Big Helper or Child Labor

Jackson loves doing chores around the house and who am I to stop him?  He has always loved to sweep and here recently he has started feeding the dogs and letting them out.  I guess he sees us doing it and wants to do it too.  Gran even bought him this broom and dust pan so he would have one his size.  He starting requesting to feed the dogs so we let him and then the other morning the dogs came running in our room and neither Matt nor I had let them out.  Jackson had figured out how to undo their gate and set them free.  I guess we can't use that gate to pin him in.  So on a regular basis we let him do all three of these chores.  He is obviously not great at sweeping, but performs the other tasks quite well.  You can take a look at the pictures and decide whether or not he is a big helper or we are using him as child labor.  :)

Please note my feet propped up on the ottoman in the background :)!  But not to worry, I was feeding Baby Sister.

Oh and I failed to mention that several years ago Matt said he wanted to have have kids so they could go get us stuff while we were sitting down.  That sounded like a great plan, but now that we have kids we don't get to sit down.  #Fail.  Happy Monday everyone!!

Southern Belle Sunday

Our Sundays are usually jam packed and we don't have time to come up for air.  But this Sunday was different.  We crammed a lot in, but it didn't seem to feel as rushed.  If this Sunday had a title it would be 'come out on the porch and sit a spell.'

 Jackson ran around the back yard pulling up grass and leaves off my ferns like the wild man that he is and Mary Frances sat quietly smiling in her seat like the little lady that she is.

 It was such a nice afternoon as we sat back and took it all in.  I have been catching myself looking at Mary Frances and thinking 'remember this face and this time because it will be gone before you know it and all you will have left are pictures and memories.  I look back at Jackson at this age and it is very hard to remember.  I am not sure if I didn't adequately soak it all in or if I was so sleep deprived there was not room for memory storage.

 Either way I am bound and determined to remember everything I can this time around and going forward for J-Man.

Of course I think Mary Frances is the most adorable baby girl under the sun, but Sunday at church one of the nursery workers paid her the best compliment.  She said she just had to pick her up and hold her because she just looked like a doll you got off a shelf and well, I agree.  Matt was the one that picked her up and he was one proud Daddy!  Although, I think it also makes him nervous about her getting old and boys finding her attractive.  But every dad goes through that and he'll survive.

This Sunday was extra special because it was slow and not so jammed packed that we couldn't enjoy each other.  I love this little girl and think she is one of the most special gifts from God I will ever receive!  Happy Sunday everyone!

Fratty Friday

For some reason Jackson didn't want to do Fratty Friday this morning.  So sorry people.  Just kidding!  Matt mentioned something about a Pop-Tart for breakfast (I know you are amazed at the nutritional food we feed him) and he was more interested in that than taking a picture.  It took us a minute to figure that out though.  So here are a series of pictures of how our photo shoot went down.

 He cried and buried his head because he didn't want a photo shoot.

 When I finally realized why and asked "J-Man, do you want Daddy to bring you a Pop-Tart?"

 Jackson's reply "Yes mam!"

 Have you ever seen such pure joy on a child's face?  I get this excited when I am able to celebrate a Rebel victory in the Grove.  Needless to say I had forgotten what pure joy looked like!

 Here comes Daddy with it....

 YEAH!

 "Thank you Dada!!"

"I'm so excited!!!  My day is made!"

Me - "Can Mommy have a bite?"  Jackson - "NO!"  We're working on sharing.  Apparently we are not there yet.

Happy Friday everyone!!

Best Day EVER

My cousin Will got married this last weekend in Birmingham and Jackson officially had the best time of his life.  Let me tell the story through pictures.

We were all dressed up and ready to go.  Can I please take a moment and point out that we are all wearing our Easter outfits except for my 4 month old fashionesta.  That's right, we all have a limited selection of spring clothing like most normal people, but my 4 month old has an endless supply of smocked and Feltman Brother's dresses.  Thanks friends and family!!

On to the wedding.  We were afraid it was going to be rainy and cool, but it turned out to be beautiful!!  The most gorgeous day for a wedding.

As soon as we got there Jackson spotted the croquet set and continued to play all afternoon.  This was just the coolest wedding.  They had lawn games and it was a beautiful setting.  We had a blast.  Especially Jackson!

 This was the welcome table with umbrellas to keep the sun away and there were also umbrellas in case we had to keep the rain away.  But we didn't have to!

 The ceremony overlooked the skyline of Birmingham and this picture does not do it justice.  I was using my camera phone since I left my real camera at home.

