Texans at heart

Jackson's 3rd Birthday

2010-08-10T13:41:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Jackson has been 3 for over a month and I am just now posting about it. It really has been a crazy month for us, but it has been good to see so much of Dan's family too. Jackson turned 3 on July 5th and we had a small birthday party for him on July 6th. We were able to have some of Jackson's friends over for lunch, dinosaur cupcakes, and some water fun. Jackson asked for a dinosaur party so I made cupcakes with little dinosaurs on top. Here are a few pics from that great day!

Taylor's favorite thing to do in the evening!

2010-06-12T09:14:00.000-07:00

Unlike her brother, Taylor has loved the water from day one. She has always loved taking a bath, but loves it even more when she can take one with Jackson. She loves playing with the same toys he does and splashing with him. If she sees Jackson in the tub she freaks out until I put her in with him. I am pretty sure Jackson likes it too. They are really starting to play together lately, and Jackson tells me that Taylor is his best friend!

Half Marathon

2010-06-12T08:58:00.000-07:00

In April I ran my first half marathon, the Salt Lake City Half Marathon. I trained for a few months before the race and felt some-what confident when the race day came. Since I have never been a runner, my goal was to run/slow jog the whole thing. I just didn't want to walk. I met my goal, but looking back I probably could have completed in a faster time if I would have taken a few breaks and walked for a little bit. The race was mostly a flat or a down hill slope except for a little over a mile of up hill towards the end. After 2 1/2 hours and 13.1 miles later, I finished. I wasn't too happy with my time, but I was just happy to say that I ran the whole thing. Who knows if I will ever run another half marathon again, but for now I can say that I have ran a half marathon!
Dan and the kids were able to come support me and take some pictures towards the end of the race. Even though it looks like I was walking, I promise I wasn't. These pictures were around the 13 mile mark.

Taylor's 6 Month Photos

2010-03-08T16:48:00.000-08:00

Taylor turned 6 months old on February 8th. A few weeks after that I was able to have our wonderful friend and neighbor take her 6 months photos. Julie is an amazing photographer, and it is great that she lives literally across the street. Thankfully she wasn't too busy in February and she was able to take some incredible photos of Taylor. If you need a photographer you should check her out. Her photography blog is www.julieburtonphotography.blogspot.com. Here are a few of my favorites.

Catch Up

2009-12-31T10:39:00.000-08:00

I am sorry but I have been a total blog slacker the past 2 months. I think with the holidays and my mom moving back to Texas, things have been a little crazy around the Noble household. Here are some pics and some major events that have happened in the last 2 months.

Christmas!
Jackson was so excited for Christmas this year. We tried really hard this year to help him understand the reason why we celebrate Christmas. I think it started to sink in. He keep running around shouting Merry Christmas and telling us that it is Jesus' birthday. Maybe he will understand it more next year. At the last minute we decided to go to Washington to spend Christmas with Dan's family. I will post pictures from that later. Since we were flying we had to open some gifts before we left. And of course we had to open presents with my mom before she left for Texas. Jackson was so excited to open presents. Half the time he didn't care what was in them, he just loved unwrapping them. Luckily Taylor had no idea what was going on because Jackson wanted to help her open all of her gifts. Here are some pics of the week before we left for Washington for Christmas.
Jackson with Santa at the neighborhood Christmas party

Jackson and Taylor in their Christmas PJs. We opened them early so they could enjoy them longer!

Jackson opening his gift from Grandma (my mom)

My mom opening her gift from us, a snuggie. This was not a gag gift. She really wanted one.

Jackson helping Dan open his gift.

Taylor and Jackson with Santa at the ward breakfast. Can you tell Jackson loved it!! I don't know why he was scared of this santa and not the other.

Taylor Turned 4 months Old!
On December 8th, our little girl turned 4 months old. I can not believe how fast the time has flown by. She is such a wonderful addition to our family. She is always smiling, except of course when she sees the flash on the camera. She loves her Dad and brother so much. Whenever she hears them she smiles. I think she can watch Jackson play for hours, and no matter how upset she is Dan can hold her and immediately calm her down. She has stolen her daddy's heart. I can't even imagine what it will be like when she is older. She can roll from her front to back and is working on rolling form her back to her front. She has found her feet and loves putting them in her mouth. They have become automatic teethers. She loves chewing on anything in sight. We think her teeth or either moving or one is near the surface. She gets a lot more upset when her gums hurt than Jackson ever did. She is working on sitting up by herself and I think she will be doing it soon. We are so blessed to have her in our family. Here are a couple of pics and her 4 month stats.

Weight- 13lbs 7oz - 40.9 percentile
Length- 24.13in - 38.9 percentile
Head- 16in - 35.7 percentile

Thanksgiving
Since we decided not to travel for the holidays this year, we had Thanksgiving at home. Well, that was before Dan's mom called begging us to come and offering to pay for our plane tickets for Christmas. This was the first time Dan and I made an entire Thanksgiving feast on our own. I found this great Barefoot Contessa recipe online for our turkey. It was pretty easy and turned out great. I was so proud of our meal. Dan's brother Rob joined us and we even broke out our wedding china for the first time. Both kids were napping when the Turkey was ready, so I was able to eat my entire meal without holding a child or gobbling it down because someone else crying or needing to be feed. Here are a couple of pics of what the table looked like before we started eating.

