Christa is 10 Months!!

She's pulling up on everything!!

And she's officially crawling!

This is what we like to do instead of taking naps these days!

And why chew on the teething rails mom bought for me, when there's a perfectly good foot board to scratch up??


We're running into some logistical issues, now that Miss Christa has decided to hit so many milestones all at once. As mentioned above, banging her siderail is much more fun than napping. So is eating the blinds, apparently. Seriously, there's a chunk missing. I'd move her crib, but if you saw her room, you would see that there is no where else for it to go. So the blinds are tied up for now, and I'm hoping she doesn't chew through the shade in the meantime. Christa is quite proud of herself, and so are her Mommy and Daddy. (The top 3 pictures are from today, and the bottom two are from yesterday, I think).

Also, please say a few extra prayers for Victoria's family this week. Tomorrow would be her 11th birthday. You can go to her website through the link on the right, and if you want to, you can leave a message for her family. I know it can be a little awkward writing a message to someone you've never met, but even messages from strangers mean so much to the family. Margaret Anne, her mother, gave me an impatience plant the day Christa was born. The plant was grown from a leaf of a plant that had been given to her when Victoria was born. My plant started off as a green vine, but when Christa was a few months old, it all of a sudden sprouted pink flowers. Today, the plant has no less than 20 pink flowers, plus multiple buds, and it is a sweet reminder of Victoria for us.

The Promised Pictures

Christa is pulling and standing up really well as long as she has something to hold on to.

"I Love Me!"

Shopping on Rainbow Row

Lunch at the Noisy Oyster. There's no window behind us - just open air. The weather was perfect!

Wild hair after a bath last night.

That's a crawl!! Is that a crawl?? She is so very close. I'm tempted to officially say she's crawling. She can get up on her hands and knees, and she can make forward progress. She can't quite do both at the same time yet.

Bringing Down the PENThouse

Our family had a great trip to Charleston this week. We stayed at the Francis Marion hotel. We had stayed there once before, when we went to celebrate Cline's birthday right after we got married, and were very pleased, so we gave it another shot. When we arrived at the hotel, Christa was exhausted from the drive and a little pre-check-in lunch and shopping that we squeezed in, so I waited with her as she slept in the car, while Cline took a load of our luggage to our room. Cline called me from the room, and here is the conversation that ensued:

Cline: Babe, you're not going to believe this. When I went to check in, they said they had upgraded us to the 12th floor harbor view suite. It's the biggest room I've ever set foot in!

Me: Yeah, yeah (figuring they'd thrown in a couch and a kitchen sink). That's great honey, but while you're talking on the phone to me about this so-called great room, we're wasting tens of dollars in gasoline while your daughter and I sit in the car, running the air conditioner. Why don't you come down and get us, and then you can SHOW me the room.

Cline: Ok, I'll be right there. You're not going to believe this, though. Man alive, I am a good provider!

So, Cline came down, and we got on the elevator. As I searched for the button signifying the 12th floor, I noticed I could only go to floors 1-11. There was, however, a button labeled "PH." I looked at Cline and said, "no way." We went to level "PH", found our "suite" and this is what I saw:

...and this...

...and this...

...PLUS TWO bathrooms!!! And THIS was our "harbor view:"


Needless to say, we will be staying at the Francis Marion Hotel from now on!

I Hope I'm Never in a Real Fire...

Hello all! I know I promised pictures with the next post. Does changing the top one out count?? I do have a valid excuse - Christa has been sick since the end of last week, so we haven't exactly been getting the camera out a whole lot!

We have had quite an eventful day around here. Christa woke up fussy with a dripping nose and a fever for the 3rd day in a row. So, off to the doctor we went. He gave us two options: 1. Claritin. 2. Amoxicillin. We're going to try the Claritin first, and if that doesn't work, Cline will have to make his peace with giving Christa antibiotics (they are a last resort in Cline's book, and I agree we shouldn't be quick to give them). While I'm on the topic of medicines, can I just express my love for these new dye-free drops they have now? Brilliant.

So, we get home from the doctor, and Christa promptly goes down for a nap. I am relieved - she seems to be finally getting some good rest (it's been a rough few nights). I sit down to update her picture albums, enjoying the calm, when the phone rings. It's Cline, telling me he is on his way home from working out and could I please turn on the toaster oven so it will be properly heated for him to cook hot dogs on before he goes to work at 3. That sounds like a task I can manage - I turn the toaster oven to 400, and resume my album-updating. The phone rings again. It's the umpteenth call we've received for "Clarence Jackson." I don't know who Clarence Jackson is, or how his phone number has become confused with our number for so many people, but I do know that Clarence has really bad credit and many outstanding debts. The do-not-call list is really serving us well (rolls eyes).

