Update: Teeth

This week, Jones has gotten in three teeth.

THREE.

Bless his heart.

Both of his front upper teeth are in, and his second tooth on the bottom right is just about to break through.

8/27/13 - upper right (10.5 months)
8/28/13 - upper left (10.5 months)
8/30/13 - second bottom right (10.5 months)

He really has handled it well. I can always tell when a tooth is about to break through, because the nite before, he'll cry out in the middle of the nite. I'll go in to check on him, and he's not even awake, just crying out in pain. It just happens once a nite, but it's always my cue that a tooth is coming. Then, the next day, sure enough ...

During the day, he'll be a little fussy or clingy, but for the most part, we've gotten off really easily with teething.

So grateful for my sweet and easy baby!

#CollegeColors Day

It's College Colors Day.

We, of course, are celebrating in Mama's Hue of Blue, since Jones wore Daddy's Hue of Blue all day yesterday.

After getting him dressed, I led him through a chant of "Go, Big Blue!" By the time I pulled out my camera to get some video of it, he was pretty much tired of it, but when I first started, he was eating it up and cheering along.

That's my boy!

his WILD-cat roar

"Go, Big Blue!"

"Go, Big Blue!"

First, standing, now ... TALKING?!?

Jones did some talking AND some
standing today. He stood in his seat
as it was attached to the table at Sid's. 

I don't want to oversell this.

Really, I don't, because I know that it's probably nothing, but just in case it's something, I want it noted here.  Besides, if it's nothing, I can always come back in and delete the post later.

I think Jones said his first word today.

I really, truly do.

And, just in case you're not convinced, Jeremy really, truly does, too.

It started at breakfast this morning.  That's what he said, in fact, "breakfast."  Several times, I asked him to repeat it after me, and every time, he did.  Later in the afternoon, I asked him to repeat it some more, and he it did then, too.

He then lost interest in playing "repeat-after-me," but for awhile there, he was on it, as automatic with saying "breakfast" as I am with saying, "I need a Coca-Cola" first thing every morning.

Seriously.

Church Pictures

"One thing I know,
and I've always known:
I am my own best friend!"

Well, I guess we're officially Baptist.

This Saturday afternoon, Jeremy, Jones, and I all dressed in our Sunday best and headed to the Fellowship Hall to have our picture taken for the latest edition of the Canton First church directory.

"Waiting, waiting,
waiting, waiting ..." 

It wasn't easy trying to find three outfits that coordinated, especially when 5/6ths of my wardrobe won't come even close to fitting. Ultimately, though, I went with what I know ... variations of red, white, and navy. If you know me well enough, you're probably sensing a trend.

We were the last sitting of the afternoon, which meant that everyone wanted to stand around and chat about how much Jones looks like Jeremy ... because I haven't heard THAT one before. For his part, Jones was perfect. He could not have been better behaved. For that I am so grateful, and the photographer had just the right mix of superhuman height and long, curly hair. For that I am also grateful, because Jones found this combination hilarious. He cackled like a hyena throughout the entire shoot. It was like he was a seven year old girl who got slap happy from staying up too late at her first sleepover.

This, of course, made for some really cute pictures of him. Because we'd just had some family photos done by Brooke Rainey Photos, we didn't order any prints for ourselves. I did, however, sneak a cell phone picture of the print that will be in the directory.

Here you have it!

Jeremy, Kristin, & Jones Pressley (not pictured: Freddie Pressley)

#DailyInstagramRJP

When it comes to social media, I'm way more of an Instagram'mer than a Blogger.

Surprise, surprise, right?

It's just that there's something about a picture and a caption (or not) that speaks my love language as a photo-phile. You might say I'm sorta obsessed with this, my favorite form of social media. And just before Jones was born, I decided to hashtag one Instagram picture from each day of his first year (thus, the #DailyInstagramRJP). At the end of his first year, I planned, I'd have a poster made of all 365 pictures, chronologically illustrating his development.

Good plan, right?

Well, about three weeks into my Instagramming, I emailed Printsagram, the company I'd planned would MAKE my poster. To my GREAT dismay, they informed me that pictures in their posters are all printed randomly. My OCD could not tolerate this (could YOURS?!), nor would it fulfill the purpose for which I intended it, so I was left to back up and punt.

Enter Shutterfly.

As they so often do, my favorite photo printer saved my neck by sending me a coupon for a "FREE 8X8 BOOK." I hate to waste the opportunities to print photo books, so I always come up with some random reason to make one whenever they send their gifts, which is blessedly often.

In this particular instance, I thought, "Why not turn the 'Daily Instagrams' into a series of 'FREE 8X8 BOOKS'?!?"

