Jackson's GQ look, except for the hair!

For church this past Sunday, we dressed Jackson in his new clothes courtesy of Aunt Macie and his new navy shoes courtesy of Mimi. Boy, did he look cute! Just check out the pictures above... Anyway, that afternoon, I took a nap and David decided to have a photography shoot with Jackson because he looked so darn handsome. Yesterday, I downloaded the photos and came across the shot of his hair looking, a bit humorously, like a mini-mullet. I believe most of you know what a mullet is (short in the front, long in the back). I was aghast! Surely my child was not growing a mullet. I checked him over and got a few opinions from others and decided that it is really not this bad in person - the collar on the shirt emphasizes it, really it does... However, we are hovering dangerously close to needing a haircut! I just know it will break my heart to lose those ends that were his baby hair. It's acknowledging that he is no longer a baby and is now becoming a little boy. Anyway, I would love to hear your thoughts - what do you think about cutting his hair???

As for more updates, Jackson is still doing great and trying many new foods. He's now hooked on the baby size goldfish and loves when I make sweet potato fries at home. He is also eating chopped up turkey wienies - I don't think we'll ever have beanie wienies though (ugh, I just can't stand the thought myself). Of course, he still throws up on me about once a day for eating things he finds on the ground or hidden under things. I find myself cupping my hand in front of his mouth so often that I'm wondering if I should just carry around a bucket... He's getting so tall and is wearing a size four shoe. He is now pointing and reaching for things he wants which is wonderful in a way because I'm able to better understand his wants but it is also annoying when he's does it for me to hold him all the time.

And, can you believe it? His eighth, yes eighth, tooth has broken through on the top - so now he has four across the top and four across the bottom. I realized this when he put his finger in his mouth and touched the new tooth , then I discovered what (and where it) was hurting. Again, a big help! Today we will be taking Easter pictures and this Sunday we'll be doing pictures of all three of us in the bluebonnets now in bloom here. Now that he is a Texas baby, I thought it would be a nice keepsake picture to have. And they are really beautiful, even more so than I imagined. However, I think the name "bluebonnets" is a little deceiving as I find their color a bit more like royal purple (which is a welcome sight for a homesick LSU Tiger).

Happy Tuesday to you all!

2520 Morgan Lane - Update!

I've posted pictures from the recent activity on our house. It is coming along at very rapid pace. It is so exciting to watch the progress everyday as we near completion (one more month to go). The stone and brick work is almost complete on the exterior of the house and the painting, staining and wall textures are complete on the inside. All of the granite has been put in place, which includes the kitchen and master bath. The tile work is almost complete on all three showers/bathrooms though they haven't begun work on the flooring just yet. We did have a minor speedbump when we realized the backsplash subway tile was not the correct color. What you see in the pictures is a much darker version of the backsplash we chose. However, it was quickly removed and they are waiting on the correct one to arrive. Yesterday, they installed sinks and grouted the tile as well as installation of the electrical wiring.

We are so thankful to have the opportunity to make this house our home!

Happy Birthday MiMi! Not bad for 53 (sorry Mom)!!

We dedicate today's blog to Mimi who is celebrating her birthday today - We love you!

This morning we hosted our playgroup's weekly playdate at our house for the first time. Whew - 7 kids and 5 adults and not nearly enough toys to go around. I can't imagine how "Octomom" does it; oh, wait, she doesn't! If I had around the clock nannies offering their help for free, I don't think I would complain that their bossy attorney was at my house barking orders. But, I guess I am pretty used to dealing with bossy attorneys! Anyway, it was very fast and furious with kids going everywhere and the dogs staring longlingly from the other side of the babygate. You know those two think they're people so how dare we exclude them from the group!? Jackson slept through the first 30 minutes or so but once he joined the group he got excited that all these people were here to see him. I did take a few pictures from the affair (posted above). The kids all range in age anywhere from 4 months to 2 years. So, needless to say, it's always exciting. Jackson was especially disturbed that his puppies were behind the gate and then proceeded to get a little jealous when I finally let the dogs out and they ran to play with the other kids. We're still working on that sharing thing but it's pretty tough when he's the only child. We're also working on him not being so rough. I told him that girls don't like it when you pull their hair, but boys just don't get it! Molly, the sweet little girl in our group with curly hair, is just too much for Jackson to resist. He can't keep his hands off that hair and he pulls hard (I know this because he pulls my hair constantly).

On a different note, I'm sitting here watching him chew on everything he can get his hands on and wondering how long I can let his hair grow before it starts looking like a mullet. The back is getting pretty long and the front doesn't want to catch up. I just can't bring myself to cut it though. Oh well, maybe mullets will come back in style soon??

Happy Thursday to you all and check back tomorrow for pictures and updates on the house. It's coming along so nicely!!

