Just a bunch of pictures

He loves this chair...best money spent yet

Unwrapping his car from Grammie

Unwrapping his gift from mommy

It's a VACUUM!! He loves it because he loves to be a big helper and now mommy doesn't have to slow down to share her vacuum with him

Helping mommy make pumpkin muffins for his friends the day before his birthday party

We decorated after he went to bed the night before so when he woke up on the day of his party he was shocked to find all this hanging from the ceiling

Pumpkins for his friends to paint at the party

We spent his birthday together as a family. In the morning we had to get some stuff at Home Depot so we did the kids workshop. Him and daddy built a firestation bank. He's pretty coordinated, he would hit the nail 90% of the time with the hammer

Taking a break to eat my sausage roll daddy got me

His birthday was Sat, Oct 3, it was a rainy day Ft Worth and Travis's company family picnic was the same day, so we headed out to a huge ballpark complex in Mansfield where it was. Here's our kid running around like a hippy. Not a fan of shoes lately

There were 8 ball fields total. Just this one was covered in bounce houses of all shapes, sizes and interests. I would have been a ball for JT but because of the rain they were all slippery and soaked. He kept slipping and landing in puddles inside the bounce houses. Such a bummer it rained

Another ball field was set up for the food. As you can see they had little turn out due to the weather. These picnics are usually so fun and XTO goes to great lengths to make them unique and different each year. This year was a circus theme "the Greatest Family Picnic on Earth". They provide food, bingo with some BIG prizes (were talking i-pods, trips to HI, 57" Sony Flat screens) and tons of free fun for the kids. A ton of food was wasted that night because it was outside in the rain :-(

Enjoying some food under our umberella

They had free elephant rides for the kids and this was part of there interactive show. We didn't get a chance to ride one of them because of the rain

Headed home wrapped up in his new XTO picnic blanket. We got to see flying trapeeze people too under the Big Top tent. I didn't get any pics though.

The big baseball statues out front of the complex. He wanted to pick one up and take it home

Following daddy. It looks colder in the pic than it really was.

The next week at the zoo again. One of our favorite past times thanks to Grandma (Teresa), she gets JT his yearly zoo pass for his birthday each year. This elephant was scratching his rear on the pole .....so funny

Daddy taking a whack at JT's new Better Batter Baseball contraption he got for his birthday. He likes to hit balls inside the house, when we take it outside, he's more interested in pretending to mow and weed eat the lawn.

Dr Worsley did the "potty training ready" check list with us at our check up and said that if he's that he's more than likely ready to be potty trained. Mommy bought him some unders with Cars characters on em he's been putting them on over his diapers. Mommy is the reason we haven't started yet....to be honest, I'm a little scared to start potty training. The boy is all about control. Like his shoes?

One of the many perks of working at XTO is Travis can usually fly on one of their planes to his meetings at the field office in Midland in the morning and then be back in time for dinner. Travis likes it because he doesn't have to get to the airport 2 hrs early, go thru security, wait for delays....he just gets in and goes. JT is recently obsessed with airplanes so I was super excited to take him on Friday evening to pick up daddy at XTO Hanger at Mecham Airport. Daddy's plane right after it landed. I couldn't get a picture of JT's face because every time I would step in front of him and the runway he would say "move please mommy"

The plane daddy was on pulling into the hanger. This was the 1st time I'd been inside the hanger (I'm usually just waiting in the lounge part) and was shocked how clean everything was. Seriously, you could eat off the floor!

I love this picture! Running to daddy....so cute!

A tribute to a 2 year old!

Well Mr Jackson Travis Kinley, you have made it to the big 2 year club. I have to admit this IS NOT mommy's favorite age so far, but it sure is a fun one at times. You are such a great conversationalist and love to chit chat about everything....even what you are thinking as we are driving along in the car. Even though your birthday was officially last Saturday I wanted to wait till our check up with the Dr to post this. You, little man, are long and lean like your daddy. You weighed in at a healthy 26 lbs today and your height was in the 95% percentile (sorry the nurse told me how long and I couldn't remember). Your head of course was off the charts and I'm sorry to say but that comes from mommy. Dr Worsley, (whom you love by the way) after hearing you talk to him about the alligator he gave you, said that your speach was definetely well advanced.

A few of your favorite things are:

Color - Red, you always color and paint with red first. Sometimes you'll move onto other colors, but it's for sure your fav! You also know all of your colors including brown, pink, purple, black, silver.

Shapes - You know all the basic shapes and oval is the 1st one you'll point out each time.

