Cruisin in my 500 Benz...

I couldn't resist showing off my "thug boy" - How cute is this!?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Ryan, Jackson and I drove to NWA for Thanksgiving on Wednesday and just got back yesterday... As usual, Jackson did SOOOOO great! We spent a night w/ Aunt Carla/Uncle Dave for Wed night, stayed w/ Grandma Carol Thurs, Fri nights and then Jackson spent Sat night w/ Mimi while Ryan and I had a date night and then spent the night w/ Carol.... It was such a great Thanksgiving but it seems like it goes by so fast! Jackson got a new toy at Mimi's house - another walker for him to have while he's there.... This little guy is not at all spoiled.. hmmm..... Here are some pics from the weekend (as usual, we took a ton - so here are the highlights)....

Ryan made the deviled eggs and banana bread for Thanksgiving as our "contribution" - I know, I know... RYAN is basically the "cook" in our family! :) They were the BEST deviled eggs I have ever had - I have to say - I think my brother-in-law Dave helped make them too! Looking at this picture, you can probably see why I love Ryan so much - He has the best sense of humor of anyone I know!

Jackson almost always wakes up in a great mood every morning! His new thing is to stand up holding on to something .... This time, it happened to be daddy!

Jackson and Aunt Carla (she had to take his paci out and hide it behind her back so he would look at the camera!)

A couple more Jackson firsts: First time in a high chair and first time to eat prunes!


Jackson w/ Uncle Dave and Aunt Carla

Jackson loved spending some time w/ Grandma! We usually stay w/ my mom but this time we spent 2 nights at Grandma's house and Baby J did GREAT! She had lots of fun stuff to look at (another kitty to look at, a piano to play and of course, Grandma!)

He was fascinated w/ the piano! It actually looks like he knows what he's supposed to do!

We did Thanksgiving at my Aunt Kaye's and Uncle Jimmy's house this year. Here is J-man w/ Aunt Kaye-Kaye...

Me and my grandma Betty - she just had her 2nd hip replacement surgery on Nov 18th and is already bee-bopping around! She is a tough cookie!!!

Jackson and my cousin Linsey's little boy Mason are only 2 mos apart... (Mason is older) so they were really "into" staring at each other and trying to figure each other out... It was so cute!

Grandmas and their boys.... (My Aunt Becky and Mason and my mom (Mimi) and Jackson)

My other cousin Todd's little one Logan is 3 years old so he was having fun playing w/ Jackson...

Back at Grandma's, Jackson decided he's big enough for Daddy's house shoes!

Big Yawn from P-Bev Junior!

Finally! I got a picture w/ Ryan AND Jackson smiling - but it's blurry! Dang it!

Jackson's new toy at Mimi's.... (Kitchen utincils not included)

On our way out of town, we stopped to see Ryan's MBA buddy (and my buddy too!) Hal and he had the cutest "Baby's First Christmas" ornament for Jackson! Thanks Hal! Single ladies....He's available and I approve!!! Hee hee... :)


We had to stop about 50 miles outside of LR to feed Jackson and do a quick "change up" - well, Jackson is really wanting to be a big boy these days... He wanted to drive, so we let him do a quick spin... (while we were in park! lol)

My crazy husband! :)

And it begins...

Ryan and I have officially started the South Beach Diet today. We just got back from Fayetteville - where we devoured our every single craving before we begin our long journey to being beautiful! :) Ryan wants to lose 25 pounds and I want to lose 30 pounds.... We are doing this together for the first time in our 6 1/2 year marriage - Normally, Ryan would just do "his thing" and I would attempt to do mine... but we're doing this together and we'll succeed together too! My mom and cousin Linsey are doing it w/ us too so when at Christmas, we're going to all look and feel 1000 times better! Cheers for getting healthy!

New Jackson Pics!

I haven't been too diligent on updating the website so here are some recent pics of Baby J! :) He just got a new toy - His walker... So far, he doesn't really like it but he will grow accustumed to it with time.... He's become quite the little sweetheart - really actually hugging me and Ryan now with both arms... Talk about melting your heart! :) I can't believe 6 months have come and gone by so fast and I'm so saddened to think we can never get those days back. But! Jackson is more and more fun and cute and sweet every day and we fall more and more in love every single day! Enjoy!

Almost 6 months old!

Jackson had his 6 month appt today and the doc gave him a big seal of approval! Jackson weighs 17 pounds, 11 oz which is WAY smaller than Ryan and I thought he was, but he is "around" the 50th percentile again.... (he had creeped up to the 75th percentile last visit!). Dr. Rodgers is AMAZING so anyone looking for pediatrician in Little Rock - he's HIGHLY recommended! My poor baby did get 4 nice size shots to the leg and screamed bloody murder. He is so sweet how he wants his momma when he's upset like that.... Ryan and I took these pictures from the doc visit. Some of them were too precious to not post.

Jackson Giggles with Aunt Connie!

Jackson is laughing all the time now... This is from the cabin trip 2 weekends ago and Aunt Connie really got Jackson giggling!

Everything goes in the mouth...

Jackson is at that stage where he thinks that everything he touches must be tasted! Whether it is a toy, one of his books, his burp cloths, my hand, or one of the cats, eventually everything he gets his hands on takes a brief tour of the inside of his mouth. Right now he is playing in his "exer-saucer," and this is no exception to the 'mouth' rule!

Great Weekend in the 'Ville!

On Thursday, Ryan, Jackson and I left for Fayetteville. I had some appointments and Ryan took the day off on Friday to hang w/ Jackson.... We had a great weekend! On Friday morning - it was Daddy/Jackson day and they went all around! Ryan took him to see Grandma at work and show him off there (J was a HIT!) and then to the U of A and Jackson met some faculty at the grad school and then to Mimi's work.... After that, we took the long drive to our friends Connie and Kraig's parents' cabin out past Jasper (about a 2 hour drive from Springdale). We spent the night w/ them and their GORGEOUS little girl Lauren who is a year older than the J-man. Then we drove back and hung w/ Grandma and Uncle Dave/Aunt Carla.... Then Sunday we chilled out and hung w/ my fam.... It was a busy but fun weekend! I wish we lived in NWA so we didn't have to drive... J-man did not like the driving part of this weekend and we decided we will not be doing that again where he has to be in the car so long... He screamed (and I mean SCREAMED) for the last 45 minutes of the drive back on Sunday. Fortunately, he has gotten back into his routine well and seems glad to be back "home."