Before I Was A Mom

Before I was a Mom I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby

I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous

I never thought about immunizations

Before I was a Mom - I had never been puked on
Pooped on
Chewed on
Peed on

I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts

I slept all night

Before I was a Mom I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests
Or give shots

I never looked into teary eyes and cried

I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin

I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep

Before I was a Mom I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put them down

I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt

I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much

I never knew that I could love someone so much

I never knew I would love being a Mom

Before I was a Mom - I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body

I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby

I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child

I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy

Before I was a Mom - I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay

I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom

I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom

Before I Was A Mom

Before I was a Mom I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby

I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous

I never thought about immunizations

Before I was a Mom - I had never been puked on
Pooped on
Chewed on
Peed on

I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts

I slept all night

Before I was a Mom I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests
Or give shots

I never looked into teary eyes and cried

I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin

I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep

Before I was a Mom I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put them down

I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt

I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much

I never knew that I could love someone so much

I never knew I would love being a Mom

Before I was a Mom - I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body

I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby

I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child

I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy

Before I was a Mom - I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay

I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom

I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom

2 Days Until Jackson's 1st Christmas

We have been so busy in our household getting everything ready for Jackson's 1st Christmas. Christmas is my favorite holiday in the whole world. It is just so wonderful getting together with who is most important in your life and sharing in the meaning of the day. Watching the excitment of the children will make it 100 times better. I absolutly can not wait to see what Jackson and Sophie think of their 1st Christmas. I am already guessing that they will be more excited about all the paper then the actual gifts! Today I was wrapping my gifts and Jackson got ahold of a shiny red bow. That thing provided him entertainment for forever! And whenever he would find interest in something else, that bow would catch his eye- and back to it he would be! It was so cute watching him fling it and chance it around the house.

Jackson is moving right along with his vocabulary. So far he can say "Mom", "DaDa", "itty" (for kitty), and his newest words are "Anna" and "PaPa". I also think he is saying "meow" when you ask him what a kitty says. He is definately mimicking the noise if nothing else. It is so fun to see all of the changes that he makes daily!

Well, I have to get back to wrapping- I am almost done! If we don't see you in the next few days we hope you all have a beautiful Christmas and a safe New Year!

I am going to leave you with my favorite scene from A Charlie Brown Christmas. Lots of love!

Charlie Brown: I guess you were right, Linus. I shouldn't have picked this little tree. Everything I do turns into a disaster. I guess I really don't know what Christmas is all about.

[shouting in desperation]
Charlie Brown: Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?

Linus Van Pelt: Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about.
[moves toward the center of the stage]
Linus Van Pelt: Lights, please.
[a spotlight shines on Linus]

Linus Van Pelt: "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not: for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'"

[Linus picks up his blanket and walks back towards Charlie Brown]
Linus Van Pelt: That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.

Jackson's 9 month Doctor's Appointment

On Thursday, December 6th I took Jackson to see Dr. Biglow (formally Dr. Wagner- she got married) for his 9 month doctor's appointment. It went really well. He is still a peanut weight wise, weighing in at 16lbs 2oz. His height is 27inches and his head is 17 inches- all right on for his stature. His doctor was very impressed that he is cruising furniture and even taking 1-2 steps unassisted every now and then at 9 months. Also that he is saying "Mom" and "Dad" and knowing who to call what at this point. His milestones are a bit ahead of the game so we are on the right track for sure. She couldn't get over how much he has changed, looks-wise since when he was born. She even commented on how much he looks likes his cousins- Anna especially. But we have been hearing that from eveyone lately! There is no denying they are related, that is for sure!

I decided to have Jackson get a flu shot at this appoitment. Dr. Biglow said that the AAP recommends it for all children 6 months of age and up, but it was up to me to decide if I wanted to. Jackson has such a tough time when he isn't feeling good, I couldn't imagine him suffering through the flu. Especially since now all the cold medicine has been pulled from the drug stores, there wouldn't be much to help make him feel any better. The shot really didn't effect him too much. He woke up more then usual in the middle of the night, but other then that he handled it well. We go back in a month for the second dose of the vaccine and also for a reweigh. We will see a different doctor at that appontment becasue Dr. Biglow will be on maternitiy leave. She is due in 15 days! How exciting for her. I am very curious as to how she will change as a doctor once she has a child of her own. She is extremly overly cautious about things, which I don't necessarily mind. Better to be that way then to blow things off when it could turn out to be serious. But I wonder if it will make her a little more relaxed about somethings- or at least a bit more realisitic once she is dealing with a baby every moment of her life. We shall see!

Jackson is 9 months old!

Happy birthday my little man! You have now lived exactly the same amount of time on earth as you did in my tummy- pretty neat!

Jackson has been growing so fast and learning so very much! His new favorite thing to do is wave. He waves at everyone and everything- the TV, mommy and daddy, his stuffed animals, people in the stores- you name it! And of course everyone loves it and has to come over and say Hello. His other tricks are giving you a Hi-5, playing peek-a-boo, and playing Steal the Pacifier. He is also SUPER ticklish and laughs the cutest giggle when you get him in just the right spot.

Jackson has become one busy, busy boy! He is always on the move- and fast! He has become a master at cruising the furniture and even took his first two steps unassisted on Thursday, the 15th! We are so proud of him. He has this push toy that he loves. He stands behind it and walks all over the place. He has gotten so good and so fast, it is very impressive! At this rate he will be walking in no time! Then Mommy and Daddy- Watch Out!

