Jackson Love...

Tid-Bits about Jackson

2012-01-17T15:12:00.000-05:00

Every month, moms declare, "it's my favorite!".

Let's get real though, not every month is great. At least not around here. Month six? Horrible. Bleh, absolutely dreadful! Month 7? Better but still pretty bumpy. Month 8? It was kind of fabulous. And so it turns out, month 9/10 is going to be one of my top picks of our first year.

Jackson's personality is developing at a rapid pace. His tendancies are so adaorbale right now that they're deserving of their own post.

Here goes:

1. For starters, he's a flirt. Any girl, teen, woman he comes in contact with is greeted with a big open-mouth smile. And typically a cute little gasp/squeel. It's a classic J noise.

2. Any time someone picks him up he attempts to bend backwards. He loves being upside down. It is far more entertaining than anything else.

3. Actually, the only thing more entertaining than being upside down is sitting on Daddy's shoulders.

4. If we're in the car you can count on hearing a plethora of crazy mouth-made noises. You know, like farting noises only they're coming from his mouth. Yeah, such a boy.

5. Speaking of noises in the car, he always "talks" while we drive. And this kid is a professional babbler.

6. Jackson's voice is my favorite thing. I can't wait for more words. If my suspicions are right, he'll be the top student in his Spanish class. Are you thinking, wtf? Well, ever since we began daycare he had some awful congestion causing him to gurgle when he first began to babble. And now that the congestion is gone? The kid still sits in the back sit rolling his r's and sounding like a foreign little man. Love this quality, it's so uniquely Jack.

7. Aside from being obsessed with his actual dogs, he is in love with the Scout we got for Christmas. Scout is his official crib toy and has helped Mom and Dad catch a few more zzz's while Jackson stays entertained with him in the mornings. Win.

8. Late night silliness. A couple weeks ago, I whispered into Jackson's ear that I loved him. Something I do every night as we finish his bottle and rocking in our chair. What did he do? Giggled. So I whispered again, and more giggles. B walked in, looked at us giggling, and said "what's going on in here?!" HA! Loved that moment this month.

9. Jackson is already a social butterfly. He loves to be out, no matter where that may be. The store, lunch, a family members house, whatever. He soaks it up and talks to everyone!

10. That big open-mouth smile. {see #1} It never fails that when me or B walk into a room, he lights up with that big smile and typically a gasp/squeal. Makes my heart happy and reminds me how blessed we are for our little miracle.

Month 9, thanks for being pretty good to us. {minus more ear infections!} I can't believe Jackson will be 10 months old in a matter of days!

9 months

2012-01-10T20:22:00.000-05:00

I'm still in shock that we've already reached 9 months. These have certainly been the busiest, most tiring and fulfilling months! And now that Jackson is on the move? It's non-stop!

Here's what's new with Jackson:

Height: 27 1/2 inches Weight: 20 pounds 4 ounces Head Circumference: 17 1/4 inches

Jackson is quickly turning into quite the character. He has his happy moments and his very mad moments. He knows that if he cries we'll hold him and if he wants out of bed to knock the camera off the crib. He's one smart cookie.

His crawling is at a new level. Jackson is a super-speedy crawler.

Jackson still loves the dogs more than anything. And not just our dogs, any dog. LOVES them.

He crawls around the house squealing and chasing Millie as she runs in circles completely horrified. All the while Baxter could care less as long as someone talks to him.

Naps are not something Jack likes, at all! It's a good day if we get two naps each lasting an hour. Typically he'll take a good morning/afternoon nap and then one short nap. I have no idea where he gets all this energy! Night-time sleeping is improving. Most nights he'll sleep from 7:30 - 6:30/7. But every now and again he throws in a early morning or middle of the night feeding. Really, I don't think we have room to complain.

The boy loves food. He's over eating purees and is always interested in whatever we have. I even let him have some broccoli cheese soup the other night and he loved it!

Did you know he pulls himself up? Well, he does. He is dying to walk! He'll even stand on his own for a few seconds at a time. My bet is that we'll be walking by 11 months.

Jackson still has 3 teeth. I keep waiting for another to pop through, but it's not happening.

His favorite toy? The dogs! However, with all of his new Christmas presents I'm sure he'll find something new to keep his attention.

Jack loves to talk and he loves daycare. Every day when I drop him off he lights up when seeing the other kids. And he is becoming quite the little ham. I can already tell he is going to be just like his Dad in that sense.

In case you were wondering most of my attempt to get his monthly photos ended like this:

Happy 9 months Jackson!

Santa Stash and Stockings

2011-12-29T15:49:00.000-05:00

I was worried Santa didn't have enough gifts for Jack, but it turns out he had the perfect amount. Jackson was already becoming overwhelmed by what we had that morning. So, I'm glad the other items didn't work out.

This year Santa got him a walker {currently a favorite} a rocker car {which is faulty and needs to be taken back} 2 v-tech learning toys, 3 Melissa and Doug puzzles and a mini tool set.

As for the stocking, I bought some itmes I thought Jackson might want/need. Buying for a 9-month old isn't always easy! So this year he got some gloves and a hat because even though it was 80 degrees 2 days before Christmas it will get cold here at some point. He also got some bath toys, bibs and puffs.

Christmas morning was a complete success. So far, he's loved all of his gifts. I can't tell which is a favorite, but I can tell you he loves chewing on his Melissa and Doug puzzle pieces.

Plenty of more Christmas posts headed your way as well as Jackson's 8 and 9 month posts!

Also, I want to thank all of our friends and family who contributed to Jackson's first Christmas, sent a card or gift. He is so lucky to have so many people who love him, so thank you!!

When Jackson Met Santa...

2011-12-23T23:20:00.000-05:00

It certainly wasn't love at first sight.

12/18/11

At least he didn't cry.

Finger Foods

2011-12-13T22:30:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, Jackson was fussy beyond belief. He didn't want his bottle or his puréed food. I tried everything: warm bottle, big bottle, small bottle, sippy cup, sweet potatoes, pears, apples.

Nada. Nothing. Zilch.

For me, this meant he was ready for bigger and yummier things.

He was ready for puffs {these are basically cheerios but made specially for babies}.

This was our first "table food."

And this guy? He loves 'em.

As the weeks have progressed he's become a pro. Rarely will you find puffs hiding under his fingers, caked to his face or creviced between one of those cute chunky thighs. I must say, this little dude has some pretty good coordination.

Tis the Season

2011-12-12T21:29:00.002-05:00

After an entire week of ignoring the tree...

He finally realized how awesome the lights were.

8 Months Old

2011-12-07T13:49:00.001-05:00

*yes, Jackson is now 9 months old when I'm actually getting this posted, but at least I got it before 2012!*

This month was SO much better than the last!

Over the ocurse of the last month, Jackson has started crawling, pulling up and has cut 3 teeth.

He's celebrated his first Halloween and Thanksgiving, made his second roadtrip to Nashville and developed even more of a personality.

The best I've got on his weight is coming in at 20 pounds 2 ounces. And got nothing on height, sorry J.

Jackson is wearing:
Diapers: size 3
Clothes: 6-9 months and some 6-12 months

He graduated from his baby carrier/car seat to a bigger {more expensive, immobile} car seat.

Sleeping patterns have been all over the place this month. Some days he takes three naps like a champ, others that last nap becomes his greatest enemy. Bedtime falls anywhere between 6:45 and 7:30. And? He rarely slept through the night this month. We had far too many midnight and even 5 am feedings. Needless to say I am tired.

