MOPS & Pictures

Time for Pictures!

Let's go to Mops!

Jackson and I are currently on the waiting list to join MOPS. MOPS stands for Mother of Preschoolers. We were invited to the meeting this past Tuesday because one of the members was going to be absent. Her child happens to be the same age as Jackson, so there was a place for him in the nursery. However, after about ten minutes of nursery time, Jackson decided that he would rather stay with Mommy. The nursery lady brought him to the fellowship fall, and he sat in my lap while I munched on some yummy breakfast foods. After eating, we moved to the sanctuary to watch a speaker on video. Jackson fell asleep and got a wonderful nap. We then moved to small group time, where Jackson explored the room and ate crackers. He was perfect! I was so proud of him! I loved MOPS! It was a lot of fun, and it was so good to have some adult interaction.

On Wednesday, we had family pictures taken by Mayfield Photography. We met at Quarry Rock, which was beautiful. It is located in Downtown Greenville, and it is a great spot for photos. In fact, there were two other photographers there taking pictures while we were there. I am anxious to see the proofs. I am sure the pictures of Jackson will be great!

Much Needed Vacation

Tired Little Shopper
The Great Pumpkin

Dixie Stampede

Dixie Stampede

We left for Pigeon Forge on Saturday morning and returned around lunch on Tuesday. We had such a wonderful time. Jackson was great! He wasn't fussy a single time when we were eating out. We decided to go to the Dixie Stampede because we received some coupons that would save us $15. We were a little concerned because children three and under have to sit in a parent's lap during the show. However, Jackson was perfect! He watched the show and didn't even attempt to grab food from our plates. He fell asleep during the last few minutes of the show and slept until we were back at the hotel. We changed his diaper, put him in his pajamas, and laid him down. He went right to sleep. We are so blessed to have such a good baby!

Jackson is nine months old today. Time passes by much more quickly after you have a baby. It is so hard to believe that we have had him in our lives for a whole nine months. I am so ready to spend the holidays with him. I can't wait for him to see the Christmas lights and wake up on Christmas morning to see what Santa has left him.

We are headed to the pediatrician tomorrow for Jackson's nine month checkup. It will be interesting to see how much he has grown. I'm sure he will be glad to visit without having his ears checked. He has had to have them checked at his last four appointments. He absolutely hates having his ears checked.

Jackson as of Lately

Jackson is all over the place! He crawls all over the house and pulls up on everything. He has become quite the Mama's boy, as he does not want me out of his sight. He cries if I leave the room. The past two Sundays at church, the nursery workers have had to come and get me because he was crying hysterically. He still refuses to nap in his crib. He has now starting fighting sleep in the swing and even when I rock him. He is so fussy, especially in the afternoon. I'm just not sure what's wrong with him or what to do. My guess is that he is probably teething. He still has no teeth! He is absolutely addicted to cheerios and cheetos. He would rather snack than eat, which means I have had to cut back on how many snacks he can have each day. He has also starting refusing his bottle. Yesterday, he took a total of twelve ounces, which is half of what is recommended for his age. We went to the pediatrician yesterday to have his ears rechecked. He screamed when they put him on the scale, when the doctor listened to his breathing, and when she checked his ears. He has never really been a crier, so this is all pretty new to me. He has become pretty attached to his pacifier. He used to take it when he was tired, but now he will suck on it off and on all day. Maybe it's because his gums hurt. I still give him a cup every day or two, but he still hasn't figured out how to get the liquid out of it. We will keep trying. On a very positive note, he is sleeping really well at night. He will even let us put him down, and he will go to sleep on his own! This is huge! We used to have to rock him to sleep each night and then put him in the crib. He doesn't mind sleeping in his crib at all at night, but he absolutely refuses to nap in it during the day. I think it might be because it is so light in his room during the day. We are thinking of buying a darkening shade to see if it helps.

No to Napping

Getting Jackson to take naps has become a real battle. He will gladly take a nap in my lap, but that is the only place he wants to take one! He used to nap in his swing all the time, but he has now decided he doesn't want to do that any more. If you are a mom, you know what I mean when I say that I hate to hear him cry. However, it looks like that's what he is going to have to do. I have started putting him in his crib at nap time. I read that I should let him stay in there for one hour before I pick him up, even if he cries the whole time. I do watch him on the baby monitor and go up to check on him every fifteen minutes. I put him down at 9:00 this morning, which is his regular morning nap time. He cried the entire time! When I brought him down at 10:00, he wanted to fall immediately asleep in my lap. I wasn't about to let him do that after listening to him cry for an hour. It would undo everything I am trying to accomplish. I put him in his swing, and he slept there for an hour and fifteen minutes. I put him back in his crib at 2:00 this afternoon. He cried for another solid hour! I brought him down at 3:00 and put him in his swing. He fell asleep about forty minutes later. At least he didn't cry or fight sleep in his swing. He just relaxed in there until he finally dozed off. I know this is going to be a battle, but he will eventually learn. It absolutely breaks my heart to hear him cry, but I know this is what will be best for him in the long run. He can't sleep in my arms forever, even though I really wouldn't mind! :)
The second battle with Jackson is getting him to wear a bib while he eats. He has decided that he hates bibs. If he is wearing a velcro bib, he rips it off. If he is wearing one that snaps, he refuses to eat until I take it off. This child has a mind of his own!
He is sleeping in his swing as I am typing this. I am in the process of making a chicken broccoli casserole and chocolate chess squares. :)