His other favorite past time is chasing the cats, Ringo especially. Memphis will let him get just close enough to touch, but the moment Jackson tries he walks just out of reach. But Ringo... oh boy. Ringo is such an attention kitty; once Jackson learns how to play and pet the kitties gently him and Ringo will be fast friends. Right now Jackson thinks that petting involves grabbing handfuls of hair and also enjoys lying right on top of him. But surprisingly Ringo doesn't care. He just lies there and lets Jackson abuse him! It makes us a bit nervous that Ringo will get mad and lash out one of these times, but so far Ringo has been super patient and I honestly thinks he like the attention he is getting.

Here is a list of Jackson favorites as of 9 months:

Favorite Toys: blocks, cars and balls
Favorite Movies: Praise Baby and Baby Einstein
Favorite Book: "I Love You Through and Through"
Favorite Snack: Cheerios or "O's" as we call them in our house
Favorite Foods: Macaroni and Cheese, yogurt, all fruits, especially bananas and pears, cheese, Spaghetti with meat sauce, Broccoli and Chicken, carrots, and of all things- gooseliver! Must be the German in him! Jackson loves to eat and likes pretty much everything except green beans and baby food peas (although he likes regular peas that aren't mashed up)!

How Big is Jackson- So Big!
Diaper size: 3
Clothing sizes: 9 months in pants and 9-12 months in shirts!
Shoe size: 2

Life in our household is just so much fun! Every day is something new and exciting. We are really looking forward to his first Thanksgiving and first Christmas- what a special time of year this is going to be!

This Thursday is Thanksgiving and then the day after we have a tradition with my immediate side of the family where us girls (me, my mom and Bonnie- plus the kids) go shopping and spend the day bumming around. And then that evening we meet up with the guys and go out to dinner at Bucci's in Berea. I am sure I will be taking lots of pictures so be sure to check back often!

We hope you all have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

Looking Back on Boston

This time of year gives me a feeling of nostalgia. I think back to my short time when living in Boston and what an amazing experience it was for me. When i first moved there I got pretty homesick. I didn't really know anyone there and life was just so different in New England then it was in Cleveland, Ohio. I kept to myself quite a bit and just felt lonely. Well after a few weeks I told myself I needed to embrace what was such a wonderful new place with so much to experience in it and go out and enjoy life!

My very first excursion was a road trip to Walden Pond. I read a lot of Thoreau while in college and realized he was a perfect book to turn back to at this point in my life. He wrote a lot about nature, solitude and learning how to enjoy being a alone. The pond was just as beautiful as I had hoped. I brought my book along and decided to hike a bit, then find a nice place to read a while. A few passages stuck out for me and I want to share then with you guys.

"We are sometimes made aware of a kindness long passed, & realize that there have been times when our friends' thoughts of us were so pure & lofty a character that they passed over us like the winds of heaven unnoticed; when they treated us not as what we were, but as what we aspired to be." --from 'A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers'

"Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake" --from 'A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers'

"I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life" --from 'Walden'

From this point forward I did just that: live deep and suck out all the marrow of life. Sure I was lonely now and then, but I also grew as a person. I became my own best friend and enjoyed exploring my new home. Now after being away from Boston for 4 years now, a little sadness comes over me when I think of it. Not a ho-hum type of sadness, but the sadness like the loss of a friend. I know that I truly made a home for myself there and I very much look forward to when I can visit again.

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Yesterday was Jackson and Sophie's first Halloween- and boy was it fun! All of the kids looked so darn cute. Jackson was a lion, Sophie dressed as a ladybug and our Halloween pro Anna was Ariel the Little Mermaid (donning a marvelous red wig and all! -that lasted about 10 houses and then she was a blond mermaid the rest of the night).

We all met at Neil and Bonnie's house for the Halloween celebration. They live in a big development with tons of kids so it is the perfect place to do some trick or treating. The whole development gets involved and they make it a lot of fun for the whole family. People bring their fire pits to the driveway; sit out side, and even the adults dress up. The older kids had a blast running up ahead of all the adults hitting house after house over filling their treat bags of candy. Jackson and Sophie rode most of the way in the double stroller, with everyone commenting on how darn cute they both looked. There was one woman that was actually taking pictures of all of the babies in costume. I bet that roll of film is so precious!

After the kid’s candy buckets were all overflowing we headed back to the Stenger house for a “Spooky Dinner”. The menu was MacaBoney and Cheese, Rat Meatloaf (little meatloaves shaped as rats, with olive eyes, pretzel legs and whiskers and curly fries for tails), and a spooky salad. It was delicious and fun!

This was such a memorable First Halloween for Jackson. I am definitely looking forward to next year when him and Sophie will be running right along all the other kids. I have uploaded all of the pictures from the night and also from the Ungar Family Halloween (which I will journal on later, so check back). The pictures from Halloween night are a little sparse because I think our camera is dying a slow death- I know, what in the heck am I going to do?! I will post more pictures when I get the ones from Bonnie and Neil. But at least you can see all the kids in their fantastic costumes. Have fun!

