Big Boy Gets Bigger

Jakey turned one yesterday. To be honest, we had no time to celebrate his big day so we reserved Sunday for the festivites. He didn't seem to mind at all. He's good natured like that. When we gave him his cake to attack Jacob didn't quite know what to do with all that food and freedom. We chopped off Cliffords head and he ate most the icing or at least smeared it all over his body. Once his hands and face were totally covered he looked like a clown with all that red on his face and he couldn't stop opening and closing his hands. It was like he was confused about all the slippery wet stuff that just stayed on his chubby little fingers. It was funny to watch him open-close-open-close-open-close and just stare at his own hand in awe.

Being bad parents that we are we forgot to get him a present. (We forgot for Maddie's first birthday too. We had to run to Wal-Mart quickly and grab something one hour before Brian left for the airport on a two week business trip because Ben was so upset about it. I remember quite specifically both of us looking for something super cheap since we knew she couldn't care less what she got.) Seriously though, what does a one year old need? We already have too many toys as it is at our house. He only wants to play with the big kid toys anyway so why buy baby ones. Then I remembered that I had just purchased new warm winter pajamas for him the day before. Brian threw them in a gift bag. Presto! He had a present. Ben and Maddie were happy enough as well. When they turn two it's a whole different ball game. They care and they have stuff they love by then so it's fun to buy for them.

Jacob also turned around in his car seat two days early. His first ride was almost a total bomb. I took him out of his crib, spoiling a nap to go pick up Maddie at preschool so he was mad and cranky and screamed a lot. Once he calmed down and I turned around to play peek-a-boo at a stop light he realized he could see me it clicked that something had changed and he loved it. Of course it made him mad that most the time I couldn't play games with him. It's been interesting to compare the three kids. The law says that little people can face forward at 20 lbs AND 1 year. Ben hit 20 lbs at 15 months. Maddie didn't get there until 18 months. Jacob at 9 months blew past that milestone. Consider though that Ben and Maddie both moved from their infant seats to a rear facing chair at 8 and 9 months respectively. Jacob wasn't allowed to move until now. I'm still considering the consequences of my choice to change chairs and turn him around. You see, Jacob is most easily compared to that cheap toy we have all seen from the dollar store. After lots of searching I was able to find it online. He is a water snake. Remember those fun old toys? One quick look at that link and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. The knundrum of holding onto Jacob is best described like the problem of holding onto a water snake. The more you try to hold onto it, the more wild and wiggly it gets. Your efforts to control and hold it tightly only serve to make it squirt off into another direction with all the more speed and vigor. There is no negotiating the moster. He's a handful. Thus he has remained in his infant chair where the five point harness holds him securely and safely as I haul things in and out of the house and negotiate diaper bags, sippy cups, grocery sacks, toys, binkies and the like.

Overall Jacob is a black and white sort of a guy. He is one of the most delightful and happy kids I've ever met. Then again he's the loudest most angry and frusterating little person in the world. Last night we sat at tithing settlement with Bishop. He commented how Jacob is always so delightful and friendly and asked if it just gets easier as we go along. We didn't quite know what to say. Jacob has beenthe most difficult and challenging of our three kids. Hands down. It's almost as if crossing the threshold of our front door flips a switch inside the child. He screams all day. It comes and goes. Some days I have to walk out of the house when Brian comes home. He has tested me and my patience in ways I didn't know you could test a person. Still, Jacob has been a delight. I love that he has started to give me wide open mouthed kisses when I pick him up to clean him up after a meal in the high chair. He's covered in nastiness and leans in to lay a wet one on me with all the love and adoration he can muster. Sometimes when he is laying on the changing table he looks up at me and his face fills with complete and total joy at the sight of my face. Me. He loves me. Like really LOVES me and you can see it on his face. Despite the troubles that come with being the favorite parent, it is cool to be the most important person on the planet sometimes. He lunges for me when I walk in the room and someone else is holding him in their arms. He loves to dance. Brian read some study lately that says kids dance because it is the way their bodies express joy. Jacob can be incredibly happy. He is so kind. He loves to follow Ben and Maddie. The three of them run circles around the kitchen and living room and their giggles are infectious. He adores his older siblings and they love him. Jacob has never snuggled and was never willing to relax and sleep in my arms. He is too active and busy to slow down and enjoy being with me in quiet moments. It is exhausting but I think it makes him all the more fun. He is always looking for fun, fun, fun. We love his zest for life. His genuine smile. I love the dimple on his right cheek at random moments, but never when he smiles. Someday we will get a picture of it. Jacob is a wonderful, fun addition to our family. We wouldn't trade him.