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Sharing a little something tonight...










http://www.lifebythefrenchs.com/
This is an old friend from way on back in highschool.  Love her photos and doin' all I can to help her get a great start!!  She deserves it!!

0 A letter to Jack~ 9 months

Jack,
You are sweet...

You are happy...

You are smart...

You are ornery...

You are like your Father...

You are like your Mother...

You are so fun...

You are so determined...

You are so LOVED!!!

At nine months...
*You love food!! You cram it in as fast as you can in the biggest handfuls and it makes us laugh. You especially love spaghetti.
*You love dogs!!
*You love Mickey Mouse Clubhouse...Mommy doesn't let you watch it except when she really needs a shower but when you do you are mesmerized. You especially love the "Hotdog" song.
*You are walking around the house using your walking toys and all over the furniture.
*You are such a Mommy's Boy!! I love it, and my heart just swells when you reach for me or cling to me instead of someone else. 
*You love Daddy!!  Especially when you are super playful.  When Dad gets home from work and he stretches out on the floor to play, you always climb on top of his head like you two are in a wrestling match and then you start hollering as loud as you can like you have defeated him.  I guess it is some sort of unspoken man language??
*You are such a good sleeper at home, and such a terrible sleeper anywhere else. One day you took a five minute nap at daycare, and they thought it worthy of writing down as a nap, lol!
*You are standing but you don't know it. You only stand when you are distracted by holding a toy and just for a few seconds before you realize it and plop down.
*You have a bit of an attitude at times. If you don't like something you swat your hands at it, arch your back, and pretty much scream. These occasions are rare but you are sure to let us know.
*You get into everything and while it is trouble at times I love your inquisitive nature.
*Oh how you love to dance. Anytime the music is goin' you are movin'.
*You crack me up...I laugh with you all day long. You do some of the funniest things that remind me of your Daddy.
*You amaze me with your love, your intelligence, and your smile. 

Not sure how I got so lucky to be your Mommy, but I sure am glad that God chose me to be here with you. You will always be the most important thing in our lives and our love for you is like no other.

Love, Mom and Dad

0 Memories

Today I am enjoying life...

This little one and I are having a Mommy and Me day...

You see, my life has gotten a little crazy lately. Frankly, it has gotten down right out of control!! With the addition of school and a few other exciting things around here I haven't had much time to blog.

I have been criticized before, usually when I am complaining about not having enough time, that I spend too much time "blogging" (said with a very annoyed voice). The truth is I have always used this space as a way to track our memories but also as a way to express my thoughts and I have found blogging quite therapeutic since I started just 9 months ago. This is my journal, it is my scrapbook, and it is my photo album but more than that this is for Jackson.

These past few weeks I haven't focused much on taking care of myself. I have been working late nights just about every night, and waking up too early just to scurry into work. I realized tonight as I looked at my piddly little posts this last month that I am missing out on something I LOVE. The pictures on my camera have gone unedited and un-posted, will I even remember the moments or the stories?? I have not even posted about Jackson this month!! And oh the stories I have to tell...

I have decided to rededicate myself to this space for me and for my family. This is after all where I keep our memories.

Stay tuned for Jackson's 9th and 10th months, and a little surprise about what has been keeping me so busy...

0 Ringin' it in!!!

We got away this past weekend for a family Christmas/New Year's celebration in Omaha.  A quick trip that recharged our batteries and gave us a new appreciation for our go with the flow kiddo. 

The last time we traveled Jackson was just three months old.  Although he did wonderfully at that age it was a big pain traveling with a baby that young.  Between the amount of stuff you must lug with you and the countless stops you make for frequent feedings and diaper changes we were exhausted before we even arrived at our destination.  This trip was so much different!!  He was an amazing little traveler and as you can see in this picture I think he will be a future jet-setter.