Our Day at Mapleside Apple Farm

This afternoon we had such a lovely time playing with pumpkins, and plopping Jackson all over the place for Photo Op’s at Mapleside Apple Farm. It was almost time for Jackson’s afternoon nap, so he was in an incredibly mellow mood. He was fine with whatever, and wherever he landed. It was a beautiful day- a bit chilly and breezy but with the sun was out it made it a perfect fall day. Check out all of the pictures. We got so many wonderful ones, some definite framers.

The last time we were here as a family, I was 21 weeks pregnant with our little man! If you go to the Belly Pictures album and look at the 6th photo, it was from a year ago at Mapleside. It’s hard to believe how much our lives have changed since then. I never realized how incomplete my life was until we had him be a part of it. Now every day is more precious then the last- we are always anticipating what Jackson will be able to do next and how cute he looks each day. As of today he is now 8 months old by the way. Hard to believe, huh?! He is pulling up on EVERYTHING and soooo ready to cruise and walk around. He thinks that he should be able to walk wherever he wants, and without any assistance. We think he will be standing up on his own any time now- it is definitely not far off. Until then, we get to deal with more bumps, tumbles and bruises. But he has become such a sport! More often then not I am more shaken up by a fall then he is. That just comes with the territory I guess!

Halloween is just a few days away. I absolutely cannot wait for all of you to see Jackson in his first Halloween costume. He is going to be SO cute! I am not going to tell what he is going to be yet- so be sure to check back here for updates…

I "signed the list"...sort of

When Bonnie decided to not go back to work after Sophie was born Anna came up with this idea that to be able to do so you have to "sign the list to not work". She decided that her Mommy signed this list and why in the world didn't I sign it too. I mean, "don't I want to be home with them all the time too?!" I told her of course I do and I would looooove to sign the list but just not now. But go talk to Uncle Scott and tell him I need to get on it sooner then later..heheheh. Well every single day when I would drop Jackson off at Bonnie's before I went to work she would ask me if I am going to sign the list to not work soon. And every day I would tell her not yet.

Well after some figuring of number's we realized that my working lunches was just a waste of time. I was basically working for fun. I would make just enough to pay Bonnie. Ummm, sure Macaroni Grill is a nice place to work and all, but I don't know that I would consider it "fun". So as of Tuesday I am no londer working lunches, just my two dinners a week. It is wonderful!!!! I love being home with Jackson so much. Plus I won't have to cram all of my house work into two days, and I can actually let myself have fun every now and then with Bonnie, or Adrianne or Lora, whatever. I don't have to feel guilty that I should really be vaccuuming or cleaning bathrooms.... It is definately a good thing! :)

Jackson Got His First Haircut!!

On Monday, October 1st we all ventured next door to our neighbor's house and Lora gave Jackson his very first haircut. He was such a good boy! Aside from being a wiggle worm, he hardly fussed at all. He just mainly didn't like the back of his hair being cut because he couldn't see what Lora was doing back there.

I was probably more of a nervous mommy then he was anxious! I felt a little sad that all of the hair that he was born with is now all gone. But at the same time I felt good that now he wouldn't have hair in his eyes anymore. And now looking at him, he looks so handsome!! Although no more rock star- just a sweet little angel. Not that he wasn't an angel before, just now he looks like one! Unfortunately the batteries to our camera decided to die the moment she started cutting. So Lora let us use her 35mm camera to take pictures. Once we have these developed we will scan then in for you to all see the Event. But please take a look in his Baby Pictures to see him with his new Do. You gotta see how blonde he is now!

Jackson cut his 1st Tooth!

Yayayayayay! Yesterday afternoon after taking a really good nap I noticed that there was a little white thing in his mouth- sure enough it was his first toothy! It was his bottom middle one on the left side. We had to call Daddy right away and tell him the good news. We are all so excited for him!

And then today the right one on the bottom came through too. He is getting to be a big boy! Hopefully now he will get some relief for a while from the teething aches and pains.

Congratulations little man!

We're back from OBX!

This has to be a short journal entry because I have to get myself ready for work. But I wanted to be sure to tell you that all of the pictures from our trip are uploaded into the Baby Albums page. I will tell you more about our vacation later this week once I am off of work. But I can say that it was incredibly hard to get back to the real world of working and getting up early (because we have to, not because Jackson woke us up)! We had a fabulous time and are so sorry that it is over all ready. It was one fast week!

So be sure to check out the pictures from Jackson's first vacation and if you have time, leave us a note in the guest book. We always love hearing from you guys!

We leave tomorrow for OBX!

We are all so excited! This will be Jackson's first vacation, his first time feeling sand and the ocean on his feet. It will be so neat for us to watch all of his reactions. I have the day off today so I will be working like a mad woman to do all the laundry, straighten up the house (so we don't have to come home to a messy home) and then try and get everything packed. Although I am sure I will forget something along the way- thank goodness for Food Lion! It is really amazing how much stuff an infant needs for vacation. I think Jackson has more stuff then Scott and I combined!

We are splitting up our drive between two days. We will drive halfway tomorrow, stay overnight in a hotel and then finish the trip on Sunday our check in day. In the past we have driven straight through. But with a baby we are concerned that it would be too much for him. Plus, we don't need to enter our vacation stressed out if we don't need to. We have stocked up on Baby Einstein, Praise Baby and Classical Baby DVD's and have borrowed Bonnie and Neil's portable DVD player. We are hoping that these will bring a little bit of entertainment for Jackson so he won't be completely bored and thus fussy. Keep your fingers crossed that the drive won't be a total nightmare for all of us- we are remaining positive!

