First Zoo Trip

In my last post I mentioned the "LUCK" of having had such gorgeous weather for the St. Patrick's Day Parade...well, the luck continued into this week and so we took full advantage of it.  It is time to introduce Jackson to our long standing tradition of the monthly zoo trip!!!  After the first months of his life, carefully tucking ourselves inside our home to help prevent serious illnesses that can be associated with "winter babies" (and thank goodness all was well!), it was time to air ourselves out!  What better place than the zoo?

It was a fun day, slow and easy, we didn't over do it.  Jackson slept through a lot of the jaunt, but it was wonderful having him with us.  The last visit we made to the zoo, for the Christmas celebration, he was nearly here but the trip was hard on me.  Now, I've got all my boys. 

What a fun first trip!

Lynn

Overnight adventure

I fondly remember fort-building...I had a canopy bed that begged for a blanket to be draped from the four posters. Often I threw them up and over, linking to any piece of furniture or tall item that might add some height and off I went into another world. So, when McKinley began expressing an interest in forts I was all about it.

Today I promised McKinley a little surprise after he picked up his toys and went forward constructing two forts in his room. He loved it. Played inside for quite a while. When bedtime came he asked if he could sleep in the fort. Cary and I both agreed but didn't think it would fly.

We were wrong!

Cary put him to bed while I fed Jackson, when I peeked around the corner I was so surprised to find McKinley sound asleep inside his little fort...toys and books all around him. The picture of childhood.

I love it.
Lynn

St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day! 

The Luck of the Irish was on our side on this gorgeous day, it topped in the mid 70's today...in March!  It was sunny, gorgeous, perfect day for a parade!

This year I was lucky (ha!) enough to be co-room mom with a friend, she and I put together a really fun parade with the help of Cary and Miss Kymberli & Miss Lori.  The kids had a blast at their St. Patrick's Day Party in school and were such good sports donning their Leprechan beards made by Alice and me.  Cary had the day of the party off from work so the whole family was able to attend this very fun day.  Cary and I helped the kids with the party craft and enjoyed taking lots of pictures.

After the party, we were hard at work crafting a rainbow made from pool noodles.  Yes, you read that right.  A pool noodle rainbow.  We had Jackson in the stroller, napping peacefully and McKinley bouncing back and forth between helper and the backyard playtime of a 4 year old.  I'm quite certain our neighbors spent some time at their windows wondering what on Earth we were up to now...those crazy Vernon's are always up to something!

Anyway, we finished it and it is pretty fabulous!  We got a good night's sleep and then were up and at 'em bright and early for the Irish Dash.  Mom, McKinley and I participated.  I say participated because we didn't run.  Ha!  McKinley and I had recently recovered from a respiratory infection, I'm still recovering from the C-section and Mom was trying to keep us going.  Clearly, Cary should have been doing this too, but he was home taking good care of Jackson and that is great! 

After McKinley received his medal, we rushed back home to prep for the parade.  We had to be there early, deliver the rainbow to the owners of the truck we were using, get lined up, painted, dressed in all our green and open those crazy candy bags!  Like clockwork everything came together.  The truck looked great and was made even better by our precious preschoolers.  Cary, Mom, Jackson and I walked while McKinley rode in the back part of the way, walked and threw candy some as well (especially when he saw Savannah...he had to get out!).  Many of our friends came to watch again and McKinley was so excited!  I think I say it every time but what an awesome opportunity to be a part of a parade!

That evening we were supposed to go to the annual party, then to our friends' home.  However, we got home from the parade, the four of us cuddled up in our bed and fell asleep for four hours!  I woke up at 7pm, called our friends and apologized all over myself for sleeping so late.  We were done.  Awesome weekend but we. were. done.

Below are some of my favorite photos from the two day celebration. 

 

We love wearin' our green!

Lynn

 

 

That first smile

Today, while McKinley was at preschool and Cary was at work, this Mama was blessed by our sweet Baby Jackson's very first smile.  I was carrying him from the nursery into our room when I looked at him and those beautiful blue eyes lit up when we made eye contact and he smiled this small, sweet smile.  It was such a precious moment and I feel so lucky to have been the first to share this with both of our boys.

