Washing the Truck w. Daddy

On Saturday April 12th, Daddy & Jackson took to washing the truck while I planted some larkspur seedlings one of the fig trees. Jackson was originally helping me plant, but soon wandered over to Daddy - who had the hose (Jackson thrives on "hose" time) and a bucket of bubbles (another favorite of Jackson's). Anyway, between the hose, the bubbles, and a scrub brush planting/digging in the garden was a thing of the past.

Also, we have learned that Jackson LOVES to be hands-on with (almost) everything. If he's watched you do it once he's already got his hands in it & doing it for himself. Mr. Independent is what I like to refer to him occasionally. In fact, a few Sunday's ago when I picked Jackson up from Sunday school one of the teachers commented that Jackson was "independent, almost too independent"... I totally agree! My boy is growing up so fast, I think the next group of pictures you'll see will be of him driving the truck rather than washing it again with Daddy!

I LOVE my Fletcher boys!

Mixing it up!

Jackson & Nana bake together almost every week. Well last week, after I came home from work, Nana announced that Jackson knows how the "mixer goes". I asked, "What does that mean?"... and she & Jackson proceeded to show me what that meant.

Well, see for yourself...

On Campus

Jackson & I had a wedding shower to go to on campus yesterday, which was quite lovely. Some good friends of ours are getting married so we decided to bake a carrot cake for their shower too. It was yummy. When we were through with the shower Jackson & I went to my office to do some work & make some phone calls. When we were done with that we where heading "down the hill" to Shands to get my eyes examined. I called to get in, which was an "emergency fill" appointment, and then asked the price. The lady on the line said "well it can be anywhere from $200 to $700 for seeing an attending". I expressed to her that I had already spoken with the attending physician regarding the procedure that was to take place. The lady said, "but the attending can have more tests run". I said not with out my consent. So I asked her again, "how much will this procedure be?" The lady said again "between $200 & $700 dollars. I said thank you very much & cancel my appointment. Needless to say, they wanted to me to get there by 3pm, and then wait several hours to "fit" me in. I decided that walking campus was infinately more appealing. I apologize for the tyrade, but people have to realize that life needs to lived & not stuck in a waiting room so that one can pay that kind of money for 1 procedure. We stopped to smell the roses today.

Jackson fell asleep on the walk to Lake Alice.

Here is Lake Alice on the campus of The University of Florida, quite lovely isn't it.

Here is the Baughman Center. This is where Jerrod & I were married. I love the architecture.

After Jackson & I walked all around the Baughman Center & toured the inside of it. We walked out the front doors to spy a squirrel. Jackson took off after the squirrel, where the squirrel ran up this oak tree. Jackson is try to see where the squirrel went & why isn't he back on the ground ready for some play time.

We love this picture of Jackson. Such joy, love and zest for life in that expression.

Easter Sunday

Here are a few from Easter Sunday.
The latest Family picture. Daddy's new hair cut inspired Jackson's haircut (see next post).

Here's Jackson & Mommy, awaiting the Easter Egg Hunt on the playground at Church.

Could there be an egg hiding in the tire?

I found one, I found one!

I am TOTALLY POOPED out after a hard day of hunting.

The best part of the Easter Egg Hunt, Jackson could care less about the candy inside - he just wanted to nibble on the egg. I wonder if next year will be the same?

Tumble Dry Low, Please

The other night Jerrod, Jackson & I were out on the back porch. Jerrod working on getting his website ready for his practice, Jackson milling around doing whatever, and I folding laundry. When out of the corner of my eye, I notice this. caught right in the act! No denying it. We've got the proof right here.

Look at that face, he's about to bust out crying... he knows he's been caught!

If I can just make it out, she'll soon forget what she saw... meanwhile Jerrod was so engrossed in the website stuff, I believe he was on the phone w. Neal discussing website options, that I had to take these picture & then display them on the camera. He relayed the on-goings of Captain Insaino to Neal.

I think he's attempting to throw me off with cleaning out the lint trap - good diversion tactic, but it can't fool your Mom - she ALWAYS knows what's going on.

Jackson's 1st Official hair cut

Last Thursday, the 27th of March, we were headed to Ocala to get my teeth cleaned by Tammy a dental hygienist who works in my father-in-law's office, aka Jackson's Papa's. We'll what was supposed to be just a teeth cleaning ended up being a root canal... ugh! The good news was, in between my teeth being cleaned & my root canal, Jeanette, Jackson & I cruised over to Stuart's (famous) Barber Shop to get Jackson's hair cut. There was other good news, even though the root canal took almost 3 hours, I actually fell asleep in the chair. I apologized to Pop's...he said that he's stick Jeanette & I in a room together to snore each other out... funny thing is my Mom snores too, what is it with women and snoring? Jerrod doesn't snore, Jackson doesn't snore, I believe Pop's doesn't snore... Anyhoo, here is how it all went down.

