The Nelsons

The BIG Snow

2012-01-29T19:15:00.000-08:00

We did get hit with a lot of snow, especially by Seattle standards. The roads were bad, Marc worked from home, and Jacob and I were stuck in the house. Jacob had a hard time walking in the snow/ice and kept falling and crying. I tried to pull him around the block in the sled then thought that at 7 months pregnant that might not be the best idea so we had to wait for Daddy to take a short break from work to pull the sled.

Yes we did let Jacob ride in the sled alone down a small hill...
l

Step stool, playdough, and fingerpainting

2012-01-29T18:58:00.000-08:00

What do you with a 17 month old when you are stuck inside for a week???

Well first we found out that the step stool is really fun and a great way for Jacob to "help" Mommy in the kitchen. Who knew the step stool would be such a big hit? "Step stool, OK!!!!" all day long. When Jacob follows a request with "OK" then you know he is serious and really wants it!

You can also make homemade Playdough. This was really fun and Jacob stood on the step stool to help me measure, pour, and stir the dough. It has kept up really well and we play with it often. "School bus OK!, uh-oh smash it, nother school bus" "ok Mommy will make you another school bus ". Gotta love it

And you can also make finger paints. Who knew that sugar, corn starch, and water would turn into gelatinous, goopy finger paints when cooked on the stove? Jacob sure did love that he could grab a handful of paint, squish it around, and then "paint" on the paper. He did a series of five flower paitings. Every time I asked him what he was painting he told me they were flowers...

Snow and Super Jacob

2012-01-29T18:53:00.000-08:00

Ok so this is the snow before the week long snow/ice storm. We got a bit of snow and it melted over night. But we dressed warm and walked around in the backyard for a bit. It was Jacob's first time in the snow.

Marc yelled for me to bring the camera in the bathroom while he was giving Jacob a bath. I walk in and see BOTH of them wearing "capes". Marc had put Jacob's washcloth on his shoulders and told him he was superhero and Marc also had wrapped his towel around his own shoulders :)

Too Many Pictures!

2012-01-23T13:27:00.000-08:00

There were way too many pictures takes on and around Christmas in Monterey. It has felt really overwhelming to try and compile them so here are a few.

The new train track and trains were a big hit and Aunt Becky was so great to play with Jacob so much!!

"NICE PANDA" was said over and over by Jacob who loved his pillow pet panda!

Jacob loved the deck at Mimi and Grandpa's! They had toys for him to push around and he also liked to help sweep.

Oliver is a wild blue jay that comes to eat peanuts from Mimi's hand! Jacob loved Oliver and looked out the window for him all day and asked for peanuts to put out for him. Now we hear this all the time "Oliber, blue jay, peanuts, flew away" over and over. He is also sure that "Oliber" takes the peanuts to some babies :)

MOON JELLIES!! AQUARIUM!!

2012-01-22T13:18:00.000-08:00

While in Monterey we went to the famous Monterey Aquaruim. Jacob had a great time and fell in love with MOON JELLIES (a kind of jelly fish). He STILL talks about moon jellies, it goes something like this " moon jellies at aquarium, moon jellies pretty". He brings them up at random times like first thing in the morning or while we are eating dinner. The touch tank and splash area were also favorite- really anytime Jacob can splash in water he is a happy boy.

Carmel Beach!

2012-01-21T19:02:00.000-08:00

I know we are WAY behind so here we go...
We went to Monterey for Christmas and did so many fun things! One of our favorites was going to Carmel Beach. The weather was nice and sunny and Jacob LOVES the water and sand. He was soaked but didn't seem to mind. We had to make a few quick grabs so he didn't get taken out to sea!

Who is ready for Christmas!!!!!!

2011-12-09T21:08:00.001-08:00

Sure this beard isn't as full or luxurious as Santa's, but Jacob can sculpt his anyway he wants. He is also opening up an advent square every day and seeing what is behind them. We recently purchased a Little Peoples nativity set and he knows all of the people and who they are and the animals associated with them. He also has Mary kiss baby Jesus good night which is very sweet.

Random pics

2011-12-09T21:01:00.000-08:00

The family picture at Thanksgiving

Whew, tough day at the office. I now understand why daddy has a beer sometime.

This is how real men camp. Don't worry I am secure enough in my manhood to wear this super cool hat.

This hat also doubles as a chef's hat in the kitchen when I help mommy.

The Sock Hand Monster is going to get you!!! Not as scary as Freddy Krugger, but he knows how to make you smell stinky socks.

Halloween

2011-12-09T20:56:00.000-08:00

What child doesn't like Halloween? Dressing up in a costume, getting candy, and looking cute. Jacob didn't know what to make of halloween mom and dad made him get into a dog costume and then I wore a Michael Vick jersey, you know to take a sweet and innocent costume to the other end of the spectrum. We went to the local mall and trick or treated around a few stores and called it a night. All in all it was a good time had by all, and mommmy and daddy especially liked eating the candy.

A day in the life...

2011-10-27T09:21:00.000-07:00

Here are some random pictures of Jacob playing and hanging out. He is super into "WEGOS" (Legos), hiding things under the couch and finding them, running in and out of the tent, and of course playing with his trucks and cars.
This first picture is Jacob trying to look out the window for "Dadoo". He spends alot of time looking for Marc to come home from work. It's very sweet, he waits by the back door calling his name and he brings me the phone and asks for "Dadoo".

