It's been a little while...

and it's not that I've been too BUSY to share, or that nothing exciting has been going on....blogging just hasn't been at the top of my brain lately. Let's see....
Jack is getting more and more confident with his walking, we have been enjoying the BEAUTIFUL weather outside the past few days (I'm totally bummed at the idea of it being back in to 40's tomorrow!!!), he's picked up 6 new signs....baby, cheese, bird/duck, milk, cat, and elephant. Baby was a really cute one for him to learn...it took a little while for him to coordinate his arms to both move in the same direction at the same time...we got some really cute versions of baby for a while (and NO...there is no particular reason why I taught him baby...I promise, despite what my mother may insinuate...there is no sibling on the way...promise!) cheese was learned just today during lunch, I demonstrated it a few times and waited to see if he could just watch to pick it up, or if I had to physically do it with him too...but he did it on his own...and bird was a bit of a surprise....I had been showing it to him for a little while...but not really holding out hope for it since it takes a bit a fine motor skill to open and shut his little hand like a bird beak...but the other day we were reading his book of farm animals and he looks right at me and starts opening and closing his hand for bird, without any prompting. It's like it just clicked! I got SOOO excited! Milk is similar to bird...only with the hand turned sideways like milking a cow....I also wasn't holding out much hope for cat, since he's never seen a REAL one...but he now does that one too...it involves pulling out little cat whiskers on your face...his version is pinching one of his cheeks and pulling out...like making a silly face...its pretty cute. I doubt that our sign for elephant is the "official sign" but Bethany was trying to teach him the sound for elephant (too hard to describe...just use your imagination....) with throwing an arm up in the air like a trunk....so now when we ask him to say elephant he swings his arm up and TRIES to make some version of the sound...you really have to try hard to tell what he means...but we know! :)
I gotta say, in years past I HATE the spring forward daylight savings time...but when it comes to a baby who's internal clock doesn't really care what time it is...I LIKE it! Instead of waking up at 6, it's 7....and going to bed an "hour later" means he (might) get to see Daddy before bed....as long as daddy is home on time....more on that later too....
What else is going on...hmm....I'll update you about our soon-to-be house soon....that would make this post WAY long....Say a prayer for my siblings...Rachel and Jeff are still working very had (in addition to both going to school and working their day jobs) on putting a lot of sweat equity into their new home (and thanks to the Dudu's for helping them out SOOO much!)....John and Abby are getting their "ducks" in a row for getting their new home (it looks like we might be moving the exact same weekend as them) but before that they will be meeting baby Julia (her due date was YESTERDAY...no baby....)and now there is a BLIZZARD going on up there! Yikes! Say a few prayers for them!!!!!!
I'll write more about the house soon....Jack is waking up from his nap....