A Glimpse of Things to Come

Phil and Roxann came to celebrate Mary's graduation and hang out with us at my mom's house for a week and a half. Well, at least Roxy and the kids stayed that long. It was perfect. Jonathan and I had to come back to Detroit for three days to work but then we went back up. Jonathan is awesome with Charlotte and Jackson. He would always play with them and do fun things. One night he was playing ball with Jackson and the little guy was laughing so hard. By the time I got the video camera...or had the sense to grab it... the giggling died down but I think this is a great clip to imagine how Jonathan will interact with our son.

Jonathan also had an eventful outing with Charlotte. Grandma wanted some fresh strawberries for pie so Jonathan and Charlotte went on an outing together. They first got ice cream. Charlotte did want to hold it so Jonathan did. Then they got the box to pick the strawberries and went out to the field. Charlotte, not wanting to walk in the mud and get her shoes dirty, asked Jonathan to carry her. So Jonathan needed to balance Charlotte in one are and the box of strawberries and ice cream in the other. Then he would lean Charlotte over the strawberry bushes and have her pick one. I might add that this lasted about five minutes before he realized it wasn't very effective and she was getting tired of being tipped over. He brought her home and went back to finish the job himself. Now, I may not have captured this in the best way but we laughed for a long time when we heard the story. It was hilarious. What a great Uncle.

Here are some pictures of Jackson trying out our carseat. He was having a lot of fun. Laughing and squealing. I didn't get pictures of laughing. But I promise he was all grins!



He must miss his infant carrier.. Charlotte came to play with him and was rocking him back and forth...
Then Phillip decided to check the safety of the carseat...I think my neice and nephew are immune to shaken baby syndrome!! Thanks Phil and Jackson! Now I know that the straps will securely keep my baby in place!

Another funny story was when we went swimming with the kids in a wading pool out back. Yes, Roxy, Jonathan, the two babies, and I were all playing in the freezing cold wading pool. It was a lot of fun and very humorous to say the least. My mom took pictures...I don't know if we will ever get them or see them...

Well, that post took me about a week to finish. It has been saved in draft and I needed lots of help with the video and placing the pictures. Next time it will be faster hopefully!

Father's Day Vacation

Since Abby's on her way to Nauvoo with her mom, I figured I'd take a moment to catch you up with what's happening in our lives these days. Abby is doing well and getting bigger. It's gotten to the point where I'm lifting her out of the car and pushing her up off the couch. Her due date is August 18th, and we've been excitedly preparing for everything. Abby was particularly focused on finding a stroller and crib for the baby, and we were able to find some great deals online for them. Now it's my job to find a camcorder and start packing everything for our move to Ann Arbor at the end of July.

We just returned from a small vacation with our families last week. I got to see my brother Matthew be set apart for his mission to Buenos Aires, Argentina. He left for the MTC on Friday, and it's strange to think that when he comes back in two years, Abby might look just the same as she does now.

We also got to see some of our favorite people this past week: Phil, Roxann, and their two adorable kids, Charlotte and Jackson. They are living in Minnesota right now, so it's a treat when we're able to spend time with them. We played in the backyard pool, picked strawberries, went out for ice cream, played Wii, and even went to see Kung Fu Panda at the movie theater. I can't believe Charlotte is almost already three years old, walking and talking with a mind of her own.

Yesterday, I was able to attend church in our new chapel for the first time. It's been under construction for the past two years, so Abby and I have been anxiously awaiting the day when we could finally have church there. No more climbing 5 flights of stairs and listening to toilets flush during sacrament meeting. Hurray!

I miss my girl. She will be in Nauvoo with her mom and sister until Thursday. I think that this is more of a therapeutic trip for Abby, rather than an exciting sightseeing trip. Being in Nauvoo, unlike other places, has a way of clearing Abby's mind and calming her nerves. She always has had an affinity for that place, and although I miss her, I know she's enjoying herself.