Traveling With Jake

We have had a very big month here in the Hurst family.  To be honest, I have been having anxiety attacks about writing this blog because there are so many wonderful things I would like to talk about, and only so much room and time to do it! In an attempt to organize and abridge my thoughts, I will make a timeline of sorts, in listed form, for your reading ease. 

August 10th-- Jake rolled over for the first time!!! back to front and then front to back.

August 12th--Jake's first plane ride--more on that later....

August 12 thru 26----Party time with Grandma and Grandpa!!!!!!!

and somewhere within this time period...First laugh, First game of peek-a-boo, First swim. He also figured out how to arch his back out of his carseat (dangit), how to firmly grasp toys (and hair), how to use a teething ring, o yeah, and p.s. he started teething. 

All of this in a little over 2 weeks!!!! I cant believe my little baby is becoming a little boy!!!

For those of you who are in a hurry or simply don't want to read my ramblings, that was all the important stuff. For those who, like me, are total blogger junkies, here are the details...

Shortly before my trip to Virginia, Jake starting drooling about 5 times as much (it's insane how much spit that kid is producing) and began biting and sucking on just about anything he could get his hands on.  Also, he started waking up about 3 times a night again in pain from his little swollen gums.  Don't worry though--I wasn't sleeping through the night anyway.  I was having travel anxiety in the worst way, so nervous about taking jake on a 5 hour flight without my hubby's help.  Everyone reassured me that Jake's age was actually ideal for travel, and that I should just relax.  Although they were all wrong, and Jake actually hated the whole experience, we did survive, and arrived in Virginia to greet his eager Omi and Opi, his crazy Aunt Syd, and his loony Uncle David.

That 2 weeks spent in VA were ones of major development for Jake.  It was nice to be able to share so many firsts with my parents.  On the second night, Opi was playing with Jake, tossing him up and teaching him how to jump up and down.  Jake let out his first gleeful shrieks and giggles--It made my heart melt!!!! My parents had just returned from visiting our family in Germany a couple days before, and with them, they brought a bunch of presents for Jake--cute little wooden toys, which Jake LOVED, and lots of adorable clothes, which I LOVED.

After a few days of industriously playing with this little wooden rattle, Jake was able to do a 2 hand grasp while knawing and drooling all over the circular toy. This may not seem so great, but until this point, the only thing that seemed to ease Jake's teething discomfort was sticking his entire fist in his mouth. (I'm totally serious--its incredible).  So we were very excited about his new motor skill.

Sometime during these fun filled days, Aunt Sydney developed a somewhat peculiar relationship with Jake.  In all her crazy antics, she was able to bring out Jakes strongest emotions.  They began playing the Peek-a-boo game together, which always ended in either loud laughter or panicked tears on Jakes part.  It was so funny to watch.  As a side note, can I just say, Syd is going to be an amazing mom.  She has so much fun with jake, is so competent, and is a million times better with our handicapped brother David than I am.  Hats off to her and her mommy skills and loony personality.  

A week after we arrived in VA, Jessica and Nathan flew in from their 3 weeks in Europe (I know. jealous.) We got to spend a few days with them too, before they drove out to Utah, and on to Arizona for dental school.  It was so fun hangin out with everyone.  Such a bummer that Wes had to stay behind in Utah and work. (Thanks Wesley, for being such a hard worker, and letting me and Jake go on a vacation!!!)

check out that drool. 

Another big first--and the credit for this one is due to Omi--Jake's first swim.  Sometime earlier this summer, Grandma made a discovery--a little gem on the northern Virginia frontier.  Lake Anna, just 30 minutes from home, has a beach front in our State Park.  I was hesitant to go--worried about the hassle, the sand, and the ominous sunburn threat to my child.  But Grandma, the ever positive lady, packed up the car with suncreen, toys, and chow, and made it happen.  She even rigged up a little canopy for Jake out of a borrowed baby gym and an umbrella from Ikea.  I proved to have been worried for nothing--The beach was clean, the water was lukewarm, and Jake had a blast! It was such a great day!

another side note--It was such a good experience for me watching my mom with Jake.  She is such a kook--making up funny stories and singing german songs--it gave me so many new ideas for how to entertain him.   