As I sit down again, determined to get the photo album updated, I hear an odd noise coming from the kitchen. I walk over to see what is going on, and I see flames in my toaster oven. Hmmm, that can't be good. I turn the oven off, and reach to grab a cup of water. Then my critical thinking skills kick in. Wait a minute, is it an electrical fire? I remember learning something in the 5th grade about how you're not supposed to throw water on an electrical fire. The toaster oven is an electrical appliance. Will I get electrocuted if I unplug it? If I open the door, will the new air cause the fire to explode in my face? Nobody wants that. I'd better be safe and get the fire extinguisher (which I only knew we had because the handy-man just did some service on it 3 days ago.) So I grab the fire extinguisher from under the sink, which is handily right next to inflamed toaster oven. Uh-oh. My non-existent arm muscles aren't strong enough to pull the pin out. What do I do now? Stop, drop, and roll? No, that's only if I'm on fire. Can I somehow drop and roll the toaster oven? No, that would require me to open it, which visions of facial scars are preventing me from doing. Wait for the fire to burn itself out? It's getting smaller, but it's lingering longer than my comfort level allows. So I call Cline of course. "Hello? Hi honey, the toaster oven is on fire - what do I do?"

Luckily Cline was walking through the door at that very moment, and promptly doused the flames with some water, assuring me that it was not an electrical fire. I guess we re-used the grease-catching foil liner one too many times. (I tried to be earth-friendly, and look where that got me!) Things are back to normal in the Jackson house, although it smells like a barbecue and my toaster oven looks like this:

In other news, I went into get a fussy Christa for a midnight snack 2 nights ago and found her standing up in her crib. I guess it's time to lower the mattress again and invest in some rail covers. She also learned how to drink from a straw cup, thanks to a great tip from a speech therapist friend of mine. (I'll be happy to share this tip with any inquiring mommy friends). Tomorrow, we are headed to Charleston for 2 days to celebrate our 3rd anniversary. (Christa's Dr. gave us his blessing to continue with our plans.) Hopefully I'll get some good pictures, that I really will post next time :) I'm off to try AGAIN to update our album.

Our Week, In 10,000 Words or Less

Hello all! I'll post some pictures next time - I'm in the process of getting a large batch developed, so it's easier to not take pictures at the moment. We are staying busy around here. I guess that's what happens when you plan 3 out of town trips in 1 month. We're headed to Charleston next week to celebrate our 3rd anniversary. Then we'll get back, I'll have a few days to unpack, do laundry, and pack again (story of my life, these days), and we'll head home to close on our house! We are getting more and more excited by the minute. I am mentally ready to do some hard-core packing (and tired of having to move things every time I want to sit down or buy groceries). But I don't have anywhere to put boxes; I've filled our storage space, and don't want to be tripping over boxes for 2 more months.
I have been packing away and dis-assembling some of Christa's newborn things. I took down her swing the other night, which made me a little sad, but I think she'll benefit more from the extra floor space. Christa is now pulling herself up on her hands and knees. She may just crawl after all! We recently bought a new car seat; we went with the Graco Comfort Sport, since you guys said it was a good seat. I'm using it for Cosette (the little girl I babysit for) for the time being, and so far, we really like it.
The more excited we get about moving back home, the more I notice things I'm going to miss about this place. Cosette is at an age where she recognizes me, and has reached to have a hug or be picked up several times this week. It is so sweet (especially since my child is quite stingy with her hugs), and it makes me sad that Cosette won't know who I am if I ever get to see her after residency. (Her parents are planning to move back to their hometown in Texas). I finally have regular play-date and lunch-date buddies AND the energy to leave my house more than once a week. (It is astounding to me how long it takes to feel "normal" again after having a baby). For all the complaining I've done about this town, I really love the friends I've made here, and I'm going to miss them all dearly after we all move.
And to Justin: You are officially "on notice." I was willing to let the Youtube video slide, even though curiosity got the better of me, and I did watch it. Then I proceeded to watch the neighboring videos about mid-air collisions, which has really reaffirmed my commitment to never fly again. So thanks for that. But that little stunt you pulled today, claiming you have to take "some class" this summer... it's almost as if you hate America, hate me, and hate the KU Jayhawks. (Inside joke - nobody here hates America). Come to think of it, I hope nobody here hates me, either!
At any rate, I realize this is a fairly boring post. Sorry about that - I've rambled a bit tonight, and I don't think I'm going to have time tomorrow to rewrite it, so it is what it is. Thanks for reading though and have a great day!

