Love Jones

New Year, New Post!!..finally

2012-01-11T15:21:00.001-05:00

Yes, I know... it has been waaay too long since my last post in the Fall. I decided to wipe the slate clean and not bother trying to go back and update the last few events.

We had a FABULOUS holiday season. Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Eve Eve, New Years Eve, and New Years, all FAB. That's right, I said "Eve Eve". Best invention of a holiday ever, thanks to Jodi Spencer. We spent Eve Eve with our friends: the Spencers and the Terdiks (Carrie and Evan had the plague at the last minute and had to back out). We whooped it up New Years style with a car service, dinner at a great restaurant and a good bar after. We also did an after party at the Spencer home. This shindig freed up our New Years Eve and allowed us to spend it with our kids. Awe.some. We made homemade pizza, drank good wine, let the kids stay up as late as they wanted and watched a movie. After Peyton finally passed out, Chris and I stayed up to watch the ball drop and went to bed shortly thereafter. It was a great night and the kids loved it.

That is about it for now. I promise to post pics soon and get back to regular blogging...at least for now. :)

MUCH LOVE!

A Summer to Remember

2011-09-18T19:23:00.000-04:00

This summer came and went pretty quickly, but we managed to cram in some amazing activites along the way. First, in July, we had a visit from Danielle, Nolan, Arden, Alicia and Adam! It was sooo fun and way too short. One day the Mommies went shopping and lunching while the kids played with a babysitter. Peyton and Nolan reunited like they were long lost buddies. Peyton still talks about Nolan in Florida and how she cannot wait to see him again. She says "Nolan is my friend even though he is a BOY." :)

Throughout the Summer, Peyton took swim lessons at the Bedford pool with Coach Britney. She was not very happy to do it. She was scared to swim without her "floaties". But she was a great swimmer when she tried. We will try lessons again next Summer in hopes that she will take to it a little better!

Both kids went to Summer Camps this year at North Raleigh Church of Christ. Peyton also went to a week of "Princess Camp" at CC&Co Dance. This is where she really fell in love with dancing. We signed her up for an Intro to Ballet class for the 2011-2012 year. They practice all year for the Gala in June. We can't wait! Parker fussed when we first dropped him off at camp, but then he got right into the routine: new toys and new friends, he had a great time!

Grandma and Grandpa took the kids camping in August. They had a BLAST! Peyton loves to camp (definitely gets that from her Daddy).

The most exciting thing we did this Summer was take a family vacation to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. PopPop and Lisa rented an amazing home just one row off of the beach. It had tons of space and a great pool. We were joined by Lindsey, Grandma and Grandpa too. We rented bikes and rode on the beach. The kids thought that was so fun! The trip was ultra relaxing. Our stretch of beach was very quiet and the kids loved to run and play and build sandcastles. Toward the end of the day, everyone would return to the house for a swim in the pool and a cocktail. The best nights were spent cooking at the house and chatting around the dinner table. It was definitely a vacation to remember.

Another activity that Peyton has gotten involved in is Tennis! Bedford is offering a tennis clinic for her age group and were excited to give it a try. She seems to enjoy it even though she makes little contact with the ball. She is picking up the basics of holding a racquet and keep her eye on the ball. We also like that she is learning about good sportsmanship and working on a team.

Whew! We have had a really fun Summer. Now it is back to school! Both kids went back to the North Raleigh Church of Christ Preschool. Peyton is in the 4 year class and Parker is in the Toddler class!

Peyton and Gray Spencer:

Here are just a few other random Summer Fun pics!

Peyton LOVES to go to the Dentist!

Parker and Hadley Spencer at the Bedford pool:

FANTASTIC SUMMER!

Much Love!

I Hate to Brag...

2011-07-05T20:38:00.000-04:00

...Nahhh, I LOVE to brag! These kids are just so CUTE!

Check out some of the latest shots:

Peyton's 2010-2011 NRCOC Preschool Pics

3 Year Old Class

Parker did some modeling for a local clothing designer

Spring 2011 Family Photos

Parker had his 15 month check up yesterday. He continues to grow at a decent pace. Here are his stats:

Weight: 21 pounds (18th percentile)

Height: 29.5 (8th percentile)

MUCH LOVE!

In Love...

2011-06-29T17:01:00.000-04:00

Where have we been??? Here, there and EVERYWHERE!

Summer has started off with a bang. Peyton had her end of the year program at school and then we headed to Wrightsville Beach, NC with the Spencer Family for a FUN filled Memorial day weekend. The kids all had such a blast together. Peyton, Gray and Malia ran and played allllll day long and then played some more at the kids' club in the evenings. The babies ate sand and toddled around. The biggest news is that Parker walked for the FIRST time!!! He was so so so cute on the beach. All in all, it was a FABULOUS retreat and we really enjoyed our time with the Spencers.

North Raleigh Church of Christ Preschool Show

Mrs. Theresa and Mrs. Carrie

Wrightsville Beach, NC

Just one week later we packed up and headed South to Florida. We made a pit stop in Savannah so that Chris could work and then it was homeward bound! We stayed for two nights in East Lake at MiMi's house, then dropped the kids at G-ma and G-pa's and made our way to Fort Lauderdale for a wedding. We had a great weekend lounging at the beach (kid free) and catching up with old friends! Then we came back to Seminole for a nice visit and some time on the boat.

Peyton even caught her first fish (and it was on her Barbie fishing pole)!

