Summer is near!

It's obvious from the latest pictures of Jackson that the weather is getting warmer. He loves to walk around in his diaper and would prefer to be naked if we let him! He helped his daddy put together his new "cadillac" jogging stroller - it's nice and plush! We've been exercising almost everyday so I decided it was time to get a stroller more conducive to this active lifestyle. Plus, Jackson loves that he can sit up high and prop his feet up on the foot rest. We've also been working in the yard; I'm trying to do potted plants so we can take them with us when we move. So, Jackson and daddy strolled around in the buggy while I picked out things (see picture above). We've also been playing with the twins since they (finally) returned home on Mother's Day. We were so glad - we were getting kind of bored with no one to hang out with during the week. We all went to the zoo yesterday since the weather was so gorgeous. This is the first picture above - Jackson enjoyed playing around the trees at the picnic area. Though we quickly figured out that May is not the best time to go - it was filled with tons of school field trippers (and very few chaperones to control them). This weekend the pool opens in Trophy Club - we can't wait to try out the toddler area!

Jackson also loves to pull folded clothes out of the basket (as I've mentioned before) but he has now taken to actually crawling in the basket and playing. His daddy them pushed him around in the basket like a bumper car. They both had a blast...

The Beat Goes On...

Jackson is still walking everywhere and having a ball. We went to the library and TownSquare today and I let him hold my hand and walk around the fountains. It is like a whole new world has opened up to him - well, I guess it has actually! He did head right for the mud though - just like a little boy. No one ever said being a mother is boring, that's for sure. We bought a new jogging stroller yesterday and Jackson likes riding in it. He sits up much higher and gets a better view; and boy does he love to go to the lakes and watch all the ducklings. As I've mentioned before, there are quite a few sets of ducklings in the lakes near us. We walk almost every evening (all five of us). Though last night Maggie, the chunky one in the family, refused to walk with us so I had to bring her back home. Now I'm looking at her laying on her side next to me with that big potbelly hanging out and thinking maybe I should have forced her along. But, she is stubborn like the little German she is! Anyway, we're trying to enjoy the last few days of spring here before we are smacked with the summer heat. It's getting close to pool time though!

Hopefully we will all be in shape by that time... Have a great Wednesday!

Jackson's new PJs!

Jackson has been sleeping great lately - I'm not sure if I should attribute that to his new big boy PJs (courtesy of Mimi), the fact that he's eating more or that he hasn't been sick at all. I'll just claim all three! Everyday he gets better and better at walking and is now trying to break into a run, well actually it's more like a jog but you get the picture. He especially loves chasing after the wiener dogs! We had a wonderful mother's day and I got the cutest card from Jackson and his daddy along with the beach chair cover I asked for and breakfast in bed! I can't believe this was my second Mother's Day; though last year I was still recovering from Jackson's birth one week earlier. So, this year, my little man is a walking, talking (okay, jabbering) sweetheart and I love it! We had lunch at Aunt Debbie's house, punch at Miss Molly's with "the playgroup gang" and a long walk around the lakes looking at all the baby geese and ducklings. We finished that up with a game of soccer in the front yard - the weather was so beautiful! Jackson had a blast kicking the ball around. I would pick him up and he'd kick both feet at the big blue ball all the while laughing to his heart's content. Maggie would chase the ball and that would get him going too; meanwhile, Gertie had run for her life to safety indoors.

We wish all the mothers, grandmothers, and "adopted mothers" the best and hoped they had a wonderful day! It was our one chance a year to ask for, and hopefully get, whatever we wanted; now it's back to fixing our own breakfast, grocery shopping, cleaning house, and so it goes...

He's a walking man!

Jackson is moving all over the place so I snapped a picture today of him walking around the house. He puts his hands out in front of him and smiles a great, big smile. He is so excited to have this "power of mobility" now! He's going atleast 15-20 steps each time before he falls down, usually by tripping on something, or by grabbing onto an object to steady him. He hasn't needed any additional prompting from us - he gets up and goes on his own now. When I'm in the kitchen, I hear his little feet pattering down the hall towards me and I can tell he's walking. He'll turn the corner with that big grin and make a beeline for me. It's a blast!

