weekend update

sorry ... no pictures from this weekend update, but we here at llvj do assure you that:

1. the weekend really did happen
2. we had a really good time

we started off on saturday with a morning trip to the pool. we have come to realize that a pre-10:30 a.m. arrival is required if you want to snag an umbrella table by the kiddie pool ... primo seating! we stayed and played until lunchtime, when the pool had a big barbecue to celebrate its 50th birthday -- complete with balloons, cake & ice cream, and singing. jack loved it and mommy and daddy loved getting someone else to make lunch!

after a restorative nap, we headed over to our friends' house for a beach crew happy hour. jack had a blast playing with the older kids, and "taking care" of the babies. a slip-n-slide in their backyard was the highlight of the afternoon.

in the evening, nana and grandad stopped by en route from the airport and jack enchanted them with his mile-a-minute activity ... coloring, reading books, and singing "twinkle twinkle little star" which is his new signature.

sunday, after a yummy breakfast, jack and mommy hit the trail while daddy got some yard work done, but we did return home in time for jack to be "helper lawnmower" which was his constant refrain while we walked.

an afternoon rounded out with serious park time and watching a little golf, soccer, and baseball on tv was very popular with young jack.

it was a trifecta of a weekend -- productivity, socialiability and family togetherness.

the only thing missing?

the photographic evidence.

ah well ... maybe next time.

jack at 2

here is jack's 2 year-old portrait ... he was not too cooperative taking it ... lucky he's much more photogenic than pliable ...

whopper

as we sat eating breakfast today, jack told me about something that had happened yesterday. here is a recreated excerpt of our morning chat (appropos of nothing):

jack: i fall down -- down the stairs
mommy: really? you fell down? when? yesterday?
jack: yes. fall down, upstairs sleeping go night night.
mommy: you fell down the stairs when you were going up for a nap? was 'xana there?
jack: yes.
mommy: and did she pick you up when you fell down the stairs?
jack: no.
mommy: did you cry?
jack: yes. cry.
mommy: did she give you a hug?
jack: yes. hug.

in amidst this unfolding "drama," floyd walks by ...

jack: floyd fall down stairs. make fall down.
mommy: floyd made you fall down the stairs?
jack: yes. floyd make fall down.
mommy: did he trip you? and you both fell down the stairs?
jack: yes.
mommy: oh, i see. and you cried but 'xana gave you a hug.
jack: 'xana hug floyd.
mommy: but 'xana hugged you too, right?
jack: hug floyd. hug jack.
mommy: so 'xana hugged floyd and then she hugged you.
jack: yeah.
mommy: well, that must have made you feel better.
jack: oh yeah!

by the way, that last "oh yeah" is said with gusto ... much like the anthropomorphized kool aid pitcher as he busts through the wall ...

well ... that clears that up. looks like we've started the "imaginitve play" phase ... either that or, as 'xana calls it, the "pinocchio nose-growing phase."

american league boy

of course jack's heart is with the washington nats ... but today he was all about the american league with his new cleveland indians gear (courtesy of grandma!):


"designated cutie" -- only in the al!

hats off to the tribe!!

what am i? chief wahoo?? no more pictures!!

and while the indians may be his main american league team ... mommy still wants a slot reserved for the o's ... one in the al-central and one in the al-east -- great compromise!

jack's 2nd birthday party

we celebrated jack's the start of jack's 3rd year (a.k.a. his second birthday) froggy style ...

he (and we!) had a great time playing, eating, running around and hanging out with his froggy peeps!

pardon the interruption

yes ... the blog has been silent for more than two weeks and we regret (though are not liable for) any withdrawal symptoms that our loyal readers have suffered as a result.

between a 10-day trip overseas for mommy and an extremely difficult week at work with the death of mommy's boss, there just wasn't the will left to blog.

but we have turned the corner and are going to get back in the saddle this week.

and jack keeps telling us, "i want to play computer," so who knows ... he might just do some posting himself one of these days.

so, please check back ... we hope to have more stories and pictures with which to bore you regale you on a near daily basis ...

in lieu of any jack pictures today, here's a special one i got with my cell phone last week:

a double rainbow over the memorial service for Tim Russert

happy birthday jack mershon!

AGE 2

AGE 1

9 MONTHS

3 MONTHS

happy birthday, jack mershon!!

yes ... that's what jack's been saying all morning. he is quite excited that it's his birthday and he's been enjoying the day.

reading the paper

changing "elmo"

what's in here?

feeling flushed with excitement -- do i have a fever?

so much action ... is it time for a nap, yet?

special breakfast request: juice, banana, pancakes

yummmmy!!!!

now brusha brusha brusha

rinse it off, and "tap, tap tap"

"sesi" and "mamaxana" arrive with presents -- cars and trucks!!

look at that vw bus go!!

and they brought balloons too!

"thank you, mamxana -- love you!"

what a fun birthday it was ... and all by 9:00 am. one can only imagine what the afternoon holds!

jack plays with balloons:

jack sings himself "happy birthday"

the celebration continues ... grandma and grandpa arrive tomorrow and a big party is in the works for saturday. yes ... happy birthday, jack mershon, indeed!

mid-week weekend update

finally ...

saturday morning we had some new carpet installed, so jack got to go have a special breakfast out with nana while mommy and daddy (and grandad and dudley!!) wrestled with the couch, fussed with the closet doors, pulled cable and inspected the new carpet. it turned out great -- a malty "swedish rye" color. meanwhile ... jack was eating french brioche (ooo la la)


"do i have to say 'brioche'?"

when they returned home, we sent our turkish delights of carpet installers packing and jack showed off his golf skills for grandad. it's amazing. he whiffs less than mommy ... but that's not saying much. the conclusion of his maternal grandparents: hand eye coordination has definitely improved with this generation. thanks, daddy, for the country club sports genes!

"watch this: 1 - 2 - 3!!!"

"i want more golf ball!"

jack also enjoyed sitting in grandad's old vw rabbit. then we realized that the car's old enough, and he's smart enough ... that he could probably get the thing hot wired within 5 more minutes ...

so instead he and nana headed to the park while we finished tidying up around the house.

run, forest, run!

after a full morning, jack was pleased (as were his parents) to take a 2.5 hour nap. he never sleeps that long! it was both elating and vexing. but he rewarded us with a nice afternoon, including neighborhood walks and a pleasant evening routine.

on sunday, jack and mommy headed out to the national zoo before it got too hot. we saw lots of animals, but the main attraction for jack was the cooling sprinklers they had misting the walkways from above. he also insisted on running through the zoo while pushing his stroller. note to self ... next time mommy rides and jack pushes!

we returned to find daddy having done lots of yard work. sadly jack fell asleep in the car for the last 10 minutes of the ride home and did not nap. apparently saturday's 2.5 hour nap was intended to get him through the entire weekend. ah well. he and daddy headed out to play in the park and walk around the neighborhood and he was as energized as ever.

it was a nice ... and all too short ... weekend. we look ahead to next weekend -- jack's 2nd birthday party! and the great part? since mommy didn't blog until wednesday ... we're already halfway there!