'tis the season...again

I guess that's the thing about seasons, they keep comin' back around.

Somehow jack-o-lanterns have become a *thing* that remind me of my forever baby.

Could be this:

yeah, that's it.

And then last year we did this:

So I'm making plans for this year's birthday celebratory pumpkin carving. And eating pumpkin shaped and frosted cookies.

I don't think I've mentioned -the 3 baby boys I know that are due that first week of October. I just put together that that is 3 boys for Sammy's 3rd birthday. Wow, crazy coincidence.

I miss you baby boy. Can't wait to hold you again!

2013 : busy summer

We are busy! I have been working on a few projects for the home and a few for school. We have been one 1 family vacation and had 2 groups of visitors. Jake is busy learning, learning, learning and mama is loving it all.

book shelf = best birthday present ever 

at 14.5 months here is the updated list of your accomplishments little dude: 

sleep: between 11-12 hours a night with inconsistent naps

movement: crawling! and that igor shuffle...no real walking yet but you have been brave enough in the last week to take some unsupported steps. this week when we were in various stores you wanted to get out of the cart and walk next to me. gross motor development is moving right along - you make "the wheels on the bus go 'round, and round" and can be distracted from whatever terror has beset you (diaper change, whatever) with the singing of that song. the itsy bitsy spider is also starting to work it's magic. i have seen you crawl an itsy bitsy up the water spout. 

food: eating like a champ {as usual} but getting a little bit more picky. i never know what you're going to eat so I put a few bites of anything on your tray to see if you'll bite. tonight it was pita dipped in lemon greek yogurt. whatever dude. fruit is FAVORITE ever. bananas and blueberries are at the top of the list. I'm sneaking you vegetables in your quinoa bites and pita pizzas. *wink* you, kinda, fed yourself yogurt with a spoon tonight. it was messy but you sure tried. 

communication: stella! is your official first word. so one else knows that's what you're saying except me and daddy though so i'm not sure if that counts. i guess "boo!" might be your first discernible word, i think other people understand that. in the last couple weeks you've started shaking your head yes and no with intent. usually you start with no and if you really mean yes, you will slow down and nod. i'm getting anxious for more words because we both get very frustrated with the lack of understanding. i know it'll come with time...you already point and comment with that sweet baby gibberish on most of what you see. you bark anytime you see a dog, or almost any 4 legged animal. we're working on the cow's moo and the horse's neigh. you LOOOOOOOVE people. you light up for anyone who's eye you can catch in public. it's amazing to me how comfortable you are on skype, remembering grandparents and the special games you share with each of them. you can find your nose, your eyes, your ears, your tongue, and sometimes your eyebrows. 

play: you are a champ at the high five and since we've been working on knocking on doors you also give knucks. ohhh - and open mouth kisses, and sometimes zerbet kisses. i can keep you busy for 10 minutes with any of the following: a spatula (bonus minutes with a bowl), a cup with ice in it and a straw, a container with something to put in it and take out (in and out, in and out, in and out), a bag with something to take out & put back in (out and in, out and in, out and in), a small ball to throw around, containers with lids, and my phone. you have a sound table in your room that you love and i especially love that you will sit in your little striped chair and look at a book. 10 Little Lady Bugs is a current favorite, along with Pat the Bunny, and Barnyard Dance. seriously, you open a book and start gibbber gabbering away. 

Jake's Birth Story - 1 year later

**I found this draft and figured it was as good a time as any to post his birth story. I am grateful for its simplicity! That means it ended well!**

Much like Sammy's story, Jake's starts with us getting to choose his birthday. At the appointments leading up to my 39 week appointment, my doctor didn't seem too concerned about the potential for a big baby. Well, early in the pregnancy he had concerns but by the last trimester he seemed to have forgotten them?? It was confusing but - he's the doctor - right? Week 39 and all of the sudden my doctor was back to concerned that this baby seemed to keep growing...yeah...at that point we were ready to head to the hospital that night he if let us, but it was a Friday so instead we requested the induction be scheduled ASAP and waited for the call.

The plan was set, check in on Sunday night, May 6th and have baby boy 'cido on May 7th. I couldn't help but love that my boys would share the 7th of the month as their birthday. 

My mom came into town on Saturday and helped us finish up getting the house ready. 

Sunday night we checked in. Mom stayed with us until I was settled. It felt strange. Knowing (hoping) we were about to start a process we were familiar with but that would have (hopefully) a different ending.  My nurse noticed...something...and commented on our subdued nature. I don't remember exactly how many times I explained about Sammy but it was a process. I would ask or try to figure out if this was a person who *needed* to know or who might care and proceed from there. 

This time I hadn't done any prepping for childbirth. I knew I wanted an epidural...I don't know what else contributed. I also didn't do any research or prep for anything after the birth. 

Monday morning went much the same as it did with Sammy, the doctor swept in, broke my bag of waters, they started pitocin, and we were off. I think it was during this early morning visit that he mentioned the possibility of a difficult birth. My doctor was convinced after all the trouble with getting Sammy out that this baby would be born via c-section. "You could push for 2 hours and then end up with a c-section anyway." He really tried to prepare me.

On his next visit around noon he asked, somewhat nervously, if we knew what we were having, a boy or a girl.  This wouldn't be the first time he was confused so I cautiously said yes, it's a boy. The latest paperwork that he had from our specialist said that it was a girl!! So we laughed, said we didn't care as long as he/she was healthy and got on with the {painful} waiting.

