1 Month & 2.5 Years Old

Sweet baby Jackson, you are already one month old today. It's amazing how long each day seemed when you were overdue and all-too-happy in my belly, but how quickly the days seem to be passing now that you're here. A few things we want to remember about your first month:

• Your sneezes are beyond adorable to us. After you sneeze, you make the cutest little noise.
• Upon meeting you, people's first comment is typically about your gorgeous long eyelashes.
• You pretty much have two cries: "Feed me" and "Oh my gosh, I'm so tired but I'm going to fight it til I pretty much pass out".
• You love your baths, and never went through a phase of disliking them as your sister did.
• However, just like your sister, you wanted to stay awake for a couple hours in the middle of the night during your first two weeks of life. And also just like your sister, you quickly outgrew that phase but it seemed like an eternity at the time!
• A couple of days before you turned four weeks old, you began having one stretch in the late evening/early morning where you went 5-6 hours between feedings. This meant that I got 4-5 hours of much needed continuous sleep.
• We were given two small packages of Newborn sized diapers as gifts. We had used them all up before you turned 3 weeks old, which was great timing since you had already outgrown them.
• At two weeks of age, you were in the 97 percentile for height.
• You love being held. Many times when you are seemingly sound asleep you'll wake up when we put you down and then protest loudly! Luckily, you are already getting so much better about self soothing and putting yourself back to sleep when you're drowsy. You're doing particularly well at this during the middle of the night, which is fabulous!

Precious always-be-our-baby-girl Julia, you will be 2.5 years old on Tuesday the 30th. You have endured so many changes over the past few months between potty training, transitioning to a big girl bed, adjusting to having a baby brother, going back to school in a new class, etc. You definitely act every bit of a strong-willed two year old, as you test our boundaries and exercise your independence. Sometimes mommy and daddy lose our patience, but there are many many other times where we are amazed at your kindness, politeness, humor, imagination, and learning. Daddy has been taking you to gymnastics all month, and you are a pure natural and love every minute of it.

You've also gotten a lot of Big Sister toys and even had a Big Sister party the day after Jackson came home. You deserve all those presents because you are a fabulous big sister! Here's a few pictures from your party, complete with cupcakes Aunt Katie made for you that spelled Big Sister Julia:

On to the rest of the pictures...

When Julia climbs into bed for a nap or nighttime, she asks us, "Lay on my heart Mommy and Daddy." Then she proceeds to pat her chest where she wants us to lay our heads while we pray for her. Here, she is laying on Jackson's heart to comfort him in the same way we love on her:


She has been so gentle with Jackson and gives him lots of love:

She's a very helpful big sister who is eager to fetch a diaper, burp cloth, or boppy when needed. But her favorite way to help is to try to give Jackson his paci:





After a trip to Chuck E. Cheese with my parents, who have been helping me so much with the kiddos:

Our first Thanksgiving as a family of four (though the house we celebrated at was already decorated for Christmas, so the photo's background is deceiving!):


Our annual Christmas photo session with the Eubanks clan!!! :