Busy

We have been really busy over the past couple of weeks. My mom came to visit us last week, and we had a wonderful time. It was so nice to go out for lunch and eat something other than sandwiches. I think I should start getting out of the house more often. I think it was really good for Jackson and me to go out and about. Fred was in Indiana for a work trip the first half of the week my mom was here, so it was really nice to have some company.

Everyone in the Roberts' household has been under the weather. Jackson developed an ear infection a little more than two weeks ago and just finished his antibiotic this past Sunday. He still has a runny nose and cough, and he is not sleeping well at all! He has not been going to bed until after 10:00 P.M. and getting up during the night. On Tuesday night, he woke up every two hours! We are all exhausted. Fred had his wisdom teeth cut out last Thursday, and he is still experiencing some pain. Fred has never been one to take medication unless it is extremely necessary, and he is still taking Tylenol about three times per day. I went to the doctor on Saturday with a sore throat and pain in my ears. By the end of Saturday, my nose was also pouring; and I was sneezing a good bit. I finished my Z-pack yesterday, and I am feeling a good bit better.

Jackson started crawling last week and pulling up this week! I just look at him in amazement. Where did my baby go? He is now such a big boy and Mr. Independent. He has also started sleeping in footed pajamas. He had gotten a little too long his his sleep sack. I think he likes the pajamas because it is easier for him to move around and pull up.

I had hoped to make this post a little longer, but Jackson is fighting a nap as I type. I better try to get him settled down.

Jackson is Crawling!

It's official. We have a crawler. Jackson started crawling on August 16. I was playing with him on his mat, and he saw a red ball that he wanted. He took off after it like he had been crawling for months. He is already a pro. I will have to keep my eyes on him for sure now.

Please enjoy this video of our big boy! :)

Almost! :)

Now that Jackson is at the big boy age of seven months, there are so many things that he is "almost" ready to do. The first thing on his list of "almosts" is crawling. He has gotten really good at getting on his knees and even scoots up a little from time to time. However, he just hasn't figured out how to move his hands and knees at the same time. I seriously think he will take off any day now. He tries so hard.

His second "almost" is saying Mama. He has mastered the MMM....part but needs to add the ama to the end of it. I will say Mama over and over to him, and he just laughs. I am seriously hoping he says Mama before Dada. Fred will never let me forget it if Jackson says Dada first!

His third "almost" is eating puff cereal. We just started giving it to him this past weekend. One of the skills eating this little cereal helps with is the pincer reflex, a.k.a. grasping something between your index finger and thumb. He is able to get the cereal in his hand but has trouble releasing it from his hand into his mouth. He has been successful twice.

"Almost" number four is drinking from a sippy cup. He has had one successful attempt at this. We usually give him a sippy cup at least once a day. He is getting some good practice. He knows how to hold the cup and to put the nipple in his mouth. However, he just chews on the nipple instead of sucking. We will keep practicing.

I can't believe my sweet baby has grown so much over these past seven months. He is super at sitting by himself now. I walk into the sunroom, which now seems to be the playroom, and am simply amazed at how he is sitting there playing with his toys and flipping the pages in his books. The little guy is really growing up on us way too quickly!

Party Time!

Butterfinger Trifle

Peanut Butter Balls

Cake Mix Cookies

This past Saturday, Fred and I had some friends over for lunch. Fred invited some of the guys from work, as well as their families. We had a wonderful time and look forward to having everyone over again very soon. There were around fifteen people. The menu consisted of BBQ chicken, macaroni & cheese, sweet potato casserole, baked beans, and rolls. For dessert, we had cake mix cookies, peanut butter balls, and Butterfinger trifle. Fred also made his famous sweet tea. I think everyone enjoyed the food and the fellowship. Jackson was a real trooper. He did get tired a few times and took a couple of naps. The pictures above are of the desserts. I forgot to take pictures of the other food.

