Monday, October 4, 2010

7 Months Old

Hi, peeps. It's Jack here. Mummy let me crash the blog and write my own post, since I turned 7 months old on Saturday and she thinks I'm big enough to write what I want. I think I am and know I can, so here goes. Oh, and BTW, I'm also old enough to sit on my own (Mummy likes to say "Finally!" with a huge sigh, whenever she tells people that). Yea, I would much prefer to be RUUUNNNIINNNGGG, Mummy... but I've resigned myself to sitting first (sitting's for babies though...)

In other news, she and Dad FINALLY *huge sigh* took me for my 6 month photo shoot last week. I kept trying to tell them it was a month late, but nobody listened. They did mention something about the whole sitting thing, so maybe it had to do with me figuring that out. Well, sit I did and CUTE. I. WAS.



It's much more interesting being upright all the time. I can reach my toys better. And hit things. And throw them too. And I burp more which kind of helps my tummy. Daddy and I can both do REALLY LOUD burps. Daddy and I also speak Russian to each other. And Baba Nataliya and Deada too, but Mummy can't. She likes it when we do though, 'cause she says it's a gift for me. Whatever that means. I just think it's funny and I like the way the words sound. Like "Pushkin". That's what I named my new BlaBla soft toy 'cause I think he looks like a poet.




Yeah, I know, I really need to do something about all that drool...my fingers are just so YUMMY though! I really do love my fingers....and solid food and cold cucumber chunks. Rice crackers were pretty cool at first, but now they're just so last month. I'm moving onto teething cookies. (Mummy doesn't like the mess they make but it's SO FUN to moosh it all between my fingers. Then I love my fingers even more!) Of all the drippy food Mummy gives me, I like sweet potatoes best, and pears. But I really wish I could get my hands on all those yummy looking things she and Dad eat all the time. Mum always says I need more that just my two front teeth for that stuff. Oh and I'd much rather have real food than my milk...it's so boring drinking from a bottle!



Mummy says to tell you that I still love my bath, my paci, and my binky blankie, called Pickles. I want to to tell you that I sleep through the night and am taking MUCH better naps (I finally caved and decided that sleep makes me feel better and makes Mummy and Daddy smile). Daddy is still my favorite person in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD and I don't want my Mummy to be away from me for very long either. I like them to be right where I can see them. They keep leaving me in this strange room with all these strange babies, who stare at me and I don't like it very much. Seems to happen every Sunday and they call it nursery. I am NOT a fan! ('cept for I do love Alexis, my cousin twin. She smiles at me). Speaking of cousins, I have the coolest one ever. Her name is Michaela and she's a big kid. I could watch her play ALL day long.

Ok, gotta go. I'm pooped. Off to my night-time routine: bath, bottle and bed. Works for me!

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Double Birthday Fun

Yesterday we went for dinner at Steve and Rachel's house to celebrate birthdays. Mine was on Friday and Rachel's is next Thursday, so we had a fun sibling supper complete with presents and cake!

Getting in an early snack for Alexis



Rachel serving us all dinner


Yummy food...thanks for cooking Rach!



The Gang



The Cousin Twins playing in Jack's pac n play


And eating napkin rings :)



Me and Rach with our delicious birthday cake made by Nessa

Thanks Siblings for a fun time together!

Saturday, October 2, 2010

A Happy Birthday Indeed

Lovely flowers and cards
(thanks for all the messages, sweet friends and family!)


Breakfast in bed
(And no, I'm not revealing my morning face)


Lunch with Ness and the girls
(consignment sale-ing, Zaxby's salads and coloring, so fun!)


Dinner with the Husbie
(thanks for babysitting the boyo, Pip and Dave!)


And feeling old here, at 31 years of age. Yikes!
(at least Andre and I are now in the same decade...hee hee hee!)


Thursday, September 30, 2010

Take Me Out to the Braves Game!

Yesterday Sean and Nessa invited us to see the Braves at Turner Field. It was Jack's first time at a ballgame and he did really well (except for when they scored a home run...the enthusiasm of the crowd brought our little man to tears!). All the kids were dressed in appropriate attire for Braves fans and they looked so cute. Michaela is an expert on doing the Braves Chop as well as the Wave and was thrilled to be back in the "Bwaves" stadium (luckily for her Daddy, she's apparently turning into a sports fanatic!) The Littlies spent most of the time eating and eyeing the crowds and we all enjoyed the gorgeous cool weather and a pretty exciting game.

And the Braves won. Although to be perfectly honest, we did leave early, due to very tired babies. We heard the win on the radio :)

All of us going into the stadium


The Cousin Twins in their Braves shirts


Michaela and Aunty Tisty taking "a smile" together


Daddy and Jack (his new favorite thing is to suck on cucumbers!)


The Cousin Twins all wrapped up against the chill on the long trek
through the parking lot on the way home


Thanks for a fun evening and good memories, Ness and Sean!

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Church Retreat '10

In September 2008 we did our first church retreat which is featured here for your viewing pleasure :). Two years seem to have flown by and on Thursday we headed up to North Georgia to once again enjoy a weekend of fellowship with our church family.

Andre and I went up a day early again, which really helped in preparing for the weekend. That evening I was reflecting on what it had been like the first time I'd done the retreat. This time it was strange to go back and plan and execute pretty much the EXACT same thing all over again, and yet feel very different in myself. Kind of like a deja vu experience. The past two years have brought pain and joy and closer relationships, new friends, quite a few more gray hairs and a beautiful baby boy. But I also feel different on the inside. I think there has certainly been a deepening in my spirit. And bit of growing up. And I'm thankful for the things in my life, even the difficult things, that have brought that about.

But enough reflecting for now! We had a great time this weekend and things went remarkably smoothly. I guess the second time around is always easier. Check-in was Friday, with a bonfire and 'smores to end the day. Saturday we had sessions all morning, free time in the afternoon and a talent show in the evening which produced some good laughs and much entertainment. After a rainy night (poor campers!), we had a special worship service and headed home this afternoon. I, for one, am very glad to be sleeping in my own bed tonight!

Although I didn't have much time to just hang out, it was really special to have my sister and brother there with their families. Unfortunately, we don't have a photo all together which I'm really bummed about! Oh well.
Here are a few photos we managed to snap of the weekend:


The entrance to the property


Ariel view



View from our balcony


Thanks Robin for playing with Jack and helping us this weekend!



Not so sure about Mummy's short hair!
(well, Mummy's not so sure either!)



Hanging out with Daddy in the Fireplace Lounge



All the kiddos came into the service this morning and sang
us songs they'd learned in the childrens program




Jack ready to go to nursery this morning



And, of course, the cousin twins...









Sean and Ness with their girls



And us
(dreadful photo of us all, but the only family one from the whole weekend!)


Thursday, September 23, 2010

Oops

So much for my "let's go short again" to the hair dresser this week. I can't even bring myself to show you the front. Maybe you'll get lucky when I post pics from this weekend and catch a glimpse of me and my page-boy "do"...



Here's to hoping it grows FAST!

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Trying

It's all about trying over at our house this week. Our big church retreat, which I'm involved with, is coming up this weekend. And while I'm trying to stay afloat amid mounds of laundry, meetings and last minute details, Jack is trying to stay upright! Yes, he is STILL trying to sit, poor thing, with not much success:


Going...


Going...


Gone!



If at first you don't succeed, try, try again :)


We'd appreciate your prayers as we TRY to get through this week with minimal stress on my end and as few bruises as possible on Jack's!