Who is 3yrs old today?

This guy is!

 

So thankful for my little man! He is growing up to be such a fun, smart, and super caring little boy. I couldn't be more proud or grateful - so glad I get to say I'm Jaxon Zion Moss' daddy!

Love being a dad!

Little else brings me more joy than being called Daddy by these two:

I couldn't have asked for two better kids. Not trying to be a perfect dad, gave up on that. Just trying to do my best and do a good job. 

And a big Father's day to some :

• My Dad
• My Step-Dad Tom
• My Papa
• My father-in-law Jim
• My step-brother Tommy
• My brother-in-law Vince
• My buddies Todd (soon to be dad), Josh, Jason, Luke, Micah 
• And all the "Dad's" at New Life Lincoln Park and on the New Life pastoral team!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY ALL YOU POPS!!! 

Passing on the Star Wars legacy & being a good dad

Yesterday was the unofficial Star Wars day: May the 4th be with you. I wasn't going to get home till late from a work trip, but Jeannette and I talked on the phone earlier in the day and decided it was time for the kids to experience the movies. Being my kids they've obviously heard of them and know who some of the characters are, but they hadn't seen them yet. 

Both got incredibly excited when Jeannette explained what the day was and that we were going to watch the movies when I got home. Evidence of their excitement came in this text that I got from Jeannette during the day:

Week in review #27

One week of 2012 down, 51 one to go. The last time I did a week in review post (#16) was a few months ago. That lost time was summarized in a post last week, so things continue on with #27. This one is coming right from a trip to the nation's capital:

Sometimes all you need is an empty box

So apparently a ton of money was spent for Christmas gifts this year (duh). Here's one example:

"According to a news release issued Sunday by comScore, U.S. consumers spent nearly $6 billion during "Cyber Week" which kicked off with "Cyber Monday" on Nov. 28 and ended on Dec. 2."*

6 billion dollars spent...in 1 week! I know there's a bunch of toys in my condo right now that contributed to that amount, plus some clothes and a few gadgets. Many of them haven't even been opened yet. 

Jeannette and I were out of town during the above mentioned huge spending week. My mother-in-law came to our place to watch Baylee and Jaxon. For her time with the kids she didn't contribute anything to the $6 billion.  She just brought a big box. 

Week in review #14

This was one of those weeks filled with everything. Some excitement, some low, some fun, some dull. It was all over the map:

Week in Review #8

School has started, summer is ending, life is busy but awesome. Didn't get to do a "week in review" last weekend, so this is a double reflection:

Moments when they made me laugh

My children are as entertaining as they are adorable. From our time in NY, here is proof:

Week in Review #6

I'm sitting in LaGuardia airport, waiting to catch the flight back home with the fam. 10 days in NY was amazing, but we're ready for being back in sweet home Chicago. Just the same, here's the past week:

Holding hands with Jaxon

The Moss fam walked around Times Square Saturday night. Baylee & I had gone the night before, but for this time around it was the whole clan. The kids loved the lights, all the people, and didn't want to leave the M&M store. Or McDonalds. Or the Disney store. 

We were walking back to our hotel when Jaxon wanted to be released from the stroller. We had him in because of the crowds, but he had enough of riding and was ready for some walking. Well, running. All over the place. 

A couple blocks away from our hotel Jaxon stopped, came back to me, and reached his hand up to take mine. And that was it. He just wanted to hold my hand and walk. He pointed at cars, and the big bus, and jumped a couple cracks. But through all of it he didn't let go of my hand. I was eating up every minute.

My 2yr old Jaxon & G.K. Chesterton

Monday we had lunch at a McDonalds near Midway airport. Because I was flying out for work in the afternoon, we went to this particular Golden Arches so I could laugh with the kids in the play area up till the last minute before having to head over to the airport.

It really is amazing to think of the minds that artfully concoct the different tube and slide patterns. Kids go through laughing and sweating and enjoying every minute, parents go through at the risk of needing reconstructive knee surgery afterward.

