Jackson is 4 Months Old!

Another month has come and gone...it seems like it was just yesterday we were bring you home and now I can't imagine our lives without you sweet Jack. 

Happy 4 Months Baby Boy!!

You can now roll over unassisted from back to front...the hard way...you have yet to roll from front to back. You tolerate tummy time a little more and are pushing up with your hands quite well. Just yesterday during tummy time you started to move your legs in a army crawl style...oh buddy...the mobility is coming. You love to lay on your side and play. And you are quite the happy little kicker. You kick and flail your chunky limbs and coo and smile. It's a precious sight.

You have started solids (see previous post!). You hated rice cereal. You love banana's and currently are not a fan of yams (yams are like sweet potatoes). We still have two days of sweet potatoes and then can switch to something new. Next will be butternut squash. Then peas or green beans I haven't decided. I am making all of your baby food. I love knowing what you are eating plus it's cheaper and tastes way way better than jared baby food. On a side note...I tried those baby food pouches the other day...those taste great it's no wonder your bother likes those things...we will be doing those on our road trip when we have no way of keeping baby food cold. 

You are still not sleeping through the night. At first I thought it was something I was doing wrong. You get plenty of naps during the day...a morning, afternoon and short evening nap. You go down for these with little to no fussing. At bed time you usually need a little help to wind down but you are quickly learning how to put your self to sleep. You wake every night around 4am to eat. You are quite hungry and eat a full meal. I'm not about to not feed you. But, part of me wonders if this is eating out of habit or need. You are a big baby and might require extra food. I was hoping solids would help with this but no such luck. I think you just went through a growth spurt you were waking at 2, 5 and 7...oh buddy was I cranky. 

You are still eating every two hours and are exclusively breast fed. You refuse to take a bottle so it's all me...it get tiring but I'm glad that you are getting the 'good stuff'. 

You giggle now quite regularly. Your sides and armpits are quite tickley! You have many sounds you make at us, coo's and goo's but now you have discovered how to yell. Apparently you have good breath support and can shout your words at us or increase your volume to let us know how serious you are about fussing or getting our attention! Oh, you can raspberry now too!

You adore your big brother. You watch him in awe. I can just see you studying his movements and mannerisms...you want to be big just like him. In fact I think the army crawl and your desire to sit are because of Jake. 

You love to sit up. Preferably in someone's lap but really anywhere is fine. You are constantly doing crunches...even in your car seat you lift your head up to see whats going on. You can almost sit unassisted...you sit too far forward and kiss your toes. 

You have been on your reflux medicine for a few weeks now. When I can get it down your throat it helps. It's naturally flavored like peppermint...and I have the pharmacy flavor it like grape...i tried it...it's gross...so I don't blame you. But, we have to try to get it in you twice a day and it's torture for both of us! You don't spit nearly as much now that you are taking this medicine. I also have noticed that when I don't drink milk it helps. So, I'm avoiding milk and attempting to give you the worlds worst tasting medicine. Things should improve as you age and with the addition of solids. Hopefully.

We went to the Dr. yesterday...you got three shots and an oral vaccine...poor baby, but you did great. No fever, a little bit of crankiness and some big nappin' and you were back to your smiley sweet self.

Your Stats:
Weight: 22lb. 5oz.
Length: 27 1/2 inches
Head Circumference: 44.8cm

As you can see from the above measurements you are huge! You are the weight of an average 14 month old and length of an average 8 month old! HUGE! You are heavier and longer than your brother was at this age but if your growth patterns resemble his you will slow way down in your weight gain..you already have. You will soon be sitting and then scooting and crawling and everything will work itself out. I love you big...you are strong and manly already!

I know you are reading this and thinking...oh, I was a perfect baby..other than the whole not sleeping through the night thing. Well, you cry, you love to be held and whenever I try to accomplish anything around the house you don't like it and fuss. You poop like crazy...big amounts and forcefully...you always end up covering yourself and sometimes the couch and me too! You are a good baby though...you are just a baby...doing baby things. You are learning to put your self to sleep quite nicely. Some nights (like last night) you fight sleep so much and then other nights I put you down in your crib awake but sleepy and you put yourself right to sleep. I think you are getting it.

You are a joy my Jackson Ray. You have the sweetest smile and pick on your brothers emotions so quickly...crying when he does. I can tell that your understanding is beyond your 4 months of life...I think you have your fathers gift of discernment...I see it in you even now. You are an amazing little guy. I am in awe of the little person that you are and who the Lord is creating you to be!