He loves eating his cereal and other foods. His favorites vary, but it's safe to say that peas do not agree with him.

Jack's new-found loves this month: puffs and the dogs. He loves the dogs! He will sit and stare at them while they play, laughing and hollering the whole time. The dogs however are not very fond of him. When he crawls their way to play, they each run the other direction. I'm hoping they warm up to him soon.

Happy 8 months Jack love.

We've Got a CRAWLER!

2011-11-15T19:51:00.001-05:00

As of November 12, 2011 Jackson is crawling.

YAY!!

You can tell his right leg is basically a dead-leg in the video, but by the end of the day was able to get them both moving. More videos to come, I'm sure.

The 4th of November

2011-11-10T21:22:00.001-05:00

That was the day Jack pulled himself completely up for the first time. He's been pretty successful with the arms on the couch, but hadn't been able to conquer the crib.

It didn't last long though.

Needless to say, he was still pretty excited. And then celebrated for a good 10 minutes as Brandon and I lowered the crib.

But Jack had not one but two milestones on Nov. 4.

He also cut his first tooth, which explained his weird behavior that week. And as of yesterday, Nov 9, he's also cut his second tooth.

I know I'm extremely late on posting Jackson's 7th Birthday post but it'll be up soon!

First Halloween Photo Overload

2011-11-03T21:06:00.002-04:00

As you can see Jackson was a Geek Squad agent for Halloween.

We bought this onesie before J was even born and I knew it'd make the perfect costume. I mean he's not old enough to care or remember. Plus he hates for anything to be on his head so that rules out most costumes.

On the actual day of Halloween, Jackson fell asleep at 6 p.m. Good thing there's next year.

7 Months

2011-11-01T15:09:00.003-04:00

I'm late on this post. In fact, I'm extremely late. So late that Jackson has already turned 8 months old. But it's better late than never right? Plus, I've had this post "unpublished" for some time now.

Between all of Jacksons sick days, bad days at daycare and my sick days. I celebrated the end of month six. I anticipated the 6th month to be my favorite, but for the first time I can say I'm glad this month is over.

Here's a little about Jack from this past month:

Weight: 19.2 pounds
Height: ?

He had one whopper of an ear infection. The most painful yet. It broke my heart to see him in that much pain.

So, we now have tubes. This also broke my heart, but he's been feeling so much better ever since.

Up until the tubes, Jackson wasn't sleeping through the night. We woke up once normally between 3-5 to eat.

He continues to be a good napper {usually}. However, rather than going down peacefully, he cries for about 5 minutes then passes out without another peep. This kid definitely gets his sleeping habits from B.

Wearing Size 3 diapers.

Throughout this month he wore 3-6 and 6 month clothes. Now, just at 7 months he's starting to wear 6-9 month clothes regularly.

He spent a lot of time fussy this month because of his ears. But there were plenty of happy baby moments too. Like when he spends time in his jumper or playing with Baxter. He loves that dog.

Jackson is now eating real foods. He's had: apples, pears, string beans, bananas, peas (no thanks to daycare) and sweet potatoes. So far, the front runner is pears.

His eyes are green. And blue. Every person I meet thinks they are something different. So basically, they are the same color as his Dad.

His voice is loud and he knows how to use it.

On October 21, he sat up all by himself for the first time. He did it once while playing on our bed. When he couldn't do it again the crying began so I put him down for a nap. After about 5 minutes I heard him talking in his room. I checked to monitor, only to see a sitting baby. I walked in to see him, and he looked up and smiled at me as if he'd just achieved the unachievable. He then proceeded to flap his arms and squee for a good 20 minutes before passing out.

He's a rolling pro.

Jackson has transitioned to the "creeper" room at daycare.

Even though it was a rough month, I love the personality he's developing. And now that we are well into month 8, I can say for certain that things have gotten much better!

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-31T20:14:00.000-04:00

Just down the street from Dad's house we found the perfect first pumpkin patch for Jackson. And we even managed to come home with a bag of apples, apple cider and an old apple crate.

It's safe to say Jackson loved the pumpkins.

Hopefully we'll be able to go again next year!

Mountain Weekend 2011

2011-10-24T22:15:00.000-04:00

Last weekend, we all went up to Hendersonville for a little family reunion.

It was wonderful seeing family that hadn't met Jackson yet. And other than him refusing to nap on Saturday and screaming half of the way home Sunday, it was a really nice weekend.

The only person to get Jackson to nap on Saturday!

Oh, and did you see that Bama game Saturday?

That game deserves a good Rammer Jammer!

Before leaving North Carolina, we stopped at an apple orchard/pumpkin patch. Pictures to come later this week!

Tube Time

2011-10-18T21:25:00.000-04:00

Today, this little dude got tubes put in his ears. Hopefully, this means no more ear infections.

We both cried a little and then it was over in about 4 minutes. Yep, that's it 4 minutes.

And now for some photos that have nothing to do with the above statements, but will certainly brighten your day.

Phone Photos Lately

2011-10-02T21:14:00.004-04:00

Half-Way to ONE!

2011-10-01T19:35:00.000-04:00

Last weekend, September 23, Jackson turned 6 months old!

Before I could turn around to take a photo Jackson had eaten his sticker.

We've certainly begun the stage where top priorities in life include teething and putting everything in our mouth.

Height:26.5 {50th percentile}

Weight: 19 pounds {74th percentile}

Wearing:

size 2 diapers {as of September 27 he is in size 3}

6 month clothes

6-9 month pants

and a few 3-6 month items

Sleep:

His sleep schedule has been all over the place. Bedtime use to fall between 8 - 8:30 pm, but the last half of month 5 bedtime transitioned to a firm 7:30. In fact he now throws a fit if you aren't putting him in bed by then. While we use to get to sleep until 8 am, the earlier bedtime has come with an earlier wake time. Lately, morning starts between 6 - 6:30 am.

Professional roller. Wannabe crawler. Attempting to sit alone.

Jackson loves his...

Daddy, einstein jumper, talking, his teething hand toy and sleeping on his stomach.

Each month keeps getting better. His personality grows richer and more spirited. Some days he looks like Brandon and some days he looks like me. It's a beautiful, crazy thing to see him change.

Happy six months Jack!

In case you didn't know...

2011-09-27T20:32:00.000-04:00

September 16 we closed on our very first house!

And last weekend {september 23}, we officially moved in.

A BIG thanks to everyone who helped us!

Sept 16, 2011

Jackson {and the pups} are doing well with the transition so far. Now if only we could get Jack to stop teething it would be perfect...

We've Almost Got A Sitter

2011-09-26T21:57:00.000-04:00

Check him out:

Not only is he wanting to sit, he's learning that he might be able to crawl. I caught him trying while Brandon was finishing the touch-ups for the living room's makeover!

I know I'm way behind on posting Jackson's photos, but I've got a million great ones from this past month. So I'll get them posted soon too!

Project Life: Week 23

2011-09-05T22:06:00.000-04:00

This week? Jackson did amazing things. Like realize the amazingness of his jumper. Begin to roll over on a regular basis. And...Had real food for the first time!

We'd been debating if he was ready for food yet. I was holding out for him to turn six months, but he seemed like he wanted something more than formula.

We chose bananas. And? He liked it.

Then he wasn't sure.

And about 30 seconds after the camera when off, he threw up every bite he'd eaten. We haven't given him anything else.

In other aspects of J's life, he loves his toes...

