Jackson is 7 weeks and the Tide Rolls!!

Jackson is 7 weeks old today. He is still growing and changing so much! Last night Amanda came over and we watched the wonderful outcome of the Alabama vs. Clemson game! Chad smoked some ribs and we all had a wonderful dinner. Jackson was all decked out in his Bama clothes so that he could watch his very 1st Bama game!! He of course cheered the Tide to a victory! What a difference a season makes. Last year I spent most of football season going to the dr and going through infertility treatments. I acutally found out we were pregnant the week after the LSU game last year. It is much nicer to know I am done with that phase of life and now am on to learning all things little boy. I am sure Jackson will end up with tons of Bama things over his life and this is his 1st official Game Day shirt (I am sure I will keep it).

Chad and Jackson took this picture in their Game Day attire

Jackson is in his preppy little khaki pants and Bama Polo shirt

Since I was pregnant I have been a part of a message board on ivillage. Last week I read the message board and someone posted their little one was sitting in his Bumbo seat. I thought no way is a child this young able to do this yet. So we were all in Jackson's room and I thought I would try it so Chad got his Bumbo seat out and we sat him in it. And sure enough he could sit up in it. Not for a long time because his head gets too heavy but he can do if for a while. It makes me happy and sad at the same time. Happy that he is reaching a new milestone and sad that he is growing up too fast.

Jackson had been smiling much more lately. It is so cute however it is hard to get a picture of him smiling. Last week he was really smiling a lot one day and I picked up the camera and got this great picture. I was so excited.

6 weeks already!!

Jackson is 6 weeks old today. He is getting so big and has started to hold his head up so much better and he has also started to smile more and make little giggling noises. He has also started to eat 5 ounces with 1/2 oz of cereal in the bottle also. All this eating explains his weight. I took Jackson to get him weighed at our local dr and he gained another pound. He is now up to 10 lbs 12 oz. He is getting so heavy and he is really heavy when you carry him in his carseat. Sometimes he sleeps pretty good but sometimes he does not. In fact Jackson must be a fan of the Olympics because most nights we watched lots of the 2-4 am events. This did afford me the opportunity to see both boxing matches for a boxer that my cousin Starr's husband Jay trains. (He ended up with a bronze metal and he really has a great story). But as I have written about before I love to hold and cuddle my little guy during the night. It is just us and no noise, no tv and no phone.
A friend of mine here in Scottsboro came and took some pictures of Jackson for us here at the house yesterday morning. I wanted some pictures that were a little less posed than studio pictures. Ashley was on the same wavelength as me and we got tons of pictures. She was here like 3 hours. When I get the picts on cd I will post some so you all can see them. I can't wait to get them back. Jackson did good for these pictures too although he did need to stop and take a break to eat.
I go back for my 6 week check up tomorrow. I am not really looking forward to this because I have to do the sugar test again since I had gestational diabetes during pregnancy. I am sure I will also get me yearly exam while I am there (oh yea fun!). I weighed when I took Jackson last week and had lost about 10 more lbs but I want to see what it is on the dr.'s scale since that is where I weighed pregnant.

Jackson's Birth Announcement and story

I finally got Jackson's birth announcements done and mailed out a few days ago we did them ourselves. Which means we probably took around 100 pictures to get the 4 we liked best. Jackson has actually changed quite a bit since we took the pictures but I guess birth announcements should look more like he looked at birth so I went with these pictures.

In addition I realized that I had never posted Jackson's Birth Story this might be a little lengthy but here goes... On Saturday July 12th I did not feel very good and my blood pressure was getting pretty bad. My bottom number was usually between 105 and 110. Chad finally talked me into calling the dr and they told me to come on to Birmingham to be checked out. When we arrived they put me in triage, did some blood work and put me and Jackson on a monitor. I had still not dilated but was having contractions. Finally my blood work came back and my blood platelets were a little low (129) and one of my levels that indicates toxemia was getting close to being high. They decided to put us in a room and keep me overnight. This was not a good night to be at St Vincent's because they had to turn the air off for like 5 hours and it got hot (especially for a big pregnant woman). The next morning they drew blood at like 5 am (I had only went to sleep at 3 after the air came back on). The nurse came in at about 7:20 and said some of my levels are a little more bothersome and they are not going to let me have breakfast just in case. The doctor came in at 7:30 and said my blood platelets had went down even lower (112) and if they got below 100 I would not be able to be awake during delivery. Since they had dropped 17 points in 9 hours they did not feel that had a whole lot of time to wait. The Dr. said that we would be having a c-section. We asked what time and he said 9. OMG 9 as in 1 and 1/2 hours from now. Chad left to get some things from the car and to call his parents (who would not be able to get there within the allotted time. I called Mother and David and they headed towards the hospital. They began to do paperwork and prep me. It was kind of good that it was so quick because you do not have time to worry or get too nervous. Chad put on all his sterile stuff and we walked to the OR. They did my spinal and then Chad came into the room. Dr. Dan Hudson and Dr. Gunnells started the c-section at at 9:13 am Jackson was born. Chad watched most of the c-section (he does not gross out). I watched Chad because as long as I could see him I knew his eyes would tell me if there was a problem even if no words were spoken. Jackson began to scream (his lungs were great and he wanted us to know it)! Someone took Chad over to Jackson and then they brought him for me to see. It was a wonderful sight to see Chad hold Jackson for the 1st time. It made 38 weeks of a not so great pregnancy so worth it. Chad left with Jackson in his arms and headed to our hospital room. Soon after they rolled me to my room and we got to have some time just the 3 of us (well us and our 2 nurses). First, I nursed Jackson because I had read that children who nurse within the 1st hour they do better and he latched on like a pro. In addition, Chad had gotten Jackson and I some special gifts and he gave them to us. I got diamond earrings, a engravable silver picture frame and some Bama corkscrews for our future celebrations. Jackson got a soft stuffed elephant. I got Chad a digital picture frame and a football that we can put Jackson's hand and foot prints on for putting up with me for those 38 weeks. We finally let the grandparents in and then the chaos known as our life began.

