A Winters' Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving we loaded up and headed out to San Angelo for several days. Brett's cousin Brittany and her husband Clint (and their two boys, Gage and Ian :) were such wonderful hosts, as we got to stay in their beautiful new home.

Winters' guys...Brett, his dad with Jameston, and Cade

We drove to San Angelo on Wednesday afternoon, and I must say that Jameston did great on the drive! Brett and I took turns sitting in the back with him (we were successful at keeping him awake during some of the drive, since he likes to sleep in his car seat, so that we didn't get our days/nights mixed up again).

Here he is getting a nap in after Thanksgiving dinner...

Below: four generations

Will Ed, Willis, Brett, and Jameston Winters

Memaw and baby J just chattin' it up during their very first visit...

Jameston was a fan of Memaw, but then again, everyone is!

One of JW's favorite spots is in Granny's lap

Riley proudly displaying her tower of blocks

And holding her cousin's hand

Flashing the 'Horns sign (turn your head Tech fans :)

during the Texas vs. A&M game

We had alumni from both schools present,

but this grandson knows Papa is a Longhorn :)

Good morning, Gage and Riley!Cousins and second cousins (missing Gage, who was napping) siting for a photo shoot!

Riley, Jameston, Ian, and RubyJameston, 10 weeks, and Ian, 6 weeks

What fun it will be to see these two boys grow up together!

With his third long road trip under his belt, Jameston is now a well-traveled little boy! We have another test next week when we will head out to Lubbock with my mom and sister, Maggie. Oh the joys of traveling with a little one...

And when we returned to Dallas, we had fun decorating for Christmas. Five stockings (L to R) for Marlie, Brett, Jameston, Me, and Boomer :) We need a wider mantle!

We got a real tree this year...a six-foot, 20-year-old Scotch Pine from Michigan.

Brett and I love the smell, Jameston loves the lights, and the dogs love the needles!

Also, we headed to the Tech vs. Baylor game at the new Cowboys stadium on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Brett's parents and my mom watched all four grandkids. It was Brett's and my first "date" since Jameston arrived. We had a great time!

The sis-in-laws (after work, a false alarm with our home security, and feeding the babies) did not arrive at the game until about 30 minutes before kick-off...just enough time to enjoy some grilled goods :)

Bryn, Jessica, and Me

Brothers manning the grill

Cade, Brett, and Jared

Cowboys stadium...72,000+ fansBrett was not a happy camper until the second half of the game...Get your guns up!Leaving the game...Phew, so glad we won!

With five new babies born since May on the Turnbough side and one on the way who may arrive any day now on the Stewart side, we cannot wait to see everyone at Christmas!

Profound parenting revelations: Part I

Just twelve weeks into this parenting thing and I feel like I've learned more than ever. Well, maybe not EVER...but these are the things I've realized thus far (albeit trivial to some, they are profound revelations in my eyes :)

