Jumpin' Jack "Splash", It's A Gas, Gas, Gas!!

This is to erase any thoughts some might have that a Grandpa can't keep an 18 monther busy on a warm, summer afternoon.





That last one is where he got his pants and shoes wet. They were sitting on the glider. With no alternative clothing to change into, Jack became that new super hero - Toga Boy!!

Look who's talking

The Jack report:

Make sure you're up to date on your Jack lingo -

Fish (ishhh)
Clock (gock)
Dog (woof woof)
More (mo)
Banana (baaa)
Hat (hap)
Shoes (shoes)
Bus (bus)
Uh Oh (uh oh)
Hot (hop)
Bug (bu)
Truck (TRU! - with gusto!)
Car (CAR! - also with gusto!)
Water (wa wa)
Grandma (nana)
Grandpa (boompa)
Mom (mama)
Dad (papa)
Cheese (chees)
Up (up - most frequently used word)
Cracker (cacker)
Boat (bo)
Helicopter (hicoper)
Milk (ilk)
Ice (ice)
Cow (moo)
Tristan (tritan)
Apple Juice (appa-juice - sometimes he sings it)
Bee (bzzz - while putting finger in ear)
Sit (sit - sometimes sounds like shit - oops)
Shut (shut)
Open (ope)
Step (tep)
Tree (tre)
Bird (bbb)
Stick (tick)
Poop (poo - while grabbing backside - just so you know)
Duck (duck)
Bottle (ba ba)
Worm (woo)
Bye (bye - while waving)

It all started around 13 months, and now new words are happening every day! Quite amazing. He had his 18 month appointment this week - weighing in at 27 lbs 14 oz, and he is now 34 1/4 inches tall. And you can hug and kiss Jack all you want - he's quite happy to return the affection, but what he really cares about are cars and trucks. Bugs are a distant second. His latest talents - walking backwards while saying "beep beep beep", walking on his tiptoes, walking with his knees bent, bouncing up and down, and spinning. Always entertaining, this one is! Stay tuned.

A visit to Woodstock

Amy, Christopher, Angie, Jackson.



Charlie - the latest addition.







Jackson, Lou, Derek, Christopher. A fun time!

Jack in the city.

Checking out the tall ships.









On the rooftop of one of the Marina Towers. Quite a view!

Cooking with Jack

Русский Круиз - 2006

Our "Russian Cruise" began at the airport in Moscow where we were picked up and whisked to our awaiting boat, the MS Viking Surkov.





Our cabin was small, only 90 sq ft. In commenting on other similar small quarters, Leighton once said, "It was so small you had to go out into the hall to change your mind!"



But we liked it! The flowers were a gift wired to the ship from our travel agent.



We got to see Red Square and Saint Basil's in Mocsow ...






... other sites along the Volga River, ...





... and sites in St. Petersburg, like the Winter Palace of Catherine the Great, ...



... The Summer Palace called the Hermitage which is now a huge museum, ...



... and the resting place for the remains of Czar Nicholas II, and his wife and family that were discovered where they had been buried after having been murdered.



Then, at 4:00am Sunday morning, St Petersburg time (7:00pm Saturday night in Chicago), we left our ship, told our new friends "До свидания" (Do svidaniya/Good-bye), and headed for the airport and our flights back home.