The Lees in Seattle

Uncle Josh

2010-11-14T17:20:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Uncle Josh!

We miss you!

Enjoy your video here!

Love you!

Happy Birthday Emma!

2010-11-06T17:45:00.001-07:00

Happy 10th Birthday Emma! We love you!

Go get your video here!

Happy Birthday Gigi!

2010-07-28T22:26:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Jill! We love you! Go get your video here

2010-07-09T18:39:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday Lauren! Go get your birthday video here

2010-06-13T13:13:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday Jordan! We posted your birthday video on Youtube yesterday, but forgot to post it here! Happy birthday little brother! We love you!

Here is the video

Hope

2010-06-11T10:39:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Hope! We love you! We cannot wait to see you soon and we absolutely cannot wait for you to move up here! Go here to see your video!

2010-06-06T15:49:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Bailey!

I hope you are having a great time celebrating your birthday with your family! Wish we could be there! Love you!

Go here to see your video

Happy Birthday Ben!!!

2010-05-11T11:36:00.000-07:00

We love you Ben! I hope your 12th birthday was great!

You can see your video here

Jonnie!

2010-04-30T15:03:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Jonnie! I hope your fourteenth birthday was absolutely fantastic! Miss you! Love you!

Go here to see your video!

A quick update

2010-03-26T12:35:00.000-07:00

This has been a busy and eventful week at the Lee Manor. Jocelyn started crawling, and pulling up on her own, Jack learned to ride his bike without training wheels, went to his first Sounders game and was busy with playdates and outings with friends. Things are busy but so rewarding. Enjoy a few pictures and two videos!

Jack has been studying the famous artists at school, so we made

a Jack art gallery in our hall to proudly display his work.

Working to replace the batteries together

This girls loves strawberries

Jack riding his bike

Jocelyn's video was too large for blogger. View it here

Happy Birthday Gmom!

2010-02-01T16:59:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday GMom! We hope your day was fantastic! We love you!

*We will be back to blogging soon! Expect updates on Christmas, travel and general events!

Happy 3 And 4 months, Joss!

2009-11-18T12:45:00.000-08:00

I normally try and post an update on Jocelyn once a month but the past month has been incredibly busy! The day Jocelyn turned 3 months old, we hopped on an airplane and flew down to Oklahoma so that the majority of my family could meet the newest one. I was incredibly nervous to fly with Jackson and Jocelyn by myself but things could not have gone smoother. We had such a fabulous time with family. The trip was short but incredibly enjoyable. We got back into town on sunday and began a very busy week. Thursday morning, little Jocelyn started running a fever and coughing. We took her into the doctor and they sent us straight to the ER. After running countless tests, we concluded that she did not have H1N1, the seasonal flu, RSV or the common cold. She had another virus. She was admitted to the hospital due to high fever and dehydration. We spent 24 hrs in the hospital before being sent home. Within a few days, Jackson came down with a fever, cough and congestion. He was sick 7 days before finally feeling well enough for school. The next day Joss started running another fever. After spending many hours at the dr. office and then Children's Hospital, we found out that Jocelyn had viral pneumonia. She was incredibly sick for a week before finally making a turn for the better. She is completely healed and we are happy to have a healthy baby again. Enough about the sickness here is a bit about Jocelyn Eloise:

Dear Baby Girl:

You epitomize your name. You are overwhelmingly joyful. You have brought incredible joy and happiness to our home.
You can roll over-front to back and back to front but prefer not to.
You are almost able to sit up without help.
You love to eat! You weigh a heavy 17 lbs. You are also very tall 26 in!
You love to stand up on your feet. You hate to be sitting down.
We walk your brother to school everyday. Being outside calms you down immensely.
You have begun to fear strangers. You hate to be away from Mommy.
You still hate your carseat. The only way you are happy is if your brother talks to you.
You have your daddy's hair. It's incredibly wavy. The back patch always sticks up not matter how much it's combed down.
Your beautiful personality is developing more everyday. I could not be more in love with you. Happy 3rd & 4th month baby girl!

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-09T21:46:00.000-08:00

This post is a bit late. We have been battling a nasty virus. Luckily, we are all on the mend. This Halloween was extra special this year. First, we had an extra little one to trick-or-treat with. Second, it was exactly a year ago today (Oct. 31) that Chris and I found out we were adding to our family. I cannot believe a year has gone by.

This year Jackson dressed up as a knight. He was fiercely protecting his princess sister from any dragons. Jocelyn obviously dressed up as a princess. Sadly, due to cold weather, Jocelyn only wore her outfit inside but it was still incredibly cute.

Funny story: While trick-or-treating, Jackson saw a toddler in a dragon costume. He pulled out his sword and ran as fast a he could to "slay" the dragon and protect his sister. Luckily, I ran fast enough to catch him before he got to the little boy. It was pretty cute to see him so protective and a little lost in imagination.

The pretty Princess in her tutu & princess hat I made her

The fierce knight

Warrior

Ready for some trick-or-treating

Getting some candy in Ballard

Tutus must taste good

One beautiful, happy princess

In other news, we carved pumpkins for the first time ever! We had such a great time. This will be a very fun tradition to continue throughout the years.

Chris carved the pirate ship, I carved the face, and Jack carved the spider (with some help). We left Joss' pumpkin uncarved. Next year she can pick out her own design. :)

Lit up

Awesome pirate ship by my awesome hubby.

It's Emma's Birthday!

2009-11-06T10:19:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday to my 9 year old niece. We love you and miss you tons! We hope you have an awesome 9th birthday!

Love,

Uncle Chris, Aunt Jenice, Jackson and Jocelyn

Five Years

2009-11-04T20:14:00.000-08:00

Dearest Jackson,

On the 2nd of November, at 8:03 am you turned five years old. I can hardly believe that five years have passed since the day the nurses put your little 8 lb body in my arms. Part of me feels like you have always been with me. Jackson, you have flourished into such an amazing little man. You are sensitive, kind, funny and always up for adventures. I see so much of your dad in you. This halloween you dressed up as a knight. The more I thought about it, the more I realized this costume fits you to a "t." You have such a deep sense of justice. If you see a kid on the playground getting picked on, you run to defend them. You always stand for those who cannot stand up for themselves. One of the biggest changes of your life this year is the addition of your little sister. I have never met a brother that is more protective, loving and excited about his little sister than you are. Every morning you greet her with a huge smile. We moved her into your room this week and you couldn't be happier.

You are incredibly active. I don't think you ever run out of energy. You started gymnastics this year and it has increased your balance, stamina, and flexibility. You also started preschool this year. You are so outgoing and eager to be friends with everyone. One of the most exciting events the past few months is that you are beginning to read. It is so incredible to watch you read to me and sound out different words.

I could go on for eons about what an amazing little boy you are. You still have my heart, little man. I am eager to see how God shapes you over the years. Happy Birthday to my favorite five year-old. I love you.

Learning to ride your bike without training wheels

Trying out your new scooter from Mom & Dad

Your Dragon cake that you begged me to make for you

New rain boots from sister Joss

Celebrating with the godparents

We were so excited to celebrate YOU!

What a handsome man

G-Mom & Aunt Lollie: trip to meet Joss

2009-11-04T19:57:00.001-08:00

Here is yet another lagging post – very much after the fact – but one that warrants documentation. G-Mom and Aunt Lollie made it up to Seattle to meet little Joss in short order after she made her grand appearance into this world.

We hiked around the lake at Tiger Mountain, enjoyed a picnic on a swampy “beach” and balanced on waterlogged pieces of driftwood. 70 degrees. Nice.

Jack’s first day of gymnastics. It’s somewhat relevant.

Not posted here, but equally exciting, was the kayaking at Lake Union, hiking and blackberry hunt at Discovery Park, as well as the all-around good hang-time and conversation when family get together.

WEST COAST WETNESS

2009-11-04T16:13:00.000-08:00

Mission - Rialto Beach:

It took a while, but we finally made it to the furthest NW edge of the lower 48. Our trip started with boarding a ferry and heading west to toward the Pacific Coast through the Olympic Mountain range.

While on our trip, we stopped in at Lake Crescent, a gorgeous mountain lake enshrouded in low-hanging clouds. It would be a perfect spot for a weekend getaway cabin.

I feel it's necessary to preface this picture for all the Twilight fans in our family that we did indeed stop in at Forks, WA. However, let me be clear, the only thing going for this little dot on the map is its proximity to the ocean and its over-capitalization of the "vampire" craze. Other than that, none of the gas stations have useable restrooms...not good.

So, we made it to Rialto Beach...it was breathtaking! Huge waves were crashing in the background (which is a big change from the one-footers we see floating in on the Sound), massive rock formations were jutting up in the distance, seagulls floating overhead trying to poach fish. It was picturesque.

Jocelyn was a trooper hanging in the papoose/Moby with her momma. It was wet and cold, but they lasted much longer than anyone was expecting.

