Happy 8 Months!

Jackson is officially eight months old as of today! I haven't had a moment to update the last couple of months, but I thought I'd start where we were and then I can (hopefully) fill in the gaps at some later date.

His eight month tricks:

He can hold his own bottle! I can hardly believe it, but it's true. He drinks a 7-8 oz bottle 4 to 5 times a day. He is also chowing down on solids. He loves to eat and gets really fussy when he doesn't get enough or if he's waited too long in between meals (very much like his daddy)! I'm thankful that, so far, he likes everything we introduce to him. I've been very slow and deliberate in what I've tried: rice cereal, green beans, peas, sweet potatoes, squash, bananas, and apple sauce. I just want to make sure he doesn't have any negative reactions to any of the foods.  It's hard to believe that for the first 5 weeks of his life we were so concerned about his eating/weight.  Now he's turned into a big boy; I'm thankful for our great eater!

He is now  over 29 inches long and weighs over 22 pounds. 

 

He is sitting up all by himself, rolling all around the floor (his preferred mode of transportation), and trying so hard to crawl. He is very social and loves to make babbling sounds and play with other kids. Any time he has the opportunity to hang out with another toddler, he begins to work so hard on his crawling. He can't wait to start exploring; he is very curious. He loves books (he likes to eat them). But he also likes it when we read to him. Yesterday we were reading Bear in the Square. Jeremy read the English and I the French. When I started the French, Jackson turned and looked at me and made a babbling sound and it seemed like he was communicating to us, "mom, you aren't speaking the right language." It was too cute. (Thanks Uncle Jeremy for getting us these books! Jackson loves the big, bright pages.) 

Playing with his sweet friend, Gabriella. (She is 20 months and they are almost the same size!)

We are getting more and more sleep at night (probably jinxing myself by saying that). He tends to go to bed around 7:30 p.m. and get up around 7:30 a.m. He likes to sleep with his monkey, lion, monkey blanket, and pacifier. Can't forget the paci! He is still taking a morning and afternoon nap. One is usually around 2 hours and the other 45 minutes. 

He likes to chew on EVERYTHING and drools like nobody's business. Right now I think it's because he's working on his top two teeth. I'll be thankful when they finally cut through! He loves to play with the little tags on his toys, clothes, blankets, or anything else. He is fascinated with them! Other than that, he loves any toy that rattles or shakes! He also still likes music. I think his favorite song is still "Twinkle, Twinkle" and he likes it when we sing it in a round.

He wears size 9-12 month clothes and size 4 diapers. I had a few size 3 diapers left and was squeezing him into them, but decided it wasn't worth it after having to wash multiple outfits due to blow-outs.

He is a very independent little guy, and prefers not to be cuddled. That kinda makes me sad because I always want him to snuggle, but he is not interested. He is too busy checking everything out. He does like to laugh and is very ticklish under his arms and on his belly! He also likes it when you give him kisses. He thinks it's so funny (I think he likes the sound). He loves looking at himself in the mirror and will laugh with a wide-eyed expression whenever the wind or a breeze blows across his face. (Sometimes we lightly blow in his face to calm him down...he loves it.)

He has crazy, curly blond hair that we still haven't cut. It's getting pretty long!

He loves his mommy and daddy. He definitely recognizes our voices and will turn when we speak to him. He has also started to reach out for us. I love that! It's just so cute! And when Jeremy comes home from work Jackson is so excited to see him! It's amazing that at 8 months he visibly shows excitement when he sees his daddy...that make me so happy!

It's been a busy and sometimes stressful/exhausting 8 months, but I'm very happy. I love being a mom and seeing how my little guy grows and develops each day. It is so amazing! Our family is loving the fall, and I'm excited for Jackson to experience all of the fun holidays that are rapidly approaching!

Go Colts!

First Day of School

So Jackson has decided to no longer sleep through the night (I think sleeping through the night lasted about a week...just long enough for him to psych us out). This morning he woke up at 4:00 a.m. screaming and crying. Since today is Jeremy's first day of official summer band and he had to be there at 6:45 a.m., I thought maybe I should be the one to tend to our darling, little son. After I settled him down, I tried to get back in bed for a few more minutes of much needed sleep. Unfortunately, my mind would not quit racing...thinking about everything I needed to do (today and ten years from now). So after wrestling with myself for about thirty minutes, I just got up and jumped in the shower.