{Sept 24-30}

5 Months Old!

2011-09-05T20:56:00.000-04:00

Jackson is actually five and a half months old now, but I'm just now getting to his birthday post. I've put this off partly because I've been so busy and partly because I can't believe my baby is already almost six months old!!

This month, Jack sprouted like a spring flower. I mean really, he gained almost two pounds this month.

Four months: 14 pounds 11 ounces

Five Months: 16 pounds 10 ounces

Holy cow!!

Jackson is wearing 3-6 month and 6 month clothes.

Size 2 diapers.

Smiles all the time.

Is officially one ear infection away from having to get tubes in his ears.

LOVES to talk. At this point he even squeals.

There is a 30 minute period he spends talking to himself in the mornings. {at least on mornings he wakes up happy}

Bedtime is typically between 8-8:30. Because of the ear infections and growth spurts there was often a 4 or 5 am feeding. And then morning is between 7 and 8. J is sleeping later every day.

Still wasn't big into rolling over {not until last week, so that's not technically pre-5 months}.

He is truly the sweetest thing ever. No baby is quite as wonderful as him, that's for sure!

I really, really can't believe Jackson will be six months old in just a couple of weeks!!

Project Life: Week 22

2011-08-31T21:51:00.001-04:00

This entire month has been flying by.

I've noticed now how much Jackson really grown. This is the biggest jump in size I've seen.

Also, we've had more than a couple "fussy" days this week according to our daycare info sheet.

August 17 - 23

Project Life: Week 21

2011-08-31T21:38:00.003-04:00

This week consisted of:

teething

attempts to roll over

still struggling with congestion

a move to 6 month clothes

a love to talk and a voice that has gotten louder

August 9 - 16

Project Life: Week 20

2011-08-19T22:00:00.000-04:00

Jackson is growing, growing, growing. That's all you need to know about this week.

Oh, and he laughed {like a real laugh} for the first time.

August 3 - 9

Jackson Lately...

2011-08-18T21:42:00.001-04:00

As usual I'm behind on my project life photos. But the good news is, I have a million photos from this month! And they are all wonderful. I'm just still struggling to get my photos and editing programs back in order from the near-death of my computer.

To hold y'all over until I can get our Project Life stuff updated, here are some adorable shots of little J from last weekend...Enjoy!

More Four Month Photos

2011-08-12T22:53:00.000-04:00

So, before Jack turns 5 months old, I thought I'd put up some more of his four month pictures. Like I said, it's been my favorite photo session with baby bear!

Project Life: Week Nineteen

2011-08-06T16:14:00.000-04:00

Jackson has gone through a growth spurt this week and teething is hitting us hard. We've been waking up some nights for a feeding. And some mornings when he wakes up he eats like a grown man. Jack's bottles have been bumped up to 6 ounces. Also, every morning he wakes up and talks to himself for 20-30 minutes. I love hearing him talk over the baby monitor as he attempts to roll around his crib.

It will be one year tomorrow since I found out I was pregnant with Jackson. And while I was caught off guard and not ready for motherhood at all, I wouldn't change it for the world. I love this little man so much and it's great seeing his personality grow.

Oh and Brandon and I celebrated our 3 year wedding anniversary!

July 26- August 2

Project Life: Week Eighteen

2011-08-06T15:46:00.001-04:00

My computer had a mid-life crisis and decided to stop working a couple of weeks ago. Because of this all of my photo updates and editing was delayed. So, sorry. Keep in mind these pictures are from several weeks ago. In fact, he's already gotten bigger since these photos!

This was yet another wonderful week with Jack.

July 19 - 26

Four Months Old

2011-08-06T15:32:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it's been four months already. At this point, I think I may have said that every month. But seriously it went from being March to July so quickly {it's now August because I have been slacking with posts}!

We've loved watching Jackson grow this month, this may have been my favorite month so far.

Taking his monthly update photos was seriously entertaining. After four months, he finally realized there was a monkey next to him. Not only that, but he also realized he could hold his own foot. It was too cute.

We had some not-so-fun "firsts" like an ear infection and a virus.

And we had some good firsts...On July 19, he rolled over {on purpose} for the first time!!

Jacksons eyes are still blue.

He's in a size 1 diaper.

He's wearing 3 month clothes. Some 0-3 months still fit and some are a little too short. However, the 3-6 months are just barely too big.

Jackson now holds his head up very well.

Playing on the floor is our favorite thing to do. No toys necessary, he just loves to lay there and "talk."

Jackson is a TALKER! It is so cute. He makes so many new noises every day.

Throughout the night he kicks his legs so much that he spin in circles. I've even caught him sleeping on his side some, too. The other night he got his leg caught in the slats, we have no ordered a breathable bumper.

The ear infection really threw off his sleep schedule. Typically Jack goes to bed between 8 and 9 pm and wake up around 7. Unfortunately, the ear infection brought back 3 am and 5 am feedings.

Bottles are typically 5 oz.

Bath time is one of his favorite times.

We have been to the doctor 3 times this month! Thankfully we have an amazing pediatrician.

Jackson has officially started teething.

I think Brandon and I are both realizing how incredible it is told love your child.

Happy four months Jackie Bear!

Project Life: Week Seventeen

2011-07-21T21:55:00.000-04:00

Saying "week seventeen" sounds so much better than "almost four months old." It just makes him sound like my baby still. With the way he's growing you can tell he won't be a baby for too long.

This week we recovered from our ear infection {this was Thursday July 14th} and then had to return to the doctor Monday {July 18th} only to find out he has a virus now. So we've been filling him with Tylenol and Benadryl every four to six hours. It's helped with the fussing, but he's still got a little cough. On top of this virus Jackson has certainly begun the early stages of teething.

In other news, Jackson rolled over {on purpose} for the very first time! Of course, I had just turned the camera off so we don't have any footage yet. But hopefully soon!

July 13-19

Jackson's favorite part of the day

He finally rolled over! We've been practicing!

This is what he does while Mommy gets ready for work.

Love that smile!

Saying goodnight to his monkey :)

Three Weeks Later...

2011-07-20T22:34:00.002-04:00

So, when Jackson turned three months old we planned to have a photographer take his portraits; unfortunately, it didn't happen. We attempted some of our own and that day just wasn't a good one for him. He was fussy, upset and recovering from his very first cold.

This is the best we've got {thought I should get these up before he turns 4 months old on Saturday}...

He hated the hats I got for him.

He's so stinkin' cute!

Project Life: Week Sixteen

2011-07-16T23:32:00.000-04:00

This week Jackson had an ear infection, which in turn meant he didn't sleep very well. This also meant it felt like a very long week.

Unlike usual we've been waking up some time from 3 am to 5 am either to play or eat and sometimes both. Three other babies in our daycare class also have an ear infection. Seriously?! SO, I had daycare give him the medicine all week since it is a mini battle to get him to take this bubblegum-flavored antibiotic.

Even though he's not sleeping well and has a nasty cough, he's still pretty happy. The talking time has shot through the roof. He's a talker! And at some point during the night he moves himself in slight circles around the crib. When I go get him in the morning he's facing a different direction.

July 6 - 12

He's holding things fairly well now.

This is what happens when tummy-time gets stressful.

Sick and tired baby :(

We fill up the whole bouncy chair now!

Getting better at holding our head up. Still not loving the bumbo.

Phone Photo Frenzy: June Edition

2011-07-10T21:51:00.000-04:00

Just Because...

2011-07-09T16:01:00.000-04:00

Just an update for all of you not here in Columbia...

