8 months

our jack is 8 months! this photo tells it all. he is so full of laughter and his face lights up when he smiles. in fact, paul and i completely light up with him around.  we count our blessings everyday and give thanks to heavenly father that we are his parents. this is what life is about and it doesn't get much better than this!
-he has two teeth. he likes to bite on my shoulder and pull up on my shirt with his teeth. also, he has bitten a few times while he eats and my heavens...PAINFUL!
-he likes to stand while holding himself up on the couch/chair/my leg/anything
-he loves it when paul walks into the room
-he isn't the greatest sharer...if i am playing with his car, he wants it...then i play with something else and he wants it too. pretty soon, his pile of toys is much larger to the single toy left in my hand that soon becomes his!
-he loves, loves, loves being outside
-when i sing to him or we listen to the radio, he jams out
-he sleeps through the night
-he is doing much better in his car seat, but still has his limits
-he never blinks when he is staring
-loves the water
-still eats anything and everything we are eating
-he likes to be included in what we are doing. from folding laundry to trimming trees to picking peaches. he loves to be where we are

-ash

chalk art

during the farmer's market in the riverwoods, they started advertising for chalk the block. we thought it would be fun to come and see what it was about. i thought it was just us "normal folk" buying chalk and showing off some of our artistic abilities. we took a nice walk down and were shocked at the talent there. there were genuine artists and beautiful works of art there to see. it was so fun to walk around, take some photos of ones we really liked and then to see so many people out enjoying themselves. jack loved spending a little time in the water and wasn't happy when it was time to go. it was a great afternoon and we are looking forward to next year.
-ash

conrad

it was a year ago today...
paul and i were at target when mom called. she was hysterical and phoebe was screaming in the background. all i heard was, conrad almost drowned/emergency room/please come now. the earth stood still. i burst into tears, somehow i told paul what had happened and we left to the er. the drive down was long and my head was picturing all those things i didn't want to. man how we prayed! the rest was a blur...i remember seeing conrad hooked up to tubes laying on ransoms lap, katie holding his hand listening to the doctor, praying big time in my heart, phoebe screaming beyond screaming, feeling numb, praying more, and wanting and willing to do anything to help.
it was a horrible life shaking moment that has deeply increased my faith. i am so grateful that my heavenly father let us keep conrad with us, i am so grateful that ransom and katie were given incredible strength from angels to help them and make them stronger. our prayers were answered and i (more than often, and when i see conrad), say a prayer of gratitude for him.
conrad was my therapy for so many years and i love him as if he was my own. he is such a joy to be with and has so much to offer. he is an incredible boy. i love him...
-ash

first cheeto experience

we got to dad & mom's and the fun began. they had a bag of cheetos, and i knew jack would love them! a little too late did i realize i should have put his bib on, or taken his shirt off. he had so much fun with the cheeto. the best part...they dissolve quickly. my favorite moments are watching him discover something new. by the end of it, he was an orange and sticky mess!
-ash