Birthday Boy

Today is Jackson's first birthday! We spent the night at my parents after doing some Christmas cooking last night. Between us all, I bet he has had "Happy Birthday" sung to him 100 times! We came home in our PJ's after the men got done hunting. We immediately started watching the"Alvin and the Chipmunks" DVD which Jackson loved watching last night at their house. He dances the whole movie. He likes to sit in his chair his Poppi (my dad) made him.

This afternoon we spent it pushing his around on his train Poppi and Mimi gave to him for Christmas. Our backs are killing us!

We are about to head out to dinner to celebrate Jackson's birthday and Heath's graduation!

Happy 1st Birthday!!!

Sunday afternoon we celebrated Jackson's first birthday. He was so good and entertaining! He definitely knew it was HIS party and he was suppose to be the center of attention.
It was an animal-themed party. I have been holding on to a Hannah Kate outfit I ordered back in the summer for him to wear. He was too cute! I am a little biased though.

My mom worked so hard on the cupcakes, smash cake, other decorative cakes, and the table setup. She is so talented! Everyone was amazed at it. THANKS SO MUCH YETTI! WE LOVE YOU AND APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK!

She also made him a birthday bib. Thank goodness, because I had forgotten to get one!
Yetti also made lime sherbet punch which Jackson highly enjoyed! Mimi (my stepmother) and Yetti feeding Jackson punch. By the way, a little side note...my mom and stepmom get along GREAT which is sooooo nice for all of us!

He wasn't sure what to do with his smash cake. He didn't eat much of it, but he sure ended up smashing it to pieces...He got SO MANY great toys and gifts. Most of them were musical which he danced to. It is amazing how he can hear just a note or two and will start dancing. I guess he is gets it from his Mama! We sure know how to cut a rug on my side of the family! It makes me think about something a friend said this weekend. She says her mother always says "I just want my girls (she has 3) to find a man who will dance with them." I love that! Luckily I found one that loves to dance with me. I don't think he loves to dance, but he loves to dance with me. I got a good one! Jackson is definitely going to be a dancer.

Unfortunately I was so busy with him and the party, I didn't get to use my new camera that much. Yetti and Papa gave me my birthday present early (right before the party)...a big new Nikon digital camera! I have a great small digital camera, but I always borrow my mom's Canon Rebel for really nice photos. I didn't ask for it, wasn't even on my list...BUT I am soooooo excited about it and really wanted it! I didn't use it correctly all day. Many of the pictures were blurry. I didn't have the flash on, but the pictures are still pretty good. I didn't get to capture our house full of people. Here is Jackson and cousin Mary Grace. Then Jackson with Cashion playing with all the new toys...

We had so much fun with him. He was a ham! I can't believe he is one!

It's A Boy and He Shall Be Named...

Cohen William Harden

We will call him Cohen. I just remembered that I had not even posted the announcement of the sex and his name! We were between two boy names for a while before we knew the sex. When we found out, we decided a few days later on Cohen. It is not a family name (it's a Jewish surname...so obviously, not a family name; I just googled it too and it's also Gaelic..but not from Jonathan's stint in Ireland). We just liked the name for a long time. Back in 2006, we we first started trying we were talking on Google chat one day while I was at work (hope my old Stern boss doesn't read this). When were both looking at a baby names website and discussing names. I saved the chat and have referenced it for our child namings and laughs for the funny banter that went back and forth. Cohen was high up on the list on that chat. Jackson was never discussed, but Jackson was only picked for the "JDH." Neat thing about the chat: at the end of our convo, our #1 name was Reese for a boy or a girl. However, our friends the Greens named their 2nd child Reese (unknowing our like for it, of course). Boy, they have really good taste in friends and names ;)

And William comes from my Mom's maiden name Williams. She is very special to us, and we want to pass that along to our little Cohen!

Well just wanted to keep you all up-to-date on baby Cohen. The baby belly is ever-growing. It is amazing how much more I am showing with this second one. I guess the ab muscles didn't have time to recover just 6-7 months after Jackson!

BTW...Jackson had surgery yesterday for tubes in his ears. They ended up taking his adenoids also. Today is is great and back to normal, minus lots of thick nasal drainage and very TERRIBLE breath! Now maybe he will sleep through the night for the first time in his life!

Santa Baby

Our little Santa's helper all dressed up for Christmas this morning...

Playing Catch-up...