This has been a long week. On Tuesday daycare called and said, "something is wrong with Jackson." I went speeding the one minute down Trenholm Road to go check on him. When I got there he was screaming and crying. I gave him a bottle, we talked and he was fine again. The next day I was concerned so we went to the doctor and apparently Jack has an small ear infection. I knew he had developed a cold, again, {thanks daycare} but I really didn't think he had anything else.

We have now started some antibiotics and he's feeling a little better. Still suffering from a nasty cough though. Also, this week my perfect sleeper has decided 4 a.m. is playtime. Not sure what's going on with his schedule, but I'm hoping I can get him sleeping through the night again soon! Very soon!

And because I've got way too many pictures of Jackson than I know what to do with, here are some to brighten up this rainy week:

Happy Saturday!

First 4th of July

2011-07-05T23:58:00.000-04:00

Everything this year is our "first" which makes everything that much better, right?

Well, for Jack's first 4th of July we went up to Hendersonville for some relaxing in the mountains. Jackson even hiked his first mountain...well kind of.

He really enjoyed lunch, if you can't tell.

First time hiking

Haha, Roll Tide!

Project Life: Week 15

2011-07-05T23:45:00.000-04:00

This was a week filled with a variety of emotions.

I must say, Jackson has started talking more than ever. He spends the good part of his "wake" time making the cutest noises {I've got a video I need to post! warning: it will probably only be cute to family}. However, Jack has been super fussy, having a slightly off sleep schedule and gave his mommy a scare at daycare today!

There were still plenty of smiles to go around for our Project Life photos!

June 29 - July 5

He's getting so big it is absolutely ridiculous!

Happy Fourth of July!

2011-07-04T22:24:00.000-04:00

Project Life Tuesday: Week Fourteen

2011-07-01T21:30:00.000-04:00

Week Fourteen is coming to you a few days late...

This week was mainly spent recovering from our trip to Nashville. We had fun, but we were worn out by the time we got back home and finished out the work week.

We also celebrated Jackson three month birthday!!

The big milestone we hit this week was getting Jackson out of the swaddle. It took a couple of nights for him to get use to his flailing arms and legs, but he caught on pretty quickly. Oh, and we attempted to take our own three-month portraits, I'll be working on editing those this weekend.

So, here's a peek into week fourteen:

June 22-28

Mad at mommy face

He was happy about no more swaddle

He hated the hat I bought for him.

Project Life: Week Thirteen

2011-06-30T19:36:00.000-04:00

Goodness, the weeks are going by so fast it's hard to keep up!

We'll just hit the highlight of Jackson's 13th week and then move on to pictures....

Okay, this was a big week because little Jack made his first trip to Nashville. It was a wonderful, extremely busy four days meeting many, many family members and friends. One of our dear friends from Murfreesboro even through us a wonderful shower (Thanks Jess!). As much as I enjoyed our trip, I'm hoping the next venture to TN won't be nearly as busy.

Want to know the most amazing part of our trip to Nashville?

Jackson slept almost the entire six and a half hour drive home and still slept through the night once we got home!! Miracles happen, obviously.

Oh, and we celebrated Brandon's first Father's Day!!

June 15-21

First family trip to Nashville

Tough Life

First Father's Day

Helping with chores at a young age

We were having some drooling issues....

Many, Many Faces

2011-06-27T22:20:00.000-04:00

I have a million photos to post on here for Project Life, but for now I'll leave you with this...

Project Life will have to wait until I have a longer break!

Three Months Old!

2011-06-23T22:18:00.001-04:00

Jackson is three months old and looking at the comparison from his four and twelve week pictures still has me in awe. So many things have changed about our little guy since the day we brought him home. It's truly amazing to see the way your baby grows up so fast, especially this first year (or so I've been told).

Weight: 12.5 pounds Length: 24 1/2 inches inches
(measurements done at home so not completely precise)

Here's what's been happening around here this month:

He's becoming a chatty little man. At least half of his wake times are spent "cooing." If you talk to him, he'll talk to you. I love it!

His happiest time of the day is right after he wakes up and just before bedtime.

Jackson is wearing 0-3 month and some 3 month clothes.

We've moved from Newborn size diapers to Size 1. These seem so much bigger than our old ones!

He started daycare this month and he's done wonderfully. The ladies there just love him, and he's definitely one of the cuter babies in the room. I may be a little biased though.

We're learning to grab toys. So far, our crinkly elephant is winning.

Jackson no longer hates to be on his stomach. Don't get me wrong, he still doesn't love it but he at least enjoys it now. He is, however, loving to just lay on a blanket and kick.

Jackson made his first big road trip to Nashville and did amazing. In fact, on the seven hour drive home he slept the whole way and still slept through the night. Did we get lucky or what?!

He sleeps through the night. We're officially sleeping from 8:30 pm to anywhere from 6-8 am. Typically he wakes at 7, but every day varies just a little bit.

Bottles range from 5-6 ounces.

Rather than laying on the little gym we have, he's preferred just his quilt on the ground or time on Mommy and Daddy's bed.

HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACKSON!

Twelve Week Old!

2011-06-21T23:03:00.003-04:00

Jack turned twelve weeks old last Wednesday, can you believe it? I mean, WOW! The last twelve weeks have gone by so fast, it's indescribable.

Expect updates on life with our little one on his three month birthday later this week.

THREE MONTHS!

For now, look at this side-by-side...

It doesn't even look like the same baby!

Project Life: Week Twelve

2011-06-14T21:30:00.001-04:00

Jackson was an angel for his first week of daycare. That is until he decdided to wake up twice Saturday night and then woke up sick Sunday morning.

Now, not only is he sick but I am too.

I guess that's just what we're going to have to get use to with life in daycare. Even being sick he's still been a happy little man! And is back to sleeping through the night for me, which is good because we have a long week ahead of us.

June 8-14

All smiles!

Watching the mobile in his crib, he loves it!

Tummy Time

Tummy Time Antics

2011-06-12T11:57:00.001-04:00

In order to get some chores done around Jack's room yesterday I laid out his quilt so he could attempt to roll around. When I realized this was a perfect photo-op, I ran for the camera.

Then, I realized we had a friend on the quilt...

Soon after, this happened...

and then we had all the babies involved in tummy time. This is actually how this time of day typically works around our house!

Project Life Tuesday: Week Eleven

2011-06-10T23:47:00.001-04:00

{yes, this post is three days late again}

This week Jackson and I spent our last few days at home together. Then, on Monday I started work and Jackson headed off to daycare. So far, he's adjusting well to daycare. I was worried his schedule would be thrown off but he's still sleeping through the night (from around 9 to anywhere from 6:30-8).

One of the attorneys at work had his wife bring in their three week daughter today. And it was absolutely crazy how tiny she seemed. And it was even crazier to think that Jack was that small just a couple of months ago!

He's growing, growing, growing!

June 1-7

Project Life: Week Nine and Ten

2011-05-31T08:14:00.002-04:00

Apparently week nine kind of got away from me. Most of the pictures from that week are here in his eight week photo shoot.

So, that leads us to a combo pack of week nine and ten.

May 17-23 and 24-31

He's loving his play mat more and more every day! He'll lay down there and just talk and kick, it's wonderful.

I propped him up on the Boppy because he doesn't like being on his tummy. He didn't like this either. Ha!

The past two weeks, Jack has grown so much. He continues to make more new noises and likes playing on his own. He still takes wonderful naps and follows a routine perfectly most days.

