School Board Election 2009: Vote for Neall!

Here are some photos Laura took of us to advertise for the election. Don't forget to vote for Neall on September 15 district 4. I know we are a dorky looking family. Does Rose know what she got herself into?

Hanging Out

Rose at 4 weeks.

Rose Ryan is growing rapidly. She eats all the time. She spits up and is crying because he tummy hurts, but the only way I can comfort her is to nurse her. She loves being in the sling. She absolutely loves a bath. If she is upset I can put her in a warm tub and she is completely content. Even Mrs.Linda does this. Solomon, Rose, and I have all gotten in the tub together for fun. Solomon is pretty gentle around her- we have to watch carefully. She has two curls on the top of her head that will stay throughout the day. After a bath she has tight little black curls, but once they touch the bed they straighten out. I hope she has curls. She looks more like Laura and I did when we were babies. I think she looks a lot like my dad- PopPop. Her eyelashes have grown and she is more alert. She has started smiling at us. We have to work hard at it, and we haven't caught it on camera. It does melt my heart. It's fun with this baby, because I know how much fun is to come and I can enjoy every little step. I wasn't sure that I could love another one as much as I love Solomon, but I can, and it's wonderful.

Solomon has a new fascination with SpiderMan. Today I took him and got him a spider man doll and some underwear. When we got home he wanted to wear the spidey underwear on his head. Nanna put it on his head and he ran and did a flip. He calls himself Spiderman, and shoots webs and flips and flops all over the place. We watch the movie over and over and skip to the parts that Spiderman is swinging or fighting. I hope he doesn't get kicked out of wee-school.

rose 3 weeks

Hanging out on the porch swing while we watch Solomon and Daddy play in the pool and slip and slide.

rose 3 weeks

This is a huge goose egg on Solomon's head after throwing a fit on concrete. Maybe he's learned a lesson.

Solomon's First day of Wee School

Solomon has started Baptist Wee School two half days a week. We were worried that he would be upset to leave us since he hasn't been away from us except with family or Mrs. Linda. We were wrong. We went to an open house on Monday night and left him for a few minutes and he was the only one that didn't cry- he did pee his pants. I felt really bad for Mrs. Dallas who was dealing with a group of two year olds crying and Sol peeing everywhere. I blame myself- I didn't show him the potty and I didn't tell him to tell Mrs. Dallas if he had to pee. We decided that for the first day of school we would put him in pull-ups.

Sissy Wawwa Roof, was nice enough to wrangle and dress Solomon before orientation. She then took Rose to nanna and poppops.

Saying bye to Rose before his big first day of school. He's wearing a mickey mouse clubhouse backpack and a handy manny lunch box.

He loves the murals on the walls.Learning to type. Did you know that before they start kindergarten they are supposed to know how to type their name?!

He didn't even look up at us when he got to his room. playing with Play-dough is much more fun.


Our one last peek at him- until we pick him up at lunch.

Solomon's first day of school went well, as far as we can tell. Solomon won't tell us much. He didn't pee his pants. Mrs.Dallas said he told her when he had to go to the bathroom. I would want to go there too- they have the cutest tiny potties. He said he was sleepy when we picked him up. Neall and I met at the school to pick him up- we both wanted to be there for the first day. Neall will drop off and pick up most of the time since it's on his way to and from work. He looks forward to going again- thank goodness.

Solomon 23 Months!

Solomon is one funny boy. He definitely keeps us going. He is diving into the terrible twos with flair. His fits are often and loud. Most of the fits are over clothes. He screams to put them on then at the end of the day he screams to take them off. We have to hold him down to do anything. When I'm with him he usually is in underwear only. That drives Neall crazy.

Sol also is talking to the point that I cringe when he opens his mouth in front of people in public. For instance: "Everybody shut-up Sol's singing." He said this to mom and me in the car when we joined in his singing of Cum by ya, oh lord. This weekend at the store people would come up and say hello and want to see Rose. Solomon would get this hateful look on his face, grab Rose's canopy and pull in down so the person couldn't see, then he would say "go away," or "no." If the person were to put their hand on the cart he would pry it off and say more choice words. By then end of the shopping trip if someone would come up I put my hand over his mouth until they left. I apologize to anyone who has witnessed this. I'm very surprised that he is this protective of Rose.