This particular play area had an enclosed section that I could actually stand up in, thanks be the maker, my head just an inch or two from the ceiling.  It was circular, about 5 feet across, and for whatever reason my two-year-old Jaxon loved this part of the structure. Probably because he didn't have to really climb anything to get to it, just one tube crawl into the enclosure. 

Week in Review #3

We were finishing up moving this weekend, therefore wasn't able to look back at last week.  So, it comes now a little late:

• We have 95% of our stuff over at the condo. Still need to take clothes and some odds & ends. Oh yeah, and clean up the house =) 
• My son Jaxon's 2nd birthday was on Wednesday. We had an amazing time at Odyssey Fun World. The funniest part of the whole time was that Jaxon wouldn't use his hands to eat his cupcake.  Not sure if he was scarred by the mess of his first birthday or what, but it was rather humorous.   
• I was in Pensacola FL all day Thurs till Fri morning for work. Kinda stunk to be driving alongside the ocean and beaches but not being able to stop.  And I learned that people in Pensacola drive a lot different than people in Chicago.
• IKEA is a time warp building. You walk in, but you don't realize you were there 3-4 hours until you are walking out.
• LOVED this article about John Mayer and why he quit using social media. 
• Still waiting for the Lion from Apple. I keep telling myself that I'm going to wait a week or two before upgrading, but I know I won't be able to wait.  Anyone else?
• Google + is out. I love it! I love how simple it is, and I love how it is linked to all my other Google stuff. Here's a great overview on it: Google + - The Complete Guide. Will it take down Facebook? Not sure. But if anyone thinks it's not possible to take down such a large entity like Facebook, go check your MySpace page.
• Have been thinking through a blog post about Casey Anthony and my take on the situation. Read this article on CNN that gets to the heart of what I've been thinking about: Casey Anthony and the Challenge of Forgiveness.   
• Pic of the week.  Last Wednesday I was playing with Jaxon at Odyssey on the inflatables. As he climbed up the ladder I snagged this shot.  There's a depth to it that I love - watching my son climb. Keep going buddy. Keep going:

My little man is two!!!

Two years ago today I was given an amazing gift and privilege. When the doctor said "It's a boy!" I was overwhelmed with a happiness so deep I really can't adequately explain it.  I have a son!  We have our Princess, and now we have our Jedi. 

Jaxon Zion Moss was born two years ago today. His little body has gotten bigger, and being all boy he has he share of bumps and bruises from jumping off couches and playground equipment. His personality has emerged, and it is such a happy disposition and also so loving. He is obsessed with Buzz Lightyear (which is only just a stepping stone to Star Wars stuff) and is loving toward his sister (But also a little ornery at times. Last night he ran into the living room where she was building a Lego tower. He pushed it down, laughed huge, and then ran out). He is growing up to be such an amazing little dude.

And I am so incredibly thankful that he calls me daddy!  Happy Birthday to my buddy!!!

Here are a bunch of recent pics of him:

Week in Review

This past week I was at the NACC conference in Cincinnati, and it was a non-stop experience. I started every morning at 8:30am and didn't get back to the hotel room until 10pm. Add to the craziness of the conference itself the fact that the internet signal in the convention hall was horrendous, there was pretty much no chance for blogging this week. So at home now, I blogger...

Alcatraz Magnets

When our family was in San Francisco a couple weeks ago we went to Alcatraz.  Amazing experience!  Incredibly interesting.  Still thinking through it all and looking forward to writing about it in the near future.  For now though, I thought I'd share our prize from the gift shop. 

We bought these magnets that depict actual regulations that Alcatraz inmates lived by.  We figured they would be good to have on the fridge as our kids get older.  =)

Timing

Yesterday we were scheduled to welcome our son into the world. Jeannette's C-Section was to be at 9:30am, shortly thereafter followed up with, "It's a..."

