Bubble Boy Blowing Bubbles

Bubble Boy Blowing Bubbles

Health Update 8/11/11

Health Updates 8/11/11

#1 A recent chest x-ray shows that my bacterial pneumonia is almost cured.

#2 An echocardiogram yesterday shows that the fluid on my heart is almost totally cleared up.

So some good news!! Yeah!!

Our grandson, Jack Aidan, when he got home from Cape Cod took a tumble against the family room entertainment cabinet and split his face open right next to his eye. A trip to the emergency room led to three stitches being put in next to his eye. My daughter Jennifer says that little Jack was very brave about the stitches. He has had to miss a swimming lesson or two because he couldn't get in the pool with stitches. He had his stitches removed this past week and is now ready to go to his the pool once again.

Turning Four With Four Birthday Parties

Turning Four With Four Birthday Parties

Jack and I went over to Jenn and Terry's Friday night to give him our birthday card, gift and money. When he saw the money he asked his Daddy to get his big blue piggy bank so he could put his bills into it.

Fold and stuff, fold and stuff and get that money into the pig. Jack's second party was Saturday morning with all his little friends at the moon bounce. And his third was Saturday afternoon when he got to open all the presents with his parents. he got from his buddies.
See the sign on the fireplace mantle. Later in July Jack Aidan will have his fourth birthday celebration up on Cape Cod with his paternal grandparents and his first cousins. Also, in this photo Jack is checking out his birthday card from us that turned into two cars from the Cars 2 movie that he went to see the other week. That was his first movie experience in a real theater.
Jack is getting good at ripping into presents and finding the gift inside.
Daddy, help me play this new pattern game from Grandma and Grandpa.

Spiderman Cupcakes For The Birthday Boy

Spiderman Cupckes For The Birthday Boy

Look at these adorable cupcakes complete with a chocolate web that Jennifer's girlfriend created for all the birthday attendees at the Pump It Up Moon Bounce Birthday party in Manassas on Saturday!

They fit with the Spiderman theme in Jack's bedroom.

Jack Aidan in his Spiderman costume.

Jack throwing a web on Thanksgiving Day last year.

Grandpa watching Jack throw his webs.

The Worst Pictures We Ever Took!

The Worst Pictures We Ever Took!

Yes, Yes, The Worst Pictures We Ever Took!

Yesterday our front door opened and our grandson high on cupcakes and pizza and juice from celebrating early his fourth birthday with 14 little buddies and their parents at the Pump It Up Moon Bounce in Manassas came in like a whirling dervish wearing his guest of honor crown and swinging his sceptre at us. Grandpa and I and Mom and Dad tried to get him to settle down so we could take a photo or two but he was just too wound up as the photo above and the photos below will attest to.

Look out everyone I may just throw this sceptre at you.

Keeping his sceptre and right foot in constant motion here.

Daddy held him for this shot but the right foot and sceptre are still in motion.

Mommy held him for this shot which didn't make him too happy.

Oh, Jack Aidan.

When you are high on sugar you are a trip!

The Big Granite Ball

The Big Granite Ball

Every time Jack Aidan goes to IHOP for his favorite breakfast of French toast and bacon he likes to take time to visit the big granite ball on Atlas Walk. Tomorrow I'll explain the historical significance of Atlas Walk in Gainesville, Virginia. Have a good day everyone. We just might get a much need shower this afternoon. Yeahhhh!

Jack Aidan, you can't lift that ball. Even your Daddy can't lift that ball.

My Madcap 67'th Birthday

My Madcap 67'th Birthday Party

Jeanine arrived with her black lab Barney who was ready for action.

Jennifer and Terry arrived with lunch for everyone from the Olive Garden and a birthday cake from Wegmans.

And my Jack was the man who kept the madcap party rolling.

When Grandma couldn't blow out all the candles with one breath little Jack insisted that we light all the candles again so that he could try. Sure enough he did blow out all the candles at once even if Grandma couldn't help worrying that if Jack's lips got any closer to the candle flames his mouth would be singed. But he did it. He blew out all the candles with one breath so that Grandma's birthday wish would come true.

And then there was the bang bang of a plate hitting the floor. Did little Jack just do that? Grandma yelled to Jack to quick run to the garage to get the broom and dustpan. Little Jack thought Grandma meant him so he made a mad dash to the garage. And who was it who broke the plate? Little Jack was an innocent bystander. It was Aunt Jeanine who knocked the plate against the back of the dining room chair in the breakfast room.

Then there was Barney who kept trying to figure out if he could get all four of his paws in this plastic bucket so he could go swimming like labs like to do. And then there was the moment went he dropped his tennis balls in the water to retrieve them and they got very wet. Sign of more trouble coming down the road. Barney later brought a wet tennis ball into the family room and the tennis ball started leaking black gooey water on the light carpet. So then we had three rug cleaners on hands and knees: Jack, Jeanine and Jennifer!
And when Grandma and little Jack played a game of pulling out the tissues from the gift bags dear Barney decided he would like to eat the paper. This led to Terry rescuing Barney from the tissue paper.
And who was chasing who around the coffee table is yet to be decided. Notice that Jack is sans his summer shorts. My Jack had to dry his shorts and socks in the dryer after he got them very wet refilling Barney's water bowl at least a dozen times.

