11 Months Today

A Month in Pictures (and by month, I mean 3/23 - 4/23--Jackson's 11th month)...I wish I had been more vigilant in posting pictures and telling the stories of this wonderful month. It was a great one filled with so many fun things. I think there are still more pictures on my camera. This is just such an exciting age in the life of our little man. These pictures are waaaay out of order, but it has taken me so long (over the past week) to upload them, I think I'm just going to let them stay out of order before I give up on writing this post all together.

These pics from Baton Rouge happened over two separate trips. We traveled a lot this past month: to Baton Rouge twice and once to Shreveport to see the North LA folks. Good times were had on all 3 trips, even though on the last one to BR our little man was sick. It meant not much running around, but we had a great family visit, I think the best ever. And...I was not the drama queen that I usually am on our BR trips. Can I get an Amen?

Lindz, J, and BB
BB came to spend the whole Saturday with us, and we had a blast. Thanks for driving all the way from NOLA, BB. We love you so very much.

1st Pink Lady snowball of the season. BB and I used to drive "cross country" from Kyle & my apt. on Bluebonnet all the way to the Rainbow Delights snowball stand. (for you Texans, "snowball = snowcone.") ;)

Geocaching for the first time. Kyle taking credit + glory for the cache that I found. Leslie is cheering him on!

A cache in a tree--yet another find for me. No longer a muggle!

This was outside after eating at Pasttimes...with the hilarious reunion group behind us.

Boudin Balls from Chimes...Yumm...this was a lunch date with Mom, LB & Lester, Kayla, and Mitch. We were glad to see the sibs before they headed off to lead the music at a Disciple Now weekend.

The following pictures detail the progression of a meltdown.

Step 1 - Jackson grabs Mitchell's drink.
Step 2 - Mitchell--to prevent a huge spill--takes the cup back from the baby cup-snatcher.
Step 3 - Cue meltdown. Crying begins.

Step 4 - Baby cup-snatcher begins stuffing face with Puffs to help ease the pain.

Step 5 - Baby cup-snatcher's KK has to dig Puffs out of his mouth to keep him from choking.

Step 6 - Mitch hands baby cup-snatcher a peace offering and all is well at the Chimes East. (peace offering = bottle)

A drive by our 1st house on Springtree. Some sort of play structure has been erected in the back, which made me kind of sad for some reason. I guess I still feel like it's partly ours, and how dare they do that?!

We went to LSU to introduce J to Mike the Tiger and show him the sights! These are in no particular order. We had a great time with PawPaw Denny & Grammy, and this got us excited about bringing J back for his first Tiger football game this fall!

Daddy & J in the new Alex Box

On LSU campus near TS

The beautiful Oaks in the Quad

This was a bench Kyle and I used to sit on between classes...He says this was not the bench we used to sit on, but it so was!So fun to be back there with our LM.

J in front of the beautiful azaleas between the Indian Mounds and Peabody.

On top of one of the Indian Mounds.

Near the P-Mac

TS

Mike's Home

Wake up, Mike! Why are you sleeping?

Mike's statue in front of his home. Looks like J was getting sleepy!

This was before we left for Granny's (the first trip we took), and J was in his Big Boy carseat for the first time.

Sleeping with his monkey neck pillow that I got him b/c the Big Boy car seat didn't recline quite as much as his infant seat. Plus, it's just a little hilarious to see a baby with a neck pillow, don't you think? He'll fuss at me one day for posting this.

Snacking with beautiful Granny

Entertaining Pappy

There is a lot for a young LM to learn when outside with Granny

Laughing with Pap...I think they had been playing with animals on Henry's Hill

Chasing Kitty

One of Granny's Bird Feeders

Beautiful Kitty

All snazzy for picture day at MDO

Just hanging out...watching TV

Chillin out while we get ready for church one Sunday morning...Isn't this sweet? He looks so long!

Hangin out with Daddy in the playroom...check out that tummy!

New favorite thing to do...get behind a door and close it. He thinks it's hilarious!

Silly little guy in a towel dress.

What else is there to do on a rainy day but play dress up? This was the scary day with all the storms and tornado warnings...Ah! Yeah, we spent a good part of that day in the hall b/c I'm ridiculous about bad weather.

Fun at the Houston Children's Museum with playgroup...He LOVED it!

We have a new found love for tunnels. We now have one in the form of a big cardboard box in our foyer. I had to take him out of the tunnel several times at the museum so that others could play in it.

He found this bear in the infant section that was just like his bear from home. He got excited and carried it around for a little while.

He also got excited about this bear...He LOVES all things soft and will hold onto them and suck his thumb...it's kinda strange but cute all at the same time.

I wish I could say that those skinny arms were mine, but they are the arms of a nice girl who helped J up the slide because I was standing at the top with a skirt on...yes, ridiculous I know. Seriously, who wears a skirt to a children's museum? Besides me? No one.

Hanging around the house...getting into things! The tupperware cabinet is endless amounts of fun.

Hanging out with Bear...drinking a bottle

Loving looking at the snake in the tank at the Woodland's Children's Museum.

Grocery shopping

Swinging at our neighborhood park...I will cherish days at the park forever...some of my favorite times!

There is a funny story behind this. We were at Maw and Paw's for Easter lunch, and we saw this Easter Bunny running down the street. He was a friend of Kyle's cousins', so Aunt Rhonda--determined to have J's pic taken with the Easter Bunny found out which house he lived in, and we scurried off to find him. We knocked on his door and told the family--who was sitting down to lunch--that it was J's first Easter and we wanted his picture made with the bunny. The bunny had already taken off his costume, so he put it back on and came outside! Oh, the crazy things we will do for our babies!! As you can tell, J was confused...haha.

My favorite pic from Easter...taken right when we got home from church. This will definitely be in a rehearsal dinner video one day. ;) Love you, J.

After the egg hunt at JBC with Maddox, Brooks & Lucy. Can't believe these are our children...seems like just yesterday we were all in the youth group! Fun times. (Children of our friends Chad and Ashley and Mike and Lori)

J with Allie, the Teekels daughter who is just two weeks younger than J.

The Real Easter Bunny...with a red bull. Love you, Jase! ;)

J wasn't too excited about wearing a coat and tie.

All dressed for church...we were running too late for pics in the yard.

J's first Easter Bunny from his basket

Jake, J, and Noah on Easter morning with their treats!

J's 1st Easter Basket

These pics are from the fish fry at Keith and Kayla's...so much fun!

Resting with Maw...she has this great ability to put babies to sleep when no one else can.

Cousin secrets

Kyle whipping up his peach dump

Hangin with Paw on the porch

Ellie and David came over to play one day...Ellie is so funny!

J and David had a collision of sorts, and I thought this was too funny. (No babies were harmed in the making of this picture.)

Playing with friends

This was at playgroup one day...aren't babies hilarious? Who knows what they're thinking.

Sarabeth was too cute in her apron.

While everyone else was painting their flowerpots...

...J was playing in the dirt. Go figure! Gotta love curious boys.

I can't resist a baby in a diaper playing on his book shelf...

...or a baby in a towel...

...or one playing with his toys...

I just love this little guy, and it has been such a fun month. There were many fun times with friends & family, and I wish I could tell about them all. I'm excited about everything this 12th month will hold!