Although I am very proud of my son, am loving watching him reach milestones, and am having so much fun with him as he gets older, it is soooo sad at the same time! My baby boy is getting so big and it's happening so fast that it makes me want to cry! And sometimes I do! Just looking at him or watching him do something new can be all it takes. So here are the top six reasons why Jackson turns Mommy into an even bigger mush-ball than she already is:
1. He is so close to rolling all the way over! If it weren't for that one darn arm getting stuck under his body all the time...
2. He is eating baby food! He decided to start liking it and now I'm mixing rice cereal with sweet potatoes and some breast milk, which he has been scarfing down lately.
3. He sometimes goes to bed all by himself! Some nights he doesn't even want to be rocked (sad) but will fall asleep only a short time after being laid in the crib.
4. He is using the big bath tub! The little infant tub just got too small and he was sliding around everywhere in it and even slipping below the water at times. That was enough of that!
5. He is outgrowing clothes at a rapid rate! Just last week I had to pack another box full of stuff that's too small, smelling the items, holding them to my face, and crying as I went. *tear*
6. He is talking almost non-stop! His baby babbles are consonant sounds now and he's laughing at us more than ever. Cutest thing in the world!!!
It's so much fun, but why do they have to grow up?! :)/:(
P.S. For you regular bloggers, I am proud to point out that this is my fourth post in one week! WOW! Don't get used to it. :0
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
Fun with the Fedies
This weekend we were visited by the Fedie family. Curt grew up with Ben in Zimmerman and their families are close friends. Ben and Tasha have two kids: Elijah is 17 months and Ella is one month. Since both sets of Jackson's grandparents live so near each other, we don't have the chance to hang out with the Fedies very often when we go to Princeton, so it was really great to have them up overnight to hang out. On Saturday afternoon the daddies were busy pouring a cement slab for our wood stove while the mommies took turns chasing after Elijah outside and watching the babies in the house. He was a busy boy and he gave us another reminder of just how much babyproofing we'll need to do pretty soon! When they finally finished their project about four hours after they started, we were ready to eat, only to learn that the grill had run out of propane while the venison sat on it! (Almost three years since we've been married and we haven't filled it once - go figure!) After a while we were able to eat a nice meal and then we headed outside for some 4-wheeler riding and a bonfire. Sunday morning we went to church, came back for lunch, and then headed to town for some ice cream. (If you're ever on Hwy 10 in Motley, be sure to stop at The Silo for some good old Kemps ice cream in a sugar cone or waffle cone - delish!) Baby Ella was precious and Elijah is such a cutie, and it was fun to see what's in store for us as Jackson gets older. Ben and Curt and their siblings had lots of adventures growing up, and we look forward to our kids having fun together over time as well. Thanks for such a good time, Fedies!
The best picture we could get of the three kids: Ella, Jackson, and Elijah
Baby Ella
I'm not sure which Elijah liked more, Jackson or his baby toys!
They had lots of fun playing together and I think Elijah was pretty smitten. :)
The best picture we could get of the three kids: Ella, Jackson, and Elijah
Baby Ella
I'm not sure which Elijah liked more, Jackson or his baby toys!They had lots of fun playing together and I think Elijah was pretty smitten. :)
Friday, July 18, 2008
Thank You!
Auntie Brea and Grandma Paula,
Thanks for giving me this nifty high chair for my baby shower back in April! Mommy and Daddy are putting me in it so I can sit at the table with them for dinner and play with my toys. I feel like such a big boy!
I love you both!
Jackson
Thanks for giving me this nifty high chair for my baby shower back in April! Mommy and Daddy are putting me in it so I can sit at the table with them for dinner and play with my toys. I feel like such a big boy!
I love you both!
Jackson
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
A Busy Summer
Here are some updates on our family happenings of late. Since I am a bad blogger, this is a long one, just to warn you.