Halloween

2009-11-02T10:09:00.000-08:00

It is hard to believe that October has already come and went. This year we tried to do some fun Halloween activities before the month was over. Here are some pics from the exciting events, including trick or treating on Halloween day.

We made carmel apples with some neighbor friends. I made home made carmel that didn't turn out exactly as planned, but tasted yummy!

We carved pumpkins as a family!

On Friday we attended the ward trunk or treat. Jackson was excited to wear his dinosaur costume and carry his Toy Story bag.

Friday night Dan and I went to an incredible Halloween dinner our friends Stacy and Sean threw. We dressed up as nerds, but unfortunately did not take any pictures.

On Saturday we went Trick or Treating in our neighborhood. Jackson had such a great time. It was a little cold so we bundled Taylor up and I carried her in the baby sling. Jackson got tons of candy, but most of all I think he just loved running down the street. Here are some pics of their costumes. Jackson was a dinosaur and Taylor was a pumpkin.

Taylor is 2 months old!

2009-10-13T13:04:00.000-07:00

It seems like the time is flying by. I can not believe that my little girl is already 2 months old. Taylor is the best baby ever. She is so happy and is already smiling and cooing. I think she might be a talker because she loves talking to us after she eats. Unlike her brother at this age, she loves taking baths. She now loves her swing and bouncer.
Here are her measurements at 2 months.
Weight- 10 lbs 12 oz 42nd percentile
Height-22.5 in. 50th percentile
Head- 15 in 28th percentile

Taylor's Baby Blessing

2009-10-08T08:41:00.000-07:00

Dan's parents were able to come into town for General Conference this past weekend. Since we were not for sure when they would be able to come back to Salt Lake, we got special permission to bless Taylor in our home. The bishop came over Sunday afternoon and Dan give her the most beautiful blessing I have ever heard. This was the first time Dan's father was able to be in the blessing circle of one of his own grand kids. Taylor's blessing made my birthday even more special. Here are some pictures of the family on that special day.

1 month old!

2009-09-08T10:34:00.000-07:00

Taylor is one month old today! There are moments when I can't believe she is already a month old, and other times when I feel like she has been in our family forever. She is getting bigger every day. She has learned how to cry, and can cry a lot louder than Jackson ever did. Jackson loves his sister and is always concerned about her. He always wants to give her kisses, or her pacifier if it falls out. Thanks to Dan, she has recently learned to take a pacifier. Dan is such a great dad with both Jackson and Taylor! Honestly, I can't believe I am a mother of 2 now. There are challenging moments with two kids, but I wouldn't have it any other way!

Taylor

2009-08-30T07:38:00.000-07:00

**Warning** Picture overload!
Our little Taylor has grown so much over the past 3 weeks. She has reached several milestones including her first real bath, a professional photo shoot, learning to sleep through her brothers loud playing, and even golfing with the family. Recently our talented neighbor Julie, took pictures of our daughter and a few of the family. Julie is so talented and does a wonderful job. She also did our photos last Christmas that we loved so much. If you need family photos done you should look at her website and check in to using her. Here website is www.julieburtonphotography.blogspot.com Here are a few of the pics she took that we absolutely love!!

We are now a family of 4!

2009-08-12T21:50:00.000-07:00

Taylor Len Noble was born on Saturday August 8, 2009 at 10:14 am. She was 6lbs 11oz and 19in long. She is a wonderful baby, and we are so excited to have her in our family. Jackson is also excited to be a big older brother! Here are a few pics of our lives since her birth.

Taylor and I right after she was born.

Taylor, Dan, and I right after she was born. It had been a long sleepless night.

Jackson meeting his new sister!

Jackson, Taylor, and I in the hospital the day after she was born.

our ride home

Taylor sleeping in her cozy basinet with the teddy bear Jackson got her.

Taylor before her first bath at home.

Jackson is 2!

2009-07-07T08:15:00.000-07:00

Jackson turned 2 on Sunday, July 5th. He was so excited to have birthday cake and open presents. That evening we celebrated his birthday with his Grandma and Grandpa Noble, who were visiting from Washington.

Jackson loved the John Deer Cat tractors and truck his grandparents got him. That evening he also opened a present from our friends the Jorgensens, and of course the gift Dan was so excited to give him. Dan had a big red car he played with as a kid, and he knew Jackson would love one too. Dan was right! Jackson loved helping his dad put it together and rides it everyday.

Monday evening we celebrated Jackson's birthday with some friends and neighbors. We grilled hamburgers and hot dogs and had cake and ice cream. We also had a pinata filled with candy and small toys. We are so blessed to have such great friends and neighbors to celebrate Jackson's birthday with. Jackson had such a great time!

The Living Planet Aquarium

2009-07-07T08:09:00.000-07:00

When Jackson's Grandma and Grandpa Noble were visiting for the weekend, we were able to go to the Living Planet Aquarium. Jackson had such a great time looking at all the fish and hanging out with his grandparents and Uncle Robby. Here are a few pics..

California!

