15 Month Well Baby Visit

The 15-month well baby visit is the first dr. appointment that Amy has not been to. It was very trying for her not to be there, but took in stride as she sent me to the dr. with her own laundry list of questions.

Everything went well with the doctor this time. Jacob weighed in at 22 pounds, 1 ounce (22nd - 23rd percentile) and 32 inches (75th percentile). We noticed that Jacob seemed to be having some growth spurts, but when you see him every day, you just don't really know if you are just thinking you are seeing the growth before your eyes or not. He went from the 50th to the 75th percentile in the past three months. He is similar (very slightly lower) in the weight category.

The doctor noticed Jacob's skin and how good it is now looking. We haven't been struggling near as much with it. Hopefully, it will continue to stay as good as it has been and get even better. With the winter dryness upon us, we will just have to wait and see. Jacob still isn't saying words consistently, but the doctor was not concerned with this. She isn't concerned because Jacob is definitely jibber jabbering and talking to us without saying anything and is saying words on occasion clearly and he knows what he is saying. He has pointed to Frankie as she was walking by and said doggy, says mommy and daddy on occasion, etc. We are working through trying to get Jacob off of baby food and onto non-baby food on a regular basis. There still is no concern, but something that we just need to keep working at.

Jacob was only scheduled to get one shot at this appointment, but the next one would have three. So, the doctor offered to move one of the shots ahead that she thought would be okay. I jumped at the chance to spread them out and also help out Jacob's mommy if she would be at the next appointment. It would save her from seeing at least one shot. I'm not sure Jacob was so pleased though, but he once again took them in stride for the most part...

Jacob is a healthy, active baby boy!!!

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas from all of us to all of you. May you have a safe and happy Christmas with lots of love and family.

Jacob Goes Swimming

Jacob's cousin Sydney turned 10 and had a pool/basketball party for her birthday. We took Jacob's suit and Amy packed dad's too, jut in case he would want to go. We figured that he would, but without a nap and the fact we had another party to go to after, we weren't sure whether we should or not.

Well, Jacob won and got to go in the pool. He had a blast!! It was sometimes difficult though to know whether he or his dad was having more fun.

Jacob Goes To School

After finding out that Amy has a new job, the wheels started rolling trying to find suitable daycare for Jacob. There are many, many locations relatively close for daycare, but wouldn't you know it, many, well all that we called were full. We found this to be a little interesting considering the way the economy is. Our first choice was booked until at least March, so we had to broaden the horizons.

After calling around, we made an appointment with a facility that is kind of on the way to Amy's new job and kinda on the way home for me. We ventured out in the snow storm that we had to check this place out. After all, we didn't really have a choice if we were to both check it out and also to make a quick decision. We ended up spending well over an hour checking out all of the rooms and also letting Jacob play in the room that he would be in, if we were to decide on this "school". There are different rooms for different ages as they accommodate a large range of ages. They offer care for children from 4 weeks to 12 years of age and also has a pre-school integrated into it. The highlights for Jacob during the tour were pushing around the horses (toy, of course), sitting at the piano (we couldn't believe the huge smile he had since he has the opportunity to play hear whenever he wants) and I think it's called a crazy car. He was not happy when daddy had to take him out... We took some information with us as we needed to decide whether it was worth it or not to continue looking. This place was definitely a nice place with a lot to offer, but it was a little more expensive than a few others. However, it also includes diapers, wipes, hot lunch and three snacks a day.

So, we ventured back out into the 10 inches of snow or so by this point and ran some errands. On the way home, as we were passing back by the facility, we decided to make it official and enroll Jacob. A quick run home to get the checkbook (and let Jacob take a little more of a nap) and we went back and enrolled Jacob. Jacob will start "school" on January 5th!!! We are calling it school to 1) make it easier on Amy to think that he is going to school and not just having some one else take care of him and 2) it really is much more like a school than it is a daycare.

Jacob and I, at least, and possibly mommy too will be venturing back during the holidays so that Jacob can meet his teachers again along with his fellow classmates. He may have met most, if not all of them already, but they didn't really get much of a chance to play. With the weather and the holidays, the facility isn't as full as it normally is as parents are going on vacations, etc.

Amy Lands A Job!!

Amy interviewed with a temp agency last week to help with the job search opportunities. The interview went went, but it didn't sound like there would really be anything until after the first of the year. With the economy the way it is along with the end of the year around the corner, many companies froze the positions that were open. So, we basically figured we would have plenty of time to spend together as a family during the holidays without either one of us working.

So, the temp agency called yesterday about an opportunity and noted they were interviewing today and tomorrow. Amy made an appointment for an interview at 9 am this morning. Amy's interview started at 9 and at 9:03, she was told that she had the job and the manager wanted to take her around to meet a few people and was asked if she could start tomorrow. Amy was taken back a bit because it all happened so quickly and accepted the offer without talking to her family. She did say that she would start on Monday though because we needed to find daycare for Jacob...

Amy has accepted a job with a commercial construction company as their receptionist. She is definitely overqualified for the position and both the temp agency and the hiring manager both noted this. However, it should be relatively stress-free opportunity and given the times (looking for a job for over four months), it will definitely be something good for us both emotionally and economically. The hiring manager has also already told Amy that she plans to hire her direct as soon as the required time is over for the temp agency. We don't know how this will affect things, but we are assuming it will be for the better.

Amy, Jacob and I have an interview set up with a daycare facility for Jacob tomorrow. Since I had today and tomorrow off, it works out well. We are hoping to be able to find one or two more to check out, but with the snow supposedly on its way (schools being closed and the snow isn't to start for another few hours...) and lack of availability in the area (so, we have found out), we might get kinda stuck. The daycare we are checking out is sort of on the way to Amy's new job and is kinda on the way home for me, so if we like it, it might just be a slam dunk easy decision to make.

The transition from being a stay-at-home mom for almost a year and a half back into the work force is definitely going to be a challenge for both Amy and Jacob. There is definitely going to be a need for both to adjust. Fortunately, Amy will be working a few days before I need to head back to work and before the daycare will start. Jacob and I will definitely have to go and take Amy out for lunch at least one day to help the transition out.