Since Jones was just past the four month mark - and since the coupon had an expiration date - I decided to divide the year into three books - "Birth through Four Months," "Five through Eight Months," and "Nine through Through Twelve Months." Fortunately for me, another FREE 8X8 BOOK coupon came through just after he hit eight months, and here's hoping they send one on or around his first birthday, so the trilogy will be complete.

In the meantime, books one and two are already signed, sealed, and delivered. I love looking through them and thought you might like to see them, too. After all, who DOESN'T want to look through pictures of someone else's baby?!?

Click here to view this photo book larger

Shutterfly photo books offer a variety of layouts and cover options to choose from.

Click here to view this photo book larger

Shutterfly offers exclusive photobook layouts so you can make your book just the way you want.

Anatomy of an Escape

What just happened?

I'm asking, because I honestly don't know. What I DO know is that Jones was in his Exersaucer when I walked across the hall to make the bed. What's unclear is how he got FROM his Exersaucer to the crawling position you see very clearly pictured below:

Houston, we have a problem. 

The problem is that, since we bought it, the Exersaucer has been my savior. I've taken baths and naps and time-outs, thanks to that thing. It was my Mother's Buddy, the extra hands I needed when mine were otherwise engaged. Now that Jones has figured out how to bounce himself out of it, I may never have ten minutes to myself again. 

HELP!

I'd pin all of my hopes on the Moon-walker Mom gave him yesterday, but, ironically enough, as we looked at Jones in it last nite, I said to Jeremy, "You know, the way he's hanging over the edge, I don't think it'd take much for him to fall out head first." Little did we know, the Moon-walker was the LEAST of our worries!

To be honest, I'm glad Jones is ingenious (and strong!) enough to bust himself out of the clink. I'm even more glad he didn't bust his head open when he kamikazed out of that thing (instead, he was laughing, as he army-crawled towards me), but, from a completely selfish perspective, I'm slightly sad that one of life's little conveniences is becoming obsolete.

So, I guess THIS is when I officially become a "full-time" mom?

(UPDATE: 8/22/13 - Jones has now escaped from the Moonwalker, as well. I saw it with my own eyes. He made a cartwheel-like motion, as he freed himself to retrieve a paperweight he'd thrown from the toy tray onto the floor. Life, as we know it, is over. In its place, we are now parents of vigilance, all too aware of our industrious son's capacity to get wherever the Sam Hill he wants to. May God have mercy on our souls.)

Standing Man!

Jones has had a big day.

It started off pretty normally. He woke up about 6:45, and I gave him some toys, which he played with in his crib, until about 7:30. Then, he and I went downstairs for his breakfast. That's when something amazing happened. He "stood," leaning against one of Mom's ottomans, for, probably, five minutes!! He's never done that before. Whenever I'd try to lean him against something like that, his legs would just crumple under him, but today? Today, we had a standing man!

 He's also a laughing man, but what can I say? Poppy is just too funny.


At lunch time, Jeremy came home to eat, and when he was here, Jones took his leaning a step further. He pulled himself up on that same ottoman! I didn't see it for myself, and watch, he'll probably not do again for six months, but still, he's starting to take steps towards taking steps!
I've heard a lot of warnings about when they start walking. Then it's all over, people say.

To be honest, though, with him crawling all over the floor, I'm on CONSTANT crumb patrol. I have to walk with him everywhere just in case there's anything he could possibly put in his mouth, like, say, the packing peanut that somehow ended up in his crib last week (we don't even OWN packing peanuts). I think walking will be a welcome solution to this situation, though I know. I know. It's gonna cause some situations I've not even thought of.

But seriously? I can't wait for him to walk.


Apparently, Mom can't, either, because this morning, she went out for a haircut and came back with a walker! She's been talking about getting one for a few weeks, and today was the day. We're gonna have to call it a "MOON walker," though, because for now, Jones is really only interested in riding it backwards. Just as soon as he masters forward motion, that boy is gonna have himself a ball!

As Mickey Mouse might say, "What a HOT DOG DAY!"

He won! He won!

This week, I have learned why God gave me two boys. You see, lurking beneath my seemingly blasé attitude is what I'm afraid could very easily morph into a half-crazed pageant mom.

I realized this after entering Jones in a photo contest for a Disney gift card. I plotted his picture for days, planning outfit and props, and then spent hours chasing Jones around with a camera, just to get one single, (hopefully) award-worthy shot. I'm not proud of my behavior, but I can't deny it.

Thankfully, the OCD paid off tonite when Pixie Vacations by Wendy announced Jones had won the contest! I'm so excited.

