Rays of Sunshine

The journey home from Ohio went perfectly.  I had this 'ebb and flow' theory where I thought that our journey to Ohio was the worst that it possibly could have gone, so to balance the world back, the flight home would go really well.  My theory worked and Jackson slept for both legs of the flight and played extremely nicely during the six-hour layover.  We didn't get fast-tracked through any security lines or customs, but we didn't need to since he was being the All-American/English dream child that we know he can be.

It took us awhile to adjust to the jet lag.  The first day, Jackson slept for 17 hours.  I couldn't believe it!  For both of us, the first four days back, neither of us woke up before 11:30 A.M.  Lee was back on schedule really quickly because he had to go back to work.  If I had to return to work, then I'm sure I would have been able to shake the jet lag faster, but since I still had three weeks of summer break (school holidays in the U.K.), then I figured, what's the rush?

It has been really fun enjoying time in the sunshine with Jackson at the parks, shopping, eating at restaurants, and having play dates.  We went out and tried to do something different every day to keep our itinerary interesting.  Last Saturday, we ventured out as a family to the Southport Model Railway Village.  It was so much more exciting than it sounded!  I was pleasantly surprised at the meticulously manicured village that was the perfect size for toddlers.  The houses were about a foot-and-a-half to two feet tall and there were cars and people to adorn the village.  Also, the trains had functioning signals and it was fun to wait for the lights to turn green and the trains to "choo choo" on their way.  Although this village is in the centre of the esplanade, it is inside a walled area which blocks out the wind, sound, and any other distractions of the town centre.  Jackson was over the moon and we went around the village three times until he was ready for a snack and to move on to the park.

This past week, Jackson and I went to a few more local parks and shops, spent an afternoon in Formby, and had our friends Sally and Penny over for a visit.  Today, we travelled altogether to visit Lee's family and see his grandparents' new house.  A lot of people kept saying "it gets easier" as kids get older and I think that has been most evident over the last few days because Jackson is at the point where he can walk alongside me without running away, use playground equipment without much assistance, and feed himself while I eat at the same time.  He still has a mind of his own and needs to be taught what is acceptable behaviour at times, but overall, he is getting more responsible and sensible with each passing day.

Modelling at the model railway

Look!  A Choo-Choo!

Impressive attention to detail

Jackson was leading this adventure

The miniature trees and tiny lawns were a delightful surprise

Jackson loved the 'bawk bawk' the most

Enjoying his Tonka truck

Getting a running start down the hill at the park and giving me a heart attack

Walking on the small ridge at Formby park

Blowing bubbles and enjoying visiting his family in Willaston Village

Developmental updates:  Jackson's new word the past week was 'hurry.'  He can play much better alongside his peers because he is taking turns and sharing toys much more independently and reliably than he used to do.  Jackson started singing along with Baa, Baa Black Sheep, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, and Old MacDonald Had a Farm.  He mainly joins in on the rhyming words, but he will sing his own words in between.  His musicality is coming out more and more with his improvisational singing and dancing because he is making-up his own songs to sing and he creates matching dance moves, too.  Jackson learned how to climb up his ladder to the 'big slide' on his climbing frame in the backyard and it is really rewarding to see him using his play equipment independently.  While he is playing with his Fisher Price Little People, he is starting to create stories and pretend that they are talking to each other in his own language.  This week, Jackson started playing hiding games with us and with himself by hiding objects behind the curtain and asking, "Go?"  Then, quickly finding them and saying, "Here it is!"

If you see Sammie Miles Davis, Jr. and Bella, give them my love.