Holiday Happenings

Jack loved seeing Donner and Blitzen and the "Santa Village"

He loves to look at "Nanta" but only from at least 5 feet away. Poor "Nanta". Was it really THAT bad? Jack actually managed ONE whole tear after being forced into Nanta's lap.
A few goldfish made everything better!

First time helping mommy bake pumpkin spice bread...I think he liked it!


In Waco for Uncle Jeremy's graduation from Baylor

We were walking through Willow Bend and this is what I found in Dillards. Don't worry, we immediately took him to the food court so he could eat something other than his big toe. Turns out, he had a small cut on his toe and that is the only way he knew how to scratch it:)

Jack AND Mommy are GROWING!!!

Jack and I have something in common these days...we both are hitting a "growth spurt"!!! Jack is growing taller and I am growing...well...out!
*please know I'm not entirely comfortable with my own belly pics but per so many requests I will put a few on throughout the pregnancy*

18 weeks

21 weeks
Jack thinks it's so FUNny to have just a diaper on before bathtime!

Erik thought it would funny to dress Jack in my old intramural jersey...and yes it is ripped from my last season of flag football!! The rip gave him a hole to put his left leg through:)

Jack and Mackenzie enjoying a lollipop together.

Loving on the "Baylor Santa". He calls Santa "Nanta" and then he says HO Ho ho, getting softer as he goes on...

Since I'm not going to have a daughter to do this with, I'm just going to start dressing up my boys in cute little clothes just for fun!

Jack discovered a show "Yo Gabba Gabba" that he loves. It's hard to get him to sit still but he'll ride his fourwheeler up to the tv and watch/dance for a little bit! If he sees that Gabba is on he yells "Gaga"!!!

Here he is watching his show...he is always moving....unless he's sleeping...he's moving...

Ohhh BROTHER!!!!

Our perinatologist confirmed his early prediction that Baby Olson #2 is, in fact, a BOY!!! Erik and I are very excited and I'm okay with being the only girl in my family:) Erik had to get back to work for a meeting after the perinatology appointment so I had to pick Jack up from MDO so he could go with me to see my regular doc. Dr. Wells was so excited to see Jack he let him sit on his lap and help him find his little brother's heartbeat. It was so cute. Once he found the heartbeat Jack said "Ohhh wow" (obviously one of his favorite expresssions)! Dr. Wells was pleased with the perinatology report and said that everything measured right on for 21 weeks and we are very thankful for that. Erik was SO very kind to remind me that when I was pregnant with Jack I gained the most weight between weeks 20 and 24...thanks honey...I guess his point being that this month we should expect this baby/my tummy to grow since this pregnancy has been identical to my experience with Jack. In expectation of this month's growth I went and looked at maternity jeans today so hopefully "Santa" will be so kind to pick up a few things for me!

We can't believe this little guy is now going to be a big brother!

A double ear infection later...

"Um yes, I'll have the #4... a double ear infection, a side of sore throat, amoxicillan to drink, and gooey eyes for dessert" YUCK.

After a looonnnggg weekend of Jack being the sickest he's ever been (double ear infection, 102 fever for 3 days, a sore throat, and gooey eyes) we have finally made it to TODAY:) Erik and I will find out some exciting news in just a few hours...more than anything we are praying that this little active baby is developing as he/she should. And of course in the process of the perinatologist doing all the measurements, we will confirm if Jack is going to have a little brother or a little sister. I must say 20 weeks goes by MUCH faster when you are preoccupied by a toddler. Am I really half way there? More news later...

Houdini Returns

What do you do when your crib mattress is on the lowest setting it can be on and your son still manages to do this?

He is definitely NOT ready for a toddler bed and this is obviously a HUGE safety hazard so for now we found a temporary solution. Erik took apart his crib and we took out the springs so we shoved his mattress all the way down to the floor. It's not pretty but it's the only safe thing for now. The only negative is that I can't reach to put him down in his bed...it's too tall for me...and my stomach isn't getting any smaller any time soon:) So we are going to purchase a step stool so I can put my son down in his bed without having to drop him down in there:) The joys of boys.

Family, Food, and Football

It was another wonderful Thanksgiving in Parker, Tx at my Aunt Jill and Uncle Jody's house this year. We had originally planned on heading to Little Rock to Erik's aunt and uncle's house for Thanksgiving but given that I had been battling a cold/sinusitis/general congestion for a few weeks Erik decided it would best not to travel. Jill and Jody have so such a huge yard they have a pool and still enough room for the annual family football game which is extremely intense. This year they even painted the blue cowboy star in the middle of the field not to mention the real goal posts they added last year. I wasn't able to be at full strength this year because of being sick and being 19 weeks pregnant but my competitive nature kicked in and I played a little:) Enjoy a few photos of our holiday.

action shot of the game
Jack loves playing in their huge yard! He's too young for the gator and the gocart so we brought his little fourwheeler to ride.

The (Semple) family. Every single person has brown hair except a few that married into the family...Jack definitely doesn't get his cute, light hair from my side of the family!

Family picture on the Cowboy star!

Wss dis and ohhh wow

Erik and I wanted to share with you the most common words we hear in our home these days. I knew the day would come when Jack started bringing me things and saying "What's this?" and honestly I wasn't looking forward to those days because I knew eventually it would become a question I am asked about 100 times a day. Well, the day has arrived. Jack is constantly saying "wss dis" and then when I tell him (or make something up) he says "ohhh wow'. We can't believe how much he's started to use his words! He even says "ohh cool" when he sees an airplane. When we are at restaurants he wants to walk around to every table and greet people with a wave, a clap, then a goodbye kiss. The other day he brought a whistle to me and said "wss dis" and so I showed him it was a whistle to which he replied "ohhh wow" and took it from me and blew it. Enjoy the picture of him practicing blowing the whistle!