2009-07-01T14:04:00.000-07:00

Jackson and I were able to tag along with Dan on a last minute buisness trip to California. It came at just the right time considering I am 8 months pregnant, and we wanted to take Jackson to Disneyland before the baby comes. Jackson loved Disneyland and playing in the sand on the beach. We stayed at an incredible beach house right on the beach. It was so pretty and tons of fun. Here are a few pics of our busy weekend.

Jackson and I on the tram to Disneyland!

Dan and Jackson on the Dumbo ride.

Our family in the teacup.

Us and the Harris family at the entrance of Disneyland.

Jackson after 5 hours of Disneyland.

Jackson playing in the sand on the beach! He didn't want anything to do with the ocean. He only wanted to play in the sand.

Jackson and I the morning they released seals back into the wild, right in front of the beach house.

Our family on the patio of the beach house.

Jackson and Dan at the Dodgers game.

My sister's wedding!

2009-06-23T13:38:00.000-07:00

This past week we were able to go to Texas for my sister's wedding. It was great to see friends and family. Amber's wedding was beautiful and Jackson was a great ring bearer. Here are a few pics of the eventful week in Texas.

Jovin, Jackson, and Joseph

Amber and my mom

Jessica, Denis, Jackson and I during the wedding

Jackson and I with the bride

Jackson walking down the aisle holding my hand

Jackson, Dan, and I with the bride and groom

the wedding party

Jackson at the new Dallas Cowboy Proshop

The new Dallas Cowboy stadium

Summer Fun!

2009-06-23T13:00:00.000-07:00

This summer we have been busy going on small family trips and grilling almost every day. Here are a few pics of our trip to Idaho, a cook out with some of Dan's college buddies, and a get together with some neighborhood friends.

Jackson and I at the falls in Twin Falls, Idaho

Dan and Jackson at the falls

Dan and his Uncle Johnny at Noble Island

Jared, Dan's brother Rob, Rob Harris, and Avery

Kaden, Barbara, and Paxton-our friends from California

Jackson enjoying some BBQ

Jackson golfing in the backyard

Dan and Jackson in their Mexican shirts

Friends from the neighborhood making smores in the backyard

Dan and Jackson making smores

The Baby's Room

2009-05-04T08:01:00.000-07:00

Because my mom is living with us and we only have 3 bedrooms upstairs, We don't have a room for the baby yet. The plan is to finish the basement before or around the time the baby comes and move my mom's room downstairs. So for right now I don't have a room to decorate, but I am starting to find things I like. This pregnancy I have decided to try and make my own baby bedding and decor. Before Jackson was born I spent a couple hundred dollars on bedding that I liked but didn't love. Most of the things that came with the bedding we did not use. So, I found a cute blanket at Babies R Us that became my inspiration for our little girls room. So far I have only made the quilt. I still plan on making the bumber for the crib and curtains to match.
Here is a pic of the Babies R Us blanket that I bought and became my inspiration.

Here is the baby quilt that I made....

Easter Weekend

2009-04-13T08:48:00.000-07:00

On Friday, Jackson went to our neighborhood park for a night time Easter egg hunt. There were tons of kids and lots of eggs. We used flashlights to find the hidden eggs. Jackson had a great time finding eggs and playing at the park after the egg hunt. Easter morning Jackson work up to find the basket the Easter bunny left him. He also got to wear his new easter outfit to church. That evening we had a great Easter dinner. I was sick most of the weekend so Dan did most of the work. He is an incredible husband! Here are a few pics from the weekend.

I had my 20 week ultrasound today and.....

2009-03-31T11:11:00.000-07:00

Its official, we are having a girl! Dan and I are super excited about having a girl and a little nervous. I am defiantly excited about shopping for cute girl clothes. There are so many things to buy for girls that I never had to think about with Jackson like tights and bows. Also girl names are a lot harder for us. The doctor and ultrasound tech said she looks great and is measuring right at 20 weeks. We are blessed to have a healthy baby girl on the way!

Kangaroo Zoo

2009-03-19T08:44:00.000-07:00

Last week Jackson went to Kangaroo Zoo for the first time with some neighborhood friends. At first I think he was a little intimidated by the huge bounce houses, but eventually he decided to try them. Jackson had a great time running around and bouncing with his friends. Here a few pics...

Baby Quilt

2009-02-27T11:19:00.000-08:00

This week I decided to make my first quilt. Since I had never made a quilt before, I wanted to start out small with a baby blanket. The project was not as hard as I thought it would be. Doing the binding was defiantly the hardest part. I hope Brook and her baby like it. Here are a few pics.

I am PREGNANT!

2009-02-03T16:29:00.000-08:00

Dan and I are very excited to announce that I am expecting our second child. We went to the doctor today for my 12 week appointment, and we got to see the baby! The doctor said the baby is measuring right at 12 weeks and the heartbeat sounds great. I was a little nervous considering we saw Jackson when I was only 6 weeks pregnant and heard his heartbeat at 10 weeks. I guess in Utah because of the amount of pregnancies they like to wait a little bit before your first visit. So far my pregnancy has been great. I have had no morning sickness, and my only complaint is that I am a little tired. We are looking forward to the new addition to our family in August!

