Bouncing

Jacob experienced a new thing yesterday....bouncing! Well, he didn't really bounce except for the times I moved him up and down just a little bit.

I decided to get the Jump Up exerciser out even though it says that babies should be 4 months old to use them. Jacob seems to have really good control of his head and neck and I wasn't going to let him use it without my supervision, so I thought it would be ok.

He wasn't really sure of it at first, but then he started to get used to it. Right now, I lowered it so that his feet just barely touch the floor. This way, he could get used to having his feet touching without any weight bearing down on his little legs.

This picture cracks me up! It's like he is saying "Hey Mom, Look at Me!"

I think over time he is really going to like this. I am excited that he is getting big enough to use more toys and things that will help him get stronger and stronger. I am going to borrow an Exersaucer from a friend of mine in the next few weeks, so we will see how he does with that.

Jacob's first football game

Last Saturday, Keith and I had the opportunity to go to the UVA-TCU football game. Since it was an afternoon game (versus a night game) and the weather was supposed to be nice, we decided to take Jacob along with us. I was really excited about him going to his first game at Scott Stadium, since, of course, the UVA football program has been such a huge part of my life for the past two years. For 37 weeks I carried him around (on the inside) while I worked there, so I am convinced he was born to be a Cavalier fan!

I found this orange & blue oufit at Babies R Us back in August and he looked so cute sitting on the couch while Mommy & Daddy packed up our things to go to the game.

We left our house a few hours before the game started so that we could make a stop at the library on the way. Keith wanted to introduce Jacob to one of the graduate students that he works with that only works on the weekends. Since we have to walk past the library to get to the stadium from the parking lot, this was a perfect opportunity for Omer to meet Jacob.

Speaking of walking from the parking lot to the stadium....that is a hike!! I have been spoiled for the past two seasons as I was shuttled over to the stadium on game days because I was working. This time, we had to walk about a mile, up hills, carrying a close-to-15 lb baby and a stocked-full diaper bag. Thankfully Keith offered to carry Jacob and we had the opportunity to use the front baby carrier that we got as a present before he was born. Here is a picture of Jacob and Daddy after the game (we were running late to get to the library so I didn't get any pictures of us walking to the game).

It may look like Jacob was not enjoying himself very much (he was really tired when this picture was taken), but I think he really liked being in the carrier. He was looking all around and taking it all in both on the way to and from the stadium. We tried to put him in the carrier facing Keith so that he could sleep on the way back if he wanted, but he cried when he was positioned that way, so we moved him back to forward facing. As you can see from this picture, he was happy to be able to see the world around him.

Once we arrived at the stadium, we settled into our seats before the game started. We were blessed to get free tickets from my contacts in the Football office and they were seats that were in a covered section. It didn't end up being that hot that day, but I was glad that we didn't have to worry about having Jacob in the sun. It actually got a bit cool up in our section and we thought it might rain, but thankfully it didn't.

Because of us leaving the house early to stop at the library, Jacob didn't get his morning nap (he did get a 20 minute cat nap in the car), so by the time we arrived at the stadium, he was super tired. Here are two pictures we took pre-game before he fell asleep, which was sometime during the first quarter.

After he woke up, he hung out with Daddy for awhile. Keith also fed him and he drank 6 oz! I had hoped that the 6 oz. of breastmilk that I packed would be enough for two feedings, but I guess our little man was hungry!

During halftime, I took him down to the section where I used to sit during home games. This is the section where the high school players who are being recruited sit with the football office admin staff. It was really nice to see my old co-workers and for them to see Jacob. I was glad that I got to visit with them for a little while!

Sometime during the third quarter, Jacob fell asleep again. It was really cute seeing him sleeping on my shoulder (and I was glad that he was getting some rest), but oh my gosh, holding him like that for an extended period of time really hurt my back after awhile. Thankfully, there was a wall that I was able to lean up against and because of where we were sitting, I was able to stand up most of the time I was holding him (which was more comfortable than sitting).

Anyone that keeps up with college football knows that the game didn't end up being a very good one if you are a UVA fan. We did score two touchdowns, albeit, at the very end of the game when it was clear that it wasn't going to help us win. It was difficult to watch the team play so badly, but I was glad that we were able to go.

