Happy Father's Day

We had a wonderful Father's Day today. We woke up and headed to church and then went down to the Baltimore City farmers market. Jacob had a great time looking at all the characters at the market and checking out the scene. He also loved eating donuts with Andrew, trying kettle corn, and drinking some of Andrew's smoothie. I think Andrew had a great time sharing everything with him too. After we got home from the market we all relaxed for a little while. Then, Jacob and Andrew wrestled on the floor (one of Jacob's favorite thing to do) and watched golf. Of course, Jacob kept saying, "ball, ball, ball" I think Jacob needs to learn some new words :)


Tonight we had steaks for dinner and then we took Jacob for a walk in his wagon. Andrew said he did everything he wanted for Father's Day. I'm so glad that he had a nice day and felt loved.


We love our daddy Andrew! He takes wonderful care of us. :)

Busy, Busy

Well...as you can see I have not posted in over a month. I am not very good at this blog thing but I promise I will try to get better.

Lately we have been very busy. February through May, I was taking a class to sit for my Human Resources Certification and in May I sat for the test. I PASSED!!! WOO HOO. I am now a PHR. I also started a new job last week. I am now the HR manager at an all girls school, Garrison Forest. So far, so good. I am training with the girl I am replacing until the end of the months so it has not been too stressful to this point. Today we actually got out at 12pm because of graduation :).

Andrew and I have also been busy keeping up after a very busy little boy. Jacob is really crawling now and really knows what he wants. He is "talking" a lot and wants to know the words to everything. He really tries to say the words but it is hard for him to make all the sounds. His favorite word and word for anything he doesn't know is "ball". We got a little basketball hoop that suctions onto the oven and he loves to put the balls in the basket.

This week Andrew taught Jacob to put his sippy cup onto the table. He was always throwing his cup on the floor and then the water or milk would go flying. Now, every time he puts his cup on the table he looks at us and waits for us to clap and make a big deal out of his new trick. I hope when he is 18 we are still not having to cheer him on for putting his cup on the table. LOL

What does Jacob love to do now.....follow after his daddy, be outside, ride in his wagon, and swing in his swing. He loves to snuggle, be hugged, sit on your lap, and read books at bathtime. He still LOVES to eat and really wants to eat everything by himself. The one thing Jacob is not doing is walking. He stands, he'll walk with you holding his hands, he'll climb up all the stairs in the house, but he will not walk. I am not complaining....but I am because the kid is heavy. I am a little tired of carrying around almost 30 lbs all the time.

Jacob is turning out to be just the cutest and chubbiest little guy. His hair is growing and growing. Every morning he wakes up with bed head that I cannot seem to lay flat. On Saturday he had Dennis the Menice hair with a little piece sticking up in the back that would not lay flat. It was super cute. I think I might let his hair grow out to his shoulders. What do you think?

To our son on his 1st birthday

Jacob,

Today is your first birthday and your father and I cannot believe this year has gone by so quickly. I can't help but think back (with tears in my eyes) to this day last year when I sent an email to your Aunt Rachel, got up and went to the bathroom, and on the way there my water broke. I can't help but think how scared but how excited I was to meet you. Now, here you are, 1 year old and the most beautiful baby boy I know. I can't express how completely in love I am with you and the joy you have brought to me and your father.

You make us laugh every day. You have your fathers laid back personality and go with the flow attitude. It takes you a while to fall asleep and you always fight your tired eyes but when you finally get to sleep you snore and are out like a light, just like your dad. You have my attitude. You will sit in your high chair, look right at me with a hand full of food, drop it on the floor, and laugh in my face because you know you aren't supposed to do it. I try so hard not to laugh because I know it only encourages you, but I love that you have your opinions and stick to your guns when you don't want to do something. You will yell back at us when we tell you "no" and to not do something (like open the entertainment center doors). You are a ham at the snack table at daycare. You scream, carry on, throw your cup, and make noises and everyone always thinks its a hoot.

You can say dad-da, ball, all done, dog, and uh-oh. You can throw a ball, wave bye bye, play patty cake, give high fives, put a ball in the basketball hoop, and love peek a boo. You love your dad, any toy that makes music or noise when you shake it, your bath, fruit (especially strawberries and grapes), balls and to play basketball, and to be outside. You can't walk but I think you would love to be able to run. You always want to be with your dad but sometimes it is hard for you to keep up or understand why you can't always go with him. You have the pudgiest thighs and chubbiest cheeks that I could kiss for hours if you would let me.

Jacob, you are the best thing in our lives. We love you to the moon and back. This past year has been tiring, stressful, aggravating (b/c you seem to be sick all the time), but so rewarding, filled with love, laughter, joy, and some of the best memories we could have ever hoped to have.

We are so glad that God gave us you and that you are a beautiful, healthy, and loving boy.

Happy 1st Birthday!

Love,
Mom and Dad

Stats:
- Left ear; ear infection
- 28 lbs
- 32 in long

VERY BUSY

I have been very busy over the last few months and I don't see an end in site. I started taking a class on Saturday mornings in February and the reading for the class has bogged me down every night.

