Staying Cool!

Jacob and I had another fun time at our Monday play-away group. After hanging with our neighborhood peeps we headed out to have lunch with Doug and run a couple of errands. Jacob was of course an angel...even without a good nap! When we got home mommy had to make an important phone call. What does this mean for Jacob? He could get away with a little more then usual because mommy had to concentrate through an annoying automative system. While I was busy on the phone (28 minutes!) Jacob decided he would take advantage of this distraction and play in the fridge. Now I saw this and figured it wasn't a big deal, after all he was having fun, not hurting anything and keeping himself quiet and busy. Before I knew it, he had climbed all the way into the fridge!! Now as all Michiganders now we have been enjoying some warm weather and Jacob was thrilled to be able to wear some shorts today. I guess he was still warm and felt the need to get cool, because not only did he totally climb in the fridge but he tried to close himself in!!! Even while I was on the phone I knew I could not pass up the opportunity to capture his cuteness...so I managed to grab the camara and take a few shots with the speaker phone on! Look at my adorable hot tot trying to be a cool cucumber!!!

Yeah for Play-Away!

Jacob and I ventured to our first toddler play date on Monday! Jacob had a blast! Now that I'm back at home with Jacob I knew I needed to find a way to keep him socializing with kids his age. He had done so well at daycare and we got nothing but great reports on how well he interacted with the other children. I was a little concerned with Jacob losing some of his "people skills" while spending all of his day with just mommy. So I hit the web and started searching!! Low and behold I found something that is held at the community center only two blocks down our street! It's called Play-Away and is geared for 1 to 3 year olds. The class has a "teacher" that leads a loosely structured play time. The first 20 minutes is free play time and when we first got there Jacob didn't want to let go of his mommy. He was definitely uneasy with this new environment. I lead him to a corner full of toys that included a kitchen with play food. When I sat on the floor with him it wasn't long before he was cooking something up!! After free play time, the teacher leads the kids in circle time. Each week will have a different theme but with this being our first gathering she had us singing some familiar songs. All of the children were sitting in their moms laps with we sang a hello song, which included all the kids names and the popular song The Wheels on the Bus Go Round & Round. Next she started the well known ditty The Itsy Bitsy Spider. This definitely excited Jacob, he sprang from my lap and proudly stood to do all of the movements while everyone sang! It was the cutest thing! So much for his being shy! At the end of his performance everyone clapped and Jacob loved being in the spotlight and laughed and clapped along! He was a hit! (and mommy was so proud). After circle time the group sits and does a craft. Jacob sat at the table like such a big boy and happily worked on a name plate full of stickers. It was a masterpiece! Then it's more free time to just play, Jacob's favorite, besides the kitchen area was the slide. The teacher wraps up with a parachute goodbye activity. Jacob didn't take to that so much but it was the first time he had experienced such a thing so we'll see if he warms up to it. Overall Jacob really enjoyed himself and I was pleased to see how well he got along with and enjoyed being with the other kids in this class. On a side note, it was also really nice for mommy to meet some other local mommys and make some of her own friends!! This class meets every monday so it will be a really nice routine for me and Jacob to go and meet with our friends and socialize. They also have "Drop-In" play time available at the center and Jacob and I joined that as well. I plan to take advantage of that 2 times a week. The Play-Away and Drop In are each one and 1/2 hours long. I am very pleased because I know that this will be an excellent way for Jacob to continue developing his socialization skills, burn energy and have a blast! If his first time is any indication he is REALLY gonna love it! And if Jacob is happy...mommy is happy!!!

Happy Easter!!

A Visit To Bunnyville

Jacob joined right in along with many other kids at Bunnyville. This event was held at the Detroit Zoo. Fortunately, we already had our membership so we avoided the membership line and the even longer line to get tickets for the day. The more we use the membership, the more we think it was well worth it.

After getting through the gate, the first thing we did was get ears for everyone in the family. Amy had her much nicer ones, but Jacob and I wore our ears proudly. Of course, Jacob didn't know he had his on because otherwise, they would have been taken off much sooner.
We didn't attend all of the activities, but we did manage to do a craft with the reptiles. We decided to skip the exhibit portion and avoid the heat in the building and skipped to the craft. Although, Jacob did enjoy standing there watching the turtles.

