Happy 80th Birthday PaPa Bob

Ryan's grandfather, Bobbie Hooks, turned 80 this year so the

whole family got together for a party in Kilgore.

Cousins Noah and Jackson meet for the first time (Noah-3 weeks; Jackson- 6 months)

Having a chat with Pop

All the great grand kids with Papa Bob

Jackson was mesmerized

Fun in the Jumpin' Johnny

ROOOAAAARRRR!

The sweetest boys I know!

Go Bears!

Jackson's 1st Lady Bears Basketball Game! He did so good! Thanks Ya-Ya!

Future Jedi?

Thanks Uncle Chris!

Hello Mimi!

Visit from Mimi!

6 Months

Where oh where has the time gone Jackson?  We are having more fun with you everyday and love being your parents.  You make us smile and laugh more than we though we could and you bring so much joy to our family.  We are so proud to call you "ours".  We think you are much smarter and more advanced than all other babies and are the cutest too :)  Here is what you have been doing by your 6th month birthday!

Sleeping:

• 12 hours straight usually from 9-9, we love that he is OK being a night owl like us!
• Naps for an hour or two after being awake a few hours in the morning
• Naps sometimes in the afternoon around 3 or 4

• Still prefers sleeping on his stomach with froggy on his face

Eating:

• Eating solids 2x's a day: fruit for breakfast and veggie for lunch/dinner
• 4- 8 ounce feeding of formula daily
• Drinks some pear juice (when constipated) from a bottle
• Tried drinking from a cup and did pretty well
• Not good at drinking from a sippy cup

Activity:

• Trying to sit up with help
• Loves banging toys that make noise on himself or car seat to make louder sounds
• Fascinated with his fingers and just recently found his toes
• He is grabbing for everything now (hair, necklaces and earrings are his favorites)
• Really good at playing by himself on the floor

Health/Wellness:

• 18.8 pounds (75th %)
• 27 inches in length (75th %)
• 42 cm head (95th %)
• 6-9 month clothes
• First congestion and cough (first sick patient Dr. visit) Only allergies, like his dad and Ya-Ya

Language:

• Babbles a lot at times but can also be silent for long stretches as well
• Favorite songs: "My little buttercup" (from movie Three Amigos, preformed by me); "Love", Matt White (the McRib Commercial theme song) is still his magical song and can cure any meltdown!

Outings/Events:

• Trip to Houston to meet new cousin Noah

Nicknames:

• Bug-a-boo
• Bug
• Buggy
• J
• Boo

With Love, Jackson

 Ya-Ya hooked him up with a super cute Valentines shirt

Mom Ruth sent him a card and money, he was pumped!

Park Playdate

We met up with the Slagle's and their daughter Tilly at our neighborhood

park for a second play date on Sunday.

They even held hands, so stinkin cute!

Holding on to dad for reassurance

Happy Valentines Day!

Cheese!

 Cheesin' for Papa Bob and Uncle Chris

Puppy Love

Jackson has begun grabbing for everything that he sees and that includes Charley and his floppy ears. 

Cooper isn't fond of being grabbed by small children so he steers clear of the little guy.

I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Green Pea Face

The picture says it all....................

New friend, new fun!

Jackson (5 months) had his first playdate with Tilly (7 months) and it went very well, she is already crawling so she pretty much dominated him but he liked it! She only lives a few streets away and I can't wait to watch them grow up together.

New Cousin

Noah Thomas Hooks was born to Brandon, Jessica and Madilyn weighing 8 pounds 9 ounces at 21.5 inches at 2:50 in the morning.  He has dimples like his daddy and is completely healthy.

5 months

5 months
Sleeping:
The past month has been horrible in regards to his sleeping. He used to sleep at least 10 hours through the night but at 4 months he started rolling over on his belly so I stopped swaddling him and he really loved to be swaddled, so now he wakes up every night usually between 12 and 4 AM to take a bottle and change his diaper.  I am hoping this stops soon! We lay him down awake and he rolls over to sleep on his stomach.
Eating:
4-5 months we started supplementing with formula after every feeding and at 5 months we went to formula exclusively, he is eating 8 ounces 5 times a day and usually another 4 ounces in the middle of the night
We tried cereal and food for a few weeks but he is not really taking to it so I will try again in a few weeks, I don't want him to grow up too fast!
Activity/Mobility:
Rolling consistently from his back to front
Sleeping on stomach
Putting everything in his mouth
Grabbing for faces, toys, anything in front of him
He is not to great at the sitting position (bumbo time) he usually goes board straight and arches his back
He giggles and smiles all the time (when talked to, read to, kissed etc.)
Health/Wellness:
Gained weight, 4 pounds to be exact
He weighs 16 lbs and 11 ounces and is 26.5 inches in height
Still had dry and scaly scalp and dry and itchy behind left ear
Language:
Cooing and Babbling
Events/Outings:
Traveled to Waco and Houston for Christmas
Dedicated at FBC Bryan
Went to The Woodlands for a day of shopping
He has stopped taking his pacifier which is fine by me!

1st Cereal

We got Jackson's 4 month doctor report back and discovered that he is on the skinny side so we could start introducing him to rice cereal to up his calories.  I didn't plan on doing this till he was 6 months old but instead we are starting now.  This is what he thought...

He spit back out most of everything that went in, but we keep trying everyday and each time he swallows a bit more. I know he will be loving food in no time!

Jackson's Dedication

Today Jackson was dedicated to God at First Baptist Church Bryan, Texas by Pastor David Higgs.  His grandparents: Ya-Ya, MiMa and Pop, Uncle Brandon, Aunt Lizzy, and cousins Carter, Clarey and Campbell were there to witness this special event!  He received his first picture Bible from the Preschool Minister and was given a life verse by his parents.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV
11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Then we all came back to our house for brunch and had a wonderful visit.