Aunt Jackie's Visit

My sister, Jackie, came to visit us for about 5 days. She lives in Kansas, so we don't get to visit often. While she was here, we went to Daytona Beach to show Jackie what FL life is like (sometimes). We took Sterling's pack-n-play to minimize sand in the mouth (and everywhere else, too)...and he had a blast!
We did let him experience the beach a little bit...it was Jackie's and Sterling's first trip to the Atlantic.

Jackie made us some REAL Mexican food...chille rellenos...mmmmmmmm!

The Back Yard

We are blessed with a beautiful, huge, grandfather oak tree in our back yard. Unfortunately, it causes the soil to be very acidic and a little too shady for grass growth. Sooo...we decided that it would be easier to sweep a deck than to constantly rake a dirt yard. Here's what our yard looked like BEFORE...
And here's what it looks like now...

Some friends of ours build it for us...and did a great job. It's just what we wanted. :) Now we have our own dojo (place to practice karate) in the back yard!

KS...Yep, more pics!

We took a TON of pics while we were visiting family in KS. We don't get up that way too often, so we wanted to take advantage. It was Sterling's first introduction to most of my family. He'd only med my Mom prior to this trip...and that was when he was first born and in the NICU...so it was minimal exposure. :( So, just a heads up, there will be even more pics of our KS trip to come. I still have to sort through pics from the other side of the family!
This is a cute pic of Elizabeth reading to the boys. What great kids! Jordan and Elizabeth had a blast feeding Sterling dinner one night. Jordan fed him bananas...

And Elizabeth fed him squash...what a mess! Ha ha!

More Pics from Our KS Trip

This was my very favorite picture taken while in KS. My mom had these hand weights in the living room and one morning Sterling and I were playing while everyone else was still asleep. Doesn't he look so content with those weights?! A natural-born exerciser! That's our boy! Here are some shots taken with my Grandma Spencer (my mom's mom). She really loves babies!

Sterling didn't quite know what to think of Great Grandma Spencer.

Four generations...I'm soooo happy we got this picture while in KS.

Sterling LOVED playing with Nana's curtains.

Drinking juice with Papa.

Sterling with my step-brother, Jeff.

More Cousins!

Here are a couple shots of my neices, Jordan and Elizabeth. They are little bookworms!!! Go girls!
Pretty sure this is Jordan and Elizabeth's dramatic interpretation of two lionesses. That's my guess anyway. LOL!

Sterling Meets Logan

These are pics from our trip to KS this past March of Sterling meeting and playing with his cousin, Logan. Logan was born about a month earlier than Sterling and was also a premie. Don't you just love that hair!?! Soooo adorable!

From left to right: Elizabeth (my neice), Sally (my sis-in-law), Jeff (my step-brother), Ken (my step-father), and my Mom...and of course...Sterling and Logan.Sterling is just emphatuated with shoes! Here he is playing with Logan's shoe.

I just love these next two shots of the boys. You can see all the little scrapes on their faces from scratching themselves and tumbling around.

We are playing keep up with Sterling!

Sterling is really hitting those mile stones now. Here's the short version; he began climbing and pulling himself up to stand about 2 days ago, he is in the forward facing seat now, and he even follows me around when I am busy conducting my manny duties.

It's interesting to me what touches me about Sterling. Just this evening before bed Sterling was crawling after me wherever I went and it really just hit me. This little guy is going to be following me around for a good portion of my life and that thought makes me feel great.