4 months

It is so hard to believe that our little man is already 4 months old! The past 4 months have passed by so quickly and at the same time we just can't remember what our life was like before Jake. He has changed so much over the past month, I feel like Jake has gone from a baby to a little person :-) Well, okay I can't really use the word "little" and Jake in the same sentence! We go for our 4 month check-up next week...I am guessing he is at least 28 inches long and somewhere between 18 and 19 pounds. We had to move into 6-9 month onesies and pj's this past week, not because of weight, but length! Aside from growing a lot physically over the past month, I feel like Jake's personality has grown as well. He has favorite toys and activities, and his face and tone of voice are so much more expressive. His personality clearly takes after Stephen and I. Jake is not a baby that will lay in his swing all day and just "chill." He wants to be playing, going and doing every minute! He is not so much a cuddler, but he does love to when he is getting tired before naps and bed. The funniest thing for me is he already has very specific trait...he is stubborn! If we are playing with a toy and he wants to hold it, he won't be happy until he is! He is very particular about how he wants to play with his toys and will make sure we know when we aren't doing things "his way"...so much like Stephen and I already! He isn't a fussy baby, but he is quick to let us know when we aren't doing things "his way." But I can't be mad at him, because I am the same way! This boy loves his schedule and isn't happy when we deviate from it...it is so hard to get him to take a bottle at playdate or a football game, I think because the surroundings aren't familiar to him...same thing with a nap, I have yet to get him to take a real nap at playdate...I can see his little face say "nope, this is not my crib and I only sleep in my crib!" Heaven help us when he can really start talking, it should be pretty entertaining! But, in all seriousness, I can't begin to put into words how fulfilling it is to be Jake's parents! Jake has been the biggest blessing from God in my life...my biggest life's goal is that Stephen and I provide a godly home for Jake to grow up in and that our love for the Lord will one l day lead Jake to that same relationship with Christ. It's funny how quickly everything else fades to just secondary things...

Here are some pictures from the week Jakey turned 4 months old. He has started doing lots of new things that he wants to tell everyone about, so I will turn the blog over to him :-)

Here I am sitting in my bumbo! Yes, I finally like it now...but I'm so big that when mommy or daddy pick me up to get me out...the bumbo sticks to my legs and bottom! I'm going to be too big for it soon. Oh, I also have decided that I like my swing now, but I won't let mommy take pictures of my swinging in it.

This week I started sitting in my high chair during dinner time...but all I get to do is watch mommy and daddy eat their food. They tell me they are helping me get ready for eating solid foods soon, but I think it's mean to eat yummy food in front of me without sharing! But I am usually a good boy and play while they eat.

This is me doing one of my favorite new things...sitting on mommy's tummy and touching my toes...I love my toes! They are the coolest things! I didn't know they were there at first, but now that I have found them, I think they rock! Aren't I cute in this picture?

Here I am showing off one of my new skills, firmly grasping all my toys independently. (bet you didn't know i knew such big words!) I love holding all my toys by myself and I get very frustrated if mommy tries to help me hold things.

After I hold things, I LOVE to put them in my mouth...EVERY thing goes in my mouth now. I just love to chew on things...my fingers, rattles, toys, it all tastes good to me!

Here I am watching football...mommy thought this picture was funny because I was watching so intently. I wish she would stop taking pictures while the game is on! If I had a profile picture of my daddy, mommy would post it so you all could see just how much we look alike!

This is my favorite thing to do with Daddy! He holds me up in the air and flips me upside down, I laugh SO hard when he does it! Then he kisses my neck and I laugh even harder...mommy is putting a video of it at the end of the blog.

Here is Daddy giving me kisses! I miss Daddy a lot right now because it is football season, so I am extra happy when he is home on Sundays and plays with me all day!

Here I am at playdate yesterday with my friends Ava and Brinley. We all loved the toy! I am the youngest of the babies in this pictures, but you sure would never know it! I think the girls are really pretty though :-) Maybe they like younger men....

Here is a video mommy took of me playing with the toys on my bouncy seat. When I was a little baby I didn't pay much attention to them, then I got older and started batting at them, then I got a little older and would grasp the handles, but now I'm a big boy and I really go to town on them!

Here is a video of me and my Daddy playing. I love my Daddy so much, he makes me laugh really hard!!!

Bye everybody, mommy says it is past my bedtime and I need to go to sleep! Over the past month I started waking up for a bottle around 3 AM each night...I don't know why mommy and daddy aren't excited about this! I was sleeping through the night ever since I was just 7 weeks old, but I am a big boy now and formula just isn't keeping me full overnight anymore. Mommy and daddy are hoping once I get to start solid foods this month I will go back to letting them sleep at night! I'll think about it :-) Love, Jake

Jake meets his cousins!

