!!).

Jack wants to explore...

Feeling the leaves on the apple tree...

On Saturday, we went over to Celeste, Jeremy, and Corinne's house for a House Party. We had a nice time hanging out, eating good food, learning about a new printer, and letting the kids play together.

On Sunday, we met some of our family and friends at the Fairfield County Fair after church. We walked around, ate more food, and went into the animal barns to see all of the different animals at the fair. Jack even got to pet a beautiful prize-winning horse. We had a lovely time.

We have had a rather uneventful couple of weekdays at home. We went for an afternoon walk today...it is just beautiful outside! I wish that it would stay like this for a few more months! :)

We're home!

2008-09-30T10:58:00.007-04:00

What a week! During our "vacation" time, we traveled to Ocean City, MD, with Todd's parents. It was a nice break for Mommy & Daddy, and a good bonding time for Pop-Pops, Grammy, and Jack. Although the weather did not cooperate throughout the entire week, we were able to catch a few rays on the beach. We also spent some time walking up and down the Boardwalk (and eating WAY too many Boardwalk treats!). :) Below are a few pictures of our Ocean City Vacation...

A view of the boardwalk...

Jack watches the waves from our condo balcony...

Mommy, Daddy, and Jack walk in the sand...

Jack loves the wind...

...playing in the sand...

Jack, Grammy, & Pop-Pops wade in the water...

...do you see the ocean?

Smile! Daddy & Jack are twins! :)

This was taken later during the week, when the storms were about to hit. The wind brought in some pretty amazing waves...

After our long and relaxing week at the beach, we traveled to Hidden Valley to stay for a couple of nights. During our stay, Mommy, Daddy, and Pop-Pops went to the Penn State-Illinois game. It rained a little, but was overall a nice time. Jack and Grammy spent some alone time together. Well...they weren't alone the entire time. :) Friends of Grandma & Grandpa came to visit JJ. They had a nice evening.

The next day, we relaxed, packed up our things, and went to visit more friends of Grandma & Grandpa. After our visit, we made the long drive home. Jack doesn't do so well on long trips (he's not a good "car-napper"...he likes to check out the view rather than sleep!), but we managed to keep hime relatively occupied. :) When we arrived home, our kitties were glad to see us, and we were glad to be back in our house again. :)

The rest of our week...

2008-09-12T20:57:00.003-04:00

We had a rather uneventful week (but we're not complaining!). Todd has been on call all week, so he has been pretty busy. Jack and I, on the other hand, have spent most of our days at home.

We had Music Class on Tuesday, which is always fun.

On Wednesday, I cleaned...yay...

On Thursday, Todd's parents friends, the Minetti's, came over for a visit. They had not seen the house, or Jack, so this was a fun day. Jack showed off his walking skills like crazy. Grandpa was on "chase the baby" duty most of the time, but he seemed to enjoy it. :)

Today, Jack got a special suprise in the mail from his Aunt Melissa and Uncle Scott. :) Below are pictures of him opening his birthday gifts from them...

I love paper! (and Gators, apparently...) :)

Thank you Uncle Scott and Aunt Melissa!

This stuff is fun to crawl around on...

I'm not sure how much we'll be posting for the next two weeks because we will be preparing to, and going on, a vacation. We'll try to post during our vacation, but if not, we'll post when we arrive home.

Have a great weekend! Go Bucks and PSU! :)

Busy Birthday Weekend

2008-09-08T12:40:00.000-04:00

That's right! Jack's birthday was this weekend!! He turned 1 on Friday, September 5th! It is hard to believe how time has flown by so quickly...

We had a fun-filled (and very busy) weekend...

On Friday (Jack's "Acutal" Birthday), Mommy, Daddy, and Jack spent the day together. After Daddy finished his work day, we met for lunch at the Olive Garden. Jack was recognized as a 10TV "Baby's First Birthday" celebrity by our hostess! It was too funny! The server and her "friends" also sang the Olive Garden birthday song to Jack. He just stared at them. :) After lunch, we went to AHA! Children's Museum in Lancaster. Jack had a blast playing there! After playtime, we went home, had dinner, and gave Jack his first birthday cake (a mini-muffin from his party cake) and presents. Below are some pictures of his fun-filled "1st birthday" day...

Jack's TV debut (this was the picture that was shown on Friday morning on WBNS 10TV)...