Before we new it, the 2 weeks had flown by, and I was packing for the flight home.  I experienced such a strange mixture of emotions--While I was very excited to get back home and see Wes, it was heart breaking to take Jake away from his grandparents.  It sucks when families are so spread out.  I mean, My parents live all the way in Virginia, which is bad enough, but Wesley's parents are camped out all the way in Thailand!!! Maybe one day we will all live within a day's drive of each other.  It's something to look forward to.  Really I should be grateful--At least I have Sydney out here!!! Speaking of which, she flew back with me.  This flight was a lot less stressful, and I was so happy to have another set of arms.  Jake did somewhat better, but I've definitely decided flying is not his favorite game.  But we survived once again, and we were so excited to be a whole family again! Jake couldn't have been more excited to see Wes! He's been bouncing on Wes's lap like a little Mexican jumping bean all week.  It's easy to see that Jake has a hero--I love watching them together.

(Jake loves using Wes as a recliner.)

Well, that's pretty much everything! For those who stuck around for the whole thing, good job and thanks for your interest! I love my family, I love watching Jake grow up, and I will keep posting about all the things I consider great and important in my life!

sleep strike

so its 11:15 pm, and i am up with my little insomniac. i suspect that my little celebration about jake sleeping through the night was a bit premature.  Jake has gone on strike about bedtimes and has quit sleeping in.  luckily we get along pretty well, so its not so bad.  at the moment he is sitting on my lap and we are writing this post while listening to some colbie collait.  he likes her.  

A week from today i will be flying to VA with jake in tow, husbandless.  Wes can't take off work, so it'll just be me and the little guy.  As excited as i am about seeing my family and friends, thats how nervous i am about flying with an infant.  also, i was thinking about the time change--if jake is still on his bedtime strike, he will be awake until at least 1 AM in virginia.  yikes.

I think the sleep strike has something to do with how aware Jake has become.  If ANYthing is happening, he has to be a part of it.  so he just chooses not to sleep so he can play with everyone.  wes and i finally took him with us to the movies.  we had heard from friends that their kids generally just slept through movies, what with it being dark.  Jake did nothing of the sort--we took him to the dollar theater to watch Narnia, and he wanted to watch the whole thing, standing on my lap.  its so funny seeing him get excited about new things. . thats all for now, I think he is finally ready for bed. :) 

No More Newborn

This past week we celebrated Jacob's 3 month birthday.  I was told that 3 months marks the end of the "newborn" stage, although in my opinion, Jake hasn't looked newborn in probably 6 weeks.  But as I look at his progress over the past few months, he has definitely changed by leaps and bounds.  First of all, he is a pro at holding his head up. (well most of the time anyway..when he is tired, we thinks he looks remarkably like a bobble-head toy.)  Also, his love affair with the giraffe continues, as well as a plethora of other colorful trinkets.  Because of these two new advancements, Jake is finally grown-up enough to sit in an activity chair and play!  It's so fun to see his eyes light up with joy when we put him in his exer-saucer.  You can see the immense satisfaction on his face at being able to sit up like a big kid and have so many new fun things to play with.His favorite game is to sit in his chair, suck on all the toys, and watch disney movies.  Speaking of Disney movies, i have something to say for the classics.  Mr. Disney really new what he was doing.  Do you realize that the music never stops going in Cinderella? Why can't they make them like that anymore?  Jake has twice the attention span when there are both colors and music.

Also, just yesterday he became sturdy enough to sit in his Bumbo chair.  I let him play in my room while i was unpacking boxes (yes, nearly 2 months later and i'm STILL unpacking.)  I parked him in front of a big mirror that i have yet to force wesley to mount on the wall, and Jake made a new friend.  He talked to his reflection for about 20 minutes--it was so funny.  

