Park Pics

I have been playing with my new camera and Photoshop this week. I am amazed with how simple it can be to make my photos look so cool! Today we went to the little park on our street and played while I took pics.









I have SO enjoyed my time off with my little guy... and I still have a few days!

Organization, Kevin's apron, new Jaxon pics!

After Christmas we had a massive overflow of toys and play things downstairs. Our living room had become a Jaxon explosion. We haven't been using the game room because we have only played downstairs, but we decided to move some toys upstairs and split our time between playing both places. I bought a toy chest using gift cards to keep up there. After all, we do love our game room! Anyway, our living room still has toys but it is much more manageable and still looks like an adult house, and we LOVE Jaxon's new play room.

Downstairs:





Upstairs:











I moved all of Jaxon's books into his room. Each night after putting on his pj's we pick out a book to read. He grabs one and says "Dis" (this). So cute!



So there you have it, our minor home improvements.

Today I did a photo shoot with Jaxon to try and get a good one for his first birthday invitations. I got some good shots but I had to play with the lighting in Photoshop to make them look their best. Here's a few of them.

















Last thing: Tonight Kevin grilled brats for dinner and he wore his new personalized apron. Not only did he allow me to photograph him, he also did tricks for me!!!

Christmas!!!

Kevin and I were AMAZED by the magic of Christmas this year! Sure, I experienced it when I was a child, but I had no idea how special it would be with my own little guy this year. Watching him light up from the attention and love from his family and get excited when he opened his gifts was absolutely the greatest thing I've ever experienced. It was the best Christmas yet!

We started off the celebrations by riding with Nana and Papa to Temple on Christmas Eve to celebrate with Kevin's family there. We spent the afternoon and Kevin's Uncle Ronnie and Aunt Marsha's house, where there were SO MANY little kids! Jaxon is so lucky to have so many babies his age. There were several older kids and then 7 month old twin boys, a 14 month old boy, and Jaxon (11 months). A baby girl cousin was just born this week as well. Here are some pictures of this celebration:

All ready to go!


Family photo


Playing with his cousins








At this Christmas party Jaxon had such a good time! His (Great) Aunts and Uncles gave him some adorable clothes and toys, and he even enjoyed his first Christmas cookie. He was so exhausted that he fell asleep before we even made it out of the driveway.




After that it was off to Aunt Peaches' house there in Temple. We went to visit her and to have our family Christmas with Uncle Jarred and Aunt Cari since they live in Fort Worth.

We all opened our presents...



Jaxon loved his microphone and blocks from Aunt Cari!



And I LOVED his Christmas pajamas from her as well! He was sooooo tired by now.


Then it was time to head home. My parents and Lindsay met us at home to spend the night with us on Christmas Eve. Before we put Jaxon to bed we did a quick photo shoot in his adorable new pajamas.






This is him loving on my Rudolph from when I was not much older than him, given to me by my Mimi. So special!


And then it was off to bed to wait for Santa for his very first time. Here is what Santa left him while he was sleeping!






On Christmas morning we woke him up and gave him a bottle upstairs while we waited on Nana and Papa to arrive. Then I carried him downstairs! At first he was overwhelmed by seeing so many grandparents watching him... but then he saw his Santa gifts and he was off!






He played with all of his toys. He was perfect, the way he went around and touched and played with everything and posed for pictures. It could not have gone any better!

























It was so nice to have Christmas at our house! It was great sharing it with family.










After Santa we ate breakfast: Vicki's monkey bread, my mom's sausage and jalepeno balls, and tamales that Ricky brought! Then it was time for gifts! I am going to put only a few pics here because it could literally take all night.











This was so special! Lindsay took this picture without us knowing and framed it. It is absolutely beautiful and captures the magic of Christmas. It took our breath away!


When Jaxon opened Gigglebellies Volume 2 he started pointing at the TV so we played it for him. He was in a trance!


Then we got everything all cleaned up and headed to Bryan for Christmas at Granny and Grandaddy's house! We had lunch there and Jaxon opened more gifts. This boy is so spoiled!



















Jaxon LOVED these giraffe pillow pets! He kept hugging them, cuddling them, squeezing them, screaming, and laughing!







After presents, we just played, napped, and had good family time!









After our last Christmas celebration, it was time to head home! We had a few more gifts to open from Grammy and Pop-Pop because, unfortunately, we were unable to see them this year for Christmas.





And then... it was over! This was the most fantastic Christmas of our lives. We are so blessed with wonderful family and our AWESOME, SWEET, LOVEABLE little man! He had the best day of his short little life, which means that we did, too.

Today was a day of organizing things and putting Christmas things away until next year. We are ready for a new week! Tomorrow I may blog pictures of Jaxon's "new" game room. Thanks for reading!