fun with the grandparents

Lewis got to see all of his grandparents this week. First he got to celebrate Grandma Shepherd's birthday on Wednesday. We went up to see her and meet several friends and co-workers. One even gave Lewis a ball that he really enjoyed (see photo). He spent the afternoon with Grandma and Grandpa riding around in his red wagon. He seems to really like it and has plenty of room to grow or bring some friends along for the ride.

On Thursday the Reitmeyers came to visit before leaving for a 2-week trip to Israel. We wish them safety and lots of fun seeing all those incredible Biblical sites!

Lewis and his ball















Lewis and Aunt Jeanne















riding in his wagon















Happy Birthday Grandma!

graham crackers and luaus

There is not tons of breaking news in the Shepherd fam this week. However, there a couple of pictures to share. The first is of Lewis, ready for a Hawaiian luau thanks to his Aunt Monica. The second shows Lewis just after eating his first graham cracker. He's had several of them this week and seems to like them, but can't quite get all of the cracker in his mouth. Whoever invented bibs, especially the plastic ones, was a brilliant person. Mealtimes are sure to get messier as Lewis takes further interest in his spoon. He grabs it at almost every meal now for at least a couple of bites. He gets sooo excited when he puts it in his own mouth.

Lewis is exploring various sounds right now, such as "guh" and "buh." Mama may come out as "bubba" for a while, which is kind of scary in the south, but we always have hope for progress in the vocabulary arena! "Dad" has turned into "God" for the time being, which is rather interesting. :)

Physically, he loves standing, but only seems to figure out how to pull up on people. We put him in front of furniture and he just doesn't get that he can use that to pull himself up. He's weighing in at over 21 lbs. now on our home scale. Big boy!

into sports?

Yeah, this is random information, but the Shepherds have gotten excited about sports this spring. It's not that we are good athletes or anything, but we have been enjoying tennis and baseball nonetheless. Tennis, we got into thanks to Ted and Priscilla Baker, who recently moved back to Bowling Green after a hiatus to Fort Collins, CO for a few years. The Bakers are much more skilled in this area, and I, Shelley, am just plain bad at this point, but it's a lot of fun! Justin bought me a new pink racket and Lewis likes being outside enough that we are able to get to the park and play some. The tennis courts are located very near to the new skate park in town. We get to see some really cool stunts on our way to play tennis for an added bonus.

We are only spectators in the realm of baseball. Thanks to Fox Sports Ohio, we get almost all of the Cincinnati Reds' games on cable, which is a treat after not seeing much at all for several years. After "managing" my high school team (scorekeeping etc.) I became quite the baseball expert and grew to the love the sport. Justin has never really liked the game, but is getting into it. The Reds are playing pretty well so far this season, and Justin is always interested to see how they're doing every night. It's slow-paced and laid back which fits our lifestyle pretty well right now.

I am appreciating the slower pace of our lives these days with a baby in Bowling Green, KY. Today I was able to pay the registration fee on Justin's car and stop by the library, all while strolling Lewis in the cool spring air. It's so nice to live right in the heart of downtown. This is a peaceful place for us to be, and I have to say we are grateful for all the blessings we have.

a visit with the cousins

Yesterday, Justin's aunt and cousins came to visit and play with Lewis. Lewis was just waking up from a long nap when they arrived which was great timing! He had a lot of fun re-connecting with them and we had a lot of fun watching. Justin's Aunt Imogene is also our "accountant" and brought us our tax return, just in time for the tax deadline!! We owe her a debt of gratitude for helping sort through our personal taxes now that we are small business owners. Thanks, Imo, for all your hard work. We are so grateful!

Here are a few pictures:

Lewis listening to Aunt Imogene and cousin Olivia in deep discussion.















Lewis and cousin Shari















Lewis and Olivia

a different Easter

Well, Easter was a little bit different this year! Lewis enjoyed the plastic eggs, stuffed animals and other gifts he got from relatives. We spent time with our family, and Justin and I even got out for a quiet dinner away on Easter evening. We went to Rocky's Italian Grill right on the Indiana side of the Ohio River with a nice view of Louisville. It was really lovely, but cold! We took a photo to commemorate the day.

As far as Lewis goes...........he is still toothless, immobile and content to play and be fed. The only new news is that he seems to be allergic to lima beans. We tried black-eyed peas today and so far, no rash. We'll keep you posted!! He's sure to bust out with new abilities at any moment.

Lewis shakes his egg.















Grandpa and Lewis playing with his new ball.















Us on the Ohio.

HAPPY EASTER!!

swinging

Lewis had some fun swinging at his friend's house the other day, so we took him to the park to try out those swings. He really likes it! We took a short video to share. Please excuse my constant repetition. Apparently, I ask Lewis the same questions over and over. I'm sure it's a great teaching technique, but it is probably a little obnoxious for grown-ups. Click HERE to view video.