As of now, we intend to go to the beach next weekend. The reports from NOAA still indicate that the oil is headed the opposite direction of the Okaloosa county area. I am absolutely terrified to travel the 5 hours to Destin with Jackson. He hates to ride in the car and throws a fit after about 30 minutes. We will leave at his bed time at around 6:00 p.m. I've got batteries in the noise maker and sun screens for the back windows. Please pray for our safe and sane arrival around 11:00 or 12:00 at night on next Saturday.

We start out at about 5:00 a.m every morning (maybe a little earlier). He usually takes 2 or 3 naps, each lasting about 30 minutes. Occasionally he will sleep 1 hour (if I hold him). He just doesn't seem to need a ton of sleep. He certainly doesn't need as much as I do.

Then we start to run out of fuel around 4:o0 p. m. every day.

We got a little bored this afternoon after going on a trip to Cracker Barrel and swinging outside earlier in the day. The sun was too intense to go swimming so we decided to visit the cats outside and take some pictures. I can't decide if Jackson looks more like me or like Steven. It's a pretty close call.

Jackson has 4 teeth coming through on the top. No wonder he's knawing on everything including my shoulder bone. It has to hurt.

The disgusting oil spill has threatened our beach vacation for several weeks now, and I'm sick of worrying about it. The man we rented our condo from at Jade East is nice enough to let us reschedule if we want to BUT I WANNA GO TO THE BEEEEEEEEEACH! I need a vacation so very badly and have been looking forward to this for several months. The current NOAA map of the spill indicates that it appears to be flowing westward toward the Keys and should bypass Oakaloosa County. We are making a final call on whether or not to go on Monday.

Daddy is giving Jackson driving lessons. Vroom Vroom!!

We purchased a BOB Revolution stroller. You cant tell in this picture, but the sun visor is sooooo much better than the one on our Inglesina Zippy. In Alabama sun, you really need good coverage if you don't want your child to get sunburned or blinded.

We rode out to Buy Buy Baby; a new baby gear store near the Galleria. It's not a short ride, and Jackson does NOT like riding in the car. His disposition quickly changed from an "I'll tolerate this" attitude to "Get me out of here!!".

Mother's Day

Yesterday was Mother's Day, and we just relaxed on the couch/floor all day. I tried not to clean anything up or exert myself in an other unnecessary way--yeah right. When I think back over the past several months--or 8 months of baby plus 9 months of pregnancy, I realize how fortunate I am to have this sweet child. I know of a few women who have tried unsuccessfully for years to have a baby. All of the sleepless nights, back and booby aches, and worrisome crying are certainly worth it!!! I remember the first 2.5 months of pregnancy sickness--literally nauseous and dizzy around the clock--wondering if I would survive. Then, the next few months of "cuteness" left me convinced that I would get a worthwhile return on my investment. The last few months of pregnancy--well--those were indescribable. My SI joint in my hip became inflamed and it hurt horribly just to breath and exist. Walking and sleeping were nearly impossible, sending writhing stabs up my leg, back and hip. Luckily, some chiropractic help gave me a little relief.

After a fairly easy labor and delivery (if you count nearly 3 hours of pushing as easy), a beautiful baby boy was placed on my chest. I couldn't believe he was mine. A miserable 3 day stay in the NICU started our journey in parenthood. Steven and I stayed in a hotel room inside of Brookwood hospital (yes, they have hotel rooms in the Sleep Study unit of the hospital) for 1 night because I was release a day before Jackson. I was breastfeeding him around the clock, so the NICU nurses got to know me really well. Breastfeeding proved to be no easy feat. The pain was severe for at least a month, and the sleep deprivation was inconceivable. No one can breast feed for me (and you cant pump and let someone else give the baby a bottle---not for several months---your milk supply just doesn't work that way). Life was a weird state of bliss mixed with pandemonium for a while. Jackson cried a WHOLE lot--he had reflux and we finally put him on prescription meds for it. Once his little digestive system grew and matured, we had less problems with reflux and crying, but more problems with sleep. He has never ever slept well for some unknown reason--otherwise knows as temperament. He slept upright in a plush reclined baby chair for a month or so--it's the only way he would sleep because of the reflux. Then, he slept on my chest for about 2 months---literally on top of me----wouldn't sleep any other way. Now he sleeps next to me in the bed.

I do all of the attachment parenting things that La Leche League, Dr. William Sears and Dr. James McKenna at Yale say to do (breastfeed, carry them around everywhere, cosleep, etc). This baby demands constant attention and has me on duty 24 hours a day it seems. He still wakes up several times a night and wants to nurse or be held. As I listen to other mothers say that their baby has been sleeping through the night since birth or shortly after, I am no longer envious because I know that I have something very special. Jackson is adorable, smart, observant, determined, persistent and very loving. He wants to be held all of the time and loves to rock and nurse. This is such a sweet time and I know that it wont last long. So, I vow to savor every minute of it. And I'm filled with joy every morning at 5 a.m. when he rolls over and babbles, "I'm up mamma!". :)

Shrimp Boil

Our neighborhood is such a cool place to live. This saturday we went to the annual Shrimp Boil at the lake. Jackson loooooooved it! He loves to watch other children play. I took his clothes and diaper off (put his onsie on with no diaper) and let him splash in the lake. Kids were jumping around splashing us in the face, but he didn't seem to mind. My hair looks like a wet dog sat on it, but it was entertaining to Jackson, so I dealt with it. Here is a picture of us with Mia, Jackson's nanny. He just adores her.

It's Daddy's Baby!

These Are A Few of My Favorite Things

Jackson has developed some new interests (aside from breastfeeding). He's becoming quite the active little guy and it is wearing me out! This is a welcome development though, and a nice departure from rocking, walking and feeding him constantly. His current hobbies include a modified form of crawling, swinging at the park in Mt. Laurel, and playing in the bath tub.

"Transport me to a nice warm bath. Oh, and be sure to provide cup for me to chew on". These are the orders I am regularly receiving from the Maharjah these days. I think water is relaxing to him---nice to know since I have been in a desperate search of ways to calm and sooth this baby since day one. He isn't a bit scared to get his face wet. I discovered this the other day when he wouldn't quit turning his head back and forth when I was rinsing his hair. His nosiness was trying to see what I was doing with the rinsy cup and ended up getting a full load of water all down his face! He didn't even flinch. Maybe this means he will love to go swimming. Note to self--one GOOD way to wear this baby out!!

SWING!!!!

A trip to the park to swing has become a nearly daily event for us. He LOOOOOVES it! The first time I put him in this little swing (which is a little large for him), he laughed hysterically and then held his breath every time I pushed the swing. How cute!!

After accidentally driving in reverse a few times and furiously pawning and prowling at the hardwood floors for several days, this little guy has learned to crawl! It's more of an army crawl or a foxhole drag, but it counts! Believe me, it counts all right. He's already stuck his nosey nose in the fireplace, underneath the coffee table, in between the computer wires---don't even get me started. I'm working furiously to baby proof the house. He's beat me to the chase. This baby proofing job is not an easy one either. You have to read the descriptions very carefully or you'll purchase a gate that isn't long enough, sturdy enough, tall enough, or whatever. Try to take stuff back to the store when you're working and have a baby this age. Wish me luck. I'll need all I can get.

Clear The Floor!!