CONGRATULATIONS AMY!!!

Jacob Gets Tooth!

Where o' where are Jacob's other teeth? Well, we found one more. It is now officially through. It has been about 5 or 6 months since there has been any new activity poking through. We were wondering if and when he would ever get any more. The latest protrusion is on his bottom left, making a total of 3 on the bottom and the 4 on top. Stay tuned because the first 6 came through within a couple of weeks...

More Personality All The Time!

Jacob is developing his own personality more and more each day. This weekend, while out Christmas shopping, I was able to see first hand the stories of Meijer that I have been hearing about so much from Amy. I don't what it is about Meijer specifically, but Jacob is not afraid of being a flirt there. He's not really afraid to flirt anywhere, but Meijer seems to be number one for now.

Jacob flirted while traveling around the store in a cart, but nothing like while waiting in line. It didn't take long for him to really pour on the charm to have the cashier and the two ladies in front of us smiling and cracking up with his flirting. It was definitely contagious because by the time we got checked out and ready to leave, I took a peek around and the two or three lines on either side of us were checking Jacob out with giggles and smiles. He definitely is getting his lack of shyness from... who else... but his mother... :D!

We ventured into another store and Jacob was getting pretty restless because I was holding him for so long while there. While Amy was in line, I let him down to stretch his legs, and boy did he... There were people all over watching him race around the different aisles, etc. He had the biggest smile on his face and just wouldn't stop. I just kept a close trail on him so that he couldn't get too far. Maybe he is working up to be the youngest marathon runner every. At least I can still keep up and not get worn out... yet... ;)!

Jacob Charleston

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Where's The Ornaments?

Our Christmas tree is now set up and stands in the living room. However, it is looking a little different this year due to little hands. There are some ornaments missing from the lower branches... The ones that are there are definitely soft and fluffy so that little hands can pull them off and play with them and then put them back.

This year, we had a little help with getting the branches on the tree. We seemed to get less and less help as the tree grew and grew. I think the extra helper was getting a little initmidated by the height of the tree. While the tree was going up, we were able to catch a little bit of the new and improved "Jacob Jib". This still isn't Jacob going all out, but it definitely gives you a little chuckle at the "groove" Jacob has inherited from his mother.

Jacob is now really enjoying the new found stuff around the house and is fascinated by them. He was sure to blow on the lights on the tree because he was thinking they were hot and didn't want the tree to burn down. He is a little confused now as well as Frankie because their toys and/or bed has been rearranged. They are both adjusting well to their new environment though.

Mommy's Little Helper

Jacob is starting to get some of his own chores as he is willing to help his mommy out. He has always had a fascination with the dishwasher and has decided to pitch in a bit around the house...

The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far… A Trip To See Santa...

Our spur of the moment trip last year may be turning into more of a planned tradition. Last year, we planned a spontaneous trip to Frankenmuth as we backed out of Uncle Rob and Aunt Lynn’s driveway. This year, mommy wanted to take me there again because I am really enjoying seeing Christmas lights, decorated trees, etc. So, mommy, daddy and I took off early Sunday afternoon for our potentially new tradition to Frankenmuth the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

The trip would not go without some fun in the snow. I started seeing snow, well sort of when we left, but definitely once we got up to about Big Beaver Rd. I wasn’t worried though because I know that daddy has a little experience with driving in the snow. We gett up to Great Lakes Crossing and came to a stop in the road, though. It was snowing harder than it had been before. I could tell that the roads must be getting a slippery because daddy was slowing down a bit. We ended up seeing a truck on its side in the ditch. I got a good view of it because it was on my side of the road. Mommy and daddy talked about continuing because we were getting close to half where there (on a good day). Mommy really wanted to go and daddy said that he would do whatever she wanted because he had the next day off and could recover. So, daddy said that we would continue to go and we would just take our time. I stayed awake the whole way up there because I didn’t want to miss watching the snow. I’m not the best at counting yet, so I could only count 5 crashes, but I know there were quite a few more on the way there.

Finally, we made it to Frankenmuth. We stopped by the Santa desk right away to get me a name tag. Everyone needs to get a tag so that you can see Santa. My tagname was Nutcracker. We roamed around checking everything out. There was a dancing Santa that was big and pretty neat and I loved seeing all of the lights and stuff all over the place. I think mommy and daddy thought I was pretty funny pointing and grunting at everything I liked. I sure wished they would have let me out of the stroller because they wouldn’t always let me stay where I wanted or let me go where I wanted to.

Wouldn’t you know it; we were completely on the opposite end of this store when our nutcracker tag was called for Santa. So, we quickly made the trek over to the other end and waited in line for quite some time. I was okay with it for the most part because there were trains circling above. I loved it when daddy raised me up to get them, but I was never close enough to them to play with them myself. Right before it was my turn, I was getting really nervous about seeing Santa and decided I would try being fussy thinking that maybe I could get out it. Then, I was thrown behind a snowman and asked to find daddy. This was fun because I looked through this hole and there he was.

Whoosh!! Before I knew it, there was this guy called Santa. He looked familiar from last year, but for some reason, much scarier this year. So I was doing everything I could to stay away from him. He did try to bribe me with a present, but I was tired of waiting and just wanted to be done. It worked, but I still had to listen to him about being good and that he was watching me, etc. Mommy was holding me so I knew I was okay for now. After we left there, mommy and daddy said that it was okay to be afraid. They were both afraid of Santa Claus when they were little like me too.

After seeing Santa, we did some more shopping and then I got to run around a bit with daddy while mommy was in an ornament line. It was fun, but then it was time to go. The trip back hope was much slower than the drive up, so I decided to just go to sleep for the night…

A Chip Off The 'Ol Block

During the Holidays, we headed up to Grandma G.'s for a family gathering. We were hanging out at the table while Jacob was cruising around the house looking for things he would like to play with. He stumbled across Grandma's phone which happens to be cordless in the living room. Lately, Jacob has been very much a go getter and giver of things to just about anyone. So, Jacob came over to me and handed me the phone.