I'll stop blabbing now...here are your 4 month pictures!

Ok Mom...here I am take my picture!

Lovin those hands

Hey!!!

This quilt that you are laying on was made by your Great-Great-Grandma...you will meet her in heaven one day...she was quite a lady. This quilt is not only colorful but I love that now we can remember it forever! 

Talkin'

Munchin'

look at those big blue eyes!

just so dang cute!!

And of course your monthly chair picture!! 

Look at how you have grown!!

Oh Brother!

Hey Boys, 

The other day we were taking some pictures in your Apple shirts and this is what unfolded...

Oh bothers this is just the beginning...

Jack's 4 Month Summary

Happy 4 Months my sweet Jackson! 

Jack's First Taste of Solid Food

Hey Jack, 

Well with you being 16 weeks old and having some reflux we were given permission to start you on some solids. Rice cereal is generally the first food given to a baby but i have been reading about how it's not as neccarry to start with it..mainly because most babies won't eat it! Just to keep things on the up and up we tried rice cereal with you the other night. As I suspected...you hated it! I'll let the pictures explain how it all went down!

First Bite

"uuuggghhh"

second bite

"what is this?"

"are my parents crazy?"

"I don't think I like this stuff"

Daddy's turn to try

"Your gonna let this guy feed me?"

"Oh, it's so gross!!"

"seriously mom, i think something is wrong with your milk...whatever this is, is nasty!"

bhaha...I'm sorry little one, I can't help but laugh at your faces. It get's better I promise...food is awesome!

So now you have had banana's...not my first choice in food to start you on but closer tasting to sweet milk...next we will transition into veggies (yams, butternut squash and carrots) then we will try some green veggies (peas and green beans) and of course some fruit. We do the three day wait with new foods...once you show no sign of allergy it's on to the next food. You enjoy eating and sitting at the table with us. Last night as I was getting your food ready you were watching me like a hawk and salivating! Too cute. You try to help feed your self with the spoon but really it just smooshes food all over your face. I was hopping for instant sleeping through the night because we started solids...no such luck. Your brother was sleeping through the night by this point but he was also so much more of a scheduled baby. You are not your bother and you have made that clear. You are much more like your Daddy, hey I'm hungry now feed me...oh, I'm not supposed to be hungry for an other half hour...too bad i'm hungry now...your schedule really doesn't matter. That makes it sound like you are a jerk baby. You aren't you just have no intent on keeping your type A Mommy on a schedule. You are not always hungry at the same times and sometimes you need an extra feed that day. Ok, you along with your daddy are going to get this need for a schedule out of me one way or another. I'm learning to relax.

Love, 

Mommy/ learning to go with the flow!

a conversation that broke my heart

Hey Jake, 

As a growing boy you are experiencing lots of emotions and we are helping you to identify them, know that they are valid and fining healthy ways to express them. You are a smart kid so we talk about you feel a lot. Last night we had a conversation that broke my heart. 

Two days ago Daddy came home from work and you hit him...on purpose and because you were mad.

Last night I told you that Daddy was on his way home and would be home shortly. Here's the following conversation,

Jake - "No, no, no I don't want to see Daddy!!"

Mommy - "Really? you were just telling me how much you missed him."

J - "I don't like Daddy"

M - "yes you do Jake, we don't say things like that it's not nice."

J - "I going to hit Daddy!"

M - "Absolutely not, we don't hit. Why do you want to hit Daddy?"

J - "I Angry."

M - "You're angry at Daddy?"

J - "Yes, I angry at Daddy!!"

M - "Why are you angry at Daddy?"

talking to a two year old I try to repeat what you said...parroting...but writing it out it seems really annoying!! Here's the part that broke my heart.

J - "I mad at Daddy for working! I don't want Daddy to leave!"

M - "You're mad that Daddy has to go to work everyday and leaves us?"

J - "Yes, I don't want Daddy to work!"

Your Daddy wishes he didn't have to work either but I didn't tell you that...it would be hard for you to grasp why he chooses to go to work. 

Then explained to you why Daddy has to go to work...to provide for us. I told you that we have clothes and cars and your iPod because Daddy goes to work. 

J - "I don't want that, I don't want my iPod!"

That really broke my heart. You would be willing to give up all of your stuff to have your Daddy home. Well, my heart is broken. 