Last night, he slept through the night for the first time! From 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. he didn't make a single noise! This is my last week at home before going back to work fulltime. So, I hope I can get him sleeping through the night regularly. Either way, he's such a good baby!

Two Month Birthday

2011-05-28T17:03:00.002-04:00

Last month I mainly noticed Jackson growing in size, this month he grew in personality. That's not to say he didn't get bigger this month, but he has certainly begun to get a voice and personality of his own.

Here's a little insight to what happened in our second month:

Weight: 10 pounds 14 ounces Height: 22 inches

Jackson came in at the 50th percentile on all measurements. Perfectly healthy.

He grabs things now. Like my hair, the burp clothes and even his very first toy!

Jackson is making a couple of new noises when playing with his toys or just trying to get some attention.

His hair is changing from my dark dark brown to a lighter brown. This one actually makes me a little sad.

He shed his first tear ever. Fortunately, it wasn't while throwing a complete fit (his poked his eye) so my heart didn't completely break.

Jackson has rolled over from "belly to back" and "back to belly". However, none of us have actually witnessed it! Jackson is obviously just not ready for all of us to witness his greatness yet, ha! You should see all the useless tummy-time footage I have!

Typically, he sleeps from 9 pm to 5:30 a.m., eats and sleeps again until 7:30/8. It has been amazing. The pediatrician said he's one of the best sleepers in his entire practice. Of course the night he told us this Jackson woke up two extra times, but we're back to normal now.

We still swaddle Jack for bedtime. His flailing arms have proven to be too much for him to handle.

He officially fits in 0-3 month clothes. Some of the 3 month clothes are still too big though.

Jackson is still wearing newborn size diapers. We ordered some size ones but they were just massive (this was last week). I think he'll be in the size ones any day now though.

He has hiccups all the time, poor kid. They're starting to bother him.

Bottles consist of 4-5 ounces per feeding. Two weeks ago he was even taking six ounces, but this only lasted a couple of days. I'm betting it was a little growth spurt.

He's starting to smile all the time.

HAPPY TWO MONTHS JACKSON! LOVE YOU!

Phone Photo Frenzy: May Edition

2011-05-27T16:35:00.001-04:00

Oh the many faces of Baby J. He's gotten so much personality this month! I've been without a computer for a few days so I've yet to do our weekly Project Life or two month birthday post, but don't worry I've got the pictures sitting in iPhoto just waiting to be edited.

For now, so you can all get your Jackson fix, here are a bunch of photos from my phone from this past month!

Grabbing his first toy ever. He was pretty content with himself.

Love this little onesie. Probably from his Grammy!

Jacksons first and last picture taken at our house on Palatine.

Such a happy baby! He's learning to love his play mat.

I hope he makes this face forever. It always makes me smile/laugh. Ha!

Naptime on mommy and daddy's bed. Mommy needed to lay down.

The quality of the photos isn't great, but Jackson sure looks cute!

Project Life: Week Eight

2011-05-21T12:30:00.001-04:00

We've been kind of busy lately, or at least I feel that way, so this post is a little late! But hey, at least it's here!

Can't believe Jack is already eight weeks old. This week has been one of our best. Jackson is on such a wonderful schedule and is becoming more and more alert during the day. He's even sleeping very, very well!

We head to the doctor Monday for his two month check up and his first round of vaccinations. Hope he handles needles better than his momma!

May 10-16

I like that it looks like he's smiling in the last one...this is actually mid cry. He was very much over the photo shoot that was taking place.

Eight Weeks Old!

2011-05-18T22:31:00.000-04:00

I took some photos of Jackson the other day in this adorable little onesie we got off etsy.

He was so alert and happy I couldn't stop taking pictures!

He's getting so big! Eight weeks old today!

Project Life Tuesday: Week Seven

2011-05-10T19:21:00.001-04:00

Every week I am amazed at how much Jackson grows. I'm really starting to see more of Brandon when looking at baby Jack.

This week, we spent our days just being a family. At this point we are on a pretty regular routine, which is wonderful and mundane at the same time!

May 3- 9

Love his little hands. He's even grabbing my fingers more!

Tummy time is getting much better! Jackson has not really been a fan of this time of day, but it's gotten so much better over the last week. Now if only he would roll over when we are looking!

This is my baby at 7 weeks....

...and this is his first fat roll. It's only cute when you're a baby so we'll enjoy its cuteness now!

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T18:21:00.000-04:00

{via}

Enjoying my first Mother's Day as a mom!

Updates on my wonderful gifts from ~~Brandon~~ Jackson coming soon!

Pink & Green Thursday: Destinations

2011-05-05T15:59:00.000-04:00

I'm not feeling so chatty today, so I'm just going to leave it for the photos to speak for themselves...

{via}

What I'm Loving Wednesday

2011-05-04T15:02:00.001-04:00

I just love Wednesdays. It means that tomorrow B won't have work and we can spend the day all together!

Here's a quick insight into what else I'm loving this week!

These are monogrammed placemats from Luxury Monograms, and this pattern is just the beginning. They've got pillows, napkins and bags too! They're all so cute! A little pricey if you ask me, but still worth looking at for some inspiration! Loving these!

I'm loving the recipe for these Cannoli Cupcakes! I'm not one to turn down an actual cannoli, so why not as a cupcake?

{all photos via}

Loving some weekly words of mommy wisdom and that Sunday is going to be my first Mother's Day as a mom!

And of course loving B and our little family!

Project Life Tuesday: Week Six

2011-05-03T21:10:00.000-04:00

Honestly this week was pretty dull activity wise. Just the normal day-in, day-out things. Well, besides our trip to North Carolina.

We are noticing that Jackson is forming quite a little personality!

April 26- May 2

Weekend Recap

2011-05-02T14:29:00.008-04:00

We had another "first" around here this weekend, and it was a good one! Our first family vacation!

After brainstorming and prepping the pack all week, I frantically packed what seemed like the entire nursery all day Thursday and Friday. I was quite nervous about our first road-trip with Jackson. Whether or not he's a good traveller is kind of a big deal. We have a lot of family and friends out of town, so there is sure to be a lot of travelling in our future.

Friday afternoon, we packed up the car and headed to North Carolina to spend the weekend at Jackson's G-Pa's house.

Did you think this was his house? It's not. But it was too awesome not to include in the post.

Anyway, our little man did great on the road! He slept most of the two hour trip, waking up as we turned into the driveway.

We spent the weekend enjoying the mountain air, taking a relaxing walk around the NC Arboretum and just hanging out.

My dad got some quality time with his grandson and gave Brandon and I a chance to go walk around downtown Asheville. The sun was shining the entire weekend, it was wonderful!

I'm already looking forward to our next trip!

Thursday Thoughts

2011-04-27T22:31:00.005-04:00

Yesterday sadness seemed to be all around in my little world. It just didn't seem appropriate to participate in my typical "What I'm Loving Wednesday". So, rather than listing things I've been loving this week, I'd like to send out a couple of prayer requests...

First, a young man in my community was killed in a tragic ending. This hit close to home, too close to home. He grew up in the same neighborhoods, going to the same schools and socializing with the same circles of friends as me just one year younger. A good family lost a son and brother today and for this my prayers go out to them. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as they try to find strength during this time.

Secondly, Tuscaloosa was hit hard by mother nature. This was my home for two years and to see the current condition of this beautiful city and surrounding areas is heartbreaking. Friends have reported the destruction of their homes, cars and much much more. The street below is a main intersection of the city, I lived just a few blocks down from here....