We didn't participate in everything Bunnyville had to offer, but we did try a few more. We thought it would be fun to get bunny noses and whiskers, especially for Jacob. The line wasn't too long, but the wagon stood still for a little too long and it was getting later in the day and time for Jacob to eat and take a nap. Amy showed Jacob how easy it was and that it didn't hurt, but this year we just needed to pass on the face painting. Next stop, the jelly bean hunt.

The jelly bean hunt was over pretty quickly. There were tons of plastic jelly beans all over and the object was to get three in a basket and then turn them in for a prize. Jacob loved the idea of picking up these items and just couldn't stop at three. However, he was a real trooper and was ready to get his prize.
Back around the zoo some more for an attempt at meeting the Easter Bunny this year. We weren't sure what would happen, but had a pretty good idea. After all, there wasn't a very good story with Santa... As we got to the door, Jacob looked around the corner to see the Easter Bunny. Jacob was waving and the Easter Bunny waved back. Then it was our turn... It wasn't long before Jacob spun around in his mother's arms and was trying to run away while crying tears of fear. Unfortunately, we needed to wait for the camera people to figure out whatever they were needing to figure out. The Easter Bunny tried to get Jacob to warm up, which he did a little bit, but still of no avail for any hopes of Jacob sitting with the Easter Bunny by himself. Once again, maybe next year... ;)!
Now it was time for Jacob time. We ventured over to the smaller playground while we waited for the picture to be ready. Good thing this was for charity because the picture was a little disappointing. Fortunately, we had our camera and were allowed to take a picture. It turned out much better...
Bunnyville turned out to be a nice adventure which totally wiped out Jacob...

A Fun Afternoon...

Due to the Holiday weekend, we were able to get out of work a little early. This meant fun with Jacob time!! It wasn't long after getting home that the wagon was Jacob filled and rolling down the sidewalk at a steady pace. Jacob was having a blast as we walked down to the Boys and Girls Club several blocks away. After signing Jacob for a few classes, we ventured over to the park where there were some other kids that we similar to Jacob's age. It was such a nice day out that we ventured all over the neighborhood.

An Afternoon at the Zoo

The family used the annual zoo pass just like we purchased it for. A sunny afternoon with no plans, so we loaded the wagon and Jacob and ventured the two miles to the zoo. This would be Jacob's first trip of the season to the zoo. We don't think he was too sure about what this adventure was when we were in the parking deck, but he quickly warmed up to the idea. After all, he was getting pulled in his wagon... ;)!

Jacob really enjoyed seeing the animals. There were quite a few that we were able to see. Some were more active than others. The kangaroos were just sunning themselves, but the rhinos and zebras were taking strolls and galloping a bit. Jacob was probably the most interested in the zebras and the lions. The lions were roaring back and forth.

Amy and I found Jacob to be pretty wide-eyed the whole day while he was taking everything in. We ended up spending more time there than we had anticipated and still didn't see all of the zoo. I'm sure we will definitely get some good use out of the zoo this summer. We plan to go back next weekend for bunnyville and the week after for Earth Day which have kid activities including crafts and bands.

Day 5 - No Pacifier

Well, it looks like we have made it now five days without Jacob having a pacifier. Day three was pretty rough as you could definitely tell what Jacob was looking for and wanting. It probably didn't help that he only got about an hour nap when he generally takes a two hour plus nap. So, he was definitely found digging in his basket, looking in his bag and pointing to areas where there would generally be a pacifier hanging out. It was a little rough, but Jacob made it through the day without too much bother.

Day four became easier, but there was a much better nap and a little more time for adjustment. There was a significant reduction in the outreach for a pacifier. Jacob was now forgetting about the pacifier's that comforted him for several months.

Day five... Jacob doesn't really appear to be looking for a pacifier to console him at all. He was very much giggly, smiley and looking for fun to be had. He didn't appear to be looking for a pacifier any longer, but Amy did notice that he was starting to cling to a blanket with a stuffed animal on it.

