He is 7 months. She is at least 15 years

Toes in the nose

Hello all! I always hope that I can come to this blog and write about something that will grab your attention and be entertaining. Unfortunately, for you, today I have a cold and am not much in the mood for attention grabbing. However, you are in luck because the sky decided that it was our turn to have some sun which puts Alexis out side. While Jake is napping I thought it best to make good use of my time and update the goings on here in the last month.

Toes in the mouth

Jacob still amazes us daily. He has discovered flexibility and his toes, not being able to enjoy one with out the other. He is a fan of tummy time and using his big head to steer him in his 360 rolls. A couple weeks into his seventh month and his personality is taking shape a little more each day. As always he loves to eat. He will try anything. Fruit, veggies, fingers, toys, his toes, keys, anything and everything that he can get his hands on. When he decides he is hungry he goes into hysterics that would give an outsider suspicions that we might be starving him. He doesn't just cry, he wails and arches his body as if he was in pain. Once the spoon or bottle hits his lips all is right and he can go on exploring while being fed. Yeah, you read that right. There is much too much to discover to stop for eating. This makes feeding him a game that requires great skill in hand eye coordination, something I do not have. He moves and lurches and lunges toward anything in his sight whether it is within his grasp or not. Once the food or formula is gone we have to quickly put away the bowl or bottle he was eating out of, if it is left to sit any more than ten minutes after the meal he will scream again demanding more to eat. He is not under fed, in fact I have been told that he eats more than an adequate amount of food, I suppose he just likes to eat.

He has begun to gibber jabber. Pretty much non stop. His favorite sounds right now are the da's, often sounding like dada. Or dadadadada. Either way, Gene swears that he is calling him.

He is still growing both taller and wider. I have taken advantage of the warm weather and cleaned out his drawers and stocked them with clothes we have been storing in the garage. He pretty much skipped past 3-6 month clothes and is now in 6-9 month and some 9-12! So much for the little preemie baby that didn't fit into anything.

Breakfast was not filling enough, he needed the bowl too!

Alexis. Oh, Alexis. I know that a few months ago I told you all that she turned five. But, I am pretty sure that I left out a digit. I am almost certain that I meant to say 15. She is mouthy, and whines and cries if she doesn't get her own way, which is most of the time. She is so independent that it is frustrating at times. She knows what she wants, how she wants it, and when you should be giving it to her. If it doesn't go in that order all hell breaks loose.

She takes a bone in the backyard and makes Blue follow her around before she gives it to him. She thinks it's the funniest thing in the world!

She has a love for all things centered around here. She talks. Non-stop. About anything and nothing. She talks to the point of utter insanity. I am sure she gets that from Gene. She is intelligent. She loves her brother more than anything. She is energetic and out going. She is scared of ALL bugs and goes into a screaming crying fit that only a five year old girl can produce when one comes any where close to her. She is creative. She is careful. She is beautiful.

1/2

I have never felt like time had gotten away from me more than I have felt this month. I had a good reality "smack" in the face while sitting in the pediatrician's office on the the tenth. I had to choke back an emotional moment when I had to say out loud, "We are here for Jacob's six month check". Are you kidding me? Six months already? Ugh. Where has all the time gone? When did my little booger become six months old? What happened to that under weight preemie I brought home from the hospital? What happened to that little baby boy I was struggling to feed? How did I get this boy that everyone in the Doc's office calls a Barracuda?

I think the fact that this is our last baby has a lot to do with the fact that that it feels like it went so fast. Or, maybe it is because unlike Alexis he has been a very calm and for the most part GREAT baby. Maybe it is because I am a little more laxed in my parenting than I was with Alexis. What ever it is, it sure has caused these past six months to fly by.

The office visit always starts with a strip down to the birthday suit for a weight check and length measurement. This doesn't ever pose a problem as the little monkey much prefers to be in the nude. The table length mirror also helps to increase his mood, as it gives him another little person to yell at. On this visit the moment he hit the scale is when things started to get fun.

The nurse sort of giggled under her breath, but didn't really go into much detail other than telling me that his weight was up to 14 lbs 3 ozs. Considering the way he came into this world with his low weight, any time there is a jump in numbers I am thrilled.

Next, comes the questions about his sleeping and feeding schedule/habits. To which I answer for ever two to three hours he is asleep he is up for about two to three. His feeding is a six ounce bottle every two to three hours with two feedings or rice or oatmeal mixed with a fruit or veggie. Another laugh, this time with an " He really enjoys his food, doesn't he". Don't get the wrong idea. This nurse is in no way being rude, she is just as thrilled as I am when I hear about the weight gain. The people at this office have been through the worst with Jake and I and are just as excited to see him healthy.