Here we are just starting off...

Jackson looks a wee bit nervous...

He did great until she brought out that noisy buzz saw apparatus...

I think the lady gave him a spray bottle to play with, Jackson LOVES to be sprayed in the face with water. It contented him for, oh about 2 minutes, then he was SUPER freaked out. He ended up sitting in my lap for the trim around the ears & back of the neck line. All in all, for a first time and only be just shy of 13 months old, he did fabulous.

Now is that not the cutest face ever or what? I am not biased about my boy, no...no way.

Here is Jackson with his Granny post hair cut.

The Wild Azalea Festival

On Saturday, March 15, Jerrod, Jackson & I set out for White Springs, Florida. Home of the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park. THE most beautiful state park I have ever had the luxury of visiting & walking around at. I highly recommend going! Here are a few pictures from our family outing, which was quite fun too. Here's Daddy & Jackson... Here's The Stephen Foster "house". Pretty sweet for a backdrop of a wedding, which was taking place later on that afternoon. Mommy & Jackson in front of the Garden of Azalea's at the Stephen Foster S.P. The 97-bell carillon, built in the 60's, sort of reminds me of Denny Chimes on the Quad at The University of Alabama...
The Fam...

Silly Hat Day's

Need I say more?

Master Gardener Jackson

Jackson has a new love - The Great Outdoors. Every chance he gets he's out the front door, off the porch & into something... anything. He LOVES to get his hands dirty and his clothes even dirtier.

I will have many more pictures to share over the coming weeks as we will be planting lots of seeds in our flower gardens. This past Sunday we planted some sunflowers & morning glory's. We'll post some pictures of any of the flowers that grow.

Jackson enjoys hanging out in his new wagon, courtesy of Granny & Papa Fletch - Jerrod's mom & dad. We pack it full of "gardening tools" & essentials. I may have to invest in some type of slicky-pants for Jackson, as his pants are ALWAYS covered in dirt when we are done gardening.

Florida's Finest

Thanks to our friends Uncle Tommy "T-Bone" & Auntie Dawn Lowe for Jackson's personalized Florida Gator Football Jersey.

Only Gators Get Out Alive!!!!!!

Jackson turns 1 & other fun facts...

Jackson turned 1 yesterday, the 3rd of March 2008. We celebrated his birthday on Saturday with family & friends out at the Farm. Jackson got to dig in to his own birthday cake, which was a Strawberry Country Cake (A Barefoot Contessa recipe). It was 2 layers of cake, with a layer of whipped cream and strawberries in the middle and on top. He loves strawberry's and with it being strawberry season in FLA I decided to let him have one of his favorites. Here are a few pictures of him digging in. (More pictures to follow).





Also, we had Jackson's 1 year check up w. Dr. Michelle yesterday. Jackson is 25 lbs and 33" tall. He has 10 teeth & is speed walking everywhere. He's sleeping in his very own toddler bed, has been for the past few weeks and as of last night we decided, with the encouragement of Dr. Michelle to allow him to fall asleep on his own for naps & bedtime. Something that Jerrod & I have been slowly working towards over the past few weeks.

He's not a happy camper about "self-soothing" at all. However, he is 1, he is now in the stage of Autonomy V Shame & Doubt (Erikson) and he's doing so many other things on his own, plus Dr. Michelle said that now is the best time to do it. We, Jerrod & I, both agreed. Last night was one of THE hardest nights of sleep in our house, 1 I am sick with the flu, and 2, the first time he woke up the cry lasted almost an hour. This was an opportunity for me to truly rely on the power of prayer and God's love, not just for me, but for Jerrod & of course, Jackson. I can say this without hesitation, I can now understand on the tiniest of tiniest levels what I must have been like for God to allow his son to suffer so much for us (make no mistake about it, I am SO not comparing 1 night of self soothing to what our Lord and Savior did for us, just noting what it's like to be a parent).

These next 3 pictures of are Jackson taking a stroll in the yard one day 2 weeks ago. The weather was chilly (yes, it does get chilly in FLA!) and we went out to enjoy it. He LOVES being in the yard, digging around, finding pecans, sticks, you-name-it.

I'm trapped & I can't get out!!! Who put my baby crib outside?

Here's a few of Jackson swinging.. another favorite thing to do in the yard... He enjoys waving to all the cars that drive by the house too. Please note the stick... his favorite book is The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats. In this story there's a page or two about a stick - "a stick that was just right for smacking a snow covered tree"... well we don't have any snow covered trees here, but we've got plenty of sticks. I'll blog later with an omage to sticks & Jackson.