But I'm also so grateful. God knew if He gave me a girl to dress up, things could get real ugly, real fast.

Thanks again to Pixie Vacations by Wendy! The card will go to good use in just 57 more days!

Teeth time!

Clearly, this video does NOTHING for my self-confidence.

As if the rest of me weren't pregnant enough, my face seems to be carrying the brunt of the weight gain, and in spite of appearances to the contrary, I DID wash my hair this morning!  I post this, anyway, though, because this blog is about JONES ... not how grotesque his mama looks.

Today, we brushed his teeth for the first time!

See for yourself.

Meditations on a Safety Restraint

(I know it's often said that teachers often learn more from their students than they teach them. In the same way, parents learn more from their children than the other way around.  This has definitely been true in my short tenure as a mama. God has taught me so much from watching Jones and from thinking on things that he does (or doesn't). It occurred to me yesterday that preserving these stories are just as important as keeping track of things, like teething or obsessing over the old remote control his daddy gave him yesterday. It's in that spirit that I'm gonna try to start posting these alongside the milestones.)

From day one, Jones has been a really good traveler. 

It's a good thing, too, because in his first ten months, he's already made multiple visits to Kentucky, flights to and from Nebraska, a couple drives to Lake Chatuge, several trips to Tennessee, and a two-day haul almost to the tip of Florida. These and other trips are all in addition to our weekly jaunts from Canton to Greenville and back again.  If he looks just like Daddy, at least he got a love of the road that is all Mama. 

There have been a handful of times that he's fought being put in his carseat - or fussed after being in it too long. For the most part, though, he seems completely cool just being along for the ride. I set him in his seat, and for all he knows, we're going to dentist or the doctor or the moon, for Pete's sake. Still, he sits there all peaceful and cooperative, as I battle the straps that keep him securely in place. 

This struck me from early on. I'd wonder, Does he ever wonder where we're about to go? Does he ever want to toss in his two cents as to which direction we should head?  Does he ever think, "Sorry, Mama. I'm just gonna stay here." Heaven knows, I do. Jeremy and I get strapped into our seats, and I've got a thousand thoughts about which route we should take, which lane we should be in, what speed we should go.

But one day it occurred to me that Jones's passive approach to traveling is the more Biblical way to be. As God "drives" us down the road He's paved for our lives, He knows where we're going. All I need to do is be peaceful and cooperative, trusting Him, as Jones trusts me, that He'll get me where I need to be. 

Instead I, once again, "battle the straps" that are meant to keep me in His plan.  I want the roadmap; I want to share my input. I've come to realize, though, that Jones's sort of trusting obedience is another aspect of what Jesus is talking about when He says that we must "become like children" to enter the kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 18:3).

I know Jeremy, for one, is VERY hopeful I'm able to master this concept!

Ten Months Today!

You know what they say ...

"Time flies when you're counting down to a Disney trip!"

(59 more days, by the way)

Magical morning

A friend who is a Disney Travel Planner is doing a contest right now on her Facebook page. People post pictures showing why they REALLY want to go to Disney, and they are registered to win a $25 Disney gift card. Since we really ARE going to Disney (60 days, Baby!), I figured I'd take all the gift cards I could get for the trip, so I entered with this picture and captioned it like this:

"I REALLY WANT TO GO TO DISNEY! Why, you ask? Well, Heaven knows, my son Jones has spent time with Mickey at OUR house. Now, he wants to spend time with Mickey at HIS house!"

Wish us luck, and enjoy these few outtakes from this morning's "photo shoot." By the way, thanks to Leslie Bell for the outfit and to cousin Leri for the official ears made-on-Main-Street-USA!

Officially: Thomas Frederick

Fred's profile; don't you think he looks like ... every OTHER ultrasound picture you've ever seen?!

Couple of things about
this picture:
1) I had no idea how big
I'd gotten, until I saw it,
and 2) since Jones's
ultrasound, they've
added flat screens to
the walls of the exam
rooms, so the Mama
no longer has to contort
herself like a pretzel to
watch what's going on.
A bucket of popcorn,
and I could've stayed
in there all day.

Well, Aunt Dolly was right.

It's definitely a "Freddie," which is good, because I've already bought the domain name!

We got the confirmation of Fred's gender today at his 20 week (technically, 19 week, 2 day) ultrasound. Dr. Warren, the same high-risk OB we saw after Jones's 20 week ultrasound, told us "Your baby is just beautiful." That was exactly what she said about Jones. It's absolutely music to the ears of a mother of "advanced maternal age," who is all too aware of all that can go wrong in utero.

