Silly Boy

Every day is fun with this little guy!!  He is so funny!  He has such an amazing imagination and comes up with the funniest things!  I love to watch him play and love to see him create his fantasy world as much as he does.  Here are just a few of the pictures I have captured in the last few weeks of him playing by himself.  Love him so much!!!!

Beautiful Boy!

My big three and a half month old!  You are so beautiful inside and out and I just cannot get enough of you!  You are growing up so quickly and every day I try to make time stop so I can enjoy the stage you are in before you are on to the next one.  Your face lights up every time you see me and mine does when I see you.  I am so in love with my Jacers !!!

Sidewalk Chalk

Our favorite activity these days is to play outside and that usually means at some point with sidewalk chalk.  Jacoby loves it!  We make the solar system a lot and practice our letters.  We are always writing their names and this day we thought it would be fun to get them on their names.  Jace wasn't a very big fan of the cement- poor baby but Jacobes thought it was awesome! 

Sweet Home Chicago

We made our first trip back to Chicago since moving away.  Jarod has been a few times but this was my first time.  It was emotional to say the least!  The boys did great in the car.  Jace slept almost the entire way both ways and Jacoby was happy as a clam watching his movies.  When we could see the sky line we pointed it out to Jacoby, and he said "Oh Chicago, I have missed you so much!"  I think we all feel that way.  By the time we got there though both boys were exhausted!  I love this picture of them sleeping next to each other.  I moved them after I took the picture but they fell asleep snuggling with me and I loved every minute of it. 

When we woke up the next morning, the boys watched a show and then we headed out to the suburbs to see the Johnsons'.  Boy have we missed them!  Ty and Jacoby were so excited to see each other and ran the entire time we were there.  It was so good to see Braden.  He was so big!  And it was fun to introduce the little ones.  Steph and I talked from the moment we got there until the moment we left and I am sure we could have talked for many more hours.

I really miss living close to Steph and our amazing conversations.  I miss being able to see her almost everyday and sharing our feelings and thoughts on every issue but hopefully soon we will have that back :)

Jacoby really misses Ty too!  These two boys are wild and I love that Ty can match Jacoby's energy level.  Not many can and they love each other.

Jacers was happy to just hang out!

The next day we went to Lincoln Square to see the Dana's.  It was so fun to see Linds and the kids.  Nella cracks me up, when we left she was a little tom boy and could hang with Jacobes and now she is a little princess and into everything girlie.  It was so cute!  I miss Linds so much!  We were together the first 2 years of our kids lives every day.  She was my support and it was so nice to know that if I needed anything she was just a few doors down.  We went through all the emotions together of being a first time mom and having that meant the world to me.

On Friday, the boys and I drove to our old neighborhood.  I was a disaster!!  Our house is still for sale and I wanted so badly to go and take the sign down and just move back.  I miss Chicago so badly!  I miss our little house but mostly I miss the city.  I miss the vibe, I miss the energy and I miss the amazing friends that I have there.  Our back yard when we were there was Bauler Park.  Jacoby was so excited to go back. 

It was really cold and I cried the entire time, remembering all the fun memories we have there.  We were excited to show Jacers Bauler Park though. 

We hit up all our favorite restaurants and sites while we were there. 

On Saturday, we did our old Saturday routine.  We went on a long walk and went to Nookies for brunch.  It was perfect!  None of us wanted to leave but we made the trek home.  I had a hard time when I got back adjusting to life without my amazing friends and the energy of the city but I know that we are were we are suppose to be right now and I know that eventually we will go back home.  For the first time since leaving Boise, some where else actually feels like home.  I really do like Cincinnati and we love our house but Chicago will always hold a special place in my heart.  It is where I became a mother and where I did the most growing in my life. 

Just like Daddy!

Isn't he so cute!!  This is actually one of Jarod's outfits from when he was a baby and I didn't get my hands on it until it was too little for Jacoby.  I was so excited to put Jace in it and he looked so stinkin cute!  We have a picture of Daddy in this same outfit at the same age, they look so much alike it is crazy! 