Jacob asked to get up on my lap as the phone was on the table. It wasn't long before Jacob hand the phone in his little hands and was punching buttons. There were a lot of 3's and 6's being pressed. There was no way this call would go through if "Talk" was ever pushed, so no bothers were to be had. Then, all of a sudden the phone rang and no one was there, so we hung it up. A few seconds later, I answered it and said, "Hello." With this I heard on the other end "911 Emergency, we just received a call from this number and there was a hang up. Is everything okay?" The little stinker called 911!!! Of course, now that daddy had the phone that he so desperately wanted, he was crying while I was trying to hear what the 911 operator was discussing like who am I speaking with, who called and why...

After the phone call and things settled down a bit, we now get the story of the phone and how Grandma remembered and didn't know how or if the emergency feature worked. Well, let me tell you, Jacob knows... ;)! Apparently, Grandma's base and cordless handset all have a button that you can push regardless of how many numbers have already been pushed and 911 is called directly. Needless to say, that phone was put up and out of reach of little fingers.

Chip, you ask? Well, when Jacob's daddy was pretty little, but old enough to talk, his mother went out to get the mail and wasn't gone very long. Upon her return, Jacob's daddy was saying fire dept., fire dept. into the phone. Jacob's Grandma was like, there is no way you called the fire dept., but did listen to the phone and sure enough, the fire dept. was one the phone with which she promptly hung up the phone.

I guess looks aren't everything that Jacob has off his daddy's...

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving!! Please don't mind me, I am watching balloons and stuff at a parade.

Hallways Are New Found Fun

Oh how Jacob is getting bigger and bigger. With every little bit of growth, he becomes increasingly more mobile. This also makes it more and more fun and challenging at the same time.

Jacob has made a couple of visits in recent days to the hospital where his grandma has now been for over a week. Upon our arrival, he was fine with playing in the room on the floor and was pretty content. He would watch people walk by in the hall and back and forth by him (for the lady next to his grandma) and was okay. Then, there were many visitors stopping by to see Jacob and say hi because they thought he was so cute. I think this intrigued Jacob, so had to venture to the door and check out where these people were coming and going from. He hung right by the door as he likes to see his mommy or daddy to know they are right there…

It didn’t take Jacob take long to figure out that these nice people looked like they were having fun walking in the hallway, so he had try it too! After all, he doesn’t have any hallways like this at home and there was plenty of room to roam. It was time for Jacob to start getting exercise up and down the hallway by playing chase. Of course, Jacob was the one getting chased. He would look over his shoulder to make sure you were there and giggle so hard at times that it would cause him to fall. This kept him occupied for quite a while and he was being very good. Then it was time for daddy to get a drink from the fountain and this changed things… Of course, Jacob wanted to get a drink too, or so I thought ;)! Little hands began playing in the water which was fun for him. So much fun that he didn’t want to leave the fountain. This is when the walks in the hallway stopped at every fountain that he found. This was coupled with it being nap time, so we decided it was time to go.

Not to be outdone, Grandma G. had to get into the action too! She walked to her doorway and watched Jacob fly (as fast as a new walker can…) down the hallway toward the elevator. A quick look over his shoulder and wave to Grandma G. and onto the elevator we went…

FYI – We are hoping that Grandma G. heads home tomorrow. As long as the oral medication works, she will be out of the hospital for Thanksgiving.

A "Little" Mystery

Recently, I received a text noting how the washer was not draining and that Jacob’s coat was in it because it was in desperate need of being cleaned. There were a number of texts that flew back and forth, did you do this, did you check this, what sound is it making, etc. Nothing seemed to be working…

Upon inspection, there indeed was water in the washer. After an attempt or two of running the washer, yup, the water is not pumping out. Uh oh! What’s this, water on the floor… Better check the basement, yep, water there too! Are the hoses hooked up? Check! Are the hoses dry? Check! Hmmm… Looks like the water flows over the sides when it is spinning. This is strange, I thought, but not the issue at the moment. After tearing off the front of the washer, I noticed a belt was about to fall off and wouldn’t you know it, it was a belt that included the pump. Must be time to replace it. So, a quick check online resulted in finding the cost of a new belt and also a location in the area to pick one up. This would be a good errand for Amy and Jacob to do.

Now we have the new belt. Let’s try putting it on. No problem! Let’s start the washer. Yeah!!! The pump is working as I can hear the water pumping. Let’s walk away so that it can finish the cycle… Okay, that’s long enough, let’s see if the water is all gone… NOPE!! Pretty still all there! Hmmm… What seems to the problem (also thinking, this can’t be good…)?!?! The belts move clockwise easily and the belts move OOOUUCCHH!!! That’s hotter than #@%&!!! and sticky. Better wait for the belt to cool down…

Hours later… Okay, so the belt moves easily clockwise and now counterclockwise (without getting burned this time). The motor turns, the pump did pump water, no screeching noises that Amy talked about. This sucks!! Well, I guess it is time to really start thinking about getting a new one, but it might be worth a shot talking to a repairman.

After the parade and since Jacob crashed upon getting in his car seat, we decided now would be a good time to run in to Maytag for some conversation. We talked about a number of different things and one of them being a small adjustment that is uncommon/doesn’t happen, but might work. There was also discussion of bearings, etc. and a potential $300 bill, which would mean just getting a new one for a little more. So, back home we went and check all the belts, etc. again. I started moving the pump belt in both directions again and it seemed to be working great in one direction and not so great in the other (as noted by the repairman or so I thought). Then I noticed the white component that I could see through the plastic top would stop in the same spot in either direction. I noticed this white before, but just thought it was a paddle that moved the water out and was there for a reason. Upon closer inspection and trying to figure out whether this needed to be there or not, the proverbial light bulb went off… AHA!! Amy, who was in the kitchen said did you figure something out? I replied with yep, I think one of Jacob’s socks is in the pump. With a little maneuvering of a screwdriver, VOILA! There was Jacob’s sock, with which Amy noted, I have been looking for that sock… Mystery solved!!