7 Months Old

Happy 7 months, Jackson! I can't believe we have had our sweet baby for seven whole months. It seems like just yesterday he was born,d now he is overthe place. GiGi and Pop gave him a walker, and he is on the move! Fred and I have to watch out because he will run over your feet. Jackson's new hobbies include taking things off the refrigerator doors, pulling the blinds from the windows, and opening the kitchen cabinets and drawers. We have to keep our eyes on him constantly. He has also started fighting sleep. He only wants to sleep in my arms, and this poses a problem. As much as I love him, I can't sit around the house all day and hold him. He has stayed up fighting sleep until 10:00 the past three nights. He usually goes to bed between 8:00 and 8:30. I don't know how we are going to fix this problem. He is almost too big for his lamb swing, which is his second choice for taking naps. He will have to start napping in his crib, which is NOT where he wants to be. He cried for over an hour today when I put him in his crib for his morning nap. I would go up and check on him every few minutes to make sure there wasn't anything really wrong. He just didn't want to be in that crib. He stayed in the crib from 8:50 until 10:15. As soon as I picked him up, he stopped crying immediately. I think we just might have a spoiled baby. I hope he will adjust to his crib very soon.

Cow Appreciation Day

On Friday, July 9, Fred and I decided to celebrate cow appreciation day at Chick-fil-A. We both dressed up as cows to receive free combos. I was amazed at how many people participate in this event. There were cows everywhere! The restaurant was packed! We have decided to make this an annual event for our family. Next year we will dress Jackson up as well. By then he will be able to enjoy his free kid's meal. Here's a picture of me in my cow costume. Fred took his off before I was able to snap a picture.

Teething

Jackson is now teething. It is so hard to see him in pain. Teething tablets have been a huge help. He can have them four times a day, and they are all natural. They have no side effects, which makes us feel much better about giving them to him. He hasn't had a tooth break through yet, but his gums feel swollen. He loves chewing on his frozen teething ring. He started juice last week, and he seems to like it. He is now eating three times per day. He has oatmeal for breakfast, a fruit and veggie for lunch, and oatmeal and fruit for supper. He also has a bottle with each meal and a bottle between meals. He usually takes one nap in the morning and one in the afternoon. He has been going to bed between 8:00 and 8:30 and sleeping through the entire night. :) This also means that Mommy has been sleeping through the night. He is such a blessing, and we love him more every day. I can't believe how quickly he is growing. Here's a picture of our little teether.

Happy 4th!

Fred, Jackson, and I had a really good 4th of July. We didn't do anything special; we just enjoyed spending our day together as a family. We did dress for the occasion. I wore a blue dress, Fred wore a red shirt, and Jackson wore his official "Baby's First 4th" outfit. Our little firecracker is really growing. Here are a few pictures from our fun day.

Jackson is Six Months!

Wow! I can't believe our sweet baby is already six months old! Time has passed by so quickly. We went to the pediatrician yesterday for his six month checkup, and he is perfect! He now weighs 19 pounds, 9.5 ounces and is 28.25 inches long! He is such a big boy! I am trying to talk Fred into having six months pictures made but have not had any luck so far. Jackson had three vaccinations yesterday and did great. He only cried for two seconds, literally! He did get a little ill last night, but a small dose of Tylenol made it all better. He went to bed around 9:45 and slept until 7:15 this morning. He has adjusted so well to sleeping in his crib. We are working on getting a nap routine, but we still have some progress to make in that area. Here is a cute picture of our six month old.

On the Go!

Jackson and I had a wonderful time hanging out with GiGi and Pop last week. My parents arrived in Greenville on Saturday and stayed at our house until Wednesday morning. After breakfast on Wednesday, we headed to Pigeon Forge. We had a great time in the mountains. We were on the go constantly, and Jackson was such a good little sport! He really is such a trooper! My parents went to a show for the first time during the trip. They have been going to Pigeon Forge for over twenty years and have never been to a show! It's hard to believe, right? We went to the Black Bear Jamboree. I really think they enjoyed it, and Jackson had a great time. He slept for the first half of the show, woke up and took a bottle, and danced for the remainder of the show. Fred and I always enjoy going to the Black Bear Jamboree, and I am glad my parents finally gave in and saw it.

I cannot believe that my sweet baby will be six months old tomorrow. Time has gone by so quickly! He smiles and laughs all the time. I don't think it will be much longer before he starts crawling. He has definitely mastered rolling over and scooting. He is not able to sit alone yet, but I can tell that he is getting stronger. I have to admit that we are looking forward to the day when he can sit in restaurant high chairs and shopping carts so that we don't have to carry around his car seat.

Thanks to GiGi and Pop, Jackson now has a high chair at home. I think he likes it. It had gotten dangerous to feed him in the bumbo because he tried to flip over in it. He is much safer strapped in the high chair. It also comes in handy when Fred and I are eating supper. We can put Jackson in his chair while we eat instead of trying to hold him. He constantly grabs at cups and plates. He would love to have a bite of food from the table.

I will try to post an update tomorrow of his height and weight after we visit the pediatrician. I am guessing he is a little over twenty pounds now. I know my opinion might be biased, but I think he is the cutest baby in the world. :)

Here are a few pictures from the trip and of Jackson in his new high chair.

