Jax turned the big 12!!

 This kid...

That picture screams Jax to me.

These 2 pics Jax is about 9 months old. Whipping the phone around and can I just mention his legs?! Chub to die for! He went through a stage of puckering his lips, I wish I could go back in time and savor baby Jax just a little more. He was such a delight. A fun and always happy baby.

Here at around a year old Greg had concocted this "new bar" to raise his crib a little higher so he would stop crawling out and falling to the floor. Jax is check'n it out. It worked for many more months and saved us until it was time for a big boy bed, and then we had to use it again for Creed. What is with those climbers? Bo and Rafe never tried. Every child is different.

And now, the baby boy that made me a mom has turned 12! What the?! This is a big birthday I tell ya! He was so happy to be 12. I have never seen a more enthusiastic kid to be able to get the priesthood and ordained a deacon on Sunday at church. And he looked awesome in his new suit.

Here he is opening his presents the morning of his big day. With his happy brothers piling on their oldest brother. He was also happy about turning 12 because that meant he could finally get a pet, he wanted a bird, which I wrote about before. And he was counting down until his big birthday party with his friends.

We had it at our church gym. And I tell ya, it was ideal. They got to do whatever they wanted and lots of playing and hanging out. We had a few activities...  Just dance, there was always a group dancing, then there was always a group shooting hoops or playing bball, and we rented a joust blow up thing and everyone had fun doing that and bouncing around on that too!

We were able to just sit and watch all the 11-12 year olds play. Greg helped direct the jousting a few times and then got a timed obstacle course going. I was worried the girls wouldn't want to do the jousting, but man, a few got in there and were beating the boys, everyone seemed to love it! Phew. We ate lots of pizza, had cake and ice cream and he opened his presents. With the music going and the blower noise and basketballs bouncing it was quite loud, but it was all part of the fun.

I think one kid is missing from this picture but here's the only group shot I got. It was hard to get them to hold still so I could take it. Ha! What a fun good group of kids!

Jax loved the whole night. He said the party and his birthday was epic!