Watch out Jackson Pollock!

My little artiste! I decided to find some rainy day stuff to do because we wouldn't be able to get outside yesterday so I bought bubbles, one of those heavy duty balloons you blow up with the rubber band on it so you can punch it, and finger paints. The bubbles were a huge hit. I guess they play with bubbles at school because he already knew the word and the sign. In fact, after they'd been up for a while Steve was holding Jake and Jake was signing and pointing and saying what sounded like "apples" and we couldn't figure out for anything what he wanted. Turns out, once I started really watching, he was signing, saying, and pointing to the bubbles. Boy, I can't imagine how dense he must think I am! "Duh, Mom. BU-BEL-S. Do I need to spell it??"

He had a moderate amount of fun with the finger paints. It was amusing for about 20 minutes but he didn't understand why he couldn't then just get up and walk off without mommy scrubbing him down. Maybe we'll do the bath finger paints for a while before we go back to these. Any way, he didn't try to eat them, so that's a big boy for you!

Let's try this again...

I’m going to try this again since the last time I posted stupid Blogger ate my post.

We’ve had a busy few weeks. Jake has lots of new words including “Mine” (both with and without a question mark on the end), cheese, uh-oh (too cute!), and “I DO!” The last is the response to any question that starts with “who.” So:
“Who wants cheese?” “I do!”
“Who loves his mommy?” “I do!”
“Who’s a purple monkey?” “I do!” – OK, we’re still working on context…

We went to the Railroad Museum on Free Museum Day. Jake loved the trains, hated the crowds, and adored the French fries with gravy and cheese afterward in Old Sac. Yeah, that’s my kid!

Jake has experienced his first (and second and third) balloon. Of course, one of the ladies at Raley’s gave him a balloon because he was so cute and being so good. And now he’s hooked. The next day we were at Trader Joes, he saw balloons, he had to have one. She created a monster! Mommy bought him a mylar for Valentine’s Day so it is lasting a little longer to maybe stave off the endless tragic cycle of balloon cruelty. And they don’t pop, because Mommy hates loud pops!

We also got new pictures done at JCP. They turned out pretty well. Of course, they ended up involving balloons, but there you go. Whatever works. It made me realize how much easier it was when we could just set him in one place and he stayed there. But his curiosity and independence are such a joy that it’s hard to complain.

It was a rough week for Jake and I with my being at work so much for the budget crisis (and having food poisoning Sunday/Monday). I don’t know how people who work 60 hour weeks on a regular basis can stand being away. I look forward to spending some serious quality time with my guy this weekend – especially Saturday while it’s still sunny! Yay playtime!!

OT - Jake's "friend" Jude

Jake and Jude are 4 or 5 days apart in age and his mom is a dear friend of mine. She made this video and it was the funniest thing EVER so I had to share...
http://www.onetruemedia.com/otm_site/view_shared?p=7f1a7e0ee8b3a63ae8a1d6&skin_id=1603&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=email

Promised pictures

15 month doctor's visit update.

Well, I've put this off for a while to make sure Bill's post stays toward the top, but it's time. We had Jake's 15 month appointment last tuesday. It was nice timing since he'd had a 102 fever for 2 days and his breathing was really worrying me. He weighs 25#8oz and is almost 32" long. The doc pronounced him heathy (other than his cold), growing normally, and above average intelligence. I couldn't wrangle a "brilliant" out of him, but it's still early. Dr. Budd was very impressed with all of Jake's words (20 as of that day - we've added quite a few more since) and signs (11 as of that day). Especially "buffalo" as Dr. Budd didn't even know that's what buffalo say!
Jake was put on pregnazone (sp?) for 5 days (and they were not 5 fun days) and he's back on the Singulair, but he's also breathing normally again. Whenever he gets a cold, it kicks up an asthma attack so we're going to have to be careful to keep him on the Singulair through cold and flu season and not expose him to anything that could trigger a flare.
I really need to take a few new pictures and post them, but we've just been hanging out lately. Last weekend we went and saw Renee and Fiona (who will be a great friend for Jake when he's old enough to defend himself against her ruthless friendliness). On Sunday we went to Southside park and played for over an hour. And still Jake cried when we went home. It was the first time he really "got" what a playground was all about and didn't want to leave. Not a fun thing to have him crying, but nice to know he enjoyed it so much!
A sample of the new words this week include: llama (said with tongue sticking out to get the "L" sound right), bear, flower, milk, and meow (he loved Geoff's cat, Bonkers).

He-who-must-not-be-named

This time I'm not talking about Voldemort. Although I would probably have welcomed him in to my home with open arms if he could have kept the little red monster out.

Jake has become a fan of Elmo. He sits up straight whenever he comes on the screen, can say his name (OK, it comes out more like "MeMa" but it's consistent and decidedly not "MaMa"), and will actually turn around and come into the den if he hears the theme music. I guess it could be worse. It could be Barney or, God forbid, Calliou, but still, I thought I'd have more time before this started.

I don't want to ban Sesame Street, but I think this may be harder than overcoming my loarthing of melon. At least when I cut up melon, it doesn't run through my head for the rest of the day. Da da da da... da da da da.. Elmo's world...

This one's for Uncle Bill

For those not in my family, you probably don't know what buffalo say. My uncle Bill has taught a generation of children that they say "buffalo buffalo buffalo" (no, lower than that, down in your chest). Well, I think we have a new record holder. The youngest Jacoby to know what buffalo say. At 15 months, Jake is the buffalo master!

The panda thing also needs explanation... Auntie Renee gave him a little wooden panda that plays peek-a-boo and we play with it a lot. So now, of course, pandas say "peek-a-boo." He's really a smart kid.

Thanks for the darling outfits. Hope you and the whole family had a wonderful holiday and that we get to see you all very soon.

Love, Sharon, Jake, Steve, and Dippy