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-15T09:25:00.000-07:00

Jacob's Aunt Becky was here for a visit and we ventured to a near by pumpkin patch! We really lucked out with the weather, it was sunny and even got warm. Lucky for us Becky brought her camera and she got so many great pictures!
Jacob liked his first visit to the pumpking patch but wasn't so fond of having to hold still for pictures. He wanted to go where he wanted to go when he wanted to go there. Mostly he wanted to walk in the muddiest places and touch all the pumpkins. We also went on a tractor pulled hay ride which he liked because he is really into tractors and trucks.

Bubble Bath

2011-09-02T09:36:00.001-07:00

Baths have turned into a major activity lasting 30 to 45 minutes with bubbles and tons of toys. If we would let him I think he would stay in all day and night. Marc takes a beer in and sits on the floor by the tub while Jacob splashes and plays (OK maybe once or twice he has taken a beer in).

First Birthday!!

2011-09-02T09:06:00.001-07:00

We are finally getting around to posting Jacob's first birthday. His birthday fell on a Saturday so we were able to party on his actual birthday. We had a big BBQ birthday party at Grandma Carole and Grandpa Mark's house. Jacob's California Grandparents came up to celebrate and we had lots of friends over as well. Jacob had a GREAT time at his party eating a cheeseburger, destroying his cake, and opening presents.

I made the balloon cake and Jacob ate his own small balloon.

Beach Vacation

2011-08-01T18:50:00.000-07:00

We headed out to Moclips, a small "town" on the Washington Coast. Marc took 4 days off of work and this was our big summer vacation :) We really lucked out and had SUNNY weather the whole time, a miracle really in Washington at the beach.
We stayed at a "resort". Really it was a hotel with an indoor pool across the road. It sits high up above the ocean and we could hear the waves from our apartment. We also had a pretty good view of the beach.
Jacob had a blast! He was covered in sand most of the time. He also liked putting his feet in the water and splashing. There was no shortage of attention since my parents came with us for 2 nights.

Pool Time

2011-07-06T09:30:00.000-07:00

Jacob had a great time playing in and around the pools (yes they have two pools in their backyard!). He even kept his hat on!

Jacob LOVED the Watson's dog, Abby!!! Everytime she came by him or he saw her across the room he would squeal and shriek and then go after her. He didn't even mind when she licked his face or jumped on him. Maybe we need to get a dog????

Strawberry Picking!

2011-07-06T09:19:00.001-07:00

We headed to Portland last weekend to visit our friends the Watsons and Marc's best buddy Milo!! Here we are picking berries at Sauvie Island Farm. What a fun way to start the day!

Jacob's First HAIRCUT!!!!

2011-06-27T09:26:00.001-07:00

OK so it was time. Jacob's hair was a wild, wild mess! If left alone it would fall into his eyes and was very scraggly. I would brush it over to the side and sometimes used Marc's hair product to get it to stay. It never worked and so I was constantly pushing hair out of Jacob's face. Some people were even saying it looks like a toupee or a comb over. So I mentioned the idea of getting Jacob's hair cut to Marc thinking we would wait til closer to his first birthday. Nope, Marc said why wait and we went the next day! We made an appointment at a fancy kid's salon and after paying we decided this won't be Jacob's regular spot but it was fun for the first haircut. They take a picture and put it in a cute card/frame with a little baggie attached to put a lock of hair. As we were driving there I started having second thoughts!!! He is only 10 1/2 months old and I knew once he got his hair cut he would look older, like a big boy. But Marc (the practical one) kept driving and here you go, complete with video!

Before...

During

After

So much better but he looks like a totally different baby! Not even a baby really! So I know he needed it and it looks better BUT I miss his hair!!!! I get sad when I see pictures of his long hair now. Even looking at this post I want to cry when I see the after.

Jacob was a good customer and only threw his body back twice :) The stylist said he did a really good job for a baby and he really didn't fuss much.

A Natural Rider

2011-06-27T09:17:00.000-07:00

There is a great park in our area that has lots of cars and tricycles for kids to ride on. This has been a big hit with Jacob! It is so funny because he just sits there very serious and looks all around as we push him around the park.

He rode on this tricycle for the first time when Marc was in Montana. I sat him on it and it was like he had been doing it his whole life. I thought it was so funny that we went back the next day with Marc and he found it just as funny. Jacob seems so little to be riding a tricycle but he just sits there nice and tall, holding on to the handle bars.

This car was also fun!

I LOVE MY DADDY!

2011-06-27T09:02:00.000-07:00

I wanted to take pictures throughout the day on Father's Day but I only got as far as breakfast :)
This was Marc's first Father's day and I hope he felt loved and appreciated! I knew long before Jacob was born that Marc would be a wonderful father but since the day Jacob was born he exceeded my expectations! Jacob is in LOVE with his Daddy. He gets so excited as soon as he sees Marc get out the car every evening at 5:30. He practically dives out of my arms for Daddy.

Marc is reading books to Jacob before his special Father's Day breakfast.

Blueberry pancakes and bacon for Daddy.

