Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Number 4

You currently have ear infection #4. I have been told by your pediatrician that it's time to set up an appointment with an ENT to see what we need to do next. I have a feeling that you will be getting tubes sometime soon. I can't believe that you have had 4 ear infections in less than three months.

On a happier note, you are officially crawling. This evening you got up on your hands and knees and you took 3-4 "crawls" before flopping on your tummy. Maybe tomorrow you will crawl even further...

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Scooter

Daddy's new nickname for you is "Scooter". You have really learned how to get around by scooting. It's not quite a crawl but almost. Every time you are on your belly you get up on your hands and knees and you can move a tiny bit, but that isn't good enough for you. You resort to scooting to get where you want to go.

You are also pulling up to standing A LOT! You pull up on daddy and me. You pull up on your crib, on the couch, and whatever else might be around. Today during nap time I heard you up there squealing in delight. I peaked in on you and you were standing up in your crib even with the rail up! There's no stopping you. You were so proud of yourself. Somehow you got yourself back down and eventually went to sleep...an hour past your usual nap time.
You still seem to be teething. You haven't had any more teeth break through but you continue to gnaw on everything! You have learned how to pull your mat up and you even gnaw on it!

Saturday, January 24, 2009

"Horsing Around"

I am entering this photo in a contest at Five Minutes For Mom. The winner receives a Rocking Horse to Love. Visit the site to see other entries and to leave a comment if you like this picture.

You are 7 1/2 months in this picture. This picture reminds me that every day you are more and more a little BOY! This was after we got home from church on Sunday. You had just been baptized and I wanted some sweet pictures of you in your Baptism outfit. We put you up on the window seat and you thought it would be fun to dive off. Every time we sat you down you made a dive off the edge. If you look closely at the picture you are up on your toes ready to jump! Thank goodness Daddy was there to catch you!

Monday, January 19, 2009

The Blessing

You were baptized yesterday. It was such a wonderful morning and we had family and friends there supporting us which made it even more wonderful. Pastor Reeder has asked the parents of the child being baptized to write a blessing and then the father's speak that blessing to the child and to the congregation. Here is the blessing daddy and I wrote for you:

Isaiah 64:8 says, "But now, O Lord, You are our Father, we are the clay, and You our potter, and all of us are the work of your hand."

Jackson, you are the precious work of our Father's hand. Our prayer is that you will come to know your heavenly Father as your Savior and your Potter. We pray that you will be molded into a man of God, a man who seeks after God. We trust that the Lord has a perfect plan for you and we pray that you would allow Him to shape you: your faith, your walk, and your life as he sees best, so that you may have an impact on this world for Him. The Lord declares, "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand..."
Amen!

Friday, January 16, 2009

"Happy To Be"


I love how easily you smile and laugh. Even in the midst of a runny, congested nose, constant sneezing, coughing, and ear pulling you are just "happy to be." You are happiest when I'm down on the floor reading you a book, or when we are snuggling in the bed, or when daddy is whispering in your ear, or tickling your tummy. There are so many things that the Lord is teaching me and I know He wants me to be "happy to be" (content wherever He has me). How many times do I wish a day or time away? I was reminded through another blogger that:

"In the big picture I desperately want time to slow down so I can hold them a little longer, but I confess, in the day to day, I wish far too much time away. So this year, I am trying to savor more moments. Every moment seems way too ambitious, and doomed for failure, but I know I can grab hold of just a few more a day." http://thediaperdiaries.net/slowing-down-to-the-finish/

I truly want to savor every minute with you because I know I will never get this time back. So while I think to myself, "I wish it were Spring so it wasn't so cold", or "I wish it were Summer so I wouldn't have to go to work", or even "I wish it were the weekend so I could rest" I am ultimately wishing time with you away. Because it's in those freezing cold days that I get to snuggle with you and play peek-a-boo under the covers and it's going to work that makes me even more excited to be with you when I get home and more appreciative of our time together and so many other things that I won't be able to remember or enjoy if I am wishing time away. So thank you Jackson, for being "happy to be".

Monday, January 12, 2009

Sick Again

I know you are probably wondering if I am going to keep a count and blog every time you get sick. No, probably not...but maybe, because it seems to be a very big part of your life and it affects your mood, schedule, etc. Well if you're wondering, yes, you are sick again and yes you have an ear infection. This morning the doctor told me that the ear infection was mild which means that I caught it early this time. I guess I am just amazed that from October 31 to January 12 you have been sick three times and have had three ear infections. Other babies that I know of don't seem to be getting sick as often as you. The part of me that wants a reason for everything wants to know why you keep getting sick. "What am I doing wrong?" I often ask myself. I have been encouraged by a couple of friends that it really has more to do with the baby then with anything else. A lady told me yesterday, that of her two children, who were both in daycare and both exposed to the same things, one had constant ear infections and eventually had to have tubes, and the other only had one or two. All babies are different I was reminded. So there might not be an answer to my questions of "why" other than you are just you. I am trying to give the Lord my "mommy-guilt" and not be burdened about what could I do different or better. I pray over you each day and I know that the Lord is guiding my steps as I care for you. You are being baptized this coming Sunday so I hope you are feeling better by then...it will be a big day for us all.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Nursery School

This was your first week at what I call Nursery School. You are now attending the nursery at Riverchase Community Church 2 1/2 days a week. I found myself counting the hours and minutes until I could go and pick you up. It has definitely been a long week but I think it will get easier as you make the transition. The main problem is that you are used to taking naps in our quiet house in your own crib so you are having a hard time napping while you are there. You only slept for 30 minutes to an hour each day. And of course if you don't get your sleep then you are very fussy. Your teachers seem very nice and it seems that they truly care about the way I would like things done and what works for you. Of course they are just getting to know you so it's a transition for everyone. Daddy drops you off in the morning between 8 and 8:30 and I pick you up around 3 on Wednesday and Thursday and around 12 on Friday. I am glad that Daddy drops you off because it would be hard for me to tell you goodbye. I do love to see that sweet smile when I come to get you though!

Monday, January 5, 2009

A New Year

You are seven months old today. As we are already 5 days into the new year I wonder what exciting and unexpected things the year will hold for you. I am certain there will be good days and bad days but I am looking forward to each one. My Christmas sadness didn't last long as we quickly entered the new year. The Lord has given me a sense of being refreshed and ready for whatever each new day may hold. I was very motivated by the sermon on Sunday...to be FIT for the new year (faithful, intentional, and teachable)...and I find myself looking forward to what the Lord will teach me this year. I am already so amazed at what the Lord has taught me just by being a mom. He has certainly increased my faith in Him and continues to show me that you are in His hands and how I can trust Him in all things...in little baby things and big life changing things! Just last night I was brought to tears when Daddy and I thanked our Lord for giving us the biggest blessing so far...you. You truly are a blessing and I continue to be amazed by how much I love you. So much that I cannot put it into words. And if I love you that much how much more does our Heavenly Father love you and me?

New things: You are getting closer and closer to crawling! You can get up, on your own, on all fours and rock back and forth. You have also started picking your hands up but you still aren't going anywhere. I wonder how long it will take you. On Saturday you pulled yourself up from sitting to standing on your own for the first time. You were sitting in your crib and you grabbed on to the side rail and pulled yourself up...better start keeping that rail up! We have introduced the sippy cup but so far you aren't too interested. You have taken a couple of sips of water but you didn't care much about it.
Learning to Crawl