I think it was one of Daddy's proudest moments! :)

The drive back was long but uneventful and the kids did great! We had a wonderful 10 day trip, but still didn't get to fit in everything we wanted to do. I would have loved to have gotten together with the EL gals and their kiddos. I supposed another visit is in order!

...on the road again!

A few milestones have graced our home lately: Parker walking continues to make us smile. He is just so sweet and cute! I want to squeeze him all the time!

Peyton rode her bike with us for over 5 miles and never complained even one time! This is a fun achievement and we are excited to take her out on more biking adventures. She has also started swim lessons and is excelling tremendously.

Much Summer Love!

Happy 1st Bee-Day to Parker!!!

2011-03-27T16:36:00.001-04:00

***warning: this is a LONG blog, but it will be mostly pics!***

This was the craziest year to date. It absolutely flew by. We had MAJOR ups and a few downs. The adjustment of going from a family of three to a family of four was tough. Our lack of sleep coupled with a strenuous work schedule and a sassy toddler created some chaos around here. But we made it! Parker is an amazing addition to our family and truly completes us. We are so in love with these kids.

We shared in the 1st birthday celebration with our good friends, the Spencers. Their daughter, Hadley, turned one just three days before Parker. We have many of the same friends anyway, so we thought it would be fun to have one big barbecue...or BEE-BEE-Q.

The party was a bumble bee theme and sooooo cute!

To check out all of the party pics and some from his actual birthday, click here

Parker is crawling and cruising all over the place. I still think we have some time before he will walk. He is a chatty little guy, like his sister. He says Mama, Dada and we swear he said Happy the other day. We don't really count these as his "first words" because he seems to be just babbling and not associating the words with people or events. He has 8 teeth (4 on top and 4 on the bottom) and one big molar on the way. We threw away every last bottle in our house in an attempt to go "cold turkey" and switch to the sippy cup. So far, it is going okay. He gets frustrated with it, but I can tell it wont be long before he gets it. Parker had his 1 year check up and it went pretty well. We think he may have a peanut allergy (he broke out on his face after eating some). So the doctor drew blood to run a series of food allergy tests. We should have the results back in a week or so. Here are his stats:

Weight: 21 pounds (25th percentile)

Length: 29 inches (25th percentile)

Still a little guy, but growing at a nice, steady pace. We finally switched Parker into a rear-facing car seat and he is LOVING it! So much better now that he can see out of the window. We also put Peyton in a high back booster and she feels like such a "big girl". Her favorite part is that it has a cup holder. :)

Parker got his first real haircut last week too! He looks so handsome! He did great, but really did not like it when she used the clippers. It was so funny!

What a handsome little guy!

Sham-Rockers!

Going Cold Turkey!

Whew! So that is about it. Ta Ta For Now!

MUCH LOVE!!!

There She Goes...

2011-03-15T17:01:00.000-04:00

It was a GORGEOUS weekend in Raleigh. Sunny and 70 degrees. Chris and I took advantage and did some yardwork. Parker hung out in his favorite blue car for over an hour. He just loves to be outside. Peyton rode her scooter up and down the street in search of playmates. Most of the little girls on our block are slightly older than her...in the 5-7 range. But, Peyton does her best to keep up with them and they are sweet to include her. They were all on thier bikes and wanted Peyton to ride down the street with them. Daddy cautiously agreed to let her. So for the very first time, we let Peyton go off on her bike without us. Ugh. I won't lie, I watched her the whole way. She enjoyed every second of her independance...well until she fell off her bike. One of the Dads down the street dusted her off, but I went down to check it out. All it took was a few hugs from Mommy and she was off again....with my heart in tow.

It is birthday season around here. We had three kids' parties to attend this weekend. Peyton was in cake heaven!

Here is a picture of her in her fancy party dress from the Rearden family.

Check out this picture of Peyton, if you can find her!

She loves to put all of her toys in her bed. Every night we go through the routine of going in after she is asleep and cleaning up. It is hilarious!

Much Love!

Kiddo Update!

2011-03-02T11:32:00.000-05:00

These two just loooove each other! Here they are watching tv together. So cute!

Here are the latest stats for these two munchkins...

Peyton's 4 year check up

Height: 38 inches (25th percentile)

Weight: 33.5 pounds (25th percentile)

Hearing and Sight tests were perfect. (although we question if this child can hear) :)

Parker's 10 month check up

Height: 27.75 inches (20th percentile)

Weight: 19.7 pounds (20th percentile)

Both are super healthy and happy little people. And we are super happy big people. :)

Much Love!

Zoooooom!......

2011-02-26T11:21:00.003-05:00

....that is the sound of time flying by. Where does it go?! And why is it in such a hurry?! Do we really have a 4 year old and an 11 month old?! These questions constantly run through my head.

Yes, my sweet baby girl turned four this week. She had an incredible birthday weekend with Grandma, Grandpa, PopPop and Lisa.

grandparents=spoiled rotten kiddos :)

She had a FUN "cooking" birthday party at the Lil Chef. All of her friends were in attendance and she was in birthday heaven.

Even Parker had a GREAT time!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY ANGEL!

February was just full of fun activities. Of course, there was Valentine's Day:

Peyton and Mommy had a Girls Trip to visit Jacqueline and Samantha at their new home in Fort Collins, Colorado. We had a GREAT weekend! The little girls played and played while the big girls ~~ate and drank~~ chatted and chatted.
What else is there to do when it is 2 degrees outside?! :)

Lastly, we took the kids to the circus. They loved it for the first hour, but then got a little antsy in the second half. Oh well, we tried!