This wasn't taken on Father's Day but I love this picture. A little boy and his Daddy

Book Reader, Bath Giver, Swing Pusher, Slide Helper, Bedtime Routine Buddy, Playmate, Rocketship Ride, Sherpa, Alphabet teacher, Best Daddy Ever!
We love you!!!!

Hiding Out

2011-06-12T08:35:00.000-07:00

Grandma moved the coffee table so Jacob would have lots of room to crawl around and where does he go? Yup, under the coffee table.

Uncle Evan's Hair

2011-06-12T08:32:00.000-07:00

If only Uncle Evan would grow his hair out it would be easier to pull.

He is a helper

2011-06-12T08:30:00.000-07:00

Jacob decided to help Marc load the dishwasher after dinner. He is quite the helper :)

Hats and Glasses

2011-06-12T08:22:00.000-07:00

Marc thinks it is so funny to put glasses on Jacob and I am always trying to get him to keep a hat on to protect him from the sun.

Here is the hat we bought that ties under his chin. I was hoping he would have a hard time getting it off and give up trying, I was wrong.

Aren't these the cutest sunglasses? No need to buy them, he wouldn't keep them on.

Daddy's sunglasses are a little too big to wear but fun to play with.

He needed to try on Daddy's safety goggles before Marc got to work on the lawn.

This one didn't stay on long either!

Pre Dinner Conversation

2011-05-21T08:52:00.000-07:00

We had Jacob's new friend, Wick, and his parents over for dinner last Sunday night. Wick's mommy and I met at baby story time at the library and have been doing weekly play dates. In terms of appearances Wick and Jacob are total opposites. Wick is about a month and half younger than Jacob but way bigger! Jacob has lots of dark hair and Wick has a few blond wisps. Wick has bright blue eyes and Jacob has dark dark eyes. So to see them playing together is really funny. Before dinner Wick got really excited and started yelling. Jacob must have thought "Why is Wick yelling in my house?" because he started yelling back. They took turns "talking" to each other very loudly. All of the grown ups were laughing so hard we were crying. I tried to get some of it on video but missed the best and loudest part.

We can only imagine what these guys will be like in a few months when they are running around together!

Perfect curls

2011-05-18T19:39:00.000-07:00

Check out these perfect circle curls on the top of Jacob's head

1st Swim Lesson

2011-05-18T19:21:00.001-07:00

Jacob is growing up so fast and has recently REALLY enjoyed his bath time. In fact most times by the end of the bath Susannah and I are completely drenched due to his splashing and kicking in the bath. We figured it was time for swim lessons since he loved swimming "laps" in the bath.
Susannah signed Jacob up and I guess I automatically volunteered for the assignment, actually I was looking forward to it. (Don't tell her because I think I finally have a point to use in the Marc did this column.) We had signed up four days prior to the first session so we had to buy a swim suit for Jacob and swim diapers as well.
Sunday afternoon we were off to swim class and once we arrived we noticed we were there with 25 other babies and toddlers, hmmm this will be fun. So in I jumped holding Jacob 3 feet is not that deep. We made our way to the 6 foot area, daddy is significantly taller than the other 24 mommies in the class, in fact he got looks from the swim instructors of "Sir you are getting kind of deep with your child please come to shallower waters." Well daddy said FORGET THEM!!! My boy is going to swim or drown!! I know big talk from a softie like me. So we started with getting our shoulders wet and "jumping" out of the water. A success!!! Jacob must have thought this was a HUGE bath tub because he splashed and giggled the first half of the class. We also tried out floating on our backs and blowing bubbles.
By the time classes ended 30 minutes later we were both ready to get out since the water was cold and Jacob was shivering. We hopped out and took a hot shower and changed. Note to all new mommies DO NOT HOLD BABY WITH WATER LOGGED BABY SWIMMING DIAPER ON YOUR LAP, Susannah came out with a big wet spot on her jeans.
All in all it was fun and I think we are ready for the second class or the Olympics which ever comes first.

hmm did Phelps ever wear baby legs and dinosaur swim suites to the pool?
after bouncing in the pool
Playing

Floating on our back

It goes so fast!

2011-05-14T07:43:00.000-07:00

How is Jacob old enough to be standing in his crib? He is 9 months old and it seems like just yesterday he was 4 1/2 pounds and sleeping all day. Now is a wild little boy! I love his new smile that he gives when he knows he his being funny or doing something tricky.

All I want to do

2011-05-14T07:03:00.000-07:00

This is a new favorite activity of Jacob's. He pulls himself up to standing on the ottoman storage cubes and digs around inside. He is not interested in the toys we throw in for him, he wants the books or magazines. He is very strong, pulling out our big books on best places in the northwest or my library books. You can see him in this video chewing up my Rachael Ray magazine.This video was taken last week. Now he likes to "walk" between the two ottomans and move the remotes and coasters back and forth.

So Proud

2011-05-14T06:54:00.000-07:00

Jacob just discovered this wiggly giggler in his toy basket. It was left at our house a couple years ago by that cute Gracie Lochhead girl!! We never remembered to return it and now she is way too old for it :) But Jacob, he loves it!! He is so proud of himself when he shakes it. He has to hold it with a different side up in each hand, funny boy.

Sometimes we get messy

2011-05-10T19:02:00.000-07:00

I don't remember what we were eating but I remember Marc and I laughing so hard because Jacob got food every where! Our favorite part was that he got it in his hair and swept his hair to the side and it stayed, just like using gel!