Jacob Goes To A Parade

On the coldest day of the year, or at least one of the coldest of this winter season, Amy and I bundled Jacob up and ventured to downtown Royal Oak for their Holiday Parade. Jacob wasn't too keen on the bundling part, but he eventually settled down and allowed all of the layers to be put on him.We loaded up and headed downtown. Upon arrival at a prime parking space, we unloaded the stroller and then started unloading Jacob only to realize that we forgot Jacob's coat. We decided all of the layers would keep him warm until we got there. So back in the stroller went and Jacob was locked back in so that we could make sure our child would stay warm...

A quick stop at home and back downtown again with still plenty of time before the parade started. However, we did lose our parking space. Oh well, we ended up finding a spot just as good.

Jacob had plenty of fun playing in the street before the parade started. This was only after a few trials and tribulations in his new "A Christmas Storyesque" attire. He definitely needed an adjustment period to wearing all of the layers and boots, etc. He never did get cold...

The parade kept sleepy Jacob's attention as he watched the parade pass him by while he was tucked away in his stroller. He was probably the most intrigued by the bands and definitely the Shriners in their little cars. The parade finished off with real reindeer and of course the guest of honor for the parade, Santa and Mrs. Claus.After the parade ended, it was a slow stroll past the Fox 2 News team on the back to the car. It didn't take long for Jacob to crash in his car seat. I don't think we even pulled out of the parking space. Getting up at 5:30 am obviously caught up to him as he crashed hard at 11:00. I think Jacob is already looking forward to having another parade in his future.

Anyssa Plays Ball!

This news is a little old, but still great news to share. Anyssa triied out for the Freshman girls basketball team last week and found out that she officially made the team last Friday. It looks like she be starting at guard and will be a back-up forward. We are very excited and very proud of her for trying out and making the team. She is very excited to be a part of the team and has been working her butt off to get in shape for their first game in a week and a half or so. She will be wearing the number 21 for the Ravens. This is not her 1st, 2nd or even 3rd choice of number, but the jerseys are colorful and classy and she will do the jersey justice!

Jacob will now have one more sport to be able to watch and work to understand. I'm sure his basketball hoop in the basement will start getting a little more action as Anyssa steps through her moves and shows Jacob how to do it.

Look out Raven opponents, cuz here comes Nyssa!!!

Meal Time

Jacob is getting to be a better and more independent eater. He still has a ways to go, but he really wants to feed himself now. Not with his hands he says, as he wants to use a fork or spoon just like his parents and big sister. If he doesn’t get to use a utensil, a tantrum you will see. He still does use his hands, but for rice and chicken and many other things, he wants to be a big boy. Of course, one of his new things is to sit on your lap and eat off of your plate too, or if you are having a dessert (cookies, muffins…) he REALLY enjoys grabbing bits and pieces of those. We don’t understand why, but it seems that Frankie is hanging around Jacob a lot more, especially when he is eating… ;)! Okay, so maybe we do know and we also know that she has always known where her bread is buttered… sometimes literally… ;)! Frankie is also surprisingly very tolerant of getting her tail pulled, patted and not petted although Jacob is very good at petting too, along with getting her leg(s) pulled out from under her. Frankie does get cornered on occasion and does get fed up, but for going on 15 years old, she is very tolerant of this new littler person in her life.

It's Been A While

It's been quite a while since anything has been posted. Guess Amy should try and get back into it to cover for me... ;)! With the slowing economy, rumors of "census reductions" echoed in the halls at work. Unfortunately, the rumors were true and the census reductions were reality. I am very happy to say that I was not part of the reductions this time and feel very fortunate.

So, now it is back to enjoying life again. Jacob is back home after spending the weekend with his grandma and grandpa. He is really becoming quite the young lad and getting better and better on his feet. Now you see him, now you don't... While he was away, we added a pint-sized rocking chair to the living room just for him. We weren't home long as we sat down to watch the final NASCAR race of the season that Jacob quickly climbed in the chair to watch with us. Of course, his stay in his chair was short lived as he was down on the prowl again.

Sorry this post will be short too as he is now getting a bath and is DEFINITELY tired from the weekend and ready to go to bed...

Beep Beep Beep!

Jacob's new thing is to back it on up! He thinks it is hilarious that he can crawl and slide backwards on the tile or the carpet. Amy took Jacob out of his high chair and backed it up all the back to the stove with a grin from ear to ear on his face.

Great Day To Be Outside

After getting a call in the early afternoon from Amy that she had a migraine and was fighting it for hours, I was on my home to help. The weather was great and since Jacob hasn’t been outside much lately, I decided he should go to the park and play. So, I changed him out of his pajamas and we were off to enjoy the remainder of the day. Unfortunately, Amy had to stay back and take care of herself. For those of you that have lived a migraine, you know what she went/is going through… For those of you that haven’t like me, I/we can only imagine, but do know that it takes a lot out of a person.

After Jacob and I along with Anyssa (she got home from school right before we left) went to the park, we decided to hang out in the back yard a while. We were hoping to let Jacob play in the leaves, but all he wanted to do was play in the rocks or the dirt. We did get him out on his 4-wheeler too! It’s funny because he had a lot more room to roam and he didn’t really keep the button pushed. When he is inside, it is hammer down for Jacob when he keeps trying to drive through the furniture, walls, etc. We must have really worn him out because he wanted me to keep reading books to him (part of the bedtime ritual) so that he could go to bed. I really tried stretching not going to bed as long as I could, but he was either going to fall asleep in the living room or I was going to feed him and put him to bed early… We were able to stretch it out until about a ½ hour before his regular bedtime. After all, we didn’t want him to be up in the middle of the night rested and ready to go for the day…

Amy is feeling a little better, but still has to rest and get some more recovery time in...

Engine 5 To The Rescue

Engine 5 was able to take the night off and not have to go into the station. Although he was on call and ready to go at a moments notice, he was able to stay with his family and go trick or treating.

