9 Months

I am LOVING this stage with Jacob! He has just been so much fun! I feel like he's achieved a new level of awareness and he just plays and jibber/jabber's all day. We had a doctor appointment this month (no shots!) and Jacob is weighing 17 lbs 9 oz and is STILL 27 1/2 inches tall.... Keep this up kid and your not going to pass your dad up in hieght!... If anyone has noticed, Jacob has a slight yellow complexion and so Dr. Ward wanted to do some tests to make sure he doesn't have jaundice. So we went over to ERMC to do some blood work and take a urine sample. So right when we got there I attached a bag that has sticky tabs at the top so you can basically attached it around his penis so when he pees it will go into the bag. Then they poked his heel to draw so blood, but because Jacobs feed are starting to get so much muscle it wasn't really

Bandage from getting poked for blood.

working. So then they poked him in his arm to get the blood. After that they realized Dr. Ward wanted a catheter urine sample and not just a pee in the bag urine sample. But just at that moment another baby came in to get some blood work done so we had to wait for them. Well, after over an hour of being there (of which the whole time he was still wearing the pee bag AND he still hadn't peed) we were finally ready to do the catheter. The doctor said he took the bag off, turned around to grab the catheter, and Jacob peed everywhere... Except in the bag. So they put the catheter in anyway to try to get any urine but Jacob had emptied his bladder. It was a little frustrating to be there for over an hour and still not get anything. So we had to come back in a few hours and try again and thankfully they were able to get a sample! Because I think Jacob and I were both tired of Jacob's penis getting poked! All test came back normal, which didn't surprise me. He's been yellow for a long time and I'm pretty sure it's just because the majority of his food comes from veggies.

We did start Jacob on yogurt and eggs this past month. He seems to like them both a lot. When it comes to food I feel like I haven't really pushed him as hard. Probably just because I'm lazy and it's just easier to puree all his food and feed it to him with his feeder. Although, I really hate making baby food. It's just so tedious and takes a long time. Time, that I don't have because I'm trying to work 30 hours a week which is hard enough as it is. But still, its easy once the food is made, and Jacob eats it the best from his feeder.

I am pretty positive that Jacob is going to be a climber. Like the type of climber you find on top of your fridge climber. My mom pointed out that he does watch Scott and I climb rocks all the time so he's just using us as him perfect example. Which is probably true. No, he is not climbing on the fridge yet. Yes, he has started climbing on,

 or in, everything he can.

He has learned how to open the cupboard doors by himself and loves getting into them.

So of course we have bought baby proofing clips for the doors but they apparently aren't adult proof because I forget they are there, open the door, and snap! They break. We have already gone there multiple on each of the doors because I break them. The first time he climbed up on the stool I was baking, and I could feel him next to me but didn't realize what he was doing and the next thing I know his little hand is reaching on top of the counter, I look down and he is standing on top of the stool next to me. I had to laugh.


Jacob started giving high fives this past month. I feel like it took a while to learn because every time we would try to give him a high five he would act like we were punishing him and he would get the most emotionally hurt expression on his face (like you broke his favorite toy) and shy away from you. It was so cute, but so sad at the same time. But once he finally realized we weren't punishing him, or hurting him in some way he thought it was fun! He also constantly does the sign language sign for dad. I don't know
 what he thinks it means, but he does it all the time! Also, when hen he doesn't want something, instead of yelling like he used to do, he will now hold his chin down to his chest if you try to offer it to him.  No, this does not mean he has stopped yelling. He is getting more and more opinionated as he grows up. And yells to let you know it. It's actually been kind of hard because at times Jacob will know exactly what he wants. I'll have no clue what he wants, but if I don't give him what he wants he'll yell and start to throw a little fit.


Jacob loves piano's and music. If Jacob is in a bad mood 9 times out of 10 if you start singing to him it will change his whole mood around.

We have recently started listening to a lot of Disney music and he seems to like that. I think he will always love music. Because he always has. He still hates getting diaper changes, changing clothes and getting out of the bath. It's really frustrating because he will not hold still when I lay him down to change him. I get after him and get after him, but I swear he is head strong. He knows he's not supposed to do it but he does it anyway. Most of the time with a huge grin on his face. He finally has figured out how to go down the stairs and I love it cuz now I don't have to worry about him around the stairs! I was sad though because at first he would go down them so carefully and stay as close to the stair as he could as he slid down. Then when he would hit the bottom he wouldn't realize it was the last step so he would continue to slide on the tile till he was laying flat. Then when he was out stretched completely and didn't hit another stair he would realize he was at the bottom and then crawl away from them. I really wanted to get a video of this but the camera was lost. By the time we found the camera he had figured out that he didn't need to do that anymore. But I did get a video of him going up and down them!

We also got to experience a double ear infection this past month. It was so sad because I could tell he was just in sooooo much pain and so miserable. We were on vacation and didn't know it was an ear infection and just didn't get him into a doctor until we had got back, which was 2 days of him having the infection. I have just never seen him look so awful in my life! His whole dameener what just so so sad. I was glad when we finally got some antibiotics in him and medicine!

Fell asleep standing in his crib. Love it!