Books - Dr Suess is in the #1 spot these days. Mr Brown Can Moo is one you love to read with daddy only because he makes the sound effects a lot more fun than mommy does. You loveGreen Eggs and Ham too, but you only let mommy read that one to you (I love how your particular with your book readers as well, by the way). Go, Dog Go is another repeater, but has taken a back seat to a new book you got for your birthday from the Dollar family If You Give a Moose a Muffin. I think you love this book because muffins are your favorite treat and love big wild animals.

Toys - those are changing a little lately but you still are a big fan of trains. Your obsession with trucks, trailers and boats is still huge and I think it's because you love to do anything your daddy does. You got a work bench for you 2nd birthday and we put it out in the garage next to daddy's. It's so cute how you'll "work" next to daddy. You want to be just like him and I know it warms you daddy's heart.

Some Jacksonese - You say the cutest things. The other morning you told me "mommy, det up peese. Need pantakes" So sleepishly I asked "you want some pancakes?" and you replied "o tay" OK is one of your classic responses and we find it so cute. You also like to tell daddy your going to give him a "knuckle sam-ich"

Video - Cars movie or as you say it "moobie tars", Veggie tales and Mickey Mouse Club House would be on 24/7 if it were up to you.

One more thing when we pray with you at night before bed you always pray along with us. Daddy will stop to let you lead us in pray for a bit and you some of the things you pray for are:

trains

friends

Bob (your yellow blankie)

mommy

daddy

You are such a precious gift to daddy and I. We love you very much and are so proud of you!

Painting pumpkins with your friends at your bday party

You and Sam working on your masterpieces
Singing you Happy Birthday, which you hated by the way and screamed the whole time. You also wanted to sit with Miss Bekah because she is one of your favorite people in the world
Opening presents!
Big boy with pumpkin fluff on his face

A truck, trailer and boat combo....one of the things you live for in life

Hmmm, do you look like your mommy? Maybe.....
The trimmer Grammie and Papa got you....you love to help daddy with yard work and have almost every equipment to match his
Your friend Benjamin trying to help open presents

Boy, oh boy!

We're having another boy! To tell you the truth I was shocked and a little sad. I wanted a girl so bad, or so I thought I did. But as it starts to sink in that this house will be full of testosterone, very high grocery bills and lots of hunting and sports equipment I've come to full terms with it and am very excited about the notion. The boys will get to share a room which will make the bunk beds we bought so worth it. They get to be all boy and into trouble together. My brother and I played well together but we had to take turns because if not lil sis was stuck playing cops and robbers and there would be no Barbie action to be had. I do look back and remember that after the age of 8 we didn't play together THAT much so I guess the 2 boy thing will be great for keeping each other entertained and having someone to play with. I'm truly ok with it now, and am looking forward to see another little boy pee in our pool for the fun of it!

Travis so sweetly tried to cheer me up yesterday after the sono. He reminded me that he feel in love with me because I'm a "guys girl". I like to hunt, fish, clean what I kill, boat, camp, water ski, wrestle and even take cheap shots, I find most things he does hilarious, I don't whine when I'm dirty and I never take longer than 30 mins to get ready. (I think that was the list he presented, maybe there was more?) So his point was that I was made for boys and that is why God is giving us what we need and not want I want. At the time I didn't think it was sweet what he said it, but now as I process I think it was a VERY kind attempt to get me happy about another boy.

We don't have a boy name picked, I was so set on this being a little Jenny that I refused to even consider a boy name. But we have 6 more months to pick so times-not-a-wastin for sure!

If y'all could continue to pray for the health of this baby and for me I would appreciate.

"For where two or three are come together in my name, there am I among them" Matt 18:20

Praise the Lord, I'm sleeping again!

It's not the "perfect" sleep that I used to know, but it's sleep and I'll take it! Week 12 starts tomorrow which means I will be 3 months pregnant in 8 days and that's the magic number for me. Just gotta make it there....like I have any other choice. ;-).

Helping daddy put together his new big boy bed

He's a wonder...the boy is very coordinated and can shimmy up and down that ladder no problem and even with cars in hand. That's what he's playing with on the top bunk

at the park

Washing dishes....he pushed the chair over and wanted to "wash disses"....such a big helper

Eating Cherios with milk for the 1st time....so long dry cereal days...augh!

Why we are private

We went private so that I could feel a little more at ease about who is peeping at pics of my kid. I have a bizarre relationship with an estrange father and just want to eliminate possible situations. I forgive but I don't forget and let my guard down, I am a mother first! I am a little shocked at how few people e-mailed me wanting to be on the "list"....guess I think I'm more interesting that I really am and it was a little hit to my pride, ha! ha! Well, that's all I have to say about that (picture Forest Gump's voice, ha! ha!)