As you can tell from my previous post, our timing expectations were not met. Our son, Jaxon Zion, came two weeks early (technically three weeks from the actual due date).

Why in the world would God do that to us?

I mean, come on, we were going that Wed to get baby stuff out of storage; there weren't even any diapers in the house. Plus we already had the date on the calendar, we were dreaming of end-of-July birthday parties.

Why would He spring this on us?

Confession time: I'm so glad Jaxon came early! Seriously, we were praying and old school crossing our fingers for him to come early.

The obnoxiousness above comes from yesterday morning, 9:30am to be exact, when I was thinking that we rarely, if ever, question God's timing when it benefits and blesses. And hey, as long as the outcome is positive then we're good with early as well. But look out if God is late or negative on delivery. We'll complain, question, accuse, and doubt if it seems that God's timetable is out of sync with ours.

And in essence that's the problem: we have a plan we expect God to approve of and execute, rather than trusting His plan and will. Instead of putting faith in God's infinite foreknowledge, we lean on what we assume to foreknow - an outlook which in reality is finite.

Holding Jaxon for the first time that afternoon on the 13th, we thanked God for His goodness, His love, His faithfulness. Even though how He timed things was a curve ball, our thankfulness was thick.

Now I just have to remember that He never changes. Those characteristics are constant even when the timing curve can't be hit; even when it seems like it hit me in the face. We may never understand His timing, but we can believe He will always be true to who He is (that belief does need a proper understanding of who He is).

May we trust His timing.
May we have faith in His constantant goodness.

-- Posted From My iPhone

Jaxon Zion Moss has arrived!

While on my way home from the New Life pastor's meeting today I received a text from Jeannette: "Hurry up! I think this is it!" For those who know how I drive, think about what it would have been like to be in the car with me the rest of the way home.

Jeannette had been up most of the night nauseous and in pain, so upon calling the doctor he told her to get to the hospital. When we arrived around 12:45pm they put Jeannette into an evaluation room. About 10 minutes later her water broke, pretty much making the answer definitive as to whether we were delivering today or not.

Because Baylee was delivered Cesarean the new little one would also be. For everyone amazed at how quickly the baby came, that's the secret.

They brought me into the delivery/operating room around 2:25p. There was a blue cloth hung up about 3 feet high in front of Jeannette's chin so that we couldn't see the anatomy class lab going on around the other side. When I sat down next to Jeannette the first thing she said was, "I feel like I'm on House."

I was holding Jeannette's hand and kept looking back and forth between her and the empty bassinet off to the side. The nurse asked if I was OK, that I looked a little frazzled and was I going to pass out. "No, I'm not going to pass out - I've just been waiting 9 months to find out what the sex of this baby is!"

And at 2:31pm we found out. We heard from the other side of the blue wall, "Oh guys...it's a boy!"

I burst into tears and repeated the words to Jeannette, "IT'S A BOY!"

Very proud and thankful to say that MY SON, Jaxon Zion Moss, was born today at 2:31pm at Christ Hospital. He was 7lbs, 14oz & was 20 1/2 inches long. To say we are excited, happy, thankful, and in awe would each be complete understatements!



To answer the FAQ's:

• Mom & little man are both doing good, resting after the ordeal of receiving the gift of life.

• Jaxon was chosen because we wanted a "J" name like his mom's. We chose the spelling because we wanted it to be unique.
  

• His name is in NO way a tribute to Michael Jackson. We've had the name chosen for about 2-3 months. We like the King of Pop's music, but not that much.
  

• Zion was chosen to coincide with his sister Baylee's middle name, Eden. Her name highlights the beginning of the gospel story and his name highlights the end.

• Baylee is very excited to be a big sister. When I held her up to the glass of the nursery and said, "That's your little brother," she got a huge smile on her face. After a few moments of looking at him she looked back at me and said, "We need to take him home."
  

We are very humbled & joyous parents right now, so thankful for the gifts of a daughter and a SON!