Seriously 1 year already?

I cannot believe it has almost been a year since Jackson came into our lives. He has made our family complete and made me love differently then I ever thought I could!

Jackson, When I found out I was pregnant I was taken by surprise, but so very excited! The day I went for my 20 week ultrasound and they told me you were a boy I did not believe it. The morning of January 13th 2012 I woke up early to pain and knew today was the day. When they told me it was time to push I was still in disbelief that I was having another baby and it was going to be a boy. It all just seemed to good to be true. I kept waiting for something to go wrong and someone to tell me it was all a dream. Could I really be blessed with 2 healthy children a girl AND a boy? When they put your sweet little body in my arms I felt it! The feeling of completeness. Your sister made me a mom for the first time and that is an amazing feeling, you made our family complete and that is just as amazing.  You were a perfect 6lbs, 10oz and 19inches long. You had a sweet little cry and beautiful brown eyes that looked at me with such innocent love. I loved you from them moment I knew you were growing in my belly and I will love you for every moment of your life! You will always be my baby, my boy and my baba ganoush. Thank you for being you!!!

5 minutes old

1 month

2months

3 months and your first Easter

4 months

5 months

6 months

7 months

8 months

9 months

10 months

11 months

almost 12 months!

As your mom I hope to always make you proud! I hope to only embarrass you when you need it. I hope to be strong and someone you admire. I hope to be your mom and not just your friend, you will have plenty of those! I want to guide you and teach you.

You are now almost 1 year old and you are amazing. You are walking on your own, babbling words and you have a mind of your own. You love to make people laugh and you think your sister is the coolest! You light up when you see Daddy! You don't cry much and you play great by your self. You are very strong minded and smart! Jackson Thomas we love you! Thank you for making our family of 4 complete!

Jackson…...June, July, August

The last 3 months have flown by! Jackson is now 7 months old. He is starting to crawl and getting into EVERYTHING. He loves Makayla so much and looks for her when she is not around! He is now 16lbs and 26 inches.  He is still waking up 1 time a night. The calm go with the flow baby that once was in no longer! 

Happy Birthday my sweet girl

2 years ago today at 8:10 pm our lives changed in a way I never thought it could. We were blessed with a perfect 7 lb 12 oz 21inch baby girl. Life has not stopped since, and I wouldn't ask for anything different. Makayla was great as a baby. She ate well, and slept well. She was an easy baby. I wanted to share some of my favorite pictures from the last 2 years.

32 weeks pregnant

6 days old

Miss M just a few days old.

Her first baseball game

Her first road trip to my Dads

almost 1 learning how to walk

what a sweet angle

at her 1st birthday party

Family photo at her 1 birthday

First plane ride

Playing at the beach (about 16 months)

First Bucs game

Toys for Tots drive (18 months)

One of my favorite pictures (20 months)

Eating an apple in the car (24months)

4th of July (2 days away from being 2)

2 years old

Wow has 2 years flow by. Makayla is so active and talkative. She is more then I ever thought she would be. She is super smart and so much fun. I could not imagine my life without her. For a long before I got pregnant I always thought about what my child would be like or how it would be to be a Mom. Its nothing like I thought and everything I could ever want. Life gets crazy and some days are hard but the last 2 years my dreams of being a Mom have come true. I am so blessed to have a daughter and to be celebrating her 2nd birthday.

My baby is no longer a baby but now a very active toddler with her own opinions, thoughts, likes and dislikes. I am amazed at her everyday. She is a true light in my life. Happy Birthday my sweet angle. I love you more then you will ever know. You are a blessing and a dream come true. I love you to the moon and back!!!

20 months and BIG CHANGES

I feel like things these days are changing at a rapid pace.

This girl is no longer a baby...She is now an independent, potty training, about to start sleeping in a big girl bed kind of girl.