We have been surviving lately, and by surviving I mean just that. My insomnia is getting better but still just as present as ever when I'm up for several hours during the night. I fall asleep at night perfectly but then wake up a few hours later wide awake. If you have ever experienced sleep lost in any form you know what I talking about when I say I feel like I just want to be taken out of my misery. I was starting to think that 4 padded walls, meals being brought to me 3 times a day and my laundry done for me was starting to sound heavenly and wondering how I could make it to this special place. Yep, sleep deprivation can make you crazy! And this kind is so miserable. I have no problem getting 6 hours of broken sleep a night because of a newborn, I get up feed the baby and go right back to sleep. This is so different because I CAN'T go back to sleep, I want it so badly but it just doesn't happen....augh, I get mad thinking about it.

I do think that God allows you to go thru things and I was asking for the lesson to be learned. That lesson came loud and clear last week......I'm so blessed with loving friends that want to help! God sent to me the most amazing friends that forced their way into the home of this prideful girl and helped. They came and cleaned, took JT to the park so I could nap, have been bringing food a couple times a week and most of all praying and checking up on me. Psalm 68:6 says that "God sets the lonely in families, He leads forth the prisoners with singing" in this case he sent a body of caring believers my way quickly to take care of me like I was their own flesh and blood and sent this prisoner of insomnia singing His praises! There are lots of other things that I have seen God's provision and goodness in but this was the most profound for me. I did cry out for help, and was responded to by the most amazing friends in Christ I will ever know!

The Dr is thinking this is just a 1st trimester hormonal thing and I'm praying so too. I'm in week 10 now and am excited to be past this part very shortly. Also JT started his 2 day a week pre-school last Wed and that is a tremendous help. He loves it there and I get an awesome break from 9-2 on Mon and Wed each week. God bless the Early Learning Center! It is a great school at our church that is of course christian base and academic base. It's not a free for all play for all like a Mother's Day Out program, which JT does not do well in that environment, but is an actual school with Chapel time each week to boot! JT is a music man and when he hears it he starts to shake his grove thing. I'm definitely going to put him in some sort of music school next year, because he shows a true passion for it.

I will post some pics in a few days. How's this for a terrible mom? I was dropping him off for his 1st day of school this year and as we were going in there were moms snapping pics of their kids outside the school and their classrooms. Why do I never think of these things?! (I get a freebie because of the insomnia right now!) So I'm just going to take my camera on Monday and we'll have a do-over.....nothing wrong with that, right? Well except he went to this school one day week last year, so technically it's not his "1st" day of school! Oh, maybe with this next one....I think God gives extra grace to the 1st born because technically it's just a science experiment, none of us know what we are doing with these precious little babies....trial and error is how you survive the 1st year of motherhood

We are going private

Just a head's up to everyone that reads this that we will be going private in a few days. Send me your e-mail address (travisandcrissy@yahoo.com) and I will add you to the list to gain access.

Thanks!

A great lesson

Words of Affirmation is one of my primary love languages, ESPECIALLY if it's thoughtful. For some reason God knew that Travis and I needed this e-mail sent to us because we had a horrible weekend with a defiant 2 year old testing the boundaries over and over again with mommy and especially daddy. By Sunday night we felt completely defeated. Then God used a thoughtful friend to send a message to me via Facebook to compliment our little JT. Larissa will never know how much that note has encouraged me. I don't have family here but I have an amazing network of friends that help and encourage me with their joy and I am all too blessed for this. From this I have learned that I too am going to start looking for ways to help encourage other parents, to pass it on!

Before I copy and paste what she wrote please note that Travis and I are by no means the experts on parenting and sometimes we blow our tops sky high because we have no idea what we are doing, but I do have to say that we have been praying together A LOT lately because our sweet little blondie is definitley a strong willed child. And as I was reading her note a verse automatically popped into my head...

"Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap a reward if we do not grow weary" Galations 6:9

Since he tends to embarrass me publicly on a regular basis, I feel in my state of insomnia that I should be praised publicly....call it pride cause I'm sure that's what it is!

August 31 at 9:48 pm

So Clint and I worked in the nursery yesterday morning and JT was in our class. And I just wanted to send you a quick note to tell you what you prob already know but JT is just PRECIOUS and was a joy to have in there. So well behaved, polite, and SO smart. I might need to ask for tips in the future cause whatever y'all are doing is working!

In just my short time of being a mom I know I question constantly if I'm doing the right thing so I just wanted to send you some love to let you know that you guys are raising a wonderful son!

Again congrats on the new little one and we will be praying for a sweet healthy baby to come next spring : )

Take care,

Larissa