Learning How to Hammer

After Jackson began playing with his new workbench that he got for his birthday, Papa J decided to teach Jackson how to hammer a nail. Everyone went outside to watch Jackson's first lesson in using tools. He did a great job, but he made both myself and Mama J when he moved the hammer up and down just a little too much! Next time, he needs to use a hammer without the claw on the back!


Papa J shows Jackson the nail.


Papa J shows Jackson how to hammer.


Jackson hammers!


Daddy helps out.

Jackson's 2nd Birthday!

Jackson turned two! After the news about my dad, we decided to pack up and head to College Station to have Jackson's birthday party at my parents house. Very few people were able to come to Jackson's party anyway and it was going to be hard on my parents to come to Plano, head home and then leave for Italy the next day. My mom sent an e-mail to her fellowship group (and our second family) as well as my cousins Cindy, Ray and Julianne to invite everyone to their house Sunday late afternoon for cake and ice cream. I decorated the house and spent most of the day Saturday decorating Jackson's birthday cake. It was a fun party and we were glad that everyone came to help celebrate Jackson's day.

It's hard to believe that my little boy is TWO years old! The day that Jackson was born was such a special day. Jackson has brought so much joy to our lives. He is such a happy boy and we are so blessed to have him as our little boy.

The family gathers together for a picture. Thomas and I reflected on two years ago and how excited we were to meet Jackson.

Mama J and Papa J cuddle with the birthday boy. They have enjoyed being grandparents and are loved dearly by their grandson!

When I was a little girl, my mom would bake and decorate my birthday cake. It was a birthday tradition that the Savell kids loved. I wanted to continue this tradition for Jackson, so for the second year, I made and decorated his birthday cake. I spent most of Saturday working on the cake and really enjoyed decorating it for Jackson. He had fun coming in to the kitchen to see how his birthday cake was progressing. He kept telling everyone that it was "my birthday cake".

The decorated table.

My parent's sitting room decorated and ready for Jackson's birthday party.

Uncle Jeffrey mixes up the sherbet punch.

Uncle Jeffrey and Jackson play with the balloons.

The birthday boy had fun playing with the balloons.

Cousin Julianne plays with Jackson.

Jackson discovered the horns, and had fun making it unroll.

The birthday guests were surrounded by balloons.

Everyone gathered around to sing "Happy Birthday" to Jackson.

Jackson loved the attention and hearing his name in the birthday song. He kept telling everyone, "my birthday".

Jackson gets ready to blow out the candles. I was a little anxious about the fire!

Jackson blew out each candle perfectly!!

Jackson unwraps his birthday presents. We assigned Bill the task of removing the toys from the packages!

Jackson took a break from opening presents to read a book that Mama J and Papa J gave him.

Jackson unwraps a present.

The party was a huge success! Jackson had fun, and it was wonderful having friends and family together to help us celebrate.

Bad News

I spent Friday cleaning up the house and getting ready for Jackson's birthday party scheduled for Saturday. As Jackson and I headed to the grocery store to get food for Jackson's party, I called my dad to find out how his routine colonoscopy (I have no clue how to spell it) went. He told me that they found cancer. The doctor found a quarter sized spot and diagnosed dad with rectal cancer. Needless to say, I was upset even though my dad was in wonderful spirits. After talking with everyone, we decided to cancel Jackson's birthday party on Saturday and head down to College Station to be with my family. We ended up having the party on Sunday with some of my parent's close friends and my cousins Ray, Cindy and Julianne.

Christmas Morning

Jackson ended up sleeping in our bed Christmas Eve because he had a hard time falling asleep. Christmas morning he woke up with his usual, "Hi Mommy!" I told him that it was Christmas and asked him if he thought Santa Claus came. He crawled out of bed, and we woke up everyone in the house. When he walked into the living room, the first thing that he saw was the kitchen. He was so excited! He started playing with it and did NOT want to open anything else!

Jackson spots the kitchen that Santa brought him.

Jackson went straight for the grill and started cooking. He knew exactly what to do and even used the tongs correctly! Papa J was proud!

Multi-tasking already.

Jackson finally looked away from his kitchen and saw his tricycle. He loved the bell!

Jackson was a good boy this year!

Jackson finally started to open some of his presents after we all opened our presents.

Jackson raked it in this Christmas!!

Jackson rode his tricycle in the kitchen.

Merry Christmas!

Jackson continued to play with his kitchen all day long and really liked to "cook bacon". My mom headed to my Grandma's to pick her up and bring her back to our house. She arrived just in time to play with Jackson as I prepared Christmas late lunch. We had a wonderful lunch and Christmas!

Getting Ready for Santa Claus

Night time came around and it was time for Jackson to get everything ready for Santa and head to bed.

Jackson got carrots to place outside for Santa's reindeer.


He went outside and decided where the carrots should go.


We then headed back inside to get cookies for Santa. Jackson placed them on the plate.


We then got a glass of milk for Santa, and Jackson insisted on it being chocolate milk! (Jackson LOVES chocolate milk.)


Jackson placed everything on the coffee table for Santa. He told us that the cookies were Santa's.


The next thing that we knew, Jackson grabbed a cookie and started eating it! We had to explain that they were for Santa. He ate it anyway!


We cuddled up on the couch and read The Night Before Christmas as a family.


Jackson looked up the chimney and told Santa that he was going to bed and to come to his house.

I tucked Jackson into bed and went into the living room with my family. Within 10 minutes, Jackson was yelling for me. When I went into his room, he told me, "Santa Claus is coming". I think he was a little excited! I used to have a hard time going to sleep on Christmas Eve when I was little, so as my mom said, I got my payback.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was a nice one! My brothers, Jeffrey and Jonathan, arrived around lunch time and it really began to feel like Christmas. Jonathan cooked Christmas Eve dinner and Jackson got to open some presents from his grandparents and uncles.

Jackson gets ready to open presents.

Jackson opens a garage and cars from Mama J and Papa J.

He brought it to me and said "open it"! We passed it to Papa J to start the LONG process of undoing all of the twist ties (have you opened a toy recently?? The packaging is insane!).

While Jackson waited for Papa J to open the garage, he opened another present. He opened a car wash to go along with the garage. He was excited!

Jackson opened Uncle Jonathan's present. Uncle Jonathan gave Jackson an Elmo.

Jackson hugs his Elmo.

As soon as the garage was open and ready for Jackson to play with, he did not want to open any more presents!

Jackson snuggled up with me as we moved into the kitchen to make some gingerbread cookies for Santa Claus.

Jackson dumps sprinkles on the cookies. Isn't this a cool picture!?!

Jackson finishes decorating the cookies.