Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Jack is Fifteen Months!

You started walking this month.That was pretty fun, and it still is. I get excited every time you take more than a couple steps, especially since you still scoot on your booty quite a bit, which is getting quite embarrassing, buddy.

You have quite the vocabulary, although there is often the need for interpretation:
"bite this"
"more this"
"no, no, no"
"uhoh"
"dada"
"dog"
"Jack"

You love brushing your teeth, putting on lotion, and playing in mom's makeup bag (Don't tell Grandpa Jim).
You love pushing your stroller around the house, and you love to connive one of the adults in the house to push you around in your stroller.
You love shape sorting, though you still need mama's help.
You love nooks, cell phones, laptops remotes and all other easily broken electronic devices that you shouldn't be playing with.
You love pbj and popcorn.
You love feeding Charlie your snacks and his snacks.

You love a lot of things, but I've realized you really love to eat.


Monday, February 20, 2012

PTL

Dad, hamming it up.
Dad received great news! At his last trip to the doctor, he learned that the test results on his tumor came back negative for cancer. All the fun chemo & radiation really paid off!

Dad will go back for follow up in 3 months. At which point, the doctors will check his entire body to see if the cancer has returned.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!


Dad & Lins
The grand prize winner of the $500 raffle fundraiser for my dad is Chris Landers. She lives in Oklahoma and was a high school classmate of Dad’s wife, Brandy. 

Although Chris said that she has never won anything before, she donated her winnings back into the fundraiser to help defray Dad’s continuing travel expenses and medical bills. 

His surgery to remove the tumor from his neck went very well. He will return to the Cancer Center in Oklahoma City on February 8th for follow up. 

He hopes to return to work at McAlester Regional Medical Center soon. Dad says this experience will definitely improve his nursing skills, especially in caring for those dealing with cancer treatments.

The response to the fundraiser was phenomenal! Thanks to everyone who participated and thanks especially for your prayers.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Jack Be Quick

Jack eating cupcakes on his 1st birthday.
A rare treat, as mom limits his sugar intake.
A friend of mine gave me the greatest compliment today. She told me that I was one of the best stay-at-home-moms that she knows. I found myself remembering that compliment as I watched my 1 year old eat a sticker. It was a small sticker.

Maybe if Jack weren't such a rough and tumble little boy, I'd be more protective. Maybe I would be more so if Jack had been a girl, but I find myself letting him learn through natural consequences.

It doesn't matter how many times I say "no."  It doesn't matter how many times I pull him off the fireplace saying "danger" or try to distract him with other toys. Jack is going to smile and do it anyway. Plus, Jack learns best when he learns on his own.

For all of you who are about to call CPS, I still save my son from falling... most of the time. I just don't think it hurts too much to let him fall 5-inches from his cushion. At some level, it's important for Jack to discover a healthy respect for gravity. I'd much rather he learn from 5-inches when I'm watching than from the coffee table (which he managed to get atop of this morning) when I'm not looking.

I'm pretty sure Jack will wind up with some scrapes and bruises over his lifetime. Sometimes I'll save him, and other times I will just be there to kiss the boo-boos.