By the time I was getting out, it was time for Jeremy to be up. It was nice starting our day together. We had breakfast, had a few quiet moments to talk about what was going to happen today (him at work and me at home), and make a few evening plans. Then it was time to get him out the door and me on to the treadmill! I'm supposed to be doing a 1/2 marathon in September with Ashley, but at this rate I'll be fortunate if I even finish a few miles! But I'm doing it! I've found that I'm way more likely to work out if I'm talking to someone, so Jeremy and I continued our morning conversation via cell phone while he was commuting (what did people do before cell phones?!).  By 7:00 a.m. I have gotten dressed for the day, breakfasted with my my hubby, worked out, had my quiet time, cleaned up the kitchen, and looked over my 'to do' list. I feel pretty accomplished.

 5 months-first ride in the jogging stroller- He loved it!

But what I really want to reflect on is the first day of school. This morning while Jeremy was getting ready for school, I kinda felt like I was having flashbacks to my school days.  It's that time of year when the air is full of hope...it's a fabulous new chapter in life, for everyone. Things seem so exciting, there is much to anticipate, new goals to set...and then reality sets in. (But the Isley household has much to be thankful for, especially Jeremy's new job as percussion coordinator at Frenship High School!)

Yay drums!

Anyway, it made me think about my mom and how she was always the first one up every morning in our house. She got us all up and running for the day by flipping on the lights and singing, 'rise and shine and give God the glory, glory...' usually throwing in a few hand claps here and there. (Perhaps this is where all four of us got our great musical prowess.) We all promptly responded with grunts and groans and with large huffs while pulling the covers up over our heads to shade the light from our sleepy eyes.

David, Jeremy, Laura, Rachel- back in the day!

Mom also made sure to have breakfast ready for us each morning. I always loved breakfast (I still do). One of our favorite breakfasts was always monkey bread- biscuits covered in butter and lots of sugar...yummo! I think my brother, Jeremy, always called it monkey brains...it does kinda look like a brain with all of those biscuit chunks. Good memories!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sugar-rush/monkey-and-gorilla-bread-recipe/index.html

My sweet brothers!

Seeing how hard it is for me to get up with my husband, makes me really appreciate my mom and all of those mornings that she made so memorable for us! Perhaps that's one of the reasons why all of my sibs are so close...my mom created a home with a warm, loving atmosphere. We didn't realize it took any energy or effort on her behalf...I mean, she's mom! But now that I'm on the flip side, I recognize her hard-work and sacrifice as well as her joyful attitude. I'm thankful for my wonderful mom; she set such a great example for us to follow. I'm excited about creating fun moments for my wonderful husband and sweet baby boy! So it stinks that I couldn't sleep this morning, but I'm thankful for the time to reflect...time to think about how to make the first day of school...each day of school, for that matter, start off on the right foot! Thanks mom!

Back before digital cameras-sorry Dave! Ha Ha!

Four Month Update

It's past time for Jackson's four month update!

Another month has passed and our boy is just a growin' and a growin'! He is such a happy boy. He loves to smile and laugh out loud, but most of all he just seems content. In fact, tonight was a late night for Jeremy so Jackson and I got to just chill all day together. The best part of today was putting him in his pjs, combing his hair, reading a book, giving him one last bottle, and then rocking him to sleep. It was such a sweet evening. I'm so blessed to have such a happy, healthy, bundle of joy! So here are a few pictures of our sweet little man at FOUR MONTHS! Yikes!

 fun with daddy

 more faces

 he loves his daddy

Four Months- Stats

Height: 26.5"

Weight: 17 pounds 5 ounces

Head Circumference: 17.5"

Diapers: Level 3

Clothes: 3-6 months (and some nine months!)

Tricks: Rolls over front to back, sucks on his hands and feet, can reach for a toy, likes to sit up, can almost roll over from back to front, he turns and looks when you talk to him

Favorite song: Twinkle, Twinkle

Favorite book: Whatever mom reads to him

Favorite toys: A little green rattle and a monkey rattle

Favorite activity: Trying to sit up

He continues to sleep from about 8:00 p.m. -7:00 a.m. And he still needs his miracle blanket in order to keep from waking himself up with his spastic arms! He's a cutie!

