Fourth of July Weekend

Jack loves to wear anyone's sunglasses.
At Scott and Estelle's house
First fireworks...Jack was totally shocked! I love this picture!

Jack loves to give hugs!
We spend the 4th at the Hill Air Force Museum with Jeff's brother Scott and his wife Estelle. It was lots of fun.

I love to Dumpster Dive and this was a great find...along with an awesome swing and booster/high chair...I just clean them up and voila!

There isn't anything better in the whole wide world than a kiss from Jack.
Aunt Anne came for a very short visit. Jack was enjoying the cold icecream.
After a long day of shopping and hang out with the girls, the drive home was just 2 minutes too long :) You gotta love a sleeping baby, or umm... toddler.

On the 19th Jack was 14 months old. We have been thankful for his life and birthmother for over year. He has brought so much happiness into our lives.

Jack loves to play with his buddy Ethan.
Swimming is Jack VERY favorite thing to do :)
The other night we saw this HUGE snail slittering on our steps. Jeff and I said that it had been a long time for both of us since we saw a snail...usually slugs...but not snails.

Updates

Jack is 14 months old. He seems like our "little man" more and more each day.
I read that a fun activity is to put adult socks on toddlers and let them take them off. Jack liked them on too much to take off.
Watermelon! Yummy!
Jack LOVES to wear a hat. He will leave one on forever :)
He also loves to wear my sunglasses..a *hot* item at our house lately.

Nap Head...WOW!

Jack has his hair parted on the side and slicked down UNTIL...
He woke up from his nap! I couldn't resist taking pictures of his wild, wacky, after-nap hair!

Fun at the Park

Play "wrestling" with Daddy
Mommy says, "Pat Daddy's head."
Mama and Me
Mama Loves!
Our Sweet Boy

Daddy's Turn...

Daddy got to take me to swim lessons last Thursday. We had so much fun :)
Hi, Mom! Watch me and Dad!

Fun

Jack's first swim lesson! He loved every minute of it :)

Jack loves music...he got this piano for his birthday and it was a hit!
Here is "Little Linus". He loves music and his green blanket :)

Happy 1st Birthday, Jack!!!

Yee-Haw! We had a barnyard BAA-sh!

Enjoying Cake

Phew, what a party!

Family Pictures...

Our great friend took some pictures of us as a family at the park we like to visit frequently. Here are a few we liked :)

Jack's Gotcha Day

About a minute old
10 hours old

Above-Alison's mom and Jack

Below-Alison and Jack (Jack is about 2 weeks old)

While we naturally still love to celebrate Jack's birthday, his "Gotcha" Day is special, too. Yesterday, April 21st was officially Jack's Gotcha Day. The adoption community affectionately refers to this day as the day the child is placed in the care of the adoptive couple. Here are few of the highlights of his birth:

1. After 18 hours of Labor and not the day we thought (we assumed he would be born on the 18th--we even wrote it on the paperwork and had to change it later) Jack was finally born at 1:49 am, 9 pounds 2.6 ounces. 21 inches long.

2. About 12:30 am his lovely birthmother invited Alison to join her, her aunt and cousin into the delivery room. While Alison was completely unprepared for that experience, it was so touching. The doctor also let her cut Jack's umbilical cord.

3. The door was purposely left open during the delivery so Jeff and Alison's mom could hear everything happening. They thought it would be a while before they would be able to see Jack but literally 60 seconds after he was born, a sweet nurse took Jack and Alison to show Jeff and Alison's mom.

4. It was a bitter-sweet parting at the hospital Saturday around noon on April 21st. Our hearts were full of compassion for Jack's birthmother. Hence, this was the day we took Jack home and became his parents. It was love! We are so thankful for his life and the life of his birthmother. He is truly a gift!

It's a beautiful day to go to the park!

First time down a slide!
Jack loves to swing!
Admiring the playground with Daddy. Don't you love the matching shorts!
Playing with Aunt Becca is so much fun!
Enjoying the slide with Aunt Becca