Lord have mercy on my soul. This boy, with the only exception being my own boy, has completely stolen my heart. Can you seriously resist this face? This face, by the way, is always sticky and covered in some type of goo... albeit syrup or juice or lotion or dog hair (eww) ... something... the child's face is a perpetual mess. It's become a trademark of sorts. Hence the black and white photography... makes for less... um, DETAILS. 
The boy has TEETH. A mouthful of them. DO NOT listen when Jenn asks you to stick your finger in his mouth. Resist. The. Urge. Because, I am just telling you - he WILL NOT release. Kinda like a snapping turtle. Jenn thinks this kind of humor is like, very funny. I find it very painful. Especially because I stuck my finger right in there. It still hurts. Don't let the sweet/innocent/blond look fool you. He's vicious, I'm telling you.
And you have never in your life met SUCH a boy. He loves making things "go" and throwing himself backwards into everything... most especially his Mama. When he's very excited or very upset he thrashes around like a small dinosaur. The Christmas Tree was only decorated from the top to about half way down - because Jackson found it very entertaining to smash ornaments into the floor this year. Naturally, everything goes right into his mouth for a quick taste test... and what goes in, DEFINITELY comes out. Also do not let Jenn trick you into changing a diaper. EVER. It's a mean and nasty trick. MEAN. Trying to hold Jackson DOWN while you do the change is like wrestling with a shark. So, good luck with all that. Don't worry. I plan to make sure he has Polo shirts and good table manners. Promise. 
What can you "not" see in the picture above? Oh. That's right... all the BLUE cookie icing smeared all over his face, tray and pajamas. At one point during Christmas, I heard Jennifer tell Brian that his son had cheesecake.... in his hair. He's also started talking. So far it's all blah blah ya ya and Mama - but "Landon" is in the works... right now it sounds more like NaNon, but the boy is trying, people. I am also currently working on "Aunt Rachael Rocks" and "Aunt Rachael You Are So Beautiful Let Me Give You Sugar". I'll keep you posted. Jenn has taken him to the dentist already (she's like, reallllllly into the oral hygiene thing) and he's scheduled to meet with a speech therapist to help him learn to use the all new and improved roof of his mouth. Jenn is SUCH a good Mama - the people at the cranio-facial doctor's office told her it was one of the best cleft repairs they'd ever seen.
Jenn reminds me often of what a good, patient Mama she is. For Christmas, I bought Jackson a book of stories for one-year-olds. I bought it because Jenn was admiring it in the bookstore - and because I knew that being the Mother of the Year that she is, she'd be reading it to him everyday.
Speaking of his Mama, could he love anyone any more than her? Seriously. I have to remind him often that I was STANDING RIGHT THERE when he poked his little head into the world.
I am getting her back by posting her picture right here on the internet. Enjoy.
xoxo
