My little bean

When I was pregnant with Jackson, before we knew he was a boy, we started calling him our little bean.  We didn’t want to call him an “it”, so we just said “the bean”. Then, for my push present, Matt got me a necklace from Tiffany’s in the shape of a silver bean. It was very sweet. Well, Jackson is still our little bean. Yesterday I took him for his 6 month check up. I am always happy and sad about his checkups. I want to see how big he is, but I am afraid he’s not growing enough. And I’m sad that he has to get his shots. This visit was no different. He was 15 lbs 12.5oz and 25 1/4 inches. That puts him in the 20th percentile for weight and 12th percentile for height. The pediatrician didn’t seen overly concerned since he is trending about the same. But, we have only seen her twice. Once when I thought he had an ear infection and this time. Even though she has his old chart from the other pediatrician, I don’t think she realized he used to be in the 50th percentile. At least until his 4 month visit. Then he dropped. Granted he is still gaining. He doesn’t look unhealthy. I think he started not gaining as much when I went back to work and he didn’t like to eat. But, now he has adjusted. He eats great. So, I don’t understand why he isn’t gaining more. I feel like a momma failure that I don’t have this chubby baby boy like every one else seems to. I know I am making a bigger deal out of this than I should. He’s fine and I know that. I guess I just don’t want other people to think I don’t take good care of him. Anyway, we have another appointment in a month to check his weight again. I talked to the doctor about switching to formula. I am getting tired of pumping all day. But, formula scares me because of his milk protein allergy. I know there are formulas for that, I just don’t want his tummy to hurt while we find the right formula. Hopefully, all will go well and the switch will be easy. OK. I am done with my mommy guilt ranting!

 

Today, Jackson didn’t feel 100%. This is him resting on my bed while I folded laundry. He just laid there watching his baby channel. I know he didn’t feel good because he wasn’t kicking and putting everything in his mouth.

Speaking of his mouth, Jackson has TWO teeth! They popped through last Friday. We had one bad night, but that was about it. I tried to get a picture of his little teethies, but I couldn’t get him to open his mouth long enough to take his picture. I’ll have to try again when they come through a little more.

Tuesday was Mimi’s birthday. We all met at Longhorn’s in Calhoun to celebrate.

 

The cubby was very interested in Uncle Josh. He kept grabbing his arm and his shirt.

Then the cubby tried to eat Mimi!

And Mimi got some munches in on him!

We're still here...

No, we haven't fallen off the face of the earth. My camera battery died. Yes, I can recharge it. I've just been too lazy to charge it. I didn't think ya'll would enjoy posts of me just rambling without pics of the cubby.
Jackson and I are at Grammy and Grandpa's house now. We spent the night for the first time. Jackson did great. I didn't bring my laptop so I'll post pics later.

Birthday Boy

Friday we celebrated my dad’s birthday, even though his birthday was Monday. We met at Provino’s in Canton since it is roughly halfway between us and Grammy & Grandpa.

Everyone wanted a turn holding Jackson.

Matthew was sick this weekend so Grammy came home with us after dinner to watch Jackson on Saturday while I went to work. Then Mimi came on Sunday. I didn’t get any pictures of their visits. I know Jackson was spoiled rotten with both Grandma’s coming this weekend!

I wrote before about Jackson being a cowboy in his bouncy seat. These are the best pictures I could get. It’s not easy taking pictures of flying legs!

He always has a very serious look on his face, then he stops and smiles. Silly boy!

Tonight Daddy read Jackson a bedtime story. My two boys looked so cute together. I love them both so much!

We met with a real estate agent Friday about selling our house. She basically told us to stop making payments on the house and let it foreclose.  We REALLY did not like that advice. Jackson apparently didn’t either, he screamed the whole time she was here and barely let us talk. This is very much out of character for him, so Matt and I took notice of it. We took it as a sign that we shouldn’t listen to her advice. We called the bank after she left and they are going to let us refinance the house. We didn’t really want to do that, but it beats foreclosure. So, I guess we’ll have to stay in the townhouse a while longer. I hope the housing market gets better soon. I know it will probably be a few more years, but I can hope.  We are also trying to sell my Volvo so we can get a SUV with 4 wheel drive so we can safely go see Grammy and Grandpa. It was an emotional few days trying to sort out all of the house and car issues. But, I think we have a plan that will work out for the best.

How far we’ve come…

Jackson is 5 months old! I know this is a few days late, but I was thinking today how much has changed in the last two years.

First, I married my best friend, my soul mate. I was so happy on this day. I couldn’t wait for the rest of our life to start. I was (and still am) so in love.

Then we found out the day before our 1st anniversary that we were having a baby! We were scared to death, but so excited!

Then I gave birth to the most amazing baby boy! He was so beautiful and perfect!  The day we drove home from the hospital I remember thinking how different it was going to be from now on. When Matt and I left for the hospital it was just the two of us. Now we were driving home as THREE! We new it would never be the same. It hasn’t and I couldn’t be more thrilled. This journey has been new and scary and hard, but worth every minute. Jackson is such a special little boy. He has brought so much joy and happiness. Everyday I just look at him and my heart melts.

We have made it full circle from difficult, painful breastfeeding to only wanting breastfeeding (NO BOTTLES!!!) to only bottles. Now we are exploring the new world of food.

We went from sleepless, colicky nights to colicky evenings and long bedtimes to easily sleeping through the night. (Thank God!)

We made it from only sleeping in mom’s (or Mimi or Grammy’s) arms to sleeping with mom in bed, to sleeping in the pack 'n play to sleeping in his crib.

Yes, those first few months were difficult. But, I would not change a thing. Matt and I learned a lot, but we had to go through it. Jackson was (is) our guinea pig. Our next children will benefit from his hardships :) Poor little man cub! Mommy and Daddy love you so much! We only want what is best for you. 