To be honest, I think both Jeremy and I were more nervous this year than we were last. This simple reason for that? Well, we both know that lightning doesn't often strike twice. What are the odds, we wondered, that we'd go two-for-two on the "perfectly healthy baby" thing? That to say, we do NOT take for granted that our baby is developing just as he should.

As I reveled in the "great-baby" gushing of both Dr. Warren and Marcia, the amazing ultrasound tech we saw today and when I was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia last October, all I could do was think of Psalm 13:6:

"I will sing to the Lord,

because he has dealt bountifully with me."

Gratitude. Worship. Wonder. 

I was doing all three, as I lounged on the padded table, staring at the inside of my uterus on the wall across from me. I was grateful for the gift of another son, for the confirmation of his good health, and for the wonderful man I'm privileged to call his father. I worshiped the Creator of this little fella. Weighing a little less than a can of Coke (thank you, Jeremy, for putting "11 ounces" in terms I can understand!), Freddie already has two sweet feet, five fingers a hand, and absolutely no modesty whatsoever about his burgeoning manhood. Truly, he is fearfully and wonderfully made by a God Whose wisdom is unsearchable, and Who already knows the numbers of hairs on his head, which, most of you already know, I hope is a LOT. 

And, finally, I couldn't help but wonder to what end has God given me these "beautiful" boys? I feel a great responsibility in a "to whom much is given, much shall be required" (Luke 12:48) kind of way to steward these little lives, so that they grow to do great things for the Giver of every good and perfect gift, Who has so graciously given me the gift of two "good and perfect" baby boys.

Thank You, Father. Thank You for entrusting me with these boys - YOUR boys, created BY You and FOR You. In all we do, help Jeremy and me to point them TO You. Shepherd them, Lord, to the purpose You have planned uniquely for them. Use our family to reach this fallen world for our risen Lord. Humbled by your unbelievable goodness to me, I pray in Jesus's name, Amen.

These are the faces of two very relieved, very happy parents.

Kissin' Tales

You remember that verse in the Bible that says that "Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart"? Well, I'm not comparing myself to Mary - or Jones to Jesus - but there are so many times when my sweet baby will do something so precious that I'll think to myself, "I want to keep this and ponder it in my heart."

This picture has absolutely nothing
to do with this post.
I realize this.

That's what this blog is for. Well, it would be, if I actually wrote on it. When my boys say to me, "Mama, tell me about when I was a baby," I want to be able to tell them as many pieces of their history as possible.  Here are a few of my favorites from Jones of late:

Over the last week or so, he has - very sporadically - started giving wide-open mouth "kisses" on my cheek. He did it to Sarah Joy Smith when she visited last Friday, too. By the way, nothing requires a "Here, Friend. I'll hand you a baby wipe" more than when your son plants his wide open, super slobbery mouth on the cheek of someone he hasn't seen, since he was six weeks old. 

I never know when he'll do it; otherwise, I'd have warned Sarah Joy. It just happens. Usually, I'll be kissing his cheeks, and he'll just plant one on me. Whether or not he knows what he's doing, I don't know, but I love it, and I love the way his little eyes light up in the aftermath, as if he's saying, "I can do that, too!"

We'll talk about the evils of showing off when he's older. For now, though, it is just precious. 

He is just precious. 

So, Sunday, we were at Jeremy's parents' house, watching their cable, since we don't have any of our own. This has become our Sunday tradition, since cutting off our TV service after the Masters (it's going back on this weekend, by the way, because neither Jeremy nor I are willing to miss college football season over $69 a month!). Jones and I were on the couch. He was standing on my lap, facing me, and I was kissing all over his cheeks, as I do, say, 97 times a day. I'll "get all the kisses" from one side, and then, I'll spin him a little bit and "get all the kisses" from the other.

After I'd stolen the sugar from the left, he smiled at me  and turned his face, so that the right cheek was pressed right up against my lips. "You left a few on this side, Mama," I read in to his adorable antic.

Oh, me. Oh, my. 

This little Bug of mine, how he makes my heart shine ...

Teeth Time

Jones's top right tooth is just starting to poke through.

Just like his transition from bottle to sippy cup, this is a day I thought might never come. I envisioned him with a row of bottom teeth but no uppers, looking kinda like my cousin Lori's Maltese, Princess, whose colossal underbite will be studied by scientists for years to come.

Thankfully, his will not.

That reminded me that I needed to make some records of when his teeth came in. I feel like he got them late. But all I really care about is that he got them!

1) Bottom left - 06/13/13 (almost 8 months)
2) Bottom right - 06/19/13 (8 months)
3) Beside bottom left - 08/02/13 (9.5 months)
4) Upper right - 08/13/13 (almost 10 months)

(UPDATE: 8/22/13 False alarm. Though I can definitely see BOTH upper teeth just under Jones's gums, they have yet to actually poke through. Lori, maybe Princess has come back to you, after all?)

