Happy Birthday my sweet son!!

10/4/2008

10/04/2009

To My Dearest Jacob

Today is our last day together before you start day care and I go back to work. Time has gone faster than I ever imagined it would. It feels like just yesterday we brought you home, our tiny little bean, dependent on us for everything. Now you are on the verge of taking your first steps. All by yourself. Not to mention you will be turning ONE in a little over a month. How can this be?

I am so thankful that I was able to stay at home and spend this time with you. My heart was filled with joy the first time I heard you say mum mum, of course you were crying and that made me sad. But your first word was mum mum quickly followed by dadadada. You can now say baba and uhhcky for yucky. I saw you roll, sit, crawl and stand for the first time. I held your hands while you took your first wobbly step. I watched as your teeth came in (you have 5 so far). We got to try avocado together and neither of us liked it. I was there to witness your first of many boo boos and I cried right along with you. Even with all of our ups and downs, this has been the best year of my life.

I will miss picking the food out of your hair at lunch. Watching you nap on the couch and then seeing you flash this huge toothy grin when you see me. Mornings just won't be the same. Lounging around watching Chicca on the Sprout Channel or Blue Clues on Noggin.

I hope that you have a lot of fun playing with your new friends Macie & Riley. Please be a good little boy and try not to be too scared. Mommy & Daddy will give you lots of hugs and kisses when we see you after work. We love you!!

Love,
Mum mum

Compliments of Auntie Kyla

She took so many wonderful shots I had a hard time choosing which ones to put on the blog. I wanted to put them all on here. Thank you Auntie Kyla, for the beautiful pictures!!!

A few of my favorites

A stage that didn't last too long (thankfully). Blowing raspberries with food in your mouth.
Standing with a little help for the first time

Father and son napping

All I want for my birthday is my two front teeth.

Looks like the nap finally won!!!

Is that kid cute or what???

Can you believe it's been 9 months already?

Things have been really busy around here and I apologize I haven't been updating as I should. That said I have A LOT of stuff to share. I will do the pictures and a video first. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Jacob's first tooth!!!

Happy 4th of July...and Happy 9 month birthday!!! Sooo big!!Uh oh, we have an escapee!!! Time to break out the baby gates, he is now able to cross over to the dark side. Heehee! And last but not least, Jacob swimming for the first time!

Jekyl & Hyde

Six months

My palms are sweaty. I can feel the butterflies in my chest as that is where my stomach has taken up residence for the next hour or so. Why is it so hot in here, did someone turn the friggin heat on? I'm suffering from white coat syndrome and it's not even my appointment. This is how I started off the month of April. Jacob's 6 month appointment. This was the worst visit yet. I don't suppose the fact that we had a new intern in place of the nurse to assist the doctor. Jacob started to cry before they even gave him the first shot. Next thing you know tears are running down my face. Gahh! Thank goodness at his 9 month visit no shots are needed. Good news is my baby weighed 18lbs 1.4oz and clocked in at 27 1/2 inches. Right where he should be. We also got the green light on solids.

Jacob is doing well with solids. He has this cute nervous little giggle that I would love to catch on camera. Oatmeal?? For me?? I can have it?? No way, are you sure?? heeheehee

Rice cereal = I didn't realize cardboard was a food group

Oatmeal = more please

Sweet potatoes = nom nom nom, what do you mean there isn't anymore?

Bananas = I hope fresh ones taste better

Green Beans = ahhhhhh what the heck is this?

As you saw in the previous post, Jacob survived his first haircut. It was growing out over his ears and went past his collar in the back. I was feeling like a bad mom, so I made an appointment at this place that specializes in kids cuts. He sat on my lap and watched tv while "Miss Janet" cut and clipped his hair. He did great and we saved the first snip. It has taken a little getting used to.

Rachel was too nervous and scared...uhhh I mean...Jacob was still a brand new baby when Santa was in the mall. We didn't take him to sit on Santa's lap for fear of the crowds....ummm I meant... concern over the start of the 2008 flu season. Since the flu isn't as life threatening for a 6 month old, we decided to brave the Easter Bunny. I don't know why I was so nervous, it was a piece of cake. Okay, okay. It was a piece of cake only because MY mommy took Jacob and I to see the Easter Bunny. No, I didn't sit on his lap. But we did get a great shot!

So much to catch up on!

Jacob outside in the snow for the first time. He wasn't too thrilled. Maybe this means he'll spare his momma from having to play outside in the cold, wet snow? Could we be so lucky? Yeah right.