Morning Coffee

2011-05-10T13:46:00.001-07:00

Every weekend morning we sit down and have breakfast together. Jacob gets oatmeal with some sort of fruit in it while I (Marc) always have at least a cup or two or three of coffee. Jacob loves my big boy mug and always wants to drink from it, so one day we filled up a cup with some water and let him drink "coffee" with dad.

Bavaria, Here We Come

2011-05-01T12:13:00.001-07:00

On the way home from Spokane we stopped in Leavenworth, a cute Bavarian village nestled in the mountains. I couldn't believe Marc had never been there so we stayed overnight. It was Jacob's first time in a hotel and he did great. He loved playing on the big beds and really liked the stuffed bear they left on each bed (hoping you will buy it). After a much longer than needed drive from Spokane we went out to a nice dinner and then back to hotel for a bath and bed by 7:30. So much for seeing the night life :)
The next day was beautiful and sunny. We took a long walk in the river front park and then poked around in the shops. Marc was really excited to have lunch at the beer and braut place. Then it was time to get on the road in time for Jacob's second nap (he slept the whole way home, a miracle for such a short napper!!).

Picture Perfect

2011-05-01T12:06:00.000-07:00

I KNEW that Ellie would take amazing pictures of Jacob while we were in Spokane. The pictures she takes of her own two beauties are always amazing so I was pretty excited when she started snapping pictures of Jake. She said it was great to take pictures of a baby who wasn't moving yet :)
Here are a few favorite favorites!!

Fun in Spokane

2011-04-30T09:28:00.000-07:00

We made it to Spokane with only a few stops along the way. We were so excited to stay with my dear college roommate Ellie, her husband Jeff, and their two adorable kids, Gracie, and Josh. We knew Jacob would love "playing" with the big kids. Gracie is almost 3 and Joshy is 1. We also got to have a crazy fun dinner with the Van Sickle family Friday night.

Notice the progression of Jacob seeing Kai's hair, to pulling it, and Kai crying. Sorry Kai!!

We had a wonderful trip! It was so fun to stay with the Lochheads and hang out. Marc even let Ellie and I out without babies for a little girl time. Dinner with the Van Sickle family was an added bonus. Spokane was so fun, we might brave the drive again soon.

I have been missing out!

2011-04-30T08:29:00.000-07:00

This is what Jacob must have been thinking when he got to come up to the front seat at the rest stop on the way to Spokane. He took one look around, got a huge smile on his face and was in heaven. All the buttons and knobs not to mention the steering wheel. After he nursed he got to play for a while. So much fun!!

Watch out Lochheads. With Jacob at the wheel we will be there in no time!!!

Jake is 8 months old

2011-04-19T08:43:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Jacob is 8 months old already! He is a good sleeper at night, not so much for naps. Lately naps have been about 20 minutes, hardly a nap really. Jake still loves to eat. If we put him in his chair at the table and don't immediately have food he will bang his hand on the table and yell to us to bring his food. He loves to inspect things, his toys, people's hair, sweat shirt string, etc. He laughs easily and talks to everyone. He looks like he is getting ready to crawl and just got his first tooth. He is a very sweet little boy and gives lots of hugs and kisses.

Thanks to my Dad for this fun photo shoot!

Slam Dunk!

2011-04-17T18:12:00.000-07:00

Jake's basketball skills are improving. He can dunk and take the ball back out of the hoop, something many NBA players can't even do. The basketball hoop continues to be a favorite toy and is usually saved for when Daddy comes home from work.

So tired

2011-04-17T18:10:00.000-07:00

We didn't realized the baby bjorn was so comfortable. Marc brought a sleeping baby back from the morning walk.

A dentist??

2011-04-17T18:04:00.000-07:00

Maybe Jacob is so fascinated with his Daddy's mouth because he got his first tooth. Or maybe he will be dentist. Either way he is into checking out mouths.

After he inspects the mouth he has to kiss and eat his Daddy's head.

Jacob is very happy to play with his Daddy. He LOVES him!

Chatter box

2011-04-10T09:30:00.000-07:00

It seems like Jacob will take after his mom and be a chatter box. He babbles alot. So far at almost 8 months no words but he does have "converstations". He is happy to "talk" to anyone who will talk to him, at the store, on walks, everywhere!

Why do babies love boxes?

2011-04-10T09:27:00.000-07:00

Marc got the great idea to put Jacob in the box his highchair came in. He had fun playing inside!

Water baby

2011-04-10T09:24:00.000-07:00

Awesome hair style!

How cozy to have Marc warm him up with a heater after his bath!

Who's hair does he have?

2011-04-10T09:17:00.000-07:00

Everyone always asks "who does he look like?". Well we have a new question. Who's hair does he have? Jacob's hair is very interesting! He has his mom's curls on top and his dad's straight hair on the sides and back. We are wondering what it will end up like. Check it out!

Chop Chop

2011-03-21T09:37:00.000-07:00

On the weekends Marc makes coffee. His coffee maker grinds the beans and sometimes the noise makes Jacob cry. Today Jacob was sitting on my lap watching Marc make the coffee. When the grinding started Jacob looked a little worried so Marc explained to him what was happening. Marc said the coffee maker was chopping up the coffee beans and then he kept saying "chop chop chop" over and over again while making his hands chop up and down. Jacob thought this was the funniest thing in the world (even as funny as the word poopy). We tried to get a video of him laughing about it but once he saw the camera he was distracted. Here is one attempt to get it on video.