• Each day is a surprise! No matter what took place the day before and although we might think, "Nothing can top that," we quickly realize not so fast! I am constantly learning new things about Jameston, my husband of three plus years, and myself. It is an adventure I would not want to trade for anything else in this world!
• We are now morning people...WAY-early morning people. This was not a difficult transition for me because I have always been of the "early bird catches the worm" mindset, especially in grad school (well, I guess I was a night-owl then, too...maybe my "thrive on five" sleep motto those three years better prepared me for the lack of and interrupted sleep I am getting these days!). And on that same note, we do not mind going to bed now at say 8 or 9 o'clock at night! Gotta catch those Z's when you can and "sleep when the baby sleeps!"
• Bodily functions of the burping and pooping and spitting-up kind are not as repulsive to me as they used to be. AND, I have been known to call or email Brett when our son finally goes #2 after a dry spell! Like I said, revelations :) A separate post on this eye-opener is to come, I promise!
• For those of you who have asked, I am not quite back at my pre-pregnancy weight. I still have about 10 pounds to go, and I DON'T CARE. Like I've heard many women say before, your body is just shaped differently after pregnancy. Mark my words, if I can never fit into those cute jeans again and HAVE to go shopping for an entirely new wardrobe, Jameston is totally worth ever extra pound I hold on to:)
• Oh, and alarm clocks are a thing of the past. So, time and schedules would fall into this category, too. We learned real quickly that Jameston set our schedule and called the shots in the beginning on what would get done that day. I would say that just recently, right before I started back to work, he began getting into somewhat of a routine (what impeccable timing he has, huh?). So, we have more recently been able to go places and plan for things without having that looming question of, "Is he going to get hungry or sleepy or fussy while we are there?" So nice...but I've been told that just when you think you've got your child figured out, they go and change it up on you. So this "routine" we are in may be short-lived!
• Books on child-rearing (and sleep schedules and breastfeeding and so on) are helpful, but they should not be taken as law. Don't get me wrong, I love getting advice (keep it coming!) and talking with fellow mommies and friends/family who have little ones, but I'm not going to beat myself up for things that may be viewed as against the grain. I think as new parents you just need to trust your instincts, not get lost in the literature, and enjoy every minute of it!
• Most importantly (and definitely most sappy), I have discovered an inner strength in my soul and love in my heart that I never knew I had room for. And I think I can speak for Brett on that one, too, although he might consider that a not so macho thing to say :) But it's the truth!
  The joys (and surprises!) of parenting seem to be never-ending, all the while keeping us on our toes, so I'm sure this will be an ongoing post. Please stay tuned...

Thank you Granny and Gigi!

This week we are reminded to take stock of who and what we are thankful for. Brett and I could list many, many people and things we are grateful for (God, our faith, health, freedom, prosperity, family and friends, each other, the list could go on and on)...but that warrants another post in itself! We are reminded how fortunate we are even more so this year with the blessing we received in September, packaged in the body of little baby boy. Like I said, I could go on and on (and I often do!).

Baby J singing to Granny

Among many others and other things in life, our family is one of our greatest blessings! Last week, many of you know I started back to work. It was tough on all three of us, but I think more so on me than Jameston, since he was in the care of two very special ladies. Brett's mom and grandmother stayed with us last week while Brett was out of town, and they watched Jameston while I was at work. I know he had a WONDERFUL time getting to know his Granny and great Gigi better!

Jameston and Gigi hanging out

Our nieces, Riley and Ruby, also visited us while Granny and Gigi were in town...

The girls had fun with Jameston (Riley took the picture below :)and the dogs!

Brett's cousin Philip and his wife Bekah came over for dinner one night with their new addition, Luke. He is five-months-old and such a cutie! The boys were mesmerized by each other. Can't wait to watch them grow up and play together! Thank you Granny and Gigi for helping us remember just how blessed we are!

WE LOVE YOU!

Holler back

I have heard from some of you out there in internet-land saying you read our blog. First of all, thanks for reading and letting us know. Hope you enjoy the updates! Secondly, since I am of the inquisitive-type, I would like to know who is in the audience (so that I can gear some of the posts your direction :) All you have to do, if you haven't already done so, is sign in at the left of the web page under the "Followers" heading, even if you don't have a blogspot account. Please and thanks :)

Two-months-old

Jameseton turned two-months-old yesterday! These two months have gone by at a rapid pace, and our little guy is not so little anymore! As one can see in the following pics, Jameston's got some stoutness (i.e., rolls) to him these days. We went in for his 2-month appointment last Friday since I had to started back at work this week.

He weighed in at 12 lbs. 3 ounces, and measured 24 1/4 inches long (both at the 75th percentile). His head size was in the 50th percentile, but they did not give me the measurement. He handled the shots like a pro, and I think I took it harder than he did :) He cried, as he did during the heel prick screening tests in the hospital and at his follow-up pedi appointment, but as soon as they gave him the Rotovirus serum, he calmed down. He had a reaction to one of the shots, causing a knot in his leg and some subsequent fussiness, but other than that, he was a trooper! Here he is resting after our busy morning at the pediatrician's office.