The big night of Halloween started off with the trek to Halloween Grandma's. After all, Grandma P. is a "Halloween Baby". Grandpa made dinner while Jacob showed off his increased walking skills, even in his shoes! After dinner it was time to get Jacob and his cousins dressed and ready for the stroll through Candyland at Aunt Ab and Uncle Jer's. As the face make up was going on Sydney, Jacob was very unsure that he knew who this transforming pirate was and was ready to get away. It didn't lake long for Jacob to warm back up to her though .

The stroll started off slowly for Jacob as he was ready to just chill and didn't seem to be overly excited. He was very intensely watching each and every passerby taken all of this new holiday in. This was much different and more interesting both for Jacob and his parents as he pretty much just slept through last year's stroll. With pumpkin and stroller in hand, Jacob's mom was the driving force in getting Jacob to meet many new people as he saw many different wrappers being put into his pumpkin.
As the day turned deeper into the night, Jacob was chowed down a cereal bar. After the devouring of the bar, we were all unsure whether it was an energy bar or Jacob decided that this Halloween thing is much better than he thought. He began laughing and clapping and genuinely getting very excited about seeing and meeting people. Maybe he just caught onto what was going on... ;)! It did help that Aunt Abby and his dad were playing with him.

Back at the fire house (at least that is what we will call if for this editorial), Jacob was put in charge by grandpa to hand out the candy. He did well until a mob came and he was lost in the shuffle. He was still fired up and walked all over in the darkness.

When the ghouls and goblins ceased to come, we shut off the light and went inside to celebrate the prized goblin's birthday along with the other birthdays that fall just before and after the Hallowed day. Jacob was still fired up and took part in eating some cake and ice cream. Jacob wishes to apologize to his mother publicly for not letting her get too much, if any of her cake. He hopes that next year he will get his own piece of cake so that his mother will be able to have some too.

As Jacob became wiped out from the day, we loaded up and headed home after a wonderful evening in "Candyland"...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Jacob Can Hear

If Jacob is ignoring us, he is either playing or just plain being stubborn. One thing we do know and have confirmed is that he can hear. Today we visited the hospital to get a few tests done. The first was actually hearing noises out of different speakers and then see if Jacob reacted or not. He reacted to all of them positively. The next was putting things in his ears, one at a time, which blew air to see if the ear drum was rigid or not. There was something behind his ears which was probably a little bit of fluid, but nothing to worry about. The last test was similar to the second, but took longer and made noises to see how the ear parts reacted. There was nothing found that would affect Jacob's hearing and all is well!!! We will be getting a report in the mail in the near future confirming the findings. Jacob did well and tolerated the task at hand.

Happy 13 Month Birthday Jacob!

Dr. Appointment - Follow-up

Today was Jacob's follow-up appointment from his one year. The follow-up visit was for part II of the flu shot and check-up on the status of Jacob's skin as well. There were also a few other things that we wanted to fill the doctor in on since we were there as well.

Jacob gained 5 ounces in the last month and now weighs in at 21 pounds, 11 ounces. Upon review of Jacob's skin, we are still having issues and the doctor has ensured us that we are doing what we should be doing and are better than most. Once again, she reaffirmed that fact that we need to continue running the vaporizer/humidifier at night, keep using regular lotion once and sometimes twice a day, plus using the greasy stuff before Jacob goes to bed. Also, if it looks like it has cleared up, keep using it, otherwise the next day his skin will be bad again. We did ask about seeing a dermatologist. The doctor said that she would recommend a dermatologist, but the only difference between what she/they have been doing and a specialist is that the other dr. would prescribed stronger steroids. We do see improvement when we stay on top of it, so we decided that we would forgo the dermatologist, at least for now.

During some discussion, Jacob did walk for the dr. while he was just in his diaper on the floor, so we filled her in on that as well as his improved pointing skills. She glad to see that he has advanced in this area and did notice it. So, up on the table he went to check out his ears. Good news, no fluid in his ears and they looked great. At this point, we discussed that Jacob isn't saying any words yet. He is saying dada and mama, but not as if he knows how to use them. We discussed how he is picking up on our conversations and commands, etc. The dr. recommended that Jacob get a hearing test to rule any issues there out. She knows that he is very vocal, but just doesn't want to overlook anything. So, we have a number to call to have this checked into.

So, Jacob basically got a good report with a couple of "homework" things to do. We need to keep exaggerating/emphasizing the pronunciation of words to help Jacob learn. One thing that Amy and I wish to know is what kind of a hearing test it is that Jacob would get. We know that he hears us and understands commands and things, but we don't know if they can tell how Jacob here's voices. Meaning, are they clear or just mumbo jumbo which is why he is not formulating words. Guess we either need to wait for the appointment or get on the good 'ol internet to find out...

A New Walker

Baby steps have been happening onesie twosie for a few weeks, but last week Jacob began putting many more together. He would only walk when he wasn't thinking about it or when there was only one person around. This meant that his mother would be the only one to catch him... That little stinker... Brings back memories of Amy saying the baby is moving and grab my hand and put it to her belly only for Jacob to stop.

Jacob is walking more often now and has been putting many more steps together. He is fairly solid when he does move, so it appears he is just being cautious and making on the best steps... heehee! Time for mommy and daddy to strap up those laces and be ready to go running after Jacob here, there and everywhere!!! LOL!

Pointing - A New Found Talent

Jacob has found his finger and how to point within a day or two. We could definitely tell he has been pointing with his fingers and has become much more prevalent lately. It is pretty entertaining as he grunts and points at item, but at the same time a little frustrating because we don’t understand why. He is and has been pretty interested in ceilings and lights on them. We do know of at least a couple of other children that have this infatuation, so it could be normal... Anyway, back to the new finding, Jacob is now using a single finger to point things out and he seems to be pretty happy about it. We started really working with him, showing him how we point. It took a little bit, but all of a sudden you could see his fingers being folded a little more all of the time. He has now perfected it when he remembers how to do it. There are other movements that are becoming more “grown up” as well as time goes on. Just little things like bending in places that bending didn’t happen before, etc.

