Christmas Traditions

I'm so excited for Christmas this year I can hardly stand it. Just three weeks from tomorrow we will be celebrating Jackson's very first Christmas! Growing up we never had any specific Christmas traditions. We had things that we all liked to do from year to year but it oftened changed as the three of us Blair girls got older. Several versions of traditions included driving around South Sioux City looking at the over-the-top Christmas lights after a yummy dinner at Kahil's. When we were a little older, we would open gifts until the wee hours of the morning on Christmas Eve so we could drive to my Grandparent's house in Indianola, IA on Christmas Day. A few days later we would head up north for the New Year's holiday. I also remember always having a delicious homemade soup on Christmas Eve between services at church. I always liked to go to both the early service (lots of kids which always made me smile) and the late service (lots of Christmas carols, yeah!). There is nothing so wonderful as singing "Silent Night" in a candlelit church on Christmas Eve. Last year I cried thinking about how wonderful it would be celebrating Christmas this year with a baby.

I'm really looking forward to creating family traditions, even if they change a little from year to year. Christmas was always such a special family time for me and I want the same thing for Jackson. Memories are so precious and I want him to have wonderful memories of this special time of year. Here are some of the family traditions that I would like to create.

1. Dropping off Jackson for some Aunt, Uncle, Cousin or Grandparents bonding time while Scott and I go out for dinner and do some Christmas shopping. We actually did this a couple of weeks ago although we didn't end up buying that much for Jackson.

2. Reading "The Night Before Christmas" with Jackson. I remember growing up that I pretty much had this book memorized and could recite it on command. It's such a special book to me and to this day I can recall the worn pages of the book and beautiful pictures. I spent quite alot of time picking out the copy I bought for our family -- looking at the illustrations and hoping Jackson would like it as much as I do.

3. New pajamas for Christmas Eve. This isn't an original idea. I got it from someone else and I think it's wonderful! On Christmas Eve we all (or maybe just Jackson, I haven't figured that out yet) will open up a new pair of pajamas, something comfy to lounge in when we open presents in the morning.

4. Driving around and looking at Christmas lights after dinner. Maybe we will start this tradition when Jackson gets old enough to actually look at the lights. He's still at the point where the car equals sleep. Then again, maybe we will start this year and Scott and I will enjoy the lights.

5. I would also like to have a special movie that we watch every year at Christmas. I haven't figured out which one yet but I'm working on it. I don't know if we'll go classic with "It's a Wonderful Life" or modern with something like "The Polar Express." Then again, maybe we'll let Jackson pick the movie when he gets older.

Ok, so I guess all the traditions aren't set in stone quite yet and I think that will probably be part of the fun too -- letting the traditions really develop as we grow as a family. Can you tell I'm excited and have put some thought into this stuff? This weekend we are putting up the Christmas tree so hopefully I will have some great pictures to post.

Heavenly Sleep

For the last two nights Jackson has slept from the moment we put him in his crib (between 7:30 and 8:30pm) until 6am. I can't tell you how wonderful it has been to actually sleep for an entire night without waking up several times. We're keeping our fingers crossed that this is the beginning of a trend. It's such heaven to be able to close my eyes at 11pm and not wake up until 6am!!

I need to buy stock in Caribou Coffee

Well, remember yesterday when I was so excited that Jackson slept until 5am? Unfortunately it was not to happen two nights in a row. He decided to torture Mommy by waking up at 1am and again at 5am. Both times he was hungry and devoured a 6oz. bottle. Thank god it's Friday since I really don't think I would make it through if I didn't have the weekend to look forward to. I know we are really lucky that Jackson sleeps as well as he does but it's still tough not ever getting a full night's sleep. I'm hoping the rice cereal that we're starting this weekend will help.

To help combat my sleep deprivation I'm posting some cute pictures of the little munchkin. Enjoy!

There is some big new around the Carter household lately. First, Jackson has found his thumb. After months of trying to shove his entire fist in his mouth, he's realized that maybe just his thumb would be easier. There are still plenty of times where he makes himself gag by trying to suck on his fingers unfortunately (twice last night he made himself throw up while doing this). We're hoping that the thumb-sucking will help calm him at night since he isn't into his pacifier anymore. His pacifier used to equal instant sleep. Now it causes instant crying.

Much of the time Jackson's thumb-sucking looks more like a fish hook than anything else. He'll get the hang of it eventually. It's still really cute!

Just hanging out at home in super cute jammies from Grandma! Gotta love those big blue eyes!

And finally, here is a video of Jackson rolling over. We've been told many times that he can do it and does it regularly at daycare but until last night, neither Scott nor I had actually seen it. Here he is in all his big boy glory! I love how excited he gets afterwards -- kicking his little legs at his accomplishment. Please ignore my really annoying, first-time mom cheering in the background. I honestly couldn't be prouder though.