This piece of driftwood (could you classify a piece of wood this big driftwood?) was conquered and then shortly thereafter swallowed up by the rising tide. We had waves crashing up on the West side of us and then Jack was ready to make his exit before the next set of breakers rolled in.

Happy Birthday Papa!

2009-11-04T12:59:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Dad! I hope you had a wonderful day!

P.S.

Expect at least 3 new blog posts today/tomorrow. We have a lot of catching up to do.

Happy Two Months, Baby Girl!

2009-09-24T08:36:00.000-07:00

Happy Two Months Joss!

A little about your second month here:

You LOVE to eat. You still eat every 1 1/2-2 hours
You are such a happy girl. Whenever you are awake, you are always giving out big smiles.
You started cooing this month and it melts my heart to hear your little voice
You found your hand this month. Anytime it makes it up to your mouth, you start kicking your feet and try your best to shove your entire fist into your mouth. If you happen to find it when you are nursing, you try to eat and suck on your hand at the same time. It doesn’t work so well but is awfully cute.
You rolled over this month! I contribute it solely to the fact that you hate tummy time so much and now you can get yourself out of it.
You are doing so well at holding your head up
You are one rolly-polly girl. Weighing upwards end of 12 lbs.
You are wearing 3-6 months clothes. You aren’t only chubby but extremely long. Maybe you will take after your daddy in the height area.
You are finally loving the stroller. We walk your brother to and from school everyday and you just look around
You love to be outside.
You are still your mommy’s little girl-and I wouldn’t have it any other way. J
You love to stand up on your legs and dance. I am predicting a future ballerina-just like your momma
You still love your brother. He loves to read and tell stories to you. You just stare and smile the entire time
The changing table might be your favorite place in the house. You love to have your diaper changed.
You compliment our family so well that I often wonder how we made it without you in our lives.

Happy Two Months, my Baby Girl. Momma Loves you.

*Expect other posts this week including our trip to the coast and a visit from G-Mom and Aunt Lollie!

First Day of School

2009-09-24T08:34:00.000-07:00

This was a big year in the Lee house. We have a new baby girl and now our oldest started his last year of Preschool. I was extremely sentimental, realizing that my time with my boy is getting shorter. Jack was beside himself to start a new school. While I would love to rave about how amazing his school is, this is a public blog. I don't want anyone on the internet knowing where he goes to school. It's all about safety, guys. :)

To prepare for the first day, Jack got new shoes, a new backpack (which we learned, he does not need) and an awesome lunch box. Before school, we read the Night Before Kindergarden (Thanks Emma, Jonnie, Ben & Aunt Jenn!) and the Kissing Hand. We loaded up the stroller and walked to school. I took Jack into the classroom, helped him put up his lunch box and wash his hands. He ran to sit down on the rug for circle time. I sat down next to him, thinking surely he would want me there. He turned to me, gave me a hug and a quick kiss and said, "Mom, I'm ready for you to leave now." I thought "that's great, but I'm not ready to leave" However, realizing he was fine and needing his independence, I gave him one more kiss and left his classroom. He has loved everyday of school so far. He has made many friends and it's loving the extra mental stimulation. Don't even talk to me about all day kindergarden next year. I might just fall apart.

Jocelyn's Birth Story

2009-09-11T14:19:00.000-07:00

I have been processing and analyzing Jocelyn's birth story for awhile. It was such an incredible experience, I wanted to take my time so that I could do the story justice. I have also found little time to sit down and write it all at once. Let me back up a little bit. When I was pregnant with Jack, I gave no thought to how I wanted my birth experience to be. And as consequence, I had an epidural, forceps were used and we both suffered a long and painful recovery. When I found out I was pregnant with Jocelyn, I knew that I wanted to do several things different. Chris and I knew that we wanted to wait to find out what the baby was until birth. I knew that I wanted to stay more active during this pregnancy. I had all of these great ideas about pregnancy but gave very little thought to the actual birth. To be perfectly honest, I was completely freaked out about the labor and delivery. While my last experience ended with a beautiful baby boy, overall it was a tough. This pregnancy around 20 weeks, I had a friend mention her experience with a midwife and doula. She sent me information on natural birth. This started a massive search on my part. Before I did any research, all I knew is that I wanted to avoid a c-section. As I went about my research, I stumbled upon a documentary "The Business of Being Born." It documents home births and the Cesarean Crisis in America. It completely changed my view on birth. I knew that I was not quite ready for a home delivery but I knew that this time I would plan my birth.

I spent a lot of time talking with Chris about what I wanted to happen. I knew that when the time came, I would need his support more than ever.

Monday night, Chris and I were planning an early night. I was five days over due. Wednesday I was going in for induction. It was not ideal, but the doctor was worried that Jocelyn was not getting the proper nutrients and was quickly becoming larger and larger. Around 9:00 that evening, I began having sporadic contractions. They were not too strong but definitely uncomfortable. An hour later, the contractions were consistently coming less than four minutes apart. We talked to the doctor and she suggested I come to triage to be checked. We arrived an hour later and were told I was only dilated to a 3. The doctor told us to walk the hospital for two hours to see if we could speed things up and enter into active labor. After touring the hospital, we came back and found out there was no progress. They told me it was false labor, and sent me home. I was completely defeated. I thought that the second time around, I could tell false labor from real labor. We staggered in at 3:00 am and tried to get some rest. The contractions were still coming at regular intervals and I had a hard time sleeping. At 6:00 am, things started getting intense. I woke up Chris and told him we needed to get to the hospital. We called the doctor and she told triage we were coming back in. We drove back to the hospital. When I arrived at triage, the contractions were so intense I could not talk through them. The nurse checked me and told us I was at a 6! I was ecstatic! They moved us to the birthing suite.

The first thirty minutes I was there, Chris was making phone calls and sending out text messages to let our array of family and friends know it was finally happening. The contractions were coming pretty fast and were hard, but I could completely work through them. Once Chris finished the phone calls, he set up my music and we talked to our nurse about what we wanted to happen. Let me take a moment to talk about our nurse, Shannon for a second. When we went through our birth plan with her, she didn't question us once. She was fully supportive. I was given the freedom to only have to be monitored for twenty minutes every hour. She offered me the options of a birthing ball, rocking chair, bath tub, but all I wanted was to lay on my side in the bed. Through every contractions, she encouraged me. To be perfectly honest, I don't think I would have gone without meds if it weren't for her support (and Chris' as well).

After only an hour of being in the birthing suite, I asked to be checked again. She let me know that I was at an 8! Things were moving fast and I was beyond excited. I was full of energy and totally thought I could make it through. My doctor, who wasn't on call that day, stopped in on her way to the office. I was a little discouraged that I hadn't met the on-call doctor who would be delivering our baby. My doctor talked to us for a few minutes and then asked the nurse to cancel all of her morning appointments. She was going to deliver our baby after all! Once she left, the contractions got stronger. I was having a hard time working through them at all. I was screaming, a lot. Chris told me how great of a job I was doing. For two and a half hours I was stuck at a 9. It truly was the hardest two hours of my life. I was feeling incredibly discouraged and felt that I couldn't take anymore pain. I asked the nurse to check me on last time. When she did, I was at a 10! I was elated! I told the nurse I wanted to continue to go natural. She told me I could start pushing and the doctor would be in soon. After one push she told me to stop, because the baby was coming quick! My doctor came running in with her suite on. She put on some booties and gloves and within six minutes Jocelyn Eloise was born. To describe in the moment what I felt, would be impossible. The mixture of elation, relief, love,fatigue, and deep gratitude, I will never forget. Chris was the first to announce that we had a baby girl and I began sobbing. The birth experience was so amazing and so powerful that I would do it all over again, all natural one hundred times over.

Photos taken by the very talented Sarah Rhoads

So happy to have my baby girl

Daddy and sweet Joss

So excited...

First time seeing his "Super Baby"

Beautiful Jocelyn Eloise Lee

It's a little girls nursery... no it's a boy's room...Wait, it's both!

2009-08-25T12:37:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, our home only has two bedrooms in it. This mean little Jocelyn will eventually be sharing a room with Jackson. Jack could not be more excited because now he "won't be lonely anymore and will have someone to talk to in bed." It will likely be awhile before Joss makes her transition out of our room and into his room, but it did not stop me from getting things ready. Do you know how hard it is to create a gender neutral nursery? And to add to that, combine it with a 4 yr. old boy's room? I took my time and came out with a finished product that (hopefully) radiates a neutral nature-inspired kids room. First and foremost, I must say a huge thank you to my sister Jenn for making the most beautiful bedding for Jocelyn. She custom designed it and executed it perfectly. When I opened the bedding, I cried (and that says a lot because I am not a crier) because it just looks like little Jocelyn. It could not fit more perfectly. Anyone needing custom bedding, contact Jenn. She does fabulous work. Without further ado, here is the room.

My handsome not-so-little man on his bed

The other side of the room

Their growth tree

Changing table and bookshelf completed with

the artistic renderings of Jackson

Bedding and hand painted picture

More bedding.