Jackson is so sweet, he sleeps a lot.  I mean...a LOT.  I'm quite sure he's gearing up for when he is mobile.  I can't wait.  He doesn't fuss all that much, just when he's hungry and tired.  And when he's both...well, watch out!  He will babble and coo and make eyes at all of us, but he reaches this point where he must just sleep...like, RIGHT NOW!  And he will cry, which signals us he's had enough and then, as quickly as his fussiness came, in it's place is a peaceful, sleeping baby.  He likes the same "hold" McKinley liked, and the "butt pat".  They work like a charm. 

Ahhh, that first smile...
Lynn

13 years

Thirteen years ago today Cary and I met.  There are many things I will never forget about that day, like what I wore, what I was doing when I saw him for the first time, his very first question to me.  And then I look at all the life we've created in these thirteen years.  I may not remember all of that, but I can recall many, many things and there is one recurring theme through all these memories...HAPPY AND LOVED.

Now more than ever I feel like God has blessed me by that funny, awkward moment the day after Valentine's Day, 1999.  Loving life...

Lynn

How '90's is this???

My Three Valentines...

Today I took my Mom and my two LITTLE Valentines to the airport to drop Mom off for her next jaunt abroad.  When she was safely inside the airport McKinley and I were pretty hungry and I was sure Jackson would be ready for that bottle soon enough, so I decided it was time to try out my mother-of-two skills by having lunch, sit-down style.  I'm not big on drive thru food, and there are a plethora of our favorite quick food restaurants nearby, so let's do it!  Noodles & Company sounded perfect, McKinley sat across from me and used chop sticks with the chop stick helper for his Macaroni & Cheese.  Jackson was nestled beside me in his car seat carrier while I ate, then it was his turn.  The whole adventure went off without a hitch.  Hey, five and a half weeks post-partum?  Not bad! 

When we got home in the late afternoon I toodled around in the kitchen when all three of my boys came around the corner carrying a rose (okay, well, Cary was carrying Jackson's because he was asleep and he's only 5 weeks old...but still, it was a moment).  One red, one pink, one yellow.  And cards.  I've got more handsome Valentines than I did when I was 16 years old (and let me tell you...that was quite a year...).  I am completely surrounded by love...and loving it.

Tomorrow Cary and I celebrate 13 years together...it's amazing to look back on the beginning and to be living in the middle of a sweet little family now. 

I love my boys...all three of them!

Lynn

Monkey See, Monkey Do

Or is it See No Evil, Hear No Evil?

Only time will tell...

And aren't there going to be some pretty funny times ahead?

Again, just overwhelmingly blessed.

Enjoying our sleepy baby and our big preschooler.  Cleaning lots of bottles and running around after the preschooler schedule.  Life is good!

Lynn

Brothers

McKinley is such a fantastic big brother, and Jackson is a terrific little brother.  They are precious together and make us smile.  Every morning before school McKinley gets us and HAS to go look in on his little bro.  "Gotta go check on Jackson!", he says.  Or he will ask to hold him, help feed him, kiss him, snuggle with him, anything to just be near.  I know this won't always be the case, but I do feel pretty confident that the two of them will be peas in a pod. 
And over the last few weeks, here are some sweet photos of the most precious moments I have ever witnessed:

Sweet baby boys...We are so very, very blessed.

Lynn

Sweet Little Moments

Below the title of our little blog is my favorite quote. Over the years it has grown to mean different things for me. At one time it was healing, now it try to live the quote. Lately, there have been lots of these breathtaking moments in my life. As my little family has grown, my love for all these men in my life grows as well.

