baby proofing

speaking of, someone needs to get to baby proofing...

disclaimer - no baby was harmed in this video making.

SAHM

Let's get real, there are days when I wish I had to go to work, as in a real job. Not just for my sanity but mainly for his safety...

pootin

Pootin is funny, I don't care how old you are...

9 months

I am popping my collar for my 9 month pics - really my mom has not done my laundry in weeks and this is all I had left!

Jackson was not interested in taking his 9 month photo. The boy has figured out how to 'walk' holding onto hands, furniture, walls, toys, Greta and he does not stop moving.

stats

Jackson had his 9 month check-up today, I know I say it every time, but I really cannot believe he is almost 9 months! So maybe I am a tiny bit biased but the doctor pretty much confirmed he is a perfect sack of sweet snuggling sugar.

Height - 29.4 inches (86%)

Weight - 23 lbs 13 ounces (91%)

Head Circumference - 18.5 (91%) - whew

In other news, I found him like this when I went to get him from his cat-nap this morning. We lowered that crib just in time!

Oh great, now how in the heck do I get back down?

birthdays

Pops or Willie-Daddy or Gpa... the name is still under debate (Jackson could call him pootface if he wanted and he would still love it) but Happy Birthday to Jackson's grandad!

Just me and my grandad, we both have blue eyes and when we make our 'serious face' we look just alike... (we also both sport receding hairlines, just saying)

family fun day

Jersey Mike's has been rockin it this year, keeping Charlie nice and busy perfecting the art of the sandwich. Yesterday he took the whole day off to hang with us! (thanks uncle Clint)

An attempt at the ever important self-timer family photo during our picnic at the Duke Gardens.

This kid loves the water, and this photo is already giving me nightmares.

Museum of Life & Science has free Wednesday afternoon admission! Jackson's favorite thing in the whole place were cords that you can pull just like the forbidden blinds at home!

Horsey Horsey go to town...

be mine

Happy 1st Valentine's Day to my little sweetheart and 12th-ish to my big one! Jackson woke up extra early this morning to snuggle with his parents and make sure we knew just how much he loved us... Then he took me to lunch at Jersey Mike's and now we are waiting for salted fudge brownies to get out of the oven! We are forgoing the V-day dinner crowd and instead hanging out at the park (70 today!), drinking some wine, cooking up risotto, and watching a movie (ok maybe The Bachelor).

If I was a good cook and Jackson slept really late and I had lots of coffee, I would have made these, for obvious reasons! If anyone wants to make us some feel free!

Chatting with my mom over v-day lunch - don't you like my chicks dig me shirt?!

Rise and Shine...

And give God your Glory, Glory

Rise and Shine

And give God your Glory, Glory

Rise and Shine

And give God your Glory, Glory

Children of the World.

My dad used to sing (for those who know my dad they have heard his outside voice a few times...) this upstairs to us as our wake-up call. I despised it. I was so tired from staying up late talking on the phone and now I had to get up at 7:30am, to go to school, to hang out all day with my friends, and then to soccer practice?! Ohhh the agony...

This song pops in my head when Jackson sings (maaaa, mamaaa, maaaaa, mamamaaa) dowstairs for a 5:30 am wake-up call. I try to embrace it because I know soon enough I will be waking him up for school.

I like to do some downward-facing-dog in the morning to get my blood flowing...

I don't need to nap, I am not tired!...

game time

It's a big day around these parts. The Duke vs. UNC basketball game. Since this blog is mainly about Jackson, I will not elaborate on my feelings... I fully expect him to grow up a tarheel (who despises Coach K if his dad has anything to say about it), but I will not let him stay home from school when they lose or run on Franklin Street when they win (unless he goes to school there). I will look on the bright side, he has a lot better chance of going to some basketball games at the Dean Dome over Cameron Indoor.

stud

Jackson's Justin Beiber look...

yummm...

Jackson had a big weekend of visiting lots of friends in Wilmington and showing off all of his new tricks. He has been busy standing, his record-breaking time (according to his dad) being 10 seconds. He loves to pull up on everything but is not so fond of crawling. He thinks he can stand up on his own but instead gets twisted into a downward-dog-yoga-ish looking position until someone comes and helps. Maybe he is just trying to tone up after all the eating he does! Speaking of, I made a big batch of Turkey Vegetable Soup to take down to with us. The recipe is courtesy of Jackson's grandma; super easy and delicious and I think you should make some now.

1 lb ground turkey breast

1 onion, chopped

2 jars of Newman's Own Sockaroni Spaghetti sauce

1 can condensed beef broth, undiluted

1 and 1/2 cups water

1 can petite diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can rotel, undrained

1 16 oz. package frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

1/2 t. pepper

Cook turkey and onion in large skillet. Combine with remaining 7 ingredients and cook on the stove for about and hour and a half. Makes 4 quarts and taste even better when you reheat it.

spring is near...

The official groundhog has spoken; No Shadow, Spring is Near! I sure do hope he is right. Today was a windy 70 degrees and Jackson and I soaked it in with some walks and milkshakes. I needed a day like this to remind me that spring will soon be here...

awkward self photo, Jackson refused to look the at camera because he is embarrassed...