Today was a very special day...Jake got to meet his twin 'cousins', Hannah and Hayley Cossey! Seana, Misty, and I have been best friends going back to our single days at Lakepointe Church. The three of us are more like sister than friends, so our babies have become our 'nephews' and 'nieces.' Misty and her husband, Cecil Ray, moved to Arkansas several years ago, so the time we get to spend together is extra special. Misty and I found out we were pregnant about the same time, except she was having twins, and the girls were born exactly one week after Jake. Since they are 'cousins' we hope they grow up having the same special bond that their mommies have! Today, the Cossey family was visiting Texas so we got to see all the babies in person for the first time! Jake was very excited to meet Aunt Misty and Uncle Cecil Ray (who is also a football coach, so he and Stephen always have fun talking football!) Uncle Cecil Ray's #1 rule is that since the kids are 'cousins' they are not allowed to date each other, ever! Well, when Jake met Hayley, Misty and I noticed they smiled at each other...hmmmmm! It was a very fun afternoon and we can't wait to see all of the Cosseys when they are back in Texas for Thanksgiving!!! (oh, Misty's mom also said that Jake looks "just like me"...that is the first person to say that, and even though I know it's not true...it sure was nice to hear it, just once :-) )

Misty, Seana and I with the babies: (left to right: Jake, Hannah, Hayley)

Look how much bigger Jake is! The girls were 4 weeks early, and being twins, smaller at birth...but it makes me realize just how big Jake is for his age! (he is only 1 week older!)

Me with my beautiful niece Hayley...she was so LIGHT!

She was the littlest of the twins and weighs about 10 lbs now,

I'm so used to carrying my 95% percentile Jake...I don't think he was every that light!

Aunt Misty with Jakey


Auntie Seana with Hayley....Hannah was asleep when we got there, so she missed out on all the early picture taking :-(

Uncle Cecil Ray and Jake

Grammy and Mamaw visit

This past week we were very lucky to have my mom and mamaw come to Texas from Chicago to see us...well, mostly Jake :-) Mom hadn't seen Jake since the week he was born, and my Mamaw met him for the first time. I will admit that growing up I was very spoiled, but Jake has taken my place! He is the first grandchild and great grandchild so Grammy and Mamaw gave lots of lovin' this past week, along with lots of clothes, toys, diapers, formula, and even groceries for us. I am so blessed!!! We had a great time going to the State Fair (pics in the last blog), going to Stephen's football game, shopping for Jake pretty much every day, eating yummy home-cooking every night (I'm a pretty good cook, but it's not the same as mamaw's cooking!), and lots of quality play time. I think Jake got used to having an audience around because today when it was back to just he and I all day, he kept looking around like "you're it?" Here are some of the pictures from this week.

Grammy and Jake

Jake loved sitting on Mamaw's lap

Jake and Grandpa at Stephen's game...I love this picture!!!

Grandma and Jake at the game

Grammy feeding Jake, it was a nice break for me!

Mamaw giving Jake a bottle

Mom in her "grammy" shirt that she found at the fair

Playing with Grammy

Grammy taught him all sorts of new tricks this week

Jake goes to the State Fair

On Sunday, we took a family trip to the State Fair of Texas. It was even more special, because my mom and mamaw are in Texas this week to see Jake. Mom has come to Texas for the fair before, but this was Jake and Mamaw's first trip to the fair. I was a little nervous about how Jake would do, he loves being outside...but we would be gone for a long time, it was TX-OU weekend, and he's a baby, so you just never know :-) He did FANTASTIC! The only time he fussed all day was when we passed a ride that made a loud noise and it scared him, other than that, he loved that fair. He kept staring at all of the food we were eating, I think he was a little jealous! Stephen and I told him that next year he would be able to eat the yummy fair food.

Jake in his stroller, ready to enter the fair...and since he it was Texas-OU weekend, Jake was representing proudly for the Longhorns, HOOK EM!

Stephen headed straight for the Fletcher's line when we got inside, we love us some corny dogs!

Jake was not happy, he wanted his own corny dog :-)

Grammy and Jake, shopping

We tried to take Jake to the petting zoo, but it was insanely crowded! Wall to wall people, not wanting to push our luck, we snapped one picture and left.

We brought Jake's baby bjorn with us, we had only tried it once before and Jake wasn't a fan, but I hoped he would like it more now that he is older, and he did! Stephen was an awesome Daddy and carried Jake for a while this way! Jake loved the front flap, he chewed on it the whole time, it must have felt good on his tooth coming in.

Jake and I after some corn on the cob and a bottle

At the auto show, me and a Chevy Traverse...hopefully, my next car

This is how Jake spent his time in both buildings of the auto-show, an exhibit hall, and lots of walking...he took a 90 minute nap, I wish he napped that well at home!

Jake and his first Big Tex picture!

Family picture!

4 Generations: Jake, me, Grammy, Mamaw

We saw Auntie Seana and Uncle Jason as we were leaving, Jake always has smiles for Auntie Seana

We are Teething!

