A Few Firsts...

Jackson has had a few "firsts" lately so I thought they deserved a blog post. Plus, we took so many pics they needed their own post. :)

This past weekend, Jackson went for his first swim in the pool. He enjoyed it! Just hanging out on the mama.

Next "first" was that we (as in my little family of 4) went OUT to dinner this past weekend. Big deal with 2 babies under 2! When I say out to dinner I mean Jackson was awake (when he was in that "sleep anywhere & everywhere" newborn stage we dined out, but that stopped once he started waking up when the car stopped).  The Purple Cow was our dinner place because it's kid friendly & quick. Both babies did great! Jackson sat in his carseat until he was ready to have a bottle then sat in Brett's lap for the rest of the time.  Meanwhile, I was keeping EK fed and happy. Here's our dining experience.

What's going on?

Admiring Daddy

Mommy & Emma Kate coloring

She looks WAAAYY to grown up here

Love this pic because you can see her curls. :)

                                                                   My happy guys

And finally the last "first"...J started eating rice cereal. Maybe this will fill his tummy up & no more middle of the night feeding. We'll see. Pics from the first feeding.

Jackson is 4 months

July 15th Jackson turned 4 months old! We took him to our new pedi, Dr. Hayes for his check-up.  Really liked her! I hope that we've found a great pedi for both our babies now. Thanks Ashley for the referral. :)

Here are Jackson's 4 month stats:
Weight: 14.4 pounds (30%)  Totally shocked by this!! He eats so much!
Length: 25 inches (50%)
Head: 75%  

4 things about our 4 month old:
1.  Jackson is cooing & smiling all the time now! His whole face lights up when he smiles! He loves being talked to, getting his toes kissed, & being tickled or getting raspberries on his tummy.
2. He eats a lot...8 ounce bottles. Roughly 40 ounces a day.  I was shocked when his weight & % weren't much higher. Guess he has a high metabolism.
3.  He's doing great sleeping now because of being swaddled.  Swaddling is the KEY to his sleep. He looks like a baby burrito. Our friend, Monica gave us the Miracle Blanket, which is the swaddle of all swaddle blankets. I refer to it as the baby straight jacket. Thank you Miracle blanket!! He sleeps usually 7-8 hours then wakes up to get a diaper change & bottle then back to sleep for another 2-3 hours. Plus, Jackson is now sleeping in his own crib. Whoooo!!  It feels weird to Brett & I not to have a baby in our room in a swing. Now Brett has 2 baby video montiors shining brightly on his bedside table though.
4.  Mr. Man is a serious drooler. And for that reason sometimes when we're hanging out at home he just plays in diaper only.  He enjoys chewing & drooling all over Sophie the Giraffe.

At my new doc's office

"Okay, I'm getting hungry. Can you please feed me?!?"

"Sophie will do!"

Already reading! Going to be a smart fellow!

It's my baby burrito in the Miracle blanket!

Good Nap Happy Man!!

*Please don't judge the fact that it's pink...it was a hand me down from our friend, Gracen. :)

Jackson doesn't mind one bit!!

To Background Change or Not??

I got a "wild hair" tonight to change the blog background. After "trying on" about 20 different blog backgrounds I still partial to my old pink and green one.  Sometimes change can be diffcult or hard to decide upon! I'm leaving up this "Little Miss Sunshine" one for now to see how I feel on it tomorrow.  I think it would be really neat to design my own with a picture collage at the top....anyone out there want to tell me how to do that?!?  Please! 

 Stay tuned for my blog updates,  a couple firsts & 4 month stats on baby Jackson hopefully I can get to tomm. Plus, some recent pics of the babies!  

Off to bed....night night!

Time for the Exersaucer

We put Jackson in the exersaucer for the first time earlier this week. I can't believe my little man in big enough to be in there.  He really likes it! He enjoys looking all around.  These are pics from the first time, disregard the fact that it's in our master bathroom.  Somehow that's just where the exersaucer has been "living" I guess because I would put Emma Kate in there while I got ready when she wasn't mobile.

                                                            Looks like we have a proud big sis!

I love his dangling legs & feet. As the week went on he started straightening his legs more & almost touching the bottom.

4th of July!

Okay, I feel like I'm always saying "what a difference a year makes" about my life, but I thought it again yesterday on the 4th of July. Last 4th of July, Emma Kate was just over 2 months old & we didn't have the faintest idea that I had just gotten preggers already!
This 4th of July was great!! My family of four had a nice day all together then after Emma Kate, Jackson, & Brett's afternoon naps we went over to my parent's house.  It was the whole crew: Lolly, Pop, Aunt Barbie, Uncle Steve, Katie, Sara, and us.  Uncle Steve was holding Jackson the minute we got him out of the carseat.  He loves babies & baby J loves him too! We hung outside for awhile.  Uncle Steve even put Jackson in the swing & he enjoyed it! Emma Kate was walking all around, but sticking close to her Lolly.  Of course, no family get-together in my family would be complete without some craziness.  This time it was Stan, my dad nearly catching his face on fire with the grill.  The flames got a bit out of control, luckily there was water nearby to put it out. haha  Another milestone, Emma Kate is pretty much eating all "real people" food now.  This is a recent development...she's been kinda picky about real food in the past and would always go back to her puree baby food.  But yesterday she sat in her chair and ate big people food: some hot dog, bun, watermelon, & avacodo.  Baby J wouldn't ever take a nap so after being awake for over 3 hours he was done....we headed home and got these babies to bed!  Jackson was so worn out he slept from 7:45pm-7:15am...yay!!!
I even got a special treat last night...Sara & I went to see Eclipse!  I've been waiting anxiously to see it and Brett gave me the green light to go last night once the babies were out for the night.  It was such an awesome movie!!

Mom & Barb don't look happy at all huh?!?!

Just wandering around in the grass with her doll, Lucy

Uncle Steve & J

sharing with Aunt Barbie

Jackson was our table centerpiece in his bumbo. :)

Sara & I...one of my bf's. going on 10 years. :)