Our Big Accomplishment

We got back from Illinois on November 29th and Jacob decided to start climbing out of his crib. At that point, I knew it was time to say goodbye to the crib and convert it to a big boy bed. I was extremely nervous at how he would do, but he really rose to the occasion! He knew that if he got out of his bed, he would get punished. However, I really tried to focus on the positive and praising him for how well he was staying in his bed! He gets to put cotton balls in Baby Jesus' crib after every nap and every morning for staying in his crib....he thinks this is really cool. It is amazing how they take joy in doing some good for someone else! I also treated him to a Buzz Lightyear bedset and he has been so excited to sleep with Buzz and Woody. It has been over a week now and I'm optimistic that this is a change for good. One more thing checked off the list, now I just have to get him potty trained after we get back from parents at the start of next year. I'm so sad that my baby is growing up and yet so proud of him. He really has no choice but to grow up with baby #3 coming in 6 months. He is convinced it is a baby sister...so we shall see if he is correct. ;-)

June Bug #3

I was looking back at my last post and realized that our third child had been conceived just days before my post. I am already 14 1/2 weeks pregnant...which means way too long since I have posted! The boys are keeping me busy and the first trimester of this pregnancy was very rough. I battled constant nausea/emesis some days and other days just fatigue and moderate cramping. As my belly grows, I get more anxious to start feeling movement and for our big ultrasound on January 15th! We will not find out the sex, but it will be nice to see the baby and get confirmation of a healthy child and pregnancy. Below is a picture of the baby at 7 1/2 weeks...still looking like a little peanut. Praise God for this miracle of life!

Jacobisms

I have been writing down some of the funny things that Jacob says lately:

**Oh Man
**Uh Oh Sgetiso (Spaghettio)
**Excuse me Mommy
**Jacob drink cows milk, breastmilk icky mommy
**I love you mommy (This is my favorite and worth every ounce of pain I have endured for him over the last 3+ years!)
**Today as we were leaving for preschool he said to Raja "Raja, stay. Good boy. Jacob going byebye. Jacob going preschool. Jacob big boy. Bye bye Raja. Love you Raja" (Except when he says Raja it sounds like RahRaj)

For my birthday last week, he sang the entire song of Happy Birthday to me, I even got it on camera, it was so cute! Jacob talks in 3rd person which is quite comical at times. The other night we had gone to church and I was cleaning the kitchen floor and listening to some music. Jacob started singing over me saying "Have Mercy" from a song we had sung at church. The song goes:

"Lord Jesus, have mercy,
Have Mercy upon me.
Many are my sins,
Many times I fall,
Lord in your abundant kindness,
Please forgive them all"

I love this song and it was so sweet to hear him trying to sing it. His innocent belief in God is such a simple faith and yet a faith that we as adults struggle so hard to achieve. I thank God for all the moments that I can see Him through my children!

Jacob 28 months

Caleb 9 months

My Boys

I was doing some reminiscing this evening and looking back at old pics of Jacob at the same age as Caleb. It is hard to believe that Caleb will be 10 months on Friday. What was most fun looking back on the pics is realizing how similar the boys look...even though sometimes I think they look nothing alike. I suppose this is because of their different personalities.

Jacob at 10 months..he loved to make this silly face. I had forgotten how broken out his mouth was during the winter months that year! Poor baby!

Caleb at 9 months, 3 weeks..taken on 9/11/09...my 29th birthday!
He should be the poster child for the University of Iowa.

The boys love their ball pit and share it quite well. Fortunately, Caleb doesn't mind the rough housing that usually goes along with it...brotherly love as I say!

Jacob 28 Months

August has been a fun month and hard to believe it is over and September is here! Jacob has become quite the toddler over the last 6 months. Every day is an adventure! Jacob talks non-stop putting together some pretty elaborate sentences and concepts! He is very curious and never stops asking questions. It is only a matter of time before "But Why?" starts...fortunately, he still doesn't understand what "why" means! He has become quite proficient at prayers, saying the Hail Mary and the Angel of God, my guardian dear...etc. all by himself. The Our Father is almost mastered.

He loves to sing and knows so many different songs and stories. One day I caught him belting out "Jesus Loves Me" while banging on the piano! His imagination runs wild and everyday, we make believe and he pretends to be someone. The other night he ate all his green beans and I asked him "Who ate all your green beans?". He replied "Papa Bear". So I asked, "Does Papa Bear want more green beans?" to which he replied, "Yup!" We are working on "Yes ma'am". He likes to pretend to be a firefighter, Buzz Lightyear, Doctor, and a worker man! We have adventures all over the house pretending to be a firefighter. I usually hide the puppy and then call for 911. He then has to find the puppy and rescue him from the fire! He also LOVES his little people house and airplane. He likes to have ducky parties in the house. I have NO idea what a ducky party is but there is a lot of quacking going on!

