11 months

Oh my goodness is 11 months fun! I think the word for this age is curious! Jackson is no longer content to sit around all the time he wants to MOVE! I think I always knew he would be like this. Even when he was "sitting still" he was never actually still. He used to kick his legs continuously even when he couldn't roll over.

Now, he is using those legs to get himself all over the house and into everything! He knows the word No and what he is not supposed to touch. I really try to only use this for things that are actually a safety hazard (such as cords/ electrical sockets which just happen to be his favorite play toy!) He will stop and look at me when I say no, then smile, then go back to doing exactly what he was doing! YIKES the toddler years may be trying! 

Other than that we are just constantly on the go. Jackson is sitting himself up! He actually started over Thanksgiving when we were in Dallas. It totally startled me to put him down for a nap in his crib, turn on the humidifier then turn around and he was sitting up! About a week later he learned he could pull himself up in the crib and elsewhere. So we have lowered the crib and baby proofed the house! Now he is pulling up on everything. . . mainly the dog food bowls! They are his new favorite toy : / so I am working on figuring out how to baby proof the dog bowls....

Between his first flight and all the new milestones we have also had two top teeth come in, so we've gone from 1 tooth at 8 months to 4 at 11 months! Phew! Thank goodness he sleeps through them, but if only I could get him to eat when his teeth hurt. 

I really love this age- yes it is more tiring and yes I have to watch everything he is doing (lest he end up trying to eat the dog food... oops that happened!) but its SO fun to watch him explore and be able to move and get to what he wants. Watching him in front of the Christmas tree is so fun, and I've put lots of fun bows on the presents and he will sit there for a long time inspecting them all :)

Christmas at this age is perfect! Old enough to get involved in some things but not quite old enough to throw temper tantrums :) 

Stats:

30.5 inches long

20 lbs 1 oz (yay for putting on some weight)

4 teeth

LOVES:
Sam
clapping
Dada
throwing toys
crawling everywhere
pulling up
dog bowls
Christmas presents
books
LAUGHING! sometimes I swear he just laughs for no reason, just to laugh

Cold weather

We have been inside a lot with all this cold weather and our days have been pretty funny. Just had to share this collage as it pretty much summed up our day last week

Jackson has found the dog food bowls and really LOVES to play with the water and eat the food. .. AWESOME

Sam's got rice in his hair from sitting underneath the high chair for EVERY meal

playing in our hat indoors because its so cold

Even Sam wanted a blanket! (He laid like this for a good 30-45 minutes!) 

And jackson working on his pulling up skills/ eat my boot skills- both are progressing nicely! 

I think we move through every room in the house now just to avoid cabin fever. We've been getting out more but for a few days there it was just TOO COLD! 

Hope you are staying toasty wherever you may be :) 

Jackson meets Santa

Well, if I'm being honest this is actually attempt #3. . . yes, I'm THAT mom.
I just really want to get a smiling picture (or I mean if he is going to cry I'll take that too) but these blank stares aren't fun at all!

So we went to Bering's, our local get it all store for pictures last weekend and I think we got a few winners

LOVE- wish it weren't just on my iPhone :(

Merry Christmas everyone!!

10 months

Sorry for the lack of posts lately- we've been traveling and celebrating Thanksgiving and now I'm just relishing Jackson's first Christmas. . . and trying to smoosh all the fun stuff into these 3 weeks!

But before I completely forget, or get too far behind, Jackson turned 10 months old in November.
Ten months has been a pretty marked difference from 9 months. If the word for 9 months was content the word for 10 is crawling!

Jackson still army crawls but he GETS AROUND! He is no longer content to just sit for very long. The only problem now is that he crawls everywhere but still hasn't quite figured out how to sit himself back up when he gets where he wants to be. It has created a lot of frustration for him. He can physically  sit himself up he just doesn't really understand how he's doing it so he can't just sit up when he wants to. He is SOO close though, I can just tell.

He is still so happy and easy going which has been amazing! And even with top tooth #1 coming in right at 10 months sleeps through the night every night. Jackson apparently doesn't like to let anything get in the way of his sleep. He will cry and whine about his teeth hurting during the day, he won't eat but he always sleeps! It is a blessing truly because mommy needs her sleep!
Now if only I could get him to eat so he would gain a little more weight it would be great!