I learned that attending a football game & attempting to pay attention to what is going on is much different when you take a three-month old with you. Between making sure he wasn't too hot or too cold, hoping that he would close his eyes and go to sleep so he didn't get overtired, and not yelling too loudly so I didn't scare him half-to-death (this did happen once!), it is definitely an interesting experience. But, in the end, I am glad that I got to share that with him.

I look forward to taking him to football games in a few years when he actually knows what is going on. This was just a trial run, and he did really well, but it will definitely be more fun when he is a bit older!

Labor Day cookout

This past Monday, we decided to have a cookout at one of the beaches here in the neighborhood that we live in. For those of you who don't know, we live in a neighborhood that it made up of houses surrounding a man-made lake. (We don't live on the lake, although there are houses that are waterfront.) We have free access to five beaches, all with swimming & picnic areas.

We have only cooked out like this once before and had a great time, so we thought we would try it again. Our friend Barb came with her puppy, Jelly Bean, who is only a few weeks older than Jacob. Katie, Shaun & Pierce also joined us.

Surprisingly, the beach was almost completely empty, except for one family who was swimming and another who were fishing. I am guessing the overcast skies and possible rain that was forecast kept a lot of people away. We were happy to have the entire beach to ourselves!

At first we thought the cookout was going to be a bust because the Matchlight charcoal (you know, the kind that is supposed to start up without using any lighter fluid) wouldn't light. We didn't buy any lighter fluid because we didn't think we would need it. So, I had to run to the nearest store - a CVS - and buy some lighter fuel (not fluid because they didn't have any of that). After about 30 minutes of lighting matches and using the fuel, Shaun & Barb got the fire going! It was quite an ordeal, but in the end it all worked out.

While Barb tended to the hamburgers and hot dogs...

Shaun & Keith played frisbee and Pierce ran around & played in the sand

Katie & I took turns holding Jacob

And, Jelly Bean took a little swim in the Lake & then played in the sand a bit.

Dinner was really yummy! We had hamburgers & hot dogs, chips, Katie's awesome potato salad, and watermelon.

We even showed our support of the Virginia Cavaliers with the plates we used

[Side note: they were left over from a party we had at our house

last year & they were the only paper plates I had.]

For dessert, Barb brought the fixins to make s'mores....graham crackers, chocolate and, of course, marshmallows! We brought some skewers and roasted the marshmallows over the fire after dinner. Even though we had such a hard time getting the charcoal to light at first, it was just the right temperature to make some awesome toasted marshmallows.

Pierce had never roasted marshmallows, but he soon learned quickly...

We had a good system going. Shaun, Barb & Keith would roast the marshmallows and Katie & I would put the S'mores together. They were really yummy!!

At the end of the evening, both "babies" were worn out

We only ended up being there for about 2 1/2 hours, but I think everyone had a great time. We haven't taken advantage of the beaches around here very much, but hopefully in the next few months, before the weather gets too cold, we can do something like this again.

Three Months Old

In honor of Jacob turning three months old, I decided to write him a letter. I "stole" this idea from another blog that I read. Here goes....

Dear Jacob,

This week you turned 3 months old and it is amazing to me how fast the time has gone. I do believe that these last three months have been some of the best of my life. I love spending every day with you and I do not like leaving you, even for a short time. Thankfully I haven't had to spend more than a few hours away from you, usually leaving you with Daddy. I even miss you when you are sleeping at night and I love that you awake these days with a huge smile on your face.

Speaking of sleeping at night, you have certainly mastered the art of this. You have actually been "sleeping through the night" for about a month now, but recently you have started sleeping 10-12 hours without waking for your early morning feeding. This, of course, makes me very happy since more sleep for you equals more sleep for me!

You are also starting to get on a regular nap schedule. I have been working on having you take regular naps in your crib using the Babywise philosphy and this week you have started sleeping for two hour stretches. I am sure that this trend will continue as you will often fall asleep right away without any fussing when I put you down for a nap.