...about to knock over the tower that Daddy built...

...rockin' the mic on-stage...

...having fun at the water table...

...ready to build (or knock things down!)...

...1st birthday "mini" cake...

I love paper & bows!!

On Saturday, Jack had his close family and friends over for his 1st birthday party. He loved being able to play with his friend Corinne and Cousin Cameron. After playing, we ate lunch and then he got to open presents. His favorite part of opening presents was the paper (tissue & wrapping). :) He also LOVED his birthday cake (especially the icing!). Below are some pictures from his 1st Birthday party...

Yeah! More paper!!

What is it???

His Winnie-The-Pooh cakes...

...blowing out the candles...

Yummy, Mom! This is good cake!

After his party, he napped, and then we had more friends over for his Fisher Price Play Date House Party! It was too cute seeing all of the babies play with the new toys. Below are a few pics from that party...

Jack loves to bounce on his new pony!

Dominic checks out the animals at the "Zoo"...

Sophia & Lily are best buddies...

Corinne checks out the activity table...

Caiden wants in on the action!

After both parties, Mommy, Daddy, and Jack were exhausted! We spent our Sunday relaxing together. Sunday evening, Aunt Kasey came over to babysit while Mommy & Daddy went to see The Lion King.

On Monday, Grandpa and Grandma Armen came over to celebrate Jack's birthday. Below are a few pics of him opening and playing with his gifts from them...

The best gift of all...PAPER! :)

Grandpa gets Jack's new Tonka toy ready for Jack to push around...

Look Grandpa & Grandma! I can push it like this!

It was a fun-filled (and somewhat exhausting) weekend!

Labor Day Weekend

2008-09-02T21:35:00.004-04:00

We had a nice,relaxing weekend with family and friends.

On Saturday, Todd's parents, my sister, and the boys came over to watch football. We ordered pizza and just hung out. :)

On Sunday, Todd played his trumpet during church, and he sounded great! After church, we ran a few errands, and then went out to Linner (Lunch/Dinner) at Red Lobster...it was tasty! :) When we got home, we just relaxed and played with Jack. It was a nice day.

On Monday, we went out to visit Grandpa and Grandma Howard, and Aunt Erica. Tabby and the boys met us out there. We had fun chatting about what we had missed since our last visit together. Jack also got to take his first ride on a Go-Kart! Below are a few pictures of our day...

Jack rides with Grandpa...

Jack "drives" with Grandpa...

Jack & Mommy go for a spin!

Jack & Grandma Linda play "Pat-a-Cake"...

Smile!!

Fun with Friends

2008-08-28T10:16:00.011-04:00

We have had an eventful week thus far.

On Monday, Aunt Tabby, Cousin Cam, and Cousin Caiden came over to visit. While they were here, I was babysitting for a friend's 5-year-old little girl named Sophia. She and Cam had fun running around the basement and playing with Jack's toys.

On Tuesday, Sophia came over again, and we decided to make a trip to Sycamore Park in Pickerington. We walked over the covered bridge and into a garden where there were many butterflies. Sophia and Jack liked this very much. :) Afterward, we ate our snacks and played on the playgroud equipment. Below are a few pics of Sophia pushing Jack on the swings...

On Wednesday, Mommy and Jack hosted our weekly playgroup. The kids (and the Mommies!) had a wonderful time hanging out with one another.

We are planning to take a drive to Lynd's Fruit Farm today to get some fresh peaches...yum! Hopefully they still have some left! :)

He did it! He did it! Yeah, yeah, he did it!

2008-08-24T22:13:00.002-04:00

Jack finally took his real first steps today! We helped him get his balance, and he took off from Mommy to Daddy (and back) all on his own! He had a couple of wobbly moments (some that were close calls, and some that were wipeouts!), but he really seemed to do well with it. He still would rather cruise on something, but I think that we'll call this day "The day that Jack took his first 'real' steps!".

Another fun thing that happened this weekend was that we were selected to host a Fisher Price House Party! What a wonderful birthday suprise for Jack!