He still takes a morning, afternoon, and an evening nap, and he's eating 6 ounce bottles 5-6 times a day.  We are slowly switching over to the Playtex VentAire bottles instead of the dropins...so far so good!

I'm thankful for my sweet baby boy. Each day I pray for him to have the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Samson, the faith of Abraham, a heart for God-like David, and be transformed into the likeness of Christ.

Rolling Over

Jackson officially rolled over yesterday! It was time for the dreaded tummy time, so we headed to the floor to play. I put him down on his play mat, and he really started lifting up his head and chest. Then all of sudden he rolled over on to his side. He gave himself one final push with his leg, and BAM...he rolled over to his back! I was so excited! He just looked up at me like, 'Mom, what's the big deal.' Pretty exciting day in the Isley house. Here are a couple of pictures of the pre-roll (I couldn't get him in action) and some other random pictures of him at 13 wks!

 

Time is flying!

 

10 wk picture

Ok, so this is my third try to get this 3 month update finished! I never realized how precious my time was until Jackson arrived...now EVERY SECOND counts! I can't believe Jackson is already three months old...time really is flying and often times I find myself asking, 'what day is today?' So much is happening, it's often hard to find a moment to document the memories! But it's been four weeks since I've updated his stats, and I don't want to forget all of these sweet moments with my precious baby boy.

 9 wks hanging out with his buddies

 9wks, getting so long!

Jackson Alexander at 3 months:

• He loves to smile at his mommy and daddy! He will also smile at strangers who talk to him. He really likes being included in the conversation.
• Squealing, laughing, and 'talking' are a few of his new tricks that I LOVE! It is just the cutest thing when he's laying on his play mat squawking around. He also makes a ton of sounds before falling asleep.
• Sleeping...well he's not the biggest fan. He always fusses before falling asleep.
• His first full night of sleep was on his 3 month birthday, May 15th. He slept from 10:00 p.m.-5:00 a.m. Hallelujah! This hasn't become a regular routine, but it's getting closer.
• Our daily routine goes like this: sleep, eat, play repeat. 
• Sucking on his hands is a hobby that started in utero. In fact, we have a sonogram picture of him doing this. He definitely prefers his hands to a pacifier. However, he does like to use a pacifier before falling asleep. This is a recent development.

 

12 wks

• He is wearing size 2 diapers (thanks to two blowouts and mom picking him up and getting blindsided by poop) and 3-6 month clothes. He can't even wear plain old 3 month clothes! He's a big boy! In fact, Jeremy has started calling him tank!
• This boy can eat! We are giving him 4.5-5 oz bottles 5-6 times a day!
• Jackson already likes music. Before bed, when he starts cranking up, we sing to him. My go to songs are Twinkle, Twinkle and Rudolph. Jeremy scoffed at the latter, until he saw the magic. Now he's a believer in the power of Rudolph even in the month of May!

 

9 wks

• He is so alert now and really enjoys looking around at new toys and being outside! 
• Tummy time...bum, bum, bum....not his favorite activity.  However, it is a necessary evil. Right now he can push himself up to a 90 degree angle. He kicks like nobody's business, but he's not turning over yet. Jeremy said, 'once he starts turning over, tummy time will be over'...he hates it!
• We are starting to use the bumbo chair. He seems to doing well with it so far. He'll be sitting up in no time.
• He sleeps in the miracle blanket (thank you Uncle Dave). This thing has lived up to it's name. Unfortunately, we aren't going to be able to use it much longer...Jackson is starting to break loose! When he sleeps without it, he always puts his hands up by his head...like 'I'm sexy and I know it'

 

11 wks

• Jackson his big blue eyes like me, and a serious expression like his dad!
• The little cyst on his forehead is looking smaller each day. The Dr. said there is a small chance it might shrink...and it has. 
• Jackson loves bath time! He likes to kick, kick, kick and splash, splash, splash. 
• I love our bedtime routine...we put on pj's, read a book, sing a song, say a prayer, and usually do a little rocking before he falls asleep. It's a really sweet time (usually). 
• He went to his first percussion concert on Sunday, May 20th in Hemmle Recital Hall. This was where Jeremy and I met. Jackson did well at this concert, he slept through most of it even though they were banging on loud instruments!