For the Fourth we went to Sheila's (Curt's sister) in-laws' house on a lake outside of Grand Rapids. They are very hospitable and welcoming and we always have fun there. We had a really good time watching the two babies play together, going for boat rides (except for Madelyn who definitely did not enjoy it), taking walks, watching the dogs play together, and eating some wonderful food, which is always important for me. :) Jackson "swam" with us for the first time and did pretty well, although it was cold. We started with just his feet splashing in the water and he fussed some, but not too much, so then I took off his outfit and we went a little deeper. He was still okay with it, so off went the diaper and we went in up to his waist! He probably lasted about 15 minutes total before he had had enough, and I didn't want to push it to the point where he'd dislike it. It was so neat to watch the babies interacting, to see the milestones that Madelyn (8 months) has reached, and to see what Jackson will be doing by the time he is her age. It wasn't as much fun when they played copycat with each other. When one fussed and cried, the other would start in. Then they'd look at us like, "What's happening? What do we do? Keep crying or will it all be okay?" But they actually weren't doing that as much this time as they have before.
Sadie was a huge chicken at first with Sheila and John's dog, Koko, a yellow lab who must look gigantic to little Sadie. She was yipping and crying like crazy, but she eventually warmed up to her and quit trying to jump into our laps. Pretty soon they were following each other into the water, sharing food, and, of course, sniffing butts. They had lots of fun playing together in the boat with us and with the daddies when they went fishing.
Last week I took a day off so Jackson and I could visit with my mom's side of the family for a day at Mille Lacs. It was pretty windy there so we didn't spend a whole lot of time in the water, but I was able to swim for a bit while my cousin watched Jackson, and he even splashed around in the water some with Grandma Paula. It was nice to just take a day in the week to relax, hang out, and eat some more good food. :)
This past weekend we left Sadie home alone for the first time. From Friday afternoon to Sunday night. Mommy was not very happy about it. Especially when Curt's parents wondered why we didn't bring her to their house when we got there! Of course she was alive and well when we got home, but I worried about her being sad and anxious without us. She let out her aggression by getting in to the house through the garage door and making a huge mess of Jackson's toys. Luckily there was no pee or poop to be found, but I wonder how long she was in there because some of the toys were completely engulfed in dog smell. Curt's parents were nice enough to get her out of there when they drove up to drop off a load of wood for the wood stove we're going to buy. (Curt is super excited about it. He's like a kid. More on that when we actually get one, which is the point where I'll start caring about it...)
On our way back home Sunday we stopped at Curt's aunt and uncle's house to visit with some family and meet Jim and Liz's new baby, Becca. Seeing a beautiful, tiny newborn again made me miss that phase of Jackson's life, but as Liz and I talked and I watched them together, I realized how nice it is now that he is a breastfeeding pro who sleeps in his own room and can be left alone to entertain himself for short periods of time. Those little tiny ones sure do take up lots of time and energy. A different kind of energy than I give for him now. So ultimately I would like to have more children, but I am content with the stage Jackson's at now and am happy to wait a while. Sorry, Grandparents. :)
Jackson's babbling this past weekend was really the first time we've heard him make consonant sounds and he hasn't stopped since, which is absolutely adorable and so much fun! He also discovered his toes and is reaching for them all the time, and I bet soon he'll stick them in his mouth. It is amazing how wonderful and touching the simplest things become when you are watching your child grow. Although I love newborns and I miss that phase of his life, it's really fun now that he's so interactive and expressive. Since I'm such a sap, I wish he could stay a baby forever, but I really am excited for all that's to come.
For the Fourth we went to Sheila's (Curt's sister) in-laws' house on a lake outside of Grand Rapids. They are very hospitable and welcoming and we always have fun there. We had a really good time watching the two babies play together, going for boat rides (except for Madelyn who definitely did not enjoy it), taking walks, watching the dogs play together, and eating some wonderful food, which is always important for me. :) Jackson "swam" with us for the first time and did pretty well, although it was cold. We started with just his feet splashing in the water and he fussed some, but not too much, so then I took off his outfit and we went a little deeper. He was still okay with it, so off went the diaper and we went in up to his waist! He probably lasted about 15 minutes total before he had had enough, and I didn't want to push it to the point where he'd dislike it. It was so neat to watch the babies interacting, to see the milestones that Madelyn (8 months) has reached, and to see what Jackson will be doing by the time he is her age. It wasn't as much fun when they played copycat with each other. When one fussed and cried, the other would start in. Then they'd look at us like, "What's happening? What do we do? Keep crying or will it all be okay?" But they actually weren't doing that as much this time as they have before.