Jacob Loves His Donuts

With it being a fall Sunday, Amy thought it would be good for all four of us to get out and go to a cider mill today. We have been talking about going to one of the bigger ones that have more to offer in regard to playing, etc. However, we didn't think Jacob would be old enough to enjoy himself to make the expediture worthwhile. So, we ventured off to a cider mill with limited stuff to do, but still way more than last week. Last weekend we went to the Franklin Cider Mill and this weekend we settled for Yates Cider Mill.Upon arrival after once again fighting the stop and go traffic, we parked and walked in. We noticed a huge line, so I decided to head off a different way so that we could stop by the petting zoo. Amy went and got some goat grub and fed the goats while the lamas ventured around. Jacob was kinda okay with petting the goat once or twice, but wasn't sure about seeing the goat only inches from his face chowing down on the food. It didn't take long for the goats to devour the grain filled ice cream cone.

The line still looked long that we were able to see, so we headed over to let Jacob see the ponies. It wasn't long before we decided that we should try letting Jacob ride a pony. We were a little unsure about if he would want to do it or not because he didn't get much of a nap and he certainly was acting somewhat like he still needed it. We got in line and Amy held him while he took his first pony ride. He wasn't overly excited about the ride, but he did get to feeling a little more comfortable with them as time went on. About half way through the ride he found out what the horn on the saddle was.

Now for the big line... Well, actually, we found a shorter "express" line which basically meant that you didn't see the apples get squashed... We have all been there, done that so the faster, well sort of, line was fine with us. Before long, Amy had her cider, donuts and of course a caramel apple for Anyssa and herself.

Jacob had fun walking back and forth along the fence while grunting and pointing at the animals in the fence and the dogs as they went by. He even opted to go after the biggest dog he could find in the whole place. Emma was a very nice St. Bernard that allowed (more or less ignored) Jacob. He was pretty excited about it and the dog's owner was very nice and offered for Jacob to pet him.


When Jacob was done playing with all of the animals, we offered him a donut. It wasn't long before you could find Jacob devouring it. Eating one-handed didn't suffice, so he pulled the donut into two pieces and started eating two-fisted. You could really tell he was enjoying his donut. He might not be into eat a ton of different foods yet, but so far it seems we can count on him eating donuts.

Halloween Party - 2008

It was a cold dark blustery day as we loaded up the truck to venture off in the darkness of the night to grandma's house... Okay, so not really, but I was trying to set a Halloween mood... Did it work? So, the girls were off shopping while Jacob and I hung out for a while and then met up with the crew at grandma's house for a night of festivities.

The first item on the agenda was to get there, hang out and grab some grub while everyone got there. The weather was cool, but not windy or anything. It was actually a pretty nice night with a 3/4 moon shining down.

Everyone fed? Time to dive into a pumpkin of your choice to clean out and carve up. No one was in a real hurry and especially the little ones. Jacob didn't really want anything to do with the carving or the cleaning out the insides. Mom took the liberties of cleaning the pumpkin out and then Anyssa pitched in and did the carving for Jacob. Of course, she practiced on her own first.

Next up was nothing but good 'ol fashioned bobbing for apples. I'll spare you the gory details and that portion of the video, but those that were there know what I am talking about. After getting cold and wet it was time to eat donuts off of a string. This seemed to be close to impossible for Colton, but with a little help from grandpa he was able to handle the task. The donuts were no match for Anyssa as she got hers with lightning speed (the judges are still wondering if she cheated... ;)! ). If the food and donuts weren't enough already, it was time to decorate your favorite Halloween cookie for dessert and/or take home.

The evening was topped off with laughs and giggles from the youngest Halloween goblin. He was happy for it to be just his grandpa, grandma, Aunt Ab, Syd, etc. It was Jacob's time to shine before he decided to wither away in the night. It was a great time for all that attended.

Sunday In The Park

With little coersion, even though the Lion's were actually keeping the football game close, Amy, Jacob and I ventured off to Franklin, MI to enjoy the weather and get some cider and donuts. It was difficult to find a parking spot as the roads were lined with cars and we kept seeing people walking all over. We finally got over the hill and could see a park full of people and long lines at the cider mill. After a little debate, we decided to find a parking spot and venture through all of the people.
Amy was a little disappointed because she was expecting there to be bales of hay for Jacob to climb and a pumpkin patch to wander through and pick out a pumpkin. We waited in line to see the press, but there wasn't much to see. We still think Jacob like seeing it because there were a couple of guys moving the pulp out, etc. and he also liked the smell. So, it was up to Amy to get some cider and donuts. After that we walked around what little there was to see and then headed back to the park to taste our findings.

Jacob just LOVED the donuts as he almost ate a whole donut all by his Big Boy self (finished one by himself for breakfast). Jacob played around in the park pushing his stroller all around and crawling to meet other people...

WARNING: The following video is rate B for boring. However, it is our little boy enjoying eating his first cider and donuts...

Let's Go Tech!!

Who would have thought that wewould have been able to get a sun burn while watching Michigan Tech play football in October? On many occasions, I have seen snow and cold weather at this point of the season. Today was a great day to travel to the University of Findlay and watch the Huskies.

On the way to the game we dropped Jacob off at Grandpa & Grandma's house and were then escorted with door to gate service for the game. Findlay shares their stadium with the local high school and parking is limited once you are able to find the stadium. It is in a residential area with no parking per say.

The quantity of Tech fans rivaled the quantity for the home team and maybe even surpassed them. There was an impressive showing for the away team who was 12 hours from home. An Oiler fan even made a comment to us at half time.

The game was a good and close as the lead went back and forth. Tech had a few big plays and Findlay had one with the help of the refs. It was 3rd and short and the Oilers ran a short run which did not give them a first down, but the refs gave about a yard or two (yeah, literally! it was just crazy the whole day!!). The next play was a reverse pass for a 25 yard touchdown. Tech went ahead ahead 30-28 with about 6 minutes left in the game and missed the extra point. This definitely gave the Oilers a shot at going ahead with a field goal. Possession went back and forth and Findlay was pushing the ball up the field for a field goal. With about a minute left in the game, Tech intercepted for the first turnover of the whole game. At this point, the Huskies only needed to kneel down and the game was over.

