thankful for all the stages

 So we were with the Jeffery's this year for Thanksgiving, the picture above of the 2 cousins was literally the only picture I got over Thanksgiving. But it was the normal, eat dinner with the family, play monopoly til midnight, go black Friday shopping, kind of Thanksgiving.

 So this time of year always makes me want to be with all of my family, so since Daniel's on a mission, it makes me miss him-yes-7 years ago I never thought I'd say that-but yes-I miss Daniel. We're hoping he has a happy christmas in Pennsylvania!

 So I've noticed that Jeter is growing so fast, I have a toddler, not a baby. He runs and spins, and skips, and stomps, and pulls everything out, and screams, and laughs, and yells, and plays, and listens, and talks, and sings, and is a little person. He hasn't started throwing bad tantrums, YET-but my dr told me last visit this is the prime time...so I'm counting the days with gladness that he hasn't started doing that. Don't get me wrong-he doesn't like to be told no-but he seems to get over it fairly quickly (knock on wood) anyways I feel like now that he is older I have so much to teach him, he literally learns a new word a day, and uses it right, (not that everyone could understand him, but being his mom, and with him 24/7 I can) and it's exciting! One example that made me feel like a very good mom was we started to eat dinner, and Jeter, not being asked or coaxed, folded his arms. and looked at us like, "We're supposed to pray, remember?" It made my day. He really watches and learns everything you do with him...big weight on my shoulders, right? Anyways I'm rambling, but I just have loved every stage he's gone through-and hope this new one is just as great.

 pictured above is a crown jeter made at his cousins' bday party.

 this is the best tree picture I've gotten with him, so far-I'm going to keep trying.

 Lately Jeter has been OBSESSED with coloring. that's all he asks for is pens, or markers, and if your coloring with him, he'll literally color for almost an hour with out getting up. He's kind of a drill Sargent, he gets made at me when I stop coloring and he says, "color, please." and hands me a new marker.

 Also Jeter has no bum-so as you can see in the picture above- everything falls off of his bottom half-even after I've taken in ALL of his pants. he's so tall and skinny, nothing stays on him. poor kid-what a gangly teenager he's going to be.

 after thanksgiving, trying to get a picture of Jeter all dressed nicely.

 anytime I pull out the camera, he shows me this face and says, "cheese" over and over again.

 Jeter is my number 1 helper-here he is helping me mop

 here he is helping unload the dishwasher, yes those are clean silverware on the floor

 helping me unload groceries, yes those cans were already put on the shelf.

helping me sweep, you cant really see, but yes-he's sitting right in the pile that I just swept up. Anyways-all these stages he's gone through are so much fun-and he just gets funner and funner as he gets older, and is becoming more of a person, with his cute little personality.