Speaking of suprises and birthdays, I can't believe that in just two short weeks our little boy will be one...it doesn't seem possible...I look at him every day and thank the Lord for allowing me to have such a wonderful child. He is truly a blessing, and I am very grateful to be able to stay at home with him as he grows. I have friends who wish that they could do the same with their children, and I pray that they have the strength to do what they need to do in their lives. When I think of how difficult it is for them, I am so thankful that I am fortunate enough to be able to stay at home with my baby. I am truly blessed...

Almost...

2008-08-21T21:30:00.002-04:00

After many practice sessions, Jack has finally started to "walk" without us holding his hands! He doesn't quite go all by himself completely (we guide him by getting him going, and he then continues the walk before he falls into our arms),but it is definitely a start! Earlier today, he would only take one or two steps before falling into our arms. By the end of the day, he was taking seven or eight steps! It was too cute...Who knows, maybe we'll have a walking one-year-old?!

Jack also is trying to "point" to his nose, eyes, mouth, and ears...he doesn't quite have it perfected either, but he is at least trying! :)

Another big thing that happened today was that we finally got our home generator hooked up! Yay! Hopefully, we won't have to use it too often, but we are definitely excited that we will not have to bail out the sump pump anymore when the power does go out! :)

Monday, Monday...

2008-08-18T21:11:00.007-04:00

Today Mommy & Jack met Aunt Tabby, Cousin Cameron, and Cousin Caiden at Easton. We went today because some animals from the Columbus Zoo were going to be up close and personal with the kids. The animals that traveled in the Zoo caravan today were a flamingo (one of Jack's favorties), a baby albino wallaby, and a small alligator (both of which Cameron was able to "pet"). After our traveling zoo experience, we ate lunch, then Cameron went and played with the other children that were hopping through the water fountains. After all of our playing, the mommies were able to do a little shopping...it was a beautiful and fun day. :)

Below are a few pictures of our day at Easton...

Aunt Tabby points out the flamingo (but Jack just wants to watch Aunt Tabby) :)

Cam & Jack check out the flamingo.

Cam gets to pet the wallaby.

Jack is just chillin' while Cam cools off in the fountains.

Cam has a blast in the water!

Oh! I almost forgot! Today, Jack clapped his hands together for the first time! We were shopping at Macy's, and a song came on in the store. Jack just started clapping! :) It was too cute! Now, every time that you ask him to clap his hands, he does it! It just amazes me every time he does something new...he's growing up too fast!

Zoo Day...

2008-08-16T10:52:00.009-04:00

Yesterday, we joined a few of our friends from playgroup at the zoo. We all had a lovely time. Here are a few pictures from our day...

We all pose for a group picture at the Manatee exhibit...

(From the left: Michele & Colin, Traci & Sophia, Tiffany & Jack, Jaquelyn & Braven)

Jack tries to get Colin's attention...

Colin claps and Jack poses...

Best buddies...

Talking and playing together...too cute!

Geez...what are our Mommies being so giggly about? :)

Finally getting rid of it!

2008-08-13T10:08:00.003-04:00

Poor Jack has been struggling with a runny nose over the past few days, but it is almost gone now! Hooray! :)

On Monday, Daddy was post-call, so we got to hang out together all day. We played with toys, did laundry, and watched the Olympics. After Jack's afternoon nap, we took a drive up to Easton and had dinner at The Cheesecake Factory...yum. Jack loved being able to sit outside and watch all of the people enjoying the gorgeous weather while we ate. After dinner, we walked all around Easton and shopped a little. It was a lovely day.

Although his nose was only a little runny, we still went to our Music Class on Tuesday and had a blast! Jack's playgroup buddy, Colin, just joined our class. The boys are about 2 weeks apart in age (Colin's birthday is August 20th, Jack's is September 5th), and they are so cute when playing together. Well, they don't really "play", just mostly look at, talk to, and laugh at one another. :)

On Tuesday evening, Aunt Kasey came over to play with her favorite little boy. Jack sure loves it when she comes over to play (mostly, because he knows that she'll do whatever he wants...most of the time...). :) After Jack went to bed, we hung out and watched the Olympics for a while...

