2 MONTHS!

Oak,
YOU ARE TWO MONTHS OLD TODAY!  But, I think it would be fun to take a poll and see how old strangers think you are.  My guess would be 4 to 5 months?  You are SO BIG buddy, and we love every inch of you!!

We have had a lot of fun this past month and have been very busy.  We celebrated Thanksgiving in Oklahoma and Texas, Mamas 88th birthday, and many Christmas festivities(Baylors Christmas on 5th, getting your first Christmas tree, decorating the house, late nights on the pallet by the Christmas tree and your train, Lifegroup Christmas Party!  AND you had your FIRST babysitter!

Your dad got me a massage for my birthday, so Alissa came to watch you while i was gone.  She said you slept the whole time. :)  We love Alissa and are so thankful for her.  She loves you a whole lot too, and I don't think I could ask for a better friend.

Today we are in Oklahoma for Christmas!  We got here last night and will be here for a week and then we will head back to Texas for Christmas.  Today is also my birthday, I love that we share the number '18'.  I couldn't ask for a better gift this year than you!  Grandmas birthday is on the 18th too!

A few highlights from your second month:
-your laugh and smile is so fun
-after you eat in the morning, you love to lay in front of me and laugh and smile while i pump
-one of my most favorite moments this past month was you looking at the train go around the Christmas tree
-i am finally convinced you are a BIG boy ( i just didnt know any different :) )  You being around other babies your age confirms this fact. And I am shocked each time.  It is fun to see you, Cooper, Clara and Asher all together.  We REALLY can't wait for Parker to be here.  Yall are already best buds.
-you are officially wearing 3-6 months...whoahhhh....actually, thats a lie, you can wear up to 12 month clothes as of TODAY...oh my goodness.
-you weigh around 15 lbs
-you started taking a pacifier and like them for the most part...i like that you dont always HAVE to have one( i hope it stays that way!)
-you are eating faster, more efficiently- it only takes about 20-30 minutes total now....that is SO much better than 1 hour-1 1/2 hours :)  AND you eat no more than every 4 hours, which is AWESOME!!!! It is amazing what an extra hour can do!
-you are getting better and better at tummy time-you lay there much longer before you get frustrated...and you are holding your head up ahhhmmahhzzing!
-i think you lost some of your newborn hair, but are now growing new locks...mostly black/brown from what we can tell....right now you are sporting a buzz all over
- most people (surprisingly) think your eyes are permanently blue (im not convinced yet, but we shall see!)
-you went to your FIRST movie today!  We saw the third Narnia, which is so perfect for your first movie because we got you the whole Narnia series for Christmas.  We can't wait for the many nights of reading Narnia with you.  You slept through most of the movie, you only woke up once.  I never realized just how loud movie theaters are. :)

Here is the low down of what your schedule kinda looks like right now (when there is one):
-eat about every 4 hours
-we play for about an hour or so after you eat
-then you usually start getting pretty sleepy and take a nap...a good nap for you is 2 hours...you arent picky about where you nap...a lot of times we are on the go...if we are at home, i usually rock you a little bit-you are out pretty quick, and then i lay you down in your crib or on my bed...
-your last feeding usually happen between 9 and 11 (hmmm sometimes 7?  some schedule, huh? :) )  Lately, you have been sleeping anywhere from 4 to 9 hours from your last feeding (okay, the 9 hours has only happened once)
-You go back down like a pro during your night feedings (just like me)
-you are ready to say hello to the world after your early morning feeding (not AT ALL like me, but nonetheless, i say hello with you)

Getting your first Christmas tree.  Your dad and I have gone to HEB every year to get our tree.  So, HEB it was again this year!

At Baylor for Christmas on 5th.  It was actually chilly this night!

I love you two.

Mama giving you your train!

Mama blowing out her birthday candles!

Me and you with Mama on her 88th birthday.

Look at you chillin' with your cousins!!!

I LOVE sharing a birthday with you!  Daddy got us a chocolate sprinkle donut for breakfast.  I have had this for my birthday breakfast for as long as I can remember.  Maybe it should be your birthday breakfast too!?

Sweet Beau loves you so much.

I love you Oak Jackson.  I love being your mom.  You are created to do great things for His Kingdom-I love that I get to watch.  Happy 2 months monkey man!

"The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Zeph. 3:17

the train.