Jackson is 5 weeks old

My little boy is growing and changing so fast that I am in total shock. I have asked Chad to make him stop growing so fast. He has told me it is out of his hands! LOL We have made a point of taking lots of pictures of him so that we are able to look back and see how much he has changed. His face has gotten so full and his cheeks are so chubby that they are just kissable! And trust me they get tons of kisses every day. Jackson is also getting to be a Mommy's boy. I guess he realizes that Mommy is his food source. Even though Daddy does give him lots of his bottles when I have pumped milk. He will cry with Chad and the second he hands him to me he stops. But I am sure that will change all to soon but I am going to take full advantage of all the time that he wants to lay on my chest now. I am sure soon enough I will do good to get a hug. I really am enjoying him being so little and cuddly!

Jackson has also found a love for his swing. He loves to get in it and he wants it to go! Not barely moving he wants big movements and he will sit there for quite a while as happy as he can be! It is great for getting things done and for getting him to sleep. (Sorry the picture is a little blurry)

Jackson's tv is mounted on the wall just above his changing table. So far the tv has been more for Mommy and Daddy than Jackson. But last week when I was changing him he found the tv and now if he lays on his changing table he always looks up at the tv if it is turned on. I guess he is his Daddy's little boy so he got his love for tv honest!! I guess I should get used to it since I will be living in a house with two people who both want to watch tv. So here is a picture of Jackson watching his tv. It is amazing what having a child will do. Last year this time we were packing this tv up every week to take it to Tuscaloosa to our tailgate and this year it is mounted on the wall in Jackson's room. Wow our lives have changed so much in a year.

Jackson's 1st pictures!!

Well as you can tell Jackson had changed so much in the past few weeks. Therefore, I decided that I needed to get some pictures made to keep track how much he had changed. I am a picture person so I am looking for someone to take Jackson's pictures on a regular basis but for this time we just decided to go to Portrait Innovations. Although I did not know what to expect Jackson did so good for the pictures. Of course we used his pappy to entertain him between shots and to get him to face the direction we needed him to. Here are a few of the pictures that we had made:

Happy One Month Birthday to Jackson

Jackson on his One Month Birthday!

His bib is appropriate it said to Please Feed the Bears.

Jackson's take on it is to Please Feed Jackson

Wow I can't believe that he is already a month old. It has been such a wonderful blessing to have Jackson here with us. He is really beginning to develop his own little unique personality. He definitely looks more like Chad but he may be like me in that he is not very patient and when he is hungry he wants his food that very second! He has started to really focus in on people and things this week. He watches as we pass by (although sometimes he looses where you are and looks everywhere for you). He also started to smile as a reaction to something yesterday. He had been doing the standard smile for no reason thing that babies do forever but yesterday it has a purpose. Chad walked by and tickled his foot and Jackson looked up and gave a super big cute smile. It was so cute.

Having Jackson here has definitely given me a different perspective on me!! I am normally a go full speed at things person. Well yesterday I had one of those slight new baby brake downs where I thought I was not getting enough done and what if I was not getting enough milk to feed him (after all he does still want to eat 5 oz per feeding). Well thanks to the support of my wonderful husband and going to get a pedicure I got over that. Well today Jackson and I spent all day just vegging around the house. In fact it was very late in the afternoon when I took off my PJ's and I was just fine with that. I have found that even though I am usually half asleep my favorite thing is to look down at Jackson after he has finished eating at 3 in the morning when he has fallen back to sleep in my arms. Or walking into the room and seeing my dear husband sitting there with his little boy in his arms. It is wonderful to see how great of a Dad Chad is turning into. He is a lifesaver for me. He helps with everything and he always gives Jackson his bath. Having Jackson here makes all those horrible weeks of pregnancy so worth it!