Busy Morning

I got up around 6:45 this morning. Jackson was still asleep, so I made the bed, threw some laundry in the washing machine, washed bottles, ate breakfast, and took a shower. He got up around 7:50. I changed diaper and clothes, gave him a bottle, and put him in his bouncer while I got dressed and put on some makeup. The I grabbed the grocery list, and we headed to Publix. I managed to get the grocery shopping done in about thirty minutes. The morning hours are the best time to hit stores, especially if you are taking a baby along. Jackson was so good in Publix. He loves going out and about. I guess he gets that from his Mommy. :) When we made it back home, I put away the groceries while Jackson played. He started getting sleepy, so I put him in the swing. While he napped in his lamb swing, I made a coconut cream pie. By the time I finished the pie, Jackson woke up and was ready to eat. He ate half a jar of green beans and half a jar of pears. He played for a few minutes before getting ill. I tried giving him a bottle, but he wouldn't take it. He was sleepy again and fell asleep when I put him in his swing. This gave me time to grate some cheese for lasagna and wash up the dishes I used while making the pie. It was 12:15 by this point, so I sat down to rest before Fred came home for lunch. Jackson woke up as we were finishing our food, and he was ready for his bottle. We still need to go to Wal-Mart for diapers. I am pretty proud of myself for all I have accomplished today. However, I have to admit that I am tired. Jackson did not sleep well at all last night, and the lack of sleep is catching up with me. I am hoping that tonight will be much better. My parents will be here tomorrow, which makes me super excited. Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend! :)

Getting Ready for Visitors

Jackson's grandparents are coming to visit us this weekend. I still have a lot to do to get ready. I have already made my menu, but the condition of the house is another story. I did do some dusting today, but that's about it. I swept the floors this past weekend, but I'm sure they will need it again before GiGi and Pop arrive. I have already warned by mom that the house might be a disaster. Jackson has done a great job of sleeping in his crib at night, but he has decided that his daytime naps should only take place in my arms. I really don't mind holding him while he sleeps, but it does keep me from getting any housework done. When Fred got home from work, I was able to take a shower, warm up supper, wash dishes, and dust. I also got the Fourth of July decorations out of the garage.

My parents will be staying with us for four nights. On Wednesday, we will leave Greenville and head to Pigeon Forge for three nights. I am excited about getting out of town for a few days and hope we have a great time. I am also hoping the heat will not be too extreme and that Jackson will be on his best behavior. Of course, being his mom, I think he is always a good boy. :)

Jackson went to bed around 7:45 last night and woke up at 7:45 this morning. I got up around 7:10 and was able to eat breakfast and get dressed before he awoke. We went for a walk around 8:10, and it was so nice outside! I am really hoping we can get out early more often. The later we wait, the hotter it gets. I cannot believe how hot it is here! On Monday, we went for a walk around 9:45, and I was covered in sweat. Here's a picture of Jackson in his stroller after our walk this morning.

The Move Upstairs

Jackson has done so well sleeping in his crib. He has now slept there for five nights. Each night has gotten easier. He cried for the first two nights but hasn't cried since. We are so proud of him. He is becoming such a big boy. I have to admit, though, that I miss sleeping with the little guy. However, I think he gets more rest in his own crib. He has room to stretch out and move around. His nightly routine goes a little something like this: eat rice cereal (super yummy!), take a bath, put on pajamas and sleep sack, take a bottle, get in crib and listen to/watch mobile. We then give him hugs and kisses and say our goodnights. We watch him on the monitor. The past two nights, it has taken him about 5-10 minutes to fall asleep. We have learned that it is best to put him down when we first notice he is getting tired. He doesn't handle it as well when he has reached the point of exhaustion. Here is a cute picture of our little man.

Big Boy Jackson

Last night was Jackson's first night to sleep in his crib. Yes, we were the parents who let our child sleep in the bed with us. However, since he has become such a squirm worm, we felt it was time for him to move out. We used the method of waiting a certain number of minutes and then checking on him. It worked out well, and he really didn't cry very long. He was very happy to see us this morning. We put him to bed around 9:30, and he woke up at 7:00. He took a bottle and played in his activity center. Then we headed to Target and Wal-Mart. Shopping at 8:15 in the morning is so nice! We pretty much had Target to ourselves! I am hoping that the sleeping arrangement will get easier with time. Ultimately, we know it's the best thing for Jackson. We love him so much, and it's hard to hear him cry. However, I think he knows that we love him and would never do anything to upset him. We have a baby monitor so that we can see and hear him at all times. It is so nice being able to know what he is doing at all times without being in his room. It was definitely a great investment.