Carnival Cruise

2009-01-23T15:00:00.000-08:00

In the beginning of January we were able to go on a cruise to Mexico with Dan's work. It was a 5 day cruise and I was very worried about leaving Jackson behind. My wonderful sister was able to come in town and watch him for us. This was the first time cruising for both Dan and I, and leaving Jackson for more than a couple of days. The first night we were both sick and worried if this whole cruise thing was going to be a disaster. We started taking motion sickness medicine at the beginning of every day and things got much better. We had an incredible time in Cabo San Lucus! It was beautiful! In Cabo we rented scooters with some friends and traveled around the whole town. We did a little off roading and were able to get some beautiful pictures of the ocean. That evening we relaxed on the beach. In Ensenada, Mexico we renting ATVs and went riding on the beach. It was tons of fun! Although we dearly missed Jackson, we had a great time on the cruise. Here are a few pics from our adventure.

debarkation drill

cute towel animal left on our bed

the scooter gang

a beautiful view atop a mountain in Cabo San Lucus

more pictures of beautiful Cabo

the ATV gang

on the beach in Ensenada

a towel animal wearing Dan's sunglasses

Family Photos

2008-12-08T17:41:00.001-08:00

This Past Saturday, our talented neighbor Julie took our family photos for our Christmas cards. Like every photo shoot we have had, Jackson was good for about 15 minutes and then just wanted to play. When we got the photos today I was shocked at how many good photos Julie took. She is such a good photographer. Thanks again Julie for taking time out of your Saturday to take our pictures. Here are a few of our favorites.

Our Christmas Tree

2008-12-04T09:22:00.000-08:00

Now that Jackson is running around the house, he is getting into everything. I should have known when we put up the Christmas tree he would want to play with all the ornaments. He runs into our front room every morning shouting "tree, tree" and pulls off one or two ornaments. Because they look like balls, he has fun throwing them across the room. Luckily, all the ornaments I bought for the tree this year are shatter proof. Here is a pic of Jackson and the Christmas tree.

Happy Birthday Dan!

2008-12-04T08:38:00.000-08:00

November 28th was Dan's birthday! We were still in Washington for Thanksgiving, so we celebrated his birthday with all his family. To celebrate the whole family went to the little town's bowling alley. We literally took up half of the bowling alley. Not because our family is so huge, but because the bowling alley was so small! That night Dan's mother and I made dinner for the whole family, and I made his favorite cake, German chocolate. Dan was a little upset about turning 32, but overall I think he had a great birthday!
Dan opening his gift from Jackson and me

the Raider's blanket I made him

Dan and Jackson at the bowling alley

Jackson picking out his bowling ball

Dan blowing out his candles

Thanksgiving!

2008-12-04T08:21:00.000-08:00

This year for Thanksgiving we traveled to Chehalis, Washington to spend the holiday with Dan's family. The drive was 14 hours long, each way, but it was totally worth it. Jackson loved playing with his cousins! Thanksgiving dinner was great, and it was wonderful to spend time with all of Dan's family.

Jackson playing with his cousins

Jackson eating his first Thanksgiving Dinner! Last year he was not eating solids yet.

family eating

Dan's sister Jody, and his brother Rob

Handy Manny

2008-11-02T07:07:00.000-08:00

For Halloween this year, Jackson dressed up as Handy Manny. Handy Manny is a cute cartoon on the Disney channel about a carpenter who has talking tools. It is an educational cartoon much like Dora, that helps teach the viewers Spanish. Here are a few pics of what Handy Manny looks like, and what Jackson looked like at Halloween.

Jackson and Dan at the church trunk or treat!

Jackson with his friends Brooks and Breckon!

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-18T12:16:00.000-07:00

Our friends the Clements, invited us to their favorite pumpkin patch to find pumpkins. I was super excited for my first pumpkin patch experience. As a kid we always got our pumpkins from the store. It was a wonderful family experience that we plan to do again every year. Jackson loved picking out his first pumpkin!

P.S. In this pics you can see Jackson's new haircut. Doesn't he look so much older??

Halloween Decor

2008-10-18T12:06:00.000-07:00

This Halloween I decided to make a few of my own Halloween decorations. Here are some pics of my recent projects.

Decorations on our front porch- Huge spider webs with large black widows I made myself!

It is hard to see, but the spiders have silver legs!

BOO Letters- I painted and decorated the letters after I was inspired by letters my neighbor Lindsay made.

One Year Older and Hopefully Wiser Too!

2008-10-05T13:13:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday was my 25th birthday! This was the first birthday where I have started to feel older. Maybe it's because I have stopped to reflect on everything that has happen in the last year. So much has changed in the past year. Here are just a few...

*I am finally getting use to being a stay-at-home mom and love spending time with Jackson.
*We moved to Utah for Dan's new job.
*I have tried to be more domestic by cooking, baking, and sewing more.
*We bought a house in Lehi and did our own landscaping.
*Jackson turned a year old and officially became a toddler.
*My mother moved in with us, until her assisted living apartment is ready in Texas.
*Dan and I celebrated 3 years of marrital bliss.
*I have had to get use to the Utah climate and making new friends.

Although a lot has change I realize that I am very blessed. I have a wonderful husband who is a great provider and an excellent father. Our love continues to grow everyday. My son is the light of my life. Although taking care of him is sometimes challenging, he makes me laugh everyday. I have a great extended family and awesome friends. I wouldn't change any of it for the world!