A couple friends and I are helping each other put together some lesson plans for our boys! I started this week and each week we have a different letter, number, color, bible story and bible verse! I enjoy teaching Jacob new things and he is a sponge for everything. He already knows all his colors and can count to 10, 3&4 are problematic sometimes. It will be fun to do different crafts and projects! Today we learned about Adam and Eve and when I asked him what God said to Adam and Eve, he replied, "Don't eat that fruit!". It is a joy to watch him grow and develop!

Jacob loves popsicles, so every night, we head outside for our Popsicle together after Caleb has gone to bed!

Jacob thought getting in the trunk was a good idea!

Jacob rarely poses and smiles for the camera...I love this pic! It isn't too often he looks this angelic!

Jacob running thru the splash pad. They have several of these around town and are free to the public. Jacob does not enjoy water, so it has been a struggle to get him to even play in it.

World Wide Marriage Encounter

Brian and I have been married for 4 years….5 years on October 16, 2009! Like many married couples, the honeymoon is long over and after 4 years, 2 boys, Residency and a pretty hectic schedule, we decided that we had put our marriage on the back burner for too long. This weekend was much needed and long overdue. World Wide Marriage Encounter is a Catholic retreat that is open to anyone of any faith. The focus is on the couple and how to learn to communicate more effectively in order to draw you closer together. We started at 8pm on Friday and went until 4:30 pm on Sunday. The weekend was packed from 7:30am to 10pm and there was no time except for each other. What a great way to rekindle our relationship, put all of the outside worries and stresses aside and focus on our love and what brought us together many years ago! We learned a whole new way to communicate through dialogue (which is taught to you during the weekend) that really allowed us to open up and share our feelings. We weren’t sold on the concept or realized how it would help us going forward....even by Saturday evening. But the Holy Spirit did a lot of work on our hearts and we were changed by Sunday. Much to our surprise, we found out on Sunday that a couple had been praying for us all weekend, and we sure needed those prayers! We had mass on Saturday and Sunday, and confessions were offered both Friday and Saturday evening. Through the power of the sacraments of the Eucharist and Reconciliation, God gave us grace to open our hearts to really listen to Him. We both realized that God’s presence in our marriage was not always there and we vowed to make changes. One such change was to pray together every evening. This was very difficult for me because my time with God is very intimate and private. Opening myself to Brian in this manner was difficult and awkward, but the power of prayer together is undeniable. By the grace of God, we were able to completely forgive each other for all past wrongdoings and we were able to really open up to each other about some feelings that neither of us ever knew existed! By Sunday afternoon, we were excited and nervous about returning to the real world. Throughout the weekend, you get so caught up in each other and forget the pressures of the world. But the world hasn’t changed, only you as a couple have. As a result of the weekend, Brian and I have a new commitment to each other and putting our marriage before our children, families and friends and only behind God. I love my husband today more than I ever imagined I could. In a deeper way, I respect him, cherish him and will continue to honor him all the days of my life. We renewed our wedding vows at mass on Sunday and they meant so much more this time around. Our original wedding vows were “I, Jessica, take you, Brian, to be my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life.” Saying it again almost 5 years later was so rich and meaningful!

My prayer for everyone who reads this is that you explore this weekend retreat as an option for your marriage. If God is calling you to do it, then move forward with it and make the commitment for the weekend and the rest of your lives! I promise you that you will walk away changed and renewed in your marriage.

A week has passed since our weekend and we have stayed dedicated to communicating daily and putting our marriage first, which is challenging with two small children and a demanding trauma surgery service! As we journey through our last year in Temple, a year of fellowship and trying to discern where God wants us after that, our lives are going to be very exciting, challenging and full of memories. We have a renewed outlook on the next couple of years and know that no matter what, they will be great as long as we walk beside each other and hold each other up! My only regret in our marriage is that we didn’t do this weekend sooner! I am thankful to my parents for pushing us to do this and for flying down to Texas to watch the boys and support our marriage! Through support, prayer and the grace of God, our marriage has been changed for the better! I can’t even put a price tag on that! Thank you Mom and Dad….we love you!

Visit with Nana and Papa

Nana and Papa came on August 14th...to give Brian and I the greatest gift for our marriage we could have ever asked for....a weekend of babysitting the boys while we attended a Marriage Encounter Weekend (more on that in another post). While we were at Cedarbrake Retreat Center in Temple, they were off having adventures. I'm not sure what they all did, which it is probably better that I don't know, but I do know the adventures included Buzz Lightyear, walks, stories and LOTS of love!!! I'm not sure if Buzz is more Jacob's or Papa's hero! Before I left the boys on Friday, we took a trip to Salado...pics below! They left today around noon and Jacob just clung to mom and cried so hard, he did NOT want his Nana or Papa leaving. Needless to say, I cried just watching it all! It makes me so happy to know that he loves them SO much! Thank you Mom and Dad for supporting our marriage!

Sweet little Caleb!

Three Generations!

The boys having fun!