Jocelyn loves her new bedding!

Ready for bed but not quite ready for the crib

Tummy time. Somebody's getting pretty strong...

Jocelyn really loves her bedding

However, she does not like bows.

In completely unrelated news, Jackson told me yesterday that 4 3/4 year olds can make their own lunch. He then proceeded to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich by himself. He is so big.

Proud of his handiwork.

When Papa and Aunt Hopi come to town

2009-08-18T18:03:00.000-07:00

This weekend my dad and little sister made the long trip from Tennesse to come visit us. They had not met Jocelyn yet, so it was an exciting time. We spent our time hanging out, visiting Snoqualmie Falls, seeing Pike Market and the Locks, eating cupcakes at Cupcake Royale and of course enjoying a lot of food. We loved having them visit and cannot wait to see them again soon.

Aunt Hope and Joss

Papa and Jocelyn

Papa and the Lee grandkids

At the Locks

At Snoqualmie Falls

Jackson-Our firstborn

2009-08-18T17:44:00.000-07:00

Since I have been posting a lot about Jocelyn, I thought I would show you that we have not forgotten about Jack. He has adapted amazingly well to his little sister. He is the best big brother. When she cries, he will run up, get her binky and sing "You are my sunshine." It almost always calms her down. He loves to show her off and becomes very protective of her. He is quickly growing into a full-fledged boy. He loves to climb on anything he can, including walls. He loves to color and will spend hours (yes, hours) drawing and creating masterpieces. Reading continues to be a favorite pastime; his newest interest hinges on Dr. Seuss books. Every day, I am reminded how fast time flies and to savour every moment with him and Jocelyn.

Climbing trees is the newest interest of late

Finally, here is a video of Jackson perfectly executing his newest accomplishment: the monkey bars.

One Month

2009-08-18T13:53:00.000-07:00

On Friday, Jocelyn turned one month old. One on hand, I feel like she has been a part of our family forever; its difficult to remember life without her. One the other hand, I feel like we just came home from the hospital and we're slowly adjusting to being a family of FOUR. Time has a funny way of racing past and simultaneously crawling at the same time when you have an infant.

Happy Birthday Jocelyn Girl! You have grown leaps and bounds during your first month of life. A little about you:

You currently weigh 12 lbs! You have gained a staggering 3 lbs. since your birth.
The mornings, right after you wake up is your happiest time of the day
You are absolutely in love with your big brother. He loves to sit and read to you while you just stare up at him the entire time.
You hate your baby exercises (ie: tummy time)
You love to be in the Moby
You hate your car seat ad cry every single time we put you in it
You have your Daddy totally wrapped around your finger
You have your Daddy's hair; it's wavy and out of control. One patch on the back stands straight up not matter how many times I comb it down
You are not sleeping through the night yet, but have given me a few four-hour stretches.
You are absolutely the most beautiful little girl and have completed our family. I love you, little pumpkin.

Jocelyn & Jack

2009-07-28T21:03:00.001-07:00

We have been busy around here. Chris went back to work on Wednesday, Jack has been in summer camps & Jocelyn and I have been getting in a good routine. Enjoy the pictures!

Brother & Sister bonding time

My cute chubby little girl

Sleepy daddy and Jocelyn

Jocelyn's first time at church (5 days)

Happy Birthday Aunt Gigi!

2009-07-28T15:27:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Aunt Gigi! We miss you and hope you have an excellent rest of your day! Love you!

P.S.

I am sorry it's sideways; I cannot figure out how to fix it!

Oh Jocelyn

2009-07-18T18:05:00.000-07:00

We are slowly adjusting to our newest arrival and could not be enjoying the sweet time more. I am working on posting her birth story soon. Enjoy the pictures and hopefully I will get back to writing more soon.

Getting ready to come home from the hospital

Proud big brother and a not so happy little sister

Sleeping Jocelyn

Wearing the outfit Jack picked out

Jackson first meeting with his little sister

2009-07-16T10:05:00.000-07:00

As promised, below is the video of Jackson meeting Jocelyn for the first time. I promise to update with more pictures soon and include the birth story, but sleep is calling. Enjoy.

The video was too big to upload to blogger, so you can view it here on YouTube

Welcome to life, Jocelyn Eloise!

2009-07-14T20:31:00.001-07:00

At 11:25am PDT today, our stubborn and beautiful little girl finally emerged into this world. Due to exhaustion, we will keep this initial post brief, but be assured there is more to come.

Here is a quick pic of big brother getting a chance to bond with little sister.

Family of FOUR.

First shot after THE BATH.

Bonding with Mom right after delivery.

Yes, you read it right...9 lbs 2.5 oz!!

We have a date!

2009-07-11T22:35:00.001-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a date. I saw my doctor on Thursday and we agreed that moving forward with induction was a good idea for mom and baby. Monday I go in for fetal monitoring and an ultrasound to check amniotic fluid levels as well as baby's activity. If all looks good, we will wait until Wednesday to induce since my doctor is on call. If fluid levels are low or baby looks fairly large, we will induce that afternoon. I was hoping that little Lee would join us on his/her own time but for health of baby and mom, we are going to help him/her along. Having a date set has relieved a tremendous amount of pressure on Chris and I. There is finally an end in sight! We have been able to sit back and enjoy the last few days of being a family of three. Thank you all who have been calling and checking in on us. We will soon introduce you to our newest member.

Happy Birthday Aunt Lollie!

2009-07-09T15:12:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday Aunt Lollie! We hope you have a great, relaxing day! We love you!

4th of July Weekend

2009-07-08T12:59:00.000-07:00

We decided to take a last minute camping trip to the NE Cascades this past weekend. I saw my doctor on Thursday and due to lack of progress, she gave us the go ahead for a quick get-away. Chris had Friday off work, so we loaded up that morning and headed out. It was so refreshing to get out of the city for a few days. Once we arrived at Granite Falls, we scouted for a campsite for almost an hour. Finally we drove up the mountain and made our own. It was the most beautiful spot, except the fact that we were constantly inundated with bugs. We hiked to a beautiful lake and spent the afternoon playing with salamanders in the cool water. That evening, the bugs got so bad, that we all were in the tent by 8:00. Once the sun went down (at 10:00) Jack fell asleep and slept well the entire night. I was not as lucky. I forgot that sleeping on a hard rocky ground nine months pregnant may not be the best idea. We woke up early on the 4th and packed up. We drove down the mountain and ate breakfast by the SnoqualmieRiver. We played at the river for awhile and then drove to Big Four mountain. At the base of the mountain, ice caves are beginning to form. We hiked into the ice caves and spent awhile having snow ball fights in 75 degree weather. It was amazing. Later that afternoon we headed home just in time to clean up and make our way out to a local festival to watch fireworks. By the end of the evening, we were all dead tired but refreshed. I only managed to get a few shots during our time, since my batteries died but enjoy the few pictures. My camera does very little justice to the beauty of this place.

One of the lakes we hiked to

Big Four

Jack throwing snow balls

Jack and Dad taking a snack break

Jackson & I

In baby news, nothing new has happened. Neither Chris nor I can believe that I am still pregnant! We thought with all the hiking this weekend, surely I would go into labor soon, but evidently, the baby is quite content where it is. I visit my doctor tomorrow and if something hasn't changed drastically, we will opt for induction next week. I would like to let this baby come when it's ready, but it's past time :) We are hanging in there and trying to enjoy the last few days before our lives are turned upside down again. Once again, if you want to get up-to-date information on when baby arrives, follow me on twitter at www.twitter.com/jenicelee We look forward to introducing you all to our newest member soon.

Maternity Pictures

2009-06-17T18:07:00.000-07:00

So, my best friend Sarah offered to shoot some non-traditional maternity pictures of me before Baby L makes it's big debut. I am NOT a fan of wrapping myself in material or taking half-naked shots; it's just not my style. Sarah completely delivered! She gave us modern pictures that don't scream maternity but show off the belly. I couldn't have asked for anything more. She completely made us feel comfortable during the shoot. Even, Chris enjoyed himself (which is huge, considering Chris HATES pictures). Thank you, a million times, Sarah. These are amazing.

To see the pictures, go here and be sure to check out all of her amazing work.

It's Baby Pool Time...

2009-06-13T18:07:00.000-07:00

I am officially nearing the end of my pregnancy and the big question is, "When will this beautiful baby make it's grand appearance?" To make things a little more interesting (and perhaps engage a wider audience) we are going to have ourselves a little contest. Here is the necessary info needed to participate:

-When will Baby L be born?

-Will Baby L be a boy or a girl?

-What will Baby L's stats be? (Height & weight)

The person is who is the closest receives the grandest of prizes: We will name our child after YOU! ...No, not really, but we will send you a nice little surprise in the mail. The polls are open. Let the predictions begin!