I told your Daddy about this conversation through tears...it's a sad reality of life that Daddy goes to work but you are so blessed to have Mommy stay home with you, not a lot of Mommies can do that. Daddy and I both wish we were independently wealthy but making money takes time and allows us to do more as a family and provide for your future. We try hard to keep family first. Daddy comes home and immediately scoops you up and starts playing. We schedule time with just you and Daddy and we always play with you when we can...house work can usually wait. 

This conversation give me insight into you as well. You understand why Daddy goes to work but instead of just accepting the reality of life you want it to be different. I like that you are already questioning the way things are...yes it makes for a challenge for me but I want to explore life, figure out why it is the way it is. I think that's an important quality to have. World changers question the status quo...always seek to understand. Just don't question your Mommy and Daddy...haha...you question us all the time...but for good reason, to understand!

Jake this conversation broke my heart. You are such a smart boy. Explaining things like this to you feels like killing your childish spirit but I hope that it can help you understand and give you a more secure feeling as to why Daddy goes to work and leaves us all day. 

On a side note. I am very thankful for Daddy's job. Not only did it come at the perfect time...right before Jack was born, but we have excellent health care, a great working environment for Daddy, a beautiful commute (which if your going to have one you can't beat Monterey) and Daddy comes home happy and free of work...he gets to leave work at work and focus on his family, which he loves and is rejuvenating for him. I hope that you can find a job that you love someday...it makes working much easier. Well someone once said: "if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life!"

Love, 

Mommy/ I wish daddy could stay home too!

My Super Jake

Jake's First ER Trip

Hey Jake,
Oh buddy...where do I begin?
Yesterday, Sunday June 10th at approximately 9:20...Jack just woke up from his nap, I was giving him his medicine and you were playing in our room. You were pushing some toys around in a laundry basket. You got going a little fast and the basket slipped forward, you tripped and wham! I felt the bed shake. You gasped for air and started crying, then saying, "oww, oww, Mommy, oww". I rushed over to you, turned you over and saw it. A half inch dent/gash above your right eyebrow. It was bleeding, faces bleed pretty good, but it was bleeding pretty good. I grabbed you up and ran to the kitchen...I couldn't figure out why I ran there...towels, ice oh yeah, good place to go. On our way to the kitchen I hollered down to anyone that was down stairs that I needed some one up stairs...right now! I got you to the kitchen, grabbed a towel and started applying pressure. I'm glad all of this comes as second nature...I'm glad I'm a person of action and not one to be paralyzed by fear. So in ran Grandma, she grabbed some ice, we pressed it to your head. I pulled away the towel to see what we were dealing with. Not a long cut but is was at about 1/4 of and inch deep. We needed to go to the ER. It needed help closing up. So grandma ran downstairs to get dressed, I ran you down stairs to lay down and rest. The bleeding was mostly stopped at this point. Uncle Steve watched you and I ran to get dressed too. Grandpa was holding Jack, gave him the rest of his medicine and we were out the door. As we were leaving you asked for Teddy, Grandpa ran up stairs to get it for you and we were off.
We got to the ER and I checked you in and you sat with Grandma in the waiting room. We had to bring Jack with us because as all this happened he was supposed to eat. Luckily he was still happy when we got there.
We got called back quickly so I couldn't feed Jack. Grandma stayed with him in the waiting area. You got weighed and had your temperature checked. You asked for a sticker and the nurse gave one to teddy. Then you asked for another sticker. The nurse told you, you could earn a sticker by keeping the blood oxygenator thing on your finger. You did it, reluctantly, then promptly asked for your sticker. We got put in a room, probably because they knew you would cry, and then the nurse brought you a coloring page and crayons. We colored and watched Chuggington on your iPod. Then a nurse came in and asked us some questions. She asked you what happened and you said, "I was running and tripped and hit my head on the corner of Mommy and Daddy's bed", I was so impressed with your sentence...so was she when she found out you were 2 1/2! She cleaned up your cut/dent and decided that she could glue it. I explained exactly what was going to happen, you are the kind of kid that needs to know, to prepare. We held you down, you cried and the nurse glued your cut shut. Then we were done. You kept saying, "I want to go home now" while were waiting for paper work. While we waited you started pretending the bed was a pirate ship..,you thought the side bars made it look like a ship...anything to make the ER fun! Then we left at around 10:30. Jack was an hour overdue for a feed and was starting to get fussy but was great the whole time!
Overall it was a smooth ER trip. It wasn't fun at all though. I had an adrenalin head ache and stomach ache. But I didn't cry...amazing...I always cry! Today I am trying to not be super paranoid with you. Whenever you do
Something a little daring I get nervous. But you are fine, it's just mommy who is scared for life. You know that you have an owie and that you aren't to touch it. You have enjoyed telling people about your 'emergency trip' and sitting in an 'emergency bed'.
Today you bumped your head at lunch and you said, "I need to go to the doctors now, I have an emergency." I explained to you that you were fine and Dr. Mommy could help you with a kiss. That satisfied you.
You were so good Jake, so brave. Now let's not have any more emergencies!!