In the past week or so, there has been a huge change in Jacob wanting to learn more words. Maybe now that he doesn't have a pacifier in his mouth he has found a new talent... ;)! The latest word that came from out of the blue was hot dog. Amy was feeding him and saying hot dog and all of a sudden, he said it plain as day. This is not a word that we have been working on with him, but there was no doubt at all what he said. We think we are close to the time where we really watch what we say because he is picking up on them and really starting to mimic our words and our actions.

Day 2 - No Pacifier

Today was day two of Jacob not having his pacifier. Amy and I had been talking about it for a while as to when the day would be. I left it up to her as we decided it would be soon, but an actual date wasn't set.

Amy and I noticed a change in Jacob's pacifier using habits after he no longer was drinking from a bottle. He greatly increased his "want", not need of a pacifier. We can only imagine that this is very normal. After already talking about removing this "fix", we spoke about it with the doctor. The doctor said that babies really only need a pacifier, if they use one, for the first months of their life. After that, they have the ability to do/use other things to soothe them.

So, back to yesterday. I came home and Amy said that today is the day. Jacob was done eating and took out his pacifier. Amy decided at that moment that she would try not giving his pacifier the rest of the day. I think to both of our surprise, he didn't really look for it. We did keep him busy which helped to keep his mind off of it. You could tell at times that he was looking for it, but wasn't desparate. Then night night came. REALLY surprising to both of us that there were no issues at all and went right to sleep.

Day 2 found Jacob looking for his pacifier a little more. He was a little cranky, but we think it was a combination of things. Jacob was definitely searching for a pacifier. He was somewhat looking in his toy box and was DEFINITELY looking in his basket where they used to be stored. Then it was time for night night once again. There was little resistance and he went right to sleep again.

Hopefully, day 3 will go just as well or even better and this will be the last day of issues. We can practically say that there hasn't been any thus far, but we are waiting another day or two before we claim success. Thank goodness we won't be one of those parents that has a four-year old still using a pacifier...

Jacob's Present - 18 Months Old...

Okay, so we didn't really get Jacob a present specially for his 18 month birthday. However, we did get him an outdoor climber at the same time he turned 18 months. So why not just say it is for his birthday. For those of us with fall/winter birthdays, you know that you don't get any spring/summer stuff and the Easter bunny isn't as rich as Santa Claus... ;)!

With my new found free time (my plans failed and Amy and Jacob's got better...), I have found some time to edit the video of this week's project. The project entails putting Jacob's present together. ***Side bar*** I actually had to leave Jacob's dr. appt. early to go pick it up before the place closed since Amy had it set aside. Whew! Just made it before the doors close. Why was it tight? The dr. had to put stitches in a 3-year old. I left at 5:15 and Amy and Jacob didn't get out of a 3:30 appt until 5:45. I actually had to leave before the dr. was done at Amy's pushing... Pretty unusual for this practice to be that late, but if and when we ever needed the immediate attention for stitches, etc. it is nice to know that we would be a priority and would be taken care of. Let's just hope that we never need to find out for sure...

Anyway, so here's the video. (trying out some new editing skills and will keep tyring new things... "somebody stop me!" With my free time, maybe I will try and do another video from a month or so ago of another familiy project. Don't hold your breath though because there wasn't much footage of that fun.

I wasn't able to get a good 18-month face shot today, but hopefully these will hold you over... He certainly looks like he is up to something. We spent some time outside this morning in the backyard playing on the climber and Jacob checked out his new playground while I did a little yardwork.

Happy 18 Month Birthday Jacob

Being 18 months old isn't a real birthday, but it is one of the understood milestones in a toddler's life. No plans to celebrate the milestone other than being with Jacob and enjoying the day.

18 month's sure goes by fast!!