I'm a Big Boy Now!

2008-09-16T09:47:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, Jackson has an unique and fast crawl. He can get around so fast crawling with one leg bent and one arm down; I decided he might not ever walk. For the past couple of months Jackson has been walking around our furniture, but once he lets go of the furniture he decides to crawl. Just this past week he decided it was time to let go and start walking. He is still mostly crawling, but I think he is now seeing the advantages of walking. Here is a video of Jackson walking and doing his unique crawl. I hope you enjoy!

The Utah Hogle Zoo

2008-08-21T07:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, my mom and I took Jackson to the Utah Hogle Zoo. I took Jackson to the zoo once before when he was 6 months old. This time he was so much more aware of the animals, and I think he truly enjoyed it. Here are a few pics of our fun afternoon at the zoo.

Jackson and I waiting to ride the new carousel

Jackson looking at the rhinos

My mom and Jackson in front of the large wooden elephant

Jackson watching the red panda eat

Jackson and I on the gorilla waiting for the carousel to start

Family Photos

2008-07-29T19:25:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we took family photos with a wonderful photographer named Leah Wright. We followed the lead of a few of our friends who had Leah take some of their family photos. We were excited to take Jackson's one year photos and our first professional family photos. We left the photo shoot worried we did not get a single good picture because Jackson was not in a good mood. Leah emailed me today to let me know she was still working on our photos, but she had posted a few on her blog. Here is the website to her blog to view a few of our photos-

http://thewrightfampics.blogspot.com/2008/07/noble-family.html

We love the photos she has posted and can't wait to see the rest!

Jackson's first haircut

2008-07-25T13:07:00.000-07:00

Today I took Jackson to a place in Draper called Cookie Cutters. They specialize in cutting little kids hair. I was a little nervous about how he would do, but it was a great experience. He sat in a little red car and watched The Wiggles while the lady quickly cut his hair. I forgot to bring my camera, but I paid extra to have a photo certificate and a lock of his hair. Go to this link to see the cute certificate and the the picture of Jackson after his first hair cute.

http://www.haircutsarefun.com/Certificates/preview.asp?CertificateID=5423

He looks so grown up in this picture. It cracks me up that he wouldn't smile. It was like he was too cool after his first haircut.

Chuck E. Cheese's

2008-07-24T10:23:00.000-07:00

Jackson's friend Anderson had his 2nd birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese's last night. This was Jackson's first time to go to Chuck E. Cheese's and he loved it! I was a little worried he was too young to enjoy it, but I was wrong. He loved all the rides, especially when a friend was riding with him. Here are a few pics from the party.

Happy 1st Birthday!

2008-07-05T16:10:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that my little Jackson is a year old today. It seems like just yesterday we were bringing him home from the hospital. He has such a delightful personally and has grown into a handsome little man. I am so fortunate to be able to stay at home with him everyday. Sometimes I just look at him in amazement. These days he is a busy body; always crawling around and getting into everything. Dan and I are so blessed to have a wonderful son! Happy Birthday baby boy! We love you!

A few pics from his fabulous birthday party....

4th of July

2008-07-05T15:48:00.000-07:00

For the 4th of July this year, we went to a party at our neighbors house. We love our community! There are tons of young families with kids around Jackson's age. We had a barbecue outside and watched fireworks. We had our own firework show in the street, and then watched the Thanksgiving Point fireworks from our neighbors front yard. The fireworks were great! It was nice to see such good fireworks and not have to go any where or fight any crowds. The firework show didn't start until a little after 10pm, so it was a struggle keeping Jackson awake. Halfway through the show Jackson feel asleep in Dan's lap. Here are a few pics from that day.

family photo

Jackson enjoying the whip cream dessert

Dan in the watermelon eating contest

Street fireworks

Thanksgiving Point firework show

McAllen, Texas

2008-06-30T20:43:00.000-07:00

On June 14th, we were able to fly to McAllen, Texas for Jackson to meet his great-great-grandparents, and for my "cousins" 15th birthday! In the Hispanic culture, turning 15 is a huge deal especially for girls. It is believed that she is turning from a little girl into a women. Some of you may have seen one or two on MTV's show Sweet Sixteen. Well, let me tell you this birthday party was big! Her dress was like a wedding dress and the reception was decorated fancier then our wedding reception. Her parents went all out. We had a great time seeing my mom, sister, and extended family. I am so glad that we were able to get a 5 generation picture with my great grandparents, and that Jackson was able to meet them. We plan to go again next year and spend a little more time with family. Here are a few pictures from the event.

My great grandparents, me, Jackson, and Dan

5 Generation Photo

My sister Amber and Jackson

The birthday girl Delilah!

Jackson feeding Dan at the dinner

Dan and I

My favorite photo of Jackson being just like his dad and wearing a pencil behind his ear!!

A special thanks to my sister Amber, who provided all the photos. We forgot our camera!

Father's Day

2008-06-19T08:12:00.001-07:00

This year on Father's Day, we were in Texas visiting extended family. We took this opportunity to go to South Padre Island and spend the day on the beach. Jackson loved the beach and spending time with his dad. Dan is such a great father! Not only is a wonderful provider, but he is always willing to step in and take care of Jackson. When Jackson and I have had a long day at home; Dan comes home from work and is quick to take over. Jackson loves playing and spending time with Dan. My favorite part of the day is when Dan comes home from work and Jackson sees him. Jackson's face lights up with joy and he gets the biggest smile.