Love,
Mommy/ prepared for anything...now!

Jake is Two and a Half!!

Hey Jake, 

You are probably the coolest two year old I know...I'm pretty partial though. You are one smart guy. I'm convinced you are going to be a lawyer or at least a speaker of some kind someday, you are always negotiating and talking. 

You have a awesome imagination...my bed is a pirate ship. 

You are a fast little runner and you love to climb and jump. You jump well with two feet...that's a bigger milestone than I thought. You love to play and jump in our lovesac. 

As the weather is warming up you are enjoying playing outside. You love playing with your water table, playing trucks, sidewalk chalk, baseball, swinging and swimming. I'm excited to teach you how to swim this summer. We will practice kicking and blowing bubble and of course jumping in. 

You love to sing songs and listen to Daddy's stories. You love to sing, The Wheel's on the Bus, Itsy Bitsy Spider, No More Monkey's Jumping On the Bed, Jesus Loves Me and any other song you can convince me to sing. I make up song for you all the time and you just laugh at how silly they are. 

You know all of your colors, and can count to 10 usually...you like to skip 6 and 7! You are learning your ABC's this is how you say them right now 

'a,b,c,d,h,I,j,k,o,p, t,u,v, w,x,z and x' you've got most of those letters! It's really cute to listen to you sing the song. You recognize most of your letters and know their names so that makes up for the fact that you don't know the song all the way through. You have a huge vocabulary...more on that in a minute. You know the names of so many cars and all of your monster trucks. You love watching TV...so we try to limit your viewing time. You only watch children's programming and I'm really picky about what you watch. You watch Cliford the big red dog, Bubble Guppies, Little Einstein's and Jake and the Neverland Pirates...these are all on an episode by episode basis...if I hear anything I don't like we don't watch it. Sadly TV has been great with the new baby it has allowed me to rest and you to be entertained for a little while. By you get sick of watching too much, you'll get down and play. You are great at reading to your self and playing by yourself which has made this transition to two so much easier. 

You are very smart. We tell you something once and it sticks. It's great being able to reason with you when you do something wrong. Even to just explain concepts to you. We have always talked to you like you were an intelligent person, because you are. Now you understand so much and want to understand everything...like where the rain comes from!

Ok so your vocabulary...holy smokes...you talk so much!  Here are some of my favorite things that you say...or have said.

'just one more'...heres some of that negotiating

'does that sound like a great idea?'

'yesh' how you answer questions...no more yeah or yep

'okay Mommy'...I love that you say this when I ask you to do something!

'I love you the whole wide world'

'I just like ya Mommy!'

'you play cars with me?'

'I love Monsters In-co-pa-pated, it's my favorite!'

'I don't have to get down, I live here'...I'm not sure where you heard this but you said this to me when I told you to get down from the window seat.

'I don't like Daddy right now'...after Daddy had disciplined you for something

'Yea Daddy home!' I love to hear you cheer this 

'I don't fink so'...fink = think

If you say, thunk, it sounds like the 'f' word and if you say, bench, it sounds like the 'b' word...it's hysterical

'make it so' Uncle Steve and Grandpa are trying to get you to say this

'I'm super Jake!'

'I'm a pirate...yargg, matey!'

'Yo, yo, ho...let's go'

'let's rock and roll'

'I just working on the computer'...

'um...I don't fink I like that'...to anything you don't want to do

'let's play outside'...I love that you like being outside!

'look, I giggling'

'I handsome!'...why yes, yes you are

'Mommy, you are so pretty!'...melt my heart

'Daddy's works at Apple making computers'...close enough

These are just the one's that I can remember right now...I'm sure there are more. You say the funniest things and come up with some sentences that really surprise me. How you grasp concepts and form sentences around them is amazing to me...far beyond most 2 1/2 year olds...it's keeps things interesting at least...

Jake you are truly a joy...seriously...even on the days when I'm frustrated and just needing a break. You will walk up to me and say, "Mommy, I love you the whole wide world!" and give me a big hug. Then my heart turns to mush and I remember how truly blessed I am to call you my son! You are so much fun...I love playing with you and imagining stories together. Oh, life is great with you!

