Happy Birthday Jaxson!

My oh my, where has the time gone? I can't believe that my baby is 5 years old. Sometimes it seems like just yesterday that he was born and now he is in kindergarten. There is so much I could say about Jaxson and for those of you who really know him you know what I mean. These are a few of the words that come to mind when I think about him.

Affectionate

Happy

Energetic

Humorous

Strong Willed

Stubborn

Exhausting

I really could go on and on. He is full of energy and it's hard to channel all that energy into something positive but I know someday he will do great things with it. Most of all Jaxson is a very sweet and affectionate little boy. He will climb up on my lap several times a day and give me kisses and say I love you mom. Sometimes if I'm preoccupied with something and I don't hear him say "I Love you", he'll raise his voice and say "I SAID, I LOVE YOU MOM". He definitely demands a response to that statement. At the end of the day when I'm tucking him into bed it's easy to forget how exhausted I am from keeping up with him all day and just see the sweet, sensitive little boy that he is. He is my baby and will always be my baby.

Here are a few pictures of Jaxson's last 5 years. He had the cutest, chubbiest cheeks. I just kissed them all the time -- still do for that matter. We really had no idea what we had coming from this little guy.

6 weeks

4 months5 months
7 months
1 year
18 months
2 years

3 years
4 years
5 years - taken today on his birthday

Happy Birthday Buddy!

Ward Swim Party

At Stapley Pool. Lots of food and friends. Good times.

Playing Sharks & Minnows in the dive pool.



Shark or Minnow? I think Maura's too sweet to be a shark. Must be a minnow.

Sorry about the blury pictures but the fish wouldn't hold still for me.





Poor Jaxson was tuckered out after a fun night at the pool.

Volleyball

Haley found out yesterday that she made the volleyball team at Taylor Jr. She has been working hard all summer taking classes & camps to improve her game. We are so proud of her and can't wait to go to the games.

I don't have any pictures of her in action but that will definitely change soon.

First Day of School

For the older kids starting a new school year is no big deal but for Jaxson it's a little scarier. He started kindergarten - all day. We wanted to put him in a half day class but it wasn't offered at his school. We have been trying to prepare him all summer for this and it hasn't been easy. He would really be happy just staying home with me all the time. I had a hard time waking him up at 6:45 a.m. -- of course any other day he is out of bed at 6:30. Then he didn't want to wear the super cute outfit I wanted him to wear. Instead he picked out a t-shirt that is unraveling at the hem in the back. Then when I packed his lunch he got upset because I put his juice box & cheese stick in a separate compartment from the rest of his food. This is the typical life with Jaxson and some days I battle with him and others I just don't have the energy. Today I decided not to battle. I didn't want him starting off his day in a bad mood. My sister came over and sat with the daycare kids so both Larry and I could take them to school. We left Jaxson on the playground in the good care of his teacher. I really wanted to hang around and get some more pictures but we were afraid that he would change his mind and want to come home with us and that was a fight that we really didn't want to have.

It was an emotional morning for me. I am both ecstatic & sad that my baby started school. I am so worried about him. Will he be safe walking to and from school, will he eat all his lunch so he's not hungry, will he learn anything, will he be the class bully??? The list goes on and on. I don't remember having all these feelings when my other kids started kindergarten. It is way too stressful. I just keep telling myself that it will all work out -- somehow.

Haley is a freshman this year. Thank goodness 9th grade is at the Jr. High or else I would have a High Schooler. Yikes!



Nate - 4th grade.



Jacob - 3rd grade.

This was Jaxson right before we left him. He doesn't look too happy but it was better than kicking and screaming.

Now if only I didn't have the daycare I would be a free woman (for six hours a day at least). Sigh ..... someday!