My baby boy is growing up so fast! He has gone from boobie, to bottle, to big boy cup! He had his 18 month doctor's appt and made a great impression. We met with Jacob's favorite doctor so he was busy the first part of the appt flirting and showing off all his talents. The doctor couldn't stop smiling and remarking about how happy and cute Jacob was. Tell me something I don't know!!! We were assured that Jacob is developing right on schedule and is doing great! His stats are 32 inches long and he weighs in at a whooping 23 pounds and 7 ounces. The doctor did her exam and Jacob seemed to take it all in stride. Everything checked out great. We were told that Jacob has some fluid in both ears but there was no sign of infection so it's just something we will check on again in a month. We discussed the best way to break Jacob of his pacifiers for that will be our next challenge. He seems to have gotten pretty attached and we feel it's a good time to address that so it's not an issue a few months from now. Then came the dreaded vaccinations. Luckily Jacob only needed one shot! At his last appt daddy was smart and took advantage of being able to get a vaccination and we were told that it was a little too soon for another, so Jacob will get that in a month when we go back to check his ears. So the doctor's appt went very well and Jacob was a shining star!!

In just the last couple of weeks Jacob has become quiet a chatter box! I have no idea where he gets that from. HA! His vocabulary now includes Ma Ma, Da Da, Ellen (we watch The Ellen Show everynight and he loves it), yucky, wee, no, dog, duck, ball, bubble, cheese, fish, and apple. Along with his verbal communication Jacob also knows the signs for thank you, please, cookie, bird, eat and more. I'm currently working on "I love you". It's so adorable....he's almost got it!! He is just so darn smart and cute. I just can't believe it's already been 18 months! People always warn you that time goes by too fast and that babies grow up so fast.....they're right!
Every day is a precious gift!!!

Bye Bye Bottles

Well, I guess you can say that it is official now. Jacob is no longer using bottles and has completed transitioned to sippy cups. The first morning that he didn't get a sippy cup was almost a couple of weeks ago. He decided to sleep in which then didn't give much time to get ready for school. So, he was fed his morning cereal first thing. The second day, not much thought was given to going right for the cereal as he wasn't given the option. On the third day, I got up with him and walked passed the cupboard where his cereal is and he started pointing and whining toward that cupboard. So, I fed him cereal then as well and now there is no looking back.

Next stop, bigger sippy cups. Some of which will be insulated for the summer months... These are also bigger so we are just waiting to introduce them to Jacob. He is handling the small ones without issue. However, it sometimes seems that he is "shotgunning" them... So, he may be getting bigger sippy cups introduced to him more sooner than later...

Thriving At School

Late last week Amy was told a little story about Jacob. She was told about how Jacob has not only adjusted to being at school, but is also thriving. The adjustment has gone so well that he now known as a ring leader. The story goes that at least one time, Jacob and all of the other kids in his class were sitting at the table, he started laughing out of the blue for no reason... Once all of the other kids were laughing, he stopped. Then he started again so that the kids would start laughing again. So, evidently, Jacob has Amy's personality and enjoys the attention... ;)!

Yummy, Yummy, Yummy!!

Move over Chef Ramsey, Jacob is sharpening his culinary talents in his new kitchen. He has been watching his mommy, daddy and Chef Grandpa Randy for months and is now practicing everything he knows. Let's take a look at how it all began.

Here we find Jacob checking out all of the spaghetti of parts all over the floor. Notice Frankie in the back snooping around for Jacob's delicacies...

Jacob is seen here rethinking the new project/endeavor for the weekend.

Jacob is checking the instructions for backup. He didn't think this project should be taking so long... He was anxious to try out a new recipe he came up with and was a little skeptical at his dad's methods...

After determining dad, along with some of mommy's help, Jacob determined he was okay with how the progress was proceeding. He also determined that he might be able to save daddy some time if he sat on his lap and helped things along. Wouldn't ya' know it? It really did help get the project done even faster.Jacob's kitchen is now open for business. Who will be his first victim, uh um, guinea pig, uh um... customer... ;)

Hey! Leave me alone. Taste testing here!!! Get it!! You donut stealing animal cracker grabbing meat eater!! How was that for rivaling Gordon?!?! All kidding aside!! Tastes great!!

Disclaimer: No ovens, mixers, stoves, etc. were used by any children in the making of this blog. The chocolate donut depicted in the picture above was purchased by mommy and was only used as a prop to certifiy the authenticity of this entry.