Jack is HAPPY to have his Daddy back home!

This morning we got up and went into Jack's room to read some books before bath and breakfast. As you can see, Jack is just tickled to have his Daddy back! (So am I...)

Ready to attack the day.

I asked Jack and he said "Bamos!" (Go!)

I asked him if wanted to go the park and he said PARK!

I then asked maybe if he wanted to go the zoo and he said ZOOOOOOOooooooooo.

He likes the TIGAH there.

Next, it's time for the bath...

Jack helped this morning by unscrewing the top to the diverter valve (raise it and water runs through a little shower head attachment in the tub). He seemed very pleased with himself.

The morning begins....

with some reading in bed.

This morning's selection was evidently a very serious tome on mass transportation, mechanical agricultural implementation, and motorized and non-motorized recreational objects. Or as Jack would say: "DAKs (trucks); Vrrroooommmms (cars); Dains (Trains), DAK-tores (tractors) and BI-Culs (bicycles, motorcycles, unicycles, four wheelers, etc.)

GOOD MORNING SUN, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE!

Rise and shine, it's 6 am. The world awaits.

What a great mood I am in. What's for breakfast?

Miss my daddy, but I am putting on a good face for him.

Good Morning Daddy!

Dear Daddy,

I am happy to report that both dogs survived the night! I was confused, however, that they did not immediately get up to greet the morning with me! At 5:50 am, we are wasting some serious daylight and we need to start revving up the morning's activities.

Papa taught me a new word this morning: bleary. He says it can be added to other words like "eyes." I like the "L" part of the word. He thinks we will have many opportunities to use it in the future.

The fabulous Margarita arrived early. Papa said she is an angel of mercy. She picked up some new sippy cups for me yesterday. This one is the color of mango. In honor of the new sippy cup, I am having some mango with my breakfast pancakes.

Well, I know you are busy with all of your trust exercises and revealing all sorts of personal information at your MEEEETING, so I will sign off with a kiss. I am throwing it ALL the way to New Jersey.

Hurry home, but don't worry. I have plans to spend the morning at el parque, followed by a long nap, and some book reading and giggling in the afternoon.

I am taking good care of Papa also.

Love,

Jack

Dear Daddy, Jack is fine...fast asleep despite the wretched dogs' barking...

Jeff is away the early part of this week doing some executive training. I heard a little bit about the upcoming sessions...and let's just say he's going to be happy to be home.

To make him feel better about being gone, I snuck in and took a couple of flash-aided pictures of Jack while he was asleep. He moved not a single muscle.

For the sartorially-inclined, you will note the latest fashion trend: Mix snugly fitting holiday garb with contrasting --and unrelated-- tops, and finish with an urban look of athletic socks. (For the eagle-eyed, yes, you are correct....they are indeed Halloween pajama bottoms.)

Jeff will take great comfort in how serene Jack looks as he sleeps, with his sweet little stuffed dog next to him.

Jack will take great comfort in knowing that he although he has only ONE stuffed dog next to him tonight, he almost had two more Jack Russells to add to his stuffed dog collection tonight due to Jake and Tucker's inability to STOP BARKING WHILE THE BABY IS SLEEPING.

Sanity prevailed, the dogs have relented, and Jack will still have living breathing sweet dogs to play with in the morning....well, as of 9:53 pm.

Stay tuned . . .

How Happy Does This Grandmother Look?!

Pool Time

This afternoon, we did a little work on Jack's water issues. While he's fine with a bath, he's not much for a pool, a hose, a sprinker or any of those other forms of water that little boys often love. So, we have a baby pool on the back patio. We filled it up with water, and Jack and I (Jeff) sat in it for about 30 minutes this afternoon. It felt great to me. The afternoon was blazingly hot, so the water was a nice, cool relief. Jack didn't quite see the virtue of pool time on a Sunday afternoon. He spent most of his time either sitting very gingerly on my thigh, to keep from having to sit on the bottom of the pool, or standing up with his arms wrapped tight around my neck. We treated it as a victory when he was willing to stand in the pool without me in it for a while and pick up the bath toys that we'd thrown in.

After that unpleasantness, we put him in a chair on the back porch, and I noticed how good the light was, so I grabbed the camera. And the wierdest thing happened. He started acting like a little model. His eyes locked onto the camera lens, and for about 45 seconds, he was totally working it. Staring straight into the lens and giving us all sorts of different expressions. I particularly like the pouty-lip thing in the fourth picture. Could this be how he'll support his dads in their dotage?

Ok, here he's no longer acting like a baby super model, but I couldn't get enough of his funny little belly and chest.

Happy Birthday Dear Mommeeeeee!

Happy Birthday

to

YOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUU !!!!!

Jen,

Daddy, Papa and I hope you have the greatest birthday EVER. I have a bright red Birthday Shirt on for you all day (unless I spill a lot of something on it....). Congratulations on graduation. We are so proud of you.

Love

Jack

Studies of Jack in orange: Terminus

Studies of Jack in orange: Joyful

Studies of Jack in orange: Goofy

Studies of Jack in orange: Serious

Now I know how Lady Gaga feels about the Paparazzi....

We have tried to get Jack to wear sunglasses for many moons. Apparently, we weren't going high fashion enough. Once he got a stylin' pair, he was ready to hit the town...