Here are some picts of Jackson we took today on his one month birthday.

Jackson and his Daddy with some glider time while Daddy is home for lunch.

Jackson in this 3 Little Bears Shirt!

Jackson on his Tummy Time Toy. He has started to push up and kick his feet to try to make himself roll over. He really prefers to be on his back so he can see everything!

Mommy is growing older!

Last Wednesday was my 32nd Birthday. Although having Jackson here and healthy was a big enough gift I got some wonderful gifts from Jackson and Chad. I got several things that I wanted for Jackson. I got a wonderful Alabama stroller and backpack and a caramel apple woodwick candle!

Somehow my wonderful husband and family helped me to stretch out my birthday for almost 7 days! On Tuesday the 5th we had my birthday with Chad's family. On the 6th (my actual bday) Chad and Jackson cooked me a wonderful steak dinner and gave me my wonderful gifts. On Friday night we went to my Moms and on Saturday we had Birthday lunch for me and my step dad. On Sunday Chad planned for us to spend the night at the Marriott Ross Bridge Resort and Spa in Hoover. We went to eat at Carrabbas Sunday night and to Cheesecake Factory on Monday.

Here are several picts from this weekend and from our Ross Bridge stay.

Chad with Jackson and Peyton

Bailie and Jackson

Mommy, Daddy and Jackson with this really big mirror in our room at Ross Bridge

Mommy and Jackson overlooking the pool.

Daddy and Jackson at the Pool

Mommy Daddy and Jackson at Ross Bridge

Jackson's 4 week check up

Jackson had his 4 week check up at his pediatrician's office last Friday. His pediatrician is Dr. Toren Anderson at Greenvale Peds in Hoover. I looked for quite a while before I found a Dr. that I was happy with. Since we are down there so often I am still comfortable with his Dr. being there.

So when we got there I knew Jackson had gained more weight but I did not have a clue as to how much. In the 11 days since I had him weighed in Scottsboro he gained over 1 pound. He now weighed 9 lbs 12 1/2 oz. he was 23 in. long and his head was 14 3/4 in. around. Dr. Anderson checked him out and he said that Jackson looked wonderful!! We discussed that Jackson was eating close to 5 oz every feeding (at least every bottle feeding). Dr. Anderson said that it was better to have a good eater than a bad eater but he did say we can put a very small amount of rice cereal in his bottle to try to help fill him up. However obviously when I nurse him I can' t add cereal so he will still get to pig out!! Jackson has to go back on September 5th.

Here is a picture of Daddy with Jackson at the Dr.'s office

A picture of Mommy and Jackson at his check up.

Wow already 3 weeks old

I always mean to post sometime during the week but somehow sleep deprivation wins out over blog posting so maybe as Jackson sleeps better I will get to post more. We have had a fairly busy week. On Monday I took Jackson to a local Dr.s office to have him weighed and wow was I surprised. In the 10 days since he had been to the pediatrician he had gained exactly 1 lb. I can really tell in his face. He is eating really good when i pump and give him a bottle he eats between 4 1/2 and 6 oz and he usually eats every 3 to 3 1/2 hours.

On Friday we decided to take advantage of Tax Free Weekend to get Jackson some additional clothes and to get me some clothes. We got some great buys for both of us. Jackson was so good while we shopped. He loves to ride in his stroller so as long as the stroller was moving he was happy. After shopping we met Amanda and Tim at TGI Fridays to eat. Again Jackson just slept through dinner and through the 5 times that someone in the restaurant had Happy Birthday sang very loudly to them.

Finally on Saturday Chad, his Mom, and I did something I have been looking forward to for a long time. We packed up my maternity clothes and got out my regular clothes. I still have some weight I want to lose. I have lost all of my baby weight but I still need to loose my infertility weight. Those medications and the stress tend to make me gain more than pregnancy. But I can fit into my regular jeans and most of my clothes. I am so excited!!!! I know it seems crazy but I was sick of seeing those maternity clothes.

This week is my birthday so I am excited. I love birthdays it is the only holiday that is all yours. So I have always enjoyed birthdays (except my 30th for some reason I had issues with it).

Here are some of Jackson's pictures from this week. He is growing and changing daily.

Jackson loves for his Daddy to come home and hold him during lunch. It helps me so much that Chad feeds him and everything while he is home and I can get some things done.

Jackson in one of his new Gymboree outfits!!

He is growing into such a big and handsome boy!!