He also loves to take things out of baskets, buckets, drawers, toy boxes, his highchair, etc and throw them on the ground. I got a picture of him doing this to my nice, fresly folded clothes in the basket. I made the mistake of setting them on the stairs and he got busy undoing all my work. Laughing the entire time, of course!!

The Propane Guy

This picture is dedicated to my friends at Creative Communications - I saved a propane shirt last year in hopes I would be able to put it on my little boy and here's the proof that I did! Now I'm hoping this will secure him a spot on the front of the LPGA (Louisiana Propane Gas Association) magazine.

He is walking so great and it's such a sight to see! He smiles so big - he knows he is doing something really great. He takes about 10-15 steps before something trips him up but we think he is doing so well so fast. Of course, he still crawls but that will continue for a while. But he is standing up more and more on his own and taking the initiative to walk - especially when he is holding something or walking towards me or David. I hope to figure out how to post video to the blog and would love to post for everyone to see. I know that everyone I've spoken to is anxious to see him in action!

We must go - we've planned a Cinco de Mayo gathering at the Bellm's house and need to get packed up for that. Fiesta!!

*The sleeping picture is obviously not with the propane shirt but it was just too cute not to post!! He hugs up on his pillow just like his daddy...

Happy Birthday to Jackson!

Well, "Bubbles and Ice Cream in the Park" became "Bubbles and Ice Cream at MawMaw's House" due to the terrible thunderstorms that passed through Trophy Club about an hour before party time yesterday. But, the party really was a success despite this setback. We'd made Plan B on Friday night when the weather girl (J Lo on NBC) told us that storms were heading our way for Saturday afternoon. We hoped for the best all day but when the sky turned black about 2pm we knew our plans for the park were doomed. So, we pitched the tent up on MawMaw's driveway and let all the party invitees know that we would be at 612 Indian Creek instead. I thought this might discourage some but thankfully they all showed up ready to celebrate Jackson's big day. All in all, we had over thirty people, including 13 kids! The rain did give us a break and stopped right as everyone was showing up. So, the kids played inside with all the toys before David cranked up the bubble machines outside and they were pulled away like magnets outside to enjoy the fun. With bubbles floating everywhere, we enjoyed the cupcake cones and ice cream sundaes. Jackson couldn't get enough of those cupcake cones - he had two! We sang happy birthday to him and let him blow out the candle (the wind actually did most of the work). He looked around trying to figure out why everyone was singing and looking at him... We then went back inside for presents and a little more playtime. Though we didn't have the same amount of room we would have had at the park, everyone really enjoyed the chance to catch up and visit in a more intimate setting. The kids just went wild with all the toys and the bubbles - it was like one really big playdate.

So, a BIG thank you to MawMaw and PawPaw Little for letting us use their home as our Plan B backup. It was a wonderful day and one we all won't soon forget. Like Grandma Little said after everyone left, "Whew, I'm tired!" In fact, it might take me a few days to recover but I would do it all over again every week just to celebrate our little boy coming into this world.

I also have to admit how thankful I am that so we have so many wonderful family members, friends and playgroup buddies here. Only a few months ago, I was devastated to leave Baton Rouge and start all over again here in Texas. One of the most daunting things for me was finding new friends for myself and for Jackson (especially knowing how much he loves other children). Well, last night as I lay in bed with my back throbbing from all the intense activity of the day, I felt "my cup runneth over" with all the things we've been blessed with here. I can't even tell you how happy this makes me! We've seen family members we saw only once or twice a year now on a daily basis, we've made the most wonderful of friends and Jackson has the best playgroup buddies a kid could ask for! I really do mean that...

So, happy first birthday to Jackson David Little! A year ago today, we were all in our room at Woman's Hospital with this tiny little one day old and scared to death about being parents. We had no idea what to expect and could only hope we would develop the skills to be the best parents we could be. Now that we've made it past this year, I actually feel like an "experienced" mother. As we begin this second year, I still have apprehension about what to expect but I know we can do it and that every day will be a blast.