Look at how cute you are...Here are your 2 1/2 year pictures! 

Super Jake!

'I flying!!'

Zoom!

he's able to leap tall buildings with a single bound!

every super hero needs a friend

as we were taking these you grabbed Teddy and said, 'hold on tight Teddy, let's fly!'

being super is tiring

the never ending energy of Super Jake!!

that tongue is always out

flying!!

Well my sweet Jake, these two and half years have flown by. So much has happened in your little life and you are becoming quite the little boy. I am so proud of who you are becoming and am excited for the future. 

I love you my Jake-a-do!!

Love, Mommy/seriously blessed!

Livin' la vida healthy

Hey boys, 

I don't want the word diet to be in your vocabulary. I don't believe in diets, I believe in lifestyle changes.  You must wonder where all of this is coming from. Let me explain.  

In high school I was very athletic...I swam and played volleyball. I worked out at least once a day most times two... I love early morning swim and lift sessions. Then in college I played volleyball for fun and then your Daddy and I got married and well, life was busy, I was working and exercise got scheduled out of my life...I never had to schedule exercise it was always scheduled for me. So it just go left out of my life. Then my body started to feel funny...slow...gross...sore. I went to the doctor and had a bunch of blood work done. Like I had suspected...I had hypothyroidism. Bummer. Mommy has to get blood work done every 6 months at least and take a few pills everyday. It also has lots of other effects on me...my mood, weight, body temperature control, metabolism and lots more are effected. It can make getting pregnant and having a healthy pregnancy difficult so you two boys are such miracles. I try to down play my hypothyroidism...really it's no big deal..but it is important for me to take care of myself.

 After having you two boys I have gained some weight.  So all that being said...I needed a lifestyle change. I love food. I love to cook and I love to eat...I don't really want to give that all up but being healthy is my top priority. So I went reading and researching different diets and decided I hate them all...counting calories, points or whatever. Not for me. I want freedom. So after careful reading and planning I have decided that going gluten free is best for me and my hypothyroidism...could even get rid of me needing to take pills. And with that I am adapting a paleo diet...no preservatives, no sugar, no grains. It's awesome because I can eat all the healthy food I want...and so can you two. I am starting to transition you guy too...it might be hard because Jake you love pasta...we'll take it slow. But this isn't a temporary thing its a lifestyle change, one that I'm excited for...for all of us. I'm excited for us to all eat healthy! 

Now for the excise thing...I love Pilates and yoga but just those won't help me drop weight...so I have started swimming and doing HIIT's (high intensity interval training). Oh buddy I don't really like them but I love them all at the same time. Eventually I will have more time to put into exercising...I have to feed a baby and chase after a toddler. Plus exercise is something that is going to become a habit for me...not something to just do to loose weight...but a daily commitment much like my morning cup of coffee!  Ok boys, what am I getting at?  

I want you two to strive to live healthy...I hope to bring you up in a house where that is the goal. Not in a confined diet...I can only eat peas...kind of way but a life style to care for our bodies. It's my goal to care for myself, to see value in who I am, so you in turn will too. And then learn to see your value. I want to be a mom that will run around with you and play soccer and wrestle...and not loose my breath. We have been given these bodies and need to care for them. Now let me clarify. Being healthy is one thing...being skinny is another. Slim does not equal health much the same way that a large person can still be healthy. I used to be skinny....I worked out enough to be and I was young...but I ate terribly. I ate junk food because I enjoyed it. I was fit but not healthy. Are you picking up what I'm putting down? If you are active and eating right, that's all you need. Some people weigh more than others and some are not naturally thin. Don't hold your selves to some ridiculous standard. That being said...push yourselves...don't settle. If you make exercise a priority that's great. For me it's not my goal to be stick thin nor a muscle woman...I want and need to have a life beyond how I look. You boys are my priority so if I have to spend any more than an hour a day to maintain a certain look it's too much.  

I hope that I'm making sense guys... I love you two with my whole heart and I know that people can be judgmental, I want you two to grow up above that...as much as possible. It's a learning process, one that I'm still on. But I hope that we can travel this journey together and you can get further than I could...I feel that is my job as your mom to take you as far as I have gone and then push you to achieve more than I have. That is my dream for you... 

 Ok this post is way too long!  I love you boys and I hope that you will learn to love yourselves too!!

 Love, Mommy/excited to work out together someday!