Thursday, May 28, 2009

May 2009






May has been great to us! We spent a week in Florida with my parents and sister and Patrick. We had a blast and Jackson really enjoyed the water! I have way too many pictures to post so here are a few and the rest are on facebook.com.

On Friday Jackson went to his first Braves game. We were right behind the dugout. Jackson had sooo much fun! He loved all the lights and all of the people. He clapped along with the crowd! His favorite was walking down the row of seats behind us...what ever kept him happy!

Uncle Mark went with us and bought Jackson a tomahawk for a souvenir.

Saturday Jackson started walking and now it is full blown walking... Keeping me really busy! It is so cute seeing him walk around the house! I will try to get a video up soon of him walking.

Monday, May 04, 2009

Appointment Day!




Today doctor day. I had an appointment this morning and Jackson had his 1 year checkup this afternoon.

I went to the doctor as a follow up on some complications I have had from my surgery in December 07. She did an ultrasound and said that everything was looking okay but since I have been in pain and I am still swollen she would like to further investigate to make sure there isn't a small hernia or something else she couldn't see. So I am going to be going back in a few weeks for a CT scan. When I hate because I have to drink that nasty stuff and on top of that have an IV put in for the contrast solution. ( For those of you who don't know this I hate needles to the point I throw up or pass out). But I know this is something that needs to be done to get to the bottom of the pain. I am very optimistic that things are going to go great. Plus I have an amazing doctor!

Jackson's appointment went great. He is now slowing down in his growth. He is now 29 1/2 inches tall, 20.12 lbs. According to the doc Jackson is below average and his head is still in the 25th percentile. His soft spot on his head still hasn't closed either. All of this is not "normal" but for Jackson it is and he is still growing at a normal rate for him. He did great with his shots.

Jackson also had to have a blood test and this was pure torture. As soon as we were called back Jackson started waving and saying "bye bye". They pricked his finger (which he then started screaming) and then continued to "milk" the blood out of his finger, drip by drip to half way fill up a small tube. After five minutes of pure screaming torture the nurse decided to stop because his finger started clotting and threw away the sample. This was a test to see if he was anemic. Maybe we will try again at his 15 month appointment. After that we took him to get ice cream. He was in heaven! He came home, took a ride in his wagon and then passed out!

Overall it was a great but tiring day!

Sunday, May 03, 2009

Good Week

We have had a great week. Jackson's new favorite thing is "walking" to the side door and pounding on it. This means that he wants to go outside. Going outside is his new favorite thing. He LOVES it! Even if I am just taking the dog out he gets excited! He loves taking a ride in his wagon or pushing his mail cart around the yard.

On Wednesday he took his first steps alone. My sister Sarah was over for dinner and she was playing on the floor with Jackson. He was standing up playing with toys in his toy box when he picked up a big car with both hands and just started walking towards Aunt Sarah. He soon sat down and looked stunned. I don't actually think he knew what had just happened. I am sure he will start walking after the doc gives him the okay ;0) ( For those of you who don't know or remember when we took Jackson for his 10 month checkup the doctor told us he was holding out on us. A few days later he started crawling. He just needed the doc's permission).

Tomorrow we go for Jackson's 1 year checkup. He has grown alot since his last checkup. I hate it that he has to get shots but it is for the best. I also am going to the doctor to get my side checked out again. I still have pain in my stomach/side where I had surgery a few years ago to have a cyst and ovary removed. So I figure that I shouldn't have pain since there isn't anything there so I am going to get it checked out again. So be thinking about me tomorrow (since going to the doctor makes me nervous).

I can't wait to update you all tomorrow on Jackson's stats! Pray he doesn't cry too much with the shots!

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

The Toddler Times

Jackson went to Ella's birthday party on the 18th. He had a BLAST! Ella's Kindermusik teacher came to do a lesson and Jackson loved it! He loved playing with the drum. He also loved Ella's ball pit. We all had so much fun at the park for Ella's party.

Sunday the 19th we had a huge 1st birthday bash for Jackson. We had almost the whole family here and a few of our friends. We had so much fun eating and celebrating Jackson's first year. I did make an attempt to make his birthday cake and it came out great! There was plenty of cake and cupcakes to go around! Jackson got some really nice presents. We are moving from baby toys to toddler toys! Ella let us borrow her ball pit for our party. They had so much fun! This is Jackson and Ella trying out some of Jackson's new toys.After his party Andrew and Jackson out voted me and they got a ball pit. Jackson LOVES LOVES LOVES it! Can you tell? If he suddenly disappears you'll find him in the pit!

Since the weather has advanced from late winter to early summer we have been able to get outside almost everyday! Jackson loves walking around in the yard!
Jackson also got a cool sandbox for his birthday from his Great Grandma Beverly and Uncle Steve. I have a feeling this will be one of his favorite spots!

This past Saturday we went down to Columbus to spend the day with Uncle Mark. We had so much fun. We went to downtown Columbus where they were having a family fun day. We walked around, ate lunch and got ice cream.

Oh and we got to meet Sponge BOB
After we went to downtown Uncle Mark took us to see where he worked (AFLAC). Jackson sat on Uncle Mark's desk and there was a quack attack!

