The no-good, very bad day.

This is a day that I'll be happy to leave in the history books.  Who comes all the way to Texas to get sick?  I've been feeling pretty bad the last couple days, and my fever was so high I had to get antibiotics.   Ear infections AND a GI bug.   My dad and Grandpa gave me a blessing, but in the meantime I'll enjoy the snuggles.

Also, my puppy passed away today.  Grandpa Barnes called and said he was really sick.   He took him to the vet back home, and the vet said he was very old, and it was just his time.   Mom is especially sad about it, and it makes a bad day just that much worse.  I don't like seeing her sad.   I'm in bad shape, so Dad will have to be the rock today.

I love my Grandpa

Spending time with Grandpa is always nice.   He thinks I'm cute and fun, and I think he's awesome.   We're kindred spirits who both like chocolate shakes, and being outside.   Here we are eating Twizzlers, and watching for deer out the back window....

Cousins...

My cousin Hudson is the best.   He was very sweet to me, and let me play big boy Legos with him.  

Christmas, Texas Style

Santa knew where to find me!  I was a little nervous, but it worked out ok.   My cousins and I opened our presents together, and had lots of fun opening our presents.  I wasn't sure about tearing paper off of my presents, because usually I get in trouble for things like that.  Are you sure it's ok?

I saved the best for last.   Once I got the hang of the opening of the present, I soon learned that I could be very interested in what someone else received as well.  This Strawberry Shortcake playset was right up my alley.   And my cousin MajLis was just fine teaching me the art of "not yours."

Leaving on a Jet Plane. Again.

I'm an old pro at this. ' Nuff said.   See you soon Texas!

Pre-Christmas Christmas

I love having family in multiple areas.   This means that you can have Christmas MULTIPLE times in one holiday season.   We are traveling to Texas tomorrow to see my Grandma and Grandpa Huffman for a week, so Mom and Dad set up my Christmas morning experience a day or two early.    The Barnes Family Christmas was a few days ago, and Mom's perplexed about where the pictures might be.  Truth be told, I think they are on Dad's phone.

Kelli and Jesse and Iowa grandparents Dan and Christy always come through for me with some great toys (pictured), so I'm one lucky boy!!  Mom and Dad bought me the Chuggington train set, which I love as well.  Too bad I'm on a plane tomorrow, and can't properly enjoy any of this!

Roll like a Barnes

When you roll with the Barnes clan, you better be prepared for non-stop action.   This weekend, my Aunt Sherri did a half marathon, and I was there to welcome her at the finish line!  Ok, so the finish happened to coincide with my nap time, but a boy does the best he can.    In all seriousness, REI needs to start developing their sleeping bags with Dad-coat technology.  That was the toasty-ist nap ever.

Next was a stop at our good friend's, the Francesconi's house.  I'm intrigued by music and instruments, and Dad humored me with a duet or two.  Trust me, it's not too early to start throwing around words like "prodigy" or "virtuoso."   I'm that good.

All that partying can't keep you from your Sunday worship.   Here I am, (alone) playing with MY toys before church. Fortunately, my friend Ethan has forgiven me for for that embarrassing incident where I might have unlawfully acquired his favorite airplane.   Very insensitive of me in retrospect, but good friends are gracious like that.

Sunday night, and it's off to Grandma and Grandpa's house to hang with the rest of the family.   It's a thankless job, but someone has to clean up after the horde moves through.  It is rumored that the Barnes's are descended from Jutes and Saxon's, so that would explain the horde-like behavior, and the devouring of every tasty morsel in sight.   What makes us more evolved than our ancestors is that WE wash our dishes afterward.  And what makes me more evolved as a man, is that I'm not afraid to wash dishes.  Don't let the shirtless chiseled physique fool you.  I'm a renaissance man. I can wash a dish just as well I can play a piano!

Unfriended

My name is Jack, and I WILL steal your toys in church...

21 months!

So it's been a while since I've updated anyone on my progress.   Here's a few things that I like to do now:

(Here I am, ready for church!)