"Hi, I'm Billy Idol"

Last night, Jackson got a little "punk rocker" with a mohawk hairdo in the bathtub. You can give his daddy all the credit for this one! I must admit, it was too funny and Jackson loved the fact that we kept laughing at him. He enjoys being the center of attention...

Anyway, his daddy insisted he looked like Billy Idol, regardless, it was great. It really shows how much his hair has grown lately. He's finally getting a head full and with the sun he's been getting lately as we spend more time outside, it's turning a golden, sunkissed color.

Fun Times in DFW

Aunt Macie and Auntie Em left this morning and we were sad to see them go. It was a short trip and one that started with a major temper tantrum from Jackson. We woke him up on the wrong side of the bed Friday afternoon! It only took a few hours for him to warm up though and by the end of the trip he was sad to see them leave. As they pulled out of the driveway, he was leaning to look around the car and watch as they drove off. In less than 48 hours, we had a lot of good times. Friday we toured the new house and went to downtown Grapevine to some of the great little wineries and bars. We spent Saturday around Southlake and then headed to Dallas for a night out with Em's friend Matt and Eric. We went to a great little bar called "The Londoner" that reminded us of the great pubs in London. The weather was beautiful so we sat outside and did plenty of people watching while viewing the beautiful downtown skyline at night. I really felt young again - it was so wonderful! Thanks to MawMaw and PawPaw Little for keeping him both nights. This is one of the great luxuries we have of being so close to family... The times we have with our friends is so priceless.
Jackson is really walking a lot these days - with help of course! When you hold his arms, he takes off and loves it. If we could just get him to let go, he'll be on the run in no time with me chasing behind him. Maybe he'll be walking by Easter for the two Easter egg hunts we have planned with our playgroup and at the park.

Jackson and his little green wagon...

Yesterday, Jackson and I decided to tackle the job of putting together his wagon that Nana and Popa gave him for Christmas. With the weather so nice lately, I thought it was time we start using the wagon to go to the park. This was great excitement for Jackson because, as some of you may know, he has quite the fascination with wheels. With the wagon turned over, I began putting the wheels on and he would go behind me and spin those things for what seemed like forever. When his daddy got home, they went around and around the driveway in the wagon. When David finally stopped, Jackson started stomping his feet for his daddy to go again. That is one thing my son has gotten from me - he will let you know when he wants something or is displeased with you.

I'm going to get a little wistful now so please let me indulge. Last night we downloaded all the video from our camera that we have taken since BEFORE Jackson was born (in March of last year) while I was pregnant. We were able to go through the video and see snippets of his short, but full life. What an amazing journey we have been on for the last 10 1/2 months. Watching the video from right after Jackson's birth reminded me of the misery I went through but I would do it again in a heartbeat to have him in our lives. He is such a happy, loving, sweet little boy who has given me so much joy.

Okay, enough mommy indulgence for one blog posting....

Our new house - 2520 Morgan Lane!

I've attached some pictures from our home which is in the process of being built. It will be complete by the end of April and we plan to move in early May. We have picked out all of the granite, wood flooring, tile, carpet, etc. and are anxiously watching as it is worked on every day. It is here in Trophy Club in a new subdivision called "The Highlands at Trophy Club." We are one of the first few homes to be built in the neighborhood but they will continue to develop around us as throughout the year. We are within walking distance to all three schools here in Trophy Club (elementary, middle and high). We are also very near parks, the community pool, playgrounds, tennis courts, ballparks, etc. It was such a great fit for us as a family. We're a little nervous about purchasing a two story but decided that in order to get the square footage we wanted, this was only available in a two story in this neighborhood. We feel like this is a home we can grow as a family in and plant our roots here. As my mom says, it is very important to children to have a place they can call home and where they can find stability.

I'll continue to provide blog updates on the house as we progress. We will have plenty of room for guests so we hope to see all of our friends and family very soon!

Wow, It's been a while...

It has been too long since my last blog posting! I've got lots to cover. First, Jackson had a wonderful visit with his Nana and Popa last weekend. We were able to ALL celebrate Popa's birthday together. Even though the weather was frightfully cold and wet, we still managed to get out and enjoy some of the town. Jackson also got to see his cousins - Olivia, Bailey and Kaitlyn. What a wonderful time that was! I've posted pictures from those visits. On Monday the weather was beautiful, so we spent much of it outside at TownSquare and Central Market where we had lunch, shopped, enjoyed the fountains and finished it off with some ice cream. Jackson couldn't get enough of his cousins and they all became fast friends. We look forward to our trip to Florida with them this summer. They are constantly providing attention (which he craves) and an interesting distraction for him - which helps take the load of Mama to do those things. I'm even more convinced he is a social child that needs that interaction with other children regardless of age. He thrives on this...

