Inspiration, Jackson, and Me

I've been a little less than inspired lately, but just this week it seems as if Inspiration has been throwing itself at me like boulders from the gods. An awesome and random movie gives me insight to my own life, a visit with a friend is enjoyable and enlightening, snowflakes whip around me in all directions, and I finally feel the pull of the universe that is tugging me in the right directions. I realize that it is all in my mindset, how I see the day, and I'm just trying to have more days like that. It really is a stellar feeling and Jackson Daniel is benefiting in more ways than one.

Jackson smiles endlessly at my silly songs and dances, self-imposed rants, and recitations of old poems and stories that I had written so long ago. He thinks I'm quite the entertainer what he doesn't know is that he is the one that is entertaining me. We have learned (I guess it is he that has learned) how to stick out our tongues in mimic of one another and he babbles with me as I ramble on. I love to hear his voice develop as he tries on new sounds and shapes with his mouth. It is just so cool, and to think that we all started out that way.

Our boy is also growing Fast! He has grown out of most of his 0-3 month onsies and now wearing his 3 or 3-6 month ones. At his two month check up he weighed 12 pounds and 3 ounces, in the 60th percentile, and was 23 and 1/4 inches in length, in the 70th percentile. He is a big eater and his growth reflects that nicely.

Another new, and not so pleasant, change with our boy is his new "night cries." He seems to be having a hard time going to sleep lately and while a bottle is his preference to comfort him into sleep I refuse to feed him 30 minutes after he has already downed a 4 oz. bottle. Call me mean, but it just doesn't help with the gas that he combats daily. This usually ends with Jackson crying on and off for at least an hour while either Dave or I hold, rock, or walk with him until he finally shuts those sleepy eyes. Tough love is a new and hard concept for me as I'm sure it is with all mothers. It wears you down as much as it seems to wear the baby down, which generally leads to a deep sleep for all.

It has been such a pleasure to be home with him without the stress of study or school even though I know the madness is about to begin again so very soon. I have worked out a schedule where I will go to school for a few hours on Monday for a Lab in the evening and then Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 am - 3:15. I know I will be exhausted and yet it really seems that is a familiar aspect of Motherhood.

Lil' Jack Daniel would just like to say:


Yo! Peace.

School is Finally Out!

The fall semester is finally over for me. 3 A's and one class I'm not yet sure about, I did a bang up job considering that Jackson was born smack in the middle of the semester.

Jackson and I finally have some time to just hang out and dance around the house, one that needs a little attention, but my baby is far more important than a clean house. That is one major change in my perspective since becoming a momma. At one point clutter drove me absolutely nuts. Now as long as everyone is fed, clean, and happy my world is rockin'! I think babies are good to put things in perspective in general.

I look at lil Jack Daniel and realize that I love him a little bit more every single day. That overwhelming rush of elation and love that I felt when I first held him is nothing in comparison to how I feel now. I just wish he was a little bigger so that I could squeeze him that much harder ;).

Now that this semester is over it is time for Christmas. We finally put the tree up and Jackson absolutely loves to look at those lights. This weekend we are going to Louisville for Christmas celebrations with Dave's sister and mom. Jackson will get to meet his cousins for the first time, I know he will be excited and maybe a little disturbed to find that he isn't the only precious baby in the world. (I love the way I try to analyze his reactions, I'm probably so off but it totally entertains me.)
Now I'm just rambling to avoid doing something productive with this new found "free" time. I do want to update with some pictures first. I finally caught him in a smile! Turns out he has both my cheek dimples and his daddy's chin dimple! It is the sweetest thing to look at your child and pick out those kind of traits.


The smile that melts my heart!


Laughing. He gets so excited about something and will literally chuckle... sometimes he does this when he is laying in the pack and play by himself, I will think something is wrong, go and look, and he'll just be laughing at the mobile.


Momma's lil' thumb sucker.


Chewing on that hand again. This hand fascination is a new thing he started about a week ago.


Looking at the tree. Giving his hand some love again.