February was jam-packed with awesome activities!!!

SO MUCH LOVE!

This Place is a Zoo!

2011-01-22T11:30:00.001-05:00

...actually, it really is! We had a FUN FUN FUN day at the zoo in Asheboro, NC. It is about an hour and a half from our house. This is one of the best zoos I have ever been too. Very big and a natural setting, not like a "theme park" feel. It also helped that we practically had the whole place to ourselves! I guess not many people go to the zoo when there is snow on the ground! But, it was a gorgeous day: sunny and 50 degrees.

Peyton loved saying "hello" to all of the animals and Parker was just happy to be outside.

Much Love!

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

2010-12-24T16:45:00.001-05:00

...and all through the house, every creature was stirring, even my spouse.

It is a hustle-bustle holiday season in the Jones home! We have been wrapping, shipping, cleaning, baking, counting (gotta make sure we have enough wine), singing, laughing, crying AND loving every minute.

A few weeks ago, Pop Pop and Lisa came to visit. We had a really great weekend. We visited with Santa and Peyton built a her first gingerbread house (with the help of Lisa and PopPop).

Parker loved Santa. He seemed to think that Santa was very fascinating with his glasses and beard. Peyton, for the third year in a row, wanted nothing to do with him!

Parker hasn't really bothered the Christmas tree too much. But, now that there are some presents under it, he is always under it! He loves to eat the bows and squish the paper. He must know that he isn't supposed to do it because every time he is under the tree and we call his name, he jumps and crawls away as fast as possible. It is so funny!

Peyton had her North Raleigh Church of Christ Preschool Christmas show this week.

She practiced her songs every chance she got and sang them beautifully in the show!

In other news, the kids are doing great. Peyton continues to adore her baby brother and we are really proud of the sweet big sister she continues to be. Parker is a little love muffin! He is so cute and is constantly spoiled with kisses and snuggles. He has two passions: binkies (he must have more than one at all times) and his blankey. He also looooves bath time!

MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

MUCH LOVE!

Baby It's Cold Outside!

2010-12-12T17:49:00.000-05:00

Every year we look forward to pick out our REAL Christmas tree. This year is no different. We bundled up and headed out to our favorite lot in search of the perfect one. Boy, did we find it! We did not realize until we got home that our tree was HUGE! It ended up being around 12-13 feet tall. We had to buy more lights and had to stand on the top stop of a six foot ladder to reach the top of the tree! It is like our very own Rockefeller Center!

Our first snowfall of the year could not have come on a better day!

Chris had just put the finishing touches on our exterior Christmas lights when the first flakes fell.

It was so gorgeous! What a fantastic weekend!

Much Holiday Love!!!

On The Move

2010-12-07T23:11:00.000-05:00

We are ex.haus.ted.

Parker is on the move. He is crawling everywhere! This kid is ALL boy. He gets into everything he shouldn't. When he is being held, he wants to get down and when he is down, he wants to be held. He is lucky he is so cute. Here is a picture showing how proud of himself he is!

Parker loves anything outdoors, especially the park.

Peyton had her Thanksgiving show at school and she did AWESOME! She sang nice and loud. It was so cute, it made my heart melt. We were such proud parents.

Peyton and Gray Spencer

Peyton's Preschool Teacher, Mrs Teresa

Assistant Teacher, Mrs Carrie

This was the very first Thanksgiving that we cooked. We had a BLAST! Chris bought a smoker and smoked a beautiful and delicious turkey. I made the sweet potato casserole, dressing, cranberries and pumpkin pie. We were joined for dinner by Kristin and Mark Terdik with thier girls and Shirley Min. We drank good wine and ate until we couldn't eat any more. It was fabulous and we were full of pride.

We spent the rest of the long weekend relaxing as a family. It is rare that we get to experience this kind of "staycation". We had a special movie night with Peyton. We ate a "picnic" dinner on the floor of the family room and watched Toy Story 3. It was a great night. We also bought our Christmas tree and started decorating the house. It is a big job and seems to grow bigger every year!

Much Love!!!

7 Months...ALREADY?!

2010-11-02T20:52:00.001-04:00

WOW!!! I cannot believe that Parker is 7 months old already! The six month milestone came and went in a flash. Here are the stats from his 6 month check up:

Weight: 16.7 lbs (30th percentile)
Length: 26 (30th percentile)

Parker is a MOVER and a SHAKER. He rolls and rolls, never sitting still. He is now sitting up on his own and is very proud of himself for doing so. Parker is happiest when he is outside and in the Baby Bjorn. He screams with excitement the whole time. It is hilarious! He loooves his big sister and lights up every time she comes near him. She seems to be pretty smitten with him too. She dances and sings for Parker and always brings him toys to play with. Peyton is a very sweet and thoughtful big sister. I hope that never changes!

Grandma and Grandpa came to visit and took care of the kids while Chris and I went to Napa Valley, California. They had a great time, but were exhausted! Chris and I had an AMAZING trip with the Kuhlemeiers and the Seligs. Total relaxation, we had a driver everyday and did nothing but eat, drink and laugh all day. It was great and we were very thankful that Cliff and Judy came to relieve us.

Here is a pic of the group:

The following weekend Aunt Kim and Uncle Mark came to visit. We had a BLAST! It was so good to see them both, I wish they lived closer. We just have such a great time together and they both are fantastic with the kiddos. Here are some examples of how good the kids are at wrapping Aunt Kim and Uncle Mark around thier little fingers...

