Savouring the Moment

What a week it has been!  We have filled the time by doing lots of new things with Jackson and his aunt and grandma.  Mostly, all of our adventures have taken place in and around Southport, but we have taken a few road trips out of town when the weather was nice.

On Sunday, we went to Hesketh Park in Southport and the Botanic Gardens in Churchtown.  It was a great way to spend the day because Jackson got to play on the swings and see-saw and we all got to admire the well-manicured park grounds when he took a nap in his stroller.

Monday was the day for Little Treasures, as usual.  It was fun to take my mom and sister along to show them a British baby playgroup.  In the afternoon, we ate at an American Steakhouse--which wore us all out--and so we came back home and played games and took naps.  It was a very relaxing day!

Usually every year on the 12th of July in Southport, the locals avoid the town centre because it gets really rowdy for the Orange Lodge celebrations.  We did avoid Southport because we had the chance to feed the ducks along the Coastal Path and to visit Jackson's nursery again and show my family where he will be spending the majority of his time come September.  Also on Tuesday, Jackson went to his last ever Rhyme Time in Ainsdale.  It was very bittersweet to see that part of his baby life come to an end--especially when we all joined in with the last round of We Are the Baby Band.  In the afternoon, we decided to play putt-putt golf by the marina and surprisingly, the Orange Lodge goers were well-behaved and quite quiet compared to previous years.  At the end of the game, on the 19th hole, Lee hit a bell with his golfball so he won a free game of putt-putt!  When we got back home, we took Jackson to the park in Ainsdale and he rode his bike there and back for the first time.

A couple of weeks ago, we scoped-out Chester and we knew that we wanted to take my mom and sister to see the sights there when they visited.  Wednesday was a really sunny day so we made sure to set-off early to make the most of the day.  We got to go in the Chester Cathedrals and we visited the park where Jackson got to play and he tried to make a baby friend by 'talking' to another child on the swings.

Thursday was very sunny and somewhat warm, so we went to the beach!  Jackson really loved his first time in the sand and somehow avoided trying to eat the sand--like many babies do.  He pushed his toes and fingers into the ground and giggled at the new sensation.  I think he liked the fact that it was also a little messy and no one was stopping him from getting dirty.

Yesterday was our fifth wedding anniversary and we had two very willing babysitters, so we got to celebrate by bowling, playing arcade games, and eating at Dolce Vita in Ainsdale.  But before that, all of us spent the morning and afternoon at Farmer Ted's in Ormskirk.  We weren't sure initially what it was going to be like because its website was a little lacklustre; but, we were pleasantly surprised when we walked in the door!  It was well-themed and great attention was paid to every little detail from the tractor ride to the guinea pig village.  (I would highly recommend the farm for anyone who has children 12 and under.)

And finally, today we went to Penny's first birthday party in Ainsdale--she is one of Jackson's best friends.  At the party, we found out that Jackson can stand quite steadily while holding onto an activity table so he may be getting one of his own soon to practise his standing skills at home.  After the birthday party, we travelled down to Neston to visit Jackson's great-grandparents.  It was quite the journey since we found out that the motorway (highway) was closed for construction only after we got caught in the thick of a huge traffic jam.  We managed to find a diversion (detour), but it added on about an hour to our travel time.  Jackson was our trusty star baby and handled being in the car for a long time with great maturity.  While Lee drove, we entertained him with songs from The Sound of Music, so that may have helped make the time go quicker.

All in all, it has been a really fun week with our Ohio family and they are really enjoying every minute they get to spend with Jackson.  And Jackson is very happy to be surrounded with all of the extra love and attention from his aunt and grandma.

Jackson's first trip to the beach

Feeding the ducks

First ride on his bike to the park

We made it all the way there and back!  He did cry when we took him off of the bike and went inside for the day.  Poor Jackson!

Crawling backwards

 Walking around Chester

Dressed as Dumbo for his trip to the farm

Investigating the chicks

Getting ready to watch the milking demonstration at Farmer Ted's with Aunt Paige

Standing tall and proud on his own at Penny's birthday party

Developmental updates:  Jackson now weighs 23 pounds 2 ounces.  He is waving very consistently now either in response to someone else or when he is arriving or leaving.  Jackson started sticking his tongue out this week for no particular reason when he is playing or having a 'conversation' with us.  In the past, we were able to take a toy away from him and there would hardly be a reaction, but now he has started to fuss and whine if he wants it back.  Jackson is very good at crawling backwards and he has found himself under chairs and tables by accident as he slowly creeps away.

If you see Sammie Miles Davis, Jr. and Bella, give them my love.

Ohio Family

Jackson had quite the surprise in store on Friday morning:  he got to meet his Grandma and Aunt (from Ohio) for the first time!  Although we didn't know if he understood what was happening, he must have felt the excitement in the air because the entire journey to Manchester Airport, he didn't doze off for a second!  And while we were waiting at the arrivals gate, he was looking anxiously at the people pouring through the door.

When we finally got to see my family, they were so excited to hold Jackson and see him in person.  We were all crying and hugging and it felt like Jackson's actual birthday again because he was being seen for the first time, through new eyes, and his mere presence was making us all weepy.

Sometimes, when Jackson meets new people or is held by someone new, he gets a little wobbly and wants to go back to Lee or I to be held and comforted.  But there must be a connection with my mom and sister because he didn't (and hasn't) done that once since meeting them in the airport.  He is loving soaking up their hugs and kisses--and attention!