You can tell it is morning, Jacob still looks sleepy :)

A trip to the park

2011-03-21T09:06:00.000-07:00

About a 3 minute drive down the hill from our house there is a great, huge park that has beach access, hiking trails, playgrounds, a big salt water pool, and a perfect wading pool. We go for lots of walks at this park and yesterday we went to play! Jacob had to do more swinging!! The pictures where he has big smiles are because he is going HIGH!! Can you see his crazy hair blowing in the wind???

Just because...

2011-03-21T09:01:00.000-07:00

Story Time

2011-03-21T08:53:00.000-07:00

This weekend was so nice and sunny we thought we needed to get out for a walk so we loaded Jacob in the stroller and walked to story time at Barnes and Noble. This was a bit different than the story time I take Jacob to at our library. The library story time is just for babies and we sit in a circle with the babies on our laps and sing songs, play with scarves and jingle bells, and the librarian reads a couple of big books. Jacob loves it!
But this story time was different. It was for kids of all ages and they only read one book, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar", but Jacob seemed to like it anyway. We were amazed at how focused he was on the book, paying attention and sitting in his little chair!

Swinging for the First Time

2011-03-20T19:54:00.003-07:00

All bundled up and ready to try to out the swing at the park...

Yep, he likes it. We think we might have dare devil on our hands! The higher and faster the better.

Check out the action and hear what Jacob has to say about his first time on a swing!

Aunt Becky

2011-03-20T19:49:00.001-07:00

Jacob's Aunt Becky came to visit! She was great fun to play with and a good baby sitter when I went to work on Wednesday. Here are a few pictures of her visit and a few she took of Jacob while they were playing.

Photo shoot

2011-03-12T07:57:00.000-08:00

Later this month my (Susannah) Grandma, Jacob's Great-Grandma, turns 90! My parents are going to DC to celebrate with her but we can't go. So we made a Happy Birthday sign and had Jacob "hold" it while we took pictures. We got a few good shots before he started eating it. And yes, he is sitting up all by himself!!

Floating Hair

2011-03-12T07:53:00.000-08:00

I remember laying in the tub with my hair floating around me when I was little ( maybe 5 years old). Jacob has so much hair that he can do it at 7 months :) Here a few pictures of his floating hair during his last bath.

And of course he HAS to eat his toes in the tub- at least they are clean!

Dinner time

2011-02-23T19:38:00.001-08:00

Jacob just decided to eat dinner like a champ tonight. I guess I (marc) feel the same way about ribs or any BBQ meat for that reason.

Pizza with Ben and Kelly Moser

2011-02-16T20:19:00.000-08:00

My (Marc's)friend Ben, wait I think it is really Susannah's friend Ellie's little brother Ben....hmm this IS an interesting friendship. Anyway Ben and his wife Kelly were moving down from Alaska and stopped in Seattle to pick up their car. So Susannah, Jacob and I went out for pizza with them. Needless to say Jacob didn't melt down and we all enjoyed the food a good night in all I (Marc) think.

Tasty Toes

2011-02-15T19:48:00.000-08:00

Solid food is good, but you know what is better? TOES!!!!!

Jacob flipping over

2011-02-15T19:29:00.000-08:00

I (Marc) didn't realize Jacob had groupies already. Here is a video clip for those who want to see it.

6 months already??

2011-02-14T13:38:00.000-08:00

Wow, we can't believe Jacob is 6 months old already! The time has gone by so fast and he has changed so much!!
Here are a few pictures from when he was born. He weighed just 5 pounds at birth (4 1/2when we brought him home) and was 18 inches long. He slept all the time and was so sleepy it was hard to keep him awake while he was eating. He cried during his baths and didn't like to have his clothes off or his diaper changed.

How things have changed!! Jacob weighs 14 1/2 pounds (still little, I know) and is 26 1/2 inches long at 6 months. He LOVES to eat, anyway you give it to him! He is rolling over, eating his feet, playing, and laughing. He loves his baths now and has figured out how to splash his feet. He is so much fun and we are loving every minute!

Jacob was loving his 6 month birthday dinner of steamed green beans that I put through the food mill!

FOOD!!!

2011-02-08T09:10:00.000-08:00

Marc and I went to a great seminar on Saturday called "First Foods" taught by a nurse and long time local baby expert. It was really great and we left super excited to give Jacob some real food! The woman who taught the seminar really stressed the importance of a family table and letting baby eat the food you are eating, not having separate food. So we decided to start Jacob with some avocado. I have been eating alot of avocados lately and Marc was making guacamole for Superbowl so it seemed fitting. Tonight we are having salmon burgers and homemade sweet potato fries so Jacob will be eating ground up sweet potatoes fries, hope he likes them!

Here are some pictures of eating avocado. He started off licking some off of Marc's fingers as I was cutting some up for our dinner Saturday night. Then the next two nights he ate some out of his own bowl!

My Toes are Yummy

2011-02-07T19:36:00.000-08:00

Jacob found a new talent, bringing his toes to his mouth and sucking his toes. We don't know what it is about sucking on your own toes, but Jacob is always happy when he does it.