Free Yogurt

Fred and I have a Buddy's Lot membership. Buddy's Lot is basically a club you join to get unlimited coupons to certain businesses. A membership costs $25 and is good for one year. The membership easily pays for itself. If we didn't have this, we would rarely ever go out for dessert. One of the coupons is a buy one, get one free at TCBY. We went to TCBY last night for shivers. They accidentally made mine wrong and gave us the "accident" at no charge. Therefore, by using our coupon and getting the mistake for free, we ended up with three shivers for the price of one. What a deal! The freebie is currently in the freezer. I'm sure we'll get to it eventually.
I am definitely a firm believer in using coupons. We have saved a great deal of money by shopping the sales and using coupons. Since I am now staying at home with Jackson, every penny we can save is super important. We barely ever buy wipes or baby food without a coupon and only spend about $5 per outfit on Jackson's clothes. I always browse the publix ad before we go to the store. There are many times I can get something on sale and use a coupon, which is a double bonus. Also, Publix doubles coupons up to $0.50. There have even been a couple of times where I have saved as much or more than I spent.
We also have a membership to Sam's Club. Thank you to my parents for renewing it for us! We buy Jackson's diapers and formula at Sam's, which saves us a lot! We also get toilet paper, paper towels, batteries, and LeSeur peas at Sam's.
I can honestly say it gives me a good feeling to be a thrifty shopper and save money. Even if we were wealthy, I would still be clipping coupons. After all, a penny saved is a penny earned! :)

Wild Child

Well, I think it's official. Jackson is most definitely a wild child! He has so much energy and is so strong. Pretty much the only time he cries is when he is fighting sleep, which has become a very regular thing. He just hates giving in to taking a nap. Personally, I would jump at the chance to take a nap in a nice comfy swing while lullabies play and sheep spin above my head. I mean, really, wouldn't that be the life?
We are trying to get Jackson started on a nighttime routine. He usually eats his rice cereal and takes a bottle sometime after 7:00. He is in the tub around 8:00. He then gets in his pajamas and watches/listens to his mobile. Then it's time to get in the sleep sack and get tucked in. He did really well last night. However, when I went to bed, he immediately woke up. I think he has some kind of sixth sense that wakes him up when I enter the room. He sleeps in a pack n play in our bedroom because his crib is upstairs. Our plan is to move him upstairs when he starts sleeping through the night. By the way, when is that going to happen? People have always told us that he would start sleeping through the night once he started eating rice cereal. Well, he has now been eating rice cereal for a month. However, he now gets up more during the night than he did before he at rice cereal. What's up with that? On a positive note, he absolutely loves the stuff. He gobbles it down with a huge smile on his face. Fred tasted it but said it was pretty yucky. However, Jackson acts as if he's eating a steak or some amazing dessert!
Anyway, back to being a wild child. He is probably his wildest when he gets in his bumbo. I guess he feels secure enough in it to move around. He wiggles and sways so much in the thing that he can make you dizzy. He leans over the side and tries to touch the ground. I am honestly a little scared that he is going to turn over in it. I keep an eye on him and even have it on a padded mat on the floor, but he still makes me nervous.
One of his "tricks" is arching his back and leaning his neck back so far that it is difficult to hold him. I worry that he is going to fall over the arm of the recliner and hit the floor. To only be five months old, this baby is so strong. I am literally worn out by the end of the day. My arms feel like jello by 5:00. Thank goodness it's not much longer before Fred gets home from work.
Jackson is such a good little traveler. It doesn't matter if it's a long trip or a ride to the grocery store, he is such a good sport. He has somewhat learned to entertain himself for short periods of time, which is a huge help. It gives me time to throw some laundry in the washing machine or wash his bottles. It is also nice when we go out to eat because we don't have to worry about spending our meal time trying to keep him occupied. In the eyes of his parents, Jackson is perfect!
Here's a little video of Jackson having a good time in his Bumbo. Enjoy!

Jackson's First Bites

We have recently started Jackson on rice cereal and baby food. He has been on the rice cereal for almost a month now, and he absolutely loves it! The baby food is a different story. The pediatrician told us to try him on all of the vegetables before we start the fruits. He has to eat the same veggie for 5 days before he can start a different one so that we can make sure he doesn't have food allergies. So far, he has had peas and carrots. He despises the peas, but he did pretty well on the carrots. We are going to try squash tomorrow.

We didn't do anything exciting for Memorial Day weekend. The weather here was really bad. It rained pretty much the whole day. Jackson and I ended up sleeping a good bit during the day, and Fred did some cleaning around the house. He is such a sweet hubby! Fred and I also tried a new recipe. We made Paula Deen's lasagna, and it was delicious! The recipe is definitely a keeper. Fred also requested that I make a hospitality cake, and it is also great! Who says you need to go out to have good food? Here are a few pictures for your viewing pleasure. :)

Peas are yucky!

The Lady & Sons Lasagna

Hospitality Cake

Jackson's First Vacation

Jackson's first vacation was a huge success! He had a wonderful time and was a perfect little angel. We left for Pigeon Forge Friday night when Fred got home from work. We arrived in Pigeon Forge around 10:00. Jackson slept most of the way.