Are ya' ready for some FOOTBALL?!

The most wonderful time of the year officially kicked off last nite. We took Jones to watch the Pisgah Black Bears scrimmage whatever the Bunker Hill (NC) football team is called.

Unfortunately, there was a weather delay, and by the time it was over, Jones was feeling a little "stormy" himself, if you know what I mean (in case you don't, I'll just say this: it was almost bedtime) - so we didn't see much football, but we did see several of Jeremy's family members.

We also - well, I also - was excited to have the occasion to make Jones his first PHS t-shirt, which I think looks just adorable on him, if I do say so myself, though Jeremy has asked that I NOT iron Jones's name on to the back of every outfit he has, as I have "suggested" we do.

But honestly, Y'all. Name one thing that doesn't look even cuter with a name emblazoned across the back. Jeremy will come around.

Until then, enjoy these pictures of my two favorite Black Bears.  Aren't they just the most to say the least?!

Canton's most photographed
Kodak Picture Spot ("KPS") 

Jeremy's Uncle Scott was there to watch his son,
Jeremy's cousin Travis, who coaches Bunker Hill.

When it comes to footwear,
a big part of me wants Jones to never
wear anything other than red "tenny pumps."

See?  Doesn't that make the shirt
just "that" much cuter?! Additionally,
I think Jeremy looks so handsome here.

Jones is getting so good at feeding himself those little
puffs that literally melt in his mouth. Every now and then,
though, he misses.  That's what happened here.

Jones's first fright

Well, Y'all, my seemingly scare-less son has met his first fright.

It wasn't being left in his own room all nite long; it wasn't being held by his 10 year-old cousin in the deep end of the swimming pool yesterday; it wasn't even eating his mama's brand of "home cooking" (which basically entails warming UP the Pop Tart before I serve it). Nope. Jones chose to flip out over the running of the vacuum cleaner.

Now, in his defense, it's not like he's heard it all that often in his ten months. I HAVE run it before, though, and it's never bothered him. But today? He was playing on the floor when I fired up Mom's Oreck, and you'd have thought I'd opened the front door to Rick Pitino. He was terrified.

Bless his little heart.

I did finish the job, though ... with him on my hip.  But like any good parent, I took a video before I picked him up. Not only is it a fascinating piece of Jones's personal history; it's also excellent evidence for my case against housework ("See, Sweetie? I CAN'T clean. It traumatizes the children ...").



(UPDATE: 8/17/13 well, I thought Jones wouldn't be bothered by the vacuum, so long as someone was holding him. So today, he was in Jeremy's lap, and I started vacuuming, and Jones stopped drinking his milk, turned around to look at me, and started to whine. I'm guessing the alternatives are either to vacuum only after bedtime ... or, maybe, not to vacuum at all).

Just a Sip

I honestly never thought this day would come.

The day Jones turned six months old, I went out and bought him a ceremonial sippy cup. After all, the blogs all said that's when I should start making the switch away from bottles. I expected that Jones would take to it as easily as he did his bottle.

He didn't.

This led to three months' of repeatedly failed - if inconsistently-timed - attempts to get Jones to drink from a sippy cup. I even talked with his doctor about it at his nine-month check-up:

"You having any problems with him," Dr. O'Donnell asked.
"Well, now that you mention it, I can't get him off the bottle!" I responded, feeling slightly like the most incapable mother in the HISTORY of incapable mothers.

Dr. O, bless his heart, wasn't bothered at all. He just said he was fine with bottles up to 13 months. This made me feel better ... a little ... but I was still resolved to make the transition as soon as Jones would GET HIS ACT TOGETHER AND COOPERATE.

Luckily for my little man, I'd run in to Katy Russell the day before his doctor's appointment. Now, Mrs. Katy is legendary at Canton First Baptist Church. She's raised her two girls of her own and now keeps her eldest's triplets during the workday. In other words, she knows how to take care of babies. I was telling her my dilemma. As if passing on the secret location to Holy Grail, she nodded her head and said, simply, "Nuby."

I gratefully returned her nod and proceeded, without passing go and without collecting $200, to the nearest Target store, where I purchased not one but TWO of the magical Nuby Sippy Cups. At his first attempt, Jones ate five ounces.

It's working!, I thought. Mrs. Katy, it's WORKING!!!

And it's continued to work, ever since. In fact, tonite, we put away his bottles once and for all.  Well, "once and ..." ... until we pull them out again for itty bitty baby brother.