Just a Side Note...

Samuel is feeding himself yogurt with a spoon for the first time...

Need I say more?!


The view from my seat is amazing!  I'm truly blessed to watch our boys learn and grow on a cconstant basis.

Time for a Lunch Break

We get awfully busy around this house.  I mean, there are actually nights when I get in bed and wonder if my kids saw my face that day or only in passing!  Thankfully, there are moments when the Lord just slows me down and shows me His goodness...  Usually, it's staring right back at me.  :)

So, without many words, I just wanted to share these pictures of Daniel from lunch a week ago.  It's a lunch break I'll always treasure, because from across the table, I watched as my firstborn shared his many precious faces.  If this face cannot slow a Momma down, then God surely will use it to do so!

Eating Fool

I've been wanting to post these pictures/videos of Samuel for a few weeks now, and I always forget until I sit down to feed him and realize how hilarious he is!  He is quite the eater...  In fact, he's busy eating 1-2 jars of food 3 times a day as well as throwing back 5-6 bottles like they are no big deal.  However, he has some interesting habits when it comes to food.  As a matter of fact, he hates vegetables.  HATES them.  I mean, loathes when he has to take bites of peas or sweet potatoes.  He'll push each spoonful right out of his mouth.  So, I've managed to mix his fruits with his veggies, and he hasn't seemed to notice.  In fact, I had mixed apples with these carrots he was enjoying a few weeks ago...  WHICH is when I noticed another eating "habit" he's accustomed to doing.  He will hold his right arm up the E-N-T-I-R-E meal.  He'll even start hitting and rubbing the table if it's really good food. 

Arm Up!

Watch his arm.  It's a 2-3 minute video, and Samuel keeps his arm up the whole time.


Throw Your Hand Up from Jenna Johnson on Vimeo.


Not seconds after I stopped filming, Samuel began rubbing the high chair and smacking his hand down after each bite, as if to say, "Good stuff, Mom.  Keep it coming."  Watch this if you don't believe me...


The Smackdown on Carrots from Jenna Johnson on Vimeo.

Sorry, Daddy.

If you think your name is on that piece of chocolate, Daddy,
then you are wrong.

If you think you hid it so I could not find it, Daddy,
then you are wrong.

If you think I cannot make a way to get that chocolate, Daddy,
then you are wrong.

If you think I am going to tell you the truth about it, Daddy,
then you are wrong.

If you think my face can tell the whole story, Daddy...
well, then you'd be right!


Will Steal for Chocolate from Jenna Johnson on Vimeo.

This Doggy is NOT Funny.

Last weekend for my birthday, we headed to the local Cracker Barrel with the whole family.  It's never a quick trip to Cracker Barrel with a toddler in tow.  Daniel had nearly fifteen meltdowns to get out of his high chair.  He kept yelling, "Hot!" and pointing at the fireplace and then realized we had fire on our table...  Then, he told every single waitress that passed, "Hello," time and time again.  To keep his attention, we all entertained him with coloring books, biscuits, trains, and tea, and all of that was BEFORE supper even arrived.  At that point, he'd eaten so many strawberry-jellied biscuits that I'm sure the sight of carrots and green beans weren't all that exciting.

Strawberry Jelly on your Biscuit?

Yes, please.

Now, clean my hands.

What WAS exciting was when Grandpa finished eating super quickly and allowed Daniel the opportunity to run wild in Cracker Barrel's country store!  The rest of us enjoyed our meals and finally headed out to see what Daniel and Pa had gotten into.  The kids' section at Cracker Barrel is full of fun.  You would have thought that Daniel was having his own birthday celebration, pulling out every item from its shelf and playing with it until it bored him.  Surprisingly, though, there was one "toy" Daniel didn't find too amusing.  What's funny about it is the fact that it laughs itself silly, rolls all around, and just about scares Daniel to death!


The Laughing Doggy from Jenna Johnson on Vimeo.

He Gets It from His Momma...

Daniel hasn't been feeling the best the past few days...  His silly Mom decided she wanted absolutely needed to go to the YMCA early in the week, and poor Daniel caught a cold.  He has been snotty, coughy, and low-grade feverish ever since. 

Great decision, Momma.

