Bill and Miss (plus two)

Our baby is already 4 months old.  I still can't believe how fast time is going.  He has brought more joy to our lives than we ever could have imagined.  He continues to be such a good baby.  He is sleeping through the night for the most part.  He has his nights when he wakes up, but I can't complain.  Yesterday Jacob and I took Braden to his doctor's appointment.  He was all smiles when the nurse weighed him in.  He is 16 lbs 12oz and is 26 inches long.  He has grown 2 inches in the last two months!  He is 4lbs heavier and 1/4 inch longer than Jacob was at this age. He definitely likes to eat!  He was such a good boy during his appointment, despite all the spitup which the doctor says is totally normal and will start to subside now and hopefully be totally gone by 6 months, lets hope because the laundry is out of control!  He has hit all of his milestones execpt rollying over.  Dr. Koutures said we should give him more tummy time to allow him to roll over faster.  He got two shots and had one vaccination given orally.  He didn't cry that much with his shots.  Jacob was standing over him saying "it's okay Braden" while the nurse stuck him.

After the appointment we were on our way to Angel's Stadium to buy tickets for Jacob and daddy and others to go to Monster Jam.  Jacob was so excited as we pulled into Angel's Stadium.  He remembered going to the Angel game with daddy.  He asked me if I remembered that daddy took him there "yesterday".  For Jacob anything that happened in the past is "yesterday". 

When we got home both boys took a long nap with mommy (and daddy ended up joining us too).  Jacob hasn't been feeling too well, so a nap for him was much needed.  I have found that Braden sleeps much better and longer at night when he takes a good nap during the day.  It's hard to do that when Jacob has us running around iwth his busy schedule, so when I can stay home in the afternoon I take advantage and put him down for a good nap. Jacob had a fever the other day which completely freaks me out, so for the past two nights he was sleeping in our bed.  Does not make for a comfortable nights sleep for either daddy or me, but at least I had a close eye on him all night long.

Jacob is done with his physical therapy.  Last Friday was his last session.  He made some progress.  He went from 0 flexiblity in his foot to about 5-10 percent, not great, but an improvement nonetheless and we'll take it.  Daddy and I are supposed to be stretching him everyday, but I have to admit we haven't done it everyday.  We have to get better at stretching him everyday so his problem improves instead of gets worse.  I don't want him to have any long term effects from all of this. 

We are going to try and stay low this week so that Jacob can get back to 100% by the weekend. 

So until next time...mommy and daddy love you, our growing boys!

Jacob had a busy day!  This morning we started by going to Jacob's first Physical Therapy session.  He is still walking on his toes and his doctor recommended that he get physical therapy to help correct the problem.  The physical therapist was really nice and worked well with Jacob.  Jacob did a good job listening to what he needed to do and completed all the "exercises" perfectly!  He's a good patient according the the physical therapist!  I was proud of our little guy.  Braden came along for the ride and as usual, he fell asleep there which was nice because then I could concentrate on Jacob and listen to what the therapist had to say.  We have to work with him at home doing some exercises and stretching and massaging :) 

After his session, we came home for a quick break and then we were off to Tiny Tots (a preschool program run by the city).  Since Jacob was born late in the year he can't start Kindergarten until he is almost 6 years old.  We could have started him in Preschool starting in October, but that would have meant that he would be in Preschool for 3 years.  So as an alternative, we decided to start him in the Tiny Tots program.  Today was his first day!  Bill and I were a little nervous about dropping him off and hoping that he wouldn't cry as we left.  I was put a little more at ease when this last Sunday at church, Jacob was perfectly fine going into his Sunday school class.  So I prayed last night to make this an easy transition for him and to give him security knowing that mommy and daddy would be back to pick him up. 

Bill and I took him to the class and he was eager to enter the room.  When the door finally opened, he walked right in and went straight to the train on the floor.  He played there for a little bit and then I got him to go get his nametag.  As I suspected, Jacob is one of 3 Jacob's in the class.  So I told him to find the nametag that said "Jacob R." he looked around and without any help he picked out his name!  I was surprised!  WOW, who knew that he knows what his name looks like.   After we put his lunch pail away and put his nametag on he went back to the carpet and played with the train.  Bill and I looked at each other and knew that it was time for us to leave.  I went to say goodbye to him and give him a kiss and he said "mommy, I want you to stay with me"  I told him that I would be waiting for him outside until his fun class was over"  He said "okay" and then gave me a kiss.  He then gave his daddy a high five and we left.  He was totally fine!  As we left I got a little teary eyed, but I didn't cry. 