In a few minutes, we're heading to Jack's weekly playgroup time. Hopefully no little "runny noses" will be passed along this week! :)

Sunny Sunday

2008-08-10T22:31:00.000-04:00

Our day started by heading down to church (without Daddy...he was working). We then spent the rest of our day at Grandma and Grandpa Armen's house. During our day, Jack explored by crawling all around on the floor. He even found some fun things to pull off of shelves and loved playing with Grandma & Grandpa's coasters! :) He also spent some time playing with his toys with Grandpa. His favorite toy is a toy train that was actually his Daddy's toy when he was a little boy! It moves across the floor and plays a variety of different songs that are on "discs" (these were Jack's favorite to chew on). :) Jack and Mommy also took a walk over to the nearby school. We went on the swings together and watched some children play on the big playground equipment. When we returned to Grandma & Grandpa's, we spent some time with Uncle Scott and Aunt Melissa, who came down for an afternoon visit. We looked at Uncle Scott's Army pictures and talked to one another. After they left, we had dinner and then headed home. Jack was so tired, he fell asleep after only about 3 minutes into our car ride home. :)

Fun with friends...

2008-08-08T22:40:00.002-04:00

We had a nice evening with our friends Jeremy, Celeste, and Corinne. Jack and Corinne crawled around on the floor and played with Corinne's toys. It is so nice to see how both babies interact with one another now. Corinne is definitely more social than Jack (he was having more fun just patting her on the head, while she wanted to have a conversation with him..:), but they do seem to enjoy one another's company. One new thing that Jack decided to show off this evening was his ability to "dance". For the past few days, I had seen him bouncing to music, and thought that it might be dancing, but wanted to make sure. Sure enough, when Corinne was playing with a musical toy (and "singing" with it), Jack turned and started to "dance" to the music! It was too cute! After playtime, we all had dinner together. The babies' favorite part of the meal was the watermelon...big suprise! :) We then had more playtime, then as Corinne went off for her bath, Jack played outside on Corinne's swingset. He loved it!

Overall, we had a lovely time. Having good friends that you can relax and have fun with is such a wonderful thing. Moments like these are ones that seem too simple to remember, but we really treasure them, and feel that we are blessed to have them...

Jack is 11 months old today!

2008-08-05T11:46:00.009-04:00

Can you believe it?! Our little baby is almost not a baby anymore! Jack is 11 months old today!

This month has been one of our most exciting months yet. All within the span of a few weeks, Jack learned how to speak a foreign language (well, that's what his baby babbles sound like to us grown-ups), sit up from laying on his tummy, pull himself up to a stand, cruise along furniture (and toys), and is ALWAYS wanting to "walk" (...it's too cute!...he reaches for your hands, and you think, "Aww...he wants to hold hands with me!", but no...he wants you to be his puppetier and take his "walking" around the room! Then, when you're tired, and want a break, he refuses to sit down...he just stiffens his legs and gets a little upset!). :) "Walking" is by far his favorite thing yet (but Mommy and Daddy are a little afraid of this new skill!). :) He also gives kisses and hugs (to people, and his stuffed animals), and even loves to give Mommy and Daddy bites of his food (it's too cute to see how he is learning to share!).

With all that has happened during the past month, we are very excited (and a little scared) to see what's in store for next month!

Below are a few pics that Daddy took today of our "11-Month-Old"...

Squinting in the sun in our backyard...

Jack is "holding Mommy's hands" (no, really...he just wants to walk!!) :)

Mommy let go of Jack's hands, and he sat down (but not before Daddy could catch a pic!)...

Smile! (He was loving the wind that was blowing through his hair!)...

Busy Weekend...

2008-08-05T11:04:00.010-04:00

Hello all! We had a fun, yet busy weekend!

On Thursday, Jack and Mommy met our friends Celeste and Corinne at the pool. The kids had a blast splashing in the pool! :) Then, on Thursday evening, Mommy, Daddy, and Jack met our family, Grandpa and Grandma Armen, Uncle Scott, and Aunt Melissa for dinner. Uncle Scott arrived home from Iraq today, and we all got together to celebrate!

On Friday, Jack and Mommy met our family, Aunt Tabby, Cousin Cameron, and Cousin Caiden at the pool. Jack loves to watch his big Cousin Cameron! We splashed around all afternoon! :)

On Sunday, we went to church in the morning, where we saw Great Grandma Sylvia, Grandpa Armen, and Grandma Armen. Later that day, we went to our friend's, the Weaver's, to watch Daddy play pool basketball. Jack was more fascinated with watching the other kids, and they loved to talk to Jack! :)

Yesterday, Monday, Mommy and Jack traveled down to Nana Brenda's house to swim, play, and relax with our family. Aunt Tabby, Cousin Cameron, and Cousin Caiden met us down there, too. Below are a few pictures of our day at Nana's...

