MAY days

May! Seriously? Unbelievable. If I ever suspected that this would be a busy stage of life, I was right. Wow :) Don't get me wrong.. I could totally make time to blog. Totally. Right in between painting my toenails and all my soaps.. But I don't ;)

Emily is ecstatic about her upcoming birthday, and I am excited too! Jakob is definitely in the throes of mini-toddler, and he does keep me hopping. Elyse seems bigger and bigger to me all the time. Wow. Here are some pictures of what we have been up to- when it's not raining, that is.. Hope your May days are as lovely!

Sunny Days

Apparently, we don't believe in SPRING around here. It's already hot, and the only upsides are lots of time outdoors and good water bottles. Oh, and cute baby legs... And ice cream ;)

Happy springishness!

Happy Birthday, Jakob!

One year from THIS

to THIS.

Amazing.  What a precious year.  I've had this feeling since the day I entered the hospital a year ago - I just knew he'd make our family feel even more complete.  He did.  What a precious gift from GOD!  If you need to read the birth story for posterity's sake, you can do so here.  Not everyone all at once, please :)  It's been a wonderful year - despite the exhaustion of baby #3, sleepless nights here and there while we toyed with a dairy-free diet for mommy and baby, cutting 8 vicious teeth, ...  not one of those things really matters when you look at a little boy that just turns on the charm at whim.  Who is he like?  Good question.  He's spunky and goofy (perhaps a bit more like Mommy's side), yet chill and focused - determined and tough (surely Daddy's side :)  I can't wait to watch him grow and develop.  He holds his own quite well for being "little bro" around here - tolerates the girls dragging him around the house to "reposition" him after he's been caught digging in their special toys... he doesn't mind crawling around in rocks - wearing shorts no less - (can you tell I'm used to raising two girls??) - and I love how tough he is.  As tough as he is, though, he is by far my most snuggly kid.  He loves to sit and cuddle - play with my face or ears and chant "mama' like it's going out of style. YES, I cherish every moment.  Not wasting this precious time of life.

Jake is about to transition from cat-food-smelling formula to almond milk, so we'll see how it goes.  He has no problem with peanut butter or eggs, thankfully, so we'll probably be introducing some cheese or yogurt soon to see how it goes.  Either way, I'm ready to be done with the $27 cans of formula that buy us a week of nutrition...  He has started to thumb his nose at some of his old favorite foods, but he is definitely still an eater.  He still loves bananas and sweet potatoes, and fruit is always a hit.  He loves broccoli, but shies away from breads most of the time.  Now HATES avocado.  Bummer.  Anyway, he's the messiest kid, but I'm glad to watch him get what he needs.

He's getting chatty- his vocab isn't that much different from last post - "buh-bye" with a wave, sometimes a "ya" with a wave for 'HI' - "mama" and "dada" - "nana" for anything he wants to be a banana ;) - "nigh nigh" with a wave at bedtime.. pretty fun.  I love that he's trying to converse with us.  It's so fun.

He's cruising like a camero - he can stand by himself for a few seconds at a time, but then giggles and plops down like it's a game.  He loves to cover his eyes and play peek a boo - and he BEGS to be tickled!  I love to oblige...  His favorite is still digging in the plants and pushing buttons of all kinds. He gravitates toward electronics like a bee to honey.  He loves to eat off the floor and be near his sisters.  He occasionally tries to eat rocks, but he's figuring that one out!

Jakob sleeps about 12.5 hours at night with rarely an interruption (YES!!!) and sleeps about 1.5 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon.  He is on an antibiotic for a case of strep throat, so technically he is sick on his birthday.  I guess I will have to spoil him a bit. Oh, well! :)  We transitioned him right to a sippy cup, so I don't feel that "milestone" that I did with the girls when they turned one.  Half of my worries were wrapped up around what they would do when I got rid of the bottle!