Anyway, since Mom knew Daniel wasn't feeling all that well (and because it was practically her fault), she felt it necessary to give Daniel a little treat yesterday afternoon after he ate all of his lunch.  Most kids would get a new toy or try something outside-of-the-box, but not when your Momma is a pregnant, Jenna Johnson...

A child after his Mom's own heart eating habits.


He Gets It from His Momma from Jenna Johnson on Vimeo.

He seemed to really enjoy simply playing with the empty container...  

 

Did I mention there was one Oreo left?!

(We need not mention where all the others went.)

Momma, I need it ALL in there...  Stuff it in, like this.

 

And, just like Momma, when they are all gone...

You just can't help but cry...

Christmas Vacation... Johnson Style

The Sunday after Christmas we headed west to Clarksburg for Brian's family Christmas.  If I told you how many hilarious things happened while we were there, you honestly wouldn't believe me because it became our very own rendition of Chevy Chase's Christmas Vacation.  From the water heater going out, forgetting presents for everyone who would be there, running to Walmart to buy Mema gifts because her big gift (framed pictures of all of us which we had taken two months earlier without her knowing) wasn't ready at Hobby Lobby, unexpected yet wonderful guests, wrapping last minute, eating more leftovers than I care to recall, being woke up by either a crying baby or a dedicated hunter (who only hunts once a year), to being more thankful than you can imagine due to a growing, healthy, rambunctious, always eating, messy, cold, hilarious bunch of family.  We even sat around telling what we were thankful for in this year - because we've lost Granddaddy, Thomas, and Cindy yet we've seen 6-year-old Hayden recover and strive after a partial removal of a tumor.  I mean, the blessings are more than I can tell you, but here are some of the pictures from our amazing Christmas Vacation.

Daniel checking out his great-uncle David

Brian and nephew, Landon, reading the Christmas Story

Daniel with his stick horse from Mema

The cutest girls and nieces you'll ever see -

trying on their new clothes!

Cousin, Landon, feeding Daniel his bottle

Mason, Landon, and Brian working off their food

The whole Johnson family

Daniel taking a bath at his Aunt Kim's

When we left Clarksburg, we headed even further west to Jackson, where we met up with Brian's mom's sister and her family.  We love getting to see them because it isn't often when we do.  We stopped at this great pizza buffet, Snappy Tomatoes, and really enjoyed each other as much as we did the food.  Here are few pictures of our last Christmas gathering.

Daniel entertaining his cousin Jodi

With cousin Kevin

 

It's been a while since Daniel has seen

his great-aunt Dina.

Daniel showing off for all the ladies!

Daniel with Daddy and his buddy, James Evan

Great-uncle Bubba and Daniel

Daniel was ready to get down and crawl!

Cousins Kevin and Brian

Brian and his aunt, Dina

Again, we are so blessed with a loving family!

We love and already miss you all.

Seeing Six...

Right before our eyes, Daniel turned six months old on October 20, 2009.  So many things happened during and following his sixth month "birthday" that it has honestly been hard to keep up with him.  Hopefully, that explains my very LATE update.

In his 22nd week:
He found his toes, and they always ended up in his mouth.
He really started recognizing his family. 
Smiled immediately upon seeing any of us.
He began doing the "thinking" pose.
It seemed he would concentrate incredibly hard on particular things.

Guess these work just like a pacifier

Laughing with Mimi

 

Daniel's "thinker" pose

 

In his 23rd week:
He attempted to crawl...  often. 
He'd scoot toward things that were in front of him on the floor.
He sat up...  ON HIS OWN.  We couldn't believe it!
He was happiest in the bathtub. 
He loved his light-up rubber duckies!

Trying to crawl to Pop's keys

So, sitting up isn't that tough.

Enjoying the empty bathtub

Trying to get away from Mommy

In his 24th week: 
He had his first "lunch-date" with some very special friends.
He wasn't too impressed with McDonald's.
He continued attempting to crawl, and sat up all of the time.
He teethed, but no teeth.  Just lots of drool.  LOTS.
He outgrew ALL of his 6 month clothes.
Still wore size 3 diapers, but needed ALL 6 to 9 month clothes.
He hated his pack n' play.
He loved playing on his toy drum (thanks to our friends in Georgia)!
Mom's hairdryer and plastic grocery bags were his favorite things to play with.