Jack and Cameron enjoy some apple juice popsicles before swimming...

Nana, Jack, and Cameron are having fun in the pool!

After pool time, Nana helps Jack as he takes a bouncy ride...

Update...

2008-07-29T11:15:00.003-04:00

I don't have any pictures to post today, but I do want to share some fun news. Jack started his first "Music Class" today. He and I, along with 6 other babies and their mommies, had a fun time singing, dancing, and playing different instruments together. Jack even got his own Rhythm Sticks and Green Scarf to keep! He loved being able to tap the sticks together (and chew on them), and he thought it was funny when Mommy had to "hide" under the scarf and play peek-a-boo with him. :) Overall, we had a very nice time, and are excited about making some new friends!

Jack T.V.

2008-07-26T14:11:00.003-04:00

I took these videos with my cell phone, so they're not the greatest...but they are cute! :)

Jack crawling around...

Little Drummer Jack...

Zoo Day

2008-07-26T13:53:00.006-04:00

Daddy actually had a free day on Thursday, so we decided to take a family trip to the Zoo. The weather was gorgeous (sunny with cool breezes)! Jack's favorites today were the Lorikeets (which Daddy voluteered to take him for an up-close look in their aviary), the Flamingos, and the aquatic life (Aquarium & Manitee exhibit). Below are a few pics of our day...

Mommy & Jack watch the fish swim by... (this shot was taken behind a hand-rail...) :)

Daddy & Jack in the Lorikeet Aviary (Mommy stayed outside...thus, the fence...) :)

An up-close pic of a Lorikeet...(well, close enough anyway...) :)

Jack loves to watch those Flamingos...

My guys...

2008-07-21T10:23:00.004-04:00

These are pics of my guys...enjoy!

My "Big Guy" and "Little Guy" strike a pose...

Smile for the camera!

Jack gives Daddy a kiss...

Park & Zoo

2008-07-18T10:42:00.005-04:00

Earlier this week, it was gorgeous outside, SO we tried to spend at least some time outdoors. On Sunday, Mommy, Daddy, & Jack went to the park. This was Daddy's first time taking Jack to the park. He loved it!

Jack's 1st time going down the big slide! :)

Jack loves the swings!

On Monday, Mommy, Aunt Tabby, Cousin Cameron, and Cousin Caiden piled into our car and drove to the Zoo. As always, the most interesting things at the Zoo for Jack are the kids! :) Here's a picture of the big boys...

Growing up...

2008-07-18T10:26:00.003-04:00

I can't believe how quickly time has flown by. On September 5th, our sweet little boy will be ONE! Crazy, right?! He is growing and changing every day. Actually, he has grown more hair in the last few weeks, so Daddy decided to experiment with it...

In case you can't tell, Daddy put a little hair styling gel on his hair! It was too cute!

4th of July Celebrations

2008-07-05T14:31:00.011-04:00

We had a lovely 4th of July week. Jack & Mommy went to our weekly playgroup (this week, we went to a park in Pataskala) on Wednesday. On Friday, Mommy & Daddy took Jack to his first parade! He loved it all. Afterward, we had some family time with the grandparents, Aunt Tabby, and cousins (Caiden & Cameron).

Here are some pics of our week's events:

Jack is on the swings at the park...he thinks that they are so relaxing!

Patriotic Babies! On our playgroup day, Colin (left) and Jack (right) swing side by side...

Jack & Corinne give hugs during the 4th of July Parade in Lancaster...

Jack has the best seat for watching the parade!

Mommy & Jack pose in front of the parade...

Jack (the "All American U.S.A. Boy") poses in his new chair at Grandma & Grandpa's house...

Although our week was very full of fun events, we couldn't help but to remember what the 4th of July was all about. We spent time thinking about Todd's brother, Scott, who is now serving our country over in Iraq, as well as all of the other members of our military who are serving (or who have served) for our country. We all feel proud and blessed to live in a country that still offers us the freedom that we have, and how we would not be here if it were not for our service men and women who offer their time, and sometimes lives, for our country.

Our 1st Family Vacation!