Jameston is now sleeping in his crib at night---woohoo! We started him there during his daytime naps at week six and at night during week seven, and he's done pretty well so far. We are in somewhat of a routine where he only wakes up once at night, usually between 2 and 3 o'clock, after a feeding sometime between 8-9 p.m., and before a feeding around 6 or 7 in the morning before I head into work. Brett's mom and GiGi have been in town this week to help me transition to a working mom, and Jameston's Granny has been a SAINT at helping him stick to this schedule.

And he LOVES the monkey mobile in his crib...

During the last weeks of my maternity leave, we were able to visit family all over the metroplex and in Wichita Falls. Here he is with my brother, Uncle Scott. They hit it off!

And below Jameston agreed to let my sister and brother-in-law have some practice with an infant :) They are expecting their bundle of joy in just six weeks, and they passed the test with flying colors! Can't wait to meet her :)Our little boy still loves his swing, usually for about 15 minutes at a time. It looks like he's whistling in this photo, but he's probably cooing...he's been doing a lot of that lately! If you're looking at him and he's in a good mood, you two can carry on a nice conversation with a lot of vowels :)

Six-weeks-old...moving those arms!

Halloween day with Jackson Lewis...what a cutie he is!

Relaxin' with Mommy...right before he threw a major temper-tantrum! If the boy is hungry, he's going to let everyone in the state of Texas know it. I had to get him on a better feeding schedule before I headed back to work by having him wait three hours in between feedings (I know! he's an eating machine and would only go every two hours or so, especially during his growth spurts). It has taken some time, and now he's going 3-4 hours (and sometimes 5 at night!) between feedings. Yippee!And despite the grueling feeding schedule and crib training we have had, I think he still loves me (he picked out the bib below himself :) This picture was taken before we took our picture for the church directory. Gearing up for professional photos with a 6-week-old was interesting...we arrived way early to feed, burp, and change diaper/clothes if need be. And don't you know an infant is going to keep his parents guessing and on their toes! Brett and I thought we were all ready to go, and with the first click of the camera, Jameston projectile spit-up all over his overalls! Thank goodness Lifetouch offers to do touch-ups!

This month has been marked with some fun milestones! At two-months-old, we want to remember the following about Jameston:

• He is such a conversationalist! As previously stated, if he starts to babbling, he'll keep on going until you change the activity. So it appears our son is going to be a talker...don't know who he got that from :)
• He is smiling whenever he sees someone he recognizes (and is in a good mood). We are just waiting to hear him laugh on his own...he chuckled in his sleep the other night. He often smiles and whimpers in his sleep. Makes you wonder what babies dream about, especially when they are first born!
• He has learned his hands are HIS hands (and not some random, strange objects), and he is beginning to reach for items. He does clinch his fists a lot, so for awhile he was boxing himself. It's amazing to watch him learn!
• JW is easily distracted and hones in on shiny objects. These includes mirrors, ceiling fans, and eyeglasses (too bad mommy doesn't wear glasses :( Can't wait until he learns it is him in the mirror he's looking at!
• That boy burns a lot of calories during activity time! He will move his feet and arms so actively, we think he's going to tire quickly. But, no...he can carry on for an hour! Also, he does great on his tummy now (and likes to nap that way, too!). We get a lot of use out of our activity mat (Thanks Whitney and Scott!) and the Baby Einstein Discovery Center...
• Right now Jameston loves going on walks (in the stroller or backpack), riding in the car, listening to music (especially his mobile and waterfall soother), bath time, and going to daddy's basketball games!

Our (big!) little Red Raider

Since we've been at home quite a bit the last several months, our Saturdays have been filled with lots of college football, especially those Texas Tech Red Raiders. Jameston is starting to pack on the pounds (2-month stats to come in our next post; he's now able to wear 3-6 month clothes), so this past weekend he was able to sport this shirt from Grandpa and GiGi.

