TWENTY SIX

MERRY FIRST CHRISTMAS!!

Dear Jonah,

We are in Texas having the BEST Christmas ever. You make everything better including the Holidays! We are celebrating, playing games, talking, eating lots of delicious food (well, you're still drinking your milk) and hugging, laughing, loving and having the MERRIEST of Christmases!

 

We are so blessed to have you in our life, Jonah. You are the BEST present that I could have ever asked for. I love you with my entire heart and can't wait to spend lots and lots of Christmas mornings with you sweet little man. Daddy and I love you SO much!!

Merry FIRST Christmas, Jonah Knox!

Love,
Mrs. Clause

TWENTY FIVE

Baby Badger,

You're twenty five weeks old this week. I don't like the sound of that. It sounds like you're already a big boy. Whew.

The days are flying by. You and a I have settled into a routine together each day. I miss your Dad so much, but the time really is going quickly. Each morning I wake up around 7am.  You're sleeping in your crib now! Dad and I moved you from your bassinet into the crib last week while he was here and you seem to really like it. So, I let you sleep while I get ready for work. I wake you around 7:45AM, and get you dressed for the day. I love your little smiles in the morning. You are such a happy, morning baby!

I take you to school and into your classroom. Miss Anna meets us at the door. I am positive you are her favorite. She gives you hugs and kisses while I unpack your bag. I'm so very thankful for your teachers!! We are so blessed to have them in our life. They love you and take great care of my little man.

I usually feed you 6oz before I take you to school, so when you get there you're ready to play. Before I head out to work I put you down so you can play. You love the exersaucer at school...

Throughout the day Miss Anna sends me texts, and photos of you playing. I love being able to see what you're up to at school while I'm at work. I pick you up each afternoon and LOVE to see your little face light up when you catch sight of me. It makes my heart flip flop!

We head home and I unpack our stuff. Into the highchair you go and then I feed you veggies. While you are in the highchair I hurry and fix myself something small to eat for dinner. Usually it's something fast like a sandwich or something I can pop into the oven. Right now I love eating an egg roll. Quick and easy!

Then, around 6pm you get into the tub. Bathtime is still my favorite. You're sitting up in your tub now. This just started this week. You love it!

You love to eat your bubbles and Mr. Froggy. It cracks me up to see your face when you get a mouthful of bubbles. Yucky!

After your bath I put your PJ's on (you HATE it when I rub you down with lotion!!!) then put you in your new jumper while I shower. Mom's gotta do what she can to keep you occupied while I get ready for bed..

After my bath we play on my bed for awhile. Until you have a meltdown that is, then I feed you more milk, get your belly nice and full and into the bed you go. Your bedtime right now is 8pm. Usually you will fuss for a few minutes, pull your blankie over your head and then you're out.

You're still not sleeping through the whole night. You wake up once during the night for more milky milk. Honestly, it doesn't bother me at this point. My body seems to have gotten used to waking up now and its just habit. I know you're only going to do this for awhile and then you will be a big boy. So, I love our night feedings. It makes me feel like you're still my little baby!

On the weekends that it's just me and you, we wake up and play. Then we slowly get ready for the day. Sometimes we go to the park and get groceries. Other weekends we go shopping and eat lunch out. I love spending the weekend with you. You are my joy, sweet Jonah!

This week we had a special outing. I took you to see Santa for the first time!! YOU LOVED SANTA!!...

We waited in line at Bass Pro Shop to see him for almost an hour and you didn't make a peep. I forgot your diaper bag in the truck. I wasn't about to get out of line to go get it, so I was hoping that you would be enthralled with the lights and music. Annnnd, you were. Whew. Crisis averted! I handed you over to Santa and you cuddled right up. It made me laugh. You weren't scared by the beard and suit at all!

I can't wait for the weekend!! Friday night we fly to Texas! Dad is picking us up from the airport and I can't wait to see him. He has missed you terribly this week. We can't wait to celebrate Christmas together with you. This is going to be the BEST Christmas ever. Ever, ever...

Love you to the moon and back little man!!
Momma

TWENTY FOUR

Dear Jonah Baby,

We have had a very fun filled week. Daddy came to visit us!!

He flew into Birmingham on Thursday night (12/6) and stayed until Monday afternoon. I am so sad that he's gone. Today is not a happy day. Dropping him off at the airport yesterday was so hard. I feel like each week we are apart it just gets harder, not easier.

While your Dad was here you stayed home from school to hang out with him on Friday and Monday. He fed you breakfast and sent me this photo while I was at work...

You started eating your very first baby food this weekend while Dad was here. We fed you squash and you LOVED it! I've changed up your daily eating routine a bit at school. You have rice cereal in the mornings and then a veggie at home in the evening. You are a great eater. You open your mouth like a little bird and slurp it up. So far you like squash, green beans, peas and sweet potatoes.

The days that you spend with your Dad are precious. He loves you with his whole entire heart!!

You have started trying to sit up, but you're not quite there yet on your own. I can tell you also reeeeally want to roll over, but then you get distracted. So as of right now you're still laying around. Daddy and I took you to the park and you showed him your big boy swinging tricks!