1.  Still the same:   bad eater, good sleeper.
2.  I'm getting good at "reverent."  Ok, sort of good.  I can bow my head and fold my arms when we pray.
3.  I still hate nursery.  Dad has to take me, because Mom will linger and fret outside the door for an unknown quantity of time.
4.  I've discovered a new form of baseball that involves getting a spatula, and whacking balls on the Christmas tree.  Extra points if you knock one off.
5. I can consistently say Mom, Daddy, Bye, and Hi. Not much else.  Yeah, I don't really care that much.
6. I'm excited to go visit my family in Texas over the holidays.  I can't wait to have Christmas fun with my cousins.
7.  I'm going to be a half brother again!  Kelli and her fiance are having a baby boy in May!   And Mom says we get to go visit them when he's born.
8.  I've graduated from my soft sippy cups to the hard ones.  I successfully chewed all the nipples off the old ones, so Mom says it's time to move on.   Change is hard, but necessary in this case.
9.  I've cut two new teeth, but I'm still really late on most of them.
10. I look forward to eating chips and salsa with my Aunt Sherri every Friday night.  It's the only night of the week that I get to stay up till almost 8 sometimes!   I feel like such a big kid!
11.  I'm helpful.  If you give me a paper towel, I will clean up messes, and even wipe my face with the dirty towel when I'm done.  I like to be thorough.
12.  Mom has to hide her magazines because I like to tear out the pages and eat them.  I won't eat cotton candy, but paper is somehow on the menu.
13.  Dad is my best play buddy.  We make a good wrestling team.
14.  I give great kisses.

 I'm spunky and fun, and usually in a good mood.  Mom says I'm her pride and joy.   Not a bad thing to be if you ask me....

Love, Jack

Just because...

This particular post is about me being adequately distracted at the Rack Room shoe store.   Some genius thought it would be a good idea to put a big race car there for us poor schleps that are bored out of our minds while shoe shopping.   Well done, I say.

Gingerbread house

I don't understand the appeal of putting perfectly good candy somewhere other than my mouth, but to each his own.   My Grandma Barnes and Aunt Lynnette helped me construct my gingerbread house.  Mom was documenting the progress.....

Time Out

Ok, so once in while I have a lapse in judgement.   This may or may not have been one of those times.    When that happens, I go to this place called "time out," and do my time like a man.    Mom had just finished explaining to me why pens were a bad idea for me, and I didn't want to hear it.   I took matters into my own hands.   (See below)

Ok, so I didn't take my punishment like a man here, but I was really upset.    ARTISTS ARE SO MISUNDERSTOOD.   I have to suffer for my craft.

Little People, Big Fun

Ok, so I might be a little obsessed with Little People right now.   Mom's coworker gave her this groovy bus that I can push all my LP's around in.   I'm pretty much in heaven.   I'm perplexed by their lack of legs, but I'm willing to overlook that manufacturing flaw in light of their cheerful cherubic faces.

Sick and Tired

I'm a healthy boy, so when I find myself under the weather it's an event around here.   I ran a fever for 5 days, and on day 3, Mom took me to the doctor.   Double ear infections was the verdict.   I don't love being sick, but I did love the snuggling and the yummy pink medicine.   With just a hint of bubble gum, it leaves a nice taste on the palate.  I'm a fan.

Big boy table

Everyone reaches a point in time where they require a proper place to conduct their business.   I'm not quite two yet, but a table and chairs is much appreciated.   How are my minions to take me seriously sitting in my lawn chair?   Dad did the work, and I took on a supervisory role.  I had to step in a few times, but good help is sooooo hard to find.

Bunch a Munchy Crunchy Carrots

You are all aware of my food issues.   Mom tends to overstate it, and I prefer to think of my tastes as "quirky."  This week, I'm all about some carrots.   The usefulness of teeth has finally sunk in perhaps?  Notice the irony of rolling down the candy aisle with a carrot in my hand.   Mom has a funny sense of humor.

State Fair!

Some highlights from my SECOND year going to the State Fair.   It's a family tradition, and this year I got to go with my friend Sam!  I'm three weeks older, and I don't mind showing him the ropes.  Mom tried to get me to try some cotton candy, and I wasn't really impressed.  I did eat one of those old-timey apples that the little man peeled on a spinner thing.   That was acceptable.  I really did enjoy the animals the best though. The policeman that let us sit on his motorcycle was pretty awesome too!