Here are some of my one year notes :)

fun's:

* LOVE coming to get him in the morning!  He's standing like a little jailbird just giddy to see someone.  Yesterday he got so excited that he head-butted his railing and split his lip a little... oops.  I am THAT cool to him that he beats himself up just to see me.
* I love watching his various facial expressions.  Lately he has been sporting this little smirk that just about takes the cake.  He's crazy.
* He does a little engine sound with his mouth that reminds me of what my brother used to do as a baby.  So funny!
* He loves to bury his head into my stomach.  Weird, I know, but funny!
* He's so adventurous.  He pushed a box over to his dresser last night just so he could stand up on it.  The smug look on his face was awesome.
* I love that we're able to give him foods that aren't super soft- he does ok with apple slices now and some crispier foods as long as I'm watching him like a hawk.  He still has just his 8 teeth- all in the front- but it's surely going to be time for molars soon.
* He loves to crawl into my lap.
* Did I mention I'm DONE with cloth diapering?  And NOT because he's potty trained.
* He's learning to give kisses :)
* The look when he's caught red-handed= pretty adorable ;)

not-so-fun's:

* This kid is a food "dropper" now.  No more throwing food- just casually, innocently plopping it onto the floor.  He must just be crying out for quality time from his parents, right?
* He just started screeching when he's impatient.  I'm very sad about this.
* The reason I'm done cloth diapering.  That's a not-so-fun for sure.
* His consistent injuries.  Geesh.
* The last month or so, Jakob's been up just whimpering in the night - maybe once a week?  I tried everything from letting him go to checking his diaper... FINALLY figured out the link to him not eating a big dinner and the midnight whining.  I can't believe it took me so long, but after I figured it out, a banana solved the problem and he went right back to sleep.  This midnight snack had better not haunt us!
* He is into everything.  It's not a bad thing, but it does keep life busy.  When I just make myself sit and play with him, it's much easier :)
* It's so bitter-sweet watching him turn one.  I love this boy, and I know I'll always "miss" the baby in him.  He will always be my baby, I'm sure, and I treasure every day with him!

Jakob Henry, you are definitely our child.  For better or worse, we are seeing so much of US in YOU!  You brighten every day with your sweet personality and your goofy antics.  We can't wait to see God use you as you come to know him.  You have a wonderful heritage of men who follow God, and we trust that someday that will impact you deeply.  Happy birthday to you, buddy!

In my wildest imagination...

... I would have never thought that THIS is what I would want to report. Don't get me wrong - it's not that I'm embarrassed or ashamed that this is my blog post. It's just funny. I genuinely find a lot of joy in knowing that these little things make my days so special. I could entertain you greatly with the stories of what colors we painted our walls, or what errands we've been running... or the awesome conversations Jordan and I have had during quiet moments when the kids are playing or sleeping. I could tell you awesome stories of how God has provided for us these last three months (and perhaps I should?) above and beyond what I could have expected. Yet, tonight, my "pick" for blog post is funny things my kids say and do. Okay, even WORSE, funny to me. So, here they are. Someday I know I will care about them far more than what we painted our living room or what we ate for dinner... right? :)

* tonight as Daddy finished up a story for the kids, Elyse asked if he would ever get younger. His reply was, "no, I'm going to just get older and more gray." To which Elyse replied, "Old and gray? I thought you would get pink and sparkly?" Serious conversations are hard to come by.

* Jakob has some serious vices. One is the big plant. The ONE big plant I just had to buy as he learns to cruise around. Yep, he loves playing in and eating the dirt. Just when we go DAYS without an offense, he will pull a good one. Today he was stuffing the dirt in his mouth and gagging on it. I probably swept up at least a cup of dirt (cup o' dirt for you humorous readers). I would like to think that he got his own punishment for that one, but I highly doubt that plant has lost its appeal.

* Speaking of Jake, he gets hurt ALL THE TIME. Poor kid has had a bloody lip at least three times this week. Today he totally nose-dived out of his highchair (Yes, he was completely buckled in??) and was instantly distracted by pasta. He seems to handle pain quite well. Should I be proud? Probably not. That quality keeps him heading to the plant for more.