I am definitely excited for this trip for other reasons too. This will be the perfect opportunity for Jackson to get completely cozy with Grammy and Pop, and Great Grandma Lois and GiGi. At his age if he isn't seeing people on a very regular basis he gets a bit nervous and clingy with me. The books call it Separation Anxiety. If it has been a week or longer since his last visit with a person he has to get comfortable all over again with them. So it will be pretty cool for everyone for some nice bonding time together.

There is a hurricane coming through the surrounding area of OBX- not hitting us but we will probably be feeling the affects. Hopefully they will be minimal and we can still enjoy the weather and not have all rain everyday! A day here or there is OK, perfect shopping weather :) But I need a tan, darn it! Please God, send us some nice weather!

Well, when we get back I will upload all of the pictures of our trip, so be sure to check back in a week! Lots of love to you all and we will talk to you all soon!

Jackson's on the Move!

For the past couple of weeks Jackson has been on the verge of crawling- on hands and knees, wiggling back and forth trying to figure out what next. Well yesterday he did it!!! We were at Bonnie's house hanging out while the babies were playing. There was Jackson on his hands and knees again, only this time he finally figured out that if he moves his hands he can go somewhere! He would move a couple of steps then flop down on his tummy. Then he would get up, move a couple of steps and so on. He was persistant (plus Bonnie and I kept moving toys just out of his reach) and would keep trying. I was so proud of him!! This morning he was at it again, so he didn't foget that he knew how. Pretty soon I won't be able to keep up with him! Jackson and Sophie are going to be one pair of troublemakers, I can already tell!

6th Month Doctor's Appointment

Yesterday I took Jackson to see Dr. Wagner for his 6 month appointment. He was such a good boy! Of course all the nurses went crazy for him and most of them remembered him. No one could get over how much he has changed in just 2 months! He is still a little peanut- he now weighs 14lbs 8oz and is 26" tall- so he gained exactly 2 lbs and got 2" taller since last visit. He got 4 immunizations this time around but thankfully only two shots. They were his Polio Vaccine, Pneumoccal Polysaccharide Vaccine (PPV), Diphtheria Tetanus & Pertussis (DTaP) and the Hepatitis B Vaccine. He was so good when they did his shots, hardly cried at all! I was so proud of him. What a very brave boy.

For some reason I thought we wouldn't have to go back for more shots until he was a year. But that is not the case. We actually get to go back when he is 9 months for another set of vaccines. I look forward to these being done already!

I have added a new ticker to our homepage. It is counting down the days until the Outer Banks! We are so excited to be going on vacation- as of today, only 15 days to go! Yay! I better start packing- it is amazing how much stuff an infant needs!

On Sunday we get to babysit Sophie again. It is so much fun watching the babies together. I just know they are going to grow up to be the best of friends. The way they interact is so adorable. I know that watching Sophie, Jackson is learning so much. Plus he has to be able to fight back- she always steals his toy and crawls away. He needs to be able to go after her and get it back! He is trying so hard to learn how to crawl. It should really be any day now. And then watch out world!

Jackson is 6 Months Old Today!

Our little baby is growing up so fast! It is so hard for me to believe that just 6 months ago I never held or kissed or cuddled with my Little Prince. Looking back I now know how incomplete my life was. God gave us this most amazing miracle and every night I thank him for trusting me with such an amazing responsibility. It is a huge one! The biggest thing I will ever do in my life is to raise Jackson to be a good boy and then to grow to a strong young man. Every day is more exciting then the one before it. In just the past month, Jackson can now sit up unsupported, pull himself into sitting position, eats Stage Two solid foods, rolls all over the place, sits up to take a bath, and is almost ready to crawl! I can only imagine what the next 6 months has in store for us! It is so exciting and yet makes me a little sad- I want to send him on the shrimp boat or put a brick on his head as my parents used to say to Bonnie and I. I now completely understand why they would say that!

On Friday I take him to see Doctor Wagner for his 6-month check up. He will get his last set of Immunizations until he turns 1. So that is good. As necessary as they are, there is nothing I hate more then putting him through that. I am excited though to see how much he weighs. My guess is a little over 14lbs, so we shall see how close I am.

In a couple weeks we are all going to the Outer Banks with Sandy and Don. We are soooo looking forward to it. A vacation is MUCH needed. Plus it will be such fun seeing it through Jackson’s eyes- first time touching the sand and feeling the ocean on his toes. I have already started making my list of things we need to take. I think Jackson has more stuff then we do! I will be sure to post the pictures when we get back. I am sure there will so many precious ones.

Speaking of pictures, I have added tons of new ones. I know I haven’t updated in a little while so I caught up today. The August Folder will be ever changing until the end of the month, so be sure to check that one periodically.

Eating Has Become so Much Fun!

So as you all know, Jackson has been trying out solid foods for a little while now. For the most part, it was getting him used to eating from a spoon and not always sucking to get food. This resulted many of the time in more food on him then in his tummy! But he is finally starting to get the hang of it. He is actually really enjoying eating from his highchair- at least most of the time. I have found that he definately likes fruits better then veggies! But then again, what kid doesn't feel this way?! Sophie has taken to spitting hers out at Bonnie- so hopefully Jackson won't take it to that level!