The day I stepped foot in Tuscaloosa my life changed. It is really a place to marvel. The tradition and pride that the city exudes is like no other. I have no doubt the people of Alabama will rally together, but it is certainly going to take a lot of work to get Tuscaloosa back to it's full glory.

Please keep everyone in Alabama in your prayers. You can visit www.redcross.org to donate or text REDCROSS to 90999 and instantly donate $10. Help is needed!!

Project Life Tuesday: Week Five

2011-04-26T20:46:00.004-04:00

This week, Jackson started sleeping in his crib all night again, celebrated his first Easter, turned one month old, met more family members and got cuter by the second.

Happy Tuesday!

Week Five: April 19-25

B and I made this little monkey a few months before D-Day, we named him George. Hopefully Jack will love this little thing one day.

He seems to be making little bubbles pretty often lately. Kind of funny.

So far, he's loving the car. The true test will be this weekend when we head out of town to see my dad!

Jackson's Zoolander face...

and pouty face.

New outfit! I really like this yellow on him!

Easter bib from his first Easter basket!

The First of Many

2011-04-24T21:59:00.004-04:00

{via}

Today was one of many "firsts" for Jack. For his first Easter basket, I kept it simple.

A couple of books, a cute little chick, a couple of candy filled eggs (for me and B) and a "my first Easter" bib. Just a few things for us to remember his first Easter by, since he obviously won't remember any of it.

Happy Easter!

One Month Birthday!

2011-04-24T16:10:00.002-04:00

Here are some fun facts about our little man at one month:

Weight: 8 pounds 4 ounces (6.9 at birth) Length: 20.5 inches (19.5 at birth)

Jackson is still wearing newborn clothes. We haven't touched some bigger newborn items or anything that says 0-3 months, but he's getting there.

He has the hiccups all the time!

Sleep schedules vary. Right now Jackson is sleeping three to five hour stretches at night!! He's even blessed us with a few six hour cycles!

He's very strong! Today, I turned around for a minute during tummy time and when I looked back he had rolled over! Of course, I can't get him to do it again.

Before bedtime he eats like a champ. It's like he's gearing up for sleep, or just procrastinating from being put in the crib. Normally, he eats 4 ounces at a feeding.

The bouncer is his favorite place in the house. Love may be an understatement as to his feelings for this little chair.

Every time he falls asleep he stretches out real long, scrunches up real tight and then smiles. This is the best (and only good) part of 4 AM feedings!

Happy Birthday Jack! Mom and Dad love you so much!

(Thanks to my Dad, aka G-Pa, for the monthly stickers!)

Mohawk Lovin'

2011-04-22T18:20:00.004-04:00

We thought it was pretty cute.

Project Life Tuesday: Week Four

2011-04-22T18:00:00.008-04:00

So the plan was to take a picture every day and post them on here. I just don't think it's going to happen the way I'd hoped.

The problem isn't taking pictures every day (at this point I've only actually missed one day). However, last week and this week have gotten away from me.

Rather than labeling pictures by day, I'll simply be posting by week. I think this plan will work just as well. You can still see just how much he's grown!

And yes, I realize today is Friday not Tuesday.

Week Four: April 12- 18

Office Envy

2011-04-21T20:09:00.006-04:00

Last week I found out I'll be getting a new office when I return to work. I'm pretty excited about this. A nice, decently large office just for me!

Now, if only my office could look as amazing as this one.

Take a look at this incredible office makeover! Such a beautiful outcome, don't you think?

Also, I know this is "Pink & Green Thursday" and this office is more of a teal, but when it looks this wonderful who really cares?

Four Week Birthday...Already!

2011-04-20T21:21:00.006-04:00

Some people celebrate newborns' birthdays by weeks others by month, so I thought we would just recognize both milestones this week/month.

Anyway, today Jackson is four weeks old! Love this little man so much. Everyday I can see changes in him. It really is quite cliche how much I feel like he's changing so quickly.

Here's a little side by side comparison:

Look at those cheeks! Love those cheeks!

Happy four weeks Jack!

*Check back this weekend for a more detailed one month birthday post!*

What I'm Loving Wednesday: Anniversary Edition

2011-04-20T10:48:00.006-04:00

Today I am LOVING my husband!

Five years ago today my husband and I "officially" started dating. FIVE YEARS! I just can't believe it.

August 2006

We met on January 16, 2006. Three weeks later Brandon was my best friend, there was just no denying it. I think we both knew this was going to be something special...

May 2006

After eleven months of a long distance relationship we got engaged. I remember that day so vividly...He was so nervous and I didn't have a clue this was coming.

December 2006

A year and a half down the road we got married at my favorite place in the world.

This day was beyond perfect.

August 2008

The next couple of years were filled with many, many good times as well as times of hardship. Thanks to B's strength we made it through together, and I will thank him for this the rest of my life.

Two years and five days after we said "I Do," we found out we'd be having a baby. A true miracle. Then on March 23 our lives changed forever in the greatest way possible...

I can still remember sitting on your couch at the farm the first night I met you. We talked for hours and hours until night turned into morning and morning turned into an entire weekend. I returned to Alabama that week thinking, "who is this guy?"

It didn't take long to realize you were "the one," even though I think you realized this long before me.

Where we are today isn't anywhere I thought we would be five years ago. We've come so far from that little house on the farm. Thank you for sticking by me through thick and thin, you are certainly my rock.

I feel so blessed to have found you. My love for you since Jackson's arrival is unreal. This kind of love leaves me speechless. It's perfection.

You are my faith and my hope. I wouldn't have made it through the past five years without you. I can't even begin to imagine what the next five years will bring us, but I can only pray it will be just as incredible!

LOVE YOU!

Fairytales and Other Ramblings

2011-04-17T11:04:00.010-04:00

Forget the haters, I love Taylor Swift.

I'm a 23 years old and I admittedly love her. I mean the girl sings about fairytales. Tell me what girl doesn't like to hear about fairytales?

{via}

None. All girls love fairytales. You're lying to yourself if you claim otherwise.

{via}

I don't think I'm alone though considering she's won seven American Music Awards, four Grammys, six Country Music Association Awards, two People's Choice Awards, five Academy of Country Music Awards...blah, blah blah, the list goes on forever!

Well, I just realized Taylor is coming to my city in November. Thought I'd put that out there for husbands who have a wife with a birthday not too long before then...hint, hint.

{via}

"There are two different categories of love: The first category is called a fairytale. The second category is called just another lesson."

Phone Photo Frenzy

2011-04-17T10:22:00.006-04:00

I take too many photos with my phone of Jack all day, so here a few that make me smile/laugh/love.

Maternity Leave Woes

2011-04-15T12:59:00.007-04:00

Venting begins.....Now.

We've been home from the hospital for three and a half weeks now. Brandon has been back at work for a week and a half, and our plumbing has been out for 24 hours now. And it could possibly be longer....That leaves me home with a fussy Jackson, two dogs (who can't go outside unsupervised because the back gate has to be open right now) and some very nerve-wracking often incompetent plumbers.

I feel like all of the clothes are dirty, the dishes are dirty, the bottles are dirty, I could go on. On top of this I'm just sick of being at the house. Is this how everyone feels on maternity leave? Don't get me wrong, I love Jack and my time with him. But I also love my job and coworkers and having purposes to leave the house! Whew.

Today, Jackson was super fussy on top of plumbing issues which have each contributed to my mini-meltdown. I tried to do this...

{via}

But it just didn't happen.