 And this was the candy table.  I think Jackson had one of EVERYTHING on this table.  He was out of control.  Gran even gave him the giant yellow and red sucker that looks like a flower you see on the left side of the picture.

 My Franny bean is so hot natured I had to sit in the shade with her during the ceremony.  She definitely gets that from her Father.

 Jackson and Mary Frances had a blast and so did Gran!  She is a little partial to her great grands!!

Here is a video of Jackson taking a rest.  You can tell how hard he had been playing because he just sits down for no apparent reason.  And what 22 month old does that?  I can't think of any, especially not this one. 

We had a great time and I wish my cousin Will and his new wife Audra the best!  We love y'all and thank you for a fabulous time!

Keeping It Real Wednesday

This is what happens when your mom doesn't keep up with your "extra clothes" at day care.

J-Man has been junky from allergies.  So when he coughed in the car on the way to school some half digested milk came up with the phlegm (sorry for being so graphic).  It was not much, but MAN it STINKS!  So I took him straight into his room and changed him while the other kids were in the TV room.  When one of his teachers came in I told her what I was doing and she just laughed.  When she took him down to the TV room with everyone else the other teacher saw him and said "I know Jackson Miller's mama didn't bring him dressed like that."  HA HA!  At least they know me better than that.

Needless to say I will do a better job or keeping up with his extra clothes.  And thank goodness his waist is tiny b/c those are 6 to 12 month shorts.  Otherwise his other option would have been the brown sweat pants that match the shirt and they look like clam diggers on him, not to mention it's 85 degrees outside.

If you need my home address to send my Mother or the Year Award please let me know.  Happy Hump Day and keep it real out there people!

Video Tuesday

We are going to call these 2 videos 'Milestones.'  They are of Mary Frances eating cereal for the first time and Jackson playing catch at Nana's.  I need to point out that in Jackson's video it is about 10:00 p.m. and he is hyped up on sugar that Gaga and Gran had given him all afternoon and Will and Audra's wedding!  Thanks Gaga and Gran!!  Enjoy!

Bath Time

This is the first of many baths these two will share.  Jackson was sweet with her!

 He was telling her "This is a sail boat" above and "This is a duck, quack quack" below.  He is so funny.  I feel like Jackson is so far ahead of where he should be speech wise, but that may just be because I am his mom and think he is a genius.  However, I sometimes wonder if Mary Frances will progress even faster because he shows her so much.  I call them our little experiments so we shall see!

And please check out her swell belly!  She is just a chub!  I LOVE it!

Southern Belle Sunday

Please do not be disappointed that Franny Bean is not in a smocked dress!  We missed church since we were on our way back from Birmingham from my cousin, Will's wedding (pictures to follow).  When we got home I put Mary Frances in a full on ballerina outfit, socks and all.  I snapped a few pictures of her while she laid on our bed and cooed.

 But when we went to move her she spit up on her outfit.  Par for the course.  So we put her in a plain onesie, yes, she owns plain onesies. 

 But she still had the matching bow :)!

 She has been eating more over the last several days and since she is now 4 months old we gave her some cereal today (video to follow on Video Tuesday).

She was sitting up anxiously awaiting this cereal we kept talking about!  We also felt like we needed to start adding some more to her diet since she is so skinny!  Yea right!!

My chub a lub!!!  Happy Sunday!

Fratty Friday

Finally Friday, free again!  Got my motor running for a WILD weekend! 

 This morning Matt told Jackson to go get in his chair so we could take pictures.  Well, it wasn't in its normal spot so he had to move it.  Of course, my OCD child.

 Knox wanted to help.

 Then it was time to complete the out fit with his flip flops...

 And the photo shoot began.

 He is telling us that his shirt says 'Seaside.'  We are trying to teach him that not everything says Ole Miss.  No matter what you point to and say "What does this say?"  "OLE MISS" he will reply in a loud and proud voice.

 And this is his new thing, 'Ta Da!!'  He LOVES doing it!

 More chattering.

 Then Baby Sister crashed the photo shoot.  She said it was only fair since he has crashed her Southern Belle Sunday photo shoot before.

 Sheshe got them the stripe duds that match and of course they look adorable in them.  Thanks Sheshe!

 And of course Mary Frances was so happy this morning, even though you can't tell by the pictures.  I think she is camera shy.  Unlike her big bro!

As you can tell a good time was had by all this morning and we are SO ready for the weekend!!  Happy Friday everyone!