New words

After spending a week with Mema Mary, Jake came back knowing how to say "Thank You" (in Jakenese: "TAAA-KU!"). Ever since, I have been trying to teach him new words. Here's how it's going so far:

(Holding up a duck in the bathtub last night)
ME: Jake, say "DUCK! DUCK!"
JAKE: "Duhhh... DA DA!"

(Feeding Jake)
ME: Say "MORE! MOOORE!"
JAKE: "Mmmuuu... MA MA!"

(Jake waves a spoon at dinner time)
ME: "Jake, say SPOON! SPOOOON!"
JAKE: "DA DA!"

Yeah... he might have to go back to Mema's if he ever wants to learn anything other than "DADA" and "MAMA"....

Successful Parenting

Sometimes a successful day as a parent boils down to just two things:
1) Making sure your child does not bring harm to himself or others.
2) Avoiding drinking a bottle of wine before child's bedtime.

Note to self: Add earplugs to the shopping list. And stock up on Chardonnay.

Funny sleeper

I checked on Jake the other night before going to bed (at my in-laws) and cracked up when I found Jake asleep in this position:



He is laying with a blanket over his face, and has both legs stuck through the bars of his crib. I think he even had his little feet crossed (usually does). I stuck his little legs back in the crib after we all came and had a good laugh at him (I also removed the blanket from his face), luckily he stayed asleep.

Yo! That's Delicious!

Jake found something else that he loves to eat - YoBaby Yougurt with Fruit and Cereal. Mema Mary and I both bought this for Jake at the supermarket this week, and he LOVES it! He ate the whole container of Mized Berry Yogurt and fussed for more even as I scraped the edges of the container! Hard to imagine this was the same baby who, just a few months ago, turned his nose up at anything and everything I offered him on a spoon!

Massive Birthday Coverage!!!

Well, you asked for it...here is a ton of pictures from Jake's first birthday - enjoy!

Jake is pretty excited about being sung to! This was just after midnight - Ralph had just brought Jake back from NY, I had flown in from Vegas, then driven up to PA. I still missed seeing him on his official birthday by a few minutes, but he didn't seem to mind. Jake insisted on a Carvel Ice Cream Cake to mark the occasion. HOw could we say no?


Checking out cake #1


Close-up of cake #1


At his family birthday party the next afternoon, Jake decides that the cake DOES taste pretty good afterall!


Rolling up sleeves and digging into cake #2


Close-up of cake #2 with his picture


Mmmm.. I think I'll really dig in now!


Adorable cousin Olivia


You don't usually get to see me in front of the camera. Not the best pictures, but I feel bad that I have almost NO pictures of Jake and myself.


Jake got some cool books for his birthday


Jake and cousin Ethan size each other up...


As if two cakes in 24 hours wasn't enough, I really wanted to set up this photoshoot Sunday morning. I got the idea while I was out in Vegas for the photography conferences. Photographers will offer a first birthday session about a few weeks before the actual birthday, then the family can show off the birthday album at the actual party. Shameless plug: Feel free to call me if you want to see Jake's sample album from his cake shoot and order one for your baby!

A little timeline of Jake Vs. The Cake:


Happy little boy, just starting to break into cake #3


Jake takes a nice finger-lickin good bite of the cake icing. I LOVE this picture!!!



A little more covered by cake #3 now.


More of the battle between Jake and the Cake


Digging deep into cake #3


We startled Jake when we told him "NO!" as he started to crawl off the white backdrop. Ready for a nap, he has a mini-meltdown. Luckily, Dada steps in.


Jake is finished his cake and is saying: "Daddy, pick me up!" (Better him than me!)


Once Jake decided he had had it with cake #3, he wanted to cuddle with Dada.


This is Jake's "I want to go to mama now" signal. I've got the (expensive) camera and the (expensive and new) lens in my hands, so the answer, for now, is no... (he got me later!)


Ralph gets covered in icing by Jake


Ruthie is allowed to go in for a clean-up mission. Jake gives her a nice sloppy pat on the head.


Grandpa Valentine was smart enough to throw the whole thing away (cake, backdrop and all) while we took Jake up to the bathtub. He had a great birthday weekend and we had some great laughs! Thanks to everyone who made it to Jake's party on Saturday, it meant a lot to us.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAKE!

Seeing that I am the worst blogger EVER, I have not yet posted pictures of my child's first birthday party. Thank god my cousin Stephanie is on the ball! Here are some pictures stolen from her blog....



Jake and cousin Kyler (Kyler's momma took the pictures)



Cousins Olivia, Kyler, Jake and Ethan (who just turned 1 on March 8th). We were missing Maddy, hope she feels better!

Missing My Baby!!!

So I have been in Vegas since Sunday (for two professional photography conferences) and I am DYING to see my baby!!!! Tomorrow is Jake's 1st Birthday and I can't wait to scoop him up and kiss him and hug him and squeeze him and not let him go!! I may be hogging him all to myself at his birthday party! I got a great idea while I was out here, and I won't reveal it to you now, but the pictures will be a w e s o m e. Stay Tuned....

P.S. - I also miss Ralph and Ruthie, but I really miss the Jake-a-boops!!!!