Our Journey, His Work

Just a random selection of photos from the last few weeks!!!

Rance joined in with our neighbors and others to attend and race in the 2015 TOUGH MUDDER race in Atlanta a couple of weekends ago. This is his SECOND Tough Mudder race which raises money for wounded warriors. Honestly, this race in my book is ridiculous! It's around 12 miles and the obstacles are UNREAL - as in dangerous - as in electric shock and all. To say Rance loved every second of it is an understatement...

Here are a few photos - some of which were copied from the actual TOUGH MUDDER website!

ELECTRIC WIRES LITERALLY SHOCKING YOU

Rance's BFF - Tom Sawyer!

Yes, you jump through a RING OF FIRE!

Monday nights have been a favorite for a couple of years now. However, just recently Rance finished going through the models (a discipleship study) with Hamilton and Frank and so Monday nights will look different going forward. I will cherish the time with these guys (plus Selleck joining in the last few weeks since he's been with us!).

Selleck's parents came for a visit for a couple of days in April and that was a delight to have them here in Robbinsville. We enjoyed lots of talking, eating, hanging out, and just being together.

We always enjoy random days that we get to see this lovely lady, Jasmine!!!

Rance took Selleck on his first HUNT ever :)

And there you have a random selection of photos!

One month shy of being a ONE YEAR OLD!

It seems like the pace of change in little man is RAPID! He's growing and learning at a rate that blows my mind.

What do we have going on over here this last month (from 10 to 11 months old)?!

He's taking steps ALONE. Just a couple of weeks before he turned 11 months old - he would let go of things, walk a few steps and then grab a hold of something else or slowly sit on the floor. Since that point, he continues to take more and more steps.
He pushes his little walker around practically running. It blows my mind. At first, when he would run into things he would cry out but after a couple of days he figured out how to literally DRIVE IT. He will run into something, back up and keep moving to get exactly where he wants to go. He can steer it LIKE A BOSS!

He's very much into climbing up onto something and trying to get back down. He does realize when he gets to the edge of something (like stairs) that if he keeps going forward he will fall down them so now he is trying to edge his way down slowly.
His understanding of what I am saying to him is fascinating. "Jayden, you want to go outside" and he about jumps out of my arms. "Jayden, do you want a waffle?" and he goes nuts! "Jayden, go get the ball" and he'll go all the way across the room to get the ball. "Jayden, where is your tractor?" and he will take off to the next room to get his tractor.
Not only does he understand what I am saying - he is adding more and more words to his vocabulary daily. I think it's hilarious that the words he is saying just happen to be all of his favorite things. Outside of ma ma and da da - some of his words include DEER, BALL, DOG, TRAC-TOR, SQUIRREL!!!!!!
And yes, he continues to LOVE to stand at the window and watch the crazy action in our backyard with the squirrels and birds. He also LOVES going outside to put the corn out for the squirrels.

He continues to give the sweetest SUGAR ever.
His sleeping continues to involve 2 naps a day (8-9:30 and 12-2) and he consistently goes to bed between 8 and 8:15 every night. He sleeps through the night for the most part except waking up once sometimes which he generally goes right back off to sleep.
He loves to go for a ride in the stroller and he's SO observant. He's observant to people and anything and everything going on around him.

He is a HOOT at restaurants. He's so into all the people and people watching that he's thoroughly entertained by all the action going on around him that sometimes we cannot even get him to focus to EAT.
Oh, his love for water just GROWS.
He seems to eat most things and loves to feed himself. His favorites are real bananas, cheerios, crackers, blueberry whole grain waffles, puffs! He is still eating and loves baby food carrots, sweet potatoes, oatmeal blended with fruit, peaches, pears, etc. Some of the other table food he has been chowing down on are green beans, black beans/corn (mexican dish I make), mac & cheese and SPAGHETTI!

He loves to go outside, throw the ball and he absolutely LOVES riding his tractor. I really thought it was WAY too early to be getting a toy like this but we strap him in and he's ready to drive/ride for hours!

He loves going on hikes & snoozing on hikes too hehe!

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF HIS SERIOUS FACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He loves his orange blanket

HE LOVES ANIMALS! Our neighbors just got 2 labs and Jayden LOVES them. He'll scream "DOG, DOG, DOG" when he sees them! We also have horses by our house which we see daily too.

He loves to hold anything in his hand whether it be a spatula, toothbrush (and yes he knows how to brush his teeth), a broom, grass, or a STICK!

His eyes are so blue and his hair sometimes appears to be blonde and strawberry blonde.
He's in 18 month clothing for the most part and still sporting size 3 diapers.

Here are a few 11 month shots in the chair (which all he wants to do is STAND IN IT)! I am not even sure how we managed to get a picture of him actually SITTING and looking at the camera - it seems nearly impossible to get a photo like this these days. HE WILL NOT LOOK b/c he's preoccupied by everything around him.