We woke up Saturday morning and ate breakfast at Mama's Farmhouse. It was outstanding! If you visit Pigeon Forge, I highly recommend the place. We then headed to the Tanger Five Oaks Outlet. Carter's was having a $5 sale, so Jackson got some new clothes. He is growing so fast. He is now wearing a 9 months. We stopped by the hotel for a little rest and a diaper change before going to the Incredible Christmas Place. I always get a personalized ornament each year, and I got to purchase one with 3 bears on it this year. :) We then went to Bennett's BBQ for lunch. It was really yummy. We did a little more shopping, and Jackson fell asleep. We went back to the room to let him take a little nap. For an afternoon snack, we went to the Apple Barn for a fried apple pie with ice cream. Outstanding! We browsed around in the shops at the Apple Barn and then went to the Old Mill Square to do some browsing. That night, we ate at the Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant. It was really yummy, especially the apple fritters.

On Sunday, we started off our day by eating breakfast at the Smokies Breakfast House. I had some delicious french toast, and Fred had peanut butter pancakes. We then headed to DollyWood. Jackson absolutely loved DollyWood! He didn't cry even once while we were there. We purchased a super cute picture of Jackson and one of the three of us. We also bought Jackson a little DollyWood outfit. Dolly was actually in the park, but we didn't see her. :( After leaving DollyWood, we ate lunch at the Pottery House Cafe. It was delicious. We then went back to the hotel because Jackson was exhausted. He slept for a couple of hours. Around 5:00, we headed to the Black Bear Jamboree. Jackson loved the show. He watched the entire thing! After the show, we walked around Wal-Mart while Jackson slept in the buggy.

On Monday, we slept late and then went to Red Rooster Pancake House for breakfast. I had the chocolate eclair pancakes, and they were out of this world delicious! You must try them if you go. We did a little more shopping before heading back to Greenville. The trip was a huge success, and we can't wait to go back! We had so much fun!

Brave Parents

Well, Fred and I are taking somehwat of a risk this weekend. Jackson has never been on any kind of a long trip other than to see his grandparents in Mississippi. Tomorrow night we are leaving for our first official family vacation. Yay! It will just be a short trip to Pigeon Forge. We are leaving when Fred gets home from work Friday and returning home on Monday. Hotel rooms are so much cheaper before Labor Day weekend, and we desperately need to get away. Fred has been working so hard on his DDR, and he deserves some rest and relaxation. While I am very excited about the trip, I am just hoping that Jackson will have a good time. He is really a good little sport when it comes to traveling, and I am hoping this trip will be no exception. I am also hoping the weather will be nice. There is a slight chance for rain, but it's not a big one. Fred and I have season passes to DollyWood, and we are looking forward to strolling our little bundle of energy around the park. I will do my best to make lots of pictures. :)

Jackson's Best Buys

I thought I would compile a list of the baby products that have been a tremendous help to us. As new parents, everything was pretty much trial and error. We would read reviews and listen to other people's suggestions. Some products that others loved were no help to us, and other products were amazing! Anyway, I hope this list will be helpful to those who are expecting or will be in the future. There are in no particular order. I am just listing as I think of something. I will try to give more details about the items in a later post.

1. Fisher Price Lamb Swing & Bouncer
2. Diaper Genie II Elite
3. Fisher Price Whale Tub
4. Summer Infant SwaddleMe Wraps
5. Halo SleepSacks
6. Soothie Pacifiers
7. Receiving Blankets
8. Bright Starts Activity Center
9. Bumbo
10. Graco Pack n Play
11. Lightweight Stroller
12. Graco SnugRide 32

I'm sure there are probably a few more items, but there are the main ones I can think of right now. Hope this is helpful! :)

Super Sunday

We have certainly had a busy day today. I got out of bed around 7:20 this morning to start getting ready for church. It takes us a lot longer to get out of the house now that we have a baby. Jackson isn't the kind of baby you can just put down while you are getting ready. He wants someone playing with him and paying attention to him at all times. However, we did make it out of the house in time. Church was really good this morning. We are going through a series of sermons of "Building a Strong Family." We are really enjoying the series and look forward to each week. Jackson really seems to enjoy staying in the nursery. In fact, they didn't want to give him back to us today. One of the ladies was enjoying snuggling with him. I am so glad that he enjoys himself. It sure makes his parents feel good about leaving him.
After church we went to Mutt's for lunch. We really like eating there. They have such good food, and the price isn't bad either. Jackson is also a fan of Mutt's, even though he can't actually eat anything. He seems to find the place peaceful and usually falls asleep.
After lunch we had a few errands to run. I had to take some shoes back to Target and a few pieces of clothing back to Kohl's. We also had to go buy Lowe's for Fred some heavy duty staples and Sam's Club for Jackson's jumbo can of Enfamil. By the time we were finished, Fred and I were exhausted. Jackson slept through all of the shopping.
I can't believe the weekend has passed by so quickly. However, it seems that it always does. It is always nice having Fred home, and I miss him when he's at work. I am hoping this will be a great week. There is a really large chance for thunderstorms tomorrow, so I guess Jackson and I will be staying in. Maybe we will catch a nap or two. :)

Procrastination

Yes, I have definitely been a procrastinator lately when it comes to blogging. It has been forever since I have posted, and I really have no excuse. It really is my goal to start blogging more often, especially since I have such a cute baby to talk about.

