A few pics from our trip to Atlanta

Family Photo Shoot

We decided to put our KU hats on and just go crazy with the camera!
(Look at that Tush)

Play Time with Jacob

Jacob has become such a fun baby. We have been playing with a lot more toys because he is finally interested in them. Mimi and Grandpa (Robin and Sid-Nate's parents) bought us a baby einstein exersaucer. We put Jacob in the exersaucer which is surrounded by different toys that he can play with.
Also, Jacob loves Tummy Time now. Lately I have been laying a blanket on the floor in the living room and lay him on his tummy. Look how high he can lift his head.

We now have a Formula Fed Baby

So I nursed Jacob for the last time today. I have been weaning him off of the breast milk and onto formula for the past two weeks. I took a feeding away every two to three days. I started with the feedings that he didnt really care about like the 1:00 p.m. feeding or the 5:00 p.m. feeding and eventually ended with today. I knew it was going to be hard but I didnt think it was going to be this hard emotionally. I am a crying wreck right now. I read that sometimes babies feel neglected throughout the weaning process and that is the last thing that I want Jacob to feel. It hurts me inside that he could feel that way. Maybe this is why he has been a little fussier lately. I decided to quit breastfeeding because I am going back to work in a week and it will be easier for Nate and I if Jacob is on formula.

It is very hard to pump at work and since Jacob is staying at home with Nate during the day while I am at work, it just seems like the best decision. However I am very happy with myself that I made it this long. About a month into breastfeeding I was about to quit. It hurt so bad and I was so annoyed that this was what my life had become. I was nursing all the time and hated it. I pulled myself to together and stuck it out for Jacob's sake and that was one of the best decisions. I hope Jacob and I can still have the bond like we did when I was nursing him. I try to keep eye contact with him while I am feeding him the bottle but its not the same. I hope it gets better and I dont regret my decision. Any advice from anyone would be appreciated!
It will take a couple of days for my milk to dry up and its going to hurt so bad. I read that you can get a fever and the shakes during this process. I hope it goes by fast and its not too bad. This weekend is going to be emotional but I am glad that I have Nate supporting me on this decision and can go to him when I am feeling down about this.

Laying out poolside

Jacob spent his first time in a pool on Sunday. After a short storm, it turned into a nice day to sit outside with Jonathan, Rebecca and Dolly.

Erin bought this little inflatable pool from Wal-Mart that fills up about three inches of water. He loves sitting in his baby bathtub, splashing and kicking, but he really didn't know what to think of the pool. I guess he was a bit overwhelmed with its size compared to the tub. Maybe the sun made him tired or maybe he just didn't know what the heck he was standing in or why he was standing in it.

All that being said, Erin had to splash the water for him as he just sat in the pool. But it was still cute seeing him in his little swim trunks and full-brim hat. Hopefully he'll have more fun next time.

Jonathan and Rebecca visit Tenn.

Three months (to the day) after his birth, our good friends from college, Jonathan and Rebecca, finally met Jacob.

From the look on their faces, the wait -- and the eight-hour drive from Kansas City -- was well worth it. Although they probably wished they could have made it down for the birth, this stage in Jacob's life is a perfect time to meet him as he's developing a cute personality with his smiles, coos and pseudo-giggles.



They kept saying pictures didn't do justice to seeing him in person. It's true, for anyone who has yet to meet him :)

Jacob made a good first impression, too. He was very receptive to Rebecca taking him away from Erin as soon as they walked through the door. Often he'll cry when a new person holds him (he might be developing a bit of separation anxiety), but he was all smiles as Rebecca held him Friday evening, and he loved looking at Jonathan's Simpsons shirt, grabbing his finger and cooing at his funny faces.



Rebecca just couldn't get enough of the little guy. Saturday morning she fed him a bottle, put him down for a nap, changed several diapers and gave gave us lot of time to rest our arms. She's definitely ready to be a mom, though none of the diapers she changed was poopy. But I'm sure even Mother Theresa didn't possess an innate love for that parental obligation. Jonathan also showed his soft side as he practiced his baby-talk voice and volunteered at times to hold him.

Hopefully Jacob will soon have his first honorary cousin!

We're glad they came down to visit. Despite the rain, it was a very nice and relaxing weekend.

Jacob turns 3 months old

Three months old!? Where is the time going?

Everyone who told us this time in our baby's life will just fly on by was not lying. As cliche as it sounds, it seems like just yesterday Jacob was coming home, sleeping in the Pack N Play for the first time and staring at simple, stationary objects the best he could with heavily crossed eyes.