And, I do believe that the more sleep you get, the happier you are, and these days you are really happy! Whether you are in your bouncy seat, playing on the activity mat, or simply laying on the floor, you always seem to have a smile on your face. And, sometimes, the cutest little squeals of laughter come out of your mouth which, of course, I think is the cutest thing.

You are also growing bigger and stronger every day. You are still on a three-hour feeding schedule during the day, although that varies at times if you seem hungry earlier or if you are sleeping when you are suppposed to be eating. I am not a stickler when it comes to you nursing - I figure you will eat when you are hungry!

We still have you on the Zantac for your reflux and that seems to be helping. You do not seem to be in as much pain these days after you eat and I am very thankful for that. You do, however, still have a bad issue with spitting-up and lately it has gotten more plentiful and forceful. We are going through a burp cloth (or more) a day and you and I can both often be seen with regurgitated milk on some part of our clothing throughout the day. Although at times it grosses me out, I am very happy that it doesn't seem to bother you.

I love seeing the physical things that you can now do that you couldn't do just a few weeks ago. This week I have started sitting you up on the couch and you seem to really enjoy the view.

You aren't able to really sit on your own yet, but you do hold your head up really well as you take in the sights and sounds around you. You especially like looking at the ceiling fan, the computer and the TV in the living room. And these days you are able to focus better on me, often looking me straight in the eyes and giving me a big grin, which of course, makes my heart melt. I have tried to get you to grab for a toy, but you haven't figured that one out yet.

One thing you have figured out is how to move, move, move!! Like I said in this post, you are constantly moving! We are so proud that you have now learned how to roll over from your back to your tummy. I was so excited on Monday when you did it for the first time. Since then, you have done it half a dozen times but I am still trying to get a good shot of it on video! Also, Daddy hasn't seen it live, but Aunt Katie & Mimi got to see you do it two or three times today!

You also move all around your crib when you are sleeping at night. It isn't unusual for me to go in to check on you before I go to bed and for me to find that you have turned yourself around 180 degrees! We still have the crib propped up, but obviously you sleep fine with your head at the other end, so maybe we will be removing that prop soon.

You also rolled over onto your tummy while in your crib last night. I heard you whimpering about 20 minutes after I put you to bed and when I went in to check, you were "stuck" on your tummy. I am sure once you get 100% proficient in this rolling thing, you will be a tummy sleeper just like your mommy!

You have also "found your voice" recently. Sometimes you jibber-jabber to yourself but often you "talk" to me. A lot of this occurs after you have finished nursing and those are some of my most favorite times. I have no idea what you are saying, but I enjoy our conversations immensely. I am pretty sure you get your love of talking from me and will be quite the talker once you can actually speak words and sentences. I can't wait to hear what you have to say, Jake!!

And, last but not least, you certainly love your Daddy! You are really happy when he gets you out of bed in the morning if he is still home when you wake up. And, when he gets home in the evenings, you give him the biggest smile and sometimes squeal with delight. You and he often spend time together as he gets you ready for bed and I know that those are really special times.

Jacob, I have a hard time remembering what life was like before you came along. And, now, I can't imagine my life without you. It makes me sad to think that someday you will grow up and not be with me everyday. I cherish the times that we have now and I am so very blessed to have you as my son. I love you more than you will ever know!

Love, Mommy

It's that time of year again!

It's that time of year again....FOOTBALL SEASON!! Anyone that knows me, knows how much I love football. And, for the past two years, my life has been wonderfully hectic at this time of year as I helped the Virginia Cavaliers football team prepare for the season. This sign was on the outside of my door and I thought that I had the best job that I could ever wish for:

On a night like tonight (a UVA home game), I would be sitting in this stadium with many other fans.

I must admit I am pretty sad that I am not involved with the team this year. I even got teary twice today thinking about how the season was starting and I was not there. It is stupid, I know. But, I really did like that job and I loved the game-day atmosphere, especially seeing it from "the inside".

Thankfully, just when I start to get depressed about this, all I have to do is look at this little guy:

And, I know that I now have the best job in the world. One that is shaping the mind & body of my sweet little boy:

And, I am reminded that jobs will come and go. But, days filled with this:
will not last very long.