Monday, January 9, 2012

Slippin by...

I've once again managed to let my blog just slip on by!  So much has happened since the last blog that I can't possibly write or remember it all.  So I will give the updates that stand out to me the most.

Over Thanksgiving we went to our friends' house in Jacksonville.  We had a great time spending the weekend with them and cooking the traditional Thanksgiving dinner!  It's nice to have people down here close enough to us to spend holidays with when we can't make it home!



We took Jacob on his first trip to Disney World.  We went to Magic Kingdom as we figured there were the most rides that we could take him on there.  He did really well!  He obviously doesn't get it but really enjoyed looking at all of the lights and movement.  The castle was completely lit up after dark and Jacob could have stared at it for hours!  By the end of the night, he was pretty tuckered out.  He fell asleep while we were waiting for the parade to start.  He even slept right through the marching band.

First time meeting Mickey!




Jacob's reaction when he found out we were going to Disney!

Rockin the 3D Glasses


Waiting for the parade to start







Since our visit to Magic Kingdom, we have bought annual Disney passes and have visited Hollywood Studios.  Next weekend is Animal Kingdom.  We are going to try it for a year and see if we use them enough to get our money's worth and then decide if we will continue getting annual passes each year.  It's weird to think that Jacob will think it's normal to grow up going to Disney whenever he wants. 


For Christmas, we traveled back to Wisconsin.  Jacob did awesome on the flight again!  He watched the lights out the window as we took off and looked around and smiled at the people next to us for awhile.  On our way back was the first flight that we had where the plane was full, so we didn't get an extra seat.  The extra space is nice, but it worked out just fine.   During present opening, Jacob just sat and watched people open gifts and then fell asleep.  Next year will be much more exciting for us!  It was great seeing everyone while we were home.   Some of Jacob's cousins got Hexbugs for Xmas, so I put one on Jacob's tray table for him to play with.  It was really cute!  He kept catching it and then letting it go. 

Santa does Rock!
Jacob in his own seat on the plane ride to WI

Watching a movie with Mom and Dad on the flight
Playing with cousin Cal's Hexbug


Crystal & Jacob on Christmas

Caroline showing Jacob his new blanket

Opening of gifts must not have been that exciting!

Caroline and Jacob watching a movie

Dana & Jacob
Uncle Rob and Jacob

Jacob's new jumparoo that he got for Christmas.  Hanging with his favorite Giraffe.

Best part about vacation...napping with my little man.

Tommy, Crystal, Cal, Caroline and Jacob


Well, we finally decided to put a pool in our backyard.  We have been debating it for months.  We originally just wanted to start with a patio, but it doesn't make sense to spend money on a patio if we wanted a pool someday because they would rip up the patio to lay the pool.  So, we had to make a decision and we went for it.  The heavy equipment use and digging was done while we were in Wisconsin over the holidays.  It was nice that they could do it while we were gone, so it didn't interrupt Joe while he's working.  So far, they have the pool and hot tub dug and poured.  Yes, we are getting a hot tub too.  I know it's Florida, but I think we "need" one!  I will post more pictures of the process in my next post.

Today we had Jacob's 4 month appointment.  I can't believe it has been four months.  He is right where he should be for his age.  He is in the 25% for height, 50% for weight and 75% for head circumference.  He is 15 lbs 6 oz and 24 inches long.  His Dr. confirmed that he will be a blue-eyed boy.  It's crazy how genetics work.  I have brown eyes and Joe has one brown and one green.  He said that any future babies will also have a 25% chance of having blue eyes.  He did really well at his appointment, talked to his Dr. the whole time until the shots came.  The first shot went fine, but the second one got him!  He held his breath until his lips were blue.  I had to blow on his face to get him to start breathing again.  Poor guy, those aren't fun, but I bet, even now,  he doesn't remember it!  Jacob loves to talk!  Well, it's more like scream.  That kid has one heck of a set of lungs on him!  He also gurgles a lot!  He is almost rolling over.  He can sway from side to side, just doesn't have the extra little burst to actually roll.  He has rolled from his belly to his back once, but we can't get him to do it again.  The poor little guy has had his bout of sickness the last couple of weeks.  The week before Xmas he ended up getting bronchiolitis.  The week of New Years, he got pick eye.  Daycare is making a killing off of us right now!  We've paid for more time that he hasn't been there than has!  He still has a bit of the aftermath from his bronchiolitis that could last up to a month.  Otherwise, we are hoping that he stays healthy now for awhile! 







Look How Much He's Grown!!!



















Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  On to 2012...

Much Love,
The Kiefers




Monday, November 14, 2011

October and More!

A lot has happened since my last blog, so I will try to keep it short because I have a ton of pictures!!

We took a trip back to Wisconsin to see family and friends.  It was great being back and we enjoyed the break from the Florida heat!  We weren't sure how Jacob was going to do on the plane, but he did great!  He slept through both flights! 

Flight to Wisconsin

Flight back to Orlando
While in Wisconsin, Jacob got to meet his aunts, uncles, cousins, 2 of his great-grandmas, some great uncle and aunts, grandma's church group and grandma's card club and both grandma's co-workers and a ton of friends!  Here are some of his meetings in no particular order...

Grandma Schultz's church group

Aunt Dana

Katie and Jacob

Tom and Jacob

Steph and Josh

Aunt Emily

Great Uncle and Aunt, Mike and Becky and cousins Elliott and Evan

Elliott and Evan

Great Grandma Spice

Great Grandma Kiefer

Great Aunt Lynn

Crystal and Jacob

Uncle Tom

Cousin Cal

Cousin Caroline

Sippy and Jacob
Cousin Jackson
Go Badgers!!



Go Pack Go!

Jacob enjoying the Bumbo
Finley enjoying the Bumbo box

And there were many more!!  While in Wisconsin, Joe and I had a chance to go to a Badger game with Kim and Matt.  It was a blow-out, but a lot of fun!!  It was nice to get out and do something!


We had a great time in Wisconsin but it is always nice to get home and back into somewhat of a routine!

Halloween

We didn't go trick or treating for Halloween, but we did take a walk around the neighborhood.  Here is our little Pumpkin!


 
With cousins Cal and Caroline
We have a thumb sucker...

Yes, that is right!  Joe and I discouraged it at first and would take it out of his mouth. But when he started crying in the middle of the night because he couldn't get his thumb in his mouth, we were hoping that he would figure it out quick.  He is getting much better at it.  It's really cute to watch!  He would start at his forehead and drag his thumb down his face until he hit his mouth.  We still can hear him at night trying to get it in but he usually gets it before getting too frustrated...thank goodness!





2 Months!!

Wow, two months already!  Jacob can hold his head up pretty well now and is much more alert while awake.  When we look at him and smile, he will smile back.  His happiest time is still in the morning when he first gets up.  He is a smiling machine.  He loves being outside, listening to music and when we hold him in the air (flying).  He is sleeping really well.  He has started pulling longer shifts in between feedings.  He is only getting up 1-2 times each night.  We had his 2 month appointment a couple of weeks ago.  He is in the 50-75% for head circumference, 50% for weight and 10-25% for height.  Lord, help him!  I really hope that he starts growing and doesn't end up with his mom's height challenge!  It was very sad watching him get his shots!  We have never seen him cry like that.  He had a slight fever later that day, but other than that, it didn't seem to bother him.



Jocob's Life in a Nutshell...

Sometimes he smiles...

Sometimes he laughs...

Sometimes he drinks too much...

And then passes out!

Have a great week everyone!  And as always, thanks for checking in with us!

Much Love,

Joe, Jenny, Jacob, Belle, Finley and Zoe