Life as we know it, has changed once again!

Well now that being a 1 year old is ancient history we no longer have a tiny little baby to cuddle we now have a 13 month old little man running around.  I tell you what, it seems like Jackson has changed just as much in the last month as he did the first month we had him home from the hospital. 

He is now full on walking!!!! Eeeek! Crawling just isn't good enough for him, although he is much faster at crawling. It wont be long though as those stiff legs get a little more used to walking!  

Jackson loves to use the table as a jungle gym and everything breakable has gone from about 2 feet off the ground to about 4 feet off the ground, and all of our junk is no longer on the edge of the table it is pushed back to the middle!  You have to love those little fingers peeking up over the edge of the table to see if there is anything to grab!!

We have been reading lots of Easter books lately and Jackson has now started to hop like a bunny when he sees one or if we ask him what does a bunny do!!! We are really learning that he has a huge vocabulary!!! Jackson loves to make noises like a cow and vroom around like a car.  These may be the same noise but he uses them for 2 different purposes all together. 

For the time being Jackson is very obedient :) we will see how long that lasts!   If you ask him to go get a ball, or book, etc.  He will repeat with ba or boo and then is off to go get one or 2!  It really is amazing to see how many words he knows!!!


The little stinker has discovered toilet paper and really thinks it is the best toy around!!! Look out!  So far no major messes just little pieces here or there!!!


We really have been having a lot of fun with all of our play dates and Jackson is making lots of new friends (me too!!).  It is fun to start seeing Jackson interact with them now that he is very mobile and not just in awe of all the "big kids". 

The first year really has just flown by and I can already feel the second year going just as fast!   It's hard to believe on the 1st of May we will have lived in the Netherlands for a year.  So much has changed, we finally feel settled and have met some great people.  Just think in less than a year we will already be back to Iowa and remembering all our good and not so good memories of the Netherlands!

Oh no the Chicken Pox

In the Netherlands they choose not to vaccinate against the chicken pox and unfortunately for us we haven't been back in the US since Jackson has been old enough to receive the vaccination.  So guess what we picked up somewhere along the way?! The chicken pox.

I can't really believe it!  I feel so bad for him, he seems pretty miserable and just wants me to hold him but then that doesn't even make him happy.

Of course I had to take him to the doctor and lets just say our opinion of the healthcare system here is that it is a bit lacking.  They don't check temp, or look in his ears, nose, or throat. NOTHING!!! They say oh well it could be chicken pox but we want to see you back in 2 days.

Great!!!! I get to go to the doctor again and wait for 30 minutes with a crying baby while you all decide it is time to go on coffee break!   Today our appointment was for 10:30, we get there a few minutes early like normal people do and I think great, we're the only people here we will get right in.  The patient comes out of the office so we're up, right? Wrong, the receptionist puts up a sign PAUZE or break. Then all of the doctors and receptionists go off for at least 15 minutes, meanwhile the phone is ringing (no answers), patients are arriving (no one there to check them in), Jackson is crying (no one cares).  They clearly knew we were there ontime and waiting since they walked right by us on our way to the coffee room.

Why not make my appointment for 10:45 instead so I don't have to drag my sick child into your office just to wait for you to have coffee?!?!  I bet you can guess that I'm really excited to go back on Friday!!!