3 Months old and a favorite recipe!

Jacob is 3 months old today! He has started to laugh and be a little ticklish. It's so cute. He is getting more and more vocal. I think he will talking my ear off before I know it!

Here is a favorite recipe of mine that I was introduced in Africa, but when I got back to the states I realized that it was all in the metric system so I had to convert it and play with a little before I got it right. It's simple and yummy. It's for Homemade granola...I think it's tastes like oatmeal cookies.

3 1/3 cups of oats (old fashioned, not quick oats)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. of cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar (I use granulated fructose)
1/2 cup and 2 tbsp. of softened butter or margarine

Preheat oven to 350. In a mixing bowl add ingredients in order listed. With a dough blender or hand knead in butter...it will be a little clumpy. Spread on a cookie sheet or 9x13 baking dish. Bake for 8 minutes and stir. Bake for another 8 minutes and stir. Keep this up until golden brown.

Put on applesauce, yogurt, ice cream, or eat plain. Can add raisins or dried fruit.

My favorite is on homemade applesauce.

Jacob update!

Jake was having some tummy time today and he rolled from tummy to back! So I put him on his tummy again and he rolled over again! I grabbed the camera to catch the third time, but he got cranky and a third time didn't happen. Hopefully you will see a video soon!

Smiles!

Here are some pictures from today trying to capture Jacob's awesome smile!




He's started this new thing of wrinkling up his nose...it's pretty cute!

Off to the Superbowl

Last night we were all ready to cheer on our boys...The Steelers! We Jake had on his Steelers shirt (from The Pittsburgh Grubbs). It was a bit big but he wore it anyway!

It was a great game! There were several injuries...one ended with a Raven player, McGahee on a stretcher (I'm glad they lost, but I hope he's ok!). Hines Ward (a Steeler) had a knee injury and didn't play after that. Hopefully, he will be up and ready to play for the Superbowl. He's one of our best players!

My cousins, Josh and Jeremy were at the game and I'm sure it was incredible to be amoungst all those fans when we won!

We are having a Superbowl party, of course! We will be all geared up to cheer on our team again! But I seriously hope that no Cardinal fans show up at our house...or at least that they keep their mouths shut during the game...I don't think I'll be able to handle any cheering for Arizona in my house!

GO STEELERS!!!

Random thoughts and Pictures of the little boy!

Hear are few of my random thoughts...

• Green Tea soy ice cream tastes like grass.
• Baby girls must grow slower than boys...a 6 month old girl was 15lbs and Jake is probably nearing 14lbs at 2 months and a few weeks.
• I like unsweet iced tea with a smidge of equal!
• God's amazing at reconnecting old friends when a friend is needed (my best friend from 9th grade in New Jersey lives 5 minutes away!).
• I wish it were March...can't wait to see my mother-in-law and sister-in-law and go to PA and OH with my mom and Jake.
• Babies born with teeth are creepy.
• Chad's a great husband and a great dad.
• I like to bake.

And here are some pictures from this month so far...

Jake at Chad's office on New Year's day...

Jake was playing and then decided to taste test his fist (he does this a lot)...

Me, Jake, and Morgan hangin' out on the floor...

All ready for church (such blue eyes)...

Hanging with dad...

He likes elephant blanket he got from Uncle Frank...

Fun in the Bumbo seat...Morgan joined in and sat too...

2 and half month appt.

Jake had his 2.5 month pediatrician appointment last Friday. He was 13 lbs 6 oz and 24 inches long and his head circumference is 41 cm. This puts him in the 75th percentile on weight and height and 55th percentile on head circumference. He had shots as well. That was hard to see him cry from pain. I cried too. He calmed down pretty quickly. He was a bit tired the rest of the day.

He has been putting his hand in his mouth the past week and kinda chewing on his fist. The doctor said that this usually happens a month or so before teething starts...umm that would put teething starting at 3 and half months....a little early! So we will see what happens.

He has started to randomly grab things and when he does he is fascinated by his hand. The item that has been grabbed usually ends up being tasted!

Jake is smiling a lot and laughing. He recognizes people and likes to show off his gums to them!

It's pretty fun being a mom! God is great!

non-conformist

I am typically a non-conformist. I don't usually go with what is popular to do, unless I happen to seriously agree with it and even then part of me doesn't like it. I tend to not listen to the most popular music at the time. I don't know that I've ever worn clothes that match the latest fashion trends. I've never seen the movie "Titanic"...Josh should be proud of this. I've never seen "The Passion of the Christ" (the reasoning behind this is a whole long thing and please don't comment on how I really need to or should see it). I rarely did the normal college things that college students do...my free time wasn't spent at a sporting event or a party...I was either studying, hanging out with the Japanese students, going to bed at 9pm, or many many other odd things that occurred in college. I struggle greatly with traditional church and church programs. I will always go the back way somewhere and avoid major roads if I can. I'm a strange person.

But I am conforming a little...I have never read a New York Times Bestseller and here I am heading into the 4th chapter of "The Shack". My Aunt Patty and cousin Beth told me about it and then my dad read it. When my dad reads a book and then looks me in the eye and tells me to read it...I tend to read it. I at least try. So I'm reading a bestseller. I will let you know what I think.

By the way there are several books that I wish had been bestsellers so people would read them!

Jake update: He is cooing and "talking" a lot. He is playing/batting toys. He smiles a lot. He is great. He has a Dr. appointment tomorrow and gets shots...I'm not looking forward to that!

Ok...it's time to give him his bottle!

Last Year!

2008 was a good year...here are some highlights and I'm sure I missed some. (There's not really an order to the list)

• Got knocked up...not totally planned, but awesome.
• Went to Oregon to be in Travis and Eva-Lynn's amazing wedding.
• Saw a lot of friends that I miss while in Oregon and Mark and Amy gave me a baby shower.
  
• Went to Asheville, NC for our 4th anniversary.
• Moved to a bigger, nicer house in an area of town I love.
• Had a life group with wonderful women.
• Went to Greeneville, SC to hang out with Kristen. And she came to visit a lot of other times too!
  
• I got to be in on a surprise visits from my brother for my mom in Feb. and then my dad in June.
• Had Jacob...by far the best part of 2008! He's so great, we love him so much!
  
• Frank came to visit quite a bit...I miss him.
• Kristen, my mom, and Cyndie gave me a wonderful baby shower!
  
• Chad's parents, sister and brother-in-law came for Thanksgiving and to meet Jake.
• Aunt Patty and Beth came to visit and meet Jake.
• Frank came for a week for Christmas.
  
• Got a car...it's a great car, I just never thought I'd be driving a 1998 Buick Park Avenue...totally an old person's car. But it fits the stroller!

If you know of anything that I forgot, let me know. 2009 is going to be great!

Morgan ate a pound of raw, frozen hamburger yesterday...just thought I'd throw that in. Silly dog!