And if you want to keep up to date progress when the big event happens, you can follow me on twitter here

Our firstborn, as a wee babe

Happy Birthday Uncle Dun Dun

2009-06-12T21:50:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Little Brother! I hope your day was enjoyable and will root for the Lakers, just for you! Love you!

Happy Late Birthday Bailey!

2009-06-11T16:49:00.000-07:00

Dearest Bailey,

I am so sorry that I have not posted your special message from Jackson yet. Please forgive your, dearest Aunt. I hope that your birthday was great. You will have to call and tell me all about it! Love you!

Happy Birthday, Aunt Hope!

2009-06-11T16:32:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Hope! Have a great day swimming and eating sno cones! Save some cake for Jack, ;) Love you.

Hot, hot heat.

2009-06-04T19:37:00.000-07:00

Seattle has been playing a very mean trick on me this week. It has been in the low to high 80's for a full week. Now, I know what all of you Oklahomans and Texans are thinking, "High 80's, that's nice." Well, dear friends, Seattle doesn't normally get this hot, at least in May/June. And since weather like this is a rare occasion, none of the homes have air conditioning. And most of the buildings don't as well. So it's hot. And the only relief one can get, is going to a mall or driving around in their cars. I normally can handle the heat fairly well, but this year, it has done me in. Carrying an extra ____ lbs. has caused several near meltdowns. It's terrible that I sleep on top of my covers and the only way I can get to sleep in the first place is with an ice pack on my head. We have been living at the beach and parks that have pools or fountains in an effort to keep our selves from melting in our house. Luckily, the heat should break tomorrow and we will have some relief. And it's good, because we can't live at the beach everyday.

Here are some pictures of me almost 9 months pregnant. My doctor says I still measuring two weeks early and that we could see baby any day now. If only it would make it's arrival a little early. :)

And feel free to say how big I am. I have come to terms with the fact that I am a lot bigger than when I was pregnant with Jack, even though I am 10 lbs. lighter than I was at this point with Jack.

This Baby is huge!

Who needs adenoids?

2009-06-04T18:40:00.000-07:00

Most of you know, my little Jackson, with the sweetest voice, has a problem. The kid snores. And it's not the cute little snoring that kids do when they are exhausted. Jackson literally out-snores Chris and that is saying quite a lot. I mentioned this to his pediatrician after spending many nights sharing a room with the boy during our Christmas travel. We were sent to an ENT at Children's hospital. They found that Jack suffered from sleep apnea, caused by enlarged adenoids. They prescribed a steroid for three months to see if we could shrink the adenoids and forgo surgery. They put him on Flonase. The first night we gave it to him and within five minutes, his neck and face broke out in hives. He was obviously allergic. So we tried another medicine for three months. We went back to see his doctor three months later. With little improvement seen, we had an x-ray taken. Jack had a 90% blockage of his airway due to enlarged adenoids. Surgery was unavoidable. We were lucky enough to be at the scheduling desk, just as a cancellation came in. They scheduled us for surgery 5 days later. I was extremely apprehensive about putting him under general anesthetic, but when it came down to it, I knew he needed it. Jack, however, was beside himself. He was counting down the days until the surgery, because the surgeon promised him all the Popsicles he could eat. Chris was fortunate enough to get off work for the adventure.

I was incredibly anxious the day of surgery. It was hard knowing that I had no control over the procedure and that there was nothing I could do to fully insure his safety (no matter how small the procedure was). It once again reminded me that I cannot protect him from everything and that as he grows, my ability to shield him from the difficulties of life will diminish. And I realize that this is a good thing. As hard as it is to let go, little by little, it gives him a chance to try things out and realize his own strength. He is able to have moments of independence, that build his self-esteem to say, "I can do this!"

As I watched him walk back to the O.R. with the surgical team, I realized how big he is. He is no longer a baby, or a toddler but a kid. A boy that is fast growing up. I get lost in the day-to-day activities and forget that he won't always be four years old; that he won't always be willing to sit and cuddle and read a story or tell me loves me "infinity!" As we were leaving, the surgeon, anesthesiologist, and nurses mentioned what a great kid he was and how amazed they were at how happy and laid back he was. I felt proud and thought, "Yes, he is a great kid-my kid"

As always, I documented the day of the surgery with many pictures. Three weeks later, I can happily say, there is no more snoring. He is finally able to get a good nights sleep without waking himself up constantly.

Jack pre-surgery and as happy as can be

Jack showing off how Turtle was getting his adenoids out as well.

He even got to keep both anesthesia masks.

Jack and Dad drawing while passing the time

And this is how he spent the rest of the day

2009-05-11T16:20:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my nephew Ben. We hope you have a great start to your 11th year! We miss you!

Love,

Aunt Nae Nae, Uncle Chris, and Jackson

Here is your Birthday video (with a special appearance...)

More Bellies

2009-05-10T19:04:00.000-07:00

It's been almost four months since I last posted a picture of my quickly growing belly. It could be due to the fact that I often second guess my doctor's prognosis of only carrying one child. I am crossing my fingers we aren't surprised during delivery. Secondly, I also am not a huge fan of taking pictures of myself.

However, since today is mother's day, I promised my mother that I would post a picture so she could see just how big the future grandkid is growing. So, here is me at eight months pregnant. Little Baby L will be coming soon and we couldn't be more excited.

Feeling extremely pregnant

(Please excuse the bad hair day)

Nesting is in full effect

2009-05-06T15:57:00.000-07:00

Warning: This post includes a ridiculous amount of conversation and pictures that involve me talking about the changes I have made in the house. I do realize that probably only my sisters and a few other people could care about it. I will return to normal Jack/family posting soon. :) If you feel inclined, continue reading.

We have slowly been making changes around our house to accommodate the newest member. It has been much harder than I thought it would be. The mass amounts of toys combined with limited square footage has posed a challenge. However, as most of you know, I love a good decorating challenge. While we are not completely done, we have made major headway. My nesting urge comes and goes and when it is around, I usually have the urge to paint. In March I repainted our kitchen. It was a beige neutral tone. However, the people who occupied this space, felt it was a good idea to paint a kitchen with flat paint. This combined with messy tenants equaled extremely dirty walls, that would never come clean. I ended up painting the kitchen a gray/blue tone (although in the pictures, it looks a little purple). For $23 I feel like I updated our kitchen and have the peace of mind that my walls are no longer smeared with yesterdays dinner.

Before:

After:

Since, Jackson’s room will soon be accommodating two people, we had to move most of his toys into the living room. I HATE seeing toys cluttering our common space, but I wanted them to still be easily accessible. We trekked down to our local Ikea and picked up three boxes that contained a new entertainment/storage area. Chris and Jack spent three hours putting together the various pieces. The result was a success. So, combined with some new cleaned closet space, we were able to store most of the toys in baskets on the new entertainment center. That combined with some rearranging of furniture, has given our living room a new life.

Before:

After:

Finally, Jack has been very interested in drawing as of late. This week he drew some pictures of him and the new baby. They were so great, I had to frame them and hang them in the room.

The picture on the right is of our family, with the baby in the crib.

The picture on the left is of Jackson pushing the baby in the stroller outside.

(And yes, I have painted his room to make it more gender neutral.

I am still working on the decorating details but the room is coming together. )

And that is all for now. I will post picture of the nursery/Jack's room as soon as I complete it which will hopefully be before this baby makes its arrival.

Blue teeth.

2009-04-30T15:20:00.000-07:00

Since I am working on being more consistent with this blog, here is a picture I though I'd share. We bought Jackson some of this to help him learn to brush his teeth better on his own. So, Chris and Jack decided to be models for proper teeth brushing and mouth rinse use. Enjoy.

Two of the most handsome men around

Happy Birthday Jonnie

2009-04-30T15:18:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday to my oldest nephew! I hope you have an excellent beginning to your teenage years. Love you!

From one super cousin to another:

Happy Birthday Papa Tim!

2009-04-27T16:31:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to our very special Papa Tim. We love you and hope you had an excellent birthday! Sorry it's a bit late, but here's your special message from Jackson.

A little bit of this and a little bit of that

2009-04-20T17:18:00.000-07:00

Notice anything when you got on the blog? We have officially opened it once again. We decided that with the quickly approaching new arrival, we should open it so that all of our friends and families can see the beautiful baby since we are far from most of you. We still will keep an eye out for inappropriate messages and things may change but for now, come all-come many.

This spring has been full of sickness for our household. We three have all experienced the flu. No, not the stomach bug but the dreaded influenza. It hit us one by one and for three weeks our house was full of Gatorade and tissues. I happened to be "down for the count" during my birthday so our celebration was low key. I did however, have to post a picture of the decorating my sisters did for me. Yes, they happen to live 2,000 miles away. And yes, they happened to make my birthday a party on the other side of the country. I will give Jack and Chris credit for the set up but it was incredibly thoughtful. Thanks guys! Speaking of thoughtful, my dear husband cooked his first cake in celebration as well. And, it was chocolatey and moist. He gets a five star from this girl.