Dan-
Thank you for being a wonderful husband and dad! We love you!

Here are some pics and a short video of Dan and Jackson on Father's Day.

Pictures and video provided by my sister, Amber

Fearless

2008-05-29T12:30:00.000-07:00

As Jackson has started crawling and pulling up on furniture, I have noticed that he has no sense of fear. I don't know if he is fearless because he has never really experience the pain of falling hard or if it is just part of his personality. Either way it is scary to me. Today when I was making Jackson's lunch, I saw him crawl down the hallway. I knew he would be crawling back shortly, since I closed his bedroom door after his nap. A minute later I heard a small short cry. I went running down the hallway confused at what he could have gotten into since all the doors should have been shut. Much to my horror and surprise, the guest bathroom door was open. This is what I found....

From this incident we have learned that we have to start double checking that every door is shut, so a more serious accident doesn't happen. Also, that Jackson really loves taking baths now!

Standing!

2008-05-29T12:17:00.000-07:00

Over the past couple of weeks, Jackson has been crawling over to different pieces of furniture and pulling himself up to a standing position. He has also started walking along the couch. Here are some pics of his favorite places to stand.

Family Reunion

2008-05-29T11:56:00.000-07:00

On Memorial Day we took a trip to Hyrum, Utah for a family reunion. The reunion was for distant family on Dan's father's side of the family (Dan's great-great-grandmother's family). We knew very few people there, but it was fun to take a short road trip to a place I have never been, Cache Valley.

Len (Dan's Mom), Pearl (Dan's Aunt), Linda, Jackson, Dan, and Johnny (Dan's Uncle)

Uncle Johnny, Dan, and Aunt Pearl

Uncle Rob and Jackson

Our Anniversary!

2008-05-21T12:26:00.001-07:00

Today is our 3 year anniversary! Honestly, it feels like we have been together much longer. Probably because we dated for almost 2 years before we got married. I am so blessed to have Dan in my life. He is an incredible husband and a wonderful father. Seeing him with Jackson makes me realize that I am the luckiest women in the world. He is my best friend, and I don't know what I would do without him. I love you Dan! Happy Anniversary!

Our New Home!

2008-05-09T12:39:00.000-07:00

About a month ago we moved from a rental house in West Jordan, Utah to our new home in Lehi. We are super excited about our new home and all its potential. We still have to do the landscaping and a few things inside the house, but we absolutely love it!! Here are a few pics....

the front of the house

the formal living room

the great room (living room)

dinning room and kitchen

the laundry room and half bath are right off the kitchen

Jackson's room and guest bathroom

Master bedroom and bath

Uncle Rob

2008-05-09T12:28:00.000-07:00

Dan's brother Rob has been staying with us for a couple of weeks, while he looks for a job in Utah. Jackson loves playing with Rob, and is constantly following him around. Here are a couple of pics of Jackson wearing Uncle Rob's sunglasses!

Crawling!

2008-04-16T14:46:00.001-07:00

Last week Jackson started crawling. Well, I don't know if you would technically call it crawling, but it is close enough. He is pushing forward with his arms and his toes. It looks more like an army crawl. The first couple of days he did the army crawl to get a toy he wanted, and then he just started going everywhere. He is going all over the house. On Sunday he crawled to the dinning room table and hit his head on a chair. This was his first crawling accident. It made a nice little red bump on the right side of his forehead. If you look closely you can see it in the picture. This weekend we will be busy baby proofing our home!

Immunizations

2008-04-09T13:08:00.000-07:00

As a first time parent immunizations are like a whole new world to me. Until now I have taken Jackson to all his check-ups and not even questioned the shots or the amount of shots the pediatrician said Jackson needed. Recently I have felt that maybe I have been an irresposible parent and not done my share of research on all the vaccines and when they are given. As funny as it might sound, Jenny McCartney is the one who has opened my eyes. I have seen her several times over the past month on talk shows. She is very passionate about vaccines and autism. If you do not know her son was diagnosed with autism at the age of two. She believes that vaccines and the amount that are given before the age of two are triggers of autism. She has a website she endorses www.generationrescue.com that gives different thoughts and support on the issue. One thing on the website that I found interesting was the difference between the 1983 and 2008 recommended vaccine schedule. When I have talked to my pediatrician about my concerns he was reassured me that the benefits of vaccines out weigh the risk. I really haven't done too much research on either side of the subject, but plan too before Jackson's 12 month check-up in 3 months. He is scheduled to recieve the MMR vaccine, which is one of the most controversial. Also because he is a boy, I am even more worried. From some of the research I have done it seems that boys are at a higher risk of being autistic then girls. I know I will not feel 100% comfortable until I am more educated. Does anyone else have my same concerns? Have you found any research that has comforted you? Or alternate vaccination schedules then the one that is currently recommended? Any thoughts might help.

Tagged!

