Top 10 of 2010

Happy New Year's Eve! I stole a blog post idea from two of my faves, Savoir-Flair & In the Palm of My Hand, with my t0p 10 photos from the blog of 2010! (I can really only narrow it down to 637 but these are extra awesome) I loved going back through the blog and am so happy I have actually kept up with it.

1st look at my dad!

Some sweet sleeping.

1st shots, I got good thighs for them!

Learning to work the camera.

Humpty Dumpty, my moms all time favorite (so embarassing)

Getting my poots out.

Still got my baby blue eyes.

Mama loving.

1st snow!

Merry Christmas ladies...

Golden Year

Yesterday I turned 28 on the 28th, my 'golden year.' I don't see how it can be any better than last year, but I will give it all I got! Charlie took the day off work and we had a big breakfast with my family at Rick's Diner and then did a whole lot of relaxing. Jackson took 3 nice long naps, thanks to his dad, how does he do it? I was showered with unnecessary but very appreciated gifts; Target, Starbucks, & Anthropologie gift cards, diamond hoop earrings, an apron AND couples dance lessons! I like to dance (after a few stiff ones) but am well aware of my lack of rhythmic abilities. This should be interesting. Charlie and I topped it all off with an awesome dinner at the Fairview Dining Room at Washington Duke Inn. Best 'mom' birthday ever!

snowed in!

It is a winter wonderland here in Wilson. We got about a foot of snow (yes that is crazy for around here) keeping us snuggled up for another day; meaning more food, gaming and movies. Jackson did not come out of his pajamas all day and we loved every bit of it.

Putting my Pops to sleep...

Uncle Clint got a guitar, I am teaching him a few from my favorite CD, Brent Holmes Sea Tunes...

Snow ball fight!!

Merry Christmas!

"Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, goodwill toward men." -Luke 2:14

Merry Christmas!

My 1st Christmas outfit (I was too big to wear any real 1st Christmas gear)

Just me and my Grandma Farris makingSanta some cookies...

A Christmas morning crazy reindeer (cool cousin sophie)...

Opening some gifts Christmas Eve...

Sleepy early Christmas morning photo, Santa came!

Cousin Farris and I got sleds!

Christmas Cards

Both of our families have always done a Christmas Card, with a picture, the best kind. We got to continue the tradition this year with our own Christmas card picture of the cutest little elf I have ever seen. Merry Christmas everyone!!

Jackson Arthur Farris 1st Christmas

Winslow, Farris, Fowler Christmas Card

Farris, Carinci Christmas Card

7 months!

Talk about the best Christmas present ever, this jolly 7 monther...

Straight chillen on Christmas Eve!

santa!

The obligatory 1st Christmas sit on Santa's lap was a success! Jackson has not met a stranger and Santa was no exception. I walked in from parking the car for 'brunch with santa' and Jackson was already in his lap working on pulling his beard off.

Me and Santa - round bellies, that shake when we laugh like a bowl full of jelly...

I asked for some cool boxes and shiny wrapping paper and green bows...

from greta

Jackson has been gettin on my nervessss lately. He is always in my business and never wants to go on walks anymore because it is so 'cold' outside. Now he just pulls my hair and even trys to eat it, gross. He mostly wants to grab what is left of my tiny nub tail. Give me a break, it is all I got. He must think it is a nipple. Gotta go, here he comes trying to run me over in that walker. Help!

blogs

Check out Cat Wilborne's blog where she featured our family photo shoot! Speaking of blogs, one of my favorites is The Pioneer Woman, specifically the cooking section. Since we have officially started to eat our way to January, Jackson and I are currently making Chicken Spaghetti for dinner tonight. yuummmm...

cold!

It is cold out there folks, brutal for North Carolina (Greg Fishel said s0 himself). I am not a huge fan of winter. I know it will be pretty if it snows on Christmas but I wouldn't mind a mild 70 degrees. What are a mom and baby to do in this weather? The employees at Target are starting to call us by name... Jackson loves going now that he is big enough to sit in his cozy shopping cart cover and look all around grabbing for anything in his reach. He is quite the flirt with anyone that wants to give him some attention. And I don't feel as bad about taking a free cookie from the bakery and pretending to give it to him.

oh my gosh, it is getting freezing out here, can't smile anymore

pictures!