Peyton was really into Halloween this year. She wanted to be Strawberry Shortcake. She looked so cute. We had all of her little friends and their families over for the "Pre-Candy" party. All of the kids were adorable! Parker was a the cutest pumpkin I have ever seen! He loved it! We took him out in the Bjorn and he was charming all of the people on the street. He's so adorable, I just wanna smoosh him!

Next week, Mimi comes to visit! We can't wait to see her! More updates from that visit coming soon!

Sooo much love!

Kiddo Update!

2010-08-31T16:07:00.001-04:00

A WHOLE month has already passed since my last blog entry?!
I feel like I am in a time machine that is full speed ahead!

What have we been up to? Lots and lots of Summer fun!

Parker had his 4 Month check up in July. Here are his stats:

Weight: 14lbs 3oz (35th percentile)

Length: 23.5 inches (8th percentile)

Head Circumference: 41.25 cm (25th percentile)

He is getting so big, so fast! At 4 months, Peyton was only 11 lbs 8 oz and 23 inches long. So Parker is much chunkier than she was! He is so so so cute. We just cant get enough of that little face. He still loves to smile with that big "gummy" grin. Parker must be moving at all times. He will sit in the bouncy, bumbo or excersaucer for about 10 minutes and then is ready for a rotation. I bought him a "jumper-roo" today. So we shall see if he likes that. He would really rather just be held. Doesn't even matter who is holding him, just likes to be snuggled. Chris jokingly calls him a "Mama's Boy". For now, I (Mama) am just fine with that.

I loooove to snuggle that little man.

Parker started cereal right at the 4 month mark and did amazing with it. Only took him one feeding and he was gobbling it down like a champ. So now, at 5 months, we started jar foods. So far we have only tried peas, but he is into it! We will soon begin cereal and veggie/fruit twice a day.

Peyton has been such a good girl over the last few months. She loooves her brother and keeps asking when he can stand up and play. Peyton really enjoyed Summer Camp at North Raleigh Church of Christ. Her teacher, Mrs. Catherine, said that Peyton really came out of her "shy" shell and became a very vocal member of the class. That sounds more like a child of ours! She has been very shy lately when we go to parties or when she goes to school. We figure it is a "crowd" issue. Peyton starts school 5 days a week on September 1st (tomorrow), so we will keep you posted on her progress. We are pleased with her teachers, Mrs. Theresa and Mrs. Carrie. So it should be another fun filled year at preschool.

Here are some pictures of what we have been up to:

First Cereal!

Parker and Peyton love to have breakfast together!

Mimi came to visit! She taught Peyton how to hang a spoon from her nose.

PEAS!!! Parker's first food!

MUCH LOVE!!!

Rockin' and Rollin'

2010-07-23T17:10:00.000-04:00

Not to preemptively toot my child's horn, but I do believe that Parker rolled over yesterday!

I was trying to get him to take an afternoon nap and on three occasions I went into his room because he was crying. Upon peering into the crib I found him on his back all three times! Now, we still have a ways to go (half-way to be exact). He needs to learn to roll back onto his tummy!

Here are the Pics of the Week!

Our good friend Rikke is a budding photography star.

She offered to take some more pictures of our little man.

We have a doctor's appointment next week!

'Till then....Much Love!

Red, White & Blue Babes

2010-07-08T13:37:00.000-04:00

Just a few pics from 4th of July!

Let's Catch Up!

2010-07-05T11:31:00.000-04:00

Lot's has happened in the month of June!

We spent the weekend in Myrtle Beach, SC for Father's Day. Peyton had a BLAST, Parker was not quite as into it. We think it was too hot and he didn't get any good naps. He was very crabby for most of the trip. Daddy and I were ready to have a vacation from our vacation! Oh well, at least we got to spend some time together as a family. Here are some pics!

In other news, Parker is doing GREAT! Now that we know his "likes and dislikes" a little better, our routine is much smoother. For example, he is really a good boy when he gets two good naps during the day and he LOVES his crib. He will sleep for hours in his cozy crib. He also likes to be swaddled tightly at night, very snuggly. He likes to be a part of the action. You can see below, he is watching Daddy cook.

He really loves to watch Peyton. She will occasionally let him in on the play time. Here, she has decided to share stickers with him.

Parker gets more handsome everyday! He changes every time I look at him!

This summer has been FULL of play dates for Peyton. She frequently plays with Gray and Malia Spencer, Maya Oldham, Salene and Saleece Crisafi, Lydia and Lena Terdick, and her very best friend Samantha Kuhlemeier. Not sure how we will explain to Peyton that Sam is moving to Colorado. :( She just lights up every time we mention going over to Sam's house or Sam's playing at our house. Here are the kids at a "water fun" play date at the Crisafi's!

Whew! We had a busy month! It was a fun one and the Summer has only just begun!

MUCH LOVE!

Pic of the Day!

2010-06-11T11:58:00.000-04:00

Snuggle Baby

2 Month Update

2010-06-04T12:24:00.000-04:00

Parker is 2 months old! Here are his stats:

Weight: 10 pounds 15 ounces (25th Percentile)

Length: 21.25 inches (3rd Percentile)

In short (excuse the pun), Parker is definitely a Jones!!!