Braden and I then went to the nail salon so I could get a pedicure, I needed to relax a little after that emotional experience.  When I went to pick him up 2 hours later, I walked in the room and he stood up from the carpet and said "Mommy" with the cutest little smile on his face.  It made me feel so good inside.  He ran over to me as though he hadn't see me for years, it was so cute! 

The three of us then went to Johnny Rockets with his friend, Alexander, who was also in the class with him.  There we met his other friends, Malaya and Reagan.  Jacob had a hot dog and chocolate milk shake and was in heaven.  He is excited about his class on Thursday when he gets to take something for show and tell :)  Oh how I wish I was a fly on the wall in that class. 

So until next time...mommy and daddy love you and are so proud of you!

The Monday after Christmas Jacob had his 3 year doctor visit.  The whole family tagged along.   After they called us in they had Jacob stand on the "big kid" scale.  He no longer is put on the scale where the babies are weighed.  Then the nurse told him he had to stand up to be measured like a big boy!  He weighed in at 33 1/2 pounds (50th percentile) and is 39 inches (90th percentile) tall!  He walked back to the room with a little hop in his step.  I think he thought he was cool because he was doing things like the big kids do!  Then the nurse took his blood pressure.  It was so cute seeing him sit there so nicely while she put the tiny cuff on him.  His blood pressure was 90/40, good according to the doctor. 

The doctor then came in to "check him out."  He asked some developmental questions to Bill and I and then he asked Jacob if he knew his colors.  Dr. Gladstein pointed to a red box and asked Jacob if he knew what color that was.  Jacob looked at it, nodded and said, "Black"  Bill and I looked at each other and laughed.  Of course he would make the doctor think that he doesn't know his colors.  So then Bill and I were scrambling to point out other colors to prove to the doctor that he does in fact know his colors.  After pointing out a coupe of objects and Jacob saying the right color, the doctor knew that Jacob does know his colors.  Then he asked us if Jacob has friends.  We told him he does and then the doctor asked Jacob what his friends names were.  Jacob responded with "I don't know"  Oh great...he only says all of his friends names everynight when he says his prayers and now when being tested, he doesn't want to say their names.  So Bill and I had to ask him again and then he finally started naming off his friend's names.  Then Dr. Gladstein wanted to know how Jacob eats.  We said he usually eats pretty well, but he has his days.  So Dr. Gladstein asked Jacob what's your favorite fruit...Jacob's response, "I don't know!"  Oh my gosh, once again he makes the doctor think that we aren't doing our job as parents.  Finally he said he likes apples so we were in the clear. The doctor also asked questions like if Jacob could jump like a bunny and other developmental stuff all to which we said yes.

I asked Dr. Gladstein about Jacob's speech and he said he was fine.  I then told him that he STILL walks on his toes and he told us that it's about time to get him some physical therapy for that!  FINALLY!!!  I've only been asking for the last year and a half and we finally get what we want.  So Jacob starts next week.  I'm sure they can fix the problem, I just hope it doesn't take too much time.

So the last part of his appointment was for him to get the second dose of the H1N1 vaccine.  Jacob was such a good boy.  The nurse came in, stuck the needle in his arm and it was over.  I was with Braden and didn't even know that she had already given him the shot, he didn't cry at all or even make a sound.  Bill and I were so proud of him.  The nurse gave him a Batman sticker and then as we left, the receptionist gave Jacob a Scooby-Doo sticker...the kid was in sticker heaven!

Bill and I are so proud of Jacob.  He is growing so big and reaching all his developmental milestones and then some.  We can't believe that 3 years have gone by so fast.  I can still remember walking into that doctor's office when Jacob was 2 weeks old.  We hardly knew what we were doing then and he was so tiny, not even 8lbs at that point.  Now, he seems to be growing like a weed (well in his height anyway!). 

After his appointment we went to the Nixon Library where they had a train exhibit.  Jacob was in awe with the two train sets they had.  They were AMAZING.  I think he could have been there all day and not gotten bored.  then we went outside and got to see and walk through Marine 1.  Jacob liked the helicopter, but I think by that point he was "done" and was ready to go home. 

so until next time...mommy and daddy love you!