After Aflac we drove around Columbus and then we went to Target where Uncle Mark bought Jackson a wagon for his birthday. When we got home we put the wagon together and Jackson just loves sitting back and relaxing while we pull him around.

Yesterday Jackson went to the library for the first time and got to pick out his own books. Since he loves books this was a blast! We are going back Wednesday for story time.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Jackson is ONE!


Yesterday was Jackson's first birthday! WOW! He had a great day! Jackson is having a huge first birthday bash on Sunday but I felt guilty not letting him dig into cake on his actual birthday. So I baked Jackson a small cake for this special day. He LOVED IT! He started off slow but then dug into it. We decided to stop when he started flinging cake everywhere.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

First Easter


Jackson celebrated his first Easter on Sunday. He woke up and saw that the easter bunny brought him a basket with a toy car and the movie Kungfu Panda. He liked playing with the tissue paper more than anything. We went to church where we got to see all of the fam! Of course we only made it through the music and then Jackson wanted to talk to everyone so we watched church from the bench out in the hall (we have done this for a while now). We are going to try the nursery again soon.

After church we came home to change into comfy clothes and then we drove over to my parents house for lunch. We had a great time and ate some great food! Grandmommy and Grandaddy wanted Jackson to have an easter egg hunt so they did that in the front yard. Grandmommy had Jackson a basket with a bunny and the book Pat the Bunny. He had fun being outside and picking up eggs and putting them in his basket.

After we left my parents house Andrew's parents and Uncle Mark came over and brought dinner to us! This worked out so great since Jackson had been out all day! We had fun and after dinner Andrew, Mark and Andrew's dad changed out the light fixture in our dining room. They are such hard workers and did a great job! Thank you guys, you're the best! Andrew's parents gave Jackson a picture frame to hang in his room and a Dr. Seuss book! Jackson had such a great first Easter!
So tonight is the eve before Jackson's first birthday. Thinking back how far we've come in a year is insane! I only think I have made it this far because of God, my wonderful husband, and our wonderful families. I remember the night before we were going in to be induced and we were so excited and scared at the same time. We knew our lives were about to change forever but had no idea exactly how much it would change. You can never fully prepare for that change.

I remember the day he was born. We were going in to be induced at 10 am. Of course, we were late...lol. My parents and sister beat us to the hospital! We calmly filled out the paper work and waited for our names to be called. Going back in the room where we would meet our little Jackson the nurses gave me my gown to change into and started hooking me up:) I was already almost fully dilated but still had a way to go. The entire day Andrew was right by my side through the funny times and rough times. I will never forget when Dr. Turner came in and said "It's a great day for a birthday, lets start pushing." I thought to myself "what?? push now, I'm not ready...can I come back tomorrow?" But she is the most wonderful doctor and talked me through everything. I remember getting freaked out when in the middle of pushing she walked out of the room. She said that there was another lady in the room next door that she was going back and forth to...little did we know it was Elizabeth with little baby Ella!

At 6:48 p.m. Jackson David finally made his arrival. He was the most beautiful baby with a gorgeous head full of hair (which everybody's mother's brother said would all fall out and it never did). That first night I couldn't sleep, not because Jackson was up all night but because he was sleeping and I kept checking if he was breathing. Don't worry he then kept us up the whole next night!

Over the past year Jackson has brought such joy into our lives. He has made not only me and Andrew's relationship stronger but has made my relationship with God stronger. I couldn't have made it without those two important men in my life! This year we have tackled being peed on, puked on, projectile pooped on, gas, strained veggies and fruits, teething, boo boos, crawling, high speed crawling, biting, furniture walking, "talking", Barney, Baby Einstein, crocodile tears and everything else that comes with a baby's first year. Our lives have changed forever but for the best and I wouldn't change a thing. I cannot wait to see what God holds in store for this next year! Happy 1st Birthday Jackson David Caldwell, thank you for making me a Mommy!

Monday, March 30, 2009

Paris Update

Well when I did my last post I didn't tell you that Paris had gotten up that night and had thrown up all over the house and wasn't feeling well. I stayed up with her Saturday morning and she wasn't acting like herself. She wouldn't eat, couldn't lay down comfortably, was shaking uncontrollably, and was crying. We watched her for a little bit and then decided to go to the vet. She was very lethargic and couldn't stop shaking. The doctors gave us some medicine to make her nausea go away and told us to fast her for the day.

We got home and she was in pain and still crying and shaking. I decided to stay up with her during the night to comfort her. She was still doing the same things and was not the normal Paris at all. She still drank water but wouldn't eat any food.

Today we decided to take her back to the vet. She is not shaking anymore or crying and is able to sleep. She also is still drinking water but would not eat anything at all. The vet kept her and gave her iv solutions to get her feeling better. They looked over her xrays and could tell her stomach and intestine linings were thick which meant they were inflamed. So we have a few more pills to take and a new food diet of fish and potatoes...which is a prescription diet...oiy! The good news is she is up more and acting like herself. She has also eaten food!!!! She can only have like a tablespoon at a time but she ate it up!!! Praise God!

I will keep everyone updated. Other than all of that drama we have had a great weekend together!