Jackson is now 5 months old, and i just can't get over how big and grown up he is looking already! My neighbors, Lora and Brandon just had their second baby, Mari, and she is such a little peanut! I saw her yesterday, and Lora said that she now weighs 7lbs- that is what Jackson weighed when he was born. But yet it is so hard to believe that he was ever that small. So I had to go back and look at my older photos of him, and you should do the same. Look at pictures from the February/March album and then go into one of the more recent ones, like July. It is just amazing. He is growing in leaps and bounds. When other moms tell me to savor every moment because they all go by so fast, I completely understand what they are saying. My little Prince is changing before my eyes, and it makes me feel a whole slew of emotions. I am so proud of the new adventures and abilities he is able to accomplish, but at the same time I want everything to slow down! Everyday is fun, exciting and something new.

God Bless you Great Grandpa Marty

Our hearts are deeply saddened by the passing of Great Grandpa Marty. On Tuesday, July 10th at 6:30pm God took Marty to live with him in heaven. He was a wonderful man with a kind soul. In just the few years I knew him his good heart touched me so very much. I feel lucky that Jackson got to meet him, if ever so briefly. As Jackson grows we will look forward to telling him all about his Great Grandpa and how much he loved him.

Please keep Irene and the rest of Marty's family in your hearts and prayers to give them strength and peace.

Asking for All of Your Prayers

Many of you have had the lucky opportunity to meet Jackson's Great Grandfather Marty Pavlich. I am asking for all of your thoughts and prayers for Marty and his amazingly strong wife, Irene. Marty is currently in the hospital in the NICU in Youngstown after suffering kidney failure that was brought on by an infection in his lungs. His kidneys are now working properly but the infection as entered his blood stream and things have been a bit unsure. Marty is being kept comfortable but everyone is taking it day by day. We are all staying as positive as possible, but all extra love and support at this time would be so apprieciated.

On Saturday we all traveled down to Youngstown to see Marty and to send some sunshine Irene's way. She has been in the hospital all day, every day since Marty went in. You can imagine what she is going through, but looking at her I saw this amazingly strong woman. She has such a beauty in her and is truely an angel here on earth. But no one can do this alone. Jackson had so much fun with his Grandma, GiGi. I have uploaded the pictures we took there, so please take a minute to look at them. They are so precious.

We love you so much Marty and Irene and are sending all of our love and prayers your way.

Yum or Yuck? ....Still not too sure!

Today while having dinner over at my mom and dad's we decided to give Jackson his first taste of solid foods. Dr. Wagner told us to go ahead and try out some Rice Cereal. Oh what a hoot this was!!! We couldn't stop cracking up! Jackson was so darn cute. He wasn't too sure what in the heck was going on, but he wasn't 100% opposed to it either. It definately sparked his interest and after a while was wanting more. For his first time, he did a pretty good job! I think he is really going to like his foods and be a good eater for us. Be sure to take a look at the pictures in his Baby Album. They are adorable- I am pretty sure he had more cereal on his face then in his tummy this time around, but he'll get the hang of it soon enough!

Jackson's 4 month Doctor's Appointment

Today Scott and I took Jackson to see Dr. Wagner for his 4 month check up. It was a great appointment. Jackson now weighs 12lbs 8oz and is 24'' long, so he is growing wonderfully. He has been holding at the 25th percentile since he was born. Since he has been holding here she is very pleased with his progression.

I told Dr. Wagner about his runny nose and watery eyes that he has had for the past few days and how I felt it had to do with his teething. She agreed that it definately had to do with that and to not be concerned if he even got a low grade fever or diarrhea. All of these things are very common for teethers. Good to know my instinct was correct!

The only icky part of his Doctor's appointment was that Jackson had to recieve his next set of shots. Today he received the DTaP (Diphtheria Tetanus & Pertussis), Hib (Haemophilus Influenzae Type b), Pneumococcal Polysaccharide and the Polio Vaccine. He handled it really well actually. He cried of course, but after it was all done he smiled at us- what a brave little guy! It has been a few hours and I think his legs are sore (he got two shots in each thigh). But aside from wanting to cuddle a little more then usual he is doing pretty well. I just hope it turns out better this time then it did in his last round of vaccines where he got such a terrible cold. Well, we shall see...

The Teething Has Begun.

Our little guy has started teething- poor thing. He is so uncomfortable. He is bothered mostly at night right before bedtime, but the past two days he has even started complaining during the day. Probably today has been his worst day. He has been a little drool machine and wanting to bite and chew on just about everything. He really likes the teething rings you put in the fridge, but he doesn't like to hold onto it so we have to hold it in his mouth for him; well he IS our little prince. I will definately have to pick up some infant oragel today on my way home from work.

Just think about how hard it is on adults when their wisdom teeth come in- and babies have an entire mouth of teeth to come in. I was talking to my mom today and she said that my pediatritian as a child, Dr. Kepler, said that when babies teeth they have a constant headach. How awful for them! Sophie is teething now too; she started a little while ago. I feel so bad for our little sweeties. And to think, it takes a full year for all of their teeth to come in. This is just the begining.

Jackson Had His First Laugh!

For a while now, the moment you make eye contact with Jackson his entire face lights up; he breaks into this huge grin and even more recently started cooing and doing a bit of an awkward giggle.