* Emily. Where do I start? The moment she wakes up in the morning, she is thinking about wearing "Leggins." No joke. Don't mess with her leggings! She despises wearing jeans, and she will make you suffer when she has to wear them. That's my girl: loves comfort over style ;)

* I love that Emily will almost always pick fruit over any other food in the world. Candy, cookies, you name it- she wants fruit. I also love that she says "mine eyes" or "mine hair"... A few weeks ago, we were singing Em's favorite song (at the time) "Zacchaeus" when Elyse asked an out-of-the-blue question about why the Jews put a crown on Jesus' head. Thinking this was a great time for a great lesson, Jordan answered the question only to have Em's follow-up question go like this: "Did Jesus go to Zacchaeus' house to play dress up with the crown?"

* Elyse is obviously in love with pink. I showed her the pink sky outside her window one morning, and her comment was, "Oh, Mommy... I wish my tongue was always that color!"

* Jakob is VERY close to standing by himself these days. He chickens out pretty easily, but it's fun to watch him flirt with danger... He is jabbering all the time, and since I didn't manage to get an 11 month post out for him, I guess I can tell you his AMAZING new tricks right here :) He now says "nigh-ni!" and waves when he goes to bed, signs "all done", says "yeah" when prompted once in a while, "na-na" when he wants a banana, "ma-ma" when he wants me :) He's pretty awesome. He also raises his arms for "so big!" He likes to pull that one out when he knows I have to change a horrible diaper. AND, I can't believe I can still get excited about these tricks third time around! I love him.

* Elyse was playing with duplo blocks at her cousins' house a while back... Aunt B and Uncle S asked her what she made, and apparently her response was that she made some amazing dessert creation that also had "A little itty bitty bit of popsicle juice" in it :)

* Speaking of her sweet tooth, she was thrilled that I made a cake for our time with our community group... she said with a huge hug, "Mom, you make the best cakes EVER..." but as she turned and walked away, she muttered, "even if you make the yuckiest dinners ever..." I know, I'm appalled. :)

* Emily went to the church building early with Jordan a few weeks ago, and as soon as she entered the front door, she looked up at him and said, "Hey! Now you're Pastor Jordan!"

* Elyse was admiring a picture in a book, and she said, "Mom, that purple house is a million of prettiness!"

* She was lecturing Emily on how to take care of her crayons and said, "You see, Emily Mae, if you break them, they will DIE. You don't want that to happen, do you?"

* Emily asked Elyse if Jesus ever had to go potty. Elyse answered, "No, Jesus doesn't go potty. There's no bathroom in heaven!"

Oh, these kids crack me up. Some of my favorite moments are hearing Elyse and Emily as they have little conversations about life. Elyse obviously picks up from my "matter-of-factness" when it comes to stuff, and she will quickly put Em in her place :) It's funny and convicting at the same time. The joy these kids bring me is pretty much one of the best things ever. As crazy as the days are, every second is worth it. Jordan and I have said so many times lately that we are so blessed with these precious people. I hope we never tire of thanking God for them!

(Okay, since I can't seem to put captions on these pictures, the drawings are Elyse's and Emily's (respectively) pictures of Cinderella and the prince. I also love the one of Jakob throwing out the vibe...)

Eleven

Happy eleven months, baby boy! I promise to revisit this post and update soon, but it's best I post this sweet picture of you today. I love you, Jakob!

T-t-t-t-t-TEN MONTHS

Sweet Jakob. Yes, I am going to go there- this month disappeared. This was a pretty good month, though. This kid keeps getting more fun! Jakob is keeping us entertained with his funny faces, cute expressions, goofy noises, HEARTY APPETITE, ... Yep, he's a funny kid.

Jakob is hungry a-L-o-T. I know I heard it a dozen times: watch out. He's a boy. Yep. There are days that I'm pretty sure he has eaten more than I have. He is very easy to please... Only plain Cheerios make his dislike list. (I can see why :) Just about everything else is fair game. His favorites are raisins, graham crackers, bananas, pears, carrots, and spaghetti. I might not have mentioned this yet, but he knows how to make a royal mess as well.

