Friday, April 24, 2009

In case you missed it...

You know I have to put the link to my sister's engagement announcement on here!

http://www.legacy.com/TheState/Celebrations.asp?Page=Announcement&PersonID=126414716

And while we are on the topic of links... here is the link to John Dickson's 1 year photos

khartphoto.com/photocart

SOS!!

John Dickson has this very distinct yell that means "help!" The first time he used it, he had gotten his arm stuck in the end table. The second time, he was pushing around the tub that we use to elevate the dogs' food and water, and he couldn't get through the high chair and the cabinets. The third time was yesterday.

John Dickson was pushing our collapsable mesh hamper around, taking all of the clothes out, putting them back in, throwing in some toys, and then moving to the next room to repeat. (His new thing is pushing baskets around the house and collecting things as he goes). So he had gone out in the hallway, and I was in the bathroom getting ready to go to a meeting, when I heard him yelling for help. I went out, and he had completely emptied the hamper, crawled in, and he couldn't get back out! I ran to go grab the camera, and when I came back, this is what I found:




I don't even know how that happened! That little man is A MESS. We also went back to the playground and zoo yesterday, and below are a couple of pictures from that. I think when we went on Saturday there were just too many people, and John Dickson was a little overwhelmed. But with practically no one around, he spent a long long time looking at all of the animals and watching them move around. He wasn't smiley or laughing, but he was very observant and interested and just took it all in.




Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Congratulations Aunt Erin & Uncle Jason!!

We are so excited to be an aunt, an uncle and a big cousin!!!!!



Hold up... you mean I wont be the only grandchild anymore?!?!?





Big Boy at the Park!

We discovered Cleveland Park while at the zoo on Saturday, but it was swimming with little kids, so John Dickson and I went back on Tuesday. The park has different playgrounds for different ages, and they have a lot of equipment that looks like it is from the future. But as evidenced by the pictures of John Dickson swinging, it was much colder and windier than we had dressed for, so our trip didn't last long.

This was a wobbly tire thing that John Dickson loved! He just sat on it and bobbled around. He even dismounted all by himself.


More bright balls - always a fave


These things made music when he shook them, which he thought was great!

And finally we found bucket swings!



But of course he only smiled when the camera was off...







Monday, April 20, 2009

Some things never change...

Even weirder for me than John Dickson celebrating his 1st birthday this month was me celebrating my second birthday with John Dickson. Talk about crazy! But even weirder yet was my 2nd birthday card from John Dickson (and Ellie and Bear... and Miles). Or wait, was that my first? It's hard to tell.

(This year's on the left, last year's on the right)





Sunday, April 19, 2009

At the Zoo for Birthday Part II

John Dickson was EXHAUSTED after his Gymboree class yesterday. After about a 2 hour nap, we went in to find him looking like this... (note the hair).


It took him a little bit to wake up, but then we headed to the zoo for our very first trip as members!! Whoo hoo!! The last time we went to the Greenville Zoo, John Dickson was 5 months old and showed no interest in the animals. 7 months later, he is remarkably still uninterested. However, he did like the Gila Monster and the Giraffes (thank goodness, right?). He also crossed something off of his to do list - learn to escape from the stroller. We were at the alligator exhibit when he first peaced out. Then again while the stroller was in motion. It's all very sneaky... he waits until the perfect opportunity, and then he just slips out down under his tray.





I didn't have the picture on this computer of the last time we went to the zoo and John Dickson sat on the bear head with a huge grin on his face... but if you care to search back far enough on the blog, or if you can recall the picture, check out the difference 7 months makes!!

Checking out the pig


Saturday, April 18, 2009

We LOVE Gymboree!!!!!

John Dickson had his very first (and only...) Gymboree class this morning, and he was beside himself all morning. I wasn't really sure what all you could do in a class with 10-16 month olds, but it turns out you can do a lot! We bounced around in a circle, and he played on a lot of baby gym things. I was really surprised at how well he did! He seemed to know exactly what he was supposed to do. He climbed stairs and went across a bridge, went down a slide, climbed a huge wedge and rolled off using a big barrell. He played a little basketball (which he had already mastered, thanks to his sports center) and had parachute time. All the kids sat on the parachute while the teacher blew bubbles EVERYWHERE. Then we walked around, turning the parachute that had the little ones on it, and then they got to go underneath and play. We finished by doing a dance with the puppet "Gymbo" and then sang a bye bye song. John Dickson waved bye bye on his own, but we aren't entirely sure that was not a coincidence. Either way, John Dickson was grinning ear to ear the entire time and had the time of his life! Unfortunately it's a little out of our price range to actually join, but maybe someday... Here are a few pictures - I couldn't get many because Adam was not there and I spent most of my time making sure John Dickson didn't dive off of gigantic blocks and slides, but there are a few.

I said he had fun - I didn't say he was a good sharer!


This was before the class - he loved the line of balls!