And then the most important milestone of all....drumroll please....

as of 3 days ago, Jake has begun sleeping through the night! thats right ladies and gents--we are now sleeping a 7+ hour stretch.  I'm not sure what this is comparable to, maybe finishing a marathon.  Not that i've ever done that, but seriously, I am so happy.  

It's so amazing to watch him grow stronger and more independent each week.  I can't express how seeing him learn new things brings me so much joy.  Being a mother has made me become a little less selfish and a little more tenderhearted.  And i know its only going to get better. Because Jacob is all mine for the next 18 years. 

Party Time

    (Jake loved his first 4th of July)I just wanted to do a quick catch-up on whats been happening the last couple weeks. on June 30th, Wesley's parents came to see Jake all the way from Thailand.  They are in the middle of a 4-5  year job assignment over there, and were finally able to make a trip to come see their new grandson.  They are staying half the time with us and half with Melanie, Wesley's sister.  Jake has loved hanging out with them.  

We also celebrated the 4th of July and Wesley's 26th Birthday.  It was great to spend these with so much family.

    (at the Cheesecake Factory!...Jake is sleeping on the  floor behind Wes and I)

           (We bought matching outfits for Jake and his cousin Scott. It was so cute!)

Last Saturday, Jessica and I threw Jerai a baby shower.  I've decided it was probably the best baby shower ever, and not necessarily to our credit.  It was held in Jill Moulton's (Jerai's mother in law) backyard, which is arguably the most beautiful backyard known to mankind. The setting was so beautiful, next to a pond and under the shade of a tree.  Jake loved it! Also, I think he loved it because he got to hang with his new cousin Peyton, who is 2 months younger and officially one-third his size.

  

      (This is Jake's current favorite nap position.)

I was kind of dreading throwing a shower at 10 o'clock in the morning. Mothers who still have to get up 3 times with their babies every night will understand.  Jake must have been really excited about the shower tho, because something very special happened on that shower eve.  He slept for FIVE HOURS STRAIGHT!!!!!!!!!. By that i mean, he only got up ONCE (at 5:30).  It was the best night of my life. the 2 nights since that shower, he has continued to sleep this way.  I think i know what this means, but i am afraid to jinx it---could he possibly be just around the corner from sleeping through the night? maybe! 

Also, he is starting to play with his toys.  He recently discovered the wonder that is his baby gym, and has attached himself to an unsuspecting stuffed giraffe. (whom he sucks on until soaked with baby drool).  Jake is such an individual--"I don't want a bottle or a pacifier--Just this hairy giraffe to suck on, thank you." He's growing up so fast! By the way, I had the oldest child at the baby shower.  So weird.  

                                   

(I have no idea why he was only in half a sleeper. )

Mornings with Jake

It's been 10 weeks since little Jacob came into our lives.  After all the adjustments we have made, and nights of lost sleep, we are finally starting to have some structure and routine.  Jake isn't very big on naps, but i am so lucky, because He looovvvveessss to sleep in! Every morning, Wesley brings Jake into our bed before he leaves for work.  I feed him and we cuddle for about an hour, and then I wake up and start my day.  I usually get about 3 hours in the morning to clean the house and get myself ready which is awesome.  Then, around 11 ish, Jake usually wakes up.  This is my favorite time to hang out with him.  I hop in bed and say good morning, and he smiles and babbles at me, so overjoyed to begin the new day.  I've decided he is definitely a morning person. We usually spend at least 10 minutes talking in bed, then we go to his room and pick out his clothes.   After a moisturizing cream "massage" for his super-dry skin, we get dressed and officially begin our day.  This is really how most mornings go.  I am so grateful for this time with him.  Becoming a mom has been a huge adjustment for me, and it can definitely be frustrating and very demanding at times, but i so look forward to my mornings with jake. 