2008-03-31T11:45:00.000-07:00

I was tagged to do this survey about your first baby. Since Jackson is my first and only child as of now, this is all about him. I loved this survey because it took my back to how fun and exciting it was to be pregnant, in labor, and to have a new born. We are so blessed to have such a happy and loving baby.

1. Were you married at the time? Yes, We just celebrated our 2nd anniversary two months before
2. What were your reactions when you found out you were pregnant? I was so happy! I took 3 positive test and a visit to the doctor to convince Dan we were really having a baby. Once it was confirmed he was super excited!!
3. How old were you? I was 23 when Jackson was born.
4. How did you find out you were pregnant? We were actually really lucky and got pregnant the month after I stopped birth control. We thought it would take about 4 months, but it happened instantly. I came home one Friday night after a school Halloween party and decided to take a test since I was feeling a little weird. And sure enough it came back positive.
5. Who did you tell first? Dan, when he came home from playing a long night of poker. I thought it would be best to tell him in person and show him the proof.
6. Did you want to find out the sex? Yes!!
7. Due date? July 2, 2007
8.Did you deliver early or late? I was 3 days late. My doctor was nice enough to schedule me to be enduced a couple of days before Dan's mom had to go back to Washington. I was scheduled to go in at 7am on July 5th but Jackson decided he was ready earlier that morning. I woke up with contractions around 4 am.

Waiting for Jackson to come, after the epidural of course!

9. Did you have morning sickness? No, except for Thanksgiving morning after cooking deviled eggs.
10. What did you crave? Mostly ice cream, vanilla and butterfinger
11. Who irritated you the most? No one
12. What was your first child's sex? Male
13. How many pounds did you gain throughout the pregnancy? Way to much, 40 lbs.
14.Did you have any complications during your pregnancy? No, I loved being pregnant.

15.Where did you give birth? Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, Texas
16. How many hours were you in labor? I got to the hospital around 7 and was already dialated to a 4. I recieved my epidural about an hour later and it was smooth sailing from there. I was dialated to a 10 by noon and started pushing. I pushed for 23 minutes. Jackson was born at 12:23!

17. Who drove you to the hospital? Dan drove me to the hospital. He tried to make me not think about the pain I was in by playing a new cd I just bought really loud and dancing.
18. Who watched? Dan was the only one in the delivary room when I delivered. He actually helped by holding up on of my legs.
19. Was it natural or c-section? Natural
20. Did you take medicine to ease the pain? I had an epidural.
21.How much did your child weigh? 7 lbs. 9 oz.
22.Did your child have any complications? No, just a little scare when the doctor came in and hung his coat on the code blue button. All of these nurses came running in while I was pushing, looking for a baby that couldn't breathe.
23. What did you name him/her? Jackson Daniel Noble

24. How old is your first born today? Jackson will be 9 months old next week. The time really does fly. It seems like we were bringing him home from the hospital just the other day.

Now I tag Tina, Jodee, and Jaime!

Easter

2008-03-24T15:42:00.000-07:00

Easter morning Jackson was surprised to find the Easter basket the Easter bunny had left for him. Since he is not old enough to eat candy, his basket was full of lots of fun toys. Here are a couple of pictures of Jackson exploring his basket and all dressed up for Easter Sunday.

Visitors from Texas

2008-03-24T12:05:00.001-07:00

My mother and sister were able to come visit us from Texas this past week. Jackson was so excited to see his Grandma and Auntie Amber. While they were here we did a lot of hanging out, visited temple square, drove up to the mountains, and other excited Utah things. They were also fortunate enough to help us begin packing!! We were sad to see them go, but enjoyed the time they spent with us. We hope to see you again soon. We all love you!!

Mom, Amber, and Jackson at the reflection pond in temple square.

Auntie Amber let Jackson touch the water.

Easter morning before my mom and Amber left to go back to Texas

Easter Birthday Party

2008-03-24T11:44:00.000-07:00

On Saturday Jackson attended his friend Avery's first birthday party. Since her birthday was so close to Easter this year her parents decided to throw an Easter birthday party. There was an Easter egg hunt with 2 live bunnies and lots of wonderful food and cupcakes. Jackson enjoyed it all, including the cupcakes. Thank you Rob and Jodee for inviting us and throwing a great party.

Jackson discovering Easter eggs!

The birthday girl.

Jackson and a bunny.

Jackson and mommy

Jackson and daddy
He would not stop sucking on the Easter eggs.

all the children at the party

Anderson in bunny ears.

Jackson was worn out after the egg hunt.

Laundry

2008-03-10T09:21:00.000-07:00

I am sure like most of you, it seems I am constantly doing laundry. The other day I was folding Jackson's clothes when he decided he would help by playing in the basket. He really seemed to enjoy his new toy. Isn't it funny how kids love the simplest things? His puppy Dodger even decided to join in on the fun!

Bath Time!

2008-02-19T14:55:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, Jackson has really struggled with taking baths. We think its because he didn't loose his embilical cord until he was 6 weeks old and just had sponge baths before then. After many months of team bathing, bathing with dad, showers with dad, and bathing in the sink, Jackson is finally getting the hang of it. I think the fact that he can sit up know is helping too. He loves taking baths now! Here are a couple of pictures of him playing in the tub the other night.