We made our second trip to Mississippi the last week of April. My sister was graduating from college, and Jackson and I just couldn't miss the big event. We stayed a total of two weeks. We had a ton of fun but missed Daddy (Fred) very much. We will probably limit our future visits to one week so that Daddy won't be so lonely.

Jackson & Aunt MM

Jackson is now 4 1/2 months old. We took him for his 4 months checkup this week. He is right on track. He now weighs 17 pounds, 3 ounces and is 27.25 inches long. He is now wearing a 9 months clothes and a size 2 diaper. He takes 6 ounces of formula every three hours. His big milestones for the week are rolling over and starting rice cereal. He seems to really like the cereal and is grasping the concept of actually swallowing it. We can start baby food in two weeks. I think Fred and I are more excited about this than Jackson. He loves sitting at the table with us and admires our food. I think he will really enjoy eating.

Rice cereal is so yummy!

Fred has been super busy getting things ready for his DDR (Detailed Design Review) at work. He has been putting in a lot of extra time and working super hard. We are ready for it to be over so that he can sit back and relax.

I guess that's about all the excitement currently at the Roberts' house. I promise I really will start trying harder to update more often. Have a great week! :)

Happy 3 Months!

I can't believe my sweet baby boy is already three months old. He is growing up so fast and is really developing his own personality. He is learning to use his hands more and has starting arching his back, which makes him very difficult to hold. He still adores bath time and loves admiring himself in the mirror. He enjoys playing with his daddy when he gets home from work. I started packing up his newborn size clothes, which did make me a little sad. He is growing like a weed and will be in a 6 months by this summer. Here is a picture of the little guy on his three month birthday, March 30.

Road Trip

Jackson and I visited my family in Mississippi last week. This was Jackson's first long trip, and he did extremely well. We had a fabulous time showing him off. Everyone thought he was just precious. My mom (now known as GiGi) bought Jackson some precious smocked outfits while we were there. We took him to have his picture made on Friday in his new duds. He was really good at first but wore out quickly. He just needed a good nap. He was so tired. However, I think we were still able to get some really good shots and can't wait to see the proofs. I'm sure GiGi will want to buy every picture! Here is a picture of Jackson in one of his big boy outfits.

It is hard to believe that he will be twelve weeks old on Wednesday. He is growing up so quickly. We will be returning to Mississippi the last week of April to see my sister graduate from college. I'm sure GiGi and Pop will be glad to have Jackson back! :)

9 Weeks

Jackson is nine weeks old! Time is going by so quickly, and I am loving every minute of being his Mommy. He is my whole word, and I love him more than words could ever express!

We go to the pediatrician today for his two month well check. He also has to get four vaccinations. I'm sure his little legs are going to be sore. I hate to think of him being in pain. Hopefully some baby Tylenol will make him feel better.

Growing Baby

Jackson went to the pediatrician yesterday for his one month well check. He now weighs 10 pounds, 15 ounces and is 23 1/4 inches long. I can't believe he has gotten so big! He is outgrowing his newborn diapers and clothes. I only have three more weeks before my maternity leave is up, and I am devastated. I can't even think about not being with him during the day. I know that he will be fine at daycare. I think I will have a much harder time than he will. Here is a picture of Jackson sporting his new Polo outfit that his grandmother gave him. He looks like such a big boy!

Taking a Ride

Jackson loves riding in the car. After listening to him cry for almost an hour today, I decided we would go to the bank. I have been needing to go for almost two weeks, and I thought this would be a good opportunity to solve two problems at once. As soon as I put him in his carseat, he immediately fell asleep. It is amazing how quickly he has associated that seat with getting to go for a ride. We left the house around 2:40 and headed for Regions. After leaving the bank, he started crying again. He cried all the way home, which was about a 20 minute ride. As soon as we pulled into the garage, he stopped crying. He was asleep again. It is now 5:30, and he is still asleep in his carseat in the middle of the living room. It looks like we might start going for rides on a more regular basis. I think it's good for both of us to get out of the house. I think we are starting to get "cabin fever." Here's a picture of Jackson in his beloved carseat.

We had his picture taken last Friday. He did really well for the first 30 minutes, but then he got hungry and sleepy. We gave him a bottle; and after that, he just wanted to go to sleep. We didn't get to have our family picture made against the black background like I was hoping. However, I'm sure there were still some good pictures of Jackson. I can't wait to get the pictures back. We went ahead and purchased the CD so that we could make copies for our families. I have already made over 200 pictures of the little guy, and he is only 27 days old. What can I say...I am one proud Mommy! :)

Family Weekend

My sister and mom came to visit us over the holiday weekend. They arrived around 3:45 Friday afternoon and left at 8:00 Monday morning. The weekend was so much fun and went by way too fast. This was my sister's first time to meet Jackson, and they immediately became best buddies.