7 Weeks Old and Momma Has Finals

In hindsight I realize that I probably should have waited until the end of this semester to begin Jackson's blog. I have been utterly consumed with trying to prepare for finals and find little time to blog! Regardless, I have decided to do a short little update today.
Jackson Daniel will be 7 weeks old tomorrow. He's almost 2 months! I can't believe how much our baby has changed since we brought him home. He is alert more everyday and loves to interact. He's getting the smiling thing down, although I feel like it is impossible to get a picture of this sweet image I have hopes that I will catch him by surprise one of these days.
Jackson loves his mobile and will stay entertained by it for longer periods of time each day. I love this opportunity to to watch him and to get things done (like the laundry and dishes that seem to pile higher on a daily basis ;) ).


He gets so excited watching these little bears go round and round.


Staring them down with such intensity.

By the time Jackson is 2 months this semester will be over and I will have considerably more time to reflect on and observe my baby. I feel a bit guilty that my attention has been pulled in so many directions while my little boy is growing up in front of my eyes. I know that continuing my education is important though and it really is the best for all of us in the long run.

One Month Old & Jackson's 1st Overnight

Jackson was one month old November 20th. For this special day I decided to spend the entire day enjoying him and neglecting the homework that had been calling my name. At this point I realize, "Wow, a month of his life has already gone by, he grows and changes daily, and I need to take a little time every now and then to just observe and soak in the essence of who he is now."

So... I discovered that Jackson has no concept of photo cooperation. I managed to get a few of those eyes wide open and of course he is always a cutie, even when he is yelling at me for attention, as if he needs more :).


In the early morning light. His favorite time to interact.


Wearing his cap that his great grandma made him.


Yelling at me about something, important I'm sure.

The 21st was Thanksgiving in Jackson County for Jackson and I. He got to meet relatives he had never seen before and spent the night with a Mamaw and Papaw. I know it was very exciting for them to be able to spend so much time with him and it was a well-deserved break for Dave and I.


On his Mamaw's shoulder.


Jackson getting red faced for his Aunt Donna. She had waited so long to see him and was very excited.


Getting ready to leave him for the night and head back home. It was harder than I had imagined it would be. There was a sort of emptiness that filled me the moment I walked out of the house, but one that I knew would be filled as soon as he was returned.


Getting ready to go to church with his Mamaw and Papaw.

Jackson came home the next evening chubbier than I remembered, I was amazed at how much he had grown literally overnight.

Welcome to the World!

I brought Jackson Daniel into this world on October 20th, 2009. Today he is exactly once month old and I felt it was an appropriate time to begin this blog that will enable me to share all of the developmental milestones of this amazing child. He is amazing because he is mine, and that is enough to make it so.

Jackson has had a relatively smooth and beautiful first month of life.


This was taken by my friend, Kayla, at my baby shower 2 weeks before Jackson was born. I owe many of the photographic memories that I have of that time and of his birth to her. She is truly amazing.


One day old. Our perfect little boy with the rosebud lips.

At one week he was still sleeping for the majority of the day and blessed us with the sight of his eyes only when suckling or being changed. Looking back, the first week felt like a complete blur. So tired from lack of sleep, I don't really remember how I found the energy to do all that I did, a Mother's adrenaline I suppose.


The second week of life brought more "alert" time for Jackson Daniel. He began to look around more and check out his surroundings.


Week 3. And the focusing begins. It was his new thing. To stare at objects, especially my and Dave's face, for perhaps 10 minutes or so at a time. I cherished the eye to eye contact that we had and embraced each moment as a bonding experience.

Now that Jackson is here, in the physical sense that we can both hold him, our family feels closer to complete. I say closer because I don't think we are finished in the baby making department just yet ;). We know that we are truly blessed to have a healthy and beautiful baby boy and are trying to enjoy each moment of his life.

Since it is milestone "one month" today I would say that a photo shoot with Lil' Jackson and his Momma is in order and of course I will have to post them here.