Amy and I were happy to take Jacob to his grandparent's house and be able to see a good game regardless of who was playing... (well, that might be pushing it a bit). It was great weather and a great game.
After the game, we made the call to get picked up from the game. It was pretty funny because it brought back memories for Amy when one of her parent's would have to pick her up after an event.

Jacob is definitely feeling better, but still not himself completely. He slept the whole two hours there and then the whole two hours back. We were concerned that he would not want to go back to bed until after midnight, but he is already fast asleep and playing around a little while after we got home. His appetite is also beginning to come back. We'll have to wait and see what tomorrow brings...

Roseola Virus

Jacob has now gone to see a medical professional for the third time this week. What started off being diagnosed as one virus has now either turned into another one or is just a continuance of the first one… (a little unclear) The first and second diagnosis was for more of just a cold virus, but it has now turned into/is the roseloa virus. We noticed that Jacob’s skin was breaking out more than normal and was different yesterday. It was much worse this morning, so Amy called the doctor at 7:30 am and they said to get him in there at 8:15 am. He hasn’t had a fever in a couple of days and we were thinking we were out of the woods, or so we thought.

Upon arrival and a few questions, the doctor immediately new what virus Jacob has. The breaking out/rash is a symptom or the course of the roseola virus. The name stems from the fact that the child’s skin is rosy. Since the fever has subsided, he is in the mildly contagious stage and should be back to normal in one to five days. He is definitely in the later stages of the virus, which is good news for us. Jacob displayed many, if not all of the symptoms, but the timing of everything is off, some longer, some shorter, etc.

1 + 1 = 2, Not 3

I was informed this evening after being home for many, many hours... ;)! that Jacob took one step and then two and then he was at his books. I wasn't here to see them, but I'll bet he didn't know what he was doing or did as if he would have known, he probably would have fell towards the books and not taken any steps.

Still Muddling Along

Jacob is still with his back against the ropes. His virus is still very much with him, but at least the fever has been back since Tuesday evening. He was pretty fussy all day today and still hasn't been eating or drinking very much. His skin has also been an issue more so. After the doctor visit on Monday, he starting breaking out more with what we think is a rash. Jacob's temperature spike Tuesday night pretty suddenly and after not having a fever since earlier the day before. We took him to pediatric urgent care just to get him checked out and also because his skin seemed to be getting worse as well. The urgent care doctor basically checked a few things on Jacob and confirmed it was still the virus and didn't notice the skin.

We don't know if Jacob is allergic to anything, but did choose to stop giving him the children's benadryl type stuff to see if that will help alleviate the rash. We are all missing Jacob's giggles, smiles and laughs and hope that he gets better soon. Even after another very rough day, Jacob did get a few giggles in right before bed. We are hopeful that Jacob will be better tomorrow as we would like to road trip to Ohio to see MTU play football. Guess it will be a game time decision, no pun intended, as to whether we are able to or not...

Oh This Baby Is Suffering

When I leaned over to kiss the little guy good bye for the workday, he was HOT HOT HOT!!! He literally felt like a burner on high. I said to Amy, whoa, he's hot!! He was eating his bottle quite nicely, so Amy let Jacob finish his bottle and then tried taking his temperature. It didn't work too well under the arm, but the time that the thermometer spent under his arm, his temp was 100.3, but probably warmer. So, Amy gave him some Motrin.

After waiting 'til 7:30 or so, Amy tried calling the doctor figuring the she would just have to leave a message. To her surprise, some one answered. She noted that Jacob was sick and they started noting time to bring Jacob in during the late morning and afternoon and then Jacob's temp was noted and they said, well we have an opening at 8:30. So, of course, Amy took that one. Jacob was also breaking out more and we had already discussed the potential of calling the doctor anyway.

At first sight of Jacob, the doctor said, "Oh this baby is suffering, we need to find out what his making him sick." We did find that Jacob actually gained 5 ounces since last Tuesday, so that is good as he is getting a bigger appetite. Anyway, Jacob's ears were clear of fluid and didn't have any infection. His throat was VERY red, so they did a throat culture in the lab. Jacob wasn't the trooper he was at the prior visit as things were put in his mouth/throat. Fortunately, the cultures came back negative, so he doesn't have strep. Jacob basically has a virus that needs to take its course. We are giving him children's benadryl and motrin as needed.

Amy and Jacob needed to get his prescription for his skin at Costco today. So, they went and all the while everyone was saying that that baby certainly doesn't look like he is feeling well. When I got home from work, that is the first thing I said as well. Amy said it was the best he had looked all day, even though he still didn't look very well. He ended up eating a good dinner and then got a bath as the doctor said luke warm baths would really help Jacob. He definitely felt better after the bath, but you could still tell that he just wasn't himself. We just hung out until bedtime which was a little later because Dancing With The Stars was on and he loves dancing to the music.

Today was a rough day for Jacob, but with some TLC and a close eye he should be getting better as time goes on...

Jacob Is Training For The Trails

Jacob and I put together Jacob's 4-wheeler this morning. He was all about the wiring and getting on that seat. He knew exactly where to go and was sure he was ready for the challenge. There has been a lot of pre-training and practicing what to do when he gets stuck. This isn't by choice as we have to let the battery charge for at least 18 hours the first time. This means we could be awaken at 3:00 am to get the bike on the trails. We won't need to set the alarm as Jacob is usually up at this time anyway.

After secretly practicing, we may challenge the twins as they have the inside scoop to riding as their dad was more than just a riding enthusiasts. Look out Zach and Hannah, Jacob is attempting to hang tough...

One Year Photos

Here are Jacob's one year photos:

Jacob Eats More People Food

Now that Jacob has been post partum for over a year, we are now feeding him more regular food and less formula and baby food. This is partly due to him not being as interested in the bottle. Yesterday, Jacob had more plain spaghetti and decided that wearing it can be just as fun as eating it.
Jacob can now eat eggs since he has reached the year mark, yolks and whites. The threat of allergies has now become less. He started devouring the eggs like they were candy for several bites. Then it was time to throw the eggs all over the place and become fussy. The mommy report was that Jacob was pretty fussy today. I'm sure part of it was because his cold is still dragging on and mommy isn't as fun as she usually is. She is somewhat under the weather too and trying to hold off getting a full blown cold.