Wow, life has been busy for us! I can't believe it was almost 6 weeks ago that I last blogged. I am very sorry! It has crazy around here at times. I just finished my first semester of acute care nurse practitioner school on Monday. I had fallen WAY behind while sick with the pregnancy, so I have been playing catch up since then. During that time I also lost all my motivation, but found it recently. Yay! We have been preparing for Heath's engagement shower, Jackson's first birthday, and the holidays. Jonathan has been working hard at the WAG (stock symbol for Walgreen's and nickname among us/other Walgreen's friends). He has been picking up some extra shifts. We are blessed to have such a hard-working hubby/dad inside and outside the home...wonder where he gets that from? ;) Hmmm...his dad! I will go off on a little tangent here. I feel so blessed with a husband who works so hard for his family, comes home, and works so hard around the house to help me. *okay I am crying now* He does laundry, helps me cook, unloads the dishwasher, gets up with Jackson at night, and countless other things...WITHOUT me asking! I know he learned this by example from his dad; it's really obvious. So thanks Jonathan AND Jodie!

Back to the subject I know you all came here for...Jackson! I will let the pictures tell you what is going on in his life. Unfortunately, we have been so busy I don't have many.

Jonathan loves popsicles which is one reason he stays so skinny without exercising. They are the sugar-free fruit popsicles (usually Eddy's or the Kroger-brand). He started snacking on these delish 20-calorie items instead of eating his typical chips and salsa, milk duds, etc. Anyway, they have become a favorite of Jackson's too...

He is grunting at his dad to give him more...
Yummo! He loves popsicles. He will come crawling fast as soon as he sees it!
It has been rather cold. This photo was the first day that it was super cold. We couldn't go outside, so Jackson and Sam admired the yard from the warmth of inside. They spend alot of their day fighting over the window seal. Sam usually is laying on it while Jackson like to us it to "cruise" up and down the window.

Lastly, here is just a cute smiling photo. He has 4 teeth now (2 top, 2 bottom). You can't see his top yet, they aren't full out.

Puppy love on Halloween

Halloween weekend was very busy. It was so fun!

Jackson with his first trophy. First place in the costume contest!

The King of Pop even showed up this past weekend...

Back home with Mom

For those of you that don't know, Jackson spent September and October going to daycare full-time . Thankfully, I am much better; and most importantly, our little man is back home with me during the day! During my sickness, he also spent alot of time at Papa and Yetti's. I had to show off his first combine ride. He is pretty attached to his Papa and at times has some separation anxiety. This really kicked in when Papa stepped out of the cab to get a photo! Papaw Hobart was driving and I think they MAYBE made only one row.

Papa saved a box from Yetti's new dryer and made "Fort Jackson." He loved it! Typical little boy!


Now that he is back home, Jonathan and Jackson have their morning time together consisting of breakfast and some play time. He has gotten on a pretty good routine of a morning and afternoon nap. Here he is passed out on his dad during a morning nap.

I guess he is used to having lots of photos because he knows what "cheese" means...

He also has learned to throw fits. BUT whip the camera out and he stops. I did a secret co-op to get these next few...We have been strolling while the weather (and my body) permit. We play lots. Sometimes so hard we pass out...

He plays so well by himself. Jackson really loves books. I hope it sticks forever! He will look at a book for a really long time just turning pages back and forth. I have tried multiple times to catch him on camera, BUT like I said before he gets very distracted when I take out the camera.

Go Dawgs!!!!

This past weekend we ventured over to Starkville for the Bulldog/Gator matchup. It was so exciting for many reasons...our first and probably only game this season, Jackson's first game, and just the game itself! We tailgated, attempted to have Jackson's face painted, watched the walk through, and had lots of fun.

He did not enjoy the face painting as you can see. Needless to say, I will not be painting his nose for his Halloween costume! This trial run was a FAILURE!

Yetti, Jackson, and I hung out in the bookstore where Jackson found his buddy "Bully" the bullmoose (at least that is what we think it is). Yetti said he saw it and immediately took to it which is funny because he is not much into stuffed animals. It is a cute little thing with a moose head, long Velcro-arms and legs (like a monkey), and a MSU jersey. They have pretty much been inseparable since Jackson laid eyes on it. He even cried when the cashier took it to scan at checkout. We like Bully because he can be "hugging" Jackson's neck and not be dropped or lost. The next few photos show Bully's debut into our lives...

Mommy, Jackson, and Bully posing in front of the new jumbo-tron.

Jackson loves to bite Bully's antlers. He also loves to kiss him. So sweet...

Mamaw and Papaw Hobart with Jackson and Bully. All dressed in maroon...

Papa took Jackson over to the walk through. We were hoping Jackson would high five a few players, but he was took distracted by the crowds.Jackson loved every single bit of the game. He loved the cheering, the cowbells, the jumbo-tron, and the crowd. We sat in great chairback, covered seats. It was a pretty chilly night, but we were away from the elements. It was perfect for Jackson.

He even cheered the dawgs on by clapping and yelling...Very into the game...

Although we lost, it was an incredible game. So many memories were made! I forgot my camera, so Yetti had to give me all of hers. I know we have more pictures. I took some great ones of Jonathan and Jackson before the game. Will post them when I get them...

P.S. Yes I am now a brunette. Just trying a new look.