My Favorite Time...

As mentioned earlier, bathing Jackson has become my favorite family activity!  Although it is short lived, it is worth every second!  We tried our other towel, the one that ties around your neck and then you can use it to cuddle with after...what a difference!  Usually coming out of the bath is the end of fun for Jackson...and the tears and screams - although short-lived - happen!  Now, that counteracts our 'relaxing' bedtime attempt!  So, this towel worked like magic!  Jackson went straight from the tub to being bundled in my arms and was a happy happy camper!  

I am going to hold on to these moments and enjoy every second of them as I am reminded daily by others how short lived this time really is and how precious these memories are.  

One squeaky clean baby and one happy big sister!  Kisses and smiles all around!

xoxox  

Baby Einstein Mat Time!

We have been trying to maintain our outings this week!  They help the days pass and give us some good practice and experience to gain some confidence!  Today's excitement involved...

A trip to the doctor's office where Jackson has passed the 9 pound mark and is doing very well!
A trip to the lumber store to pay for our deck supplies (delivery Thursday - Yippee!!)
A nap at home...for me and Jackson while Trevor had some computer time! (okay, this isn't an outing, but was exciting!!)
A dinner out as a family! (although Jackson slept through it!)
Some play time on the Baby Einstein mat we got for our shower!  (a highlight of any 'awake' period!)

As I was talking while taking photos...he tried to look my way!  

Mid head lift!  I can't believe how strong he is already!

Kia had to get in on the excitement!

He actually was able to get one finger hooked on the star...very exciting!

Who can resist baby faces!

Jackson was getting hungry and latched on to Trevor's nose!!  I tried to tell him he wouldn't want anything that he would get from sucking on that - but he gave it a good ol' fashion A+ effort anyways!!!

In the Hood!

Last night we were at my parents and had him dressed in his adorable hoodie!  When we got home this is the cuteness we found!  

After we got home, we gave him his bedtime bath...and he was rocking some sweet hair afterwards!  It was funny because he was so awake and had this crazy hair and these big eyes!  Gotta love him!  Bath time is one of my favorite activities with Jackson!!  On his trip over from the change table to the bath, he decided to give daddy a pre-bath spray down!  As a result of daddy's panicked response, the dish washer, stove, and mommy got a pre-bath spray down too!

Sweet Baby Boy

Here are some pics from tonight of our little man...

(I have a belly button now!!)

xoxox

Sharing the Attention!

So, Kia has been very very good with all the changes that have occurred in the past couple weeks!  This being said, when I busted out the camera this morning to take some photos of Jackson, she immediately stood in between me and him to get her mug shot taken!  It's funny because I used to always take photos of her!  So...Trevor had mowed the lawn and picked weeds in the yard yesterday so I thought Kia and I would go out and throw around the frisbee for some alone time...I think she loved it!  And of course, she got her time in front of the camera!  

How Far We've Come...

It feels like a lifetime ago...but really just less than a couple short weeks ago we spent our days watching our little man in the intermittent care nursery waiting and praying that we could take him home and watching the monitors and babies around us.  Here are a few shots from our first real visit where we got to pick him up and spend some quality time with him...

At this visit, the night after he was born, they taught us how to 'unhook' him so we could have some true cuddle time...I remember never wanting to leave the nursery...

This was Trevor's cot that they set up in my room for him.  

Thank You to Caitlin who took care of Kia so we could be together during this time...

a priceless gift it was...

I can't believe how much Jackson has changed just in the past week...I look back at these photos and they actually brought tears to my eyes as I remember the highs and lows of our first few days with our special son!  We are so blessed.  

Now for MY exciting news!

For months now...and I do mean months (at least four!)...I've been unable to wear my wedding ring.  It sucked and I hated it...but my hands and feet were just so swollen.  I wanted to wear it around my neck - but Trevor kiboshed that idea...afraid it would get scratched or lost!  I am also thankful I was able to wear flip flops because I don't think that any of my shoes would have fit my poor poor feet near the end!!  

Well, as of yesterday, I was officially able to fit my finger back into my ring - and boy does it feel good to wear it again!!  I so very much missed being 'married'!  haha.  My feet have also very much shrunk back down and it is now not so painful to walk or even move them!

Before 

(Not sure if you can actually tell how huge my fingers are! This is the morning after the c-section.   I had an IV in for over two days at this point.)

Now!

(Starting to feel like myself again!  I was worried we would have to have the ring resized...but just 10 days after our little man, it fits!  I'm a married woman!  Trevor is equally excited believe it or not!)

Before

(This was the day we came home - it wasn't even capturing them at their worst!)

Now!

(I have bones and toes again!  I also have a wicked husband who painted my toes for me! Thanks honey!)

    

BIG NEWS - - - I have a Belly Button!!

So this morning while I was changing our little man in the bright morning sun...I was shocked to see that the little black plug was no longer on his belly button!  I couldn't find it, but was sure it wasn't there!  Anywhos....good news is we found it later on and it's true...little Jackson officially has a belly button!  I am relieved as the whole umbilical cord falling off thing freaked me out!  (There was a Sex and the City episode where Meranda's cat took Brady's umbilical cord and was playing around with it - - - so I always worried the dog would find it before me!!).

Other than that - we got a lot done around the house yesterday and even ran a couple errands as a family!  We hit up Walmart, Blockbuster, and DQ!  Phew, slowly but surely we are adding to our outings!  I know it will get easier and we will be more relaxed about it all soon enough!  

This morning I snapped a couple photos while Trevor was entertaining Jackson!  He has longer and longer awake periods where he just absorbs the world around him!  

Talk soon!

Big Kiss from his Big Sis!!