Jacob has also been a very busy boy and really cruising around the townhouse. He loves to pull himself up on the trash can and push is across the kitchen floor. Andrew and I have really been enjoying the past few months with him as he has started to say more, point to what he wants, and cruise around on furniture.

Last Thursday, we went to a consultation with and ear, nose, and throat doctor for tubes and we decided to get tubes put in his ears. The doctor had an opening on Friday so we scheduled the appointment. Friday morning at 6:30 we headed over to get the tubes and Jacob did very well. He was pretty mad when he woke up but he calmed down after 45 minutes or so. The rest of the day he was up to his old tricks and played with his cousins at grandmas. Hopefully we can say goodbye to the ear infections or at least antibiotics.

We had a very nice Easter weekend and enjoyed spending time with family. I think Jacob's favorite part of the weekend was crawling around after his cousin Garrett and being a big ham at the kitchen table at my parents. My little sister took some really cute shots of Jacob on Friday in his Easter outfit that my mom made. What a cutie!!

10 months

Jacob turned 10 months old on March 5th and I cannot believe we are only 2 months away from 1. Jacob had another rough spell with being sick last week but I think (knock on wood) we have gotten over the hump. Hopefully the weather will stay nice and the germs will go away. We really enjoyed the nice weather over the weekend and this week. Jacob and I took a few walks the past few days in his new jogging stroller. On Saturday it was so sunny that I made him wear his sun hat (see below :)

At 10 months Jacob is:
- pulling up on everything and starting to cruise around the couch and furniture
- added some vocabulary and screams and yells in delight
- kicks in the bathtub when you say "kick, kick, kick"
- Claps his hands
- Wave bye and hi
- Eats solids like grilled cheese, pizza, hot dogs, peaches, pears, oranges.
- Loves to knock down towers, play peek a boo, and play with this car on the floor.

I just love this little guy so much.

Sick Week

Jacob sitting on the bathroom floor with a steam shower running.

Over the last week Jacob has been home and very sick. The poor guy came home on Valentine's Day with a fever and was having a hard time breathing. Andrew took him to the doctor on Tuesday morning and he was given an inhaler and orders to stay home for the week. Since Andrew and I both work, we were not happy that Jacob had to stay home for the week, but we also felt bad he was so sick. Andrew and I took shifts during the week and it worked out well for the both of us. Andrew would take the morning shift at home and then I would come home at lunch and take the afternoon shift. On Friday, I took the whole day off because Andrew had a "meeting" to attend. He did come home at lunch and said, "Jacob, next week you have to go to daycare because my house can't take anymore." LOL Andrew came home to toys strewn all over the kitchen and a basement that looked like a toy bomb went off. What are you going to do when the kid is into everything?

Friday afternoon Andrew's parents came down to watch Jacob for us and allow us to have a night out on the town. We went down to Federal Hill and celebrated Gui's 29th birthday. Andrew and I had a wonderful time going out with friends and got home around midnight. At 1:30am Jacob decided he didn't like that we had a night of fun without him so he got up and stayed up until 3:30! UHHGGG (Jacob, if you are reading this we learned our lesson and won't have fun without you again :))

Saturday we went shopping and had lunch with Andrew's parents. Grandma and Grandpa bought Jacob his first sneakers and they are adorable. He looks so cute in them! Now that I know his shoe size our bank account may have a baby boy shoe shopping problem.

On Monday, Jacob headed back to daycare and he seems to be on the mend for the most part. He still has a cough and coughs sporadically throughout the night, but I'm hoping he will soon be healed for good.

Andrew and I both really enjoyed our time home with Jacob, but working and having a kid is really hard to manage. Most of the time I feel like I'm losing my mind and have a list a mile long of things that need to be done. Even though working, having a husband, and child is hard, I do enjoy having a life outside of being a mom.


Don't you love the track suit and new shoes :)









Jacob with his cousin Garrett.

9 months and cousins

On Friday Jacob had his 9 month appointment. He weighed in at 24 lbs. 12 oz and is 30 in. tall. He is the 95% in all categories. When the doctor checked his ears he had a double ear infection so he was put on some antibiotics. He seems to be in better spirits today. At 9 months Jacob is crawling, pulling up on tables and chairs, "talking" to us a lot, eating table food, and starting to drink out of a sippy cup. Tomorrow he gets moved into the next room up at daycare. He will be the youngest in the new class so I'm sure he will be learning all new tricks pretty soon.

Yesterday we traveled up to PA to visit with the Davis Party of 4. Jacob had a wonderful time watching his big cousin Charlotte jump around, scream, sing songs, dance, and entertain him the entire afternoon. He laughed as she screamed down the hallway, crawled to balls she would roll around for him to get, and happily ate the dinner she nicely fed to him. Charlotte even gave up her special seat (her highchair) so Jacob could sit in it at dinner. I loved watching the two of them get along so well and can only imagine what will happen when Jacob and Max can walk and run around after Charlotte. Jacob had a good visit with Max too. He only tried to poke him in the eye one time. I love that Jacob has cousins so close in age with him I just wish they didn't live so far away.