Happy 2nd Birthday Jackson!!!!

Jackson 2 years old
Jackson 1 year old
Jackson is born!










We had Jackson's 2nd birthday party this past weekend. We decided to do it a little bit earlier than his actual birthday which is December 16th. That way it could be separate from Christmas and he can have his own day instead of it being lumped in with Christmas celebrations. We did a Finding Nemo theme (which is his favorite movie). We started pulling out all the Nemo decorations that morning and he went crazy! I really don't think he grasped the party was for him but he sure loved opening all the presents! By the end of the night he would say, "Jackson open presents?" We had a good turnout with just enough kiddos running around. We did a bounce house in the backyard and the kids loved it! It took Jackson and his friend Branch a bit to warm up to it but by the end of the party they were bouncing like crazy!
I can't believe it's been almost two years since he was born. My did those two years fly by! Everyday is an adventure with him. He has taken on the role of big brother with such such love and protection. It is the best thing ever seeing them interact with one another and seeing them smile at each other. I only hope it lasts!
Happy Birthday Jackson! Mom, Dad and Ava love you so much!

Oh Christmas Tree Oh Christmas Tree!

Here is our Christmas tree this year!

Getting ready for Christmas

We spent last weekend getting ready for Christmas. My mom was in town last week and we had fun shopping and putting up all of our Christmas decorations. Here are some pics of our tree coming home. Jackson has actually been really good about not touching it. Last year I don't know how many ornaments Jackson and Casey broke!

Thanksgiving 2008

We hosted Thanksgiving this year and it turned out really well. We had about 20 people and lots of food! I caught some cute pics of the kids eating and playing.

Ava 5 months

Sorry it's been awhile since I posted. We've been extremely busy! Ava has ventured into the world of solids and has eaten bananas, pears, apples, sweet potatoes, carrots, butternut squash and rice cereal. She is a fruit girl that's for sure! She can't stand ANY veggie! Jackson always gobbled anything we put infront of him so it is disheartening to see she doesn't like veggies. She will actually gag and throw it up! I did manage to get some chicken in her mixed with apples. She loves that combo! I have to trick her! We've had some nasal congestion for about 3 weeks now and cannot figure out where it is coming from. She weaned off breastmilk, started solids and we turned the heater on in our home all at the same time so we now have to play detective and figure out what she's sensitive to.

She is about 13 pounds now and is learning to sit up on her own. She will sit up for a couple of seconds and then plop over. She loves laying on the floor and playing with her toys. Jackson has started to get so rough with her! He will roll on top of her and it seems it would hurt her but she just laughs and giggles! She has her 6 month check up on the 15th of this month so we'll see her stats then.

Ava started solids!

So at her 4 month doctor's visit he threw out the idea of starting solids. So we tried some rice cereal and she just kept pushing it out with her tongue. We tried weekly to see if she would get the hang of it but nothing. Well Monday I bought a jar of bananas and she gobbled it right up! The whole jar! It was like a light came on! Oh, so this is how you eat! I gave her a jar in the morning after she takes her bottle and again right before bed. We have been having major issues with her sleeping at night. She still nurses once during the night but she was still waking up every hour crying. I would go in and give her her pacifier but she would just wake up again an hour later. Well, last night was the true test. I gave her a jar in the morning and a jar in the evening and put her down around 8pm. She didn't wake up till almost 3am! What do you know? Food works! The poor thing needed more than just milk! I remember Jackson started solids at 4 months so I don't know why I didn't think that she would be the same way. Here are some pics of Ava looking cute as can be and making some silly faces!

Trick or Treat!

So last Friday was Halloween. We had fun dressing up as the Flinstones (or Rubbles). Jackson was clueless about the whole holiday. My aunt and uncle were in town for the weekend and they went trick or treating with us. They had bought him a radio flyer tricycle so he wanted to ride that while trick or treating. It was so funny. We just drove him up to the door and tried to get him to say, "Trick or Treat". He just stared and said nothing! Every house we went to was the same expression. I guess he really didn't understand why were dressed up in silly costumes and going door to door asking for candy. Oh well, it was fun to watch! Here are some pics!

Celina pumpkin farm

We had such a great time at the pumpkin farm today. Jackson's friend Branch came along and they had a blast feeding the farm animals, enjoying a hayride, going down a huge slide, playing in a bounce house and running and jumping on the big pumpkins! The best part of the day I would have to say was watching Scott and William go down the huge slide with Jackson and Branch. They were racing to see who could get down the fastest. The pictures we captured were priceless! We got so many great pictures so sorry for the overload of pics! Branch and Jackson played so great together last time but it did take a while for the two to warm up to each other. By the end of the day they were running around like best buds.