This morning, as I end my first week as stay-at-home-mom-of-two-boys-who's-hubby-has-returned-to-work-after-paternity-leave, I'm getting McKinley ready for school when Jackson wakes, hungry. McKinley said, "Mom, I'll go see him!" Okay, so I make a quick trip to the living room to drop backpack, coat, etc. I come back to find McKinley, on his stool, standing over his baby brother. I peeked inside the crib and found a very quiet and transfixed Jackson, who was obviously hanging on his brother's every word while studying his face. That did very good things for my heart. Thankfully, I thought fast enough to grab the camera and snap a few photos of the moment.

Camera by my side lately, I've also snapped these cute shots of moments that are precious to me.

Jackson, trying to enjoy his bath (we're getting there!), he discovers the faucet sprayers and loves to touch it with his toes. TOO CUTE!

McKinley & Cary, on their way out for some Man Time at the ISU basketball game. At that game, the boys caught a little basketball from the cheerleaders. McKinley was thrilled! He had a blast with his Daddy.

The boys aren't the only ones who give me precious moments to capture. Valentine, our beloved white cat (and the only other source of estrogen in our home) loves her boys so much she cannot decide where she wants to spend her time. So, she floats back and forth between the two rooms all night and all day. This morning I went in to wake McKinley for school and found this: Valentine back to back with McKinley, both sound asleep. After I woke McKinley, she sauntered into the nursery to lay under the crib for an early morning nap. What a life...

Love these sweet little moments in my life,

Lynn

Jackson Michael Vernon

Around 5 o'clock in the morning on Friday, January 6th, Cary, McKinley, my Mom and I walked into the hospital to get this party started.  That is NOT what I was thinking at the time.  On the contrary, I was shaking like a leaf, scared as can be (of that freaking spinal), worried about McKinley, worried about Cary, worried about this baby.  I am pretty sure Cary and I neither one slept more than a few hours...collectively.  But when we reached the labor and delivery/nursery floor we were greeted with the smiling face of Robin, and some of her crew.  It helped calm me a lot.  We were ushered into our labor room (though, there would be no laboring for me!) and suddenly, I was signing papers, changing into that glamorous gown (swear, if there's a next time I'm wearing what Tori Spelling has worn...way more chic), being hooked to the monitors, starting the IV, and having contractions, fairly big ones too!  Then my in laws arrived, then the man whom I would stick that needle in my back.  I think I had a few moments to "rest", however I was definitely panicked.  That's just me, I guess.

All of a sudden, I was told my OB I had arrived and was getting ready.  I looked at the clock and an hour and a half had already flown by!  It was time.  If my blood pressure hadn't sky rocketed by now it sure was at that moment!  I tearfully said goodbye to McKinley, he would spend this time with my mother and father in law.  Cary and my Mom would be getting dressed in their surgery garb while I was being prepped and stuck.  Fun.  And Robin was close behind, scrubbing in as well.  My nurse walked me across the hall to the surgical room, now here's where it all gets a little, um, less than ladylike for yours truly.  Evidently, I felt it necessary to just whip out a few cuss words.  Mild ones, but I apologized to the nurse, who promptly instructed me not to apologize and to say whatever I felt necessary and she would say it with me.  There was a resounding, "OH SH*T" a few seconds later...in unison...me and my nurse. 

Inside the OR, I sat on the table as the nurse anesthetist did his thing.  My nurse was holding me - as she is supposed to during the anesthesia, I was crying, so another nurse came over.  It was Dawn, we'd worked together before I had McKinley.  She's great, she grabbed my hand.  Then in came another nurse, Amy.  I also knew her from my medical field days.  She's great too.  Then there was the guy I'd helped in his orientation to the hospital!  He had also scrubbed in my first c-section and remembered us!  Then of course, my sweet OB.  I instantly felt MUCH more comfortable.  Which is good because I was numb and laying down and moments away from seeing my beautiful baby!  Robin and company went straight to work, I was prepped, the curtain was draped, all the baby stuff was ready, Robin was camera ready!  Cary and Mom came in.  I was crying.  Happy tears (and frankly, I was thrilled the spinal was OVER)!  It was such an emotional experience! 