As for updates, well, we've got plenty. Jackson is now eating Cheerios and goldfish crackers. My new friend Rhonda from our playgroup tells me that this is the beginning of the table food stage - she insists they have made it to the bigkid table once they have their cheerios and they never go back. Let's hope this is true. He really is doing so well with his eating. He had sweet potato fries on Wednesday and is eating "toddler" cookies by the handful. It's so funny to watch him in this stage as he gets the food all over his face and licks his hands. We haven't let him try with the spoon yet but he grabs for it and really wants to take control of that part as well. That will be next on our "to do" list, I guess.

I must end with a great story about my wonderful husband and his unmatched parenting skills. On Sunday as we were going through the "Book of Secrets" for buying our home with the real estate agent, Jackson decided to fill up his diaper. David, as always, is so good about offering change him so he took him out to the car to do the deed in privacy. Well, a little while later, I go to the car to get Jackson's bottle and I notice he has left the dirty diaper on the seat next to the Clorox Disinfecting wipes that I keep in the car for spills and dirty items. The thought crosses my mind but I push it away, "surely he didn't use these to wipe Jackson's dirty behind?!" I go back inside and ask him which wipes he used and he tells me "the one with the green top." Guess what? That's right, it was the Clorox wipes. So, he wiped Jackson off quickly with a wet napkin and we didn't have any immediate effects but I did find it humorous. He gets points for trying!

We are very excited about our visit from Auntie Em and Aunt Macie this weekend and will blog again very soon about their time with us and our little man.

Jackson's Dinnertime Follies

NEWSFLASH

Jackson Little ate macaroni and cheese (shaped like bunnies) for dinner last night. He carefully chewed and swallowed each one without gagging! This is one giant step for my little man. We were so proud of him. And, the dogs dutifully performed their clean up duty.

I'm posting the picture of Jackson from our walk yesterday. We try to get him out everyday for some outdoor activity. He loves strolling the lake near our house and watching Maggie and Gertie chase the ducks and geese. Yesterday, while feeding the waterfowl, two large geese came floating by looking for food. When Maggie and Gertie began their "hunt" on the banks the geese started hissing - it sounded just like a snake. I have never heard of this before. Am I the last to know that geese hiss? Guess I should watch a little more Discovery Channel.

So, we hope you enjoy the picture...

Vomiting, PooPoo diapers, drool, runny noses...

These are the things I get to play with all day long. I feel like I am constantly cleaning up Jackson's bodily fluids. He throws up at least once a day - usually from swalling a leaf, plastic, paper, or just about anything he can get his little hands on. Now, some might say that is my fault for leaving this stuff lying around but, trust me, I try to pick things up. He must have some sonar that helps him find this stuff hidding in corners, under rugs, and the like. And the PooPoo diapers - I would love to be regular as he is! At what age can we start potty training??? I'm ready now - maybe I'll just let him run around the yard with only a t-shirt on and no diaper. Would the highclass people of Trophy Club love that!? They would kick us out of here faster than we can say "poopoo diapers." (That comment was for my mother and Lee).

He's still got a cold and that nose just won't stop running but today is our last day on the antibiotics so I'm hoping this is the end of our nemesis, the ear infection.

Here are some Jackson updates for our loyal followers: he is now eating grated cheese - we spread it on his high chair top and he plays with it and carefully puts it in his mouth (and on the floor). So, we have tried and tackled a new texture of food. Also, he is doing so GREAT with his attempt to walk. He's now only holding on with one hand and moving around. He will let go for about three seconds and once he quickly realize what he's done, he'll grab the furniture or leg quickly. Once my lovely husband gets our camcorder in working order, I plan to get this on video! Oh, and his crawl is so funny - he pushes off his left knee and looks something like a crab while doing this (again, hard to picture so will have to get this on video). He's still climbing the stairs and loving it but he has taught himself to come down - which is apparently pretty amazing that he's taught himself that and is coordinated enough to put his leg down behind him and move down. So, these are our latest in the Jackson chronicles.

Now, I must go change a smelly diaper. Until next time....

Jackson and our greatest nemesis - the ear infection

Well, we were on a roll - Jackson hasn't been sick since his last day of daycare on January 15th. But, yesterday that all changed. We took him in to see the doctor and he has an ear infection along with a nasty little sinus infection. The doctor actually classified his ear infection as an "angry red." So, we're taking a round of antibiotics and hoping it will get better soon. He's still the sweetest thing ever, despite feeling so terrible.