Sadie was a huge chicken at first with Sheila and John's dog, Koko, a yellow lab who must look gigantic to little Sadie. She was yipping and crying like crazy, but she eventually warmed up to her and quit trying to jump into our laps. Pretty soon they were following each other into the water, sharing food, and, of course, sniffing butts. They had lots of fun playing together in the boat with us and with the daddies when they went fishing.
Last week I took a day off so Jackson and I could visit with my mom's side of the family for a day at Mille Lacs. It was pretty windy there so we didn't spend a whole lot of time in the water, but I was able to swim for a bit while my cousin watched Jackson, and he even splashed around in the water some with Grandma Paula. It was nice to just take a day in the week to relax, hang out, and eat some more good food. :)
This past weekend we left Sadie home alone for the first time. From Friday afternoon to Sunday night. Mommy was not very happy about it. Especially when Curt's parents wondered why we didn't bring her to their house when we got there! Of course she was alive and well when we got home, but I worried about her being sad and anxious without us. She let out her aggression by getting in to the house through the garage door and making a huge mess of Jackson's toys. Luckily there was no pee or poop to be found, but I wonder how long she was in there because some of the toys were completely engulfed in dog smell. Curt's parents were nice enough to get her out of there when they drove up to drop off a load of wood for the wood stove we're going to buy. (Curt is super excited about it. He's like a kid. More on that when we actually get one, which is the point where I'll start caring about it...)
That Friday we were able to visit the Wojo side for a night so Grandma and Grandpa could get some much-needed Jackson time. It was great to just sit back and watch him with his grandparents. They are wonderful and he is such a lucky boy! The next day Curt spent time with high school friends in St. Paul while my mom, Brea, Jackson and I went to Rochester to hang out with my aunt and uncle, cousins, and kids. Bre and I also met two of our closest college friends for lunch. It was wonderful to see them again and they enjoyed meeting Jackson. The first three of Jackson's generation on my dad's side are girls, and now there have been three boys in a row, so it was great to have them together and watch their interaction. We scared him at first with our loudness and outbursts of laughter, but pretty soon he was used to it and even started to make lots of his own babbles so he could talk like his cousins.
I can't get the text to go under each picture at the moment, so from the top: Brea, Mommy and Jackson, Sara, and Katie (my sophomore year roomie); Great Aunt Dawn with Jackson and my cousin Cindy with her son, Adrian (from whom we get most of our clothes! Thanks, bud!); Jackson and Grandma Paula; Landon, my cousin Shannon's son, and Jackson with the girls trying to get them to pose for pictures.
On our way back home Sunday we stopped at Curt's aunt and uncle's house to visit with some family and meet Jim and Liz's new baby, Becca. Seeing a beautiful, tiny newborn again made me miss that phase of Jackson's life, but as Liz and I talked and I watched them together, I realized how nice it is now that he is a breastfeeding pro who sleeps in his own room and can be left alone to entertain himself for short periods of time. Those little tiny ones sure do take up lots of time and energy. A different kind of energy than I give for him now. So ultimately I would like to have more children, but I am content with the stage Jackson's at now and am happy to wait a while. Sorry, Grandparents. :)
Jackson's babbling this past weekend was really the first time we've heard him make consonant sounds and he hasn't stopped since, which is absolutely adorable and so much fun! He also discovered his toes and is reaching for them all the time, and I bet soon he'll stick them in his mouth. It is amazing how wonderful and touching the simplest things become when you are watching your child grow. Although I love newborns and I miss that phase of his life, it's really fun now that he's so interactive and expressive. Since I'm such a sap, I wish he could stay a baby forever, but I really am excited for all that's to come.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Not So Much
I tried to feed Jackson cereal again last night and he was SO not into it. He gagged before I even put the spoon into his mouth!!! I don't know if I'm trying to feed him at the wrong times or what, but it's sure not going as smoothly as it was when we first started trying it. It was about half an hour before bedtime last night and had been one hour after he nursed. Someone suggested putting mushed-up fruit in the baby cereal but I'm not sure if he's ready for that. I did buy oatmeal with bananas, so maybe we'll try that. And I thought he might be ready for a change from regular oatmeal so last night I made him the rice one. No luck! I am planning to be done nursing by the time I go back to work full-time at the end of August so I really want him to start eating cereal regularly to start slowing the nursing down. Help me, mommies out there! What should I do?
