Bath Time

Cheesy grin :0)

These are the only two pictures I have where you can see Jack's teeth coming in. If you click on the top one, it shows his top teeth and the bottom picture shows his bottom tooth! I am a little sad because I love a baby's toothless grin.

The Pool

I am happy to report that Jack's second time to the pool actually resorted to smiles instead of tears! He really warmed up to it this time and seemed to be having fun. We are just glad that he seems to like the water now...we were worried after the lake and the first time to the pool where he was all tears.

I LOVE that belly! And you can also see his cute little ribs...you would think I don't feed him but I swear he eats as much as I do!

His cute little chub on his back...I love babies!

Jack

Here are some fun videos of Jack. He is pretty cute, I must say! :)

He loves to dance! Anytime that music comes on, he gives a little shake. Even during sacrament meeting! :)

Summer fun

Last week we went to Lake Erie with some friends to cool off when it was 95 degrees!! The heat has been pretty bad this past week. Jack was having a great time until we decided to take him to the water.

You know how they say "A picture is worth a thousand words"? Well this one tells it all. He did not want anything to do with the water! It was so funny, and sad because he was sobbing. He would NOT let go of us at all. We tried three separate times and each time we got the same reaction. It probably didn't help that the water was FREEZING. We made him take a little dip a few times to cool off, but other than that, he wouldn't have anything to do with it! We took him to the pool today and he started warming up to the kiddie area. We decided that we need to keep taking him so that he can get used to the water because we both love it! Justin's family is big into boating and I know that Justin will carry on the tradition. You better get used to it Jack!

As soon as he was back on land he felt much better. The funny thing is, he would not leave our blanket. He put his foot on the sand twice to test it out, and never ventured off again...

except when Lucy pulled out the snacks!

Thanks Denise!

Justin's mom, Denise, made this awesome sampler for Jack. You will have to click on it to see the detail...it is insane! She is extremely talented. She spent hours and hours putting this together and a matching one for cousin Connor. Thanks Denise! We love it, and it looks super cute in Jack's room!! :)

Jack is One!!

Our little Jack has been so much fun!! It seems like he should still be a little newborn and now he is walking, saying words and even getting mad when he can't do or have something he wants. He has been the best baby!! He plays well, sleeps well, and eats well. He is usually very happy and makes us smile just by looking at him. I really can't believe that it has been a year.

His official birthday is June 8, 2007. To day we took him to the doctor for his 12 month check up. It was really sad because they had to draw blood out of his tiny little veins for allergy, lead, and anemia testing and he was sobbing the entire time. Not to mention his other shots they had to do after! Poor Jack!

Height: 30.5 inches long
Weight: 20.5 lbs.

He is getting so big!

One of his favorite things to do right now is go and watch Justin's softball games. He has so much fun playing in the grass and being around all the little kids. I can even get him to cheer and yell "Daddy!" He also loves the park, playing peek-a-boo, practicing walking, taking a bath, telling you what the different animals say, smelling flowers, reading books, singing, playing with his toys, dancing, playing outside, and every time I am cooking something he has to be picked up to see what I am doing.

Thank you Jack for being such a good boy! We hope you had a good birthday. You are growing so fast. We love to play with you and we can't wait to see what new thing you learn next. Happy Birthday bud! We Love you!
Love, Mom and Dad

Beethoven

I think we have some serious talent on our hands! :)

A big thanks to Justin's siblings! :)

Let me just start this post off with saying that I am not a dog lover. Never have been, probably never will be.

With that said, a few weeks ago, Justin's sister got a little yorkie dog. They had one while growing up so all three of them LOVE these little dogs. Justin was of course, completely jealous and continued to tell me that he needs one too.

Then, last night his brother, Ryan, calls and says that they have just purchased a little yorkie dog as well! They sent pictures to Justin's phone, and I will admit he is pretty cute. So for about an hour, our conversation kept repeating itself over and over and went a little something like this...

Justin: Let's go look at dogs on Monday.

Stacey: No. I don't want a dog.

Justin: They are SO FUN and everybody has one but me now!

Stacey: I'm sorry.

Justin: Why don't you want one?

Stacey: Because I'm not the one who even likes dogs and I will be the one at home all day taking care of it. Why would I do that?