Sitting at the table

2011-01-31T11:24:00.001-08:00

Jacob let us know that he did NOT want to sit in his bouncy seat on the floor while we ate dinner at the table anymore. So we bought a hook on chair and now he sits with us, mostly staring at our food and trying to drink water out of my glass. He does have toys to play with but watching us eat seems to be more fun.

Can you tell that he LOVES his fingers? If he isn't playing with a toy his fingers are usually in his mouth. He likes to try and get as many in as possible :)

They've come a long way

2011-01-30T17:36:00.001-08:00

Jacob and Sydney have come a long since just laying next to each other not even knowing the other baby was next to them. At one point they reached out to each other and "held" hands. Cuties!!!

Playing with Uncle Evan

2011-01-30T17:32:00.000-08:00

Evan came over to play with Jacob. I looked over at them and had to laugh because they had just about every toy out and in front of them. Jacob was playing with one toy and Evan was playing with a different one. Jacob is lucky to have such a fun uncle!!

Rice cereal

2011-01-30T17:23:00.000-08:00

We had been noticing how interested Jacob is in our food so we decided to try some rice cereal. He ate a little but we weren't too sure if he liked it or not. What do you think?

Basketball Hoop

2011-01-08T15:46:00.001-08:00

This is by far Jacob's (and let's be honest, Marc's too) favorite toy! He loves watching the lights and listening to the songs. I think he is really impressed with how many shots Daddy can get in row!

Chirstmas

2011-01-08T15:42:00.001-08:00

We were home for Christmas this year. We went to my parents house on Christmas Eve and then back again in the morning. We weren't good about taking lots of pictures but here are a few.

Family picture

Evan was really into the gift he got for Jacob!

Jacob loved his stocking and sitting on Grandma's lap!

Turtle talk

2010-12-12T14:57:00.000-08:00

I have no idea what he is saying but he has alot to tell his turtle friends!!

Getting Ready for Christmas

2010-12-12T14:34:00.000-08:00

We spent the day decorating the house, making a hand print ornament, and seeing Santa! Here are some pictures...

This is how Jacob's hand print turned out. He did NOT like this project and did NOT want to spread his hand open. Oh well it's cute anyway.

This is what is is supposed to look like...

The Christmas tree all lit up!

Here he is all dressed up and ready to see Santa. (didn't Marc do a good job picking out Jacob's holiday outfit?!?)

Sitting on Santa's lap was fun and he didn't cry. This was taken from Marc's iphone so we couldn't zoom in. We pick up the professional photo on Tuesday, hope it turned out :)

Visiting Santa really tires a guy out!

OH Boy Aunt Becky!!!!

2010-12-01T18:59:00.000-08:00

Boy Oh Boy was Aunt Becky ever fun!!! Jacob LOVED his Aunt Becky (who by the way, spoiled him with tons of clothes). He would sit on her lap and laugh and smile as she sang and bounced him. This was her first time meeting him and it was a hit!

One of the many singing and bouncing games.

Here she is making silly noises- he loved it and tried to talk back!

Thanksgiving in Monterey

2010-12-01T17:09:00.000-08:00

We spent Thanksgiving with Marc's family in Monterey.Everyone was there to meet Jacob! He had a great time playing with everyone. Here are some pictures from our visit. We had a great time with family and as you can see it was sunny (we escaped the snow in Seattle!). I wanted these pictures to be in order but it got complicated when I had to go back and forth from our camera pictures and Marc's I-phone photos.

Marc and Jacob on the plane- on our way to California

Playing with Aunt Becky

Hanging on the couch looking cute

Marc HAD to buy him a 49ers onesie- he can't be a Seahawks fan!!

All dressed up for Thanksgiving

The beach in Carmel- one of my favorite places

We found this super cute hat and had to try it on to make sure it fit- what better time than changing into jammies for bed

Aunt Becky, Great-Grandpa, and Jacob

Marc, Great-Grandpa, and Jacob

Family photo on Jacob's first Thanksgiving

Relaxing with Great-Grandpa

Back on the Carmel beach

Bath Time

2010-11-19T08:11:00.001-08:00

So while Marc was in Alaska Jacob and I stayed with my parents! We had a great week and I brought everything under the sun from our house to my parents house so Jacob would be comfortable. The one thing I didn't bring was our baby bathtub. None of the sinks at my parents house would work so my mom bought him a tub. It is so great and he loved it so much I took it to our house and gave them our old one :) Here are a few pictures of him before the bath and lounging in his tub. Good thing Grandpa was there to document!

These were the two bath photos that were "appropriate" :)

Photo Shoot

2010-11-12T13:05:00.000-08:00

My Dad did a photo shoot with Jacob last week. The pictures turned out great! I think this will become a regular event. It makes such a difference having a pro take the pictures!
This first picture was our favorite and we made it larger and put it in a frame for Marc to take to his office. It was his birthday present from Jacob!

My Dad always has to take at least one funny picture...

Trip to Fairbanks AK

2010-11-11T22:37:00.001-08:00

I got the pleasure of traveling to Fairbanks Alaska to visit a gold mine who is a customer of ours. I also got to go in November when it was still "warm" 4 degrees in the city and 17 at the mine. Here are some pics

Snow plows on the runway what did I get myself into?