Next Time, I'll Take the Train

Hello all! We're back - back on the sweet, safe ground. I've always had a mild fear of heights, but could easily overcome them to ride a rollercoaster or something. And I've gone back and forth over the years about whether or not I am afraid of flying. I've been fortunate to experience many flights, some with others, and some by myself, and remember one in particular when we had a stomach-churning, sudden drop. The lady behind me cried, but I wasn't scared at all, then. The last time I remember being this scared, I was in college. My dad took us to California, and I really wanted to go. So I faced my fear, boarded the plane, and about an hour into the flight, I was fine. Cured for several years.
I'm back to being scared, and these two flights did NOT cure my fear this time. Christa did exceptionally well. Laughed and wiggled, despite her nervous mother. I was worried on the way out there that she would be fussy because we were departing right at her bed time. And my precious daughter does not especially like to snuggle against your neck and drift off into a deep slumber. But she was quite pleasant, making faces at the stewardess for about an hour, and did eventually catch a nap in Cline's arms (I'm still jealous). I, on the other hand, was on the edge of my seat with a death grip on Cline's arm the whole way out there. Maybe it was the fact that I knew we were flying through a vicious storm-system. Maybe it was the plane being tossed around like a dandelion in a tornado. Maybe it was the lightning right outside our window. During the landing, I was convinced the plane was going to flip just as we hit ground, and we'd roll to our fiery doom.
The way home was no better, despite blue skies and fluffy clouds. In fact, it may have been worse in my mind. The nice stewardess offered to retrieve Christa's car seat since there were extra seats on the plane, which was much appreciated. I was glad to have it during the death-defying drops at 30,000 feet, impending engine failure, mild turbulence that graced the entire ride. I walked off the plane glad to be on land and convinced that our family will be vacationing within an 8 hour drive of our home from now on.
Despite my mental trauma, we had a great time in Oklahoma. All of my extended family lives in the Midwest, so it's always nice to see my grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins. Alicia and Brandon drove up from Dallas, and we hadn't seen them since Christmas, so that was an extra treat. And to the executives at Braum's (the best ice cream store I've ever set foot in), if you're reading this, then please expand your chain to the Southeast.
Grandpa and Alicia, I hope you have great birthdays this week!

I'm Leavin' On a Jet Plane

I just loved this outfit on Christa, so I had to get my camera out for a few shots before church on Sunday.

This one is for Margaret Anne - proof that I don't get left out of all the pictures :)

And today - what a big girl!

Hello all! I hope everyone is having a great week. We have been busy around here. I still don't feel like I've caught up on everything from our last trip a couple of weeks ago. We are leaving tomorrow to fly out to Oklahoma to celebrate my grandfather's 80th birthday. It will be Christa's first airplane ride. I must confess I'm a little nervous about the flight. I think Christa will do fine, but I've gone through phases in my life where I'm afraid of flying, and I seem to be in such a phase now. We are very much looking forward to seeing all of our "Okies" though :)

Christa is trying harder to pull up on things, and is getting really good at "standing" if she has something to hold on to. She's still not crawling, but seems content to roll and scoot backwards.

A few people have asked me what Christa's birthday plans are! (I realize it's still 2 and 1/2 months off, but I've been planning it mentally since she was born, so I do not feel that it is too early for a "save the date" blog post :) The party will definitely be on her actual birthday, Saturday, June 28. Time and city, TBA. We haven't gotten Cline's June schedule, yet, but as soon as we do, I'll finalize specific details. My feeling is that it will be in Augusta - I just don't see us getting a chance to move before then, and it's important to me that I spend the 28th with her - not moving that day. The more the merrier, so make plans to come for it if you can! (Although I should warn you that I WILL try to recruit you for moving help if we do end up moving the 29th!)

Well, I'm off to try and straighten the rest of my apartment and pack for tomorrow's trip. Have a great week!

