Summing Up Twenty Ten

I forget that we are ringing in a new year on this special day since my focus is on celebrating Jackson's birthday. What a year 2010 included for him! He began walking, talking, running, yelling, and just being silly! It is easy to say this was a great year to parent Jackson. He has began to talk to me and clearly communicate his needs. He loves to laugh and entertain those around him.

We celebrated his first birthday with a barnyard bash at Pa and Gigi's house in Broken Arrow. Jackson enjoyed the balloons, but was hesitant about all the people there celebrating with him. He was quite shy at the beginning of the year. We went back to Branson with the hopes of Travis getting a job in Oklahoma. Not long after the beginning of Twenty Ten we were blessed to find out that Travis would begin working in May at an orthopedic hospital in Oklahoma City. A few months remaining in Branson were spent enjoying the beauty of the Ozarks. We enjoyed living in this small tourist town, but would not miss the many hills that we had to endure during our nightly walks.

With anxiety and joy we packed up our bags and headed home to Oklahoma. Anxiety because Travis had a few short weeks to study for his licensure exam, and joy because we were glad to be closer to our family and to move into a home that we could call our own. Travis passed his boards with ease and we settled into our home quickly. Jackson had is first ear infection the week after we moved....Oklahoma allergies would be the culprit. It might have had something to do with the 35 to 40 mph winds that were blowing the beautiful red dirt around the day we moved in.

Jackson and I started getting involved in the library activities and Gymboree. We have made some wonderful new friends, and I also have had the opportunity to reconnect with old friends. I have enjoyed watching Jackson play with his new little friends. He loves to talk about them and have them over to his house. Despite the suffocating heat of an Oklahoma summer we managed to play at the park and feed the ducks, explore the zoo, and of course learn to swim! Jackson spent the beginning of the summer running around the exterior of the pool, but towards the end of the summer he began to love swimming in the big pool with his floaties.

I am not sure exactly when his love of tractors started. It seemed only natural because of the slew of tractors and backhoes in our neighborhood. Daily we would watch the tractors work outside of our windows as the houses around us were being built. All tractors were named "bathoes" at first. As the summer progressed into fall Jackson added, "backhoes, trators, and mawnmowers" to his vocabulary. His favorite color is blue and his favorite number is two.

The fall is a monumental celebration for our family. We celebrate lots of birthdays in the months of September and October....six to be exact. Travis gave me a surprise birthday since I excitedly accepted the fact that I was turning thirty. Friends and family gathered to help me celebrate this special day. We began by taking Travis to the Zoo and upon returning home were surprised with the party!! I was truly surprised. Jackson, Mimi and I ventured down to Dallas to visit the Winklers. We were treated to a visit to the Arboretum. It is a beautiful outdoor garden decorated with thousands of pumpkins. Jackson and Emerson had a wonderful time tumbling around on the cement walkway and we have no idea why!

Jackson made the most adorable lion for Halloween. I love decorating the house with fall pumpkins, leaves, acorns and everything orange, brown and red. Fall is my favorite season of the year. Travis picked up and extra shift while Jackson and I headed to Pa and Gigi's for some Pumpkin Fun! The annual Pumpkin Festival was a blast. Jackson enjoyed shooting, fishing, bouncing, golfing and eating marshmallows off of a string. Jackson also loves hanging out with his cousins. He has names for Ally and Hudson, but apparently the others are too hard to say.

The upcoming holidays only accelerated the weeks ahead. We had the joy of hosting Thanksgiving in our new home, since Travis was on call for the Thanksgiving weekend. We were able to share our home with family and neighbors. I have to admit that having Thanksgiving at my home was one of the easiest I have ever celebrated in the last few years. I believe it probably had something to do with the lack of packing and traveling. Pa and Gigi stayed the night on the eve of Thanksgiving to help with the Turkey. Jackson was thrilled to wake up and find them at the house! Dad and I went out for some early morning black Friday shopping as well...so much fun finding bargains with Pa! Two weeks later we celebrated Gigi's upcoming 60th birthday. We surprised her in Branson with the whole family together. She was truly surprised and we enjoyed celebrating with her as we shared family photos and fun at Silver Dollar City. All being under one roof together was a joy as well. The cousins were able to get some good quality time together as well.

Christmas came and went all to quickly as it usually does. Jackson enjoyed talking about "Claus", but was hesitant to get to close to him. He loved talking about the white ball on his hat and singing about Rudolph. He most enjoyed saying "hi" to Claus from a distance. He yelled hello excitedly from behind the gated barrier to Claus at the mall. Every morning when he awoke it was necessary to inflate our small Santa that we kept in the house and give him a high five. Celebrating Christmas with this little guy made it even more special. To see his excitement and to explain to him the true meaning of Christmas brings joy to my heart. Someday he will understand that just because the wise man in his Christmas book has a white beard doesn't mean he is Santa Claus.

A very short six days after Christmas I am able to thank the Lord for the two years he has given us with Jackson. It is a complete honor that He has allowed me to be blessed with this joyful little boy. We have seen him grow and anticipate future years of enjoyment with him, all the while being thankful for every minute we our allowed to love him, hug him and kiss his sweet chubby cheeks. Thank you Lord for 2010!