Relaxin' with Dad on the couch watching some football...Wreck 'em Tech!

And since he's a fan of the pacifier, we made sure to coordinate the Red Raider paci from Aunt Jessica and Uncle Cade and cousins Riley and Ruby, all Red Raider alumni and fans!

Thanks for the Texas Tech duds! Too bad those guys aren't putting together a better season this year :(

Baby blues...

Just what any new mom loves to see: a young child looking back at you and so intent on every little thing you do. Jameston has, just in the past few weeks, started to smile when he recognizes someone, and it just warms my heart! I feel so blessed to be a mommy to this little boy!

We are wondering if his eyes will stay blue, but they are too, too pretty right now not to take lots of pictures of him:) How can one resist?

Our other "kids"

All in all, we would say that our dogs have adjusted well to having a baby around the house. Although they quickly learned that they didn't rule the roost anymore once Jameston arrived, they have conceded nicely :)

We were mostly worried about Marlie, who we still consider a puppy due to her (lack of) social skills. But she has a motherly instinct about her because she is WAY protective of our little guy. She gets up in the middle of the night with me for feedings and sometimes sleeps by baby J's crib in our room. It is so very sweet! Here she is overseeing Jameston's play mat activities (a.k.a., his crunches exercises :) And Boomer, well let's just say he has taken it a bit harder. Although we adopted him from a military family that had lots of kiddos, he was our only dog for over two years. As the story goes, we got Marlie last year to keep him company. And then we went and had a baby. So, he's a little confused as to why he's not solo anymore. He even "pouts" sometimes by walking off and into different rooms of the house to sleep. It's quite amusing actually...is that mean? Here he is looking over Jameston's shoulder, as if to tell him he's got his back.

Both dogs are absolutely intrigued with the little fella. At first when we brought the baby home from the hospital, they were baffled by who was interrupting their sleep routine. But they have slowly adjusted, and they too are smitten :)

Trip to Austin

Recently, Jameston and I accompanied Brett to Austin for a work trip! He goes to Chicago and Houston next week but flies both times, so we are not going to be able to make those :( Since his parents live there, we wanted to take advantage of some grandparent-time (and time out of the house; I have had a serious case of cabin fever over the last six weeks)!

Brett's brother was kind and took care of the dogs, in exchange for us taking his truck and bringing it back filled with fire wood for the winter. So, on a Sunday afternoon, we loaded up the truck with all the necessary baby gear (phew! you can't pack too lightly with litte ones, that's for sure) and made the trip. What normally is a four-hour drive (we take 281 instead of 35) ended up being about a 5-hour trip...Jameston did great (the hum of the diesel truck helped him sleep even better in the car) and we only had to stop one time to feed him. Here's to that same luck for all of our road trips! Yeah right :)

Hooded up and ready for the ride to Austin!

Jameston catching up with Granny

Baby J helping Papa with his hand in 42

Our little monkey hanging out in the kitchen :)

We went a'hikin' in the mornings to get some fresh air...it was mostly beautiful weather while we were visiting, despite some rainy days (which the area was in dire need of).Brett getting him outside in the sunlight! With the rain, Jameston took full advantage (like everyone wants to do on a rainy day!) and snoozed a lot...this did not help out with the trouble we are having getting his days/nights figured out, so it made for some long nights!

The tank pond on their land

Papa took Jameston hiking several times while were were there

Brett chopping down fire wood as J and I looked on

While we were in town, Brett's cousin Shay and his wife Juli welcomed a baby girl, Ashlyn, who was a couple of weeks early!! We were so excited we were able to see them and meet her!

Ashlyn and Jameston's first encounter

Having fun in the hotel:

Talking it over with his horse

He's talking with his hands again

Keeping us up one night

Telling Daddy all about the trip

Thanks Granny and Papa for having us...we had a great time!