Justin: You can train them in two weeks! Don't you want a cute little doggie to sleep and cuddle with? PLEASE can I have a puppy??

Stacey: No.

Justin: You are heartless!! You tricked me when we were dating.

Stacey: Whatever! What were my exact words when you told me you wanted a dog someday? I believe I said that I would rather chop off my right arm than get a dog. How is that tricking you?

Justin: You are a wolf in sheep's clothing! (The highlight of the evening)

Stacey: (Laughing hysterically) Whatever, can we say our prayers please and go to bed?! I feel like I'm talking to a five year old! You are just going to have to go visit Ryan or Steph's.

Justin: I will have a dog one day.

Treasure Hunt

Justin rented a metal detector and was determined to find his wedding ring. He looked and looked for a good fifteen minutes and the metal detector was beeping a lot. He thought that maybe it wasn't working. He did find one thing, but it definitely wasn't the ring.

So I came out to give some moral support and decided to give it a try. About thirty seconds later, it beeped so I moved the bush aside, and TADA! I found it!

We were very excited! Now Justin doesn't have to wear the Walmart replacement I would have made him buy. :)

The ring is what I found...the toy car, is what Justin found. :) Good thing there are girls in this world!

Fun With Grandma & Grandpa Brownell

Chagrin Falls

My Mom and Dad just left yesterday. They were able to come and stay for a week with us and we miss them already!! We started out our week with a trip to Chagrin Falls. It is the cutest little town! It looks like it came straight out of a magazine. The falls is right in the middle of town.

This is a little popcorn shop right at the top of the falls. We stopped there and got some caramel corn and an ice cream cone. It was so yummy!

Birthday Party

Then we came home and had a little birthday party for Jack. His birthday is still a week away but we wanted to do it while my parents were here. It turned out to be so fun! I stayed up late the night before (of course) and made these cupcakes.

Everything seemed to be going perfectly. We were singing Happy Birthday, Jack was smiling, and I was helping him blow out his one candle. But the second I blew it out for him, he grabbed it and burned his little hand!! How sad!! I can't believe I couldn't pull it away in time. I felt horrible!! I had to scrape candle wax off the inside of his hand....Sorry Jack!

Thankfully it took him about two seconds to taste the cupcake and forget all about his little burnt hand. He devoured it! The whole thing was gone in about two minutes.

Palmyra, New York

Jack and Justin at the Martin Harris farm.

We spent three days in Palmyra, NY. It is one of the most amazing places I have ever been. It is neat to be able to be on such sacred ground where so many significant events in church history took place. Everyone should take the time to go there at least once in their life.

This is down by the Erie Canal port. This also has significance in church history. The man who printed the Book of Mormon, E.B. Grandin, bought a printing press that could only be delivered by boat or it would have broke. He received it only months before Joseph Smith inquired of him about printing the Book of Mormon, which he could not have done with the previous printing press that he was using. It definitely shows me that Heavenly Father has everything mapped out just perfectly.

This is the Smith family log home, where Joseph was living when he had the first vision. Moroni also appeared to him four times here.

This is a statue of the first vision that they have in the visitor's center. I love it. It really showed Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ as real people, even just by the look on their faces. It was really beautiful.

This is inside the Sacred Grove. It was everything I ever imagined it to be. It is so beautiful! The feeling inside is indescribable. There is such a peaceful feeling there and a very strong spirit. I still can't believe we had the opportunity to be there! And the best part is, we are going back in July!

They have benches all throughout and trails that lead you in different directions around the grove.

This is the Peter Whitmer home.

This is the very room they organized the church in. It was filled with people, and Joseph Smith also received revelation during the organization.

This is a room upstairs in the Peter Whitmer home, where they translated much of the Book of Mormon.

This monument is on top of the Hill Cumorah where Joseph received the gold plates.

This is at the Palmyra temple looking out to the Sacred Grove.

Johnson Farm

After we came back to Cleveland, we were able to go to the John Johnson farm. This is where Joseph Smith was tarred and feathered. We are sitting on the original steps that he preached from the very next morning.

It was a great week! Thank you Mom and Dad for coming such a long way to see us! Jack misses you!!