Professional pictures are just better. I had not done any of Jackson because they are expensive and I have a nice camera. Then we won the contest on facebook, Cat Wilborne Photographytook the pictures, got them back and I have been converted. I have looked at them all day long. A few of my faves...

caught

I did not think we would have to worry about this until next year. Alas, no Christmas tree if safe...

take-back

Remember the post where I mentioned Jackson sleeping like an all-star baby? I take it back. Maybe the monitor just wasn't turned on that night (whoops) or the benadryl (for me not baby) had really kicked in or Charlie had gone up to rock him back to sleep (pshh).

We have attempted, well not really, to let him cry it out. The Ferber method just does not work that well - for me. I feel like Cameron from Modern Family. Please tell me you have seen that episode, if not click the link. I usually head to his room after about 5 minutes, feed him, put him back in his crib and he promtly falls asleep. This is way easier than listening to him scream-cry for an hour. For now I will just go to bed with no expectations so when he sleeps through the night, pleasepleaseplease, I will once again be filled with Christmas joy.

shoes

Little baby boys can have cool shoes too! (thanks Sallie B) So maybe they aren't as cute as winter tights and Mary Jane's but if I have a little girl and she is anything like me she will mysteriously always have a nice big rip in her tights so she doesn't have to wear them. Why were they so itchy? I present to you Jackson's first pair of Converse All-Stars...

I will take a pair of these in a size 8 please...

snow!

Jackson's first snowfall. What a perfect day for some basketball, pizza, wine and lots of snuggling!

December...

And I thought it was still September. Time to break out the Mariah Carey Christmas CD and attempt to hit the O Holy Night note over and over, get ready for some serious car rides Jackson. We have lots of energy around here to pull out the Christmas decorations. Why? My little elf slept from 7:30pm to 7:00am, talk about an early Christmas present! The only Christmas decor we have out so far are some pretty sweet monkey pjs and a Christmas Peekaboo book that he loves!

yep, I can sit-up mom...

wonder if I can get that stocking in my mouth...

birthday wishes

Happy Happy 26th Birthday to my Uncle Clint!

Me & Clint on my first out to eat trip, of course, Jersey Mike's...

Clint (and everyone else) trying to get me to nap, I tried to tell them I wasn't tired!

whoops, caught drinkin again...

yesss

"All I do is WIN WIN WIN, no matter what! Got breastmilk on my mind, I can never get enough. And every time I step up in the nursery, Everybody hands go UP!!!..." (courtesy DJ Khaled and my dad)

THANKS FOR VOTING EVERYBODY! Jackson won the photo contest and we get a free photo session on Thursday with Cat Wilborne Photography. We are heading out to the North Carolina Botanical Gardens (in the cold), now what to wear? Wish someone would hold a shopping spree contest...

thankful

God is great,

God is good;

let us thank him for our food.

By his hands we all are fed,

give us Lord our daily bread.

I said this prayer throughout my childhood before dinner with my family. It is simple but gets straight to the heart of the matter. During our busy lives I appreciate the little moments when we stop and thank God. I am so thankful for this past year, it has been my best yet.

6 months!

I cannot believe it but Jackson is 6 months old today, as in half a year old, as in 6 more months he will be 1! What happened to the time? I wasn't sleeping that is for sure...
He had his doctors appointment today and I diagnosed him with pretty much perfect. He weighed 21 lbs 9 ounces (97%), 27.8 inches (90%) and he is appropriately growing a big ol' head 18 inches (92%). He is the perfect size for snuggling and loves for his momma to hold him while he sucks his thumb and strokes the back of my hair. I am loving this age! We celebrated the big 6 months at Dick's Hotdog Stand! His mom and dad put in many fun hours of work here.

mamamama

hmmmmmm, mamaaamaamaaa, mmmmm, mamamamaaa... This is what Jackson says when he is hungry, I'll take it! He is eating almost as well as he is spitting up. Still only had pureed goodness. I have thought about giving him something solid but he shoves everything down his throat so it makes me nervous. He did have some licks of his dad's strawberry fruit bar and was amazed! I am thinking of giving him some for real sweet potatoes (as in the Pioneer Woman Soul Sweet 'Taters) next week for Thanksgiving! In the spirit of Thanksgiving I think Jackson and I will watch some football and make this Mocha-Pecan Mud Pie today and see if it last till Thursday...

favor please!

Attention: anyone with a Facebook account! Log on, go to “Cat Wilborne Photography” and like her page. Then go to her holiday photo album contest and vote for Jackson by liking the picture. The winner gets a free photoshoot and my baby deserves it! If he doesn’t win, he might have to sit through another painful Christmas card photoshoot with his mom, like this one…

my sweetest boy

enough with the bright flash...

well hello ladies...

but really mom, I've had enough

Now, GO VOTE!