So thankful

This week... actually whole month has flown by, yet again! 

There is SO many things Im thankful for this year. 

Im thankful for the fall days I get to spend with my baby & my doggy in the park!

Im thankful for this little boys bright blue eyes that melt my heart every second! 

Im thankful I get to watch him grown into a healthy, giggly baby boy.

Im thankful that he looks like his daddy, so even when daddy is hard at work for our family, it feels like his daddy is there. 

& most of all Im thankful to be the one this little boy reaches for .... He may not be able to talk, but everyday he shows me how much he loves me, & for that.... I am so thankful

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! 

Now time to decorate for my favorite holiday! Im excited that I already have presents to wrap for under the tree :) 

M&M Wedding

I realized I never shared a few pictures from Matt & Mikeala's wedding last month! These are just a few that were on my camera. It was a gorgeous wedding & I loved that they got married in a church. Something about a church wedding is so special and you can clearly feel God's presence durning the wedding. The reception was beautiful & super fun, even with an extremely tired 8 month old! We love you Matt & Mikaela & are so happy for you both and the future that awaits you! 

My 8 month old

 Connor Jackson, you are 8 months old!

You weigh 18lbs 8oz

You are wearing size 6-9 month clothing & size 3 diapers

You eyes are still a vibrant blue that melts my heart and your blondish brown hair is growing in more and more everyday.

You WILL NOT wear socks or shoes! You think they are toys & they end up in your mouth within seconds! Most days if were hanging out at home I leave you in your sleepers so your feet stay warm. 

You are sitting like a big boy, rolling all over the place and starting to army crawl and pull up to all fours. I think your just weeks away from a full on crawl! You are still nursing and taking bottles of breast-milk throughout the day. You eat cereal with fruit in the morning and a vegetable or meat around 5pm each night. We also started giving you puff snacks to try throughout the day, you not too sure what to think of their texture. 

You love bath time, your jumperoo, your walker & being held! Radar makes you laugh everyday & when Mommy & daddy sign to you, you light up. Your favorite songs are itsy bitsy spider, wheels on the bus, & this little piggy. You also love when Auntie Kate plays "drop zone" with you. You are ticklish, especially on your belly and love when we blow raspberries on your tummy. 

You were/are sick a little this month. You ran a fever for a few days and had some diarrhea but are still a happy boy. They you developed a rash so back to the doctors we went. She said you just have a bug and the rash was caused by the fever. Still no teeth, but I do think you're teething is causing you pain as well. However, even a rash & diarrhea, you are still a happy baby... full of smiles and giggles, just a bit clingier... like screaming whenever mama sets you down for a second to go potty. It's okay Connor, mommy doesn't need to pee anymore :) 

You are a great sleeper!!! (knock on wood)... We do a bath around 730 and you are out by 8pm. Rarely you wake up anymore in the night, unless you have a dirty diaper. You sleep all the way until 8:00 sometimes 9:00am! 

You were in your first wedding this month! Mommy held you as we walked down the aisle at Matt & Mikaela's wedding. You looked so handsome in your white button up shirt, dockers and chuck taylors. It was a fun wedding weekend, full of hanging out with family and celebrating however, by 8:00pm on the wedding day you hit your breaking point and just wanted to go home! You were such a trooper even though you were so tired most of the day! 

Baby boy, it has been a fun 8 months. Daddy says this is his favorite stage. You're so alert, laughing all the time and smiling at us. Your quick to recognize us and we both love coming into your room in the morning to pick you up. You shine with the biggest smile when you see us and it melts our hearts! I think that moment is always my favorite! 

We love you Connor Jackson!

love, mommy & daddy

all over the place

Sometimes my mind is all over the place.

Derek just went to bed, Connor's been asleep since 8, & Radar is snoring next to me in the family room

& here I sit

this week, i didn't go to school.. at all...

it was nice

& it made me not want to go to school anymore

I spent my days simply enjoying my baby, my husband & our life... & didn't even think of school once

but I know I must push through... easier said than done

Im watching the CMA's.. I love country music... they make me wanna put on my cowboy boots & take a ride in Derek's lifted truck down some backroads... cause I do that all the time ;)

Then I thought... I want to be a photographer.. So I texted my SIL & proposed the idea of teaming up... since she is amazing at what she does & I wanna be like her :)

But then I think.. Do I really have time to do photography? ... no

I look to my right... into my kitchen and my eye catches our BRAND NEW appliances.. Thanks hubby!

Then I look a bit more right... next to that beautiful new microwave I see the inside's of my spice cabinet... yup because there are no doors on my cabinets.. Why you ask?

Well, since our lives our so boring, you know Derek just works 40+ hours a week, I go to grad school, not to mention we have a precious 8 month old, well yes since we have SO much free time, we decided to paint our cabinets! All 26 doors & 4 drawers... yes only 4 drawers... it's not easy to keep those drawers organized....

Anyways.. so our kitchen is to say the least "under construction"

Just seconds before I began this post.. I was looking up suburbans for sale within 50 miles of Vacaville...

Cause there is only 3 of us, yet we NEED a car that seats 7 right?

oh my mind sometimes...

Tonight, Connor was SO quick to fall asleep. Even though he only nursed for a few minutes & then was OUT, I held him close long after he was asleep. He is so perfect. For several minutes after he was done nursing, his little lips continued to suck until he entered deep sleep and his sucking motion turned into a wide open mouth and his limbs went limp. I kept holding him. I whispered into his ear softly and told him how much I loved him. I took a deep sigh and Connors mouth went from wide open, to a smile. What a perfect moment.

Regardless of our busy lifestyle with school, work, thoughts of being a photographer or buying a suburban, and our kitchen being half painted, half not....

those things matter little to the beautiful baby boy that i get to tuck into bed every night... well I don't actually "tuck" him in but you know what i mean...

Getting to nurse & rock a healthy 18lb 8 month old to sleep every night makes my WHOLE day perfect.

He is my life

Seeing his daddy make him giggle & smile melts my heart & never gets old.

My mind may wonder, my desires my change hourly but no matter what, no matter how busy or how chaotic life gets, I stare at Connor in amazement every second I look at him & I no that I am truly blessed...

not only to get to be a stay at home mom, but a wife, a daughter & a grad student.

I am lucky & I never want to take my life for granted. 

Superhero Captain Con-Man

What a happy Halloween we had!! Connor got decked out in his superhero outfit & flew all around the house! Unfortunately we did not get a family picture... thats what happens when your 4th family member is 4 legged! Regardless, we enjoyed walking Connor around the block & eating the candy we collected from the neighbors!