Thankfully my mom arrived early this afternoon and I got to take a nap. So thankful.

I'm certainly looking forward to spending quality time with B! If only we could be here this weekend...

That would be nice. I'm sure Brandon would agree!

Pink and Green Thursday: Nursery Edition

2011-04-14T11:25:00.002-04:00

Since we had a boy, pink and green themes for the nursery were obviously not an option. But I just adore this color scheme in nurseries!

{via}

What I'm Loving Wednesday

2011-04-13T14:52:00.007-04:00

Here's what I'm loving on this beautiful day...

I'm loving that summer is just around the corner! I'm really hoping this weather sticks around! It means that soon we can go here...

I'm loving that my dogs spend their days like this...(they're best friends)

I'm loving Etsy. I just can't stop finding the most creative little things that I need (or at least want). Things like this...

I'm loving that all the middle of the night feedings are worth it when I get to see Jackson smiling as he falls back to sleep.

I'm loving my wonderful husband and the fact that he has the day off tomorrow!

First Bath!

2011-04-12T17:49:00.003-04:00

FINALLY! It took two weeks and 5 days for Jackson's umbilical cord to fall off. I was so glad we could finally give the little man a bath.

He did so good. A little fussing when we first started but then silence. Afterwards he got a little lotion massage and fell asleep.

Love this kid.

Project Life Tuesday - Week Three

2011-04-12T17:26:00.000-04:00

This has been another wonderful week! We have had a few rough nights and some new fussy tendencies due to some tummy issues (nothing serious though). In my opinion this has been the week Jackson changed the most. His face is starting to fill out more!

All in all he is such a wonderful little boy!

Day 14 - April 6

Afternoon time with his Daddy.

Day 15 - April 7

Our first day at home without B! Wasn't as scary as I thought it'd be!

Day 16 - April 8

This afternoon we were super fussy. I've found that if nothing I do soothes him, the bouncer will! Thank goodness!

Day 17 - April 9

Spending some time on our tummy. He's enjoying it more and more every day.

Day 18 - April 10

I read that laying a baby on his tummy can help relieve some of his stomach pain, so we tested this theory out. It worked for a while which I was thankful enough for. Although I'm too nervous to let him really sleep like this!

Day 19 - April 11

We gave Jackson his first bath last night! He did so good. I was so excited when his umbilical cord fell off, the kid needed a bath!

Millie Loves Jackson

2011-04-08T18:10:00.004-04:00

This is our first baby, Millie.

She turned four in February. The poor girl is scared of everything including her own shadow, but you'll never find a more loyal companion or sweeter pup.

The entire pregnancy I thought when Jackson arrived she'd be so protective of him and interested in his every move. But since we got home from the hospital she has barely given him a second thought.

Finally, today I spied her lay down in front of his bouncer while he was sleeping.

She sat and stared at him for a good 20 minutes. This is the most acknowledgment she'd shown Jackson!

Made my day!

Pink and Green Thursday

2011-04-07T14:10:00.007-04:00

All of these things make me happy...

{via}

Shenanigans

2011-04-07T13:37:00.011-04:00

I've seen this little piece of hilarity floating around several blogs and just had to share it with y'all...

{via}

HAHAHAHA!

Are you not dying laughing? I know I am. Isn't this the truest thing ever?! Do you suffer from Chronic bitchface or have a friend who does. Is it bad that certain people came to mind when I read this? Ha.

Jackson is Two Weeks Old!

2011-04-06T17:52:00.006-04:00

Happy birthday Jack! This morning we went in for his check-up and the doctor says he's looking wonderful! He's officially reached 7 pounds.

It's crazy how much I feel like he has grown and changed, yet he's still such a tiny little thing!

Also, I realized today is my half birthday, which means it was my best friend's half birthday on Monday and I forgot!! This may sound crazy, but for some reason we have been celebrating these days since we were 15. So...Happy Late Half Birthday Bess!

What I'm Loving Wednesday

2011-04-06T15:41:00.007-04:00

Today has been a wonderful day! I thought Brandon had to go back to work today but it turned out to be tomorrow. So, we got one more day with him at home with us!

Here's what else I'm loving this Wednesday...

I'm loving this adorable owl pillow. I have a special place for owls in my heart, it's pretty much the only other thing you'll find in Jackson's room besides elephants.

I'm loving the time Jackson and I spent reading yesterday.

I'm loving these tips...

And of course I'm loving B and our family!

Happy Wednesday Y'all!

Project Life Tuesday

2011-04-05T13:14:00.001-04:00

We had such a wonderful week last week! Today is my last day to have Brandon home with me and I'm getting a little nervous about what maternity leave will be like without his company. ANDJackson will be two weeks old tomorrow!

Hope you enjoy this week's Project Life photos!

Day Seven - March 30

Play time on our mat. I love the expression on his face with that little furrowed brow and pursed lips.

Falling asleep on my lap. Love these little moments...

Day Eight - March 31

Love the expression on his face...here's a closeup...

In my family, if it's Thursday night then you're at my grandmothers for dinner. So, we bundled Jackson up and headed out to his first Thursday Night Dinner. He slept through most of it, but it was nice to leave the house!

Day Nine - April 1

Tiny toes!

Love these hands and so does he! They're always in his face!

Day Ten - April 2

B's family came in town from Nashville this weekend! This is his sister, Bethany, with Jackson and Baxter. More photos to come!

Day Eleven - April 3

Jackson's hair was looking pretty oily so I decided it was time to wash it. He was surprisingly very good with the whole event. And his hair smelled so good afterwards! There's not much better than the smell of fresh baby.

Day 12 - April 4

He loves his bouncer on vibrate! He'll sleep forever. He even sat outside with his Dad yesterday for a while. Finally some pretty weather!

Below is Jackson's favorite sleeping position as of the past couple of days...

Day 13 - April 5

It does not look comfortable...

Newborn Photos!

2011-04-04T12:04:00.003-04:00

About a month ago McKeever, over at The Cobia Family, posted some newborn photos of her little girl and I thought they were so beautiful I emailed the photographer and scheduled us a little shoot!

Meghan from M & B Photography was so sweet and was wonderful with Jackson. She brought over the pictures this morning and I just love them! I just can't stop looking through them all. Here are few...

Oh, the new photo in my banner was also done by Megahn. So cute!

Revelations

2011-04-01T13:52:00.003-04:00

Many revelations have occurred for me since Jackson's arrival. Revelations like....