He climbed up those stairs, then crawled up the ramp, where he was about to sit on the little rug to go down the slide at turbo speed! That face looks a little unsure, but I promise it was actually a really happy one! This was his favorite.

Finally to the balls...



Going through a tunnel







Wednesday, April 15, 2009

I kid you not...

This was ALL him. Can't you tell? He's proud as can be!



Monday, April 13, 2009

Happy Easter Part II

Later Easter day, we took John Dickson to the park (3 actually...in search of swings) to play in the sun. Leslie came to visit (my old college roomie whose DVDs use to attack me from atop the tv) and joined in the fun. John Dickson thought Leslie was hiiilarious, so long as she didn't try to touch him. Weird little dude... Anyway, we thought the swings would be a huge hit for John Dickson, but he was pretty apathetic about them. He did, however, LOVE sitting in rocks and mulch and playing with it. Hey, whatever works.












Sunday, April 12, 2009

Happy Easter!

Little man had a pretty good first Easter! He got a couple of Easter bunnies, and the Easter bunny himself (herself?) brought John Dickson some bubbles and snacks. Here is John Dickson with all of his new bunnies...


He got all of those sweet and soft toys, but what does he snuggle up to? His food, of course! What can we say... he is his father's son.




Reading his card from Granna and Papa - he really liked it!










Saturday, April 11, 2009

Facing Forward!!

As of Wednesday, John Dickson has been facing forward in his car seat, and he LOVES it! Instead of falling asleep right away, now he sits back there and chats up a storm. I think this was an exciting change for everyone! Of course now its hard to focus on the road instead of on that sweet face, but Im working on it!




Little helper

John Dickson has not been taking it easy on his time off from school! He has been helping Daddy with the flooring and Grammy with her yard... so busy!




I was so proud of John Dickson today! We have been trying so hard to get John Dickson to eat healthy and to like a wide variety of food. We went to Moe's today for lunch, and John Dickson shared my lunch... he ate rice, cheese, guacamole, salsa, chicken, black beans, olives, bell peppers, mushrooms... and if I wouldn't shovel it in fast enough, he would lean forward with his mouth wide open like a starving little bird. Since he turned one, he has grown up so much! He has started eating anything and everything in sight... as his teacher at daycare would say, he'll eat anything that wouldn't eat him first! He has also been playing with his toys in a whole new way. He's very deliberate in what he does with them, and you can literally see him thinking while he plays. He also has decided that crawling is for babies, and he's a big kid now. Crawling is almost officially a thing of the past. If he doesn't want to walk, he will sit, cry and hold his arms out... so pitiful. We spent the past few days in Columbia with his Grammy, his Aunt Lauren and his Uncle Jarey, and he had a blast! I'll post the pictures from his adventures in Columbia soon.
On a very exciting note, the daycare right by our house has an opening now for John Dickson! All we know is that it is much closer, much cheaper, and our neighbors use it and love it... so I'm going to take a tour on Monday and am hoping that we will love it too! Keeping our fingers crossed...
That's about it for now. Easter sunrise service comes early! P.S. John Dickson may be a year old, but this is actually his first Easter. He's pretty excited!



Kung Fu John Dickson


I want my milk NOW!!!!

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Last post today - I promise!

You know I can't decide between pictures - which is why I usually have about 20 of John Dickson doing the same thing. So here are a few more, and my last of the day! (And I dont know why that is appearing as a link...)

John Dickson mowing the lawn... I took his ball outside to play, but in about 5 seconds (literally!), the wind took it all the way down to the highway.



Holding his shoes...

And I just thought this one was funny because it pretty much sums up the chair. I was about to snap an adorable picture, and in the 2 seconds it went to go off, things changed. We call the chair his launchpad.

Back to blogging!

Now that work is over for a while, I'll be back for lots of blogging. Especially since dad isn't home much, I'm trying to capture as much on camera as possible. Yesterday was my first day home with John Dickson and we celebrated by going to the doctor to get some shots. John Dickson had his heel pricked, which he watched intently and did not so much as wince, and got 3 shots in his legs, which he had something to say about! He weighed in at 22 lbs 3 ounces, and measured 29.5 inches, both of which are around the 40th percentile. Dr Greene asked if he was talking, to which I replied no... and then she kept asking me specific words, like surely he has to be saying something! But she did think his universal name for everything, "dada" counted! I kid, but she was not worried about him developmentally. Heck, his dad was 15 before he started to talk, and now...well, you know... he wont stop! Anyway, we spent the rest of the day playing with John Dickson's new toys, and doing laps around the house. John Dickson watched a Baby Einstein video is his new chair, and pigged out on some deviled eggs - which he LOVED!


This is really how he was watching his DVD - so captivated!


Working on that slam dunk...



Heading over to his bee bop band with his drum sticks/mommy weapons/tickle sticks. He looks like a real drummer... E&J, did you slip anything else into that band?


His bee bop band