Standing next to a Cat mine truck

The mine pit

Loading the trucks

The gold dirt goes in, this huge dirt pile at least 10 stories high.

The clean dirt with no gold comes out

View from the mine

After a hard days work we had to eat. We enjoyed prime rib at The Turtle Club. This was the medium 14 oz prime rib dinner and yes I ate most of it.

Where am I again?

Alaska Pipeline. It was kind of a let down.

I made it to North Pole Alaska

Starting to carve the ice sculptures for the World Ice Carving championships in March. Maybe I can come back and see them and enjoy the cold weather of -40 degrees.

Hang out with Dad

2010-11-11T22:32:00.001-08:00

Mr.Jacob now likes to sit up and hang out with me while we watch football. I am going to have to figure out how he got that remote. NOBODY TOUCHES DADDY'S REMOTE during football season.

Big Adventure

2010-11-02T12:52:00.000-07:00

Jacob and I went with my mom to visit Jacob's Great Grandma Mary in Washington DC! Jacob did an amazing job flying and we had a good time visting family. My Grandma lives near Georgetown and we took lots of walks and just spent time at the house. Here are a few pictures from the trip.

Four generations- Jacob, me, my mom, and grandma

Great Grandma Mary and Jacob

Ok so I put my vanity aside to show the picture of Jacob and me on the plane. This is on the way home and I was EXHAUSTED!!!

Just hanging out at home

2010-10-21T09:33:00.001-07:00

Here are a few pictures of Jacob chillin at home. He is growing so fast and I just love being home with him! We go for walks everyday, have play dates a few times a week, spend lots of time with Grandma and Grandpa(my mom and dad), and wait for Daddy to come home to play with Jacob.

How I Party Ladies

2010-10-17T19:09:00.000-07:00

Just in case you were wondering how Jacob parties his shirt is telling you. I know you don't believe it, but it is true. I (Marc) go to change him and he is screaming and I lay him down, take off his pants and diaper and all of a sudden he is happy. It is the craziest thing in the world.
Lets just hope that he isn't the one that heads up the groups and says. "Lets go streaking!!! Come on Snoop, Snoop-a-loop we can go streaking down by the quad." (Old School movie quote)

Success

2010-10-14T19:19:00.000-07:00

Finally! Jacob was happy during his play date with Sydney today. We got some great pictures and I was so happy that he wasn't screaming like he usually is when we try to get pictures of them together. Sydney was a dreamboat and posed like a star as usual!

Smile!!

2010-10-14T19:16:00.001-07:00

I finally managed to capture a little smile this morning while Jacob was playing in his bouncy seat. I can't count the minutes I have spent trying to get a picture of his smiles. As soon as I get the camera aimed at him he stops smiling and as soon as I put it a way he starts again. BUT this morning I caught him!! We will keep trying for the wide mouth grins we both love!

Two months old

2010-10-14T19:12:00.001-07:00

Jacob turned two months old yesterday. He spent most of the day sleeping. Maybe he was reenacting the day he was born, or maybe he was just worn out after living his busy life for 2 whole months. We did manage to get a few pictures.

Coffee, rain, and sleeping with Daddy

2010-10-10T14:02:00.000-07:00

Jacob started his weekend off by drinking some coffee with Daddy and watching the football pre-game programs.

Then we went for a walk in the rain. I carried Jacob in the ergo and kept us dry under the giant umbrella. It worked really well and he slept the whole time.

These last pictures are Sunday morning. On the weekends Marc gets Jacob from his crib when he cries around 5 or 6 and they sleep together on the couch for a while. Then Marc drinks his coffee and watches tv while Jacob keeps sleeping on him. (Where am I during all of this?? Sleeping in bed!!! Thanks Marc!)

Content for a moment

2010-10-07T19:28:00.001-07:00

Today was a SUPER fussy day! Maybe from the shots he got yesterday? It was a painful day for mom and baby. Here a few pictures during a brief moment of quiet. He likes his activity mat but it only lasted a few minutes before we were back to crying...

Our Weekend

2010-10-04T09:26:00.001-07:00

We had a fun weekend! The first picture is Jacob getting ready to head off to a wedding! He was pretty good especially at the reception, he must like to party like his daddy. We also went to our friends house to watch football and have dinner. You can see Jacob and Sydney posing in the boppy. And yes, we are horrible parents taking pictures of our boy with a pee spot on his pants :)

Play Date #2

2010-09-29T15:24:00.000-07:00

Jacob had his second play date with Sydney today. As you can see he was not happy about posing for pictures on the bed. Sydney was such a happy girl and posed for the camera while Jacob screamed next to her. But he was pretty excited to get cozy in the car seat and head out for a long walk at the beach. It is so fun to have friends to play with!

Loving the turtle mobile

2010-09-27T17:36:00.001-07:00

Jacob was very interested in his turtle mobile today(thanks again Lochhead family!). He was happy to lay in his crib and watch the turtles go around for about 20 minutes. It was so fun to watch his eyes follow the turtles and move from one turtle to the next as they came around. I am trying to get him used to and liking being in his crib, I think the turtles are helping!

Milk Drunk

2010-09-27T17:31:00.001-07:00

I love these faces of total contentment after he eats!
p.s. can you see his faux hawk in the top two pictures?