Jackson's 6 month Photos

2008-02-19T14:43:00.000-08:00

I know that Jackson is 7 months old now, but I thought I should post a couple of his 6 month photos. It took a couple of weeks for them to come in, but we were very happy with how they turned out.

Trip to Dallas

2008-02-07T20:43:00.001-08:00

Last Week Jackson and I were able to visit family in Dallas. As you can tell from the pictures, Jackson had a lot of fun at his Great Aunt Rhonda's house. He especially loved spending time with his Great Uncle Wes! Thanks to his Aunt Amber and the rest of my family that helped, Dan and I were able to spend a weekend in Las Vegas. This was the first time we had left Jackson for more then a couple of hours.

Ice Skating

2008-02-07T20:30:00.000-08:00

For family home evening a couple of weeks ago, we went ice skating with our friends the Sharps. This was a first for Jackson and me. It took some time getting use to, but turned out to be a lot of fun.

6 Months Old!

2008-01-18T20:53:00.001-08:00

Jackson turned 6 months old on January 5th and I can not believe it. Turning 6 months old brought with it exciting new adventures. Jackson is finally learning how to sit up on his own. Right now he can only sit up on his own for about a minute or two with out falling to the side or backwards. We practice every day on the ground and on our bed. He has had occasional falls where I am not able to catch him in time, but he has never cried. He is such a tough little boy! Turning 6 months old also brought his first tooth! The day after Jackson's 6 month birthday, Dan noticed something sharp in Jackson's mouth when he was doing his routine biting of Dan's finger in church. He had been teething for months and finally we saw some progress from all the drooling and biting. It came in right in the front on the bottom. I took a couple of pictures of Jackson one day after eating squash for lunch. If you look closely you can see his new pearly white tooth. (zoom in)

Christmas in Washington

2008-01-04T15:44:00.000-08:00

This year we spent Christmas with Dan's family in Washington. Jackson was able to spend time with his grandparents and meet his aunt, uncle, and cousins. His cousins were especially excited to see him. While we were there Jackson took his first drink out of a cup. We were eating one night and he just grabbed his grandma's glass and pulled it to his mouth. On Christmas day Jackson had presents from Santa and tons of gifts from family. I don't think he totally grasped the concept but he did pull on some paper and loved all the toys he recieved. We had a wonderful Christmas and loved speding time with all of Dan's family.

Jackson and Santa

2007-12-14T08:11:00.001-08:00

At the beginning of the week Jackson and I went to the mall to see Santa. When we got in line I was a little worried about how he would do. As we got closer, I grew more and more concerned as the three babies in front of us cried the whole time. When it was Jackson's turn the two ladies took him and started talking to him, and he started smiling. He is such a happy baby and smiled and laughed the whole time with Santa. We are super excited about Jackson's first Christmas. We don't think he will be able to open much, or even understand what is going on, but we are still excited!

Jackson in Action

2007-12-05T21:12:00.001-08:00

Jackson is 5 months old today! It seems like just yesterday we were bringing him home from the hospital. One of his new favorite things to do is play in his Baby Einstein activity chair. I think he loves that there is so much to do. He is so busy that he usually plays with everything a couple of times and then wants to move on to something else. His favorite thing to do is push the buttons that make animal noises and play music. Every time he does it his face lights up with joy!

Tummy Time

2007-12-05T21:01:00.000-08:00

We have been doing a little "tummy time" every day in hopes that Jackson will crawl soon. If we bend his legs he will push off our hands toward the toy he wants. He is rolling over to his back more often now. I don't think it will be very long before he tries to get around himself.

Jackson at 4 months

2007-11-30T10:57:00.000-08:00

Jackson is getting bigger and bigger every day. We have been working on crawling and sitting up, but all he really wants to do is stand. He started eating baby food this month and loves squash. He has a fun little personality and loves smiling at everyone.

Our First Snow

2007-11-30T10:41:00.001-08:00

This past Tuesday night we had our first snow in Utah. It seems snow is coming a little late this year so maybe the winter will be longer. Being from Texas all the snow was a sight to see. Maybe the next time it snows it will be during the day and we will let Jackson experience it. This is a picture of our backyard that night.

Thanksgiving in Utah

2007-11-30T10:36:00.001-08:00

We celebrated Thanksgiving this year at our new home in Utah. This was Jackson's first Thanksgiving. Dan's brother Rob came to celebrate with us and we had dinner at a local restaurant with friends. I never thought I would like having Thanksgiving dinner at a restaurant but there was no preparing or cleaning up, and there was lots of food.

The Move

2007-11-30T10:02:00.000-08:00

We have recently made a far move from Dallas Texas to Utah. We were amazed at how much stuff we own and how big of truck it would take to get it all here. Dan and his brother Rob worked hard at getting all of our things in the truck. We miss all our friends and family in Dallas but we are enjoying our new life in Utah.

Our Family trip to Mexico

2007-11-05T10:46:00.000-08:00

We went to Mexico with Dan's new company. It was so pretty there and we had lots of fun. Jackson did not enjoy the water or the sand. We hope he will enjoy it more next year.

Halloween in Utah

2007-10-31T10:53:00.000-07:00

This was Jackson's first Halloween and he was a red chili pepper. We were in Utah looking at houses before our move, so we went to a couple of houses in our friend's neighborhood.