November Loves

Its been a while since I wrote about our “Loves”:

Ava:

• Sleeping Beauty.
• Pinkalicious.
• Anything with Parmesan, Ranch dressing or cheese.
• Hot chocolate.
• Talking about anything.
• Singing, playing dress up, pretending.
• Dry Erase Markers and the Dry Erase Board.
• Christmas time and the idea that your birthday will soon be here!

You are a quality time kid.  You love to spend time alone with Mom and Dad going to run errands, helping in the kitchen or just reading.  It amazes me how “refreshed” you become after having some one on one time.  I recently took you out for some girl time and when we were on our way home you said “Thank you, Mom.”  When I asked you why you were thankful you said “For taking me to Cherry Berry by myself and letting me tell you how it works.”  You love to explain things and teach others what you know.  You are such a good and (mostly) patient teacher.

Sam:

• Lightning McQueen.  Ava recently told you that you were “obsessed” with him.  You just laughed and said “Yeah, I am.”
• Angry Birds and Bad Piggies.
• Christmas Lights.
• Making other laugh.
• Spelling your name and learning how to write it.
• Play – Doh.
• Quesadillas, Grilled Cheese and Mac and Cheese.
• Blue Mater.

You are becoming such a boy.  You love to spend time with Dad doing boy things.  When Dad is working in the garage, you go and get your tools or just go out and sit to watch him work.  It amazes me how entertain you are by one little car.  You can sit and play with Play-doh for hours creating different animals, cars and foods.  Your imagination is so fun.  In the morning when you are playing in your room, we can hear you talking and telling stories to your cars.  You often have your cars arranged and narrate the story of “Cars” as you play with them.

Jackson:

You are growing and changing so quickly, we just want to slow time.  You have just started smiling this week.  It melts everyone’s hearts.  You give and one sided grin and the whole room lights up.  You are starting to hold your head up pretty well.  You are so easy going and mellow.  We love to watch you as you stretch and yawn for several minutes every morning.  6 weeks has gone way too fast.

My Dad

When I was little I can distinctly remember several things my Dad did that made me feel loved.  He bought my sisters and I gifts for Valentines Day every year because we were his Valentines.  He put his hand on the back of my neck to lead me through a crowded room.  He called me “peanut head”.  He came to every tennis match that he could, which was most of them.  He let me hold on to his back as he swam back and forth in the pool.  He taught me how to water ski.

I could name hundreds of things that made me feel special or loved but one of the most recurring things my Dad did to love on me was to rub my forehead and temples.  He would rub my head when I had a headache or fever as a child and he rubbed my head the day my kids were born.  My sister took some pictures after Jackson was born and she captured it perfectly.  (Have I ever mentioned how talented she is??  Under the Willow Tree Photography…check her out!)  Then I remembered the picture I had from when Ava was born…almost identical.

I often wonder what my kids will remember when they are adults.  Will Ava remember how I rubbed her back before bed time to help her relax?  Will Sam remember how Jon gave him piggy back rides to his bed room almost every night?  Will Jackson remember how we all sang “bio-bio” as we rocked him?  One thing is for sure – they will remember their Papa rubbing their heads as he has carried on this loving tradition to the next generation.

Love you, Dad.

After Jackson was born.

After Ava was born.

1 month

Whew!  That went fast.  Jackson is one month old today and he feels like he has been a part of our family forever.  I am on borrowed time as I write this.  All 3 kids are napping at the same time (a modern day miracle, right?) and I have a feeling one will be waking soon.

Jackson is growing and changing so fast.  I remember when Ava and Sam were infants, I couldn’t wait for the next phase.  I was so excited for them to learn to roll, sit up, etc.  With Jackson I feel as though I am starting to realize just how fast this time goes.  He will do all the milestone things in good time but he won’t be this little for long.

Ah, I was on borrowed time.  Sweet Sam is awake.  A few pictures of my one month old baby boy and his adoring siblings!

Jackson

We have been busy here adjusting to life as a family of 5.  My wonderful mom came and stayed with us for about a week.  She helped clean, cook and most importantly she took care of Jackson throughout the night so Jon and I could rest in between feedings.  That week of extra help is so priceless to us.  But then reality hit…kind of.  While we are on our own now, my sweet dad is coming over every morning and taking my kids to school.  I cannot express how amazing it is to have such a strong support group around us.  We are so very lucky!

Jackson is an awesome baby.  Here are some snip bits about him:

• He is just so mellow and easy.
• We went in for his two week appointment yesterday and he is now 8 lbs. 6 oz. up from his birth weight of 8 lbs. 1 oz.
• He is so very strong.
• Our sweet little man loves his sleep averaging about 4 – 4.5 hours at night between feedings.
• He has a look all his own even though he has features the remind me so much of Sam and Ava.
• His hair, skin and eyes are dark.
• His height on his birth certificate reads 18 inches although the nurses remeasured him and corrected it to 20.5 inches.  So, he grew 2.5 inches in his first couple hours of life.  🙂

Some funny things that I don’t want to forget about this time:

• Once we were transferred into our room at the hospital, I began to have a reaction to some of the medication and got very sick.  The doctors were giving me medicine to counter act the reaction but it made me very sleepy and a little out of it.  Jon jokes that no one could do anything wrong that day.  I was complimenting everyone on a job well done.
• In the midst of my sleepiness, the fire alarm in the hospital went off.  I remember that Jon went out in the hallway to ask what we should do and the nurses told him to close the door and go back into the room.  They would let us know if it was a real fire or a false alarm.  Jon came back into the room where my sister and I were waiting with Jackson.  Although I was pretty out of it, I managed to wake every few minutes to ask Jon “Is there a fire?”  He finally told me that he would “let me know” if there was and to go back to sleep.  Yeah right.  Even though I was semi conscious, I still had enough wherewithal to know they could move and would carry Jackson out but I contemplated how in the world they were going to get my half numb body out of that 5th floor hospital room.  Turns out, we never heard anything else about the fire alarm and still don’t know what happened.
• During the c-section, Jon was trying to take my mind off of what was going on.  One of the conversations started with “What color do you think I should paint my Land Cruiser?…Pink?”
• The anesthesiologist tried to get us to change our name choice from Jackson to Gerard.  Apparently, October 16 is the celebration day of St. Gerard, patron saint of expectant mothers.

Ava and Sam are in love with him and want to do everything for him.  We have some great helpers.  I am amazed as I watch the pride on their faces as the introduce their baby brother to their friends or teachers.  Ava is such a little mama and so helpful.  Sam is so very sweet and sings to Jackson every time he is upset.  It is heartwarming to see them in the big sister/brother roles.