August 2008

It is hard to believe that Jacob turned 16 months! Where has the time gone? This month our big accomplishment was getting rid of the sippy cup!!! Yeah! Jacob drinks out of a big boy cup and does so with few spills, even the pediatrician was impressed! Yes, there are more accidents, but it is better for his teeth! This month, we took a few trips to the pool and even tried the splash park, however Jacob was pretty afraid of the water coming out of the ground. I must say, I never knew a child could dislike water as much as Jacob, even bath times can be a nightmare, just ask poor Brian! Although they get to do their bonding time at the park. Jacob caught a parasite in Costa Rica and we having been dealing with about 6 weeks of diarhea, so hopefully that will clear soon! We took a trip to the Waco Zoo where he got to hang with some older boys and just loved being around all of them! He is at a great age where he really enjoys activities like that!

Costa Rica

In the middle of July, Brian and I packed up Jacob and headed off to southern Costa Rica! We stayed in a private beach house on the Pacific side of the country! We had a great time seeing all of the Sadowski's. Jacob had a blast playing with his cousin Ryan....although they both had a few sharing issues, rightfully so! Despite some airport issues, language barriers and a parasite that affected Jess and Jacob, we had a good time and ate a lot of good food! Fortunately for Jess, the country was fairly Americanized, so we were able to eat some pretty normal food! Brian was able to head off with his brother and non-pregnant women to go ziplining through the rain forest, while Jess, Jack and Vic watched the kiddos! Overall, it was a great time and so much fun to see family! My only advice is don't travel to a foreign country with a 15 month old and being 6 months pregnant! ;-)

Can this really be normal?

So, I had my 22 week check up today with Dr. Fothergill! The baby's heartbeat is holding steady in the high 140's, low 150's. Could this mean a girl? We'll see in another couple months. Jacob's heartrate dropped into the 120's by 28 weeks, so I guess we'll see then if this one changes. Regardless, it is just an old wives tale that has no scientific foot to stand on! My doctor kindly discussed the option of a VBAC(Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) vs C-Section....he actually brought it up even though it has been weighing heavily on my mind. So after today, we kind of have a game plan that I feel comfortable with...thankfully Brian is on board for anything!

So the first picture of me is at 22 weeks pregnant with Jacob. Below that is 28 weeks pregnant with Jacob which is more similar to how I currently look which is the last picture. Can't wait to see what 40 weeks looks like this time! The doctor said I am measuring perfectly at 22 weeks, so at least we know the baby is growing appropriately. I guess my stomach has just totally given up! ;-)

Playing Outside

One of Jacob's favorite things to do is play outside. We have a little pool for him and he has developed a love for playing with the hose. The other day, we went outside and he got himself soaked. He wasn't sure what to think of it, especially since the water was so cold. Once I convinced him how fun it was, he had a blast! He even got the dog a couple of times, accidentally of course!

15 months Old

Jacob has finally started saying "mama". It is music to my ears. Several times a day, I ask him, "Who am I?" just to hear him say those sweet little words! He says it so carefully and softly and I just love it!

We had his 15 month check up on Tuesday and switched from Scott and White to Kings Daughters. He has a new pediatrician and he absolutely loved her. He warmed up to her so quickly and by the end of the visit, which lasted over 30 minutes, he was giving her hugs and giggling with her! She was so patient and loving towards him, I'm not surprised he liked her! It was a great experience and I can't wait for her to take care of the new baby! Thankfully, all Jacob had to get was his Hep B shot and will only get 2 more at his 18 month in October and should be done for a while! Whew!!!

The pictures are of Jacob and Alayna who is the little girl I watch on Mondays and Wednesdays. Alayna will be 6 months old next week and is a sweet little girl. Jacob has started to enjoy playing with her and will bring her toys, although often times he takes them away just as much. He is getting so much practice at being a BIG brother, although we still have a long ways to go with being gentle! Poor Alayna! She will be such a tough little girl! Regardless, they enjoy each others company and it only assures me that having a sibling for Jacob will be good for him.

Minivan Mom

Well, we have finally joined the ranks of millions of minivan owners! After almost 4 years of marriage, Brian and I purchased our first vehicle together.....a 2008 Honda Odyssey EX-L with DVD and Navigation. We are very excited about our new purchase, Brian's first Honda and my 4th! What can I say??? I love them!!!! We were slowly becoming crowded in the Pontiac Vibe and with an expanding family(although the expanding belly seems more obtrusive) this only seemed like the next step! I spent about 4 hours at the dealership today hashing it out with the salesman and manager while Brian worked fervently in the OR. We got a deal far better than we expected, in fact, too good to walk away! Jacob and Daddy tried out the DVD player while we drove back to Killeen to sign the final paperwork. Although Jacob isn't allowed to watch TV or movies, an exception can be made in the car and he seemed to enjoy Winnie the Pooh! This is one of those times when desperation in keeping him happy far outweighs any rules.

I must say it was rather depressing driving the van off the lot, watching the odometer creep up, knowing that the car had just depreciated several thousand dollars! ;-( On the other hand, it felt surreal and exciting. We anticipate many FUN family vacations and good memories to be made in that car in the years to come! We can't wait for baby #2 to join Jacob in the second row so they can entertain each other!

Our SeaWorld Adventure

In June, we decided to take a trip to San Antonio for Jacob's first visit to Sea World! He LOVED it! He was slightly afraid of the dolphins but other than that, he loved all the different animals. We spent two days at the park which included the Lost Lagoon water park there in Sea World. Jacob had a great time in the lazy river with mommy and playing in the toddler area with mommy and daddy! He was still able to catch a few zzzz's in the stroller while Brian and I caught a few shows. Spending family time together is something that doesn't happen too often with Brian's schedule, so we enjoyed every minute of it! It was a great family vacation and we plan on doing it again in August.