The train deserves its own post!  Mama has bought all the great grandkids Lionel Trains and Oak was given his this past weekend.  So, last night we set it up.  Well, Greg set it up.  Oak and i bounced back and forth from watching the spaghetti to watching Greg and the train.  Greg was sweet about doing it from the beginning, but he definitely became more and more excited as he opened all the parts of the train up... realizing this train was legit.  The real thing.  The best you could get.  I had been trying to pump him up about it...talking of all the fun bonding moments this train could bring him and Oak. :)  Neither of us knew it would happen that night!!!
Greg turned it on, and to our surprise, that train can fly...and makes awesome sounds.  We were quite impressed!  THEN comes the crazy part...OAK WAS WATCHING IT...FOLLOWING IT WITH HIS EYES...HE JUST SAT THERE IN AWE...NO SMILE...JUST STARED AT IT.  And out came the cameras!!! It was so fun to watch!  Needless to say, Greg, Oak and I are sold on this train!  We love it and I can't wait for many more Christmases of watching Oak look at the train.  Man, how fun will that be!!!?  Thanks Mama!

"...at the works of Your hands I sing for joy."  Psalm 92:1

You Are More Than My Words Could Ever Say

This is my favorite song as of today! :)  "Forever Reign" by Hillsong.  He is GOOD.  No matter the condition or the circumstance.  No matter my attitude and my filth.  No matter anything i've done or said.  He remains GOOD.  He pours his love out on me, no matter what I give or don't give Him.  I am amazed and humbled by His goodness.  I am thankful for our community of friends and the way the Lord continually cracks open my heart and forces me to be loved by them...no matter how much i resist.  Thank you, Lord, for the obedience and joy that overflows out of Zach and Ness and the way they continually pour into our lives...i am so in awe of their lives and how You use them!  YOU ARE MORE THAN MY WORDS COULD EVER SAY.

you are good you are good

When there's nothing good in me

You are love you are love

On display for all to see

You are light you are light

When the darkness closes in

You are hope you are hope

You have covered all my sin

You are peace you are peace

Whom my fear in crippling

You are true you are true

Ever in my wandering

You are joy you are joy

You're the reason that i sing

You are life you are life

In you death has lost its sting

Oh i'm running to your arms

I'm running to your arms

The riches of your love will always be enough

Nothing compares to your embrace

Light of the world forever reign

You are more you are more

Than my words will ever say

You are lord you are lord

All creation will proclaim

You are here you are here

In your presence i'm made whole

You are god you are god

Of all else i'm letting go

Hallelujah forever

All the glory forever

All the praise to you

My heart will sing

No other name

Jesus jesus

"The Lord is GOOD, a stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows those who take refuge in Him." Nahum 1:7

Couldn't be more THANKFUL!!!

We had an amazing Thanksgiving week!  We are so thankful for Greg's job that allows us to travel a full week and see both sides of our family.  This was Oaks longest trip yet... and first trip to Oklahoma- and he did amazing!  He slept pretty much the whole way, with a stop in Gainesville to feed.

Oak, you met so many people for the first time in Oklahoma...AND they LOVED you.  Here is a pic with your PaPa and Mimi.  They couldn't get enough of you.  PaPa is so proud to have you to carry on the Hopkins name and sweet Mimi probably gave you a million and one kisses.

PaPa and Mimi

It was also you first time in Norman and at The University of Oklahoma.  We showed you campus, walked around Campus Corner, and met Blake at Tea Cafe.

Your first time on campus at OU

awesome tree on campus

You also got to meet your Nanet.  She came to have Thanksgiving with us at Annie and Pops house.  She loved holding you, as long as you didn't cry. :)

Nanet

We had fun at Annie and Pops house with all your cousins, aunts and uncles, and of course Annie and Pops.  Annie fixed up a masterpiece dinner, we took pictures, and watched some football.  It was a lot of fun!  We got baby pictures of your dad out and you sure do look like him!  I'll have to put some up here later!  It was fun looking at them and comparing the two of yall.

watching football, A LOT of football

When our time in Oklahoma was up, we headed to Martins Mill.  We went to Mamas house on Thursday to have Thanksgiving with Grandmas side.

Caroline, Oak, Jake, Lucas and Sam

Every year after lunch and some football, we all decorate Mamas house for Christmas.
Here is the group after lots of decorating!

Pop Pop and Guh are very special people to us.  Guh came to meet you while we were at Mamas house...I cant wait for you to meet Pop.

Mama and Guh

On Saturday we headed to Memas.  We spent the afternoon with the Brawner family before heading back home to watch OU play.  We had a fun day!

Oak and Caro eating!

We had an amazing time in Martins Mill with Grandma and Grandpa, Amy, David, and Caroline.  We definitely missed Uncle Bill and cant wait to see him in a couple weeks for Christmas.  Caroline loves to grab for you... especially your eyes. :)  You became a lot more alert this week.  You are holding your head up more and more.  You are smiling and laughing!  You love to lay on your back and smile and coo...your dad is really good at getting you to laugh...you sure do like him!  You slept six hours one night!  We (I) am hoping for more and more nights like that!  We love you Oak, we had so much fun introducing you to family and friends!  What a great Thanksgiving week! We are so Thankful for your life and that you are ours!!!