Bears WIN!

It's been a long time (that I can remember) since I've been at a Big 12 game that Baylor won in a decisive manner. Erik and I are always a little hesitant to drive to Waco for any random game for fear of being greatly dissapointed BUT one thing we definitely want to "train" our son to do is cheer against the Aggies so thought we better go down for Jack's first "learning experience". We started teaching him the words my dad taught me to all their "songs" just so we can start out own form of brainwashing early:) And what do you know? The bears WON! Not only did they win...they walked on their grass, they chewed gum, they shaved Reveille's (sp?) hair off, and they didn't take their hats off on the bleachers...YIKES...all that to say, they beat em pretty good:) And I might add, Erik and I can't remember the last time all our teams won in the same weekend...Baylor, Texas, Nebraska AND the Cowboys!!!! It was an excellent football weekened! Here are some pics from our day trip with the Kampen Klan.

Mackenzie and Jack
Mackenzie liked the Cheerleaders MUCH better than Jack did.

Haha...pretty funny...he hated this!

His dad must be from Nebraska or something...

Uncle "Big Bear" (Jared)

Jack and Jeremy (Jack is sporting the baby "Sarah Palin" look)

Mack and Jack...think they are both getting their molars or something?

Proof that I finally got to snuggle with my little man for a few minutes.

Enjoying some pregame festivities...Erik gave him a mohawk again.

About to go to church and FINALLY got to wear some Fall clothes!

16 week update

I had my 16 week appointment this past week with Dr. W (Jesus' great great nephew...can you tell I love my Doctor?) and everything went well. As many sonos as Dr. W does throughout the 40 wk period you'd think one of them would be at 16 weeks but we'll have to wait until next month for that "confirmation" if you will. Dr. W did tease us a little bit when he listened to the heartbeat by saying "hmm...fast like a GIRL" knowing full well that the perinatologist predicted BOY at an earlier appoinment:) We'll go in to Dr. A next month for our 20 week screen and find out 100% what this little baby is. What we know for sure is...this baby is a mover and shaker. I didn't feel Jack kick until closer to 20 weeks and I've been feeling this little one for over a week now! And this baby actually was kicking Dr. W during the appointment this week. We were reminded that in just a few short weeks we'll be half way done with this pregnancy already! Time flies when you have another little one to take care of! This is going fast! I'm not in maternity clothes yet but I feel like this baby will pop out anyday now! Here is the scene we we are anxiously awaiting in April!!!! By the way, have I ever mentioned I LOVED my C section??? It was WONDERFUL. I am so excited for this time around.

Such a fun age!

Between repeating everything and blowing kisses to everyone he sees Erik and I are having so much fun with the stage Jack is in right now! He's like a little sponge. Our neighbor's name is Jackson and it only took him a few times of hearing his name before he was saying "Jackshon". We are amazed out how much his personality comes out more and more everyday. And those of you who have been around him know, he's not shy:) Every person he sees gets a wave, then a clap, then goodbye kisses. If he really likes what he's eating he'll say..."ummmmmm" in the most dramatic voice you've ever heard. If he hears an airplane he quickly looks up to the sky to find it and then he waves at it. He does sic em bears all the time, too. Unfortunately, for some reason, he's still not saying "mama". He says "airplane" but not "mama"...weird huh?

Blowing a kiss
Sometimes he does 'sic em bears' with both hands....

Daddy is making him laugh!

Mackenzie and Katelyn came over to play last week...it's not very hard to get an adorable picture of Mackenzie:)

Jack and Katelyn watching Boz.

Election Humor

Erik and I don't spend a lot of time on facebook...however...this election season facebook has been pure entertainment GOLD. Most of the "panic" had to do with President-Elect Obama but there were a few things about McCain as well. Here are some of the status' we have been viewing... I erased the names and replaced them with a letter....enjoy...

"A" just took an Obama and wiped his Biden

"B" is convinced: America drank the coolaid, and will now quaff it for 4 years

"C" is remembering God is in COMPLETE control

"D" is ready for the CHANGE to happen...is it Jan 20th yet?


"E" is derka derka, Obama jihad. (offensive, maybe?)

"F" is allergic to the counterfeit, impartial politics

"G" totally smells what Barack is cookin'!

"H" is praying for mercy for our country

"I" is moving to Australia (my personal favorite)

So there were lots of people saying things like "praying God will show our country mercy". I was thinking...do we only pray for our country when the person we vote for doesn't win? And as Christians, we are called to be light in the world. As far as I know, that command doesn't change when Bush passes the torch to Obama.

Halloween and BU Homecoming

Jack and his uncles- Jeremy and Josh
Stephanie got the honor of giving him his first taste of Dr. Pepper and it was only fitting that we were in Waco.

Uncle Jeremy took Jack to ride in the parade for a little while. Look closely, he's waving like he's a star or something.

At the Chi Omega breakfast. Bored out of their minds...I guess they thought a stare down contest was more fun than pledge songs....like father like son...

Jeremy took Jack on stage at Roxy Grove

On Halloween before we went to our church's fall festival, we took Jack to a fire station in Plano to get some pics.

Jack's first trip to Roxy Grove and Waco Hall. Since we drove to Waco on Friday night, he still had on his Halloween costume so he kind of looks like he is part of the act!

At the fall festival...he was a little confused by this holiday....so many games and so much candy.

Practicing his Sic 'Em Bears!

The firefighters were so nice. They let Jack "drive" the firetruck!!!