Pretty Please

Dear Snow,
We were hoping you could be so kind to wait until we safely arrive in Wisconsin before you begin falling to the ground. You see we don't mind a white Christmas. However, we would rather spend it with our families sitting around the fire drinking hot cocca than sitting at an airport trying to get home. You are more than welcome to leave behind 4 or 5 feet once we arrive. Jackson is actually looking forward to seeing snow, playing in it, and going sleeding. See he is already ready for the snow!!

Ok, he may still need a snowsuit, boots, scraf, long underwear, thicker socks, and toe warmers:)But he is ready to see his grandparents and give them a BIG hug and kiss and I am SO ready to be in the presence of my parents. Oh, how I have missed them!

Snow I AM begging you PLEASE wait until after Christmas Eve morning at 10:00 to make your arrival in Wisconsin.

Until next time,
Anxious to be home

Silent Night, Holy Night

All is calm,

All is bright!!

"Suddenly, God's angel stood among them and God's glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, "Don't be afraid. I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David's town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you're to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and 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."

Handmade

"A happy heart makes the face cheerful." Proverbs 15:13


On Sunday we took Jackson to the nursery and when we picked him up we were given this:

Our first handmade gift from Jackson and of course it is front and center on the Christmas tree. I think it makes the tree sparkle even more:)

I was so excited to receive this ornament and left Church with a very happy heart. I know it is the first of many things I will cherish that Jackson with make for love for us. I think I now understand why my dad has kept everything and I mean everything I have made for him:)

Lord, thank you so much for this sweet boy who continues to make our lives full of joy and see things in a brand new perspective.

Breakfast with Santa

Yesterday morning we got up early to go have breakfast with Santa. Brian's work hosted this event for all their employees and their families. I thought this was a great idea and was excited to take Jackson to sit on Santa's lap for the first time!

We're all ready to see Santa, Where is this jolly guy already?

This is the first shot I got when Brian sat Jackson on Santa's lap. He was just not quite sure about who we were leaving him with. (This is the same face we usually get when we leave him in the nursey at church)

But, we did a very cute smile after a little coaxing from daddy (aka: acting like a fool)!

The whole event was better than I expected. The breakfast was yummy. Jackson tried some pancakes and hashbrowns for the first time and like them, of course! My favorite was the fresh pinneaple. They also had crafts and cookie decorating for the older children. The hospital was all decked out for the season with lots of Christmas trees and poinsettias.

I love tall Christmas trees and this one was no exception!

After Breakfast with Santa we headed over to my aunt's church. They were having a live nativity with donkey and camel rides for the children. I was the lucky one to ride on the camel with Jackson, Brian didn't want to be sneezing for the rest of the afternoon.

Jackson squealed with joy while riding the camel.

After that we headed home and fed Jackson. It was a gloomy, rainy day so we decided to go walk around the mall. At the Bass Pro Shop they were taking free pictures with Santa and since the line wasn't very long we waited. The backdrop for the pictures was awesome, complete with stuffed reindeer. Jackson didn't smile or cry for this picture. My scanner isn't working so I can't post it now, but rest assured it is on the fridge.

We took a few pictures in Bass Pro:)

The background was so pretty!

It was a long but fun-filled Saturday with maybe a lot of new traditions~

Run, run, as fast as you can...

You can't catch me I'm Jackson Oliver.

Katrina had a bunch of girls over to her house that graduated from Northwestern and are now living in Texas to make Gingerbread houses. She was kind enough to invite me even though I was a traitor and left after my freshman year. It was a fun filled Saturday!

Katrina, Kristy, and me working on our houses- You can even see Jackson "helping"

For never making a gingerbread house before I would say it isn't too shabby

Jackson and I with our house

Snow in Houston?

Jackson is getting ready for the snow that was forecasted for Houston last Friday. He even wore his snowflake thermal to encourage the snow to come on down. It worked! Right after I dropped Jackson off at the babysitter's house snow flurries began to come down. It was all gone by the time I got done with work, so Jackson did not get to experience his first snow. However, it would have been funny if he saw snow in Houston before we even went home to Wisconsin for Christmas. I have no doubts that Jackson will get to experience some real snow flurries when we go home. I can't wait to take him out in the snow to play and take some pictures of him all bundled up in his snowsuit. He has no idea what he is in for:)

9 months

This is a very exciting and fun age!

Jackson is ALL over the place. He has mastered crawling, pulling up, climbing over things. He loves pulling out drawers and slamming them shut. You can't leave him alone even for a couple of minutes:)

He is still a very happy baby but has more stranger anxiety than before.

Jackson LIKES:

-Eating- He tried turkey, chicken, and broccoli for the first time. He is beginning to eat some finger foods. He can pick them up by himself but can't quite figure out how to get them into his mouth. Jackson eats 3 BIG meals a day, has 3 bottles, and a snack like puffs. He likes to bite the puffs with his teeth. (He now has 2 on the bottom and 3 on top.) His favorite are sweet potatoes and can even eat a whole one by himself:) He weighs around 23-24 pounds and is 30-31 inches tall.

-Anything he can pull up on and put in his mouth.

-Playing games with daddy, anytime Brian puts him in his carseat he coughs and pretends it is too tight. Brian can pretty much get him to laugh at anything.

Jackson DISLIKES:

-The church nursey- As soon as we walk in the room, before we even put him down, tears well up in his eyes and he starts to cry. I hope he outgrows this stage fast.