Jacob's is now going to sleep around 9:30 to 10 and waking up around 7 and 8. I think we really messed up his schedule with our life style and trips. He's still getting up twice a night about half the time and taking two naps a day.

8 Months

Jacob is now 16 lbs 10 oz and hasn't grown at all.... Still sitting at 27 1/2" tall. Definitely has slowed down his growing. For the past couple months he's only gained 7 oz each month and has only grown 1/2 inch. But I'm ok with it. I think this is as much as I weighed when I turned a year old. So he's doing better then I was.

This past month Jacob has mastered pulling himself up on everything. And it was kind of funny because he didn't know how to get back down after he pulled himself down so when he was ready to get down he would just start yelling until someone came over and helped him get down. Thankfully it wasn't long before he decided he was tired of either falling off whatever he was holding onto or waiting for someone to come help him so he decided to learn to get down himself. I just love how calculated and careful his thinking process is as he tries to get down. :)

Jacob started getting up in his crib as well. And let me tell you, I was NOT excited about it.... Because before when I would lay Jacob down for a nap he would just lay there contently and eventually fall asleep. Now as soon as I lay him down he stands in his crib and just cries and cries. And I have to go in a couple of times and lay him back down before he'll finally go to sleep. For some reason even after he'd learned to get himself down from standing up it took him a couple weeks to figure out he could do it while standing in his crib as well. It was sure nice when he did though, cuz then I could just let him stand up and cry as long as he wanted then he'd eventually lay back down and go to sleep. To go along with his pulling himself up on everything he also has started to walk along the furniture and even stood by himself without holding onto anything! I really think he's going to be walking within the next month or so! (Or maybe I shouldn't be excited about that... ) It was only for a few seconds but it's a start!

Apparently dad sneezing is pretty funny....

I think Jacob is going to be a soccer lover! At one of our soccer games we were warming up and Scott was holding Jacob and whenever the ball would come to Scott and he would kick it Jacob would just laugh and laugh. He thought it was the funniest thing! It was sooooo cute! I will not complain in the slightest if he is. :) Jacob is also such a little flirter. In church he just flirts with everyone
 behind us. And if you aren't giving him attention he'll tilt his head down so that your forced to look at him. I love it, I think it's the cutest thing! Jacob has also started banging his hands on things while alternating hands. He especially loves doing it on the new high chair we got him! We used to just feed him sitting on the ground and he'd just sit there the whole time. We had to break down and get a high chair when Jacob decided he didn't want to just sit there anymore and it would be more fun to try to climb on you to get the food. The high chair is nice though!

We started feeding Jacob finger food about a month ago but he started figuring out how to actually feed himself just after turning 7 months. So that's been fun. I love watching the concentration it takes for him to get the food in his finger, then up to his mouth without dropping it. I started Jacob on more chucky solids this month and he seems to like them. I don't like them because I can't use the feeder with them. So as of now I'm feeding him fruit for breakfast, then veggies for lunch and dinner, nursing every 2-3 hours.

Crickets dog bones are the best though!

Jacob does not like getting his diaper changed or changing his clothes. As soon as you lay him down he just starts screaming. Its kind of annoying actually.

 He also doesn't like getting out of the tub. I think because then, he has to get a diaper on and put clothes on. But he does love when you hold onto his hands and let him walk/run around with your help! He also learned the new emotion fear this past month. Jacob has been kind of starting to climb up the stairs more. I swear he had no fear before. But then he took a nice trip down my parents full flight of stairs and I think that jogged some fear into him because now he just avoids the stairs altogether. I think it's a good thing because he was starting to get a little out of hand thinking he was invisible. Now he at least takes a little time to consider something before diving into it. We are trying to teach him how to go down them but so far he isn't catching on.

Because Jacob loves cricket so much we have now been forcing Cricket to play with Jacob... notice I say force Cricket because she would never do it on her own. We started this when I noticed one day Jacob crawl over to Crickets toy, pick it up, then wave it around trying to get Cricket to come play tug of war with her like we do with Cricket. It was to cutest thing!

Jacob is still getting up a couple times a night. I swear he'll never sleep through the night... And has gone down to only taking 2 naps a day. He is going to bed anywhere between 8 and 9:30 and getting up between 7 and 8. I liked it more when he'd sleep in till 9 or 10! But at least I got a kid that would sleep in at all. Even if it was only for a few months!

2013

To tell the truth I'm sad that the year 2013  is over. It has really been a great year! Scott and I were able to move into an awesome new apartment and new ward. We were able to take a super fun trip to New York, probably the best change of all, we got to add the best, cutest addition to our family! Scott got accepted into The University of Idaho and started his graduate program as a hydrologist. I transitioned from being a working women in the office to a working women at home so I could take care of my little guy. We feel so truly blessed to have the things that we have and for the many great opportunities that have been given to us. The new year brings new goals, changes, challenges and adventures. We hope 2014 will be just as good to us as 2013.