Jacob got his first haircut. I really miss his long hair because he was my little baby with a full head of hair. Now he looks like a little boy and he's growing up so fast. He sat on my lap and watched a baby einstein video. Didn't cry one bit.
Pre haircut. Jacob in one of his Easter outfits. He loves the plastic eggs. We took him to see the Easter Bunny (will upload that picture later, since I have to scan it in first). Again he was such a good boy. Not a single tear was shed and the photographer got a great shot.

Stay tuned I have an Easter video and of course the bunny picture coming.

You made me wait 6 months for this???

Almost 6 months

practicing with his sippy cup, we start cereal this coming weekend

temper, temper...wonder where he gets that from?

The next Gene Simmons LOL!!!

Happy St Patty's Day!!!

Our mischievous little boy!

Whatever happened to baby Jacob?

Just a quick run down of what's been happening around here. As you can see Jacob is using his high chair and rolling. We discovered he could roll when he woke us up crying because he'd made it onto his tummy and had gotten his arm stuck in between the slats in the crib. He also loves to play peek a boo and has found some of his different body parts. LOL! I don't mind him grabbing at his toes, but diaper changes have become somewhat of a challenge.

He's getting stronger every day. Jacob can stand with mommy or daddy's help for a longer period of time. He loves to help hold his bottle and can hold it by himself when it's less than half full.

Jacob's 4 month appointment went very well and he handled his shots like a trooper. It also appears as though we may have dodged the "4 month wakeful" period because for the most part he is still sleeping through the night. He was 27 inches, 15lbs 8oz and his head was 17cm. We're in the market for 2 new car seats because the maximum height for the infant carrier is 29". The doctor said he is doing very well and we could start Jacob on cereal. We have decided or rather I decided that it is better to wait until 6 months when his digestive system has matured more. Brian was disappointed but I made some good points and Brian finally agreed.

The household has been sick for the last 2 weeks. Brian brought it home and passed it onto Jacob who then in turn gave it to me. I felt so bad for the poor baby, he couldn't breathe and really wasn't interested in eating much. I'm still fighting it and Jacob sounds mildly congested. He still isn't eating as well as he was before he got sick, but it's getting better.

Stay tuned for more pics and a mischievous video hahaha

Gotta get to that ball!!!

Finally caught Jacob on tape!! He's getting so big!

Enjoy!!

He thinks he's exhausted...yeah right!
First time in the high chair

Getting ready to PARTAYYYY on Superbowl Sunday! GO BILLS, Oh wait they didn't even make the playoffs......nevermind. LOL!

Me & my Grandpa

Happy Birthday Grandpa K!!!

My sweet baby

Crying over spilled milk

How does the saying go? Don't cry over spilled milk? Um, what about when you consider that milk to be liquid gold, can you cry over it then? Well I can actually say I've done it, not once but twice in the last 2 days.

My initial plans were to breastfeed. Due to jaundice we had to supplement in the hospital. Some babies have no problem switching from breast to bottle but Jacob wasn't one of them. Feedings were a nightmare between keeping him awake and getting him to stay latched on. So I started pumping.

Exclusively pumping is one of the hardest things I've ever done. I can't wait for the day I can stop. Every 3 hours, around the clock, I had to pump. In the beginning I was lucky if I got 2 oz total. Once I was done pumping, I had to store the milk, then hand wash the pump parts and put them away. When Jacob would wake up during the night, I would have to put his bottle on to warm, change his diaper, feed him, put him in his crib and then come back downstairs to pump. Now that Jacob sleeps through the night, I have dropped my middle of the night pump. It's a real PITA but it's worth it to me because I know Jacob is still able to get breast milk. We joke that the milk is liquid gold and that he has to finish every last drop in the bottle. None can be wasted.

Not long after I started pumping, I was able to start a freezer stash, I currently have close to 700 oz frozen. Right now I'm hoping to make it to 6 mos of actual pumping. My plan is to be able to have Jacob continue on breast milk until he is able to switch over to cow's milk. Because frozen milk is only good for so long, we had to start rotating the stash (which has taken over our chest freezer). Sunday I was in the garage organizing the milk when one of the bags tipped over and crashed to the floor. The sound was absolutely horrifying. There were bags everywhere. Frozen breast milk is very fragile. If you knock the bags around once frozen they have been known to leak upon thawing. Here's where I first cried over the "spilled milk". My hard work, all the time and energy I spent pumping, storing, freezing and I'll probably lose some of those precious ounces. Do you think I could be lucky enough that this particular bag was the next in line to be rotated? Nahhh! No such luck. This bag could have stayed frozen for another couple months. But I can't take the chance of it being freezer burned due to cracks in the bags so I have to use it now. I also have to hope I can get through this bag and the one I was supposed to have been using, so that bag doesn't go bad. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Today, Jacob woke up at 7 and we went through our usual routine. Then I came downstairs to pump. I decided to pump a little longer to see if I could get an extra ounce or two. My persistence paid off and I had 2 full bottles. I was in the kitchen transferring them to the storage bottles when I accidentally knocked one over. Arghhhhhhhhhh! The extra ounces I worked so hard to get are now lost all over the counter. C'mon can't I catch a little break? So here I am in the kitchen, cold and tired and crying over spilled liquid gold, ehh I mean milk.