He is so cute and loves to smile and coo. We are trying to get on a schedule with him. He still eats every 3 hours. We are putting him down for a nap in his room around 9am and also around 1pm. He will sleep for about 2 to 3 hours at a time. At night, we have had a MAJOR breakthrough!!! I don't want to jinx it, but he is really starting to stretch out his sleep at night. For the last two nights, he slept for 8 hours one night and 6 hours the next night!!! Ahhh. There is light at the end of the sleepless tunnel!

If this keeps up over the weekend, we will probably put him in his crib at night very soon!

PopPop, Lisa and Lindsey are coming to visit this weekend.

We will go to the pool and bbq. Just relax!

Much Love!

LOOK! Parker fits in my briefcase! Have Baby...Will Travel!

Strawberries & Smiles

2010-05-25T17:26:00.001-04:00

Peyton's last day of the Preschool year was last week. She has really enjoyed her 2 1/2 year old class. Her teacher's Mrs. Robin and Mrs. Michelle keep her busy with tons of arts and crafts. They also attend specials like music, spanish, sign language and fitness. She had her end of the year program where the children are supposed to sing a couple of songs, but Peyton decided prior to going that she wasn't going to sing. Well she lived up to her promise! She simply stood there, quiet as a mouse! Oh well...

She did, however, very much enjoy her last day of school field trip to the Strawberry Patch to pick berries.

I think she ate more berries than went in the bucket!

The North Raleigh Church of Christ End of the Year Program

Not gonna sing...

In other news, PARKER SMILES!!! Just when we thought we couldn't possibly love this kid any more, he starts to smile! This totally melts our hearts. He usually will smile at you with a soft coo as if to laugh.

It is sooo cute!

Lastly, the pool is finally open! Water is still chilly, but we are troopers. Sun is out and we are there! Looking forward to a fun filled summer with lots of friends!

Grandma and Grandpa were here visiting last week. We all really enjoyed having them here! They went with us to the strawberry patch and even took both kids to the Children's Museum. They tried to take Peyton to an IMAX film, but she got a little scared. They were busy all week with activities.
I am sure that Grandma and Grandpa were ready for a loooong nap when they got home!

So Much Love!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

2010-05-09T11:14:00.000-04:00

What are the plans for Mother's Day this year?....NO PLANS!!! Ahhhh...it is so nice to wake up in the morning and not have to be anywhere or do anything! We had a wonderful breakfast and are planning a nice walk and lunch. Chris has already planned an ultra gourmet dinner (he is a fabulous cook) and he is currently doing some laundry! All of this equates to one thing...HAPPY MOMMY! So while all of this is going on, I thought I would do a quick blog update of what we have been doing.

Parker is 6 weeks old!

Here are the stats:

Weight: 8.6 lbs (15th percentile)

Length: 19.75 inches (3rd percentile?!)

Yep...he is a JONES! :)

He continues to be such a snuggly and loving little guy. He still wakes up around 2am and 6am. Chris and I have started taking shifts now. So that helps with the sleeplessness. I stopped breastfeeding at about 5 weeks. I just could not keep up with his appetite! He currently eats about 5-6 ounces every three hours. That is a lot of food for such a little muffin!

Chris and I are both working crazy hours. In the last 6 weeks I have sold 6 homes and Chris just started his new Southeast Regional Manager position at work. He has been travelling quite a bit and we are looking forward to some sort of family vaca when things die down.

Aunt Kim was our first visitor. She is an AMAZING Aunt....a total natural. Peyton looooves to hang out with her. During the day they would have picnics and go to the park. At night, Kim would have cocktails and appetizers waiting for us after the kids were fed and bathed! What a fantastic house guest!!!

We really wish that she and Mark lived closer. Love and miss them lots.

Here are some highlights from her visit:

Last week, Mimi came to stay with us while Daddy was travelling all week. It was a great week and she was incredibly helpful around the house. Mimi even fixed a bath tub drain for us!

She loved to snuggle with Parker and give him his bottles. They all went to the park and played too.

It was a great week and I was very appreciative of her help.

In a couple of weeks, Grandma and Grandpa will be here. PopPop will visit shortly after that! Busy Busy!

Much Love!

Sneak Peek...

2010-04-21T16:41:00.003-04:00

Parker is four weeks old today!
Today is also his due date.

Parker makes our family complete.
Having him as a member of our family is such a joy!

He seems to be a very mellow baby. He only cries when he is hungry and grunts for other reasons like a tummy ache. He LOVES to be held and snuggled. He also loves cozy blankets, especially when he can snuggle his face on them. Peyton has really warmed up to having Parker around. She sings and dances for his entertainment. When he cries she whispers "it's okay buddy" in his ear. Very sweet.

Here is a sneak peek of some pictures that we have had taken over the last few weeks.

MUCH LOVE!!!

Spring Has Sprung!

2010-04-14T15:25:00.000-04:00

There is no more beautiful Spring than in North Carolina!

These Cherry Blossoms say it all!

Hippity Hoppity...Happy Easter!

2010-04-06T14:39:00.000-04:00

We had such a nice Easter this year!

The Perez family welcomed us over to thier home for dinner and an Easter Egg Hunt for the kids.

Peyton really enjoyed herself and Parker slept most of the time. It was a great day for us all!

Much Love!

Parker Hudson Jones Has Arrived!!!

2010-03-31T12:49:00.000-04:00

How is it that I am consistently late for EVERYTHING and both of my kids are very EARLY?!