*Nine months of morning sickness might have just been worth it...to see this little face in my arms. (I love when he purses up his lips like he's waiting for a kiss.)*

*My ankles have been swollen so long that I forgot what they looked like. Today, I looked down and thought "damn, my legs looks skinny!" It's because my ankles are back! No more cankles!*

*Who knew you'd care about someone's poop schedule so much, or watch the baby monitor as if it were the nightly episode of Chelsea Lately.*

*Wearing my weddings rings again feels amazing. It felt so weird not to be able to wear them!*

*Laying and listening to your baby's little noises as he sleeps is one of the greatest activities in life.*

Let's Eat: Recipe Swap

2011-04-01T10:46:00.009-04:00

As I search my archives for something to make for my mom's birthday next week, I ran across some yummy stuff....So I thought I'd share a recipe with y'all today!
I made these Fauxstess Cupcakes a few months ago and they turned out to be one of the most wonderful things to come out of my kitchen. The recipe takes a little more effort than the typical cupcake, but it is well worth the time.
Much better than the original Hostess Cupcake, if you ask me!
For the cupcakes:1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup hot coffee
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl sift together sugar, Dutch process cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla and then add into the dry ingredients. Whisk in the hot coffee.
Fill lined muffin cups 2/3 full and bake at 350 degrees F for 18-20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
For the filling:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 cup marshmallow creme
Using a mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon heavy cream; beat until smooth. Beat in the remaining 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons heavy cream in batches, alternating after each addition. Beat in the marshmallow creme; set aside or refrigerate.
Inject each cooled cupcake with 1-2 tablespoons of the filling with a piping bag.
*I found that that the ganache sets better on the cupcake if you cut into the cupcake to inject the filling and re-cover the hole with a cupcake piece.
For the ganache:
1/2 cup heavy cream
7 ounces chocolate
1/2 tsp vanilla
Heat the cream in a saucepan over medium heat stirring frequently until the cream is hot and just starts to boil. Immediately pour the cream over the chocolate and whisk until smooth. Spread warm but slightly cooled ganache over the tops of the filled cupcakes. Level off ganche with knife or spatula and let cool for 15 minutes.
You definitely need some milk to go with these!

What I'm Loving Wednesday

2011-03-30T14:42:00.001-04:00

I've decided to follow in This Kind of Love's lead and share what I'm loving this Wednesday...

I'm loving these monthly onesie stickers. How cute, right?

I'm loving this little monogrammed monkey lovie we received today as a present from our old neighbors.

Most of all, I'm loving the help I'm getting from my husband and seeing what a wonderful dad he is.

Project Life Tuesday

2011-03-29T17:15:00.008-04:00

Okay, today (and every Tuesday) I'm going to link up with The Mom Creative to share my photos for the Project Life Challenge I told you about this week.

I just have today's photo for this post, but from now on I'll post my pictures from the entire week in this post. So check back every Tuesday for the daily pics of life with Jack!

Day Six - March 29

Swing time! Love his little tiny feet!

Finishing up his afternoon feeding with Dad then nap time in his arms. So cute.

First Doctor's Appointment

2011-03-28T17:09:00.005-04:00

Today we made our first trip to see Dr. Taylor, our pediatrician. He happens to have also been my pediatrician. How crazy is that?! He was so wonderful with me and my brothers it makes me feel very confident Jackson will have great healthcare with him and the practice he works with.

According to the doc, Jackson is a very healthy baby. Yay! When we left the hospital he weighed 6.6 pounds and today he was up to 6.8. Most babies have lost weight but not our little one. The past 24 hours he's been eating more, we're thinking he's hit the first growth spirt which comes around day four. Not only this, but he's apparently a strong little baby with good jaundice levels (so we don't need the lights). We'll return in two weeks for another check up.

Day Five

This is the first time he's actually kept a pacifier in his mouth on his own. He got very fussy/hungry halfway through the appointment so we figured it was worth a shot. Also, I love when he looks at us with just one eye, as if opening both is too much work.

Swinging Sensation

2011-03-27T16:52:00.007-04:00

Day Four

We had a little photo shoot today in our new swing, and I'm so pleased with these pictures. I've been working on my photo skills for a while now so that they'd be up to par by the time Jackson got here. So, it feels good to see a beautiful outcome every now and then.

Anyway, I purchased us a wonderful swing from a consignment store months ago that is covered in elephants (our favorite). But the other week I went to test it out again and the speed setting wouldn't move off of super fast.

Maybe with an older baby super fast would suffice, but it was swinging a little to fast for this mommy's comfort when I tried it out with Jackson. So, Brandon braved Harbison (an overcrowded area where we live) to get to Babies R Us yesterday. Of course that is the only place in town where we have one!

He returned with a wonderful Carter's swing. I love it, Jackson loves it, what more do you need? Now we have an extra swing, it's wonderful just moves a little fast for a newborn. If you know anyone looking for one at a good price let me know!

Photo Challenge

2011-03-26T20:50:00.001-04:00

Now that Jackson is here I really can't stop taking pictures of him. Every moment seems like a "kodak" one.

I've seen on some other blogs people doing Project Life 365. Basically you take a picture every day to document the year. I think this is a great idea, and I'm going to challenge myself to do this with Jackson's first year. It is crazy to see how much he has changed over just the course of three days. Looking back over the year will be a wonderful thing!So here's the start:

Day One

(I know this photo was in my last post, but I just love this of him)

Hanging out at the hospital, impatiently waiting to go home.

Day Two

The doctor's decided we didn't have to stay another day, so we headed home!!

Day Three

First time in our bouncer. Also, this little man likes to sleep (alot) so a rare shot of his currently blue eyes!

That's all for now!

He's Here!

2011-03-25T16:58:00.000-04:00

Last week, I was so excited about scheduling our induction for March 29, but it seemed like Jackson had other plans for us. At our 38 week appointment (on Tuesday) my blood pressure was up and the fluid around him was looking low. I sat in the doctor's room just waiting to see what that meant. The next thing I knew I was being told I would be rolled over to the hospital for observation and that we'd be "having this baby either today or tomorrow."

WHAT?!

I called Brandon and he raced back from work an hour away. After a very uncomfortable night in the hospital being monitored and the husband sleeping in a horrible pull out chair-bed the doctor said we were inducing. Just like that my water was broken and there was no going back. That was at 8 a.m...

After having my epidural, I quickly realized it only worked on the right side of my body. Then after laboring naturally on one side of my body for several hours I opted to have another epidural. BEST DECISION EVER.

At 4:41 p.m. we had a beautiful baby boy. 6 pounds 9 ounces - 19.5 inches long, perfect little baby - except...

He unfortunately had fluid in his lungs so I only held him for a few seconds before they took him away. Brandon (my husband) went with him to the nursery to wait for a doctor. I sat in the recovery room for almost an hour and a half before they were able to bring me Jackson. Luckily though his lungs are now clear and he is doing wonderfully!

We just got home from the hospital today and I still can't believe how blessed Brandon and I are to have such a beautiful, well-mannered baby!

Week by Week: 37 and Counting

2011-03-18T13:30:00.000-04:00

Baby Size? Four Grapefruits!

Weight Gain? We won't talk about this anymore...Let's just say more than I had wanted to gain.

Maternity Clothes? All maternity

Stretch marks? A few on my stomach...ugh

Sleep? What's this? I'm either not comfortable, having to pee, or the husband is snoring

Foods I am loving? Pickles and cookies. Sounds quite cliche.

Foods I am hating? Onions but that’s normal. So, nothing?

Best moment this week? Scheduled our induction for March 29! We get to meet him earlier than expected!!!!

Movement? All kinds of movement all day and night.

Symtoms? SWELLING! And quite a few contractions this week.

Gender? It’s a boy!

Belly Button? Disappearing, but still here!

What I’m looking forward to? Meeting him! Only 10 more days!

Weekly Wisdom? An old wives tale says full moons can cause your water to break. Tomorrow is a full moon, in fact it is a "super moon", we'll see...

Milestones? We've scheduled the induction for week 39 because things are moving along so well. Cannot wait to meet Jackson!!!

Hats for Jack

2011-03-17T20:20:00.000-04:00

So, I've seen so many cute hats in multiple newborn and other baby photo shoots and decided we needed some. These two little cuties were ordered from the Me to You Crochet store on Etsy. They were shipped so quickly and the product is wonderful!

In June, for our first trip back to Nashville, we're having some photos done by MBC Photography. I think these hats are going to be the perfect addition to the photos, or at least I hope so!