I'm pregnant!!!!

Hee! Gotcha! One year ago today I found out I was pregnant. WOW! The year has flown by faster than I ever could have imagined. I miss being pregnant so much, in fact I can't wait to be pregnant again. Whoah huh? Just a few months ago I was done, never having any more kids. Now I'm ready for #2. But I'd like them to be at least 2 years apart. So maybe in another year. That gives me time to change my mind at least a few times ; ) I promise I'll try to get some pics up this week and the new video.

Let me see that tootsee roll!!

Yay!!!!!! Jacob rolled over this morning not once but TWICE! Of course you'd think I would have had the camera ready for the second time but I just sat here in awe. Brian was trying to hold on to him but he was squirming all over the place, so Brian put him on his belly and the next thing you know Jacob was on his back. I was like whaa?????? Brian picked him up and put him back down on his belly. Jacob didn't like that too much and within seconds was on his back again. The look on his face was priceless. Sort of dazed and confused, like whoahhh what just happened?

Jacob is able to hold on to things now. He especially likes mommy's hair. I didn't realize babies could be so strong. Not only is my hair falling out from hormones but also from Jacob pulling on it. I'm going to be bald before I reach 35. If the toy he's holding on to is light enough, he sometimes can give it a toss, though I doubt he realizes what he's doing.

He is sleeping through the night in his crib. He started sleeping through the night on Thanksgiving. We thought he was tuckered out from all the excitement of the day but then he did it again the next night and the next and the next. We broke down and put him in his crib Dec 30th. The only person who didn't sleep through the night was mommy. Even with the video monitor AND the sound monitor right next to my bed. Yup, I have to have 2 monitors on all night long, just in case one goes on the fritz, then I've got a back up. You'd think his room was on the other side of the county. Nope, his room and our room share a wall. When he cries I hear it in stereo.

Other news: I have made my goal of pumping breast milk for 3 months, new goal is to make it to 6 months. My supply is still going strong and Jacob is now eating 5oz every 3-4 hours (except overnight), he's in size 2 diapers (he wears those for Dad at night and on the weekends, Mom uses cloth during the day). He's almost outgrown his 3 mos pj's. We suspect Jacob is in the early stages of teething the way he chews on everything in sight and bathes himself in drool. The other day we saw real tears for the first time. Out of the blue he started crying, I'm talking red faced, howling, eyes welling up with tears crying. We're not sure what happened and as quickly as it started, it was over.

Stay tuned we have another video coming. I just have to decide which one I want to add, we have so many now. Hopefully I can catch him rolling too!

There goes my life.....

I never thought I had what it took to be a mother. Brian and I decided to leave it in God's hands and we knew that he wouldn't steer us in the wrong direction. A year later we were blessed with a beautiful little boy. But I still wasn't sure I was ready. There goes my life. No more sleeping in late on Saturday mornings. We can't just jump in the car to go grab a bite to eat. I can't even do something as simple as taking a quick shower without it being carefully planned out in advance. My selfishness and ever changing hormones made it extremely hard to adjust.

I watched Jacob tonight while he was sleeping and it breaks my heart to remember just how difficult it was in the beginning. My eyes welled up with tears thinking of the seconds, minutes and hours I lost with him. In reality it probably doesn't add up to much, but it feels like a lot to me. I don't think there is anything in my life that I regret more.

I love to stare into his angelic blue eyes, watching his different expressions and seeing his toothless smile. I love to blow gentle puffs of air into his face and listen to him laugh. His giggles are the best sound ever. He's adorable when he's tired and shakes his head from side to side before giving in to the nap that only his parents long for. In the morning, after opening the shades, I walk over to his crib and peer in. His face instantly lights up and he flashes me this huge smile. This is how it's supposed to be.


Brian has given Jacob his last bottle for the evening and as he carries him up the stairs to his bedroom I watch and think there goes my life. =)

Ta Da..the long awaited video

Scroll down to the bottom of the page and hit the pause button on the music player to be able to hear the video without the song playing. =)

Recliners and Horses and Bears...OH MY!