Parker arrived at 12:32 am on Wednesday, March 24th....a full four weeks early. He was 6 lbs. 1 oz. and 18.75 inches long. Just like with Peyton, my water broke on the evening of the 23rd. Chris was out at a client dinner and I had to call him to come home. Parker is the sweetest baby boy we could ever hope for.We want to spend the enitre day snuggling him! Relatively drama free, he sleeps and eats. When he is hungry, he squeaks and grunts and rarely cries. He is a great eater and I am not sure that I can keep up! Peyton just loves her "baby brother". She never refers to him by name, just "baby brother". She tries to be a big help in every way. Chris and I are doing our best to exhibit patience as she constantly has her hands in the way of diaper changes and feedings. Her favorite things to do are turn on all of the buttons on the swing and bouncers and jam the binky in Parker's mouth, whether he wants it or not. None the less, we are thankful that she wants to be the best Big Sister and not the worst.

Here are lots of pics to show off our latest addition and how he spent his first week!

On another note, I have been meaning to upload pics of the house projects we have completed! Here is Parker's Room and the kid's bathroom!

That is about all for now. More to come after Easter!!!

SOOO Much Love!!!

Peyton's OFFICIAL Third Birthday

2010-03-08T15:15:00.000-05:00

How many 3rd birthdays can one kid have?! Well, if you are Peyton Raleigh, the answer is SEVERAL! Here are some pictures from her official 3rd birthday. We had a small party with PopPop, Lisa, Linsdsey and Tracey.

Minnie Mouse Cake to Honor our Trip to Disney

Where there is cake, Sam Jaye is sure to follow

Happy Birthday to you!

On second thought, red icing may not have been the best idea. :)

We have been busy busy these days. The weather is finally starting to warm up, so every free moment is spent outdoors. Peyton is really getting the hang of riding her bike. She rode all the way up to the Cafe and home! That is about a two mile round trip. Only 5 more weeks until Parker's arrival. (we hope!) It is slow going with the preparations for his room. Still don't have a middle name yet.

It may be a "game-time" decision!

I had to include this hilarious picture of Daddy and Peyton working in the office on their laptops. Peyton wants to be just like Daddy in every way. She just loves to follow him around!

Much Love!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

2010-02-14T09:30:00.000-05:00

Baby Face

2010-02-02T13:54:00.000-05:00

Today we went to the OB for our 4D Ultrasound. (the 4th dimension is video) Peyton accompanied us and thought it was pretty cool to see pictures of her baby brother on the TV monitor. She kept saying "Let's watch it again!". Luckily the technician gave us the video for Peyton's viewing pleasure at home. The baby looks and measures perfectly! He weighs about 3 pounds, putting him in the 59% percentile. The funny thing is that he has both hands up by his head just like Peyton did. She did it for so long in the womb that she still has marks on her ears from her hands being there! We think his pictures look very similar to Peyton's ultrasound pictures. You can judge for yourself!

Here is Parker's Picture:

Here is Peyton's Picture:

Either way, they are CUTE kiddos!!!

MUCH LOVE!

SNOW DAY!

2010-01-30T15:28:00.000-05:00

Well we went from 70 degrees in sunny Florida to 20 degrees in snowy North Carolina. Polar opposites but both beautiful in their own way. Peyton had a great time on the sledding hill. There were over 75 neighbors out there! Early morning neighborhood parties are the best! We never miss an opportunity to be social!

Our Home!

Peyton is ready to PLAY!

Gearing up to sled down the hill

All of the kids on the sledding hill behind our house

Snow Angels

What a fun filled week we are having!

MUCH LOVE!

The Happiest Parents on Earth

2010-01-28T11:48:00.001-05:00

What an amazing weekend!

On Friday, January 22nd, we embarked on our official family vacation to Disney. We had not shared a vaction as "just us" since Peyton was 12 weeks old!!! We could not have been more excited to share this time as a nuclear unit. Our first stop was to the Munroe home (naturally) to spend a couple of days snuggling new baby Arden and letting Peyton romp around with Nolan. The parents shared a few laughs as well! Danielle and Amanda were so kind to throw us a Baby Shower at a fabulous restaurant in downtown Orlando. It was an intimate group of ladies and we enjoyed chatting and laughing all the way through lunch. It could not have been more perfect!

Mommy and Mimi

Hostesses with the Mostesses!

The Ladies!

After our fabulous visit with the Munroe family, we headed out to the Disney area. We spent Sunday at the Animal Kingdom with Aunt Kimmy. We had so much fun! Peyton's favorite activity was the Safari and, of course, meeting the characters.

Hugging Safari Mickey

Peyton is a huge fan of Goofy!

Talking to the fish

Monday was the BIG day...The Magic Kingdom. I think Chris and I were more excited than Peyton! The feeling was indescribable. Simply stated, seeing magic through the eyes of your child is one of the best moments of parenthood. It was so special to have shared these moments, just us three. A family memory that will forever be emblazoned in our hearts.

As we stepped onto Main Street, a parade ensued as if to welcome us into the park.

Enjoying the parade.

Main Street

Playing with the most expensive balloon she will ever have! :)

Daddy and Princess Peyton

When booking this trip, we tried to make a reservation for the Princess Luncheon in Cinderella's Castle. It was booked out three months in advance and we couldn't get in. When Peyton saw the castle, she asked us why she couldnt go in it. Chris was determined to get his little girl inside and he did! They just happened to have a cancellation and we walked right in! Such a good Daddy!

