National Pancake Day

Let the countdown begin. One week until IHOP's free pancake day. Go any time between 7am and 10pm and get 3 free pancakes. We've gone the past 2 or 3 years and plan to again. See you there!

Multi-tasking

Jackson likes company. I like to be able to get things done. And I like Jackson. Right now, he is sleeping on my lap as I type with one hand. Here's just a sampling of things I do with baby...

me.

Every time I unload the dishwasher, I take an inventory and count the dishes. It isn't really on purpose and I don't notice that I'm doing it at first, but I do it.

I have never shoveled snow. I attribute this to a) growing up in Georgia where there was no snow to shovel...and no snow shovels; and b) a wonderful husband who does this and cleans off my car too.

I only cut my hair about once a year...not on purpose. I just don't do it very often. It is time again, but I don't know where to get it done or how I want it. Any suggestions?
I always double-knot my shoes. I don't know why.
I'm a coupon-clipper and price-matcher. I delight in saving money and enjoy keeping track of our budget.
I've had several people tell me that before they got to know me, they thought I was mean or snooty because I was quiet. I guess that's something I should work on!
I leave cupboard doors open and my toothbrush on the side of the sink. And Jack still loves me.
I only chew half a piece of gum at a time.
I enjoy reading, but kind of go through phases of reading and then not.
I hate scary movies and VERY rarely watch them. If I do, I'll have nightmares about it.
I always lock the door when I'm home.
I've never gotten a ticket or been the driver in a car accident.
I decided the other day that I really like the color of fresh purple cabbage. Not that I'd paint a wall that color or anything, but I think it is really pretty.
I like to sew.
I like to be organized, though I'm not always.

I'm a list maker. Without a list, I inevitably forget something I need at the store or don't pack something important for a trip. I like to make "to do" lists to check off tasks as I accomplish them. Sometimes I write things I've already done so I can feel like I've accomplished even more.

I like to be around people who are somewhat talkative. It makes it a lot easier for me to talk to them and be social.
I love playing games. Board games & card games. I hate video games and think for the most part, they are a big waste of time.
I have been to 27 states (not counting places where I never left the airport).

Check Up

We had Jackson's 6-month check up today. He's weighing in at 16.2 lbs (26th percentile---down from 60th percentile at 4 months and 79th at 2 months) Length of 27 inches (71st percentile---85th at 4 months, 72nd at 2 months) and a head size of 16.5 cm (8th percentile---12th at both 2 and 4 months). So despite his adorably cute chubby thighs and oh so kissable cheeks, he is actually on the smaller end of the scale for weight!
Everything else checked out well and we've got a healthy baby boy! He got shots again and did alright. Of course he cried when they poked him but mostly stopped when I picked him up after.


















And here he is with friends Jack and Caleb.

6 months!

I really cannot believe that my baby is six months old. I know I say this every time he turns a month older, but this is a big one! That is half a year! I'm sure the second half of the year will go by just as quickly.
At six months, Jackson:
-Sits up all by himself and stays sitting for a long time.
-Can roll from his back to his tummy by doing a crunch and leaning to the side.
-Has rolled from tummy to back a few times, but not consistently...we're working on that.
-Has eaten rice cereal, oatmeal cereal, prunes, and peas. He's loved it all and does a good job of eating it, but his poor tummy isn't quite ready for it so we've stopped giving it to him for a bit until he gets a little more "regular" and his little tummy can take it.
-Is sleeping in his crib in his own room. Well, his room/daddy's office/storage until we move in 2 weeks.
-Does NOT sleep through the night. He's gone 8 hours once. Usually he goes down around 10 or 11, wakes up at 2 or 3 (sometimes I have to feed him to get him back to sleep and sometimes just giving him his pacifier does the trick), wakes up round 6 or 7, and then is up for the day between 8 and 9.
-Takes 3 naps during the day...his naps are consistently 45 minutes long, almost to the minute. He's napped for 2 hours twice in the past few months, and lately his naps are only 20 minutes long. That's not long enough for either of us!
-Says "Da da da da da" and sometimes "ma ma ma ma" along with other gurgley cute baby sounds.
-Still has two teeth. Nope, he hasn't lost any.
-Smiles and laughs all the time!
-Whenever we're in public, people always comment on how happy and good natured he is, and ask if he's always that way. I've noticed that he usually is like that when we're around other people. He usually is at home too, but his grumpy, sad moments tend to happen at home when no one else is around.
-Rotates his hand back and forth in the Miss America's Wave style, but with the fingers straight out and watches it. I haven't been able to catch it on video yet---whenever he sees the camera he gets distracted.
-Scratches things with his fingernails to hear the sounds that different textures make. And those fingernails grow fast!

It's a lot of work, but I love being a mom and I love this little boy! I don't realize how used to having him around I am until I'm without him, and then it just feels like a part of me is missing.

I'm looking forward to the next 6 months and all the new things he'll learn and do!

Busy weekend!

We had a busy weekend full of family & fun. On Friday morning, Jack's cousin got married in the Salt Lake temple. We were able to go to that and then spent a while after visiting with family. ...I took my camera case and no camera, so I don't have any pictures from it. We went to the reception that night in Orem, and then to Iceburg with Jack's brother, his wife & two boys, and cousin.On Saturday we went back up to Bountiful for Grandpa & Grandma Rushton's 63rd wedding anniversary party and to spend more time with all the Rushton family that was in town for the wedding. There are 11 (I think) new great-grand babies born in the past year. 6 of them were here for the festivities.

Four generations

Sunday evening we had dinner with Jack's cousin in Payson. It was a busy but fun weekend!