My mom, sister, and I had a girls day on Saturday. We did some shopping and went out for lunch and dinner. It was my mom's first time to eat at Panera Bread, and she really enjoyed it. We went to Outback for dinner, and it was fabulous. We really lived it up. We had an appetizer, entrees, and dessert. Thankfully, we had gift cards, which meant we only owed around $16.

Fred and I have been racking our brains trying to figure out something that will entertain Jackson while we do things around the house. My mom had heard good things about the Fisher Price Lamb Swing from a friend. This swing is really good for newborns because they can lay back in the swing instead of sitting up. It also goes side to side instead of back to front. My mom bought Jackson the swing at Target on Saturday. Fred put it together on Sunday, and Jackson has spent many hours in it since then. Thanks, Mom! The swing has been a huge help.

We are going to have baby and family pictures made on Friday. I am hoping the turn out great! I really want to have some nice pictures of Jackson to hang around the house. I have already filled the mantle with pictures of him. We have plenty of empty wall space to display his cute face. We are so crazy about him and love showing him off. He is such a blessing, and we absolutely adore him! :)

Two Weeks Old

Jackson is two weeks old today. Time is flying by, and he is really growing. As I was looking at him today, I really noticed how much bigger he is now than when he was born. We went to the pediatrician on Monday, and his weight was 8 pounds, 11 ounces. His birth weight was 8 pounds, 7 ounces. He is really starting to look like a big boy. I am amazed at how alert he is and how he likes to use his hands. He had started taking 3 ounces of formula every three hours and loves to stay up at night. He usually ends up sleeping with us because it's the only way we can get any rest. He has been getting up two to three times each night, which really isn't too bad. He is such a happy baby and will steal your heart with his smile and big blue eyes.

The first picture below is Jackson at two weeks. The second picture is Jackson on his way to the pediatrician.

My mom and sister are coming up on Friday for the holiday weekend. My sister has never met Jackson, and I'm sure he will have her wrapped around his finger within a matter of seconds. My mom is crazy about him. We will probably end up arguing about who is going to hold him. I guess we'll just have to take turns.
I made an appointment to have some professional pictures made of Jackson on Friday, January 22. I am super excited about this and know that the pictures will be great. He's so photogenic. I'm sure I will end of spending way more than I intend to. Oh well. He's only a baby once.
Hope everyone is having a great week! :)

Our First Week

Fred and I survived our first week of being parents. Of course, having my parents here did help out tremendously. It's nice having some people to hold the baby, feed the baby, change the baby, wash dishes, fold towels, etc. I will definitely miss the help next week. Jackson and I will be spending a lot of time together, just the two of us.

This past Wednesday marked Jackson's one week birthday. I made cupcakes with blue icing to celebrate the occasion. I wish the sweet little guy could have had one, but he seemed content with just having his bottle. This little boy is crazy about his bottle.

We have only had one rough night since he was born. Jackson is not the kind of baby who cries just for the sake of crying. On Thursday night, he screamed for two hours straight. We came to the conclusion that he was having gas pains and gave him some mylicon. About fifteen minutes after we gave him the medicine, he stopped crying and went to sleep. I guess our assumption was right. I am so thankful we had the medicine. A big thanks to one of my teacher friends at school for giving us a medicine kit as a baby shower gift. The medicine smells sweet, and Jackson really likes the stuff. The bottle says it is safe for him to have it up to 12 times a day. However, we certainly don't plan on giving him that much. It seems that night is when he seems to have some pain issues. We are going to the pediatrician on Monday and plan to ask her if she has any suggestions for us. I did some research online and found that milk bank storage bottles were rated #1 for helping with gas. Fred and I went to Babies R Us last night and picked up a pack. So far, they seem to have helped. He has been burping better, and he doesn't cause the nipple to collapse on these bottles. Did I mention he has some major suction strength?

Here are a few pictures from the past week. He is already growing and changing from when he was born.

Jackson's Day Out

Yesterday was Jackson's first outing. We took him to the pediatrician for his three day checkup. The doctor said that everything looks great. He was so wonderful while we were there. I was so proud of him. A few people commented on how alert he is and how well he can hold up his head. He makes his mommy so proud. I fall more and more in love with him each day. His daddy and I feel so blessed.

My parents are here visiting and helping out with the baby this week. I am really glad they came, and their help is very much appreciated. I know they will have a hard time leaving, and Jackson will miss them. He has grown very fond of them while they have been here.

My sister is coming up for the holiday weekend, and I know Jackson will love her as well. There's just something about a baby that people can't resist. I will definitely be glad to see her, especially since I haven't seen her since June. We love showing off Jackson every chance we get. I suppose I am probably biased, but he is the cutest baby I have ever seen.

He slept almost the entire night last night, which made his mommy and daddy very happy. He only woke up once for a bottle and diaper change. I actually feel well rested this morning and hope to get out of the house a little tonight.

Here are a couple of pictures from his trip to the doctor yesterday. Did I mention that he loves to ride in the car?

Ready to go!

We love him so much!