 Probably my favorite shot- so indicative of his personality- inspecting everything carefully

And then of course testing it out :) 

Stats:
29.75" long
18 lbs 6 oz
2.5 teeth (#3 is about to come in)

Favorite things:
SAM! Hands down, his favorite thing
waving, but not just with one hand, he likes to go with the double wave and its hysterical
inspecting mom and dad's faces- mainly lips and noses
musical toys
lights/ fans- he is mesmerized
his reflection! Jackson has not met a mirror he didn't like :)

Dallas trip

A few weeks ago we took a trip to Dallas to see family and go to the State Fair of Texas. I grew up in Dallas so the State Fair was just a given. We went every year and I am pretty much obsessed! So we had to take Jackson, although technically, not his first time, it was the first time he could really see and experience it! 

Last year at the State Fair, 22 weeks pregnant, and this was just days before Big Tex burned down due to an electrical glitch :( 

This year! My how a year changes things :) 

Tried to offer a corny dog- not for real folks just to take a pic but he was not a fan- it was too hot :( Maybe next year!

No fried foods for Jackson so he ate the guide instead 

Our attempt at a picture with the new Big Tex. . . FAIL! My photographer, ahem, didn't quite get the picture I was hoping for, but I still love him anyways!

While we were in town we also went to the Arboretum for their pumpkin display which is AMAZING! If you are close by I definitely recommend checking it out. We were extra brave crazy and decided to try to get pictures of Jackson with his two cousins (16 months and 6 weeks). It was comical to say the least

eating mulch. .. that he threw up on himself and dad about 5 minutes later! 

outraged at the blatant pumpkin stealing! 

but someone else is pretty excited about it! But still we were doing pretty well with 2 kids. . . then we tried to add the 3rd

And this is what you get. Baby completely content and happy, Jackson wanting to eat mulch and just look confused as to why he's here and big toddler playing with sticks and accidentally poking himself in the eye with it. . .hence his poor red eye! haha we were a mess by the end of it but we made it and have some cute and funny pictures as a consolation! 

Hope you are having a great fall as we near towards Thanksgiving! 

9 months

9 months, just a smidge late ;)

Jackson,
Hi sweet boy! I feel l should ask you how you are feeling because we have been sick a lot this month. Both of us. It hasn't been fun at all but I do relish your sweet cuddles when you don't feel well. You are still pretty cuddly and love being held but you have defintiely become much more independent this month. You started army crawling and it is so fun to watch you explore. You love to find the absolute tiniest spec of dirt or dog food, inspect it and try to eat it :) You are also learning some boundaries, like what things we shouldn't pull on (the dog's bucket of toys) because they will fall on you and hurt. It took just one time for you to learn that. I told dad we were going to have to move them (and probably still will) but you know not to pull it over anymore! It's amazing how fast your brain works. And while you are definitely crawling when you want something, you still like to sit and observe. I read in a book that some babies are crawlers and some are observers. While you crawl when you really want to, you are usually content to play with the toys you've got or observe everything. Content is probably the word I use most to describe your personality. And happy! Oh my goodness are you happy. Your giggles send me over the moon. These days Sam is probably what has you laughing and smiling most often! I hope you are always this happy and content. Your spirit is contagious. It's amazing to me all the people you can get to smile and laugh with you! We have had more conversations with random people at restaurants, in grocery stores and just walking around about what a happy baby you are :) I can't believe we are closing in on the 1 year mark! It has gone so fast, I'm just trying to take it all in before you are a walking/ talking/ independent toddler! Lots of love, mom!

Favorite things:
SAM!! You love to watch him and try to crawl to him to touch his paws. You have also taken to looking out the patio door windows with him :)
waving
clapping for yourself! Especially after you eat something
mommy- you've been having a little mommy separation anxiety but I don't mind :)
jumperoo
moving constantly, even before you could crawl
mirrors- love to look at yourself still! (And you love seeing pictures of yourself too!!)

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween from my super Jack!!!

No trick or treating for  Jackson this year but that doesn't mean he can't have a fun costume right?!?!

Pumpkin Patch

Please indulge me and let me show you pictures of the cutest baby boy EVER in the pumpkins last week! Our church has a BIG blowout pumpkin patch so we went to take pictures. When we went there were actually not many pumpkins and I was thinking, man they are going to run out early this year! Then the next week they replenished. . . . with 1900 new pumpkins! So, um, not the best timing but the weather was perfect so I jumped at the opportunity :)

I die at the cuteness! It was so fun, and there was lots of pumpkin "patting" and grass eating as we went so these are clearly picked through, but I love them. 

 Then we went home and tried to get Sam in on the fun. . . didn't last for long though!

Love that face :) 

Happy Fall to you! 

Happy Birthday P!

Happy Birthday to the best Dada I know! You never cease to amaze me, you are so sweet with Jackson and so patient with me as I figure out what I'm doing! Especially when Jackson has been sick so much and I totally loose my cool! Thank you for loving and taking care of us in a way only you could!

