Christmastime is Here

On Christmas Eve, we got up after John's early morning feeding and exchanged presents with each other.  My favorite gift that Daddy helped John get me was my "Mother's Love" necklace and the poem that went with it

After we showered and got ready, we loaded up the car and headed to Garland to spend Christmas Eve and Day with Heather, Gam, and Grandpa Clarkson.  Christmas Eve was a lazy day- we played games, took a nap, and Peyton came over to visit.  We went to a Christmas Eve service at Spring Creek Church and John slept right through it.  Daddy kept checking on him under the car seat cover because the music was really loud, but that didn't phase him!

Aunt Heather and John

Christmas Eve Family photo

Aunt Heather gave John a polar bear exactly like Matthew had growing up called King Bear

It won best gift that night!!

John's "King Bear" and Matthew's King Bear- lots of loving!

Christmas Morning, we woke up and checked out our stockings- John got two sleep and play outfits, three lullaby CDs (Baby's First Hymns and Rockabye Baby Queen and Michael Jackson), and a Gremlins DVD.  Gremlins was all Daddy.  ;)  Then we ate a breakfast of biscuits and gravy, sausage, and eggs (yum) that Grandpa made before heading out to Tyler.  Heather, Gam, and Grandpa were leaving for El Paso soon after.

We got to Aunt Marsha's house and immediately had to feed John- he did so good on the trip from Garland to Tyler!  John got to meet Lane and Meghan and Luke for the first time as well as Mallory and Matthew.  The Hamiltons, Granny and Papa, Marsha and Don, Jonathan, Grandmother and Grandaddy, Andrew, and Papaw were all there too!  After singing "Silent Night" and having Papa say the blessing, we ate turkey and dressing, baked potatoes, and salad for lunch (yum again).  

Lane and John meeting!

They are going to be good buddies!

Then we sat around a talked for a while before "The Sisters" and Granny and Papa opened gifts to each other.  We then went around the room and everyone told what one or two gifts for Christmas over the years they had received that were their favorites/stuck with them.  It was so neat to hear what gifts stuck with people!  Not surprisingly, many of the guys said a certain gun or fishing stuff, the Great-grandparents said bicycles, some said dolls or stuffed animals (King Bear for Daddy!).  It opened up a time where we all talked about past Christmas memories which I love hearing!  

Christmas Night we got back to Grandmother and Granddaddy's house and exchanged presents with Andrew, Grandmother, and Granddaddy.  John got a ton of cute clothes, and, Mommy's favorite gift, his first Bible and Bible Stories book!  

It was a wonderful Christmas Eve and Day filled with family and lots of loving on John!!!

One Month Old

Happy One-Month, John!

I can't believe you are already a month old!  Time is ALREADY flying and I am not sure that I like it all that much....

One Month on December 28, 2013

Weight: 12 lbs 4 oz!! TWELVE POUNDS! We actually went when John was 5 weeks old, but still! (birth weight 9 lbs 11 oz)

Length: 22 3/4"  (birth length 21 1/4") 

Eye Color: Still blue, but you have this ring around both pupils that is getting bigger and bigger that *could* be green, but we will have to wait and find out!

Food: A Formula Baby by force, you are taking five ounces pretty consistently every 3-4 hours or so.

Sleep: We are definitely getting more on a day night schedule for the most part!  You just recently started sleeping from like 10pm-4am or 11pm-5am which is GREAT, but I am not ready to say that is your normal...we will give it a week or so and see where we are at!  During the day you usually fall asleep pretty soon after your morning bottle and then stay awake for a couple of hours after your late morning one.  Then repeat in the afternoon.

Activity: You respond to both Mommy and Daddy's voices, John!  It is so adorable!  You get still and just stare.... I love it :)  You will tolerate about 20 min in the bouncer or on the play mat at a time but are starting to really focus on the fun pieces on both.  You also like when Mommy touches noses with you and you will give your happy face. 

Clothes: Starting to fill out the size one diapers and 3 month clothes.  Your arms are definitely long enough but your toes still sometimes get lost and you have room to grow in the torso!

Sweet Love

I adore this little one!

You still are really not a "crier"; you don't do much more than fuss when you are hungry. 

I think that you make diaper changing "game time" because you always try to find a way to pee over everything. EVERYTHING.  Thank the good Lord we have yet to venture in to the poop version of this game.  

You burp really well for Daddy, but make Mommy work for it. All Daddy has to do is say, "Okay, time to burp" and you let out two to three great ones.  I have to sit there and pat and rub and pat and rub...

You ADORE bath time!  You just coo and lay there in the water!  We will wring out water over your head and let it go over your face and you just enjoy the water...I am so hoping this means you will be my little water baby this summer!

And now for a photo dump....

Convo with Daddy

Some loving from Grandmother

I try to burp him, and he falls asleep....excellent.

Caught him crying!! I love crying babies (if they stop pretty easily...which, luckily, John does!)

My loves :)

Passed out

Smiling in his sleep

I love you so, little man!