7 Months

 

 

New years was the mark of Jacob's 7 month birthday! And to celebrate we took him on his first snowshoeing trip! He got to wear his cute new hat and sunglasses for the first time as well! I think he enjoyed it. He was awake most of the time. The only time I think he didn't enjoy it was the last half hour of the trip when the temperature dropped suddenly and he was starting to get a little hungry. But it was still fun! Dad had a lot of fun carrying him in his awesome baby carrier as well. :)

I think Jacob's growth is slowing down. He is now 16 lbs 3 oz and 27 1/2 inches tall. The biggest thing Jacob learned to do this month is crawl. 

 

 

 

He started about a week after he turned 6 months and has just been improving more and more during the month until he was a mean crawling machine! Now he's fast and gets anywhere he wants. It's actually kind of nice because I think he is a lot happier being mobile. Except when it comes to getting into Crickets dog food and water. That I don't like as much. We came up with a solution for a few weeks, putting Crickets dog food and water up higher so Jacob couldn't get it. But as I said before, that only worked for a few weeks because it wasn't long before Jacob was pulling himself up on everything. Now we just don't have anywhere to put and so we just keep it put up until Cricket asks for it then we get it down for her. As soon as she's done eating it's back up on the counter. 

I do think it's fun having him mover around. It makes my life easier in the sense that I don't ever have to go to him to pick him up anymore, cuz I make him come to me. :) I don't know if Jacob likes it, but it's a nice perk for me! Jacob also learned to clap this hands this past month and will start clapping them by himself when I sing pat-a-cake. It's the cutest thing! I love it.

 

Jacob is constantly trying to make new sounds with his mouth. Once he discovers a new one he is obsessed with it until he finds a new one to be obsessed with. This past month he has learned to blow raspberries, smack his lips and he has been trying to learn to click his tongue. I love showing him how to do something and being able to see his little mind working to figure out how he can do it.

I also love seeing Jacob's personality develop. He is thus far, a very laid back happy baby. But don't be fooled, that doesn't mean he wont tell you exactly what your doing wrong if he doesn't like something. He has a yell on him that let's you know when he's not happy about the situation. This comes out during feeding time the most. Jacob LOVES solids, and get's so excited/angry if you aren't being quick about giving them to him. But it's the cutest thing because he can be yelling at you, then as soon as you give him that first bite that yell turns into a "Mmmmm", which proceeds after about 90% of the bites following. 

 

 On the flip side of that, when Jacob is done eating he yells at you. That took me awhile to figure out..... He wont stop eating... He just gets mad if you try to keep feeding him. It's pretty funny actually. The yelling also happens once Jacob has pulled himself up on something then he's ready to get down. He doesn't know how to get down so he just starts yelling until someone comes and helps him down. :)

Jacob also LOVES Cricket. Does Cricket loves Jacob back? The answer to that is a big fat NO. And does Cricket purposely every try to play with Jacob? the answer to that is a big fat NO. BUT, Jacob loves when he THINKS Cricket is trying to play with him. :) Like when Cricket is whipping around one of her toys and it accidentally hits Jacob, he gets a huge grin on his face and starts waving his arms around in excitement, and if it accidentally happens enough he will start laughing. 

 

He also gets a huge grin when Cricket is walking "to him", or so that's what Jacob thinks... She's actually just walking in that general direction so she can get something or come to Scott or I. But Jacob loves her either way. He now tries crawling to her all the time, in which Cricket responds by growling, turning the other direction and jumping on something high Jacob can't get to. Cricket is not so fond of Jacob's new found ability to get around or pull himself up on stuff.

Jacob get's up once a night around 4:30 to 6 for feeding about half the time. It's really nice when he does. The other half of the time he get's up around 2 and then again around 6 or 7. I still say he is a night owl and as much as we try to get him to bed around 8, his nap schedule during the day usually gets him to bed around 9 or 9:30. I guess it's not to bad because then he'll sleep in till 8 or 9 in the mornings.

Visting Oregon... AKA... The Funks! And a new car!

This year for our annual trip to Oregon to visit my sister was taken the weekend after Christmas. The trip was supposed to take place with Scott, Crystal, Jacob, Scotty and I. But because of a last minute purchase of a new car in New York, our plans changed a little because Scott needed to go pick up the new car that weekend. So Grandma came instead!

So I suppose now you are asking why we bought a car in New York. Well here it goes. Scott and I have been wanting to update our family car to a subaru outback. (Also I've always wanted to get one!) And in our research we discovered in the east you can buy them for about half the price that you can get them here because they aren't in as high of a demand in the east. So we started looking on ebay and when a good deal came around we bought it. Now we knew there was a risk in buying a car off ebay. Like not being able to see the car for yourself in person or test drive it. Let alone the possibility of getting scammed or ripped off. But we felt good about it and did a lot of research before hand. So Scott flew to New York to pick it up then drove it back to Idaho Falls. Everything went perfect and we are currently LOVING our new car!

Don't be jealous! :)

Ok, now back to my trip. We had a ton of fun hanging out the Funk's all weekend! We went swimming (which we didn't get any pics of) and...

 Jacob got to spend some quality time with his cousin Holland.

 Celebrating Crystal's birthday!

 Hiking/driving around and geo-caching

 Going to some waterfalls!

We had so much fun visiting! We only wish we could have stayed longer! Thanks Funk family! Until next year....