We love you!
xoxo

Jackson at 8 months

CUTIE!!! 

At 8 months, life is really fun! You are so big now Jackson! You weigh 17 lbs which is actually less than you weighed at 7 months (thank you croup, then cold then stomach virus!) but still you are more than 3 times what you weighed when you were born! THAT is crazy to think about

Jackson you are SUCH a happy baby (when not sick of course) and you have such a fun loving personality. I LOVE coming to get you out of bed in the mornings because you are SO happy to see me. We always get you up and then open your curtains and look out the window a while at the beautiful day ahead of us!

Right now your favorite things are: Sucking your thumb, sleeping (YAY!), da da, peaches, being upside down, Sammy, kisses, reading/ eating books and taking toys out of containers! You are a joy to watch and laugh all day long!

We have moved you to a big boy convertible car seat because you were getting too long for your infant carrier and you just weren’t comfortable in it! You suck your thumb ALL THE TIME now, its pretty cute but I always worry you’ll end up like me and still be sucking it in 1^st grade :/ embarrassing!

You squeal and kick your legs when Sam or Dada enter the room! You were quiet for a few months but you are back with gusto “talking” all day long. You love to say da da and a da a da but I don’t think you know what it means.

You are not quite crawling yet but you can certainly get where you want to go, either by rolling over or scooting backwards. You often end up under the ottoman because you have gone backwards so far! 

You also have no teeth yet! Several times we have thought you were teething for sure but nothing to show for it yet! You pretty much drooled nonstop for 2 months and we were sure something was coming. Now the drooling is gone but you chew on everything!

We found out a little before your 6 month birthday that you have a milk allergy so we have switched your formula and after about a month on it you are doing so well! Your weight gain really slowed for a while but you got back on track with the new formula. Then we started Mother’s Day Out at our church and you poor thing have brought home every germ in the place! I guess that’s just what happens when you’ve been home and healthy for the first 7 months of your life! Other than that you are really liking MDO too! The teachers (and everyone else who meets you LOVES you!) You are so happy and love to be held and cuddle with people

And lastly, your hair!!! This is probably what I get the most comments on now when we are out and about. It is the BEST! It is so long on top but will not sit down, it just blows in the wind and you look like you have a little halo! I secretly LOVE it! I know one day it will grow in thick and will lay down against your head but for now, I love it like it is J

clapping! 

Hi there!

So, do they make a greeting card that says sorry I neglected my blogging friends for about 7 months? No? Oh, well that's a shame!

Life has obviously been a little crazy here and between getting into a rhythm, learning to be a mommy and playing with my baby (and puppy Sam of course) I just haven't found the time to blog much! And really it didn't seem like there was much to blog about for a while!

But as fall approaches and I realize that my baby is closer to toddler than newborn I feel like I should try to write everything down! Without going through every detail I will just post some pictures for you to ooh and ahh over!

1st trip to Ikea on his 1 month birthday! 

St Patrick's day

1st sick visit to doctor- just a little cold but don't worry I freaked out! 

Happy Easter!

1st trip to the beach

Moving up from preemie clothes, to newborn and now 0-3 month clothes around 3.5 months

My first Mother's Day

just a favorite of him laughing during Sunday brunch at about 4 months old

Our first family vacation over Memorial Day weekend to Horseshoe Bay

first time to roll over! 

Jackson's baptism (4.5 months) 

Happy 4th of July! 

1st time to sit up unassisted! Just before 6 months. It only lasted a short time but he is a pro now

first food! Oatmeal, he was not a fan but he loves fruits and veggies now! 

playing with toys- his favorite activity is to take all the toys out of his basket! 

1st attempt feeding himself. .. blueberries! So much fun to watch and he did really well but it was MESSY! 

1st attempt at launching himself off the changing pad. THANK GOODNESS I was right there! We use the strap now!

1st time he was REALLY sick- he got croup when he was just over 7 months and it was rough! 

1st day of Mother's Day out! A week late because of the croup! Then we've been in and out because he keeps getting sick with various things! I know it will make his immune system stronger in the long run but MAN! Sick every week is not fun, especially the last week with the stomach bug! 

 

trying hard to crawl! 

Sam's 2nd birthday! We had swim time in the baby pool outside then birthday "cake" and presents! Jackson played the tambourine for Sam! 

playing with cousin G in Dallas! 

8 months (9/19/2013) and still not feeling well from the week long stomach bug!! 

WHEW! That pretty much catches you up to all of our fun times this spring/ summer/ and beginning of fall! Hope to have some more posts soon with a few house updates including an updated "Our House" page!