Well, it's official, Jake is teething! He has been a little drool machine for the past 3 weeks so we suspected it was coming soon. Sunday night Jake was not a happy camper! Nothing would stop him from fussing, he just wanted to be held by his Daddy. I got online and googled "teething" for a list of signs so that we could confirm it or rule it out. The list I found read "drooling, coughing, wakefulness, irritability, chewing on fingers/hands, chewing bottle nipple"... Jake was the poster child for teething. We got out all the teething rings we got at showers, but he liked gumming his burp rag or a cold washcloth the best. After a dose of baby tylenol, he slept well. On Tuesday, I could see the white top of his tooth starting to poke through his bottom gums. He's been really good overall, he's had his moments, but I'm sure its not fun for him!

Here was Jake before bed tonight, gumming a cold washcloth. He's adorable, even when he's teething.

Here are a few other pictures of Jake I took this week. I felt like I hadn't take a lot of pictures lately, which of course isn't true...but I took a bunch yesterday anyways. He is getting so big...almost 4 months old now! He loves tummy time...now that he can roll, 90% of the time when I lay him on his back to play, he pops over within 30 seconds. Sometimes he gets frustrated becasue I think he wants to be back on his back, but can't figure out yet how to get there.

And here are a few videos from yesterday...I was trying to catch a new noise Jake has started making...it's hard to describe, but you should hear it a few times. Stephen calls it his "teradactyl noise." It's been so fun in the past few weeks to hear him experiement with his voice and all sorts of sounds that he can make. For the most part though, he is just having a ball in his jumparoo while I am cooking dinner...he still loves to be in the kitchen with me while I am cooking!

Fall Fun!

This weekend we started some fun Fall traditions. On Saturday Seana and I took Jake to Sachse's Fall Festival (Stephen had to work.) It was set up near the high school and had crafts, games, food, etc. We pretty much just did a lap around and went back to the car, it will be a lot of fun for Jake next year...the booths had different crafts for kids, games, a pet costume contest, dance classes doing routines, it was fun and nice to get out of the house! Jake wanted to be held instead of rolling in his stroller, but he still did really good. I think he got scared because there was a HUGE Great Dane that walked by and he instantly made the "pouty face" and started crying.

Here is Jake playing before we left

Jake and I...before the big doggy scared him
walking around the booths

He was OUT when we got home...and sucking on poor doggy's ear

Today we took Jake to his first pumpkin patch. We tried to coordinate a time to go with Aunt Paige, Uncle Dave, and our cousins Mia and Mikaela...but the kids nap times conflicted so we weren't able to do it. We took Jake to a small patch in Rockwall in a field by the grocery store. Next year we will go to one of the 'fancier' patches with the hay rides, mazes, and all the fun stuff...but this year this patch was a perfect fit for us. It was a little chilly and Jake had napped in the car so he was just waking up as we walked him around. We got him his own little pumpkin and one big pumpkin for Stephen and I to share. The people running the patch were really nice and took a family shot for us.

The Pumpkin Patch

The Tylers! Jake wouldn't smile, he was still half asleep :-)

Chillin' on the hay

Daddy and Jakey

Mommy and Jakey (he is staring at his feet)

And back home again...Jake wore shoes for the first time to the patch! His super cute adidas sneakers from Aunt Dawn!

Jake Discovers His Voice

This morning I woke up to the sound of Jake talking very loudly to his animal friends on his mobile. Usually in the mornings he'll talk a little bit to them and mostly smile, but this morning he was so loud and just jabbering away telling one good story! Over the past few days we've noticed that he has started finding his voice, not baby cooing noises, but more of his actual voice. And now that he has found it, he spent the day talking to everything! His toys on his activity mat, the toys on his jumparoo, his reflection in the mirror...at one point, I think I heard him start to make the 'hard c' sound, which would be the start of his constants, but it was just once so I'm not making it official yet :-) Stephen got home and was cracking up listening to him. I got one good video of Jake talking to himself in the mirror.

Something else that Jake loves right now is standing and sitting on our stomachs. He loves it if we make him dance or just make silly faces, especially motorboat lips. He tries to mimic us when we do that, but all he ends up doing is blowing lots of bubbles out of his lips. He cracks himself up doing it though. He also likes it when we help him touch his toes as he sits on us...not sure why, but he is obsessed with his feet. Jake's other favorite is to give "head bonks" like mini headbutts. His ab muscles are getting so strong. We've been playing more with him sitting on the floor leaning against my legs. He wants to sit up by himself so badly. He leans forward but can't stop the momentum so I have to catch him before he leans all the way over. He has already pulled himself up when sitting on my lap, leaning back against my knees. He is such a strong little boy! On a softer side, Jake also loooooooves eskimo kisses and kisses on his tummy.

Here is Jake "dancing on my daddy"

He is really working on getting his chest all the way off the ground

I thought this one was funny because it looks like the ducky is attacking his head :-)

Here is our family at my birthday dinner last weekend...Jake was pretty tired by this point so it's not the greatest picture.