Lazy 5 Ranch

This week, we took a trip to the Lazy 5 Ranch in Mooresville, NC and had a great time! It was truly a sight having wild animals trot up to the side of our horse-drawn wagon and eat right from the palms of our hands. Davis was fascinated by the animals, especially the ostriches. He laughed each time one of the ostriches stuck its head in the bucket of feed which sat only a few inches from his feet. After our wagon ride, we all had a picnic at the playground and then stayed a while longer while the children played. JD and Davis were exhausted by the time we headed back home, but we all had so much fun.

JD's first jump!

While at the pool this week, JD jr decided to try jumping off the diving board for the very first time! I waited in the water as he gathered his courage, and then he jumped. I caught him and began swimming him over to the ladder as he clung to me and cried. His best friend Hank was waiting for him at the ladder for moral support. :) After I told him how proud I was of him, he cheerfully said, "Yeah, and I didn't even shed a tear!" He cracks me up with some of the things that he says.

Last Days of Summer

Wow!! This summer has flown by! In just one more week, JD jr will begin preschool for the first time. He will be going 3 days a week, and he is so excited that he could burst!

The photos are of Davis experiencing his very first ice cream cone. He was literally pushing my hand up to his mouth and holding it there so that he could devour it as quickly as possible. If I even attempted to move the ice cream away from his mouth, he immediately began squealing in protest.

The other pictures are of JD and Davis enjoying a trip to the swimming pool and the slip-n-slide in our backyard. They truly adore each other!

9 Years Ago...

...JD Sr and I exchanged vows. We can't believe that in 9 years, we have moved 3 times, had 2 children, and made our way through the challenges of medical school and residency! It has been a wonderful ride, and one that I wouldn't choose to take with anyone else!

The first photo was taken on our wedding day as we were on our way to the reception. The second photo was taken a couple of days before our anniversary this year. JD surprised me with tickets to a Jack Johnson concert, and it was fantastic!!

I Love You, John David and look forward to the next 50+ years together!

The Beginnings of Mobility!

Davis has officially achieved sitting up completely unassisted and he is just moments away from crawling. He now gets into a perfect crawling position and rocks back and forth. As soon as he figures out how to put one hand in front of the other, he'll be on his way! We're so proud of him!

Funny Sleep Moments!

Care for an explanation?

The first photos are ones that I took of Davis one afternoon as I went in his room to check on him during his nap. I was shocked to find that before falling asleep, he had somehow managed to take off his diaper!

The next two photos are of JD as he slept soundly with his upper body in the recliner and his feet on the floor. We had a BAD storm that afternoon, and JD Sr and I grabbed JD and Davis up from their naps and headed for the downstairs bathroom. We were convinced that a tornado was on its way, but it turned out to just be a very severe thunderstorm. After it passed, JD was obviously not finished with his nap, so he shuffled over to the recliner and rested his head in the seat and passed out.

The last two pictures are of JD sleeping with his feet inside the pillow that I used to nurse him on. I weaned him 2 and 1/2 years ago, and he still feels an attachment to that yellow pillow...I love it! Anyway, I was putting him to bed when the phone rang. I told him I would be right back to finish tucking him in, and after being on the phone for longer than I had expected, I went back to his room and found him sound asleep with his feet tucked snugly in the pillow.

Outdoor Fun

We recently became the proud owners of a playset for our backyard, and do I even have to tell you how much JD and Davis love it? JD goes out to play on it at least 5 times a day, and Davis could spend all day in the swing. JD's favorite thing is to swing on his tummy and climb up into the clubhouse looking for dangerous robots through his telescope. :)

JD Sr sent Davis down the slide the other day while I stood at the bottom waiting to catch him. His eyes were as big as saucers, and he put his hands out and gripped the sides of the slide as he came down. He was going so slowly that a snail could have passed him on the way down. It was too funny!

Indoor Fun

Here are some pictures of our sweet JD enjoying some indoor bowling in his underwear. When it's too hot for the outdoors, you have to think of something, right?

The other pics are of him playing games on the computer. He has been using the computer since he was 2, and it's astonishing how much he has learned!

Growing and Achieving Every Day!

It seems as though Davis is reaching his milestones with lightning speed. He is practicing drinking from a sippy cup, army crawling EVERYWHERE, babbling, and jumping in the jumperoo with such force that sometimes we think he may actually get across the floor in it! He is also enjoying toys so much these days...it's so fun to watch his mind working as he explores each one.

The last photo shows a face that he makes while blowing air out of his nose over and over again. We call it his "snort", and he seems to do it when he sees someone that he recognizes and when he gets excited about something.

I can't say enough what a joy he is to us!