Christmas!

Kirk has to work the Christmas holiday for the 4th year in a row, so we celebrated Christmas here in Tennessee. He had Christmas day off, so he was able to be home with Jacob and I. Christmas Eve, we went to the 4:00 service at church. Christmas morning we woke up and opened presents with Jake. He had so many presents under the tree! What a lucky little boy. Jacob had such a great day hanging out with Kirk since he doesn't get to spend a whole day with him very often. I made a turkey dinner for us; and our friends Katy and Kenny Unruh came over and ate with us. To make the day perfect, it was a white Christmas for the first time in 17 years in Nashville. It was beautiful to wake up to a fresh blanket of snow. Even though we weren't with our extended family, it was a wonderful first Christmas with Jacob. We feel so incredibly blessed to have him.

After church in his Christmas sweater.

Jake had a giggle attack while we were eating dinner. It was so adorable. He laughed for probably 10 minutes. Such a happy boy!

Our Christmas tree. All those gifts are Jacobs!!

My favorite present!

Vote for Jacob!

The photographer who took Jacob's 6 month pictures chose one of him as her favorite of 2010. He needs votes though to win. If anyone has a spare minute to go to her website and vote we would really appreciate it.

To vote go to: www.tronephotography.com/blog

At the bottom of the "best of 2010" blog you can leave a commment. Just leave your name and type "Jacob" in the comment box.

Thanks!

My buddy

I am so lucky to wake up to this little guy every morning. That face just makes my heart melt.

Climber!

We have a climber!! A few days ago it just "clicked" for Jacob and he now climbs up on everything. He pulls up on chairs, couches, toys, his crib, etc. He hardly wants to play with his toys, he just wants to pull up on things.

"Watch what I can do"

"Man this is tough"

"I've almost got it"

"I am so strong!"

"I did it mom! I am such a big boy!!"

Busy

Jacob is "on the go" the past few weeks. Here are a few recent pictures of him!

We finally had to put up a gate between the living room and kitchen. He was constantly crawling into the kitchen and trying to go up and down the stairs and getting into Mel's water. He and Mel don't like being separated, but it is so much easier for me!

Jacob has so many toys, but he loves playing with this box! Babies are sure easy to please!

In his toy box getting out all his toys!

Date nights!

Kirk and I have found a great babysitter for Jacob, so we have taken advantage recently and been able to go out on some dates. Some friends of ours have a costume Christmas party every year, so we dressed up as Barney and Betty Rubble. Kirk also took me out to a Martina McBride Christmas concert. We had great tickets and it was so fun. We also had Kirk's work Christmas party. It has been great to get out and spend some time with Kirk. We love Jake so much, but it is nice to have some time alone as a couple. It feels good to have a babysitter we trust and we don't have to worry about Jacob while we are gone.

Before Kirk's work Christmas party.

Barney and Betty Rubble.

First snow!

We got our first snow here in Nashville yesterday. They called for 1 inch or less, however, it turned out to be about 3-4 inches, which is a lot for us here! Jacob was fascinated by the snow. He loved watching it fall. I took him outside so he could touch it, but he wasn't too interested in it since it was so cold. We spent a lot of time at the window watching it fall!

Kirk had to take my car to work today so we are stuck at home all day... we may have to try playing in the snow again!

Looking out at the snow falling.

"I don't know about this mom!"

Silly boy

I went to make myself some lunch and came back and this is where I found Jacob. He had crawled under his exersaucer and is playing with his toys and trying to touch the blinds. I could have all his toys out for him to play with and all he wants to do is crawl over to the window to touch the blinds. He is such an active little guy. When he isn't napping, he is just on the go at all times!

Santa

We took Jacob to The Green Hills Mall today to see Santa. I thought he may be scared, but he did really well. We got some cute pictures!

"I am so excited to go see Santa!"

"Who is that man with the beard over there?"

"I like presents!"