I Cleaned My Bathrooms Today

Hello all! It's true - I cleaned my bathrooms today. Actually, I cleaned one of my bathrooms today. This very post is an attempt to put off scrubbing my other bathroom... our non-guest bathroom... the one with an inch of dust around the sink and an inch of grime on the bathtub floor. I feel the need to announce this because cleaning the bathrooms is a rare occurance in this household (hence, the dust and grime). And I was inspired to finally bite the bullet and do it today by Ali. Ali was on Spring Break last week, and as I was reading her blog, I noticed that she described her bathrooms as "spotless." I thought to myself, "Now I would like to have spotless bathrooms," and promptly suggested that Ali come over and clean them for me. Since I haven't heard back on that offer, I decided that because Cline's working all day and I've had the whole week to take care of more preferable household chores, I really have no excuse to put it off any longer. So I'm spending the day cleaning my bathrooms.... and baking a cake... and cutting fabric for a baby quilt. I feel like a real woman of the 50's!
Well, Christa's going to wake up soon, so I guess I can't stall any longer. Wish me luck - the grime may be so well set in that it no longer scrubs off. (Only the best for my family :).

10 Things I've Learned Recently ...

... that someone really should have told me at some point during my 17 years of formal education!!

1. If you have a child, but don't have a will, and something happens to both you and your child's father, the state government decides who will get custody of your child.

2. If you have a will, but then have a child after you have your will done, the child automatically voids and nullifies your will... UNLESS you put a clause in there about "contemplation of future children."

3. Insurance for the self-employed stinks with a capital S.

4. Insurance for the self-employed RARELY includes maternity coverage.

5. Karo syrup cures constipation.

6. Having a baby costs anywhere from $7500 to $20,000 out of pocket if you don't have insurance that includes the maternity coverage that no insurance company wants to give the self-employed family.

7. One insurance company will actually give the self-employed family maternity coverage. However, their premiums will be twice as much as they are paying right now, they will get slapped with a $5000 yearly deductible (with 100 percent of sick Dr. visits and prescription medications being paid by said self employed family), and there is a 12 month waiting period for the maternity coverage to take effect. (Not that said self-employed family is planning to have a baby in the next 12 months, but they would like to know they could if they wanted to).

8. One other insurance company will also give the self-employed family maternity coverage. However that maternity coverage will max out at $4000. So, lets see... worst case scenario... $20,000 - $4000 = A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY TO COME UP WITH AT ONE TIME WHEN I'M SUPPOSED TO BE INSURED.
(Despite this insurance quandry, said self-employed family has no interest in any part of the government offering to fix this for us. We'll deal with it, thank you very much.)

9. Babies can have any and all table foods at 9 months of age. Well, except for peanut butter, eggs, and shrimp.

10. Christa is officially petite. (Alright, I'll forgive the education system for not telling me numbers 9 and10). She went to the doctor today and is 15 lbs 1 oz, which puts her in the 5th percentile. She is also 26 3/4 inches which puts her in the 20th percentile. The doctor says she looks great and is just going to be little for her age.

Bonus information that I just learned: Marisa Jaret Winokur did NOT get kicked off Dancing With the Stars tonight, and I, for one, am ecstatic! I had the pleasure of seeing her on Broadway when she did Hairspray, and I simply love her.

Christa is 9 Months!

" I'm too cool for applesauce. And don't even think about feeding me strained vegetables. But I will have some sand please... lots and lots of sand... by the fistful.... yummy!"

Notice the sand around her mouth?? That's the mark of a great meal.

Daddies at the beach are the best!

So... at 9 months Christa is feeding herself cheerios and fruit puffs, trying to pull herself up to a standing position, and babbling all day long. She's also expressing anger when she doesn't like something - I actually think she was trying to throw a temper tantrum earlier today. I'm also starting to think she's going to skip the crawling altogether. She still doesn't like to be up on her hands and knees for very long and is perfectly content to roll around to get where she needs to go. She just gets more and more fun every day!

Easter 2007

Our family.

The Easter bunny decided to fill Christa's Easter basket with more practical "gifts" such as snack cups and her very first straw cup. He did throw in one toy - a Peter Rabbit bath book. The Easter bunny has plans to give Christa 1 Peter Rabbit book every year on Easter, so maybe she'll have the whole collection to pass on to her daughter when she grows up.

This is one of many pictures we took outside on Easter morning. Yes I did make my baby stand outside in a sleeveless dress for over 30 minutes in 50 degree weather trying to get that perfect picture. And it's not the only time I plan to make her suffer in the name of good photography!

Cousin Maggie Beth just loves giving Christa lots of sweet kisses.