Same Song, Second Verse

So following our problematic first ice skating attempt, we decided, maybe Jack needed Mr. Daddy to join him on the ice under less loud circumstances. So the following day, we hit the open skate. Mr. Daddy, Jack and Dr. Mommy (in the stands).

Clearly Jack was in good spirits.

Even after falling down, he seemed to smile. "Daddy, its slippery!"

Coach even stopped by and said Jack was doing very well.

Next Saturday we'll give it another shot!

Future Sociologist

I told Jackson that I bought him a "Future Sociologist" T-shirt at a recent conference. He said, "Thank you Mama. I love soci-all-of-it."

Also, following Dr. Nori's successful defense, he decided: Momma, I want to be a Dr.

And the day shall come....

So the day of great anticipation arrived: first day of hockey practice. The day started off with great excitement. Our biggest concern was making sure that Jack knew the key issue, there would be no sticks. So off to the rink to get him dressed.

He seemed game. Sat on the bench like a good kid.

Big smile.

Had Dr. Mommy walk him to the rink.

And then...it all came crashing down.

After 5 minutes of crying and some holding by the coaches, practice came to an end. We'll spare Jack the horror of pics of him lying on the ice crying haunting him for the rest of his life but day one was a strike out. Try try again!

We will always have these seats, right?

We had some friends in town who are big baseball fans; we borrow some tickets and here are hanging out with Ozzie and AJ!

It was really hot and we were glistening.

 Jackson got a White Sox truck from our friends.

AJ throw me the ball!!

Jackson's Third Birthday--Spiderman!!

Unky Matt made almost 4 dozen spiderman cupcakes.  They were delicious!

3 Spidermans?!  Scary?!

Oh, just Jackson and his friends.

Grandma Kathy made Jackson a Spiderman cape.

Jackson loves to wrestle with his friend from school even though his friend is 5 or 6 inches bigger.

Dr. Nori, born in Korea and from California, 2 of his favorite places

It was great to have Nori here for several reasons.  First (foremost), she successfully defended her dissertation.  Another ABD bites the dust!  Second, Jackson had never met Nori.  I told him a friend was coming to visit.  He asked if she would play with him.  When I assured him that she would, he gave his approval.  I told him that she to was born in Korea.  He said, "Mama, everybody is born in Korea."  So we talked about that and he didn't seem to buy it.  I also told him that she lived in California.  He said, "Like Mac?"  Mac is the truck in "Cars."  Apparently, this was another selling point to her visit.

The time together was short but Jackson had a great time (Dr. Mommy had a great time) despite a really long trip from the lakeshore campus to the airport.  This trip included bribery with McDonalds and the quote that will become a classic, "Mama, I don't want to go to the airport.  It is too hard to get there."  The visit turned into a mini-reunion and our other good friend Johnny defended his dissertation proposal.

Jackson wouldn't sit still for formal portraiture so this is what we got.

Hanging at BW3

Jack learned to play his first video game. Why wouldn't it be corn hole?

Penny Fountains

So you just reach in and get rich right?

Now the real mall

So eventually, we got to a mall. But Jack loved the over priced aquarium in the largest mall in the US the most.

Turtles rule...

As do sharks...

And the trapped Polynesian statues...

So cool Dr. Mommy...

Hanging with bobble-heads at the "bank"

The Big Ten Network is doing a series on "Icons of the Big Ten." What better way to show off the Goophers history than giant bobble-heads? Jack got Dave Winfield.

But Jack was confused that someone named 'Bronko' could have ever played for the angry rodents.

What the?

Mr. Daddy? What are those?

Jugglers? Dr. Mommy what do jugglers do?

Why?

Exactly Jack. Exactly.