It is also really nice to have extra hands around to help with Jackson's daily routine.  (Now I know how Kate must feel!)  My family is really eager to help feed, change, and dress him so the days feel much easier already.  Luckily, they get to stay for two weeks and it has only been two days.  At the end of their visit, I might need a refresher in motherhood.

Last time my family visited, we travelled all over England--Liverpool, Bath, London, York, and Windermere--in one week!  It was a very fast-paced trip and we did see nearly all of the hotspots in England, but the focus this time around has definitely shifted and every day, we are going to try to do a new activity with Jackson and stay around Southport.

So far during this visit, we have had a meal at The Hungry Monk, looked at antique shops, visited a local bookstore, and played in the park by the lake in town.  Jackson is loving every minute of being doted on by his 'new' family and we are really enjoying the extra company at home.  Hopefully the next two weeks go really slowly because we're trying to fit a year of Jackson and Carpenter Family time into 16 days.

Happy 9 months, Jackson!

Wearing his Ashland, Ohio t-shirt to Rhyme Time

Swinging in the park and showing Grandma and Aunt Paige around Southport

Eating waffles with Grandma

We were ready to go out on the town, but Jackson found a comfy spot to rest

Developmental updates:  Jackson turned nine-months-old on Monday and he started wearing a few of his 18-24 month outfits.  His arms seem to be growing longer by the second because he is grabbing items from the check-out counters when I think his stroller is far away from any dangling goods.  He almost managed to steal a pack of Halls throat lozenges and a gift bag.  As Lee and I were getting the house ready for my family's arrival, we noticed how especially patient and independent Jackson can be.  Most of the time, we watched Jackson in shifts, but there were some jobs that needed two people and Jackson was very helpful through his quiet playtime and happy demeanour.  He tried Cheerios, flavoured breadsticks, and vanilla baby biscuits (cookies) this week and enjoyed all of them.  When Jackson met my family at the airport, he made a new noise we've never heard.  It was a sound of pure excitement and he was pushing his fists down and smiling really wide, looking from person-to-person.  It makes me really happy to see him so elated to be with his Ohio family.

If you see Sammie Miles Davis, Jr. and Bella, give them my love.

Curious Jackson

Jackson is still working toward crawling, but he is finding many other ways to move around and be mischievous.

His latest hobby is banging objects together and listening to sounds.  The other day, he took an empty water bottle and whacked it against as many different things he could reach and he seemed to be listening to the different tones being produced.

Jackson is also pushing doors open and closed.  He likes to peek around doors, but sometimes he just adjusts them for fun.  Other household items that have caught his attention lately are the vacuum hose, the metal fan, and cables.  As you can guess, Jackson keeps us on our toes more than ever.  Also, it is harder than ever to get jobs done around the house because our little detective doesn't stay in one spot anymore when he's playing on the floor.

Today at the Ainsdale Show, Jackson sweetly leaned towards a lady as if to say 'hello,' but we quickly realised he was leaning in to snatch her chocolate brownie!  Luckily, his plan was derailed in time, but it was a close call.  During the dog show, Jackson also tried to grab a girl's ruffly sleeves.  He was successful at his attempt to rest his hand on a boy's shoulder, but the boy didn't seem to notice.  It's amazing how fast babies can move and also the strength of their grip is much stronger than I predicted.

I hope that Jackson always keeps his curious personality.  Admittedly, it is hard to keep up with him when he's in investigative mode, but I am really proud that he's willing to take risks in his environment and his love of life and everything it has to offer is inspiring to me.  I love to see his fearlessness when he's playing, yet I also love when he looks at me for reassurance when he does encounter something that makes him a little leery.

Cool Dude

Exploring movements and ending up in the splits!

Playing in the ball pit and finding hidden treasures that Mommy put at the bottom

Figuring out his new toys and listening to all of the sounds they make

Watching a puppet show at the Ainsdale Show (annual fair) with Daddy while Mommy ran a friendship bracelet stall during lunchtime.  He loved watching the puppets and only cried when the kids cheered really loudly at the beginning to say, "Yeah!" showing they were ready for the show to start.

Getting ready to watch the dog show

Our favourite dog, a Sheltie named Wilma, was featured again this year

Developmental updates:  Jackson says, "Mama Mama Mama," throughout the day, but I'm not sure that he associates this sound with me.  He went through a phase of saying, "Dada Dada Dada," but now he's switched to a new default.  When we read books, he likes to pick out a certain one to read from the pile on his own.  His current favourites are Dinosaur Roar! and Peter Rabbit Easter Surprise.  When he was in his garden centre this week, he tried to pull himself up but couldn't quite figure out how to position his legs.  He did, however, manage to squirm half-way out of the tunnel in his garden centre and I helped him exit completely for the last step.  The teething process is taking its toll on Jackson and it's heartbreaking to see him in pain.  Aside from Dentinox teething gel and Calpol, we've started giving him Ashton and Parsons teething powder which seems to calm him down quite quickly.  On Thursday, I also ordered an amber bracelet for Jackson so we will see if that will help quell some of the pain.  He can drink from a bottle on his own now.  It took him a while to figure out the right technique, but this week, he got it!

If you see Sammie Miles Davis, Jr. and Bella, give them my love.