Jack's New House

Jack and I had a lot of fun today. While I was getting Jack's breakfast ready, he was playing on his school bus. When I went to get him, I noticed he had found his hat (which happened to match the outfit I dressed him in this morning) and put it on his head. He is so fashion-conscious. After breakfast, we went outside and assembled his new playhouse (with a little help from our neighbor). Jack loved it! He would open and close the door, and go in and out of the house. He also liked to open and close the shutters on the windows. While he played in the house, I was able to clean out the baby pool. I filled it with water so it would be warm enough to play in by the afternoon.

After Jack's nap (we are down to one a day and today's was only 1 hour long), we went outside to swim.

Jack really liked playing with the hose more than anything else.

After a little swimming, we were back at Jack's new house.

The wet swimming trunks were starting to fall down.
Jack said, "Enough of this. I am just going to take these darn swimming trunks off!"

Funny Weekend Videos

Here are a couple funny videos from this weekend. In the first one (the longer one) Jack is "talking" and it is hilarious. The sounds he makes are pretty funny. Then he tries to plug in the CD player. Notice how he walks after taking a drink. I swear it is just milk. In the second video you will see where Jack decides to put the grapes.

Fredbird and Jack

A bank near us had a grand opening yesterday. We went because we heard Fredbird would be there. Jack brought his Hello Fredbird book to get autographed. After Fredbird signed the book, I asked if he would hold Jack for a picture. Jack, who will let anyone hold him, burst into tears the moment Fredbird took him. Later, we tried again, but this time I held Jack next to Fredbird. Jack wanted nothing to do with it.
Then we all got our picture with Fredbird, but Jack still wanted to get as far away as possible.
Finally, I thought we would check out the bounce house. Jack and I waited until the kids inside were done, and then the attendant let just the two of us go in. I was afraid if other (older) kids were in there with Jack, they would knock him down. Jack did not like the bounce house either! I guess I understand. Since he doesn't know how to jump yet, what fun is a place where you keep falling as you try to walk? So much for what mom thought would be a fun outing!

Floods

Jack and I went downtown with Grandma and Grandpa today to see the flooding. Here are some pictures from the steps in front of the Arch. Some of the steps are underwater, and as we were there more of the steps were being fenced off.

Grandpa is making Jack smile!

This man approached us and told Grandma and Grandpa some funny stories.

Playing Hard

Now that it is summer, we like to play outside a lot. Here is Jack after a long day of play, play, play. This picture doesn't do justice to the stains on his outfit. The hose is one of his favorite outside toys. I really don't know why we buy him actual toys.

Father's Day

Here is Jack with his Dad and Grandpa on Father's Day. Jack was excited to eat at the kids table with his big cousins for the first time!

Michigan!

I must first apologize for how many pictures are in this post. I took so many in Michigan and it was hard to decide what to put on the blog.

After Chicago, Jack and I went to Michigan with my parents. We met many of my relatives up there. At one point, there were 29 people sharing two cottages on Lake Michigan (11 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms)! One of the first things we did was go to the playground. Jack and Caeleigh hung out in their pajamas in Caeleigh's chairs on the deck one morning. They enjoyed the incredible view.
Jack loved the beach. He learned he could fall over in the sand and it didn't hurt. He would roll around in it and get sand everywhere. He also loved Lake Michigan. The fact that it was about 54 degrees did not seem to bother him. I think he would have stayed in the water longer, and wandered deeper if I had let him. We played in the sand or on the beach almost every day.

We sure did miss Daddy, though.
It was fun for Jack and Caeleigh to play together. Because they weren't on the same nap schedule, they really didn't play together as much as Colleen and I thought they would.


Since it was vacation, Jack enjoyed a drink or two.

The world's youngest shuffleboard player:
This was Rachel's outfit one day - t-shirt, shorts, and wool hat. Hmmm.... I think this picture was taken right after one of her dips in the lake. She and many of the other teenagers were part of the "Dip a Day" club. Brrrr...
Patrick and I took Ryan, Adam, and Jack on a trolley.
The sand dune behind the cottage provided lots of fun too!

Ryan and Adam spent hours digging and playing in the sand.
Jack likes to taste everything.

We walked out on the pier one afternoon. My mom and aunt Lucy swung Jack as they walked. Now, whenever two people are holding his hands he expects you to swing him. His body goes limp because he is waiting for you to pick him up and swing him. It is hilarious. I am amazed at how he remembers such things.

Cousins hanging out on the pier.

Nana and Papa with 3 of their 4 grandsons.



This day at the beach was quite windy. The lawnchair is there to block the wind as the boys dig a hole in the sand.

On the way home from Michigan, we stopped in Chicago for Lukas's baptism. He was amazing - he slept through the whole thing!

Uncle David is the proud Godfather.

Finally, we are home again!