 

I took advantage of the extra help while your Pops was around and we went Christmas shopping and ate at one of our favorite lunch spots, Edgar's Bakery. Their treats are deeeelish! We shopped, and shopped and shopped. You were a peach. You love to people watch in your stroller. And, of course everyone stops us to tell us how cute you are. You are not a shy little fellow. You love to ham it up and grin at anyone and everyone you pass...

 

 

We had the best time together. Sunday night we stayed around the house and cuddled with you together. You love to watch football with Dad. I think the bright green football field intrigues you. You stare at the TV and just sit quietly on Dad's lap...

When we got home from the airport last night both of us were in a sad mood. I think you know we took Dad and dropped him off. It made my heart hurt to let him go.

The happy news is that we will see him again soon, AND it will be Christmas! Your very first Christmas. It's going to be the best ever, I just know it. I love you little bean. You're my favorite little boy in the entire world!

Love,
Momma

TWENTY THREE

Jonah Knox,

You're FIVE months old this week. I can't believe it. Almost 1/2 of a YEAR. Whaaat?!?!

With every passing month I keep asking myself why time is flying so quickly. Why you're growing up so fast. I honestly hate it. I don't hate that you're growing big and strong with the cutest personality ever, noooo. I just want time to go a bit slower. I want to cherish it all more. Sloooow down, Mr. Time. But, Mr. Time just keeps ticking. Quickly quickly.

You are the most handsome little man, ever. EVER! Perfect in every possible way.

You have TWO teeth now. Your second tooth broke through the skin the day after Thanksgiving. November 23rd, 2012. I seriously can't believe it. TWO TEETH. I love the way you move your little mouth. Like you can't believe you have two teeth. It must feel funny to you because you make the funniest faces.

This week I really noticed that you're trying to sit up on your own. You strain to sit up. You're not rolling over yet. You did it once, but then never again. You just want to sit up. I think playing on all of the fun toys at school is helping your little muscles because you LOVE to bounce and play in the exersaucer at school..

Picking you up from school and seeing that little smile of yours is THE BEST. It is my favorite part of the day. That and the first smile of every day. I lean over your bassinet and you give me the BIGGEST smile ever. It makes my heart melt. You are a charmer.

We're spending the week together. I miss your Daddy very much. He misses us more, I think. He misses YOU so much. Asks me about each of our days. Can't wait to kiss your chubby little cheeks.

I sent him this photo tonight when you sat on the BIG BOY side of your little tub for the first time ever. Your rolls just kill me. They are the cutest ever. Chunky monkey.

You love bath time. You're a happy bath baby!

We put up the Christmas tree this week. Just you and I. Well, I put it up while you watched intently. Then you got kinda mad because I wasn't giving you ALL of my attention. You're kind of an attention hog, but you're so cute, who can blame you?! Not meeee. You have my full attention 100% of the time. You're my sweet little baby boy!

Your Daddy is coming home this week! He will be here Thursday night and can't wait to spend time with you!! You're skipping school on Friday and Monday just to have boy time with your Pops. He loves you so much, Jonah. So do I. You are our heart!!

Love,
Momma

TWENTY ONE and TWENTY TWO

Dear Jonah,

We went to Texas and now we're back. You celebrated your very first Thanksgiving surrounded by tons of family that LOVE you more than you understand right now. I know you feel the love though. You were held every moment we were away. Kissed more times that I could count. Hugged. Squeezed. Cuddled. Just loved SO MUCH, sweet boy.

But first, we beached it up, you and I. I mean, I took you to the beach with me while I worked. Or tried to work. Or actually, worked while you napped and slept is a more accurate picture of what happened. Your Momma is fortunate to be blessed with an amazing job that allows me to have some flexability. I was able to take you with me to a retreat in Gulf Shores. The condo we stayed in was amazing. Is beauuutiful. You had a blast...

 

We got home around 9pm Thursday night. I took you to school on Friday and then we came home and packed everything up again. This time we were...

TEXAS BOUND!!!

Your very first Thanksgiving!!

We landed in Houston and spent the day with Mims and Auntie Bell while Daddy was at work. They dropped us off at your Uncle Joel & Aunt Heather's house where we stayed the next couple of nights. You met your sweet cousin Carter for the first time and had the best time playing with your cousins. They love you so much. Kylee thinks you're awesome beacuse you're "like a baby doll, but you're REAL"! I let her pick out your pj's and she helped me give you a bath every night!

Then, on Monday when Dad got off work we headed to Mims and Papa's house. They were anxiously waiting for us!!

 

 

Your Papa built the BIGGEST bonfire on Wednesday night. We had SO much fun. You also took your very first John Deere ride on Meme's lawn mower! We had Thanksgiving lunch at Momo and Popos...

 

 



You were the cutest turkey on the block! The rest of our trip was spent with Ammy & Bacca and the family. We had such fun!!

On Sunday night Daddy took us to the airport. I was so sad to leave Texas and our family. We had the best holiday together!!

I want you to know how much you are loved, little man. Your very first Thanksgiving was FILLED with LOVE. Momma and Daddy love YOU MOST!!!

Happy 1st Thanksgiving little Bader!!!

Love
Momma