Future NBA All Star

On Saturday, Uncle Neal and Aunty Elissa came to visit before we all headed over to Jaiden's house (John's cousin) for his 6th birthday party. Uncle Neal thought it would be the best time to start John's training for the NBA:

All I can say is that the kid has skills.

Home Movies

I have been trying to take a few little home movies on my phone so that I can share them with Mom & Dad Keaton, who I know would love to be around and play with John Geoffrey. Here are a couple I've taken so far:

Play time on the mat (trying to catch him talking):

Sucking his fingers (soooo noisy, soooo cute):

Early smiles (he smiles a lot more and a lot bigger now):

Father's Day

Today in Australia it was Father's Day (yes, we have it on a different day than the USA).

It was a special day for us for two reasons:

1. It was the first Father's Day for both of my boys.
2. John Geoffrey received a name and a blessing in church today, given by his Daddy (read about this here).

We had a family lunch at Grandma and Grandpa's as part of the Father's Day / Baby Blessing celebrations.

John and Daddy on their 1st Father's Day together

John Geoffrey also decided to show us his muscles:

And his unhappy face:

John gave his Daddy an M&M dispenser (with plenty of M&Ms to fill it with) as well as some Hershey's miniatures, as he knows Daddy misses those from home. He also got him the cutest card ever, and told mummy what to write in it (seeing as he can't hold a pen yet). He thanked Daddy for talking to him, holding him, singing to him and burping him - oh and for teaching him that Mummy is a knucklehead.

Mummy gave Daddy an Atlanta Braves sweatshirt to thank him for being such an awesome husband and Dad. I was so proud of myself for getting a gift that I knew was awesome AND for not ruining the surprise before giving it to him (as I am notorious for not being able to keep presents a secret). I will post a picture when I have one of John wearing it :)

This picture has nothing to do with Father's Day, it was just on my camera from a few weeks ago, and I realised that I hadn't posted it yet. My baby boy fast asleep on his playmat - he is just to cute for words sometimes!

A Name and a Blessing

“Every member of the church of Christ having children is to bring them unto the elders before the church, who are to lay their hands upon them in the name of Jesus Christ, and bless them in his name” (D&C 20:70). 

Today was a special day for us, John Geoffrey was blessed at our local church during the sacrament meeting by his Daddy. It was a beautiful experience for us, and made me so happy to see and hear my husband blessing our beautiful boy.

For those of you who haven't been to a baby blessing before, men who hold the Melchizedek Priesthood* gather in a circle and hold the baby in their hands. One person then addresses Heavenly Father and gives the child a name and a blessing as the spirit directs. As well as his Daddy, Grandpa Fitton and Uncles Craig, Boyd and Neal participated in the blessing.

Daddy gave the blessing and blessed John Geoffrey that he would be healthy and strong, as happy and contented as possible and that he may grow and learn the things he should know as quickly as possible. He also blessed him to know that he was loved (which of course he is, VERY much).

John Geoffrey was so good during the blessing. I heard him make a few gurgling happy sounds just before Daddy started giving the blessing, but he was quiet while Daddy was talking. Grandpa Fitton was naughty and had his eyes open during the blessing and told me afterwards that John Geoffrey smiled up at his Daddy the whole way through.  That just melts my heart right there. To me it was if he was trying to let Daddy know how much he loved him, and give him some encouragement, as well as him being happy that he was receiving the blessing.

I bought John a special outfit to wear for the day. He looks so grown up in his big boy clothes (he otherwise lives in growsuits at the moment):

Grandma also took this photo of our little family after church today:

John Geoffrey was lucky to have lots of his Australian family there to witness his blessing:

Grandma and Grandpa Fitton, Aunty Carla and Uncle Craig Davison and cousins Shelton, Ashton, Sarah and Jaiden, Uncle Boyd and Aunty Sarah and cousins William, Noah and Kai, Uncle Joe and Aunty Rachel, Aunty Laura and cousins Jasmine and Annabelle, and Uncle Neal and Aunty Elissa and cousin to be (due Oct).

I wish we had been able to get a photo of everyone who came, but the Davison's had to leave part way through sacrament to go back to their ward (Craig is the Bishop and Carla also had to go back for her calling in Primary), and Aunty Laura also left soon after the blessing.

I also wish that our American family could have been there too. It is hard to be so far apart when milestones like this come up. Just know that we were thinking of all of you at the time.

It was a good, good day :)

* The Melchizedek Priesthood is authority given to worth male members of our Church so that they can act in God's name for the salvation of all people (men, women and children). They do this through  righteous leadership and by performing saving ordinances.