One Year Check-up

The one year well baby visit was an interesting one with a few surprises along the way…

We checked in and were immediately sent to the lab, of which, we didn’t know they had one and weren’t expecting to get blood taken. In retrospect, we should have known or expected it based on what happens when we get physicals. Jacob wanted nothing to do with being held while we were waiting because there was so much new stuff to check out, buttons on the computer, desk chair and all of the other gadgets. We played “chase” down the hallway a bit just to appease him. Finally, the phlebotomist came in and started the procedure. To our surprise, Jacob was a real trooper and watched everything and I do mean everything that was going on. He watched the “poker” break his skin and his blood get squeezed into the bottle. This was fine for a while, but then he was tired of his finger being held. Jacob wasn’t too sure about the fish bandage, but he did like the fact that he could chew on it and forgot about it when he was crawling around. Then it was off to the waiting and waiting room.

The waiting room was not without entertainment on this trip. The phlebotomist’s next victim was waiting in the hallway to get his finger poked. It wasn’t long after he entered the room that we heard, “You are not going to take me alive”. With this Amy and I and the two other parents busted out laughing. Where in the world did he get that line… Some “discussion” by his mother and bringing up the little boy, Jacob, and how he didn’t even cry, he was finally settled down and his blood was taken. After the ordeal, you could hear the relief and bounce in his voice when he said, “That wasn’t that bad at all”.

So, FINALLY, after a 45 minute plus wait, we were summoned to an examination room. It was the “Fish Room”. Jacob paid no attention to this as he was ready to get out of this place. He was definitely hungry and just wanted his bigger toys at home. We were able to appease him a little bit with some Cheerios and wagon wheels as well as pushing the doctor’s stool around.

Before the doctor arrived, the assistant came in and measured Jacob. He is now 29-1/2” long (just under 50th percentile) and 21 pounds, 3 ounces (25th percentile). Doctor noted that the drop in weight is normal as he is now more active and nothing to worry about. Of course, it doesn’t help that he hasn’t been eating the norm because he hasn’t been feeling 100%.

Jacob was definitely now becoming “squirmy”, but the arrival of his favorite doctor calmed him right down as he started smiling at her and giggling. She checked Jacob out and found that he has some fluid in his right ear, but nothing to be concerned about as there is no infection. His skin was brought up once again, so we were given a steroid cream to apply this time. We have tried prescription cortisone already, which helped, but not enough, so we are trying something new. Unfortunately for Jacob, we will need to grease him up even more than we do now. The doctor noted that he is probably just a kid that even though his skin looks good, he still needs his skin lubricated. We discussed Jacob’s verbal skills of which are no concern yet. He is mildly delayed in his speech as he doesn’t say any words. We discussed his hearing, etc. and he seems to be fine as he can hear music on the tv when it is way low and hears his toys when they are across the room, etc., but we are going to pay attention more that we do now.

After discussions with the doctor, it was time for some more needles. Jacob received three of his regular shots (two in one leg and one in the other) which were followed up with a flu shot in his arm. He was less than excited about this, but quickly settled down.

So, we made an appointment to go back in a month to get the second flu shot, have his ears checked for fluid and status on verbal skills as well as a quick check of his skin.

Happy First Birthday Jacob!!

An All Star First Birthday Party

Jacob was an all star at his sports themed first birthday party. His fans came from all over to enjoy in his celebration of being a whopping one year old! Aunts, Uncles, Great Aunts, Grandparents and Friends enjoyed watching Jacob as he played and played.

The day started off a little rough with Jacob being pretty congested, but he knew that he needed to work through it so that everyone could see how good of a boy he really is. He did take a much needed nap, but for only a 1/2 hour. Would this be enough?

Jacob's cake was the first to arrive (along with the creator, Grandpa Randy of course, GREAT JOB GRANDPA!!!) and the ooo's and aaaahhhh's came right along with it. It was complete with different sports balls and Jacob's own personal baseball to be saved for the stage later...

After eating some grub, it was time for the birthday boy to perform. The stage was set (after a few adjustments...). First time for those well known words to be sung to Jacob as he gets to dive into his first birthday cake, the baseball...

Jacob was a little apprehensive with the cake and wasn't much into making a big mess. Although frosting did end up in his hair and all over his face from rubbing his "congested" nose. While Jacob was getting cleaned up, the rest of the gang dove into the #1 one cake and kicked back. Some of us could hear Jacob screaming as he was getting cleaned up and changed.

What's this? I am the center of attention again? Oh brother... Oh, but this time I can play with paper? Oh what fun!! Wait a minute!!! After I play with the paper, there is toys? This is pretty cool. I can get used to this! Aw nuts! Whenever I get rid of the paper, there is toys, but then they go away and I see more paper... Maybe this really isn't so fun. Every time I see a toy, it gets taken away. I guess I will just keep playing with the paper and not worry about the toys.Jacob opened his last present and was ready to no longer be held and rip into his toys. Zach, Hannah, Chloe and Coltman were also eyeing up their favorites. We opened the boxes as they would go from box to box so that they could help Jacob get all of the boxes openend. The kids romped around the toys and were sharing all of the new found fun.

The day definitely took a toll on the birthday boy. He very much enjoyed seeing and playing with everyone and playing. He was always being entertained whether it was playing "clap, clap" with Aunt Abby, laughing at Great Aunt Barb's sneezing antics, trucks and cars with Zach and Hannah or just cozying up with grandparents, he was constantly on the move. With all of the action and no nap to speak of, Jacob quickly wound down and crashed on his Grandma G. This was great for us because we quickly went into action to clean up most of the party.

Jacob, Amy and I would like to thank everyone who made it to Jacob's party, whether it was in person or in thoughts and spirit. We feel very happy and blessed seeing and knowing how much Jacob is loved.