A few weeks later, we celebrated Easter. On Saturday, we headed out to the Ballard Community Center with our friends. Due to a misprint, we arrived an hour early. So we walked down to a new cafe and enjoyed some coffee and muffins before the big egg hunt.

Jack and M

Can you find Jack? It's our own game of Where's Waldo

This is what the Ballard Community Center considers as an egg hunt.

They dropped organic snack onto a field and shouted "GO"

It was highly disappointing.

We celebrated Easter with our church and then headed home for lunch/dinner with our Seattle Family. It was a feast of ham, potatoes, deviled eggs, green bean casserole and two mouthwatering desserts. It was always nice to celebrate with our Seattle family when we can't be near our own families. Sunday ended up being an incredibly rainy and nasty day outside.

Due to the disappointing egg hunt on Saturday, we hosted our own egg hunt for Jackson inside.

He was quite delighted with findings.

This Sunday, it was sunny and 60 degrees out. We ventured down to Discovery Park to soak up some much needed vitamin D. "The Mountain" even came out to join us. We hiked down to the beach. The tide was extremely low, so we were able to take off our shoes and look at many ocean creatures that were out. We saw hermit crabs walking around, mussels, anemones, and oysters. We spent over an hour looking at these creatures and running around on the beach. It was something that could never be explored through a book or at a museum. It was a hand on experience that I will never forget.

Jackson found a crab

As we prepared for our hike back up to the car, we came across this sign. Good thing we didn't eat anything!

Look out for more posting as D-Day approaches. We miss you all.

Happy Birthdaay MAGEN!

2009-03-16T15:45:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Magen! This special message is brought to you from a troll under a bridge. And with a very special guest. We hope you have a great day! We love you!

I know I should update this thing more often....

2009-03-13T14:56:00.000-07:00

I greatly enjoy reading blogs, but the effort of keeping this one up, has been a daunting task. So for this time being, I will update as pictures add up in our camera. :)

Things here in Seattle have been going well. Jack is growing quickly. He is beginning to sound out words. We are officially in the pre-reading stage. We have enjoyed watching his mind expand as he learns more about the world around him. He keeps us on our toes with his silly stunts and interesting questions.

Baby L is doing great. I am already 23 weeks along. I cannot believe how quickly time is passing with this pregnancy. We will have a little baby here before we know it!

I hope that you enjoy the photos below. Let us know how you are doing!

We gave Jack our old Dell laptop. He has taken it apart to see

how a computer works and is now in the process of putting

it back together.

This is the usual attire around our house.

One afternoon Jack came out of his room dressed up and asked for me to

fix his hair like Dad's and put a tie on. When Chris got home, he greeted him

with his own briefcase and introduced himself as "Christopher Lee"

Wrestle-Mania

Wrestle-Mania time with Dad

To our favorite Aunt Jenn!

2009-03-13T14:38:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Aunt Jenn! We love you and miss you tons! Jack prepared a special song for you in honor of this glorious occasion. We hope your day is stellar!

Happy Birthday G-Mom!!!

2009-02-01T16:35:00.000-08:00

Today is Nina's (Chris' mom) birthday. She is one of those people that gives everything. She is continually encouraging, supporting, and loving those around her. She is one of the best hosts and has taught me many things about hospitality. Nina is someone who is always looking for the positive side in everything and you can always count on her to pray for any need or concern you have. Happy Birthday Nina! We wish we could celebrate with you but hope this video sends a little of our love.

It's catch up time...again

2009-01-29T11:40:00.001-08:00

I am an unfaithfully bad blogger. I have been lacking in motivation due to the long list of things that have happened since the last post. I will give you the abbreviated, recap version.

Christmas time was great. Jack and I flew down a week before Chris to spend sometime with my family. We missed Seattle's greatest snowstorm by only one day. Chris was snowed in for almost a week with nearly a foot of snow covering this hilly city. FYI, Seattle does NOT know how to handle snow. The entire city just shut down for over and week, leaving citizens to snowboard and ski to the grocery store.

Jack enjoying the "pre-snow, snow"

Meanwhile, Jack and I filled our time hanging out with family and seeing old friends. Chris flew into OKC a few days before Christmas so that he could enjoy the Stover family Christmas celebration.

Uncle Jordan and Uncle Josh told Jack that he didn't have to smile in their picture.

Giga balls

Jack with Santa

After a brief 18 hours in OKC, Chris drove Jack and I to Lubbock to spend some time with his family. We consumed an exorbitant amount of good food; spent some quality time with family; and even managed to take Jack to see his first movie in a theater, “The Tale of Despereaux." Chris left early Sunday morning for Seattle to make it back for work. Meanwhile, Jack and I were fortunate enough to hang back and spend a few more days with the Lee/Benham family. We made our way out to Colorado City to visit Chris’ grandmother on the farm. Jack had an absolute blast playing in the tree fort, visiting the animals, and even having a dirt fight with Aunt Vicki.

This is "Jack's" 1957 Chevy car he gets to drive when he visits

G-Mom & Papa Tim

Alan teaching Chris how to paraglide

Papa Tim & Jack

Jack wrestling Aunt Lollie

Jack and I made our way back to Oklahoma early Wednesday morning. We spent the last of our Holiday in Oklahoma catching up on rest, eating good food, and taking in all the time we could with family. On Monday morning, we said our “goodbyes” and boarded a plane to Seattle. We cannot thank our families enough for taking us in for three weeks! We value the time we spent with everyone greatly.

And finally, “Baby L” is growing quickly. I cannot believe I am already 17 weeks! We are greatly anticipating his/her arrival in the summer. We miss you and love you all.

Jack's Birthday party

2008-11-30T19:00:00.000-08:00

I thought that I would share with you some of the pictures from Jackson's birthday party taken by the talented Sarah Rhoads.

Birthday Boy

The mass craziness. We had to move most of the furniture out of our living room to fit everyone.

Jonah & his dad Joel

Cute Leah

Most of the kiddos at the party

Cake time

If you haven't heard, ask me how this man, "The Dark Swiper" proceeded to make all of the kids cry.

He was eventually taken down by the force of silly string.

It's catch up time

2008-11-30T17:25:00.000-08:00

I am sorry that I have been absent the past couple of weeks. Things here have gotten busy. We had our first Seattle Thanksgiving this year. We had our friends Sarah, Chris, Meghan and Jonathan over for the day. Wednesday night we were up late baking and preparing for the day ahead. Early Thursday morning, Chris and I prepared our very first turkey. It turned out excellent (Thank you Jenn for the great recipe). We spent the rest of the afternoon playing games, eating more pie and finally topped the night off with a 10:00 dinner and a movie. It is such a privilege to have such close friends that we can count on a family, when our families are 2,000 miles away. I sadly did not get any pictures from the day. Something we will have to change next year.

Seattle days are growing shorter and the nights are growing longer. We have taken advantage of every chance to get outside when we can. A few weeks ago, we took Jack to Twin Falls State Park for a short day hike. Chris and Jack wanted to get past a group of families, so they proceeded to run the entire way up. We completed 2.75 miles of hiking in just under 30 minutes. We enjoyed our time up at the top before racing down. We were quite tired after the little extravaganza.

Jack & Chris inside a hollowed out tree

My handsome boys

On Friday we set up our tree and pulled out our Christmas decorations. This was the first year that Jackson was completely enthralled with the entire process. We turned on the Christmas music, heated up some hot apple cider and spent the time enjoying each other as we worked on the tree. Jack went crazy with the ornaments. As you can tell from the picture below, he has not quite learned the spacing technique but I think it looks great. And speaking of Christmas, I was lucky enough to inherit these wonderful little bellmen that play Christmas music. Jack turns them on and just dances around without a care in the world.

We spent the majority of the afternoon making sugar cookies and decorating them. At one point, Jack asked us to go out of the kitchen so he could surprise us. We sat in the dining room keeping a close eye on him as he worked hard decorating the cookies. Over an hour later, he came and told us to close our eyes. We came in to find two-dozen cookies expertly decorated. He was so proud of his work. It was priceless.

Jack has moved into an adventure stage as he is trying out new tricks. He rode is little bike down the stairs and has conquered everything on our local playgrounds. He has even managed to hang upside down on bars only by his legs. This stage is somewhat terrifying for me but very exciting for him. I am proud that he has the confidence to try things and move outside his comfort zone.

My Little biker

We are so excited to be coming home for Christmas. We cannot wait to see our families and friends and spend sometime enjoying them. We love you all.

Happy Birthday Emma Lou Lou!

2008-11-06T17:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to my sweet niece Emma. Emma just came for a short visit to Seattle just a few days ago. Jack and Emma have a long history of being the best of friends. When Jack was born, Emma was at the hospital. She looked straight into the video camera and said, "Welcome to the world Jack. I'm Emma and you LOVE me!"And since that day Jack has loved Emma. Emma is growing up fast and today turned the big eight years old. She is funny and full of sass. Emma, I hope you had a great day! We love you and miss you! Can't wait to see you this Christmas!