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Ch-ch-changes
Some of you have heard that Jackson has started eating cereal! It's so cute and funny! He makes a huge mess all over everything and likes to help Mommy with the spoon, but sometimes he gags on it. 
We've tried oatmeal three times now. He seemed to really like it at first, but last time he wasn't too interested. I think I have to catch him in between regular feedings for optimum cereal intake. :) 
I keep hearing how he'll need to breastfeed less and sleep better now, but that has yet to occur as I think he might also be... dum dum dummm (sound of dread)... teething! Yikes!!! He's been getting up three times a night these past few nights whereas he usually sleeps through or just wakes once. And he's been a little fussy lately, too, which is totally unusual for us. Maybe it's because he hasn't been pooping regularly either and then when it comes it's a total explosion. All this has gotten me wondering what's going on with his little body, but it doesn't seem to be bothering him all that bad so I'm trying not to be what Curt would call a worry wart. Wish me luck with that!
We've tried oatmeal three times now. He seemed to really like it at first, but last time he wasn't too interested. I think I have to catch him in between regular feedings for optimum cereal intake. :) 
I keep hearing how he'll need to breastfeed less and sleep better now, but that has yet to occur as I think he might also be... dum dum dummm (sound of dread)... teething! Yikes!!! He's been getting up three times a night these past few nights whereas he usually sleeps through or just wakes once. And he's been a little fussy lately, too, which is totally unusual for us. Maybe it's because he hasn't been pooping regularly either and then when it comes it's a total explosion. All this has gotten me wondering what's going on with his little body, but it doesn't seem to be bothering him all that bad so I'm trying not to be what Curt would call a worry wart. Wish me luck with that!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
20 Years
I should have posted about this earlier, but this is me and you know how it is here on the Wojo blog...
June 8th was an important milestone in the Beaudoin family as we celebrated my dad's 20th sober birthday. (For those not in the AA/NA family, they call it a birthday because getting clean and sober is the beginning of a new life.) Family and friends gathered to share memories, thanks and appreciation, and to tell Dad how proud of him we all are. The sentiment of those gathered was very touching as we took turns sharing our thoughts. Saying that Dad has come a long way in 20 years is a major understatement; our family would not be in such a wonderful place today if it weren't for his becoming clean and sober and working at it every day, one day at a time. Although we have had the occasional strain and difficulty that any relationship has, it is truly an honor to be Taylor's daughter. He has taught me a lot about life and gratitude and I know there are more lessons to come. This is usually a good thing. Haha. Being a man that my son will some day look up to makes me immensely proud of him, and we are so lucky to be a part of this family. I love you very much, Dad. Thanks for everything.
June 8th was an important milestone in the Beaudoin family as we celebrated my dad's 20th sober birthday. (For those not in the AA/NA family, they call it a birthday because getting clean and sober is the beginning of a new life.) Family and friends gathered to share memories, thanks and appreciation, and to tell Dad how proud of him we all are. The sentiment of those gathered was very touching as we took turns sharing our thoughts. Saying that Dad has come a long way in 20 years is a major understatement; our family would not be in such a wonderful place today if it weren't for his becoming clean and sober and working at it every day, one day at a time. Although we have had the occasional strain and difficulty that any relationship has, it is truly an honor to be Taylor's daughter. He has taught me a lot about life and gratitude and I know there are more lessons to come. This is usually a good thing. Haha. Being a man that my son will some day look up to makes me immensely proud of him, and we are so lucky to be a part of this family. I love you very much, Dad. Thanks for everything.
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