This guy is officially crawling now (as of last week), and I don't see his inchworm crawl much anymore. He's still very deliberate with his moves, but it's adorable. He is into everything. He's not quick enough to be dangerous, but I'm sure it's only a matter of days. I must say, his playtime is still quite simple. He will contentedly examine some toys, laugh to himself, crawl to another toy.. repeat... It's amusing to all of us. He is just starting to put things in his mouth that he finds on the floor. I spend most of my day sweeping, obviously. Jakob started pulling up a week or two ago, and I have a feeling he's going to start cruising around soon. He already seems like he wants to go! He is very determined as he plays, and I love to see that.

He loves to jabber, though he doesn't seem as vocal as the girls were at this age. He says "na-na" all the time now. "dada" is still a favorite, I've heard a few "ba-ba"'s, and I dream of a "mama" every now and then! He's precious. He jabbers with a little flirty smile, to boot. I like to think he's mama's little guy, but he is pretty fond of his daddy, too.

At 9.5 months, Jake was 19lbs 15oz (55%), 28" long (19%), and his noggin made it into the 95th percentile :) He's got just enough pudge to squeeze, and I'm worried he will start thinning out now that he's getting more adventurous! This probably goes without saying, but Jake just loves his sisters. They are getting better at playing together all the time! Jakob knows how to belly laugh with them, concentrate with them, and he does it all with a puddle of drool and lots of patience. I cherish these days. I will always enjoy the memories of them playing this way!

As for sleep, well, it could be worse. He is pretty consistent about sleeping from 6:30 - 7am with one party in there somewhere. Usually it's at about 10, and most of the time, he just needs a little hug before going back to sleep. I hope we're over this hump soon! I am pleased with how far he has come, though. We definitely had a few rough months! His morning nap is about 1.5 hours, and his afternoon nap is over 2 hours on a good day. We're *almost* officially done with his evening catnap.

Here are my notes for this month:

fun's:

* Love the little squeals he makes while he plays and crawls around. His little high pitched voice cracks us up!
* He has awesome chubby knees and arms.
* I can't quit kissing his cheeks. He still enjoys letting me rock him, and he will usually let me kiss all over his forehead and cheeks as I do. Yes, I take advantage of it.
* He's pretty good at shoveling food in his mouth, and I do enjoy watching him chew and shovel in more without missing a beat. Some would deem it gross, but after dealing with two semi-picky toddlers, it's REFRESHING!
* He goes giddy when he hears the bathwater running. He could play in the bathtub all day. He loves to crawl around and splash... it's so fun!
* His hair is growing very fair. I'm not sure it will ever be light enough to call blonde, but it's definitely light.

not-so-fun's:

* Jake is starting to get more clingy to mama. I am secretly flattered (OF COURSE), but I do find it challenging to leave him sometimes :(
* He laughs when I try to keep him from touching outlets. As of now, this is his only vice :) Um, mommy is going to win this one, son.
* 8 teeth now, and he's good at biting. 'Nuf said.
* He slaps and hits everything. Holding him is an adventure at times.
* He LOVES to pull hair. Elyse's especially.
* It's hard to watch him get so big- even looking at him as he sleeps reminds me of the little squirt he used to be. *sigh*

I think the highlight of this month with Jakob was introducing him to his namesake, Jordan's Grandpop, Henry. Jakob Henry seemed to love him, and the time we were able to spend with them was wonderful. Grandpop has a fascinating story, and we were especially interested to hear that the name "Jakobus" came up somewhere in that story. It's too long to type out, but I'm excited to tell Jakob someday about his amazing heritage.

We love you, Jakob! You are only 2 months away from the big year old celebration, but we have been celebrating for 10 months... You're such a sweet boy.