This morning the two of us were playing. I was using Jackson as "arm weights" raising him above my head and lowering him, each time plopping a kiss on his lips. You should have seen him- he got the biggest kick out of this! Everytime I would raise Jackson back up in the air he broke out in this big belly laugh! It was so cute! It is so much fun watching him grow and change. This milestone defiantely ranks up there with first smile as far as heart melting goes!

10 Little Piggies

Jackson found his feet today! We have been working with him for a little while introducing his feet to him; wiggling them around, putting them up to his mouth, etc. Whenever you would put them to his mouth he would get such a kick out of it, smiling and laughing. And today he finally grabbed them himself and put them right up to suck on his toes! Now that he has found them, he thinks they are so cool. He definately favors his right foot so far- maybe he will be a righty? Either that or it just tastes better :)

Today was my first day home with Jackson after leaving Emerald Performance. It was such a lovely day. We leasurly woke up and had our milky breakfast (I had coffee and cereal with mine). Then we played a while in his gym, batting toys and gazing at ourselves in the mirror. It was such a beautiful morning, I decided to strap Jackson on in his Bjorn and do a little gardening. The weeds around our house are absolutly insane, and I am so excited to finally have the time to get them all under control. I thought I would first tackle the patch of land that is by our patio so it would finally look nice while you are sitting out there. There is a little wall there which made it a perfect place to work with Jackson in tow. I sat myself down and Jackson got completely worn out watching me pull weeds and throw them in a pile, pull weeds and throw them in a pile- head going back and forth the whole time. After lots of yawning, I layed him down for his nap and headed back outside to finish what I started. There is still a lot to do, but boy what a difference it already makes! After pulling out tons of grasses and weeds I even uncovered a little strawberry patch, rosey red strawberries already forming. They are so cute!

Tomorrow my parents are coming over to help me create my herb garden. I am so excited! For the past few years I have just had a little portable herb garden since we have just been renting. This will be my first REAL garden- a true token of homeownership. It is so cool. I will post pictures to show it off once it is all finished.

Well all this fresh air has worn me out so I think I am going to hit the sack a little early. This way I will be well rested for my big gardening day tomorrow.

Have a nice night!

3 days and counting....

So I am down to three more days left at work here in Cuyahoga Falls- and I have to say I am soooooo ready to be done. As much as I like it here, and love the people I work for I am so exhausted by the end of the day! I almost feel like I did after Jackson was born! Not only do I work an 8 hour day, but I drive for 3- so that makes an 11-12 hour day for everyone. Way too long for little Jackson to be away from his mommy and daddy 5 days a week (and way too long for mommy and daddy to be away from him too!) I go into the Macaroni Grill on Thursday the 31st for my orientation and then I am guessing I will be starting work officially the following week. It will be such a nice change.


I was reading the news paper yesterday and found out some pretty cool news. The very first eaglet was born in the Cuyahoga National Park in the past 70 years! The last time one was born here FDR was on office! Here the article all about it:

Eaglet arrival 70 years in the making

Categories: Breaking News

Brecksville - The last time bald eagles hatched in Cuyahoga County, FDR ruled from the White House, the Great Depression worsened and another World War crept closer.

Now, 70 years later, a newly hatched national symbol huddles in a 1,000-pound nest in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

"It's a real exciting time for the park," said interpretive ranger Paul Motts, standing on the Towpath Trail, across the Cuyahoga River from the birds' home. "It just shows our great efforts in trying to preserve areas like this."

The park service is also trying to preserve the eaglet, born April 3 in the V of a big, sparse tree.

Officials have shut off pedestrian access to the railroad tracks on the west side of the river and posted signs on the Towpath urging people not to dally. Trains chugging by on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, though, don't bother the birds, said park spokeswoman Mary Pat Doorley.

In the mid 1970s, when the valley was made a national park, only four pairs of bald eagles lived in Ohio, Motts said.

Now, the state has 164 nests - 116 of which hatched at least one chick this year, said Carla Maxwell, volunteer eagle coordinator for the Ohio Division of Wildlife. That's the most nests since the division began keeping count in the '70s.

"It's a big deal," Motts said. "The eagles were on decline, almost wiped out."

Their return to the river, like the blue herons' move there in the 1980s, signals the Cuyahoga's clean water and abundant fish, he said.

Bruce Abbott, an amateur bird watcher, comes to the river often to look at the eagles. "It's like a once-in-a-lifetime thing," he said.

Park officials hope not. They believe the eagles may return to the spot after a successful nesting, creating an eagle colony like that of the herons.

The eagles, then, would be a fixture in Cuyahoga County, not an I-remember-when footnote in history.

**article can be found {here} 

I think I will have to go and take a walk over there and see if I can get a few pictures. A photograph was posted at cleveland.com and the baby is so cute! Maybe this will be a good field trip for Jackson and I once I am working part time- strap him in the bjorn and go for a little hike. He would love it- he absolutly loves being outside. Mommy would care more about the eagles, but he would enjoy watching the trees and feeling the breeze in his hair.

Goodness, I can't wait until I am part time! All of the fun things I will get to do with him then. I won't be just limited to Saturdays and Sundays. I am so excited!

I gave my 2 weeks notice at work!