I have noticed that he is extra clingy when he's sick and that was so sweet until it started getting really old as the day drug on. I know he just wants a little TLC but I'm exhausted from holding him all day and trying to get him calmed down. I was counting the minutes until daddy got home to help me out - and of course, Jackson's hero did arrive and saved the day. He can't wait to jump in David's arms the minute he walks in the door. He's stuck to me like velcro all day long and the minute David gets home, I'm lost in his dust. But, I think I knew all along it would be that way, especially when I started staying home with him. Besides, right now his daddy is his favorite toy (second only to the dogs and the stairs) and you just can't beat that. When I was pregnant, I would always joke with David that he will be the fun parent and I'll have to be the more sensible, not-so-exciting one. You know, I'm okay with that because we balance each other out perfectly and I get so many wonderful moments with him all day that I WANT David to experience that special feeling of having this little person need you so much. When he looked up at me today with those sad "mommy, I don't feel good" eyes, my heart just melted and I was reminded of how much I am needed. What a special feeling...

We, as parents, talk about this all the time - how amazing it is to have this little person depend on you for everything, including, at minimal, survival. Though I have come to the conclusion that we need them just as much. I'm not sure how at this point I can survive without HIM. My heart goes out everyday to parents who have lost their children and I can't imagine that loss. But, that fear is not something I want to dwell on, it's just too scary; so instead, I tell myself to make the most of everyday and try to relish it as much as possible. That's one of the reasons I write this blog - I want to record these moments in time (and permanently save them on the internet) and look back on them through the years. Maybe Jackson will get a kick out of them too when he's grown - I just wonder if the internet will be around then or if I'll have to save all of these to some other form of communication (maybe I should ask Al Gore if he has any new inventions planned)!

Jackson's "Stairway to Heaven"

I've got some new Jackson updates. First, I am so proud of him for FINALLY eating some solid food without gagging. He is now munching down on the Gerber Graduates puffs and I think he actually enjoys it. Whew, hopefully this means we are past that stage and can get on to eating favorites like Mac N' Cheese, potatoes, chicken fingers, etc. I also believe this means dinner time will start getting messier so I'm trying to prepare myself for that, but I'm just hoping the dogs are reading for some major clean up duty!

Second, Jackson is finally saying "bye bye" and understanding what it means. So, hopefully we'll have a chance to show off his skills to some of our visitors coming this month when their trips are over. Now, I'm working on getting him to wave "bye bye" but that's not coming as quickly.

Finally, I'm posting some pictures of Jackson and his "stairway to heaven." When mom was here, we let Jackson loose on the stairs to see just how far he could go. Well, in less than a minute he was up those stairs and never looked back. Now that he has a taste for the fun, he can't stay off of them. Hence the baby gate at the bottom of the stairs. He does NOT like this obstacle blocking his path to the top, and boy does he like to get to the top. He will climb those stairs, which make three turns and starts screaming when he reaches the top landing. One day I'm expecting him to jump around with his hands in the air like Rocky Balboa after making the climb (hear now in your head the "dunna dun dunna dun" Rocky theme song). So Mom says it's fitting that I have a little daredevil on my hands; one that loves heights just like his mommy did as a child. For now, I'm just hoping he's satisfied with the stairs and doesn't start climbing on cars like I did.

Yesterday Jackson was exactly ten months old (on his Aunt Macie's 29th birthday). I can't believe how fast he's becoming a big "little" boy. Does time always go this fast with children?

I'm attaching a picture of the Little family - Jackson, David, his dad and great-grandmother make four generations. I know this will be a picture to cherish for years. He is ten months old and his great-grandmother is in her nineties, how amazing...

Hello Again!

Hi Everyone,

Sorry we haven't made any new updates lately so today we're going to do 2. My mom (Jackson's Mimi) came to town on Wednesday of last week and left on Sunday. We stayed so busy that getting on the computer just never happened very much.

I'm attaching some pictures from that visit. It was so wonderful to see her and spend time with her - Jackson was really missing his Mimi. I didn't want to bring her to the airport when the time came for her to go home. This got me thinking about another one of those "mommy moments" we all will go through. Right now, I have such a hard time leaving Jackson for one night (I've only done it twice since he was born). How do you deal with your child leaving for college and then moving to establish their own family roots? I thought back to those times my mom cried so much when I went to high school and when she left me in Herget Dorm over ten years ago. When I dropped her off at the airport, I got in my car and just cried and remembered and finally understood what she may have been going through. Now, watching her go and knowing that we won't see her for two months is just heartbreaking and I know it must be difficult for her as well. As a mother, does it get any easier to leave your child and know you won't see them for weeks or months? I don't think so. I think you may deal with it better but it never gets any easier. I look forward to those milestones with Jackson because it will mean he is making the journey of "life" but I also dread those days and know that one day he will have to leave me. This mommy thing is so tough and it never gets any easier. I do have to say that it makes you appreciate your mom so much more...

On that note, I want to say thank you to my mom for making the trip and for being such a good mother to me (in the past, now and always). And thank goodness it will be atleast another 17 years before Jackson heads off to college!