Merry Christmas!

Santa shot, Take Two

Determined that this year's Santa picture would be as good as last year's, I was resolved that we'd take Jones to see Santa again. We got our chance when I discovered that he was visiting a nearby Chick-fil-A tonite. You can see the results of our visit below.  Suffice it to say that Jones survived, but he definitely didn't like it all that much.

What I don't understand is how in the world he can be so mesmerized by characters at Disney World, but a jolly man in a red suit makes him look like we just told him the Easter Bunny isn't real.

Oh, well.

Full Term

I don't often get a good look at my blooming belly. Today, though, in the absolutely awesome Ladies Room at Chapel Hill's Carolina Inn, I did. Walking by the full-length mirror, I was horrified to see myself from the side.

In spite of appearances to the contrary, I assure you that I'm NOT about to give birth to sextuplets. 

At least, I HOPE I'm not!

Santa shot, Take One

Jones spent a lot of time in Big Church today!

This morning, he was there for the first part of the service, watching his cousin Louci get baptized and listening to his other cousins singing with the children's choir. He sat quietly and - mostly - still on his Nan's lap before spending the rest of the service in the nursery.

Tonite, he was in the service the entire time. Several of his cousins were performing in the children's program, and Jones was a star, behavior-wise. Passed between Nan and Pop, Jones was as happy as a kid at Christmas.

Less happy was his visit with Santa Claus at the reception after the program. Jones didn't scream; he didn't really even full-on cry, but as you can see, there were many places he'd rather have been than sitting on Santa's lap.

To be sure our boy gets more than a lump of coal from the Man in Red, we're planning to try again this Saturday. Hopefully, he'll feel a little more like visiting then.

Like Father, Like Son

Just in case you were wondering, the similarities between Jeremy and Jones don't end with their looks.

HEY, POPPY!

Jones is pretty enamored with ALL of his grandparents. 

He especially loves going to visit his Poppy's office, which is easy to do, since we live there most of the week! During a visit today, I started snapping and got some shots that I absolutely love.

What I NEED to get is some video of Poppy "popping" his cheek and Jones doing his new trick of popping HIS right back!

Maybe next week.

"Jones Dean"

The motorcycle Nan & Pop gave him for Christmas last year continues to be a big hit with Jones THIS Christmas season.

"Ride" of Passage

When my niece Lizzie Gray was two years old, I remember her coming up to me and presenting me with a Cinderella toy that'd come out of a princess-themed set of Duplo blocks. I have no idea where she got that princess-themed set of Duplo blocks; I'd never seen it before, but from that moment until about two years ago, the child was obsessed with princesses. No one taught her to be. She just was, because, apparently, God gave little girls two X chromosomes and an innate love for things that are pretty, pink, and supposed to wear a crown.

Nine years later, I'm beginning to think that little boys have an equally innate sense for things that have engines and produce fumes. Jones has become obsessed with a really poorly-produced Welsh television show called "Tec the Tractor." Any other show, he can take or leave, but turn on Tec, and the child snuggles up in the nearest lap, sucks on his thumb, and stares at the 15-minute television program.

I thought his love was for Tec specifically. Turns out, it's for tractors in general. Yesterday, Jeremy drove Jones to and from the Pressley's house on Mr. Pressley's tractor. Jones was in hog Heaven. Jeremy said he laughed the entire ride back, though, to be honest, the laughter could've been because his very pregnant mama was so close to literally losing her britches, as she ran alongside to get the pictures and video posted below.  Who can blame him?

Regardless, I'm so glad he got to share this special ride with his daddy.  Jeremy's been talking about it for a few weeks now, and though it made me a little nervous (it's hilly here in the mountains!), I surely didn't want to keep them from this special memory. Heaven knows, I have very special memories of riding on a John Deere myself. I just wish someone had taken pictures of me and Papaw, as we rode along the Ohio Riverbank!

Of course, "the Mayor of Haywood County"
couldn't make it home without being stopped
at the end of our street to visit for a spell!

Name a man who is more handsome than Jeremy Pressley.
You can't; there isn't one. I think he looks especially handsome -
and especially like his Pa Frank - here.

If Jeremy's going to take Jones on John Deere rides,
I don't stand a chance of EVER being the favorite parent!

It was naptime when they got home from their first ride. Three times,
I tried to take Jones from his daddy and the tractor, and three times,
he cried. Finally, I just had to use the Band-Aid method -
"1-2-3 ... PULL him away ..."