2008-07-01T09:35:00.016-04:00

Hello all! I know that it has been too long, but we have been pretty busy... We are finally winding down after our first family vacation to Myrtle Beach, SC. Below are some pics of our fun week...

Mommy, Jack, & Daddy playing in the pool (this is Jack's 1st time in a "big" pool!)...

Jack snoozes after our long walk at Barefoot Landing...

Jack sits in the sand for the first time...he LOVED it! :)

Jack wades in the Atlantic Ocean for the first time (he loved it when the water came up and touched his feet)...

Jack & Corinne chat & bounce... :)

Daddy & Jack laugh at the waves...

Mommy & Jack enjoy sinking in the sand...

just relax and listen to the waves...

The waves were SO relaxing, so the little babies decided to take a nap...

Splish Splash!

2008-06-05T17:48:00.004-04:00

Jack tried out his new swimming pool today (which is actually his "9 month birthday"!). He had a blast! As soon as I placed him into the water, he cracked up laughing...he loved it! I am glad, considering that we will be heading to Myrtle Beach, SC in a week! :)

Here are a couple of pics of his 1st time playing in the pool...

Memorial Day Weekend

2008-05-27T11:45:00.004-04:00

We had a very fun and eventful Memorial Day Weekend. The weeked was all about honoring those who serve our country and showing appreciation for what we have as Americans. We expressed our honor by celebrating with our fammily and friends throughout the weekend. Here are some pictures of our time together....ENJOY!

Grandpa & Jack have fun "bouncing"...

Cam shows hi patriotic side :)

Pa & Jack have a good laugh together...

Corinne & Jack "share" toys together... :)

Mother's Day Weekend

2008-05-13T09:53:00.003-04:00

I hope that you all had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend! Jack had fun hanging out with the ladies in his life (Mommy, Aunt Tabby, Nana, Great Grandma, and Grandma)!

Also, on Friday, we took Jack to the Columbus Zoo for the very first time! He enjoyed walking around and observing everything. His favorite animals to watch were: the Lorikeets & Flamingos (both are birds that are colorful & make alot of noise), the Prarie Dogs, and the Manatees (& other Marine life in the Manatee tank). He also loved to sit near the pond area and watch the fountain. :)

Here are a couple of pictures of our first day at the Zoo...

As for this week, we are just hoping that the weather will be a little bit warmer so that we can venture outdoors for a while. :)

New Friends...

2008-05-07T09:45:00.005-04:00

Jack made a new friend yesterday. My friend Heidi and her daughter, Madelynn, came over to visit. The kids really enjoyed each other's company. Here's a few pics of their time playing together...

Busy, busy, busy...

2008-05-05T12:02:00.002-04:00

We spent SO much time outdoors this past week (and weekend). We mulched around our front yard (planting beds, trees, etc.), planted 13 new trees, created a planting bed around our mail box, and planted several flowers in planters on our patio...it was alot of work, but we feel great about how well we did! :) We also hooked up our new grill (finally)! Hopefully we will be able to have a BBQ with family and friends sometime soon. :)

Jack really enjoyed his time outside. We brought his Pack-n-Play out on the front porch so that he could play with his toys while Mommy and Daddy worked. :) He also had fun playing in his Activity Jumper out on the patio while Aunt Kasey and Mommy planted flowers. :)

All in all, it was hard work, but it was totally worth the effort!

Bathtime!

2008-04-30T12:09:00.007-04:00

Jack had his 1st bath in the "big tub" last night! He loved it! He was able to splash water everywhere and play with his toys...

Check out this water baby!

Jack's Baptism Day

2008-04-21T10:56:00.003-04:00

Jack became an official member of St. Peter's Lutheran Church (Lancaster, OH) yesterday! He actually did very well throughout the entire service (with the exception of "talking" during the pastor's sermon :) ...). During the actual Baptism, he tried to take his shoes off (haha!), but he let the pastor hold him and really loved the part where the holy water was poured over his head (he LOVES water...especially at bathtime!) :)

Below are some pics of the joyous event (and the "after-party")... ENJOY!

Jack being baptized (with Daddy, Mommy, & Aunt Kasey looking over him) :)

Jack being blessed at the alter...

Jack & Corinne talking to one another after lunch...

...playing on the floor and Grandma & Grandpa's house (he loves it when you take his clothes off!)...