Real Swim Time

This is actually how little boys are supposed to swim - - - you know IN their swimsuits!  This is from Wednesday when Alina came over for a visit and we filled Mooses pool to enjoy the heat outside :)

 Rosy rosy cheeks!  Even with sunscreen, my fair boy roses up immediately upon entering the great heat in the great outdoors.  I feel his pain!  It doesn't seem to bother him though!

Pizza Dogs

Last night we had pizza dogs.  I was SHOCKED when my dear family informed me that they had never heard of pizza dogs never mind having one!  So, pizza dogs it was!  Hot dogs with pizza sauce, pepperoni, and mozza cheese :)  It was a good ol' fashion quick summer meal!

 These past two days, this boy has been a bottomless pit when it comes to food!  Sometimes I watch him and wonder what the heck he'll be like when he's a teenager!

 He has gotten pretty good at using his fork :)  Now, I really need to get on the spoon training.  I just know it'll be much messier!

Yesterday's Jackson Adventure!

I really didn't believe he would ever do this...but looking back at those thoughts I realize...I'M A FOOL!  I know how much this boy loves water, and I know how much this boy loves balls.  Hence, when we are on the deck with water in his pool and two balls floating in, he didn't hesitate or slow down to crawl right in...TWICE!  Oh how I love this boy of mine!

Who doesn't love tiny wet footprints!?

Time Out

This morning Jackson participated in his first (mini) time out.  He was being a disaster in the bathroom while I was trying to get my project done.  I was continually redirecting him.  The final straw was when I turned around to find his bubble container opened and the bubble solution ALL OVER the bathroom floor.  Enough was enough.  I sternly said "NO", picked him up, sat him outside the bathroom door and told him in my most serious voice "You need to sit here by yourself because we don't make messes like this on the bathroom floor".  He...CRIED and CRIED.  When I was done cleaning up the mess, I picked him up, told him I loved him, and explained that we don't empty bubbles on the floor and we cuddled and kissed.  It was actually very sweet.  He was hurt that I was mad at him which, although sad to watch, is quite great to see.  He is developing understanding and his own feelings about things.

Have you ever seen such a sad face!?  I feel his pain when I see these photos!  Oh the sadness...

 After our cuddles, Moose spent some time winding down and drinking some milk before nap time.  He is down to only his before-bed bottle which, honestly, I'm just not ready to let go of!  By early Fall it will be gone too.  He has transitioned wonderfully and really quite seamlessly...which was a surprise to me!  I miss my cuddles before his morning nap, but that's life!

Does he not look like such a little boy here?!  He's definitely not my 'baby' anymore.

Elmo is pretty much the only thing he likes on TV and to say likes is an understatement...he is so captivated by that lil red guy it is crazy!  I don't know what it is about Elmo, but kids love him!

 During his meltdown while he was in his 'timeout' I noticed that he also cut his bottom molar on the other side of his mouth.  Two little white bumps are there.  I had no idea!  Go Jackson Go!

The bright side of it all is that it gave me a push to really clean the bathroom.  What started as me cleaning up the floor turned into me scrubbing the counter tops, window sil, toilet, etc.

My Little Project

Other's have had their framed version of Jackson's first piece of artwork for weeks now, and ours was still sitting in the laundry room closet.  Jackson and I went to get a 11x14 frame.  Brought it home.  Excitedly I went to cut his art to put in and there was no section big enough for the frame :(.  So, the next day we went back and got two smaller frames...which I am so grateful for because I think it looks better and has more future potential as well! It also gave me the opportunity to include my favorite picture from his art making!  

I LOVE it!  It was the perfect addition to our upstairs bathroom (aka. Jackson's bathroom)!  

I spent a good hour this morning in this bathroom.  Not all that time was hanging photos...the rest was cleaning up a rather big mess...which I'll get back to in the next post!  For now, I am going to enjoy this wonderful accomplishment :)

 My little helper...who was anything BUT a help this morning!  But I still can't resist that face!

 I was unable to find our hammer anywhere (note to husband...the tools need to be organized - as well as the rest of the basement!).  I did, however, find my own little trusty crafting hammer!  Me and my hammer got the job done just fine!

 I love days where I get stuff like this done!  I have peeked in the bathroom each time I passed it again today...just to admire the new addition!  Ah, simple things amuse me!

Sign Language

I always had big ambition to use sign language from an early age with Jackson, but I wasn't as diligent as I needed or should have been.  Or so I thought!  He, daily, uses the sign for eat every morning when it's time for breakfast.  Usually when it's time, I ask him if it's time to have breakfast, and he does the sign for eat to me...but yesterday at breakfast time, he gave me the sign and started heading for the stairs!  I love it!  I may not have taught him many signs, but it's neat to watch him use the ones we did use consistently.

We've also been working on going DOWN the stairs!  It is touch and go!  Sometimes he's really interested in it and other times it's like he's completely forgotten how.  It'll come, slowly but surely.

Assuming descending position!

Contemplating his plan of action.

And that's a glimpse into our morning yesterday!

Garage Sale Disappointment

 On Saturday afternoon we decided to hit up some garage sales looking for some photo props - and after SIX garage sales...we found...nothing!  It was soooo disappointing!  I was convinced I would have to restrain myself - but not ONE thing caught my eye.  It was quite a disappointing experience.  However, on the way home we stopped for slurpees and we got Moose a tiny bit in a tiny cup.  He thought he was such a big boy!

He walks around constantly saying "ball" throughout the day!  It's pretty cute.  He finds balls EVERYWHERE!  In fact, the other day we were at Walmart and he thought their balloons were balls!  He kept pointing at them and saying "ball".  Pretty cute!  This is his new ball that he LOVES and brings to us all the time.