 

Adventures at Home

It has been a big week for us! It started out with an overnight visit from Jess and Nate last Tuesday. We really miss being next door neighbors with them, so it was nice to be able to hang out for a couple of days. We showed them around Salem, and stopped at this pond to take some family pictures. This was a first for us with our new little boy! I'd been putting it off for nearly 2 months, hoping I would lose some of the prego poundage I was carting around. It was an awesome couple of days, and we are dreading the day that they move to Arizona for dental school :(
The next fun thing was yet another sleepover! My good friend Sarah is leaving for her mission this week, so on Friday she drove up from Cedar City. Our other old roommate Jessica drove down with her husband Jeremy and 5 month old daughter Lilee from Boise. We had such a blast, cooked dinner together, and stayed up talking until 3 AM. Something funny: Lilee is a realllyyyyy tiny 5 month old. She was only slightly larger than our 2 month old son. It was so strange seeing a baby Jake's size looking so coordinated. Saturday afternoon the reunion ended, and we said our teary goodbyes to Sarah.


Yesterday Jake had his 2 month check-up. I can't believe he's already so old! and not only old, but so big! He weighs 12 pounds 4 ounces, putting him in the 69th percentile, and he is 23 inches long! (58th percentile). What a big boy! For those of you who have kids, you know what the real point of these check-ups is: SHOTS. It was Jake's first round of vaccinations. I was a bit nervous, having read about all the possible side effects and reactions. But I decided to go for it. I am pretty sure Jake would have gone the other way, had it been up to him. When the nurse started doing the shots, Jake became very quiet and red. By the 3rd shot, he was completely purple in the face--Then he let out the loudest wail! it was so sad! But we both survived and headed home to face an evening with tender thighs (Jake) and tender hearts (me and Wes). Jake bore it like a champ, and we spoiled him with lots of cuddles and kisses. He even got to do his favorite thing--A half hour bath with mom. We played til the water was tepid and our hands were wrinkly. Wes decided to snap a few pics of the fun. I was skeptical at first, but they turned out so cute! Yay for random photo-ops. The night ended with an episode of Lost (Wes and I have finally started watching). Jake got another small leg rub and thanks to the makers of Infant Tylenol we all got a pretty good nights rest.

Gratitude

It's been 3 weeks already since my last post! it's crazy how fast the time goes, and it amazes me how much Jake changes every single day. I'm starting to forget what he was like as a tiny newborn. At this point he is already over 7 weeks old. He spends all of his waking hours diligently working on his neck muscles, trying to hold his head up. Jake is sort of a strange duck. He won't allow anyone to hold him in the "baby" position - you know, cradled in your arm. he has to either be standing on your lap, trying to hike up your chest, or be thrown over your shoulder like a sack of potatoes. We aren't quite sure what this alludes to about his future personality, but its pretty funny. Also, when laying on his back, he always turns his head to the right. He's actually starting to get a lopsided head, so we are constantly turning his head to look left. The pediatrician doesn't seem concerned, but i'm still trying to correct it. I was collecting a bunch of pictures for Jake's album, and realized he is looking to the right in every single one. He definitely has a mind of his own. I've got to say, I feel very lucky these days. Being a mom is hard work for sure, but it's so rewarding! Jake is just getting cuter every day, smiling at me like crazy, and developing his little personality. even the crying isn't so bad, because he looks so funny when he is doing it. Poor kid is crying and i just end up laughing at him. The other day, he was screaming for food while we were driving home. When we finally got there, and got him some milk, he expressed instant relief, and sucked like crazy for about 10 seconds. Then, he paused, looking up at me. All of a sudden he cracks this huge smile, letting milk pour out of his mouth all over the place. It was a huge mess, but so worth it. Already, Jake is learning to express gratitude.

A couple of his firsts - First nap in his crib, and first haircut. I know it seems a bit early, but what can I say? I'm a hairdresser and he was growing a small rattail. It had to go.