This week we're heading back to Iowa for Thanksgiving. It's been several months since he had to sleep in his pack 'n play. Hopefully it will go well because I'm looking forward to a little relaxation.

Exciting News!!!

I'm so excited about this I can hardly stand it!  Jackson slept from about 9:30pm to 5:15am last night!  For the last month or so, he has been regularly waking up once in the middle of the night (usually between 1am and 3am) for a bottle and then will sleep until 6:30am or so.  This means that Scott and I haven't actually slept through the night ourselves since we went to Maine and were away from the little munchkin.  I'm hoping this is a trend because it would be so wonderful to not have to get up in the middle of the night, every night.  The last two nights he has started to roll himself onto his side to sleep.  I think maybe that has helped him.  Anyway, keep your fingers crossed for us!

And back to the doctor's...

We were back at the pediatrician's office yesterday.  This time it was just for Jackson's four month check-up and another round of vaccinations.  I am not one of those mothers who will choose to skip vaccinations for her children.  Jackson (and any brothers or sisters he eventually has) will get vaccinated.  Despite all the controversy, I trust that they are as safe as can possibly be.  That being said, it is still heart-breaking and scary to have it done.  Jackson was in such a great mood yesterday, talking up a storm as if he was actually having a conversation with the doctor.  It just killed me to have him stuck three times with needles when he has no idea why it's happening.  He screamed his head off and just looked at Scott and me with such sad eyes.  Fortunately, within a few hours he was back to his normal, playful self.  I breathed a sigh of relief that we made it through another round of vaccines. 

Jackson was also weighed and measured at the appointment.  My little growing boy is up to almost 17 pounds and 26 inches long!  No wonder I'm beginning to have a hard time lugging his carseat around!  We also were told that we can start Jackson on rice cereal.  We picked some up at the grocery store last night and, after Scott assembles the high chair, we'll be trying it this weekend.  Don't worry, there will be lots of pictures taken, some of which we will be using as blackmail material when he is a teenager.  Hehe!

Another trip to the Pediatrician's...

I'm not sure it's possible for us to go more than a week or two without a trip to the pediatrician's office.  It happened again yesterday.  I can't remember if I mentioned this but a couple of weeks ago we had Jackson in for what I was hoping was not H1N1.  Turns out he just had an ear infection -- prescription amoxicillan.  Problem solved and within a few days Jackson was feeling much better. 

Well, yesterday when I was dressing him before taking him to daycare, I noticed a huge red rash on both of his arms.  Totally freaked out, I decided to take him to the doctor's (this was about 7:15am).  Well, by 7:45 the rash was gone.  I decided to take him to daycare and let his teacher know about the disappearing rash -- just to keep an eye out for it and call me if it showed up again.  By 10:00am daycare had called to say the rash was back.  He didn't have a fever or appear to be uncomfortable so I told him that I would be there to pick him up in the early afternoon.  By 1:30 Jackson and I were waiting at the doctor's office and he was covered in a bright red rash.  Poor little guy!  After a quick once over by his pediacatrician, it was determined that the rash was hives and that he is probably allergic to penecillan. 

This is where a little light bulb went off in my head.  I am also allergic to penecillan, discovered after I was prescribed it for strep throat several years ago.  I should have know it was hives and should have been able to figure out the allergy myself.  Oh well.  I'm so paranoid about H1N1 that almost anything can freak me out.  After a dose of Benedryl suggested by the doctor, Jackson is feeling much better and I'm happy to have a child not covered in hives!

An Unfortunate Loss

Well, the Iowa Hawkeyes lost to Northwestern this weekend. If you know me at all (and frankly why are you reading this if you don't), you know that I bleed black and gold. I love the Hawkeyes and during football season, I just can't miss a game. This season has been great. Up until this past Saturday we were 9-0. While our wins weren't exactly pretty, we managed to win week in and week out. Unforunately our luck ran out on Saturday. Our quarterback went down on the third drive and we never recovered. Our perfect season came to an abrupt end. Boo. In order to make the loss more palatable, I'm posting some pictures of Jackson cheering on the Hawkeyes as best he can. Enjoy!

Well, here is my first shot at taking a video with my camera. Jackson was being really talkative tonight, unlike any other night. Of course, I thought of taking the video after about a hour of constant babble so this isn't as good as it had been earlier. I still thought those of you who don't get to see Jackson very much would enjoy this. Such a little cutie! There is even an adorable sneeze a few seconds into the clip.

This weekend we finally were able to get some cute fall pictures taken.  Hopefully I'll get those posted later this week.