Oh Isaac, You Make My Life Sunshine and Bubbles

It seems like only yesterday I was complaining about how slowly every day was passing. Every day past the day Isaac was due seemed like an eternity. Every hour meant my legs grew that much more tired and my ankles that much more swollen. Fast track one year later and I don't know where the time has gone. This past year Isaac has learned to sit, roll, feed himself, pull up, crawl, and walk. He has two teeth - yes, just two - and a row full of teeth pressing on his poor little gums just waiting to all pop through at the same time. He has a mound full of unruly curls sitting on top of his head and the happiest eyes and brightest smile I have ever seen in my entire life.

I can't believe how much our lives has changed since he made his arrival into our lives. Our world, which used to revolve around sports and social schedules, now revolves around nap and bed times and ...sports schedules...but that's another post. We find ourselves being entertained by the silliest things; the funny faces he makes when he tries a new food he really likes, or better yet, one he really dislikes, watching him crawl back and forth under the coffee table 16 times like it's his own private passage way, or the way he bursts out laughing and scurries off when you chase him. He is such a joy and a light and I couldn't think of a more rewarding, challenging, and humbling job than being his parent. Happy Birthday, my Tiny Man.

Halloween Fun

Here are some pictures from two Halloween activities. We went to a corn maze yesterday with a few of the couples from our home fellowship. Here are some pictures of that.

Virginia and Isaac and I also went to a pumpkin patch to pick out a pumpkin or two for the carving. Isaac got a special treat from the lady at the pumpkin patch, his very first sucker. He liked it with the paper on, but he REALLY liked it with the paper off.

He Crawls

What an amazing experience it is to witness the advancements our tiny little man is making every day. When we brought him home from the hospital he could do little more than sleep and stare at you. If we were really lucky we'd go through the excitement that came he'd get his eyes crossed and we'd wait anxiously while holding our breath, praying that his eyes wouldn't get stuck that way.

Now he is, as it seems, a real person with his own personality, and what a personality it is! While he is incredibly happy on the whole, he also knows exactly what he wants and will accept nothing less. As I always say about him "He wants what he wants when he wants it." I've learned the hard way that Isaac does not want to be fed. He wants to feed himself. I've been worrying myself sick about whether or not he would ever eat well. He seemed to be so picky and wouldn't eat anything unless it was mixed it with a heavy dash of sweet potatoes. It turns out he really is picky, but not about what he eats, just how. Thanks to his two tiny teeth he has been chowing down on cheerios, crackers, noodles, rice, french fries, chicken, and his new favorite, beef.
See Isaac enjoying his Mommy's beef stew (listen carefully and you may even hear his Daddy complaining about the very same stew).



Last Monday Isaac crawled for his first significant distance. For whatever reason, he was really interested in the glass that I had been drinking out of. Whatever works! Now, a mere week later he's all over the place. I was crawling behind him tonight threatening to get him and he thought that was the most hilarious thing in the world. Have I ever mentioned how great it is to finally find someone who thinks I'm as funny as I've always known I am?!

Still More New Things

During the last two weeks my sweet, smiling, happy regardless of any situation son has turned into a pitiful, crying, whining, waking up in the middle of the night to eat little being. Some time between 3 a.m. and 9 a.m. Saturday morning his first tooth finally broke through. I know this because at 3 a.m. I was up rubbing orajel on his gums and there was no tooth. When I went to rub more on at 9, he had a tooth! Since that first tooth came through he has been waking up less but is still inconsolably crying each morning by 4. The only thing I can do to soothe him is to feed him. He hasn't eaten in the middle of the night since he was 10 weeks old. It breaks my heart that he is in so much pain. Yet, there is a light at the end of the tunnel as I can see another tooth right right at his gum line. Albeit, I can see yet another tunnel right ahead but at least we'll all get a few days of relief before it starts all over again.
Isaac keeps getting closer and closer to crawling. He gets up on his hands and knees and rocks and had recently learned how to sit up from lying on his stomach. But his most recent and exciting accomplishment can be seen in the video below: Enjoy!

More New Things

Isaac has begun to get into the eating process and has started eating Cheerios as well as learning to use the spoon by himself. Here is a video of than endeavor.



In addition, we've also tried the classic trick of getting a donkey to move by dangling a carrot on a stick in front of him. Instead of donkeys and carrots, we use Isaac and bottles. Cruel, but it's working.

Isaac Scoots Backwards

It's been a while since we updated last, but Isaac is doing a lot of new things. First, he scoots backwards now! Second, he is saying mama and dada. He doesn't know what he is saying and won't repeat it back but I have heard him say both by themselves. Joe will tell you that he doesn't say it but other people have heard it too.

I really just wanted to post to show off some videos. The first was taken last Friday and is of Isaac scooting- don't laugh at me; I was just really excited. The second was taken in July and is of Isaac doing his then favorite thing- jumping in his jumper.

Finally An Update

It's been a while since I've written and lots of things have happened. Isaac is completely on formula and some baby food now. He's been doing really well with that and it's been easier on me than I had imagined it would be. On August 18 Joe started back to work and Isaac went back to Building Blocks. They both seemed to transition easily but I think Joe was a little more reluctant to start back than Isaac was. Benson Middle had its open house the next Monday night and Isaac and I went to hang out with Joe during that. The students started back four days later. The past two Fridays Joe has been covering high school football games for the Smithfield Herald. I saw an advertisement for freelance writers and Joe submitted some of his work. The editor wrote him back right away. Joe seems to be really excited about this, especially because it gets him a press pass. His first article can be read here.

Isaac came down with a stomach virus a week ago yesterday. By Monday he was pooping every hour and he had a wicked diaper rash. He was crying when he went and as I was changing his diaper. It was pitiful. I stayed home with him most of the week and worked from home before sending him back to daycare on Thursday. He's still not 100% but he's definitely better and his bottom has healed which is a plus.

During this week he started doing some new things. I found him asleep on his stomach twice. I always suspected that he could roll over to his tummy but just didn't want to. For a long while now he's been able to turn himself around while on his stomach but I always thought it was on accident until the other day. He was laying on the floor and saw our cat and whipped himself around 90 degrees to reach him. It was really impressive - I'm not sure I can even do it that quickly. He's started pulling himself up pretty well. He doesn't have a good grip but if you hold onto his hands he can do it. In fact, that's all he wants to do. If you try to sit him up he stiffens his legs so you have to let him stand. He's so proud of himself, too. There's a picture of him standing up in his pack 'N play in the photo album. I really believe he's going to walk before he crawls. My mother-in-law said that Joe walked first, so it looks like Isaac is going to follow in his footsteps. I just can't believe how far he's come in such a short time. My baby isn't going to be a baby for much longer. He's already in some 12 month clothes - I had to bust them out yesterday because it was too cool for his summer stuff.

We'll try to do a better job of updating and especially of posting pictures. Until then!