And just so you know, we had to dry a few tears before making this video because Jack missed Emma so much!

Halloween, Jack's Birthday and My sisters Visit...Oh my!

2008-11-05T13:23:00.000-08:00

This past week has been full of a whirlwind of events. Let me fill you all in on our busy week. Friday afternoon, Chris, Jack and I met our friends Emma, Gwyn & Errett at downtown Ballard. We let the kids trick-or-treat at the local businesses. It was so much fun. I made Jack's costume this year. He chose to be a space robot and by the time we finished it, he looked great. Later that evening, we went trick-or-treating in our neighborhood. He had a blast going from door-to-door. By the end of the night, he managed to snag five pounds of candy!

Jack the Robot and Emma the Bat

The next day was his birthday party. We had over 28 people inside our little house but it was fun! I will post pictures later since I am waiting for a cd of all the pictures. That evening I picked my sisters and my niece up at the airport. We hung out that night and I left them at their hotel. Early Sunday morning, I picked them up and brought them to our house. Emma hid in a box and jumped out to surprise Jack. He didn't really know what to do. It was fun. We spent the rest of the day celebrating Jack. We topped off the evening with eating his favorite meal (homemade calizone), eating cake and opening presents.

Jack & Emma at Cupcake Royale. Jack has been making this face in all of his pictures.

Jack LOVES his Leggos.

Jack & Emma at Gasworks park

At Top Pot

Us at the Troll

Emma & the Troll

This is how the night ended. They crashed.

The next day, we spent visiting the Pike’s Market, Cupcake Royale and some Seattle look out spots. Thank you to everyone who came to the parties, sent Jackson some great gifts, card and well wishes. We are incredibly thankful for all of our dear friends and family.

Happy Birthday Dad!

2008-11-02T18:03:00.000-08:00

Today is a very special day in the Lee household. It is my father's birthday and my son's birthday. My dad is very special man. Dad, I wish we were in Oklahoma celebrating with you. I hope you had an excellent day! We love you! And here is a very special message from Jackson AND Emma.

I did something really bad...

2008-10-28T12:14:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, I decided that Jack needed a haircut. Wanting to save a few bucks, I figured I could just trim it up myself. I wanted to keep it long but get it off his neck, ears, and out of his eyes. So I got out the trusty scissors and went to work. It looked alright but was uneven in a few places. I decided that I would leave it alone, since Jack was ready to jump out of his chair. Today, I felt the need to go back and just even things up a bit. Well after an HOUR, Jack came out with his hair the shortest it has ever been. You see, Jack was born with a head full of red hair that quickly turned blonde. He had his first hair cut at only 9 months old because it was very unruly. This kids loves having long hair and frankly, it fits him well. Needless to say, I am in a lot of trouble with him.

This is what his hair looked like a few weeks ago

And this is what it looks like today...

As you can see, he is not too happy about the hairdo.

But when I told him he looked just like old Jack with his hat on, he perked up a bit...

I have officially resigned my hair cutting duties. I will always let this kid go to a proper salon despite the $20. It looks like we are back to the land of wearing hats everyday at least until it grows out. Every mom is allowed to give her son at least one bad haircut, right?

Happy Birthday Joi!

2008-10-26T15:24:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my sister Joi. She is someone that takes on tough challenges and never gives up. Joi and her family just made a big move to Fort Collins, CO. They are mountain people. Joi, Happy Birthday. I hope that your day kick starts an excellent year.

And you didn't think I forgot your birthday message, did you?

Fall in Seattle

2008-10-19T21:56:00.001-07:00

Hello Blogging world, I feel like I have been gone for ages. I am back and will try hard to keep up with this better.

Have I told anyone how much I LOVE fall? It is my favorite time of the year. The beautiful changing leafs, the crisp tempetures, pumpkin pie bread, all combined with cuddling under big blankets, and drinking hot tea make fall a magical warm time in our house. I love that the days are still sunny yet cold. I love the all of the fun events. Speaking of fun events, Jack and I headed to north Washington this last Thursday with a group of friends. We went to a farm and had an absolute blast. We went through a corn maze, on a hay ride, picked out a cute pumpkin, and played in a sand pit.

Jack, Nathan & Fiona in the Hay Maze

Jack & Nathan working hard on the digger

Part of the moms/kids

Jack finally found the perfect pumpkin!

Isn't my boy handsome? (and yes, I know he needs a hair cut)

This was a Corn Pit-just like a ball pit only filled with dried corn

Two of my favorite men's birthdays are in fall (My dad & Jack). We are preparing for a super secret spy party for Jack. It's starting to shape up to be one heck of a party. We are also expecting three very exciting and special visitors in two weeks and can I tell you how excited we are? I can hardly wait!!!

Happy Birthday G-Dad!

2008-10-05T15:51:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday G-Dad! We hope you had an excellent day! We miss and love you!

Love,

Chris, Jenice and Jackson

And, without further adieu, Jackson's special birthday message:

Jack & Mom's 1st Concert

2008-09-14T10:23:00.000-07:00

Jack & I were fortunate to accompany our friends Sara & Madeleine to a concert this Saturday. We saw Elizabeth Mitchell. Parents, if you have not heard of her, then check her out here. Her, her husband and little girl travel around singing kid songs that don't make you want to pull your hair out.

Jack was not happy that I made him sit down for this picture. Can you tell?

This is Jack's friend Madeleine. She is a year younger but full of so much love.
Her and Jack just kept giving each other hugs through the entire show

We had a great time and Jack even got to meet the band and give them high-fives. He felt like a total rockstar. We miss everyone and would love to hear from you!

New classroom, new tattoo, new season

2008-09-08T17:52:00.000-07:00

The school year has finally begun here in Seattle. The season is slowly changing to fall and lots of things are going on. Jack moved up classrooms in church. He has been so excited about going to the Green Frogs class for several months now. He loves his new classroom and teachers.

Isn't he handsome?

On another note, Jackson has been reading the Lorax by Dr. Seuss like crazy! We are big Seuss fans in this house, but Jack cannot get enough of this book. It has fast become a favorite, with him memorize almost every line. Our friend

Kirk has a tattoo of the Lorax on his arm. Once Jack saw a picture, he has been begging me to let him get a tattoo as well. I finally gave in. He is now sporting the awesome (yet temporary) Lorax done by yours truly. I am now taking orders for an area near you.

Proudly sporting his new ink

Up-close shot of the "Lorax"

Chris is enjoying his new job and is slowly adjusting the 4:30 am wake up call. We are doing well and would love to hear how you all are doing!

Much love,

Jenice

Chris' 1st day of work

2008-08-21T09:35:00.000-07:00

Chris began his new job on Monday. We are SO excited to finally have a steady job completed with a steady income. While we are thrilled, it has been an adjustment to our regular schedule. We are all getting up very early compared to sleeping in a bit. Chris has a pretty long commute everyday which is usually about an hour everyday. Once his training is over, our days will become earlier. Chris will have to head to work around 5:15 am since he works with the East Coast. The advantage of getting up so early is that he will miss most traffic and get home around 3:00. The stricter work schedule has also been an adjustment for Chris. I took a picture of Chris on his first day of work, just for you Nina!

I am also including a photo of Jackson on Monday. He is was still pretty sleepy after his nap on Monday, so he was sitting on the counter next to me while I washed the dishes. He decided to lay down and take a little "nap" Don't worry, I was right next to him the whole time. Enjoy

Happy Birthday Grandby!

2008-08-18T14:04:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Grandby! We miss you and hope you have an excellent Birthday! We love you!

Love,

Jenice, Chris & Jack Jack

SeaWeed Monsters

2008-08-04T21:24:00.000-07:00

Late afternoon yesterday, Jackson asked if we could go to the beach. We ate a quick bite and headed down to Golden Gardens. We had so much fun! It was a sunny 72* with a slight breeze. Jackson & I built sand castles while Chris built a "hideout." This hideout was a hole that was 3 1/2 ft. deep and 2 ft wide. Jackson loved it! We just played for several hours in the water and on the beach as the sun set behind the Olympic Mountains. It was beautiful. It was a good reminder of how much we love Seattle and the place we are right now. Enjoy the few pictures I captured!

And if you notice, Jackson's hair is dramatically shorter than a few posts ago. He had decided to grow his hair out long so we respected that (since it is his body). I got so tired of it being in his face that I convinced him to get a hair cut. I promised that the lady would keep it longer as long as it stayed out of his eyes and was shaped up. The lady, however did not understand this and cut his hair all off. He was absolutely devastated. He cried and walked around the house saying his hair was ugly. On Friday, Daddy went and got his hair cut "just like Jack's" Jack finally likes his hair now that Dad has the same hair cut. It's pretty cute that he looks up to Chris so much! And no, Chris hair cut isn't just like Jack's but it's short.

Sand Castles

Hideout half-way done

Can you find Jack in this picture?