3 Months Old!

My sweet, sweet three month old!!! 
Jacers you are the best baby I have ever been around.   You are so happy to just hang out and be with us.  You have your moments when you want your mama but overall you are just happy as long as you are being held.  As I have reflected back on the last three months I can't believe how fast it has gone.  I have tried to savor every moment with you and I have held you almost 24 hours a day for three months.  I can honestly say that I have held you more than I ever allowed myself to hold Jacoby because I know how fast you grow and I wouldn't have it any other way.  You sleep in my arms when I am playing with Jacoby, you bounce on my hip when I am making dinner, you are constantly with me and I love it.  Here are a few things about you at three months.
1.  You love nursing and I have continued to feed on demand.  I really have no idea how often or how many times you nurse because I never look at a clock.  I think that has helped you be the happiest baby and so content.
2.  You start the night out in your cosleeper but when you wake up for the first feeding you usually won't go back to bed unless you are in my arms
3.  You are a pretty good sleeper.  You will fall asleep anywhere with anything going on.  You sleep when you want during the day and you are still sleeping all the time.  You always sleep away the afternoon for at least three or four hours.  I am usually holding you, going about doing my thing and you sleep right through it.
4.  For about a week you were sleeping six hours and I could not believe it!  I knew it was too good to last and now you are up two to three times a night.  When you do wake up you go right back to sleep.  You usually go down around 9- 9:30 and get up for the day around 8.
5.  You love to swing on the front porch swing and will do it as long as we let you
6.  You love to sleep in the ergo and love to be in it all the time.  You are trying to stand up in it right now though so I am not sure what we will do until your legs are long enough to go around me. 
7.  I love your laugh and your smile!  They light up my world and all of us try all day to get you to laugh.  You are also squealing- which could be my favorite thing!  You are so ticklish and we can usually get you going when you are on the changing table and we kiss you under your chin or if we tickle you on your chest.  It is the cutest thing!  Jacoby is trying constantly to get you to smile at him.
8.  You love to watch Jacobes.  You are very interested in what he is doing and you let him hold you for quite a while.  He adores you and I know you love him too.
9.  You will fall asleep for Daddy and Daddy is loving it! 
10.  You found your hands and you are constantly looking at them and sucking on them.  You try to get your entire fist in your mouth it is too cute!
11.  You are not a fan of tummy time at all!  You are still not holding your head up very well when you are in tummy time.  All you do is lay down when we put you down.  Lately you have been trying more but you are really not interested.  You are so strong with your head though and hold it up so well that I am not that concerned.
12.  You look just like Daddy with Mama's nose.  I can't get over how much I think you look like your Daddy!
13.  You have chunky little legs and I LOVE them and your other little roles!

Jace, we love you so much and the last three months have been amazing! 

Sweetest Noise

I heard the sweetest noise today.  My baby boy laughed for the first time!  It was so cute and now I am doing everything I can to get him to do it again and again!  Jarod was home working and was in his office.  Jacoby was in the office with him and Jace and I were in Jace's room.  I had him on the changing table, changing his clothes.  When we got done, I started kissing him all over and got to his sweet little neck and I could tell that he was trying so hard to laugh so I kept doing it and sure enough Jacers laughed!  It was the cutest thing!  I was so excited I ran into the office and told the boys and they came in and we got him to do it again.  It was so fun to all be in there experiencing his first laugh together.  Oh my sweet baby boy I love you so much and I cannot wait to hear that laugh over and over again!

New Ride

Jarod and I bought a double BOB jogger for ourselves for Easter.  We were so excited when it arrived!!  We have absolutely LOVED our single and so we decided to go with the double.  We have not been disappointed at all.  It is pretty wide but it is so nice and both of the boys love it.  Actually, the other night we took the boys on a walk and both of them fell asleep!  We were shocked.  It was the quietest walk we have had in three years- it was awesome!  We love it!

Easter 2012

Jacoby was so excited to see what the Easter bunny brought for him this year!  He brought him Toy Story- but we have since watched it and discovered that it is too scary right now for him.  Honestly, almost everything is too scary so we just stick with Nick Jr and Mickey Mouse. 