Now he's sleeping throughout the night on his stomach in a crib in his own room, following colorful moving objects with his strengthened eye muscles and developing a cute personality consisting of smiles, coos and pseudo giggles. He loves to stare at the bright colors from the TV and his toys.

In three months, he's doubled his birth weight and grown three inches. He's now able to use his hands to calm himself, though he still relies heavily on us to soothe him with a passy. He also has gained much more noticeably blond hair (with a tint of red), but he's still a fairly bald baby.

It's amazing how at this age every day makes a big difference. That being said, we're eager to see what changes the next month brings!

Jacob loves the plasma

Just like his mommy and daddy, Jacob is obsessed with watching the ol' boob tube.

He loves watching the bright colors radiate from the hot plasma screen. Back when he was about a month old, he was obsessed with our katuba that hangs above the couch, facing the TV. Those days have passed. Now if he's facing us while we're watching TV, he'll start to cry. As soon as we turn him around, he's smiles and coos. I like to think that he has such high admiration for his parents that he wants to emulate whatever it is they're doing. But I know the truth is we're not nearly half the fun as Elmo, or whatever TBS is playing.

The other day he was sitting in his green bumbo chair, lounging on his left arm as if he were chillin' in a La-Z-boy recliner. He might as well have been holding a cold beer in one hand and the remote control in the other.



Eighteen years from, he's probably going to look at these pictures and ask what is that antique box he's watching. That's scary to think about.

***

On a more intellectual note, Erin has begun reading to Jacob before he goes to sleep. She stimulates his brain with "Goodnight Moon," a classic that will continue to be passed down to future generations. It's cute watching him follow along as she reads each page.

Big moment for little man

Like a baby sea turtle venturing out to sea, Sunday night served a big step in life for our little man (and for us as parents).

Jacob slept the whole night in his crib in his own room. It was a really emotional night for us -- more so for Erin. She handled it well, though, getting up only a couple times to check on him and once to feed him.

We bought this ultra-sensitive Angelcare sensor pad, which is a plastic board that is placed under his mattress. It's so sensitive that it detects the slight movement, including breathing. Every time it senses a movement, the attached baby monitor blinks, clicks or does both, depending on which we choose. If it doesn't detect any movement whatsoever for 15 seconds, an alarm will sound from the parent unit in our room.

I was sound asleep with my face buried in the pillow at 4:30 a.m. when I heard the alarm blare. I immediately jumped out of bed and ran to the nursery. Jacob wasn't in his crib. Erin was nursing him in the rocker. She forgot to turn off the monitor after she took him out. It scared the crap out of me, but at least we got to find out it worked through a false alarm.

It's a great investment that will give any parent peace of mind while their baby sleeps alone in a separate room either at night or during the day.

My vote for Mommy of the Year

Smart. Patient. Selfless. Loving. Incredible. Dedicated.

Those are just a few of the adjectives that describe Erin’s emergence into motherhood. Since the day I met her in college, I could tell she was gifted with natural motherly instincts, but the way she’s transformed herself in the past three months has left me in awe. Her knack for research is remarkable and her care is impeccable.

While at times I still show signs of frustration when Jacob cries in my ear (I am getting better), Erin’s patience holds strong. She knows what each cry means and knows exactly how to soothe him. Occasionally I’ll see her patience thin when he’s being really stubborn, but she takes a deep breath and tries a different approach. It works every time. She selflessly blocks out all distractions around her, such as the TV or the computer, giving Jacob her undivided attention. She makes sure he is taken care of before she does anything for herself. It's no surprise Jacob is most content when he’s nestled in his mommy’s arms.


But it wasn’t always as easy for Erin as she now makes it seem. Two months ago, Erin thought she wouldn’t make it as a mother. Unlike other people she knows, she didn’t have family nearby to turn to when she was pushed to her breaking point. She was forced to deal alone with incessant crying at nights when Jacob was at his worst and I was away at work. Often she would call me at the newsroom crying, claiming she’s tried EVERYTHING and she just didn’t know what to do or what was wrong with him. Every night, though, I came home to a peaceful, sleeping baby. I never knew what she did or how she did it. I still don’t. What I do know is that she made it through those horrible, drawn-out nights with more confidence than before.

Erin is an incredible mom, and I can't wait to see the bond she develops with Jacob as he gets older.

I’m very proud of her and love her very much!