Picture taken at 8wks...gotta love the drums

Our little boy is growing so fast. Today when I was putting him down for his afternoon nap I was holding him (he likes to be cuddled) and I thought, 'this is true joy'. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to be a mother and to stay at home with Jackson. It's not the most glamorous job, but I really love it. I've never experienced joy like this. I love watching my sweet little son sleeping...he often smiles and laughs in his sleep. And I LOVE when I go into his room in the morning and he smiles when he sees me! He loves his mamma and it shows! I'm blessed with my sweet little miracle boy and wonderful husband!

 

13 wks

8 week stats!

Jai is 8 weeks old as of last Wednesday! Yesterday we went to his 2 month Dr. appointment. I definitely spent a lot of time worrying, needlessly. Everything turned out just fine. Jeremy took off for the afternoon so he could come and help lend moral support (more for me than Jai). It made the day so much easier having another set of hands...plus Jeremy did a great job of taking care of Jai's needs most of the afternoon!

Back to the Dr. appointment...Jai did really well. He slept all the way over to Lubbock and most of the time while we were in the waiting room. He was great while they did all of the preliminary checks.  He can hold his head up pretty well while we hold him, turn his head from side to side, follow objects, smile (just a little-he's like his dad), and my favorite....laugh when he 'plays' with some of his toys.  I love it!

8 wks in bouncy chair

The first time his laughter unfurled its wings in the wind, 

we knew that the world would never be the same~ Story People

Here are his 2 month stats:

Height: 23.5 inches

Weight: 12 pounds 13 ounces

Head:  16.5 inches

Clothing size: 3 months

 get your guns up!

 sleeping in the waiting room

waiting for the Dr. (2 months)

By the time mom (that's me!) stopped asking the Dr. questions, Jai was ready to eat! Unfortunately he had to wait 'til after his immunizations. So he was already pretty upset before the nurse gave him all three of his shots. But the nurse was fabulously fast and skilled and Jeremy did a great job of holding Jai still and comforting him afterward. And of course, it was very helpful to have a soothing bottle at the ready! All of that to say, I worried a lot for nothing. We really love our pediatrician, nurses, and office staff. 

After leaving the Dr. office, we headed to Wal-mart to buy some baby supplies, but I won't go into the details of the trip. It wasn't a pleasant experience. I always forget that while Wal-mart offers cheap prices, it also offers crummy customer service (especially when using coupons). Or maybe my cashier was just poorly trained. Anyway, it was bad....especially for the cashier. 

On the upside, we experienced our first outing to a restaurant since Jai was born! It was also his first experience in a restaurant. Mom sent me a coupon for Chili's so that's where we went (plus we like chili's). I needed a margarita after the Wal-mart incident to help me unwind.  Once I settled down, we really enjoyed our time. Our server, Justin, was fantastic and he helped us to document our first restaurant experience.

I can definitely see why parents need to take the time to get out of the house. We really enjoyed stepping away from all of our 'to dos' and just talking about lighter subjects. Going on dates need to be more of a priority now that we are kinda getting the hang of being parents. 

Jai slept all the way home and finally woke up around 6. After that, he was kinda fussy throughout the evening and needed to be cuddled. However, he did not spike a fever and we didn't have to give him any Tylenol. I was worried that it would be a really rough night, but it was the same as always....waking up every 3 hours ready to eat! This morning has also been a typical morning with his regular schedule and temperament. I'm very thankful that our little guy is growing so well and recovering awesomely from his immunizations.

 Frog drummer...like his daddy

Mom and Jai, 8 wks, chillin' at home (plotting to take over the world)

Easter Sunday

Jackson experienced several firsts this past weekend. It was Easter Sunday and Jeremy was playing percussion at Christ the King so that's where we decided to go to church.  Jackson experienced his first church service and first Easter...when I say experienced I mean slept through. We had a great Easter weekend.

