Chewbacca anyone??

We have been a busy family in October and that is also true for Halloween! (as you can tell my posts are a little behind!)  It was so fun for Jake at school the week of Halloween.  Each day was themed and the baby's got to dress up for school!  :)  Some days were easier than others but it was a lot of fun.  We went to the KidTech Fall Festival on the 28th.  We got there a little late but thats ok.  It was still geat to see everything going on.  Then we went to Missouri to spend time with family and celebrate Derek's birthday.  Jake had such a great time playing with his cousins and meeting Will and Jackson for the first time!  It was so much fun to see them all together! 

We drove back to Collierville on Sunday and my parents ended up coming into town to help Brad work on his Explorer.  They had some issues but eventually they fixed it all up.  Mom was a huge help to us for handing out candy since the guys were working on the car and I was feeding Jake at first.  It was too fun to see all the little kids dressed in their costumes, smiling, and saying "Trick or Treat!".  I'm not a fan of Halloween but that make it all worth it to see the joy in these kid's faces.

Here are a few pictures from the parties!  Isnt Jake the cutest Chewbacca ever?!?  :) 

  

 

  

          

Mr. Smiley

Well I didnt know it was possible but Jake has become even more smiley and happy.  Even though he has been kinda sick with a cold and had nasty crusty eyes for a few days he has stayed his happy self.  He started rolling over this week too (week of 10/17/10)!  He has rolled from his belly to back before but this week was the first time that he went from back to belly.  We were/are so proud.  You can tell he is really really working hard to get onto his belly.  Its so cute!

Here are a few video's of his happiness. :)  I'll keep working on getting these video's to upload.  Hopefully it will be posted soon!

Here is another

Jake's also learning how to use his hands much more effectively.  When we bring out a bottle he sees it and smiles and reaches for it.  Once he gets his hands on it  he pulls it right to his mouth.  It is the cutest thing!!

So much is going on this month!  Jake has been making crafts like bat wings with his footprints during "school".  They are so cute!  Jake is looking forward to meeting more family and especially his's cousin's, Will and Jackson during Derek's birthday party on October 30, 2010.  We can't wait!!

Fall is here!

My how the days and weeks are flying by now! It seems like just yesterday we were preparing to have Jake and now he is almost 4 months old!  How does that happen!?!  October is upon us.  I'm loving the cooler weather (when we have the cool days) but a few of the mornings have been pretty nippy.  The leaves are starting to change and fall just like all the changes in our lives.  I was thinking the other day that this time last year I was just about to find out we were pregnant.  It is amazing how life has changed in one fast year. 

Well we got Jakes school pictures in a few weeks ago.  They are just adorable!  I was amazed that we got a DVD with all the proofs.  It was so hard to choose.  I'm glad that i was able to be there and jump in a few.  :)  I just love the shot with his feet and my hands!

We have been getting out and about more and more in the last few weeks but it is so tempting to stay at home and just watch my little man.  Brad has to work late with softball, football, and volleyball lately.  I cant wait until he gets a break and cna come home to see Jake and I after work more often!

Jake has really found his hands and feet recently!  He just loves to look at them and stick them in his mouth.  A sure way to make him smile is to play patty cake or to make his toes touch his cheeks.  He just loves that!  But he is a happy baby so you will often get quite a few smiles if you just give him a little lovin.  He is gaining weight and growing like a weed!  He is 13lbs 14oz as of Saturday! 

We had to take him in to the Lebonheur urgent care Friday night because he had a cough that sounded horrible.  His teachers were concerned and so were we.  They did a chest x-ray and tested for RSV.  Everything came back normal so they think it was just a cold and the drainage was causing the cough.  Poor little guy.  When we got there Brad and I made him a bottle because we knew it was about time for him to eat...but we quickly realized we forgot the nipple on the bottle.  I felt so bad!  How do you bring a bottle with no nipple!?!  Apparently I'm the one that does that sort of thing.  So Jake and I went to the car to nurse while Brad waited for them to call us back.  At least we still have that option.  :)  We got bored in the waiting room once they took us back so we took a few picutures. 

We went to Dexter for the Heacox family reunion yesterday it was great to see everyone!  Here are a few pictures of the fun!

12 weeks and 12 pounds!

Jake has been growing non stop and learning lots of new things.  He had a huge growth spurt and grew from 10lb 10oz to now 12lb 3oz in a week.  He's been averaging around 4 or 5oz a week so more than a pound like that is huge.  Jake really started to find his hands in the last few weeks too.  He is enjoying sucking his thumb.  :) 

Jake had his first school pictures just a few days before he was three months old!  Brad usually drops him off in the morning but i happened to bring him that day.  Luckily I did because they were starting pictures for his class when I was there and she actually let me get in a few!  I was so excited!  I cannot wait to get them back!

