Our Christmas

Our parents joined us this Christmas at our new house and got to see Jackson on Christmas morning! Since he was still tiny last year, this was Jackson's first Christmas to have Santa drop by and we can't wait until next year when he has a better understanding of what's going on! We had a wonderful time with our families and appreciate everything!

Getting ready to open presents on Christmas Eve!

Someone was excited!

Headed down his new slide . . . once it was finally "snapped" together, Grandpa!

He didn't fall, he just decided to lay down once he made it to the floor and hang out for a while!

Christmas morning

Jackson and Daddy with his new workshop!

Still checking out all of his new stuff!

Jackson loves this car--he loves it so much he doesn't have to be moving, he just likes sitting in it. He also loves cramming all of his new toys in it beside him!

And this morning . . .
with all the toys he just received he rather play with a toothpaste box in a big box!

Sweet Babies

Jackson and Emma, cousins

Looks can be deceiving . . . partners in crime

Hey Emma, where are your wheels?

Priceless

Christmas Card Attempts

I decided I wanted to take the pictures for our card this year rather than a photographer, so we started trying to get pictures soon after Halloween. What an experience . . . or two . . . or three! Going to a photographer for an hour or so would have been easier . . . um, well, maybe not that much easier, we would have still chased him all over a studio . . . and the pictures would certainly have that professional look, but it was also fun to run all over our yard and eventually my parents' yard! Here are some pictures that didn't make the cut!

These two are from the first attempt

On to the next day . . .

Pulling out some props!





"Guys, I've been patient, but enough is enough!"

And at my parents' house during Thanksgiving trying to get a picture of the three of us!

Sitting in the grass after it rained that morning . . . ugh!

I think his thought process was along the lines of "you've had your chances, I'm really getting impatient with all of you, I want down to run around . . ."

"Seriously. I

want

down!"

"Mom, Dad--I'm outta here!"

Ain't Nothing Like 'Em Nowhere

We found ourselves in Tuscaloosa today and decided Jackson was old enough to experience Dreamland! Several years ago while Zach and I were dating, he was taking me to Atlanta to meet his parents and he took me here for lunch. While we were eating that day, I looked across the table at him and he had eaten so much so quick he was breathing hard and sweating! To say he LOVES barbeque is an understatement! I don't know how many hole-in-the-wall bbq places we have been to since we've been together!

Start 'em young!

More please! He loved the appetizer . . . white bread and bbq sauce! Zach gave him some when we first sat down and honestly Jackson's first response was "ummm"!

With our waitress

It was H-O-T hot in the restaurant and Jackson's cheeks were blazing red, so Zach decided to take Jackson's shirt off . . . I was mortified. I didn't notice a "no shirt, no shoes, no service" sign and I know we're not talking upscale here, but does a bib count?

Here comes Santa and there goes Jackson

Santa made a stop in town for the parade tonight, so we had to go! Well, Santa went over so well with Jackson that we don't have a single picture to show for it. Nope. Not one. I was taking Jackson to sit on Santa's lap when all of the sudden he started screaming and huge tears started flowing. He didn't even make it to his lap before the trauma began! Our curious little boy who has never met a stranger was terrified! Oh well, maybe we'll try again when Santa makes another stop in town in the coming weeks! After we terrified our son, we headed to the parade and were actually able to get some pictures!

What! Santa's coming this way?

If he only knew who was on the float behind him!

Looking at these pictures reminds me of the parade last year and how excited Zach and I were to take Jackson to his first Christmas parade! Having Jackson around sure is wonderful and he's so much fun to share these things with! Oh how we love him!

Thanksgiving and a Game

We spent a nice and quiet Thanksgiving with my parents and then headed to Oxford for the game with Zach's parents! The older and more active Jackson gets, the harder it is to take good pictures of him, but we were able to get several pretty good pictures of Jackson while at the game, so here are quite a few!

Jackson loved watching the band in the Grove and watching them head to the stadium!

Taking pictures with Jackson is a continual lesson in patience . . . Zach is playing peek-a-boo and I look like I'm hoping to be spared the wrath of Jackson

Ahh! Finally, a pretty good one of all 3 of us!

45-0! Zach was so happy!

and more of our cutie after the game

My Guys . . .

watching the game!

Oh Happy Days!

Jackson was getting fussy the other day, so I looked around to find something to distract him with and found Colonel Reb. He plays "Dixie" and moves around, so I got him down to see how Jackson would react. Turns out, they became fast friends and Jackson would carry him around and actually calls him "bahbee" aka baby!

"Mom, what on earth is this thing doing?"

"Look, he has an eye too!"

"Bahbee"

"Oh what fun there is outside!"

I was watching Jackson play with him and wondered if he was anywhere near the height Jackson was as a newborn; I measured Colonel Reb and Jackson was actually only 3 inches taller when he was born-now look at the difference!

If he could talk, I'm sure he would really be asking to be rescued from this little fella!

And last but not least, Happy Anniversary Zach!

Pearly Whites

Since Jackson has started climbing, I pulled out his step stool hoping he would like brushing his teeth if he could look in the mirror-now it's all I can do to get him off of the step and out of the bathroom without his toothbrushes! Yes, toothbrushes, before the stool, he liked having a brush to brush my teeth with while I brushed his!

Silly boy laughing at himself

Slow progress!
The stepping stool is gone and now to get those toothbrushes!