Makayla is now 20 months old! Can you believe it? I can't! She is growing up so fast. After much back and forth between Steve and I we decided Miss M is ready for school..well in the fall at least. She will be going to Preschool 2 days a week. Tuesdays will be a half day and Thursdays will be a full day at SCHOOL. I still cannot believe my baby is old enough to talk about school, but she is. I think it will be good for her and we are all excited to see what all she can learn.

Another big change is Makayla is potty training!!!! I was really not ready for this but she was. A few month ago we got a little potty and showed her what it was and how to use it. She would go here and there before a bath or whatever but nothing on a regular basis. When we came home on Sunday evening she asked to use the potty and has been in panties ever since. She has had 1 accident but been dry other then that. She is still in diapers at night time but panties or a pull up the rest of the time. We are SO proud of her but so sad at the same time.

She is also going to start sleeping in a toddler bed as of tonight. She loves her bed but is starting to climb out and she likes to crawl in and out of the day bed we have in the office, so we figured now is a better time that any. We ordered the bed rail for her crib to become a toddler bed and it just came in today. I will let you know how the next few nights go, as Makayla makes the transition from baby to big girl.

She is going through changes within her self and some days are worse then others. She is talking like crazy and tells you what she needs and wants which is nice but leaves a lot of room for arguments LOL. She is going through a clingy faze which we are hoping won't last forever. She is getting picky about what she eats and wants to do it herself ALL OF THE TIME!

She is independent and smart and loving and grumpy and has tantrums and throw fits and gives big hugs and kisses, and knows how to charm you when she wants something.

She is changing and it is happening before our eyes and we are so thankful for it everyday.

One year ago today.

A year ago today I spent the day in the hospital. I arrived at about 11:00pm the night before. I woke up in the morning with some contractions and by 11:00am I was getting an epidural. I went through labor and contracts most of the day. My water broke sometime around 4:00pm and at about 6:00pm I started pushing. After what seemed like days I finally delivered Makayla Ann Bower at 8:10pm. She weighed in at 7lbs 12oz and 21inches long. She was a healthy baby girl and the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

Each month as the 6th rolls around I think WOW she is already another month older. Before I know it she will be a year old. Well that day has come and I still can't believe it. We have been so blessed with such a smart, funny, beautiful girl. I can honestly say thanks to Steve working as hard as he does, I don't feel like I have missed a thing. I have gotten to stay home with her everyday and watch her change and grow. It was so important to me to be able to have that opportunity with her and without Steve's sacrifice and hard work it would not have been possible. Thank you Honey. It means more to me then you will ever know.

So many people in our lives have made changes for the love of Makayla. Most of all my Mom has been there for everything. She comes over daily just to see her. She has brought countless boxes of diapers, wipes and formula, which has helped us out dearly. She brings Makayla new toys, and clothes all the time. She has shown Makayla so much love as has Makayla in return. We could not have survived this first year without her. Then there is my sister (Makayla calls her Nenny). Makayla gets SO excited to see her Nenny. Jenn is fun and exciting. They laugh together and play and tell secrets. They dance get down, look at all of Makayla's "pretties" (her clothes and bows), they have fun snacks. Makayla loves my sister! How could she not? Being with Nenny is almost like being at Disney world.

With every passing month M has learned something new. I remember the day she could first hold her head up. The first time she rolled over, the first time she crawled, and talked, and said Mama, and Dada. Her first tooth, her first belly ache, her first steps. Everything seems like it was just yesterday and here we are at her 1st birthday. This 1st year is going to be hard to beat. We have had alot of laughs, tears, new experiences, mess ups, and successes. I can't wait to see what this coming year has install for us. Thank you all for sharing this first year with us. I hope you have enjoyed our stories and pictures, and that you stay around for year #2. I expect it to be even more exciting!

Do you remember what Makayla looked like at a month old? Do you want to take a look back? Look in my right sidebar. See where it says Monthly photo's take a look back? You can click on that and see her photos from each month or you can just click here. I love to see how she has changed, don't you? Thanks again for checking in!