We also experienced Jake's first cold.  I felt so bad for him!  Jake's teachers at KidTech called around 4 on Thursday because he was running a fever.  We took him to the after hours clinic and they were not concerned. After some baby tylenol the fever broke and he was just congested.  He wasnt able to go back to school because they have to be 24 hours fever free before they can go back.  Brad stayed with him in the morning, our awesome neighbor Maryfrances watched him from 10:30 to 11:30 when I got home, and then I stayed with him the rest of the day.  By Saturday he was feeling better but still not 100%.  All I wanted was to be able to make him feel better.  :(

Sunday Grandma and Grandpa came to visit and they brought Uncle Ryan!  Yay!  Jake was so excited to see them and meet uncle Ryan.    

Labor Day Fun

Well this past week flew by.  We all had a great Labor Day.  We grilled out with a few friends at our house on Sunday.  Here are a few pictures...  We had a great time and Jake LOVED visiting with everyone and playing with Harrison

On Monday we had a great time with our awesome neighbors: Mary Francis and Steve.  They grilled ribs and had the neighbors on either side over.  It was my first time for ribs and I absolutely loved them.  Usually everyone puts BBQ sauce on ribs so i never try them, but steve cooks them dry it was awesome!  While we were ther Jake had his first dip in the pool.  We couldnt find little swimmers his size so we just put him in up to the diaper but he loved it.  I think he would've been happy to totally jump in.  He was just so happy!  What a great way to spend the Labor Day weekend!

Mommy Mistakes...

It is so easy to see all the wonderful parents out there and assume they've got it all down.  Now I know that isnt true and mistakes happen to everyone, but sometimes it is hard to imagine.  We are definitely not the parents who have it all figured out yet, but we really are trying. 

I realized yesterday that I made my first big mommy mistake and it just tore me up!  We have started supplimenting one bottle of formula each day for Jake because I've been having some milk supply issues.  Well, at first we were using the premixed formula that is easy and ready to go, but in the last few days we switched to powdered formula.  I was so concerned that I would mix it wrong so I ready carefully...so I thought.  I read the side and it says 2 fl oz formula / 2 fl oz water / 1 scoop.  Well I apparently read with sleepy eyes or something and thought it said 2, 2, 2.  So for the last few days Jake has gotten a 4 oz bottle with to much powder!  It is no wonder he was acting hungry afterward.  He was just thirsty for more water.  I figured it out yesterday and we made the fix immediately, but I felt horrible.  Luckily Jake is only getting formula once a day and not all the time so he wasnt dehydrated.

It is just so easy to make a mistake and immediately feel like a failure of a parent.  I have learned my lesson and will be so much more careful in the future!  I'm thankful that Brad was supportive and reassured me that Jake is fine when I started to beat myself up because I could've hurt him.

I just felt so bad!  I'm glad my little man loves me unconditionally and isn't holding it against me. 

Jake likes KidTech...

Well this week was hard to prepare for.  Sunday night I spent so much time getting everything together for Jake at daycare.  I just knew I was going to forget something or I was going to wake up late or something.  Fortunately Monday morning went well.  I got up early to get ready while Brad fed Jake and got him ready.  We planned that Brad will drop him off in the mornings and I will pick him up, but we both went on Monday since it was the first day.  I knew I was going to be "that mom" and I was.  I did ok at first but then I couldnt help it I just started sobbing.  I wanted to make sure she knew everything that Jake needed and it was so hard to leave him. Luckily it wasnt too busy of a day at work so I could come see him during lunch.  When I came in Jake was in the swing asleep.  I was amazed because he will only stay in the swing for short periods of time at home.  Apparently he did great with naps and eating!  I was so proud.

Each day of the week got easier.  I went to see Jake on Tuesday for lunch again and again he was doing great.  Wednesday Brad had a half day so he picked up Jake early and brought hin up to FedEx to meet everyone.  My coworkers have been asking all the time when I was going to bring Jake up.  It was great to show him off to everyone.  And of course they all thought he was just adorable.  :) 

Thursday Aunt Jenn came to visit before her soccer game and then Jake and I went to a Pampered Chef party at Kim and Bugsie Corum's house.  It was fun to get out with Jake and he did gret until he started getting pretty hungry.  Jake was so happy to meet all the new people!  Friday flew by and before we new it it was the weekend!!  Yay! 

My milk supply definitely started to significantly decrease throughout the week.  I think it was a combination of stress from sending Jake to daycare, stress from our crazy dogs having a spat the previous weekend, and the fact that my pump was old and slowing down.  I tried to calm myself to aliviate the stress of daycare.  We worked diligently to walk the dogs each night and run them lots until they were so tired. We also bought a new pump to help with milk collection during the day.  We had to start supplimenting with formula once a day to ensure Jake is getting enough.  I still pump when he gets a bottle so my supply doesnt diminish further but I just wasnt making enough milk for him during the day.  He has started taking 4 oz each time now!  He is a growing boy!

Jake weighs 10lbs 10 oz now!  The fact that he is pushing 11 pounds amazes me!  Each day he smiles and laughes more and becomes increasingly alert.  I just love watching him look at things for teh first time and absorb all the many things around him.  He just LOVES taking walkes around the neighborhood and watching his mommy and daddy.  :)

We are so glad it is the weekend and we can enjoy an extra day off with our family!  We are grilling out with some great friends at the house today and then going to see our awesome neighbors the Hoffman's tomorrow.  Jake might even dip in the pool for the first time!

I"ll post more pictures soon!