MY JACOB

 

I think it's only fitting that Jacob receives his first post on his six month birthday.  Poor thing should have had a million more, but this is where we are so this is what he shall have!

• age: six months

• nicknames: Jacob-moley {stolen from a name my fave uncle called my cousin Jacob when he was little}, j man, j bird, little mite, love bug, fatty mcghee, baby chubs

• eats: 8-9 ounces formula every four hours {7am, 11, 3 or 4, 6:30pm}, baby food at night: so far has had and loved carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, zucchini {if mixed with carrots}, corn, sweet peas. HATES avocado. Probably would like it if I heated it up. I am making all his baby food and MAN I did not realize how easy {and cheap} it is to make baby food.  Nothing more than steaming and pureeing in my little kitchenaid mixer.

• sleeps: Two to three naps a day: 2 hours in the morning, then with two more one hour naps or one more three hour nap.  And at night: 6:30pm-7am: thank the good Lord above.  Over Memorial Day, after weeks of getting up all night and four straight nights of getting up no less than six times JUST TO REPLACE A PACI I bit the bullet and decided Mr. Jacob needed not be swaddled.  Boy needed to learn how to self-soothe.  It took one day of lousy naps and then BAM he slept all night.  And has ever since.  And mine and Stephens crazy days are a little less cloudy and a lot more silver lining :)

• likes: Everything.  Seriously he is just so happy.  He loves attention {of course} and laughs and smiles so much.  I thought maybe he would be more somber like Bennett was but he is just so giggly.  He has found his toes and tongue.  He is definitely a Baby Bjorn baby.  He is in that thing all the time.  Its how mommy gets things done outside the house.  But, inside the house, put the guy in an exersaucer but especially a doorway jumper and he will be sa.tis.fied.  Would and has jumped for an hour solid.  Has fallen asleep in said jumper twice.  

• dislikes: Cold avocados.  I really don't know what else.  Oh, anyone other than me putting him down for a nap.  His sleep "routine" really only works like clock work when momma is the one doing it.  He needs to work on that ;)  He used to hate being on his tummy but now {finally} rolls onto it all the time.  Still doesn't stay long, but it's a more frequent position.

Seriously, this child is what some may say is a "typical" third child.  He just sits and laughs and smiles and sometimes cries.  But if he cries its because he is dirty or hungry or sleepy.  Or in extreme pain from being punched in the face or kicked in the stomach by one particular older sister of his.  I'm happy to say it's not on purpose anymore, but Emory just plays all around him and he is inevitably the victim of her rough-housing. {the girl is a fearless rough-housing maniac}  He has no choice but to be tough.  But MAN it hurts to see him cry.  Especially knowing his brother and sister never had to cry from injuries such as this :(

He is a big bald chunk and in that way reminds me of his brother.  However he does look quite different to me, more like a slight combination of Emory and Bennett with a big dash of himself.  I just think he is so dang pretty and I'm back to that cannibalistic mother who wants to just eat his little ole big self UP.  Seriously.  Stephen asks me all the time: so, do you just want to eat his face of? just want to take a big bite out of those thighs? {my answer is always heck yea}

Jacob was our worst infant sleeper but we have things figured out now.
He is the one we can take anywhere and not worry about him making any noise.
He has really strong legs like his brother {and unlike his noodle-legged sister}.
He has really big hands.
His head is a little flat-ish on the back just like his brothers was {but not as much so}.
He wears a size three diaper and size 6-9 month clothing {some six months getting tight}.

I know what people mean when they say that your baby will always be your baby.  As much as I love each stage of infancy/toddler-hood I dread each day he gets older and miss my infant.  He's my little buddy and with me all the time every day.  It's still amazing to me how with each child you cannot fathom that there is enough love in there to fully consume another one.  But there is.  And as crazy and exhausting as each day is, it is also FULL and SWEET and PRICELESS.

Of course there are plenty of days I just need to get out and, I don't know, run to get gas by myself...or SCREAM..............but heavens when it boils down to it I just love my kids so much.  They are my life in every way and I find it SUCH an honor that God chose Stephen and I to watch over them and their time here.  I {try to} wake up every day {praying that I will begin} realizing that, in the end {and beginning}, they really belong to Him.  It makes parenting easier for me knowing {/trying to grasp} that.  It's still stressful and overwhelming at {lots of} times, but I see His love shining in them and if they go through life being nothing but Christ centered people I will genuinely be satisfied.

Ok, and now some deep dark honesty.
Because that's just how I am.
All of that ooey gooey stuff is very very true.
BUT
The first four months of Jacob's life were HARD.  Like physically and emotionally and spiritually HARD.  I'm not saying this for pity, just so that you realize just why the present day is so so sweet.  It's so much easier for me to see through the chaos now and not really see it as chaos.  It's just our life.  I realize we may stress other people out {family/friends/strangers} when they are around us during, say, meal times/nap times/bath times/bed times BUT to me it's all just normal.  I guess it took those four grueling months to get to this place but PTL I am SO glad we are here.

And this precious thing is one of the big reasons its now so incredibly enjoyable