Well Monday was my first day back to work from maternity leave. What a loooooooooong week this has been. Bonnie is our nanny, so at least I did not have to stress over Day Care. But the worst part (aside from having to leave Jackson) is that Bonnie lives a half hour away from me and then she is an hour away from my work- yup, that makes 3 hours driving a day (and that is on a good traffic day, no construction, accidents, etc). I have to wake up a 5:00am to get myself awake, and ready for work, get him up and packed up, etc. By the time I get home from picking up Jackson it is about 8:00, and it is time to get him ready for bed! I don't even get to see him really. It is so depressing!

So after much talking and thinking with Scott, I have decided to quit my job and work part time waitressing. I got a job at The Macaroni Grill, this restaurant that I used to work at many years ago. They are letting me work 3-4 days a week and do just lunches during the week (unless I want to pick up dinner shifts!) I am so excited! Plus, the restaurant is only 5 minutes away from my sisters house! So no more stress, late hours, long drives, and I get to spend 4 days a week at home with Jackson. It is all such a relief.

This part time thing will definately be better. I have been slowly telling everyone at work; and you know what, everyone has been so amazing. They are all very supportive and understanding. Which has made it so much better. I was so nervous about quitting! But most people have told me that they think I am making the right decision. many said they would have done the exact same thing. They have been very sweet telling me I will be missed, and how great it was having me back. I was definately lucky to work for such a kind company. 

My last day here will be May 30th and then I will be starting at the restaurant. I am actually really loking forward to it, suprisingly enough. Some of my friends are still working there, so I will have familiar faces. Plus it will be busy. I will be on my feet running around so hopfully it will help me loose some of this extra baby weight I haven't lost yet- I just have to be good with staying away from all that yummy pasta!!

My 1st Mother's Day

Today was my very first Mother's Day- and how special it was! First I woke up in the morning to have a lovely bonding time feeding Jackson. While rocking him I thought back to how amazing his birth was and how in just 12 weeks I have changed so much as a woman and a person. My life has a new purpose that I never could have dreamed would feel so wonderful. We have been blessed with such a gift. I will be forever thanking God for trusting us with our precious boy.

After Scott woke up we played with Jackson in his gym had lots of smiles. Then Scott gave me the most beautiful gift from Jackson. It is a pendant of a mother and child and their arms incircle to make a heart. It is so beautiful and absolutly perfect.

We spent the afternoon with Sandy going out to lunch at Clemetine's and then browsed around Grand Pacific Junction. Sandy was so sweet, she gave me these wonderful stepping stones to place in one of my new garden's (whenever it is that we finally make them!) and also two Creeping Flocks plants. They are this beautiful lavender color. I can't wait to plant them.

The evening we visited over at the Jill's and had a lovely dinner and just enjoyed eachother's company. My mom gave me my whole start to my herb garden! I know what I am doing this weekend! I hope we have nice weather so I can get it all dug up and placed. Bonnie gave me the most beautiful Orchid. It is this very pretty purple color. I hope that I can take good care of her- I have never been good with Orchids. But I will definately try! This was such a special day and i will always remember it.

Thank you Mom's- I have such amazing role model's in each of you. All I can hope is that I can become as wonderful a mother as you have all been to me, Scott and Anna and Sophie. I love you!

Happy Birthday Mimi!!!

Happy Birthday Mom! We love you so much and hope today is special. We can't wait to party this afternoon!

Oh, and Jackson is requesting some holding time today with the birthday girl.

Love you!!!!

One Week of Maternity Leave Left

Wow, I knew it was going to be hard to go back to work. However, I never could have anticipated how hard it actually would be. I have spent every single day so closely with Jackson for the past 11 weeks- I cannot imagine not having that same closeness with him. I am going to miss him more than anything. I am just so very sad. I do not even want to think about it! .....so enough about that.....


Ok, on to Jackson cuteness! He is getting sooooo big! I can hardly believe how much he has grown. Every single day he does something new, something cuter then ever. Now he is getting so playful. I put him in his gym and he bats at the toys, studies himself in the mirror and laughs the whole time. He has favorite toys now too. He just loooooves the horsy toy in his gym. There are four different toys, all brightly colored, but the horse is the one he gives the most attention too. He has also really taken to this stuffed bear that the body is a little blanket. It is silky on one side and super soft on the other. You give it to him and he snuggles right up with it. He likes to rub the soft side on his face and sucks on it sometimes too. Now even if he gets fussy, you give him the bear and he calms right down. It is so precious seeing him snuggly like that!

Jackson has become super vocal too. I love hearing his voice and all of the sweet noises he makes. You can have these cute little "conversations" with him. I just can't get enough!

This week I will be doing my best to make the most of this last week with my little prince; soaking up our entire special one on one time. I know I will look back so fondly of this Mommy and Baby Time. What an amazing experience this has been!

2 Month Doctor's Appointment Today

Jackson went in to see Dr. Wagner today for his Two Month Appointment. This is a very important one because this is where he gets his first big set of immunizations. He received the Hepatitis B #2, Diphtheria, Tetanus, acellular Pertussis (DTaP) #1, and the H. influenza type b (Hib) #1. It is five total immunizations, but only 3 shots administered.