Isley Family at Christ the King

Grandma Jean came for the weekend and gave me and Jeremy the best Easter gift ever...a whole night of sleep- an Easter Miracle!!! She also helped out on Saturday so that Jeremy and I could get some stuff done around the house.  I had taken using two hands for granted. Now I realize how nice it is to use both of my hands when doing a task.

 

I cut Grandma's hair. I think it looks pretty good!

On Sunday Jeremy was playing at the church, so it was very nice having mom help me get Jackson ready for his first church outing. She helped me get him dressed, fed, and gather all of his equipment. I thought he looked so cute in his little blue, collared outfit.

We made it to Lubbock without any problems (other than being late) and enjoyed our Easter Sunday service celebrating the resurrection of Christ. Grandma Jean, Jackson, and I sat together in the overflow section. Jackson was awesome! He just slept through the entire mass! After the service we took a few pics of our family and friends and then headed back to Littlefield.

 

 Our friends, The Alcayagas

When we arrived at home, Jeremy surprised us with a few Easter gifts! My flowers are still beautiful and smell wonderful! He remembered to get a little gift for all of us, including Grandma Jean! After the Easter gifts, Jeremy grilled out and we enjoyed a tasty Easter dinner. While Jeremy was out grilling, Grandma Jean was playing with Jackson. He has started smiling and Grandma is claiming the first smile! I guess she deserves it since she is such a good Grandma! Overall, we had a wonderful weekend. I'm so blessed to have such a wonderful husband, mother, baby, and of course- SAVIOR, Jesus Christ! Happy Easter, indeed.

7 Wks

Jackson is now 7 weeks old, and we are still getting to wake up three times a night to feed him. I have to say that I'm exhausted and don't know if I can keep up with all of this lack of sleep. Thankfully Jeremy helps out with the night feedings, but we are both running low on energy. I don't know how he is functioning at school. My brain can barely focus long enough to watch mindless t.v.  Speaking of t.v., when I do have a moment to watch (usually during feedings) I've been watching The Big Bang Theory. I think it is hilarious! There is nothing like a quick 30 minute, laugh out loud show. It perks me up after two and a half hour stints of sleep.

Other than sleep deprivation, we have been trying to figure out how to keep Jackson from crying for what seems like no reason. At three weeks he seemed to have developed colic. Since then we have tried a million different options in order to soothe the little king. What seems to have helped the most is the natural nurser bottle. I feel like we tried every bottle and nipple out there, but the natural nurser works the best for Jackson. I have definitely noticed that his gas is better, and the bouts of crying (more like screaming) have diminished. We are still using gas drops and gripe water as well.  I've also discovered that he sleeps best in his car seat! That seems so crazy, but for now it's working so I'm not questioning it!

All in all, I do love being a mother. It has really changed my perspective on life and things that are important. Each day is a new adventure, and I'm trying to focus on the positive and keep a joyful attitude despite the many challenges. I'm definitely thankful for the women in my life who are willing to share their experiences (good and bad) as well as words of encouragement. I'm really appreciating this community of women! In fact, last Thursday my sweet friend Ashley brought her little guy to Littlefield to hang out for the day! It was so refreshing to spend the day with a friend. Not only did she come and offer her amazing company, she also brought us dinner and helped me clean my house! I'm so blessed!

We went for a walk with our little men!

In other news, here are a couple pictures of JAI...he is growing so fast!

6 wks!

 

All worn out after lots of pooping!

7wks!

Being so sweet after having a huge blowout diaper and peeing all over the wall, his changing table, his mom, the floor and anything else in his path. In those moments, you just have to laugh!

Working on his dance moves!

Please go to sleep! We were so tired, but he was not having it!

5wks

Family walk.

So this week we've tried to start going for a family walk in the evening to help get JAI to fall asleep. This way we get a little exercise and time together, as well as some peace and quiet! I think we all enjoy the sunshine and fresh air! I've also started teaching again this week. I'm doing two evenings so far, but I'm enjoying it. Jeremy has been home in the evenings to watch JAI. I think having a little break from teaching has helped me to enjoy coming back to it. 

And finally, a quick update... Thumper survived his surgery and is living it up in the backyard, his domain!