The Easter bunny not only hid eggs all around the house but outside too.  Jacoby and I planted magic beans the night before and they grew a fun Easter sucker that he was the most excited about.

It was so much fun watching him run around and get excited every time he found an egg.  Jace found a few with Daddy's help as well. 

Mommy and Daddy were excited about Jace's basket this year and he was really excited to have new onesies. 

My mom made him this adorable basket and since we have a picture of Jacoby in his at this age we thought we would get one of Jace as you can see he was not loving being in the basket. 

We made pancakes for breakfast- like we do every Sunday but this Sunday we had snickers in them!  Then we went to church.  The boys both did great and it was fun to see all the kids in their Easter outfits (all six of them or so in our ward!)

When we got home we set up the timer and got some cute pictures of the family and then we had asparagus lasagna for our Easter meal. 

It was a great Easter!  Jacoby and I also watched the church videos on Easter.  It was a little hard explaining to him the real meaning of Easter this year.  Not an easy thing to talk about or explain to a three year old but I did my best. 

I am so thankful for Easter and what it means to me.  I am very thankful for my savior and all the things that he did for me and my family and continues to do.  I am so thankful for my free agency and where it has lead me in my life.  I am trying every day to be a better person and to be more Christlike and I hope that my children will see me trying and understand why I do it.  We have a new motto in our home and Jacoby and I talk about it all the time, "have I done any good in the world today?"  He thinks he is a super hero and helps his family every day and I try to look for opportunities to help others but I mostly find my opportunities in my own home right now.  I am so thankful that I get to serve my boys- there is no one else that I would rather serve then them. 

Easter Eggs

Saturday night we decorated eggs after we got back from the zoo.  we had the best time at the zoo!  We went and watched the gorillas get their Easter baskets and it was hilarious.  They dashed out to find their baskets and then they would crack the eggs on their heads to open them.  They were so excited and it was really fun to watch. 

We all really enjoyed doing the eggs this year, even Jacers!

Jacoby made one for everyone with our names on them and put them in certain colors.  As soon as all the eggs were colored, he started into his favorite game of all time- mixing colors.  Jacoby loves to see what colors he can create by mixing other colors.  He is constantly asking for food coloring and water to work on his experiments.  It's pretty funny and boy was he impressed with his Easter egg experiments. 

Jace was happy to just watch all the action.

After we got done with the eggs, Jacoby got together the snack for the Easter bunny.  The Easter bunny got carrots, snap peas and lettuce- all Jacoby's choices.  He was certain the he was going to LOVE them.  As soon as he headed to bed, we got busy filling all the eggs.  I love holidays with children!

Sunrock Farm

Jarod was off for Good Friday so we decided to head to Kentucky to Sunrock Farm.  It was so cool! 

Jacoby got to hold a baby goat and lamb.  They let nine of them run around the room and they would just come right up to you or even try to climb on your lap.  It was adorable!  When it was time to put them in the cage the Farmer asked Jacoby to help him, so we caught a baby goat and Jacoby helped carry him back to the pen with his little legs dangling on the ground.  He thought it was so cool.

Then we headed over to the bigger baby goats and Jacoby got to feed them bottles.  He had to hold on really tight to the bottle because the goats would tug so hard.  He has been a little disappointed that he hasn't been able to give Jace a bottle so he was really excited about giving the goat one.

He loved brushing the pony!

milking a goat

holding a baby chicken

and we also gathered eggs.  Jace loved looking around and being held by mommy and daddy the entire time.  He dozed and loved all the attention.

Jarod and I had to take advantage of trying out milking the goat as well and I of course had to try one handed.  It was different then I thought it would be.  You just grab a handful and pull down.  While we were there as well one of the goats was in labor.  I felt her pain!  It was crazy you could see the babies kicking inside of her.  She was pacing but she seemed to be managing it better than I did!

After the farm we headed to a new restaurant on the Kentucky side called Tom and Chee.  It was really good!  I think it will make the cut for the Jostes tour.