When we went into the doctor's office he was so happy, smiling and gurgling away. It made me feel even worse seeing how happy he was and knowing what awful things were in store for him. The check up went great. Dr. Wagner is very happy with Jackson's growth, and even she couldn't get over how much older he looks now. He is getting to be such a big boy! He weighed in today at 10lbs 1oz, and 22 inches long. After the check up, Dr. Wagner left and two nurses came in to administer the shots (the Dr. doesn't want the children to be afraid of her). This part was the worst. Each nurse gave him a shot in each thigh and I had to stand over him in the middle to help him feel secure. As soon as they gave the shots he screamed so hard, turned purple and then held his breath in pain. The nurses kept saying to him "OK, time to breath little guy, time to breath". After they were done he was crying so hard. It broke my heart to see him in such shock and pain. I held him real close and nursed him right away and he calmed down pretty quickly.

Now the icky part about this day is not only did he get his shots, but by getting them they lowered his immune system a bit- enough to get the head cold I was fighting. So he now had a double whammy to get over! Now he is so congested and has a little cough. I feel so bad for him. He is just miserable. I have to use the aspirator on him (which he hates) to relieve the congestion. But with that and the vaporizer it seems to be helping a bit.

Our poor little man! He is just one unhappy little boy today.

Mom & Dad's Big Night Out!

Last night my parents had their first babysitting experience with our little Jackson-- the new Mommy and Daddy were going out on their first date since their baby was born! It was so exciting!

Scott's boss at work, for a job well done, gave each of his team a gift certificate for a very nice night out at the restaurant of their choice. We decided this was the perfect time to cash it in! We chose to go to The Melting Pot, which is a very cool, very fancy, Fondue Restaurant.

As excited as I was I have to admit I felt a bit sad and a bit nervous about leaving him. I knew he was in the best possible hands; my parents are amazing with children. But Jackson hasn't been away from my side for 7 1/2 weeks. Driving over to my parents’ house, I even had a bit of an upset stomach! I planed it so when we got there I could feed him and it was time to go. I got a bit teary eyed thinking of leaving him, but once we got on the highway I started feeling much better. It was time for a fun night out as adults!

We got to the restaurant a little early and enjoyed a drink at the bar (I had an amazing grape martini- yummm!). Then the servers took us to the most wonderful table. It was private and quite romantic, I’d like to add :) The food was so delicious- we highly recommend checking this restaurant out if you want to try something fun and different.

After dinner we wandered around Legacy Village a bit and then headed home to pick up our little man. The night was perfect and we decided it was something we needed to be sure to do more of (plus I doubt the grandparents or Auntie Bonnie and Uncle Neil would protest time with the prince!)

Rolling, Rolling, Rolling!

Today we were playing on Jackson's Giddy and Go Gym, like we do every day. He is now really enjoying his toys- batting at the hanging one's and staring and laughing at his own reflexion in the mirror. He is so darn cute to watch.

Well I flipped him over for some tummy time and he began lifting himself up on one elbow. His whole body was doing a bit of a curve, so I encouraged it with moving his beloved mirror more and more out of his site range. This way he had to move to see it. Well after a minute or two he turned himself over onto his back!!! It was so exciting! He was completely surprised at his accomplishment- you should have seen the look on his face! But I congratulated him and gave him big kisses and he gave me his huge toothless smile in return.

I let him play on his back for a bit and then I put him back on his tummy. This time he turned himself over right away!

Good Job Little Man!!

Sitting Tall Like a Big Boy!

Jackson has been getting so strong each and every day. He loves to stand up with his legs straight and stiff and when you hold him on your shoulder he holds his head up all the time. So today I thought I would give his Bumbo seat a try. For those that aren't familiar with this thing, here is the info from the website "The Bumbo Baby Seat is a snug and cozy environment for your baby. This revolutionary infant chair is uniquely designed according to the baby’s posture. The Bumbo enables babies to sit upright all by themselves!"

Well check him out! He loved it!

1st Smile!!

For the past week I have been wondering if just maybe those little smiles I was getting every now and then were ACTUAL smiles; not just those Falling-Asleep-Smiles or Passing-Gas-Smiles. But I wasn't sure if it was too early or not.

Well, while playing Peek-A-Boo with Jackson this afternoon I got Honest-to-Goodness REAL smiles!!! It was the most beautiful, wonderful thing I have ever witnessed! Seeing his eyes light up and that big toothless grin, that was just for me, brought happy tears to my eyes. What a special day!

What Changes When You Are A Mom

A better question may be: What doesn't change? Here, writer and mom Rebecca Woolf lists her most notable post-baby observations. They are really sweet- and so true!

1. You finally stop to smell the roses, because your baby is in your arms.

2. Where you once believed you were fearless, you now find yourself afraid.

3. The sacrifices you thought you made to have a child no longer seem like sacrifices.

4. You respect your body ... finally.

5. You respect your parents and love them in a new way.

6. You find that your baby's pain feels much worse than your own.

7. You believe once again in the things you believed in as a child.

8. You lose touch with the people in your life whom you should have banished years ago.

9. Your heart breaks much more easily.

10. You think of someone else 234,836,178,976 times a day.

11. Every day is a surprise.

12. Bodily functions are no longer repulsive. In fact, they please you. (Hooray for poop!)

13. You look at your baby in the mirror instead of yourself.

14. You become a morning person.

15. Your love becomes limitless, a superhuman power.


Do any of you have changes of your own that you would like to add to her list? If so, please share them in the Guestbook. We haven't had visitor's there in a while and we love hearing from you all!