This was his first stay in a hotel and I had the worst anxiety about a crying baby in a hotel.  I imagined screaming for hours at night about being in a strange place and waking up the people in the rooms around us at all hours of the night and morning.  He did amazing!!  Two nights in a row he went to bed without a fuss.  He is so easy going.  I love that he is so laid back and that he embraces each new place as an opportunity to explore. 

We made him a little pillow fort on the luxurious king bed and he was in heaven.  He played there while we got ready each morning.  He and Daddy played peak-a-boo, and basketball.  They are so cute and funny together. 

Our family rang in the New Year in a hotel lobby playing cards, laughing, and reminiscing.  I would not have wanted to start the year any other way.  The best part was for the first time since Jackson was itty bitty, he slept right next to me in a tiny little hotel crib, just like he did when we brought him home.  

And I just have to add this picture because he started doing the cutest little lip smacking this weekend.  It cracks me up every time and I am so glad I got a picture of him doing it...

Coming back at ya in the next couple of days with our family New Year's Resolutions or as I like to call them "Goals". 

0 Our Year in Review

This has been one of the fastest and most amazing year of our lives...

Hard to believe all this has happened in one year, here is how we spent 2011...

{January}
I celebrated the anticipation of our new baby boy at my baby shower with my very pregnant bestie!  Wow, I think I could lose this photo and both of us would be happy.  I guess we look as cute as two hugely pregnant girls can?

{February}
We finally finished a years worth of remodeling to make room for our new little boy!  All of our hard  work was well worth it when my vision for his room came together. 

{March}
My big pregnant self didn't do much but attend doctor's appointments three times a week and do some last minute nesting.  That was one tough month with lots of tears and prayers. 

{April}
We welcomed our biggest blessing, Jackson Drew Ryan!!!

{May}
I celebrated my first Mother's Day with a relaxing day at the park with my boys.

{June}
We celebrated Jesse's first Father's Day with a relaxing day at home.  These boys are my life.  We also had fun in the sun and pool!

{July}
Fourth of July

{August}
Our first family vacation to Mahoney State Park in Nebraska

{September}
Jackson learns to sit up and begins to eat solids.

{October}
This month was BUSY...Jackson was baptised.  We visited the pumpkin patch and celebrated Halloween.  Jackson also learned to crawl!!

{November}
Thanksgiving.  We have so much to be thankful for!!

{December}
Baby's First Christmas!

And finally the photos of the year that are my favorite and evoke the most emotion.  I would say just my favorites but there would be way too many.

From his tiny body to his accomplishments, from the faces he has made since birth to the way he looks at me when he nurses, and the powerful way he loves his Mommy and Daddy, we are so blessed!

0 Christmas...Christmas Eve and Day

Notoriously Christmas is our house is mayhem.  We spend the day rushing and running from place to place and by the end of the day we are tired, and grouchy. 

This year we vowed things would be different and while I can't say that we didn't rush a little at times we sure did take time to soak up every second of this sweet littles first Christmas. 

New tradition: Christmas Eve jammies!!  Such a little cutie pie

Christmas morning we woke up slow and snuggled in bed for an hour as a family.  Jackson LOVES to get in our bed and lay between us and giggle and play.  This is about the only time that he isn't a wild man during the day.  Then we opened gifts as a family.  I enjoyed the quiet morning with no rushing to get ready. 

Jackson got pretty good at tearing the paper off of the gifts and seemed to be getting the concept that there was something inside.  Once he saw what was in there he was over it and on the the next box.  Next year for Christmas I think we should just wrap a bunch of boxes his size so he can climb on them.

Mostly we got Jackson some necessities he was needing like clothes, sippee cups, new spoons, bibs, and books(more like gifts for ourselves really).  Santa brought him a walking toy that he is just in love with.  He walks all over the house with this little toy and I have a feeling it won't be long before he ditches it for walking alone.     

After a little nap time we spent the rest of the day enjoying time with family!  Such a nice, relaxed year for us.  We only attended one event on Christmas day.

Here are some of my favorites from Christmas this year...