Then the doc comes in and reviews the chart. She reviews his past visit from his four month check and then goes back to today's page to look at the new measurements...some under the breath counting...a huge smile, some reading on the feeding habbits...and...a HYSTERICAL laugh. I mean Dr. Kim practically had tears coming out of her eyes. "Oh my gosh, this little Barracuda has gained a ton of weight. Look how much he eats! What a chubs! He looks amazing" ( I am telling you they are almost more happy than I am to get a good bill of health out of this man) Obviously Jake is no chub according to most baby measurements, but for as far as he has come he has surpassed all expectations on the growth front.

We left the docs office with a new appointment for his nine month check and big smiles on our faces.

In the past six months Jake has formed quite the personality. Here are a few things that I have learned so far:

He loves to take a bath, always has. BUT he does not like to have his hands or his face wiped after a meal. He likes to be naked. If he knows you are taking his clothes off he is happy to be pulled and pushed into ten different directions. However, if you are dressing him he will protest. He loves to eat. He doesn't like his rice to be made with formula. He prefers it to made with water and then mixed with some other, more tasteful food. He favors carrots, squash, and sweet potato over green beans and peas. He loves bananas, strawberries, pears, apples, and plums. He does not like peaches. He still must be swaddled while sleeping, other wise he will pull at his face and bink until it wakes him up. He likes to be the the upright position, thus he spends most of his awake time in his walker. He will stop crying during a fit long enough to hear what you have to say, once you have finished he will continue on with his bitch fest. He likes music, doesn't matter what genre-he loves it all. He adores his sister. He will laugh at anything she does to entertain him. If he wants attention from somebody that is not looking he will yell and scream at you until you turn to look, then reward you with a smile. He likes to hold his toes with one hand and chew of the fingers of his other hand. He likes any object, be it a phone or the TV that lights up and makes sound. He is not a fan of his car seat. He hates it. The whole time is strapped down it in he attempts to sit up, this makes long car rides a bit of a pain. Most importantly, he is healthy and happy.

Hello Mr. Sun

Getting ready for school

Mr. Jake and his new walker

The sun has been shining here in Spokane for two days in a row now and if you have ever lived here you know that means that the people here go straight from their winter parkas and right into their halter tops and flip flops. The people in my household do not participate in this crazy behavior, but the sun shine has rubbed off on us.

Lex playing on her swingset

"Oh yeah!"

"Whach how high I can go!"


Lex loving on Blue

We have spent the last three days outside enjoying the weather and catching some rays. Alexis has thoroughly enjoyed being able to go outside and swing until the sun goes down. Even Jake got in on stocking up his vitamin D.

Jacob getting some sun on his white head

Handsome
Uh Oh. We lost the bink
All is right in the world again

Okay, Okay, I realize that I have severely fallen behind on keeping up with this the last month. Sorry. I guess life has just sorta gotten past me these past few weeks. I cannot really pin point what has taken up my time, just that it seems like I never have a free second. UGH! As they say, there is no time like the present, so if you could all forgive me then we can move on to what you came here to see!

Since I have last posted there really hasn't been too much change here. Jacob is doing amazing. He loves to stand (with help from us of course) and is just about ready to sit on his own. He is finally discovering that his body, though little, extends further than his fingers and mouth. He is becoming increasingly more interested in his toes and is now in the habit of rubbing his right ear when he falls asleep. He is so cute. He still is willing to hand out smiles that melt your heart. His laugh is wildly infectious. His cheeks are getting chubbier, his belly rounder, and his hair is getting thicker! Speaking of hair, it is becoming more apparent that he is going to be a pale skinned red head. This should make summer camping/boating more interesting. I don't know how to take care of someone this, well, white. Either way, I could not have asked for a more perfect boy.

Alexis is discovering her talent in growing plants and helping Dad in the garage. At school she planted a sunflower seed and has been watching it bloom ever since. Watching her face light up while she realized what was happening was indescribable. She is about all things green right now. A sure sign that Spring has come to Spokane is when the tulips start blooming. Our tulips are starting to leaf out and she goes out every morning to check them. I usually get an "Oh mom! You have to come see this. These flowers are growing more than you can imagine!" I love when she gets so excited that her whole face lights up and her eyes sparkle. With snow FINALLY gone she has been spending her days out on the swing until it is time to come in for bed. Gene is rebuilding a Suzuki Samurai and Alexis wants to be involved in every step. In the pictures she is painting a hard protective coating on the floor. She still amazes us with her learning abilities picking up things like how to read and tell time.

In closing, I just want to say that I really do intend to keep up on this blog better than I have in the last month, so don't give up on me, I will be better!