Upon entering the castle, each family is greeted by Cinderella and portraits are taken. At first, Peyton was nervous and didn't want to talk to her.

Then, you are escorted to the Dining Room for lunch. As you finish eating, the other Princesses arrive. The most amazing part of the lunch is that each Princess visits with each family and actually spends a good amount of time talking with the child. Peyton warmed right up and was in absolute awe of her idols.

Sleeping Beauty, Princess Aurora

LOVED Snow White

She was so proud to have been kissed by Snow White!

Beauty and the Beast, Belle

Princess Jasmine

Very proud that she met the Princesses!

This lunch was certainly the highlight of everyone's day.

Peyton didn't take long to find her two favorite rides in Fantasy Land: Dumbo and the Carousel. She descibed these as "The Elephants" and "The Unicorns" and had to ride them multiple times.

Ready to take flight with Dumbo

The Carousel

We also toured both Minnie and Mickey's homes. (No, they dont live together) :)

Minnie's Home

Mickey's Home

After a beautiful day of walking around the park, we rested our legs on Main Street's curb and devoured some ice cream.

We completed our awesome day by having dinner with our dear friends Nick, Leigh and Xander. It was great to catch up with them and finally meet eachother's kids!

The guys liked this as much as the kids.

After dinner, Peyton was officially tuckered out. What a day!

The next morning, we had an early birthday celebration for Peyton with Chef Mickey!

Whew! What a trip! I didn't want to leave out any of the fantastic details. This was an early third birthday present to our sweet Princess. We hope she enjoyed it as much as we did!

We LOVE you Peyton Raleigh! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

A MILESTONE!!! (in our eyes anyway)

2010-01-22T08:29:00.000-05:00

Today was a very cool first. As I was typing away at my desk, Peyton decided to do some drawing on her easel. When she was done, she ran over to show me her artwork. "Look Mommy! I drew Daddy, Mommy and Peyton!". SHE ACTUALLY DID!!! The result was three circle "bodies" with legs, eyes and mouths....her first family portrait! We couldn't cherish it more...

A close up of the "Peyton"

How cute is that?!

Princess Peyton and Her Pretty Pink Palace!

2010-01-18T16:10:00.001-05:00

I used to laugh at people who would make comments about children like "They grow up so fast" and "When did they get so big?!". Now. I. Get. It. Whoa....my tiny little five pound preemie is now a BIG GIRL! It makes us sooo happy and sad all at the same time. Peyton is so independant and fun. She loves to fix her own food and pick out her own clothes. That part of it is really fun. The part of them growing up that makes me sad is that I can't snuggle her on the couch (too squirmy) and she wants to go go go, not sit with Mommy or Daddy. Either way, every day is a blessing with Peyton. She talks up a storm and her vocabulary is unbelieveable! Yesterday, she counted to 5 in Spanish. We didn't ask her to, nor had we ever taught her Spanish. Dora? Daniela? Who knows, what we do know is that she is a SMART kid.

Peyton is settling into her BIG GIRL bed nicely. She quite likes the space in the bed and being cozy with all of the blankets. Here are a few pictures!

Big Girl posing in her Big Bed!

Daddy and Peyton love to snuggle and read books

Cozy!!

Sooo Much LOVE!!!

We Have Some Catching Up to Do!

2010-01-02T15:39:00.001-05:00

Where did December go?!

I swear it was here a minute ago!

Lots of fun events happened in just one month. To start, Peyton had her very first Preschool Christmas Concert at North Raleigh Church of Christ. It was so cute that it made your heart hurt.

Bring on the 2 and 3 year olds!

Our little STAR!

PopPop joined us for a short weekend. It was so fun to celebrate a little Christmas with him! Then Grandma, Grandpa and Mimi came for the week of Christmas. There were LOTS and LOTS of activities for Peyton and she enjoyed ALL of the attention. This was the Jones Family's first Christmas in our own home. We carried on some old tradtions like opening stockings in bed Christmas morning and we started some new ones like Cookies for Santa. We all enjoyed being home for the holidays so much! Peyton is thrilled with her new Princess Bike and Helmet!

Daddy putting the bike together on Christmas Eve

LOVES her Princess Bike!

Lastly, after all of the company left, Daddy was hard at work on the new baby's nursery. I think he did an amazing job! Peyton's new furniture comes next week, so we will be transitioning all of her nursery furniture into the new baby's room. Stay tuned for pictures of Peyton's new "Big Girl Room" and pictures of the nursery in progress!

SOOOOO MUCH LOVE!

Whew! 'Tis the Season!

2009-12-07T09:16:00.003-05:00

This holiday season has proved to be busier than ever! Chris and I are both working extremely hard both outside of the home and inside as well. We are trying our best to balance being good parents and good providers. Sometimes it gets the best of us.
But we are trying!

Here are some updates from the last month...

Peyton started soccer! It is a class for 2.5-3.5 year olds and is led by two coaches. The coaches are GREAT with the kids and know just how to motivate them (with stamps and stickers, naturally!). It took Peyton a few visits to really warm up, but now she is a star! She loves to run up and down the field kicking the ball. Lots of friends are in her class including Gray Spencer, Maya Oldham, and Lydia Terdik. She looks forward to going with Daddy every Saturday morning!

We drove home for Thanksgiving this year. It was a lot of fun to see family and friends. On the way down, we stopped in Orlando for an annual holiday lunch with the Munroes and the Joyces. The kids are getting so big and our families are all expanding. It is really great to have evolved from high school and college friends into being spouses and parents! My how time flies!