Making a new friend in Tucker

 Greyson wasn't so sure of Daniel at first...

Outgrowing his clothes before he ever wears them

Beating on his drum

 His newest toys...

In his 25th week:
He sat up in a high chair by himself...  with no assistance.
He went on his first vacation (to Gatlinburg).
He walked rode down the strip with his mom and dad. He spent a lot of his time with daddy - riding in the carrier and sleeping there too!
He found out that remote controls are extremely interesting.
He got his first taste of country music at the Dixie Stampede.
He loved the live band!
He moved out of the infant car seat into the big convertible car seat!
He tried Puffs for the first time!

 Riding in the carrier

Finding out about the remote control

Turning 6 months old in Gatlinburg

Fabulously Five

In his 18th week:
He weighed 16 lbs and 1 1/2 ounces.
He was in the 75th percentile in weight, length, and head circumference.
Size 3 diapers...  Good-N-E-S-S!
He was introduced to Applesauce baby food.
He L-O-V-E-D to eat from the spoon.
He learned how to spit... On his own.
Teething was a monster.
He went to his first football game.
He played with his buddy, Pierce.
He enjoyed touching the face of whoever was holding him.
He was SO close to sitting on his own... with his hands holding him up.
He discovered the monitor in his crib.
He was beginning to crawl...
He would get on his knees, rear in the air, head on the floor, and just push.
He never really crawled... yet.

In his 19th week:
He started Banana baby food again.
Except this time it WAS NOT organic.
Organic gave him a rash. So strange.
He would only take a pacifier if he could put it all the way in his mouth.
He was big enough to wear 9 month clothes.
He really attempted to hold his own bottle.
He would reach for anything in his sight.
He could sit up IF his hands were on the floor.
But later in the week, he could sit up without hands.
For all of 10 seconds...
He rolled everywhere.
The television continued to amaze him.
His signature face was when his mouth was wide open, drool was running down his chin, and he was wide-eyed.
He chewed on everything.

In his 20th week:
He became more aware of his hands.
He ate peaches like you wouldn't believe!
He smiled more than any kid I know!
He got a lot of visit from his family - because Mommy had to paint and was sick.
He started this weird habit of hitting himself in the stomach.
Changing his diaper was impossible UNLESS you handed him an empty bag of wipes...
He loved to hear the sound it made!
He rolled all over everywhere.  He would not stay put.
He enjoyed his umbrella stroller more than anything else he had.
TEETHING - He drooled.  He slobbered.  He was always chewing on something.
Oh, and he ate the fire out of some baby food prunes!
He watched slept through his daddy playing in his alumni basketball game.

In his 21st week:
He began eating vegetables...  Squash that is.  Baby food version.
Oh, and 1st food jars were not enough for him!
It's official.  6 month clothes were too small.
He sat up leaned mostly.
Well, he would sit up by leaning on his hands, but that counts as sitting up to his parents.
He tried his Johnny Jump Up for the first time!
He shopped 'til he dropped with his momma.
Everybody he knows was having birthdays and weddings!
He started loving his daddy...
He would follow daddy's every, single move.
He'd grin when daddy got home or when he walked into the room.
He took a crawling step...  just one though.  He's working hard on it.
Oh, and he FINALLY took a pacifier to help with bedtime.
But, of course, it's only a certain kind.  Playtex Binky's.
He also ate sweet potatoes, and ate them UP.

Oh, and here are some other events in Daniel's fifth month...

Eating was always a funny and messy occasion.

He was busy learning how to sit up on his own.

Teaching Daniel that the new car seat wasn't so bad.  It's also his new recliner.  Here he was in front of the television.

Visiting his cousins in West TN for his daddy's Alumni basketball game

Playing in his Johnny Jump Up

He surprised us when he took his first step...  crawling, that is.

Getting dressed up for the UT/Florida game...  SOMEONE, please, buy this kid some Black and Gold gear.

At his friend, Addy's 1st birthday party

Kissing Mommy at the party

Playing with some of his FAVORITE girls...

 

Oh, and I forgot to show this when Daniel FIRST had baby food...

Bananas, Baby! from Jenna Johnson on Vimeo.