"I love Santa... he is so nice."

new hobby!

I got a new camera from Kirk for Christmas this year. Kirk and I really love photography, and I would love to make this my new hobby. I am trying to get used to a nice camera and all the different functions I can do on it.

Here are a few practice shots from today. I think I have a pretty adorable little model!

Happy Thanksgiving!

8 months ago today, the most precious gift we have ever received was born. We are so incredibly thankful to have a healthy, happy, sweet little boy. Jacob has brought Kirk and I more joy than we ever thought was possible.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Eva Eileen Spexarth

Kirk's sister Carolyn and her husband Gerard welcomed their first precious child, Eva Eileen Spexarth into the world on November 14th. We are so excited for them and can't wait to meet our beautiful niece.

We have a tooth!

YEAH! Jacob finally got his first tooth. It was a rough road getting that tooth to pop through. He was fussy, waking up at night, and biting everything. I hope each tooth isn't like this first one was! He looks pretty darn cute with that little tooth!

Excuse all the food on his face, he just got done eating his lunch!

On the move!!!!!

Jacob isn't crawling yet, but he is definitely mobile! He is rolling like crazy and scooting on his tummy to get where he wants to go. I have to keep a very close eye on him because he is getting into everything. I guess it is time to baby-proof!

What a wild man. In the evenings he is so silly rolling and scooting all over the living room!

I have set up Jacob's pack and play in the living room because I have to put him in it when I leave the room.

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween!!!

Such a happy little lion!

He wasn't too sure about all that fabric around his face.

Mama with my little lion.

This was the best picture of all 4 kids. I guess it is a little harder than we thought to get a good picture of 4 little ones!

Out trick or treating. He was getting a little cranky because it was almost bedtime.

....and he is done!

Jacob 6 month photo shoot

When Jacob was 3 months, I took him to Sears to get some pictures taken. I was not impressed at all with they pictures they took. So, I decided it was worth a little more money to get some good pictures. I used a really great photographer, Misty Trone, who met us at Edwin Warner Park. Jacob did really well and was such a great little model. I had wanted to get some nice outdoor shots of him and I think they turned out really well. Here are two of my favorites. He is growing up so fast, he looks like a little man!

Fall fun!

My mom is here to visit for the week and we decided to take Jacob to a pumpkin patch. They had a petting farm and a ton of activities for kids. Jacob was really interested in the animals and this huge sandbox filled with corn. Next year he will be able to enjoy it even more when he is able to do more activities. Here are a few pics from our day!

Jacob riding a horse!

Grammy, Jake and a scarecrow :)

Such a happy boy.

Me and Jake... haha.

Jake was very interested in the pony.

Ride em cowboy!!!

My baby is 6 months!

Wow!!! I know I say it with every new month that comes and goes, but, I can't believe my baby is 6 months old! He is such a blessing. Each new stage is so much fun! Here are some things he has been up to recently....

- Sitting up. He sits up really well now and likes to sit and play with his toys.

- Army crawling across the floor. He hasn't figured out how to get up on his hands and knees, but he is definitely mobile!

- He weighs 21 lb 2 oz.

- He is 28.5 inches long

- He is wearing 12-18 month clothes!

- Jacob and Mel (our dog) are great friends. He thinks she is just hilarious.

- He really loves eating his food in his high chair. We have tried quite a few foods and the only thing he doesn't like is peas (which I don't blame him....ick)

- He is a really happy baby and smiles and laughs all the time. He loves being tickled and having someone blow raspberries on his tummy.

- Jake loves watching Baby Einstein videos. I don't know what it is about those, but if he is fussy at all, they calm him right down.

- He had an appt with the cardiologist to check his VSD heart defect. They did an echocardiogram and it has closed on its own.... Way to go Jacob!!!

Jacob is a happy, healthy little boy and Kirk and I are so blessed to have him in our lives. Happy 1/2 birthday sweet baby boy!