***from here on written 5/7/13**

A year later, from that point on, here's what I remember. The epidural was great, once again it got my body to relax and progress much faster than I had been. Around 4:30pm, maybe?, the nurse thought I might be ready and called Dr. v. He asked for her to have me push for a while, to get ready for when he got there. So I pushed. 3 times and the nurse said stop, you are ready!

Dr. v was out of breath for running to get there...I pushed 3 or 4 more times and our baby boy was born! There had been meconium in the waters when they broke so we knew he would be whisked off to the baby suite right away. Babe promptly poo'd on the dr and let out a scream as he was carried off. As is seeming to be his nature - all unpleasantness is greeted with a holler.

My first look at him was this picture - when someone brought the camera over to me to look at.

My initial reaction was that I had given birth to my father and my youngest brother. Second thought - CHEEKS!

Finally I got to hold and cuddle him and I realized he didn't have a name yet. He looked like a Jake. Still does. Can't imagine him with the other names we had considered. 9 lbs 6 ozs and adorable. Only recently have I been able to really appreciate the "big baby" that the nurses and aids came into our room to see. Every new person would ask about our big baby and coo at those cheeks.

It's been an amazing year. I love, love, love, being Jake's mama. A couple of days ago I had my first "we might be in trouble" thought. You see, he's got this little stubbornness thing that's started. I realized that in life, I am confident that my stubbornness will out stubborn any one else's (maybe not something I should be proud of??). But if his stubbornness, is my stubbornness...??? Ya'll, I wasn't too worried about anything until like 2023 or so. But these toddler years are starting to look a bit scary.

Happy Birthday Jakers! 

Can't believe you're 1...

preview

we did an early cake smash with a section of the family...sunday will be the NOLA family cake smash. 

yes we are those corny people. believe that Dave has a shirt to match the invite...we fully acknowledge that this is a party for us as we celebrate keeping Jake alive for *almost* 1 year.  

and because I can't stop - half the birthday banner

and a half finished "time of his life" display...I didn't ever love the ones I took on his month day so I just chose a fav from each month. he's really not as serious as I make him out to be. but he is that cute. and smooshable. (not walking, crawling like crazy, getting sassy with mama! and eating everything with his 5 teeth, incaseyouwerewondering)

I had to do a little man theme...which morphed into a little STRONG man theme...and well, nacho's for cinco de mayo. it'll be a great day. 

someone even had a theme verse to go with the little strong man idea. 

2 Timothy 2:1 ...be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus...

Yes, my Jakers, my prayer for you in life is to find your strength in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. That will be your peace. 

sooooo big

11 months! so close to my birthday! and i'm soooooooooo big!

I used to read Pat the Bunny with my buddy Luke when I nannied him. Very fun. One of Jake's Titi's (that's New Orleans for aunt) here taught him to raise up his arms when someone asks how big he is. That translates to when he's had a couple bites of breakfast and realizes he's awake, he throws his arms in the arm and smiles. To which mama responds "soooo big!" in an obnoxiously high voice. Who's training who??  Too bad he has a bib on in that picture because the bear on his shirt is actually doing the same motion. huh.

He also figured out how to stick his tongue out this week. Adorable (so far). And will occasionally wave at the most *special* people. I don't know how he decides who gets a wave bye bye...the dogs might be included in that. Sunday when he wouldn't let me put him down and I needed to get ready for church I would say "if you don't let me put you down we can't go buh bye" and he would start waving. He did it enough times I actually have video. Hold your hand up for a high five and then rotate your wrist, that's a Jakers wave.

Spring break is coming next week, lots of visitors, and lots of plans. Including Jake's first visit to the zoo! I plan on lots of pictures, hopefully I'll get a minute to post some here.

Anyone know where to get gray socks? Jake is a crawling, standing, moving fool, and his socks are all white on the top. Dumb!! I can't find gray socks (in all the two places I looked). All the shoes I have ordered are too big. :-/

"healthy" dessert?

This is a random post, but if I had all the time in the world to cultivate all my habits, food blogging would be up there behind momma blogger. And one who sews and creates beautiful things. Repurposer of found treasures. Photographer. Reader and writer of great things. 

Anyway. Hubs signed up to bring a healthy dessert to his work potluck last week so I got to experiment. I kinda wanted to send him with a bowl of fruit because if it's dessert it shouldn't be called healthy - in my opinion. Instead I checked around the internet and pinterest and found some gems.

Left: Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bars

Right: Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Both were delicious.

I have been recently obsessed with these homemade fudge brownie bars as well. (not pictured) All this "healthy" goodness has set me on a good path *wink*. Yesterday I caved in the checkout line and bought a Reece's egg. My taste buds are so conditioned to lighter "healthier" fare that I wasn't mad I had to share it. It was sooo rich. Before I tasted that richness I made these Chocolate Chip Zucchini Brownies. I adapted the recipe a bit, used coconut oil instead of canola oil just for fun and then when I realized I only had 1/2 cup of sugar left in the house I added 1 Tbsp of honey to the mixture as well. I lost interest in the honey and had a babe pulling at my legs, that's the scientific reason for only 1 Tbsp. And, if I do say so myself, they tasted quite good. I took my zucchini lovelies to an Easter gathering and they were eaten up before I could warn everyone about the impending healthiness. 

And also : Happy Easter!