9 months

Yes, I am trying to catch up from a whirlwind month! Jakob turned 9 months on the 3rd, and I know this will be outdated in two weeks :) He sure is a funny little guy. He started the new year off with a bang, for sure! Apparently, our trip to Indiana and our weeks of packing and unpacking did a number on him, and he spent about two weeks exhibiting newborn night-sleeping patterns. Fun times. Now that we are beyond that, I can appreciate a bit more Jake's appreciation for routine and schedule :) After all, he didn't have it when he was a little baby. Look what I did to him...

Most people seem to notice his resemblance to Emily immediately. Though I can definitely see it at times, to me he is quite a mix. His hair is getting curlier in the back (and he still has his curl on the top of his head), so he might favor Elyse in that department. He is a big kiddo- we'll see how big on Friday- and I suspect him weighing about 21 lbs. We'll see. He's not as big as he could be, though, for which I am immensely thankful. My back is trying to wave the white flag as it is!

SPEAKING OF MOBILITY, Jakob is still getting around. Formal crawling does not seem to be his thing, so I will enjoy the inchworm while it lasts. He was such a proud boy last month when he put himself into a sitting position all by himself, and now he gets around the room and sits wherever he pleases, thank you very much! It's pretty cute. Babies always have such great posture! How do we ruin it?!? He is trying to pull up, but as of yet he hasn't had any success. He loves to chase the girls (and their toys!) around, much to their dismay. He giggles and makes a little motoring sound as he gets around. It's awesome.

Jakob loves making loud noises. Did I mention he is a boy? Yep. He is determined to bang his toys on the floor, and he winces with every blow. Does it make him stop? No. His hands smack his high chair tray from the moment I snap it on. Add finger food, and you have a really nice display of manners.

Jakob is officially eating table food. Hallelujah!! I am so happy! I am having to be a little more creative with his diet while he is dairy-free. I forgot how easy it was to put cheese on a baby's tray! He loves finger-food, and the slow-at-times process doesn't seem to discourage him as much anymore. He is a little piggy, though, and he is definitely eating a "share" of our meal plans now.

He is also getting more verbal - as in noise-making. He love to make ALL KINDS of noises. His favorite is clicking his tongue and saying "da-da-da-da" over and over. He laughs whenever I prompt him to say "mama" :) Why?!? Squealing and fake-laughing are heard often, and I love his chatter. Here are some of my fun's and not-so-fun's for this age:

fun's:

* I cannot get over the cottage cheese-y legs! They kill me. Those and the tummy/arm rolls. AAH!!!
* He has a cute little toothy smile - all seven of those pearly whites make one cute grin!
* He wants me to hold him (you know- the let-me-go-and-give-me-to-mommy stretch? Yeah..)
* He loves peek-a-boo and tickles
* He adores Daddy!! (and that makes four of us...)
* He doesn't mind car rides or errands.
* Jakob loves naps and his little bear blanket - together, that is :)
* I still catch him sucking his index finger every so often. It's pretty stinkin' cute!
* He claps like a champ, and he's learning to wave and poke our eyes (okay, the last one should be below.).
* He still smells like a newborn after his bath. I don't know what magic is in the smell of clean babies, but it's powerful :) It makes you forgive every stinky moment of the day!

not-so-fun:

* temper, temper, temper! Boy, he has one.
* winter coats + carseats = Mommy's need for quiet time later in the day
* mr-arch-his-back comes more often these days. Not cool.
* He really wants to hit me sometimes. I can feel it! :) No, really, he does slap my face and startle me with his strength. Oh dear.
* He still pulls the before 6am thing once or twice a week. *sigh*
* He is definitely more interested in chewing on books than reading them. Not shocking, but I do happen to have two girls that DON'T chew on books and that actually like to read. Together. As a family.
* Jakob LOVES Puffs. He loves them so much, he practically throws a fit when he can't have more. Needless to say, I should remove them entirely from his diet (and probably not for that reason alone?!?).
* Seeing him move into 12 month clothing is startling. Slow down little guy!

I love you, Jakob Henry! You bring me smiles with your baby blues and your squinty snorts :)