First Time on a Bike

Jackson has had so many firsts lately...first time eating solid food, first time seeing his cousins, first time on a swing...and now, first time on a bike!  One of the things that Bryan and I enjoyed pre-baby was taking our bikes out for an evening or weekend ride.  We have looked forward to the day that Jackson was strong enough to be able to enjoy riding along with us!  

We had to order him the smallest helmet that they make, cinch it down to the smallest setting and insert a few additional pads, but he was safe to go and looked like a champ!

 Trying it on for size.

Then we adjusted his new bike seat and straps so that everything would fit just right!

And off we went...

It was a brisk day so we didn't stay out long, but Jackson seemed to enjoy having a new vantage point to see our neighborhood.  He particularly liked getting to watch our shadows on the pavement as we rode around and changed directions with the sun.  

What a stud!  So accomplished!

First Time at the Park

Since Jackson has been doing so well sitting up and has great balance and control, we decided it was time to try a swing.  Jackson had a play date at the park on Tuesday and then Daddy was able to come along on Wednesday to see what it was all about!

A little unsure for a moment...

...but quickly realized that he loves to swing!

We knew he loved to swing when he would kick his little feet and quietly squeal in delight!  After the first time being in a swing, we set him in the seat for a second go around, and he thrust his body trying to propel the swing into motion.  I think we found a new favorite thing to do on warm, sunny days!   

He tried the slide for a few minutes, but he's not really able to appreciate it just yet.

So handsome!

The Adventures of Trying New Foods

We had to take a break from eating food while we figured out what was causing some skin reactions.  Now that we know it's not food related, we are back at trying new foods.  Although, his likes and dislikes vary from day to day, it is usually pretty easy to tell what foods he is into based on his reactions...

Tonight we tried sweet potatoes for the first time.  He is not a fan!

We couldn't leave the table on a bad note, so we ended the meal with a tried and true favorite: Bananas!!!

I don't think he knows the association yet, but somehow he is protective of his bananas from the get go...he went throughout the entire grocery store like this the other day.

Jackson's Bedtime Routine

Jackson goes to bed anytime between 6 and 7 pm each night depending on how his naps went that day.  On Wednesdays he gets to stay up a little later because Mommy and Daddy have bible study.  He has a very regular routine that helps him settle down to sleep very quickly.  

30 Minutes until Bed: Bath

  
20 Minutes until Bed: Teeth Brushed (he loves this!)

15 Minutes until Bed: Lotioned Up, Dressed in PJ's and into the Sleep Suit

10 Minutes until Bed: Lights Dimmed, Lullaby Music turned on and it's Story Time

5 Minutes until Bed: Nurses and then he's usually asleep 2 minutes after being placed in his crib!  

Jackson pretty much falls asleep right away if we stick to his routine.  Maybe 5% of the time, he is either too wound up and talks to himself before falling asleep for 15 minutes or he's over tired and screams for 15 minutes before falling asleep.  

After returning from holiday travels, it took Jackson a while to get his sleep patterns back on track.  During our entire trip to California, he woke up every 45 minutes, but we are finally back to sleeping through the night or waking up maybe once.  Mommy and Daddy are very pleased about that!!

6th Months Old

Jackson turned 6 months old when we were in California.  I can't believe he already half way to his first birthday.  Impossible, right?  It seemed like we blinked and all the sudden Jackson is becoming a little boy and has his two bottom teeth.  He's had teething symptoms for so long, that it was a surprise to finally discover a tooth and then a second tooth the very next day.  He can now also sit up indefinitely and his playtime has changed from playing on his back to playing sitting up.  

California for (a late) Christmas, Part 2

One of the things we got to do was take a 3 mile hike across the sand dunes to see hundreds of elephant seals who had come to shore for the birthing/mating season.  This was a very cold day and we had to bundle up for the trek.  Jackson pretty much slept the entire time.

Bath time back at Grandma's house!

We also got to spend our last day with my best friend from college, Krissy and her little girl!  It was such a great way to end our time in California!