His imagination is wild. We are enjoying listening to what he "sees" in things. He talks mostly about sharks and whales. When he poops he says, "Get it out, sharks get out." Then he takes a look and says, "Wow, wook mommy a shark, a whale!" Every time, I love it. He can do puzzles now, I was very proud of him. Laura was asking him to name random letters and he could get most of them. I didn't know he could do that either. I guess after reading Dr.Susses ABC book 1,000 times the letters stick. His favorite book right now is Green Eggs and Ham. I like telling him to read the book: (he reads the first three pages like this) "Sam I Am, Sam I am, I am Sam, Sam I am Go Away) That is paraphrasing pretty well. That's what the other character meant to say instead of That Sam I am that Sam i am I do not like that Sam i am.

He also loves tunnels. If we go under a overpass, it's a tunnel, legs are tunnels. I think I love to hear him say it.

Laura has been keeping Chloe and Maggie this summer. Sol talks about them all the time. "Chloe and Maggie, Chole and Maggie." Chloe was here today and when she came in Solomon said "watch me Chloe, wook Chloe" and then he would throw a ball or something really impressive like that. Chloe wasn't impressed, but she was sweet. Solomon also got her glass and went to the fridge and refilled her glass, he ended up spilling it, but it was the thought that counted.

Our Precious Little Girl

Rose one week old. She loves Granny's chest. She slept there for almost 2 hours.

Chocolate pudding! A new favorite.

This is Rose at one week. She went from 6lbs 13 oz to 7lbs 9oz in one week. She's a very good eater.

Nap after a very hot day in downtown Memphis.

Laura Ruth, Solomon, Rose, and I were crazy enough to go to Memphis to try to see A Christmas Carol Train. I thought we would get there let Sol get on the train and leave. I thought we would be there about an hour to look around. I was wrong. It was 1,000 degrees and there was a 2 hour wait outside to see the train! We promptly left and went to the condo to cool off. We were only there 30 minutes and we were all dripping with sweat. I would have never gotten Solomon out at 1 week old. Rose is going to be a trooper. I'm sure people thought we were crazy. Looking back- they were right.

The train.

We spend a lot of time together all cuddled up in the chair. Usually I'm nursing Rose at the same time. Solomon wouldn't have it any other way. He wants Rose right there with us.

Beautiful Roses from my parents. Behind it is a painting of Roses my Grandmother Rose painted. The portriat is a picture of my Grandmother Rose. The picture frame is a framed card of roses that was from Mrs.Teri and Mr.Richard.

So small in a big bed.

Cuddled up in the hospital bed.

first bath at the hospital.

Breakfast with PopPop. Solomon stayed with Nana and PopPop while we were at the hospital.

Sol couldn't wait to get his hands on baby Rose.

Proud Aunt Tara.

Love at first site.

Rose Ryan Jackson born July 28, 2009 at 12:50pm.

Family of 3 about to be 4!

On our way to Memphis on Monday night. When we got into the car to leave I started laughing because I was sitting straight up and my knees were touching the dashboard. With two carseats in the back there isn't quite enough room for all of us in the Fit. If she were able to face forward in the back it would be more comfortable, but safety comes first.

The night before Rose was born we left Solomon with Nana and PopPop. Neall and I headed to Memphis and ate at Bosco's and went to see The Hangover (very funny). We then headed back to the condo and lasted about 5 minutes there because it was 93 degrees inside! The airconditioner was out, so we began a search for a hotel room. We ended up at the hotel beside Baptist East. We got up at 4 am and at breakfast at Waffle House. I had to eat before 5 am because I was scheduled for a c-section at 2pm. When we got back to the room for some R&R, I spent an hour trying to feel Rose move. I took a bath, sat still, wiggled her around, and I still couldn't get her to move. I started freaking out. After some convincing Neall pursuaded me to go to the hospital so they could tell me everything was fine. Everything was perfect and they moved up the c-section to 12pm! Why didn't I freakout earlier!?

We are in love with Baby Rose; Solomon included. The first thing he said when he saw her was, "Ohhh Cute." Solomon says that she is "Momma's baby" and no one is allowed to her but me without a fit. I've tried telling him that we have to share her, but he still only wants me to hold her. He likes to hold her in his lap for about a minute, then that's enough. He laughs at her funny faces and noises- even her cries. He especially thinks it's funny when she poops on him (with a diaper on). That is one thing I forgot is how often babies poop. Thank God that Solomon is potty trained. I can't imagine changing any more diapers than the ones she produces.

Rose has been so good. She has been sleeping better than Solomon. I feed her when she wants throughout the day, and at night she makes it about 4 hours. She goes right back to sleep. I don't think Solomon ever did that. She only cries when she needs her diaper changed, she's hungry, or needs to be burped.