We are looking forward to staying home for the Christmas and New Year holidays this year. We are busy decorating and preparing for Grandma, Grandpa and Mimi to visit. The tree is up, lights and garland are hung, but Chris (aka Clark Griswald) insists we need more lights. We'll see how this turns out!

In pregnancy news, I am 21 weeks...just over halfway there! I am feeling GREAT!!! Still running in short spurts. I can go about a mile at a time and then I have to stop for a bit. But it does make me feel good and balances out my diet of Happy Meals and candy. The baby is very busy. I hope this is not an indicator of how busy he will be as a newborn! We still don't have a name, but will let everyone know as soon as we do.

The room decor is picked out and the carpenter comes tomorrow to start installing the wainscoting. Chris will paint after the holiday visitors leave. We will take lots of pictures!

That is about all for now! We had lots of catching up to do!
Ta Ta for now!

Much Love!

Here is a picture of Peyton wearing jammies that Mimi bought for her and her Baby. She also LOVES the pink Christmas tree in her room!

Drum Roll Please...

2009-11-11T12:09:00.001-05:00

IT'S A BOY!!!!!!

Chris and I are so thrilled to announce that we are having a baby BOY! We are over the moon to have one of each. We just cannot express how blessed we feel.

The shopping has begun and decorating plans are in the works. No names yet, but we have a short list. We will keep you posted!

Sooo much LOVE!!!

Here is a profile of our baby boy

Here is his little foot

Can't Deny the Kitty Cuteness

2009-11-02T08:58:00.001-05:00

Peyton was totally, I mean totally into Halloween this year. She dressed as a black cat. She just couldn't stop staring at herself in the mirror and saying "meow!". The makeup and ears were her favorite part. As soon as she figured out that candy came with this holiday, it got even better for her! She wanted to go to every door and say "Trick or Treat!".

It was a blast!

Oh Yes I Did...

2009-10-22T16:26:00.000-04:00

Yes, yes, it is true. I am a sucker for gimmicks.

Here is a prime example: The Intelligender Test.

This test is supposed to determine the gender of your baby as early as 6 weeks prego. Basically, you are supposed to pee in this little cup that has mystery crystals in it. Then, you leave the cup undisturbed for 5 minutes. If the liquid turns green it is a BOY and if it turns yellow, it is a GIRL. Riiiiiiight. I cannot lie, I was warned about this sham by Danielle. But, I had to see for myself! Well, as you can see, the results are somewhat inconclusive! When compared to the green band, the liquid looks a little green and when compared to the yellow band, it looks yellow. In the end, we decided that it looked more yellow than green.

Soooo, are we having another GIRL??? Stay tuned...

Best Foot Forward

2009-10-08T14:01:00.000-04:00

Ahhhh....I love you, second trimester! I am feeling GREAT! It is like someone turned on the energy light switch. I am not sickly or nearly as sleepy as I was a few weeks ago.

On Tuesday, I had my usual big workout at BootCamp class. Unfortunately, I pulled an abdominal muscle and it left me hunched over in pain for the last two days. Miraculously, I woke up this morning feeling AMAZING!!! So, I decided to brave a neighborhood run. With Chris shaking his finger and giving me the heart rate speech, I bounded out the door. Britney and Beyonce blaring in my ear, I was able to cruise for about two miles. I could have gone a bit longer, but Chris's fatherly voice kept ringing through my mind. I settled on the two miles and walked the rest. Not too bad for a girl who is 3 months pregnant!

I See the Light!

2009-10-04T14:42:00.000-04:00

Last Monday we had our second appointment to check on the little peanut. We go every four weeks. It is nice to connect with the doctor and hear the baby's heartbeat. It is those reassurances that get you through the next four weeks of uncertainty. Funny, even when you have done this before, it feels totally brand new again. We have forgotten everything!

The baby's heart rate was strong and the doctor indicated how great of a sign this was. I got some silly questions answered like: Can I use Crest Whitestrips? (YES) Can I continue my bootcamp class? (YES, just moderate a bit) Can I sleep on my back? (YES, until about the 6th month) Ahhhh....I love reassurances.

Almost all of the nausea has subsided. I am still very tired. Could it be because I am chasing a 2 year old? But, the fact that I am feeling better is awesome. I can finally see the light at the end of the First Trimester tunnel!!! Wonderful! Only 28 more weeks to go! :)

Our next appointment is at the end of October! So Much Love!!!

Just One!

2009-09-02T16:44:00.001-04:00

Today we had our first OB appointment. It went great! We got all of our questions answered and lots of valuable information. We have forgotten so much in the last 2 + years! The most fun part, of course, was the ultrasound. I later learned that Chris was on pins and needles over the fact that there could be twins in there. Twins run in my family. Since we only want two children, he was relieved to find out that there is just one little peanut in my belly! The baby's heart rate was about 133 bpm. He/she is measured to be about 7 weeks old. Our estimated due date is April 20th! Our next appointment is in 4 weeks!

If Ya Don't Know, Now Ya Know...

2009-08-27T20:54:00.003-04:00

It is true...the Jones family is expanding!
A bit of a surprise to us too!

We have narrowed the event down to the Don Cesar.
How appropriate!

We are very excited about the newest member and will keep you posted!

Much More Love!

Header File (do not delete)

2008-01-28T11:52:00.001-05:00