DIY projects nearly DONE!

We've been spending all our time working on the kitchen but the weather is so wondeful we've had to go outside. We've still got a tiny bit to do in the kitchen so photos won't be posted quite yet.
Our other big project we wanted to finish was painting the exterior of the house. We started last autumn. Here's the "before" picture - basically white with black shutters...


Here's what it looks like so far. Just one side left to do. I love the earthy colours we picked.
I was in Jack's room this afternoon and I heard a yelp so I looked out of the window and saw Craig smiling sheepishly from the ladder. He was taking one of the shutters down and a bat flew out from behind one. He said it scared him to death!

Next weekend more great weather is forecast so our plan is to finish the kitchen this week then finish the panting next weekend and then that's IT! No more DIY projects till winter. We want to spend the summer having fun with Jack.

He's developing such a great personality, laughing and grinning at everyone. We always get comments about his smile when we go out. Here he is in the shopping cart today at Lowes (DIY shop). Little bugger can now swivel around and stand up, even when he's strapped in.

Glorious Weather & Kitchen 99% Done!

It's been a glorious weekend! Sunny and high 70's. I actually think it got to 80 today. I am sitting here, sunburnt and exhausted but we've had a very productive weekend.

Craig has worked like a demon in the kitchen and got it 99% done. He won't let me take pictures till he's got grout in the backsplash and done some finishing touches but it looks amazing. He's done a fantastic job. I've been cleaning, painting the outside of the house a little bit and looking after Jack. It took him a little while to get used to grass but now he loves it and was scooting all over the place this afternoon.

It's been wonderful to cook-out both nights and to have all the windows open. Cody loves to be outside and we also put Frank out last night on his tie-out. We bought him some catnip yesterday and he went ballistic! Scratching it, peeing on it, rolling round on it. Crazy cat.

Jack has progressed again this weekend. He just started eating lumpy food and can now pick up food with his fingers and feed himself a bit. We've been giving him little bits of banana and went to get a load of different fruit for him tonight. He is no longer a veggie (sorry Sue). He ate chicken, noodles and veggies today and liked it! His latest trick is to blow rasberries when we are feeding him. I don't think he knows what he's doing so I have no idea how to stop it and it was funny as you can see by the video.



Another thing he does a lot is shout! This morning he was stood at the screen door in the living room and he was shouting to our neighbour, Dave, across the street. Dave was having a laugh with him and shouting stuff back. It was very cute. I took a short video of him at a local cafe last Friday where he's getting loud. The waitress gave him a balloon and it made his year!

Weekly Update

Just got in from the garden. It's been lovely today with more sunny weather forecast - at last! I hope that's the end of the ice and snow. Someone told me there's always 3 snows after the Forsythia blooms and we've only had one, but hopefully that's all codswallop.

What a sad week it's been. I've been glued to the news since Monday and I feel so bad for the Virginia Tech people. Just today they said he sent NBC a video of himself just rambling. I can't believe he did it. It brings back all those awful feelings of 9/11 where you just feel helpless.

Jack now has 2 bottom teeth and is getting very mobile. I don't think it will be long before he tries to walk. He can walk when he pushes his tractor pretty good. We had him out on the grass tonight and he loved it. Just like his mum!

No More Warm Milk & Lullabys...

Jack had his 9 month Docs visit yesterday for his check-up & shots. Here are his statistics:

• Weight: 21.15 lbs (60th percentile)
• Height: 29.25 inches (80th percentile)

So, I think that means he's going to be a normal weight but tall, which is fine by me. My grandad was very tall and my uncles are all beanpoles. He was such a little trooper when he had his injections and didn't even cry. We're VERY lucky as he's always been a happy boy - as you can see from the picture on the right, he smiles so hard it would be impossible to smile anymore.

Tonight he & Cody stood by the screen door and watched the thunderstorm roll through. I thought it was such a lovely image of Jack and his dog that I had to take a picture. Cody is really good with him, even though he tries to pull Cody's fur and ears and last week we found a big clump of hair which looked like the end of Cody's tail. We try to keep an eye on things but Jack's getting so quick now it's hard.

Okay, so this just solidifies that these two are 2 peas in a pod, watching the telly together and staring with those big blue eyes. Sometimes I see my sister, Jenny, in Jack's face but it's only fleeting moments. Most times he looks like this - the spitting image of his old man!