Jackson 3 days

Jackson 1 week old

Jackson 1 month

Jackson 2 months

Jackson 3 months

Jackson 4 months

Jackson 5 months

My little man cub is growing so fast! He’ll be a year old before I know it. Then he’ll be off to college. (I found a cute video that Matt made of Jackson when we came home from the hospital- but I didn’t want to put it on You Tube-does anyone know another way to upload it to the blog?)

The love that we have for this little boy is amazing. I never could have imagined loving someone so completely and unconditionally until I had a child. He is the best parts of Matt and I. Yet special in his own little way. He is so sweet, so serious, so smiley. His frown will make you want to rip your heart out. I cannot wait to see what the next five months and beyond will bring for our sweet little man cub.

He’s a cowboy ba-by!

Or a biker dude. Lately Jackson has been sitting  in his bouncy seat with his thumbs through the strap that holds him in (like it was his belt loops) and kicking his legs at the same time.Not a great description, but he looks like he’s riding a horse. No, I don’t have a picture. I will have to try to get one. He also looks like a motorcycle biker. His left leg is constantly kicking! I call it his kick start leg. Now I know what all that wild kicking that way going on in my belly was about!

Last week Mimi came over to visit.  I actually had a Sunday off of work and Matt and I were planning to take a day trip somewhere together. Mimi was going to watch Jackson so Mommy and Daddy could have some time together. But, it didn’t work out. Daddy had to go in to work. Mimi still came over in the afternoon to see Jackson and we all went to have dinner when Matt got home.

Jackson showed Mimi how he can sit on the couch like a big boy. He like Mimi giving him his bottle.

 

He was too busy smiling at Mimi to eat his applesauce!

I have been working on something to put over Jackson’s crib. Here is a sneak peak. I will post more pictures when I finish it.

Jackson oversaw the project. He was very specific about what he wanted.

This is what Jackson looks like most of the time. Drooling and neck wet…

After his dislike of the jarred applesauce I made him some homemade applesauce. It was soo yummy! There is a huge difference in homemade and store bought. It definitely reaffirmed my decision to make Jackson’s food. It was super easy and cheap. Jackson loved mommy’s applesauce! I even had some too! Next I made pears. They were good, but a little grainy. After that, I decided to do orange vegetables. We started with squash. Again, it was super easy to make and so yummy!

Jackson gobbled it up! He even smiled after his first bite instead of spitting it out, like he does with new tastes. He smacked his lips between bites.

This weekend while I was at work he wouldn’t eat for Daddy. I guess he only likes to eat for me! Or maybe it’s that I’m meaner and make him eat.  Yesterday when I fed him he acted like he forgot how to eat over the weekend and didn’t like the squash anymore. So, tonight I mixed the squash with some rice cereal and he liked it again.

Next I plan on making sweet potatoes and then carrots. After that I think we will do green vegetables. I saved green for last because I am less certain how to make them.

I’ll try not to just post pictures of him with different colors food on his face!

This week Matt and I are working on getting our house up for sale. We have a real estate agent coming over on Friday to look at our house. Pray that we are able to sell the house quickly! We really need to be out by November.

Lots of cuteness

Wow! It’s been a while since  I posted. I have all kinds of cuteness to catch up on. Of course it’s all about Jackson!

Jackson has had all kinds of play dates recently. The first one was with Courtney and Katelyn. You can see it here. Then we had another one with Katelyn and Joshua here. 

Tuesday I got my hair cut for the first time since I had Jackson. It was WAY overdo. Grammy met us at the salon to watch Jackson. He soon had a crowd of girls oooing and aahhing over him. And of course he loved it and was smiling and talking!

Later that night Jackson had applesauce for the first time. He did NOT like it!

He kept squishing up his face when I gave it to him. I ended up mixing it in his oatmeal and he ate it that way. When daddy came home I showed him Jackson’s yucky face and he thought it was hilarious. He kept asking me to do it again, Jackson did not appreciate it and let us know by pretending to gag when I gave him the applesauce. He used to do that when we gave him the bottle too. I think he thinks that if he gags we will take it out of his mouth. Smart boy!

I finally made Jackson laugh again! I pick him up in the air and he laughs and laughs!

Daddy is way jealous because Jackson won’t laugh at him. I am so going to enjoy this while it lasts. This is probably the only time I will ever be funnier than dad!

Today we went to visit Grammy. She was having some friends over so I volunteered to meet them and let them follow me to her house. Jackson was so glad to see Grammy he held onto her finger so she wouldn’t get away!

Jackson had a friend to play with today.

Graham showed us all the things he knows how to do! He’s SOO BIG!!

BYE BYE!

After his nap Jackson had some Tummy Time on Grammy’s bed.

Mommy did not plan our trip very well. I didn’t think we would be there for Jackson’s dinner so I didn’t bring any of his food or bibs or spoons. I just brought bottles. We ended up staying until 6:30, so I had to improvise for his dinner. He took his bottle as usual, then I made him some bananas since Grammy had some on the counter. I put a burp clothe over him and fed him with one of Grammy’s jam spoons! He had to eat in his car seat since I didn’t bring his bouncy seat. He didn’t seem to mind. He loved his bananas!

He ended up eating a little more than half of a banana!

When we got home Jackson wanted to relax with a glass of wine. He tried to steel some from Daddy!

It’s hard work being a man cub! He needed to chill out after all of his cuteness!

I can’t remember what night this was but Jackson was so tired after his long day of smiling and being awesome, he couldn’t stay awake eating his dinner.

Poor baby!

Well, I think that is enough cuteness for one night!