At the end of our time, he got his Chacos caught in all the seaweed, becoming a seaweed monster

Jackson & Daddy

Blue Angels!

2008-08-03T13:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Chris, Jack & I went to see the "Blue Angels" Jack was really excited but I was worried that the noise was going to be too loud. However, I was wrong. He was in heaven! He kept jumping up & down when they flew by. It was fun to see him so excited about the "Bwue Angel Jets!" We snapped a few photos of the day. Enjoy!

P.S.

Look very soon for a post on Jackson's new haircut and the trauma it has caused. :)

Happy Birthday GiGi.

2008-07-28T10:59:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Jill! Do you remember growing up and playing together? And the boxing matches and someone "accidentally" burning me with a curling iron because they were mad? I remember how much I disliked you growing up but when push came to shove you were always there. Defending me from stupid boyfriends that didn't treat me well and making sure I stayed out of trouble. And now, you are the girl I can always count on for a little shopping or someone I can always embarrass at sister's dinner. When we get together we have a ton of fun. And, I must say, you are one of the best aunts out there. You know just what to do to make a kid's day (Mission to Mars, anyone?) Happy Birthday Big Sister. I hope your day is absolutely fantastic! I love you.

And you didn't think I would forget the Birthday Message, right?

FYI Jack is on a quest to grow his hair out "as long as mom's" It is getting really long and in his face. His new bandanna has been inspired by Nadal. He can be just like a tennis champ and keep his hair out of his face. Go figure.

Look at the striking resemblance

To My Amazing Father

2008-07-24T18:57:00.000-07:00

Yes, yes, I know that Father's Day was a million days ago but I want to take a moment to express my gratitude for my father. He the most amazing man I know (tying only with my sweet husband). You could not find a father that is more supportive, loving and wise. I have only recently began to understand how truly lucky I am. Dads like him don't come around often. Thank you Dad for everything. I love you. And here is your very belated Father's day present. I know you will understand when you realize the amount of collaboration that had to occur between your children. Happy Fathers Day.

Love,

Jenice

Happy Birthday Lollie!

2008-07-09T15:24:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to our Aunt Lollie! Lauren (a.k.a. Lollie) happens to be the best photographer in Texas, a lover of chocolate and other delicious treats, and could be an interior designer in her second life. We hope you have the best day Aunt Lollie! We cannot wait to see you in August! Have fun tonight and tell us how Wall-E is!

And here is your VERY special message from Jackson

Chris' Blog

2008-07-06T14:55:00.000-07:00

Chris created a new blog detailing different ideas, etc. You should go check it out and give him some blog love!

Go here

Happy 4th of July!

2008-07-05T13:14:00.000-07:00

Our first fourth of July in Seattle was pretty low key. We spent the day enjoying some family time before meeting up with our friends Gwyn & Erret and their little girl Emma. Many of you have heard of "Emma who is so very shy" from Jack. I would like to take a moment to introduce everyone to Jack's best friend (in Seattle, of course). Jack & I met Emma & Gwyn at storytime through my friend Sarah. We all became fast friends. Jack and Emma have so much fun together! And I very much enjoy my time with Gwyn. It's like a playdate made in heaven. After dozens of storytimes & playdates I have decided that I do indeed believe in arranged marriages. Expect an engagement announcement on here in approximately 25 years.

Jack & Emma at the pool

Emma & Jack spent the evening taking pictures of eachother, mostly making silly faces. Enjoy.

Jack and Emma at Golden Gardens

This is a good example of what usually happens when they are together. Jack does crazy things to make Emma laugh and she usually watches wondering "What is he doing?"

Jacksta & Daddy-O

2008-06-28T22:15:00.000-07:00

Chris is so great about always spending good time with Jackson whenever he gets home from work. One day during dinner time, they dressed up and made a video. I now present rapper Jacksta & rapper Daddy-O. Enjoy :)

Jack's First Official Performance

2008-06-27T10:42:00.000-07:00

On Father's Day, Jack had his first "official" performance in front of our church. His class sang a few songs. It was probably the cutest things I have ever seen. I am a bit biased. You can see the video below. Jack is in the striped polo on the front row. Enjoy.

A Milestone...

2008-06-23T13:56:00.000-07:00

Jackson has officially began summer camp today. It hit me last night that my "baby" is growing up. He is not a little guy anymore, but a boy. The transition from baby to boy comes fast. I know that some of you are laughing at me because after all it's only summer camp. But, this little man has spent most of his time with me since his birth. I have gotten accustomed to having him by my side the majority of the day. Today, marked the beginning of him leaving me to begin his own life. I am so happy that he is confident enough to go into a new place without any worries yet I am selfishly sad. A part of me wants him to stay small and innocent forever....

However, I am excited that he is expanding his "creative" skills this week at art camp. By the time he is done we should have a little Monet on our hands. :)

I took this picture before he left. He is showing the "I love you" sign.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY DADDY!!!

2008-06-19T22:16:00.000-07:00

I know that this is a little late, but I wanted to share with everyone Chris' father's day present from Jack and I. It's a video that was made for the best dad in the world (at least in our opinions). Enjoy!

(And "Shaka & Powie" is pretty much the best game ever invented...)

You're only 19?

2008-06-12T11:43:00.000-07:00

A very Happy Birthday to my little brother Jordan. If you are not familiar with the guy, you are missing out. First, he is absolutely one of the funniest people I know. It's such a dry humor that keeps me laughing all the time. He is incredibly mature and responsible. This kid has a great "head on his shoulders" (as my dad would say). He is inconceivably "frugal." Most importantly, he is one of the most loyal guys around. He truly cares about his family. Happy Birthday Jordan!!! I hope your 19th year is absolutely fantastic. And you should come up here to see the Yankees play. That really would make it fantastic, because you could of course see me ;) I love you little brother!

And you also get a very special birthday message from a "superhero"

Sweet Sixteen...

2008-06-11T16:41:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BABY SISTER HOPE!

Well, it turns out you are not really a baby anymore. Happy 16th Birthday! I still remember the day you were born. I was pretty excited that your were coming because that meant I got to hang out at Joel & Jacob's house all day. I remember Mom making Jordan's cake during her contractions and how Jenn had to run to Albertson's to get a paper bag (I remember the weirdest things). You have always been the baby of the family and I can hardly believe that you are going to be a senior next year. It's quite odd that the BABY of the family will be going to college in just one short year. I digress. I am proud of the person that you've become. You always say what is on your mind even if someone doesn't want to hear it and I value that. You keep me up-to-date on the new "hip" music and fun movies. I am so excited to see what you do with your life. I am sure it will involve many different adventures. (Just be sure to fill me in on all of them). Have a wonderful birthday little sister. And, get excited only 5 days until you get your license. (This is the REAL reason we moved from Oklahoma...haha) I love you. And...for the special message...Here is Jack singing his heart out. He also wanted me to tell you that your car's name HAS to stay as "poopsauce" He doesn't agree to a change ;)

No Diet Coke, What?

2008-06-09T23:50:00.000-07:00

Most of you know, for many years, I have had an insatiable desire to drink Diet Coke. On my "good days" I would just drink two. On my bad days, I would only drink Diet Coke. I am proud to say dear friends, that I have officially given up Diet Coke. It has been one week since I first took a drink of the sweet delight. I was hesitant to post my new goal, since I wasn't sure I would really give it up. Well, I still miss it, but I think that I am finally doing my body "good"

Happy Birthday Bailey!

2008-06-06T17:13:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Bailey! You didn't think I forgot, right? Well, I hope that you remember our deal to stay 8 years old until I come home back to Oklahoma. You are keeping that promise, right? :) I hope that you are having the best birthday a 9 year can have! I miss you! Happy Birthday Special Girl!!!

Love ,

Your favorite aunt (A.K.A. Aunt Jenice)

And here's a VERY special birthday message for you. And as usual it's from Jack.

Our car was hit...

2008-05-28T16:10:00.000-07:00

By a BUS!!! Not only did our little black jetta get hit by a huge Seattle Transit Bus, but the bus left! We are officially victims of a hit and run by a BUS. Thankfully, Chris wasn't in the car and two different people witnessed it happened, stopped, wrote down the story and their information. After calling the police, and transit customer service, we found out that this happens ALL THE TIME! It is actually quite funny because this is the 3rd time someone has hit that very spot on our car and LEFT. Luckily, this time we won't foot the bill. Seattle Transit is paying $1218.94 to fix little Stella back to new (or at least back to new on her left front panel and mirror).