Doctor was talking to us all, I was dozing slightly.  There was small talk, a few stories, then Doctor began chatting about my Mom and her career with the surgeon (and dear friend) she has worked for going on 30 years.  He said, "This woman right here, she and Doctor are DINOSAURS!" I swear if I hadn't been numb and immobile from the neck down I would have raised up and smacked his arm.  God love him, wrong choice of words.  He meant it in a kind way, but wow.  There was a lot of surgery talk, Cary and I talked a little too.  He patted my head, held my hand (which was falling asleep), checked on me regularly.  Then Doctor said, "Here we go, Lynn! How big does everybody think he will be?" I think I guessed 20 pounds...only half kidding because that is exactly what it felt like!  Lots of guessing went on and then he said he was getting him out.  I think there was a comment about getting him out because of his size.  My Mom peeked over the curtain (I mean, really?) then grabbed Cary and pulled him up.  Not sure he was prepared for that, but I know now he isn't sorry.  In my c-section with McKinley we were both so exhausted from being awake for days, the laboring and the drama of everything going wrong, we were just emotional and needing to be focused on each other, the birth and getting through it to see that sweet boy.  This time, he was much more prepared and knew what to expect so he could take it all in.  I was proud, though I'm not entirely sure either of us ever intended for him to see my insides!  Ha!!!!!!!!

Doctor said, "Here he comes! OH!  He's BLONDE!" Insert mental record scratch - WHAT?  He's BLONDE?!  How precious and unexpected!  Then there was another comment about getting him out, "oooh, big boy!" as I waited for his first cry.  As he cried, so did I.  Now I can breathe (literally and figuratively...).  Then came the weigh in...NINE POUNDS EVEN!!!!!!!!!  Twenty one inches long!  Time for Robin to work her magic on our boy, off Cary went to be a part of it.  I was a little caught off guard when Cary trotted off to the other side of the curtain (where I could only hear but not SEE what was going down...and I guess that is a very good thing), but I'm glad he was able to get the full experience this time around.  As I said, last time we were like deer in the headlights.  I lay there, think I had a conversation with my Mom (whom I think asked me if I knew what was going on on the other side...that's the surgery nut for you.  No thanks, Mom, I didn't need to know fine details.  I will feel them soon enough!  Ha!), I cried a little, I dozed a bit, and began to feel a little light headed.  The fun was JUST beginning...trust me.

Soon, Cary brought that precious little bundle over to meet his Mama.  I kissed him.  Cried more.  Took a picture and said goodbye to Robin, Mom, Cary and our new baby boy.  Then it got really quiet...Doctor was furiously working on me and explaining how extremely large the umbilical cord was and how much fluid had been removed.  I mean, TMI!  Just kidding...I started dozing a little again, then the light-headedness came back along with dizziness.  OHMYGOD.  My anesthesia nurse said my blood pressure was normal and all was well, he promised.  In no time, I was on my way back to the labor room for recovery.  There was propping and lowering, ice chips and then puking.  Yes, puking.  That was fun...and lucky me, it continued until 9pm! 

That means all our guests were witness to my random episodes.  My Godmother came in and just held my hand saying, "Honey, I don't like coming in and seeing you like this."  Oh my...it was a dizzy day.  I fondly remember holding that beautiful baby.  I fed him a bottle.  I was so groggy, but it was sweet.  I felt such peace having all my family together.

When Cary first arrived back by my side after leaving the baby inside the nursery for their routine stuff, he came back and said, "Well, I think I named him.  I hope you're okay with Jackson Michael!"  Ha!  Long ago, we decided if we had two boys they would be named McKinley Shane and Jackson Michael.  Guess what?  We got 'em!  Our boys.

So, this beautiful boy, his name is Jackson Michael.  He is named Jackson after Cary's beloved Mamaw, who died in November, 2011.  Her maiden name was Jackson.  His middle name is Michael, in memory of my Dad, and in honor of my father-in-law and brother-in-law.  He is blonde, blue-eyed, has TWO dimples and that same handsome chin his big brother and Daddy have.  He is perfect and precious and we are so very, very blessed.

Life is good and beautiful and so full of love,

Lynn