Needless to say it was a madcap party. When everyone left Grandma said she needed to take a quick nap before she went off to bed. LOL!

Our Amazing Spiderman

Our Amazing Spiderman

Our daughter sent a photo of Jack in his Spiderman costume away to be blown up into a poster for another wall in his bedroom. Here's the result.

But even Spiderman can have a bad day. Our little Spiderman is missing out on his first school field trip to the post office to mail a valentine because he has the sniffles and is running a fever. Get well Spiderman. We love you!

Yes, yes, throw a web around those cold germs, Spiderman!

Spiderman

Spiderman

Our daughter Jennifer painted this spiderweb in Jack Aidan's bedroom. She then bought a commercial Spiderman poster and cut it out and attached it to the painted web to create this life size and dramatic mural for our grandson's bedroom. Little Jack loves it needless to say.

Meanwhile up in New York City the Broadway producers are still trying to work out the glitches on the Spiderman play that is way way over budget. I think I read that the producers have spent over 200 million on this play and it still is technically a flop because of many mishaps and several actors falling and getting hurt. I hope the producers can work out the problems so that someday we can take Jack Aidan to New York City to see this production of Spiderman. Meanwhile we will just have to enjoy the huge Spiderman in Jack Aidan's bedroom.

Come back here tomorrow to see our Jack Aidan in his Spiderman costume.

The Sippy Cup Seranade

The Sippy Cup Serenade

Jack and I walked into Jennifer's kitchen the other day and saw all these freshly washed sippy cups drying on her kitchen counter. For some reason they reminded me of a choir of singers so I had to grab my camera and take a photo. Maybe a creative person could take this idea and create a children's book for toddlers. Anyone got any ideas? And who uses all these sippy cups? Why are grandson Jack Aidan who below is standing proudly by the blocks he stacked all be himself from biggest to smallest.

Good job Jack. Now sing the ABC song with Grandma.

Jack is getting to the age that I can use some of my first grade teacher concepts with him.

Grandpa's Birthday Last Saturday

Grandpa's Birthday Last Saturday

Little Jack helped Grandpa open his cards and presents. In the picture above Grandpa is looking at the birthday card Little Jack made for him.

Jennifer took pictures of Little Jack and Grandpa opening the presents.

Jeanine watched the action while keeping Barney the black lab on a leash so he wouldn't eat the presents. LOL! Grandma stayed in the background recording all this with her little camera. Meanwhile son-in-law Terry was basking in the Miami Beach sunshine on a work related trip.

Then after a birthday brunch at Mimi's Cafe the birthday party moved on to Jennifer's home for some road racing time between the two Jacks.

The party concluded with Jennifer showing how her first quilt project is coming along. Now you cut strips 7 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide and you sew them together to make long strips and then you sew the long strips together etc. etc. etc. Merlin, Jenn's cat wasn't too interested in the details but liked stepping on the quilt.

Uploading Pictures

Uploading Pictures

I'm busy uploading pictures to Flicker which means I'm too busy to blog much today.But above is one pic I've uploaded. My first rose garden was in the Arizona desert in 1975. Scan, scan, scan, upload, upload, upload, create a set, create a set, create a set, title a set, title a set, title a set. Whew! I'm going nuts!!!!!

But here is how I can de stress and you can too. Go to my daughter's blog to see some really fantastic pictures of my grandson.

Click here: http://jennandterry.blogspot.com/

Please note that you will need to go down her blog history list for the month of January to get to the really cute pics of Jack. Click on Random Christmas Postings and the other listings under that for my grandson's pics.

Have a good day. I'll be back after I climb out of this mountain of photos. Over 30 years worth.

Grandma's Favorite Christmas Postcard

Grandma's Favorite Christmas Postcard

Jack Aidan Karras

Three Years Old

Christmas Show and Rockin Jack

Christmas Show and Rockin Jack

Our grandson's three year old preschool class had a Christmas show last Thursday night.

These photos are poor but I'm posting them anyway. Our grandson is in the blue shirt and tie and vest. He loved his blue tie and vest and called it his costume.

They screamed and danced and managed not to fall off the stage.

These older girls were cute as can be as Mrs. Claus.

And the house was standing room only with every parent with one or more cameras to record for posterity this big event.

What Was Jack Aidan For Halloween?

What Was Jack Aidan For Halloween?

Little Jack Was Spiderman!

Jack's Mommy Was In The Uniform Witch's Outfit.

Both Were Ready For A Costume Party.


Before They Left For The Party Jack Showed
Grandpa and Grandma How He Can Throw Spider Webs.
Very Cute!

What Will Jack Aidan Be For Halloween?

What Will Jack Aidan Be For Halloween?

In 2008 When He Was One Year Old

He Was A Minnie Mickey Mouse.

Girls In The Hood With Boy Hidden In Hat Plus Big Black Dog

Girls In The Hood With Boy Hidden In Hat Plus Big Black Dog

Equals

Halloween Mayhem Silliness

And Boy Hidden In Hat Is Drinking Apple Cider From A Sippy Cup!

What Does Grandma Shipley Think?

Halloween Is Getting Near

Because The Spookies and Sillies Are Here!