Lastly, Jack has reached a major milestone this week - he's SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT! He sleeps from 7pm to 6 or 7am without waking up to be fed. You might think we'd both be dancing round the living room singing "happy days are here again" but I'm actually a bit sad because now I get to see him even less. I used to go into his bedroom before I went to bed, turn his night light on & he'd wake up all sleepy but give me a big smile and reach for me. We'd sit in a rocking chair and he'd have his warm milk while I sang a lullaby to him. Ho hum...

Check out the Easter Bunny

Happy Easter Everyone!
In the US we don't get Good Friday & Monday off so we don't have the 4-day weekend like in England (which is a bummer) but when Jack's old enough we'll take him on an Easter egg hunt. He got chocolate eggs from his nana Lloyd in England and a present from nana Sherratt to open tomorrow. Grandad Lewis brought him an egg too when he visited last week. All that chocolate needs eating but I'm dieting so looks like Craig will have to dig in. English chocolate is just wonderful!

Dave & Eric came over today with an Easter present for Jack. A soccer ball basket full of toys & chocolate. Look what else they got him - a cute bunny outfit! He looked so funny in it that we all cracked up and he looked so indignant. I don't think he'll forgive us for this one. Eric & Dave are so good to him. It's nice to know he'll have all these pseudo-Uncles & Aunts in America.

2 Milestones in 1 Day

Jack's 9 months old & I miss him so much when I'm at work because he's having all these moments in his life that I'm just catching a glimpse of. Today he had 2 major milestones. One of them I just happened to have the camera on him and it happened, which was wonderful.

(1) MILESTONE #1: HE'S GOT A TOOTH (on the bottom)

(2) #2: HE WALKED ON HIS OWN (okay well with his tractor) and here's the video to prove it .......

Brrrrr

Okay, how can it be 81 degrees yesterday and chuffin freezing today? Tonight as I write this we have snow flurries. I know the Ohio weather is temperamental but this is ridiculous. I was so pleased to pack my winter clothes away and get those sandals out. Oh well, it gives me more time to lose weight before shorts weather I guess!

Poor Jack has chapped cheeks and I've had to put the heat on in the house again. Here he is in his OSU gear, bless him. We're sad the Buckeyes lost but they gave a valiant effort.

At least we might get the kitchen finished if it's cold - as soon as that sun shines I have to start gardening!

I'm off to watch American Idol to see who's getting kicked off. Sanjaya I hope but more likely Phil - yes, I'm very sad but I can't help it.

Too Scared to Watch

Okay, so as I write this we are getting beat 37-26 by the Gators. I can't handle it. I don't even watch basketball and I can't stand it. Eric called me just before the game and made me feel good about it but now I'm just like a cat on a hot tin roof!

So, here I am posting pictures that I took today of Jack & Grace in the sand box. They had a great time. The weather has been brilliant and it's forecast 81 for tomorrow but then drastically dropping off to the 40s again.

It's half-time & 40-29 to the Gators. Damn it. I'm going to ring Eric and then find something else distracting to do, like pulling out my fingernails with pliers.

Jack Sparrow's Getting Mobile

Jack's gaining confidence and his mobility this week has gone bonkers.

He's gone from commando crawling to crawling on his knees at a speedy pace and now he's standing up and cruising around the furniture. He has no trouble standing, bending down to get stuff, kneeling and sitting. All this sounds like simple stuff I know but he used to be really careful about all these things and now he's doing them like an old pro. It won't be long before he's walking I think.

I've deleted some of his videos from YouTube and uploaded a couple of his milestones this week so check them out:
Jack Cruising
Jack Crawling

Oh, one last thing - he still has no teeth!!

Another Final with Florida!

Our beloved Buckeyes are in the National Championship race again with Florida- only this time it's the basketball team. We know bugger all about basketball but our friends Gina & Matt have have carried us along in the frenzy.

Back in January the Bucks got humiliated by the Florida Gators in the football national championship. I still feel sick to the stomach then I think about it.

Tomorrow night, the number 1 ranked Buckeye basketball team will face the Gators again.

Oh, we need to beat Florida badly. Come on Buckeyes - redeem us!!