Nana, Papa and their grandkids!

Caleb is starting to work on his front tooth as witnessed by all the drool!

Only Nana's kisses could bring comfort!

All is happy again!

Thanks for coming Mom and Dad....we LOVE you!

So sweet!

My Sweet Jacob with the mermaid in Salado!

Caleb and Mommy

Papa showed Jacob how to pick out the largest possible rocks to throw!

Caleb's new thing is to stick out his tongue!

Papa taught Jacob how to shave.....Jacob told me today that he has wiskers. Hmmmm???

3 Years Ago

Three years ago today, our life was forever changed! On August 5, 2006, we found out that we were expecting our first child. We were excited, nervous and completely unaware of the magnitude of the journey we were just beginning. The moment I knew of Jacob, I loved him. My worries began and have never ceased to waver. The moment I knew of him, a part of my heart grew in love....a love that I never knew existed. On the day of his birth, April 15, 2007, those worries that I thought would cease the moment he was born and that we could confirm that he was healthy, they only increased with new worries. But the love was the most significant. I thought that I loved him, until the moment I laid my drugged and groggy eyes on him. It is amazing how you can love someone you are just meeting for the first time so much! That love in my heart is completely unconditional and enhances the love that I have for my husband.

Three years later, I have two healthy boys and a husband that I love more than the day I married him almost 5 years ago. God is so good and fulfills His promises to you when you are faithful to Him. I have a long ways to go with my faith, but God continues to bless me in so many ways....ways that I don't always feel worthy of as a sinner. Thank you God for my husband and my boys!

Jacobisms

Here are a few cute things Jacob says a lot!

1. "Mommy, there of course!"

He always says this when talking about big boy activities or going to the moon.

2. "Mommy is? Nana is? Daddy is?"

Where is mommy?

3. "Mommy R you?"

Where are you mommy?

4. "Shake your booty"

He said this one day during daily mass and I was mortified. I don't think anyone understood him.

5. "Uh oh Spagettio"

6. "Where's my Caleb?"

7. "No Thank you mommy"

The manners are beginning! ;-)

What matters most!

Jacob and Caleb hanging out on the couch!














My precious Jacob looks so grown up!



















Jacob's new summer love...popsicles!



















My sweet Caleb is getting so big!













Nothing like sweet baby drool! I love those wet kisses!!!

BLORA Waterfest

This past Sunday, we took the boys to the BLORA Waterfest in Belton, TX. It was $6 to get in the gates and everything after that was free! They had a petting zoo, ponies to ride, waterslides, canoe rides, water balloon launchers, bounce houses and a beautiful lake to swim in! The first thing Jacob wanted to do was ride the ponies. He was all excited about it until we got about 5 feet from the ponies. At that point, he began to meltdown and fight me putting him on the pony. Those moments as a mother are hard because you never know if you should push the issue, hoping that he would enjoy the ride or just back off and try again later. I decided to gently put him on the pony and allow him to grab at me. The cowboy got the ponies walking immediately and as soon as his little pony took off, he was grinning ear to ear. He loved those ponies and took a special liking to the only black pony who was named "Black Beauty". Needless to say, he has been walking around the house the last couple of days saying "Jacob ride Beauty" although it sounds more like "Jacob white booty"....which is true as well! Ahhhh from the mouths of babes!

Jacob was insistent on hugging the baby goats.

Jacob in the petting zoo for at least the 10th time!

Jacob's first canoe ride

After about 4 trips into the petting zoo, he LOVED the goats and sheep!

Daddy and Jacob with Black Beauty

Mommy and Jacob with Black Beauty

Mommy and the boys in the petting zoo!

Randome Pics

I love this photo...it is so easy to get him to smile!

Playing outside this morning!

New face

Caleb blowing bubbles

Caleb loved his peas last night for dinner!

Bath time with both boys!

This is why I don't let Jacob pick out his outfits every morning.
If he happens to care what he wears that day, he gets options!

Hmmm....can't tell they are brothers can ya? I was watching old video of Jacob today at 6 months of age, and Caleb looks almost exactly like him with the exception of his hair!

Caleb's first Tooth

After several days of unusual fussiness from my angel baby, Caleb's first tooth broke through! You can just barely see it on this picture, but it is the lower right central incisor! As Jacob would say..."Yeah Caleb!".

Pictures in Salado

Walking with my boys!

I still look at pictures of the four of us and can't believe we are a family of four!

I love this picture of Brian and the boys!

This picture shows too well how I feel most days....just slightly sleep deprived. Both boys sleep through the night, it just seems I never run out of things to do each day!
Someday I hope to sleep again! ;-)

Jacob is terrified of water but he was so curious about touching it!

What little boy doesn't love rocks!!!

We took a trip down to Salado, a small town about 20 minutes south of Temple to take some pictures. I love to photograph the boys...wishing the whole time I was more artistic. But I got the boys in their matching outfits and just had fun with them and Brian!