Just another night...

2010-09-15T21:26:00.000-07:00

It is 9:00 on Wednesday night and this has become the norm. It's pretty sweet and Jacob sure loves sleeping on his daddy. I can't help but wonder why Marc is so tired though, I am pretty sure that I am the one getting up during the night to feed Jacob :)

Jacob's First Playdate

2010-09-14T20:05:00.001-07:00

Today Jacob had his first playdate. Our friend Emily came over with her little girl Sydney. Sydney is about 2 weeks older than Jacob. They spent most of their play time eating and sleeping but we did manage to get them both awake and happy long enough for a few pictures. The playdate went so well that Emily and I are already planning more fun adventures while our husbands are at work.
Funny story about Emily and Sydney: At the end of July I was at a doctor appointment and had been waiting FOREVER for the doctor. The nurse kept popping in saying the doctor ran to the hospital to check on someone and would be back any mintue. When the doctor finally got back she said she was so sorry but it turned into a delivery. Then she smiled at me and said that it might be someone I know. It turned out it was Emily giving birth to Sydney. The doctor remembered that we knew each other. I really couldn't be annoyed after finding out that it was Emily we were waiting on :)

Time to play

2010-09-11T21:03:00.001-07:00

Jacob seemed to enjoy "playing" on the floor today. He spent some time on his back and then needed some "tummy time". He wasn't intersted in his toys but was content to just lay there and look all around.

Check out my new kicks!

2010-09-11T20:36:00.001-07:00

On Friday Jacob and I went out for the day and when we came home there was a cute gift in the mailbox. No name, no clue as to who it was from but inside was a pair of super cute shoes. I found out today that they were from our friend Chad. Of course I had to put them on him for our outing to the mall today. Pretty cute!!

What is Marc doing?????

2010-09-09T10:51:00.000-07:00

Well here are some pictures of Marc figuring out how the ergo carrier fits with the infant insert. He really liked the sun/weather protector as you can see. I don't think I really need to say much more. Oh, and Jacob was NOT in the carrier at this time, Marc was just trying it on.

Grilling with Dad

2010-09-09T10:48:00.000-07:00

Last night Marc grilled some steak and didn't want to put Jacob down (I think he missed him all day at work) so he took him outside to "help". Jacob liked it when Marc opened the grill to check on the meat and all the warm air came out. I am sure this is the first of many father/son grill times.

New Bouncy Seat

2010-09-09T10:43:00.001-07:00

Thanks to Jacob's great Aunt Joanie and great Uncle Dave (Susannah's aunt and uncle in Maryland) for sending him this great bouncy seat. He will actually sit in it for a while (15 minutes tops). So far it is the only one he has tolerated. He always looks a bit sceptical when his eyes are open, guess he isn't too sure about the outside world.

Swinging and Eyes Open

2010-09-05T20:17:00.001-07:00

This past Friday the 3rd was Jacob's original due date but because he was born early he turned 3 weeks old instead! He is staying awake for longer periods of time now and it is fun to see him with his eyes open. We have been trying out the swing and he likes it for about 5 minutes then wants out.

Family Pictures

2010-08-31T17:27:00.001-07:00

Marc's parents have been here from California and we all went to dinner at my parent's house. Here are a few pictures from that evening. Of course my Dad had to take a picture of Jacob with a tennis ball- no pressure Jacob you can play any sport you want.

2 Week update

2010-08-29T10:29:00.001-07:00

Friday was Jacob's 2 week birthday and we took him for his 2 week well check-up. He has gained half a pound since his birth weight and a pound since we brought him home from the hospital (he lost half a pound after he was born). He now weighs in at whopping 5 and half pounds! He is gaining weight very quickly and the doctor is really pleased. We have been noticing chubby cheecks and fatter belly. Jacob also grew half and inch and is now 18 and half inches long.

More pictures

2010-08-27T11:24:00.000-07:00

Not much to say, just some pictures of the baby :)
Jacob being held by Grandpa Mark while he naps

Snoozing in his favorite spot, curled up on his daddy!!

One Week Old!

2010-08-20T17:47:00.000-07:00

Jacob is one week old today. Some of his favorite things to do are:
1)Pee through his diaper, clothes, blanket, and co-sleeper sheet a few times each night. (I finally got smart and now we put the litle lap pad under him so Marc doesn't have to change the sheet in the middle of the night we just change out the pad.)
2)Sleep, sleep, and sleep (except at night). We have to wake him during the day to eat but not at night!
3)Poop!!
His current goal is to gain as much weight as possible and we are working hard to feed him as much as he will eat.
Here we are making him take his one week pictures. He is not to happy about it.

First Week at Home

2010-08-20T17:42:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of Jacob's first week at home.

2010-08-16T17:35:00.000-07:00

Because Grandpa Gordon thinks he is sooooo funny.

The next day

2010-08-15T13:33:00.000-07:00

The next day and you can see how much hair Jacob has.

It's a Boy!!!

2010-08-13T21:07:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to point out that everyone, but Marc said the baby was going to be a girl. Big Marc stuck to his guns and on Friday August 13th at 3:03 pm Jacob Edward Nelson was born he was 5.08 pounds,and 18 inches long.

A room with a view

Whoooaaaa Nellie!!!!!

Mom and baby

Baby Jacob