Memorial Day Weekend

2008-05-28T13:11:00.001-07:00

This Memorial Day weekend was very enjoyable for our little household. Friday we had a few good friends over for dinner. Saturday we spent the morning at the Northwest Folklife Festival. That afternoon was my inaguraul attempt to pull Jack in the bike trailer around the lake. We had fun with it while Chris jogged. Sunday morning we taught Jack's sunday school class and came home to pack up for the trip ahead. We headed out to North Bend, WA (approx. 45 minutes form Seattle). We camped that evening and played around the campsite before heading to bed early. We woke up early the next morning and ate breakfast. We packed up camp and went hiking on the Middle Fork trail. We hiked just under 10 miles in three hours. Jackson got very tired of hiking after 1 1/2 miles, so my very strong husband carried him in the backpack the rest of the way. During our hike we had to cross through a calf-high stream that was running directly from the snow melt off the mountain. I have NEVER felt anything so cold for that long of time. Overall, we came home tired but with our hearts full from our little overnight adventure. We needed the time away as a family and we came back refreshed and ready to face the week ahead. It was a good reminder of why we moved all the way out here. Enjoy the many pictures.

This is how our trip began...

Jack exploring...

Jack and I on the bridge

Cascade Mountains

Lunch Break

We all three slept in here

This is the Snoqualmie River. It runs through the Cascade Mountains. I took this picture for the fishermen in my life-Jonnie, Ben and Jordan. Come to Seattle and you can fish for trout here!

Watching Dad cook dinner

Our fire that kept us warm and bugs away

Chris near the end of the hike. He looks a little tired, what do you think?

Yay! They almost finished the hike!

And this is how our trip ended...

Jackson can read?

2008-05-18T17:57:00.000-07:00

Well he can't officially read yet but he has such a good memory. He has memorized several books and can recited them at a moments notice word-for-word. I of course felt obligated to film him reading to G-Mom. It is a longer video so don't feel obligated to watch the entire video. I don't know why you wouldn't. :)

Note: This video is especially for Aunt Lollie, Aunt Mae Mae and Papa Tim. Now you can see Mom/Wife even though she isn't here. Now enjoy the video of the book, "When the creepy things come out"

G-Mom is here!!!

2008-05-18T17:38:00.000-07:00

We are so excited that our "G-Mom" is here. We have visited more parks than any other time during our stay in Seattle. We have ate some good food, went to the lake, the space needle, the piers, the beach, the market etc. G-Mom brought the beautiful weather with her. It has been so warm and sunny the whole time! Enjoy the pictures compliments of G-Mom and her camera.

Happy Birthday Ben!!!

2008-05-12T09:45:00.000-07:00

Okay Ben, I know this is a day late, but our internet was down all day. It is now finally working! So here is your message. Happy Birthday Ben! You have the greatest spirit ever! You are always up for new adventures and always testing your limits. I think that you are a lot like your Uncle Chris when he was your age. You have such a kind heart for little ones and I have never met anyone who loved all animals as much as you do. I hope that you had an excellent day! You can tell your mom you need to celebrate your birthday again today since your video just came! I love you buddy and please remember, no jumping on 1 foot! Happy Late Birthday!

A block town

2008-05-07T17:23:00.000-07:00

Jack recently has been obsessed with building "car mansions" This afternoon, he set after building a town. After some intense dedication, a few crashed "mansions", he finished his town, complete with a railroad. He was so proud, I just had to post pictures online.

Pretty awesome, hun?

The best way for a boy and a Dad spend an evening

And, finally a Jack song/note for the day. This one is by request for Aunt Lollie. It's a rhyme/rhythm song that he learned at story hour.

Time to brag on my smart husband.

2008-05-05T13:28:00.000-07:00

Most of you know, Chris took a 1099 job when we moved to Seattle. It started off much slower than we had initially thought. Despite the difficulties, Chris has continued to work hard everyday and push through the many road blocks that have sprung up. Last week, his regional sales coordinator called him to let him know that he had been nominated to speak at the State Convention. He was asked to talk about the difficulties he had incurred and how he has become successful in such a short amount of time. (#4 in the state last week!). He will be speaking today! I am so proud of his perseverance and determination to succeed! He is truly a dedicated father and husband!

Happy Birthday to my oldest nephew

2008-04-30T15:25:00.000-07:00

Note: I hope this isn't too embarrassing Jonnie.

Happy Birthday to Jonathan!!!

I have to take a moment and reminisce. My oldest nephew was born when I was just a kiddo myself. I remember being so excited about his birth, that I dressed up in matching pooh-bear shirts with my kid sister since his room was done in pooh bear. Jonathan, how can you ever doubt my love, now? :) I was the first to babysit him (at a mere 3 weeks old). I have seen him grow up into this almost teenager. He has such a kind heart; always looking out for the ones in his life. He is a fabulous artists and trombone player. Jonnie, I am excited to see what lies ahead for you! Remember, always listen to your mom, unless you want the "angry eyebrows" pulled out. Love you!

And a little birthday message from Jackson:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAPA TIM!!!

2008-04-24T23:40:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Tim! We hope you have an excellent day! We love you! Enjoy the special birthday message from Jack!

He can write!

2008-04-24T16:31:00.000-07:00

*Note: I realize that this is not nearly as exciting to most of you as it is to me. Feel free to navigate away at anytime. :)

Jack and I were on our way to pick up some birthday presents for my nephews this afternoon (sorry Jonnie and Ben, I am not going to say where). I was driving and Jack was quietly playing with his magna doodle in the backseat. He handed it to me when we arrived at said destination and said, "Mom, I don't have enough room to write the s-o-n." I had no idea what he was talking about until I looked down at the magna doodle. He had written his own name (backwards, but it still counts)! I was shocked because all we do is color and draw. I never have tried to pressure him to learn his letters of learn to write. It has been a natural progression throughout time as we read, draw, etc. I am so proud of him! He even wrote the last three letters in lower case. I do believe his nickname (as termed by Aunt Gigi) "Little Man Einstein" is fitting today. Yay Jack! Enjoy the pictures!

Homemade volcanos and a Zip line. Good weekend, eh?

2008-04-20T17:54:00.000-07:00

Jackson and I made our very first batch of homemade play dough this weekend. Once we were done we decided to make his first "science project" by making it into a volcano. The results were absolutely amazing (at least in his eyes). We concluded that with enough vinegar (at least half the bottle) no baking soda volcano will remain dormant.

He wasn't happy that I was taking pictures and not moving the process along.

He was really excited because Dad took over so that I could capture the thrilling moments.

Jack in the sand pit at Salmon Bay of course playing with the trucks.

And the best part of the weekend, going on the zip line. Not an extraordinarily entertaining video but I thought his cousins might appreciate it.

No Diabetes!

2008-04-18T13:52:00.001-07:00

As some of you may know, Jackson has been exhibiting signs of Type 1 diabetes and we have been in and out of the doctor trying to get some answers. He had lost 4 lbs. and was drinking and peeing like crazy. He was getting up and down all night needing drinks, using the restroom, etc. We took him into the doctor and they did a random blood sugar test and it was pretty high. We were told to come back in two weeks for a second test and evaluation. We went in today and found that not only did Jackson gain back the 4 lbs. but also grew 1 1/2 in! The doctor said everything looked pretty normal and are attributing most of the symptoms to a growth spurt. We will check in with the doctor every 3 months to make sure nothing is out of the ordinary. We are so relieved!

A day in the life of Jackson and Mama Mia

2008-04-14T22:30:00.000-07:00

Jackson and I had one of those days where we stayed inside and played all day due to the torrential downpour outside. We of course played with cars and the car ramp, made up many songs, and finished it with playing many imaginary games. Have you ever seen a swimming, flying superhero dragon? I think not. Today was also a day that Jackson was missing his family in Oklahoma and Texas. You can probably tell from the following videos.

He was a Musical dragon as well. Pretty talented I must say.

He made a pallet all by himself

If you can read the back, it's Super Why's cape from his birthday

This is a song that he made up for Papa and

Grandby. I hope you can hear above the

drums.

This is a song for G-Mom

And a little note to his best friend, Emma Lou Lou

Mac pictures

2008-04-07T14:41:00.000-07:00

Chris, Jack and I have had a lot of fun playing with the new computer. Enjoy the classic photo booth pictures.

Fat Chris

Our Evil villain faces

This is what I would look like if I gained around 250 lbs.

Happy Early Anniversary to US!

2008-03-05T19:31:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, our old computer has been dying slowly for quite sometime. This weekend it finally died. As an anniversary present to each other, Chris and I bought our very first Mac. Her name is Thelma. She is quite lovely. Now that we have a computer that is working quite successfully, please enjoy all of the pictures.

Jack and the "pretend" Easter Bunny

Look at the 40 eggs he captured!

We had snow the end of March! We built a little snowman!

Isn't he cute?

Jack learning to use chopsticks!

This is a video for his Aunt Jenn.

chrisjeniceandjack.blogspot/readmeeveryday

2008-03-05T18:56:00.000-08:00

When trying to think of different titles for the "new" blog, it seems that all of my creative (per Jenice: "corny") think tank initiatives have been squelched by forced practicality and easy recollection. Therefore, this marks a new era of Seattle blogging for the Lee family which will from here out refer all future posts to the new link http://chrisjeniceandjack.blogspot.com from the prior http://seattleplees.blogspot.com.

(special thanks to the Rhoads for making this post possible)