The Porter House

Design Blog Update

2011-03-30T07:51:00.003-05:00

I know there aren't a lot of people that read this blog, but I wanted to let everyone know that I have updated my design blog.

Check it out at:www.mypaintedperfection.blogspot.com

My Sweet Grandson

2010-11-26T10:51:00.001-06:00

As some of you may not know my mother passed away from lung cancer on November 22nd. When I find the time and the energy to express what she meant to me I would like to share. In the meantime I wanted to share a letter that she wrote to Jacob, her only grandchild, that eloquently summarized her feeling for him.

My Sweet Grandson,

When you were baptized “Jacob” by your parents “Rebecca” and Vincent “Isaac” Porter,the biblical parallel was obvious (Gen. 25: 19 – 26).

Such an auspicious beginning carries a weighty responsibility, mainly to yourself, to strive for the loftiest goals your world will have to offer. During this time you’re destined to bestow blessings on others whose lives you touch, as you have already graced your family with.

When you made me a Grandmother and I held you the first time, I unexpectedly felt like my whole life had been leading up to this moment, the ultimate, miraculous joy that is you, Jacob Harper Porter.

Before you got here, I busily shopped for your first red tricycle, your first set of Lincoln Logs, and more. But I settled for a more practical First Christmas Gift, a fullsize Radio Flyer Rocking Horse! (His name is “Liberty” and he’s waiting for you over here at Nana's Stable.)

Precious Boy, if I got to see you everyday, I would still catch my breath at the wonder of the hand of God in my life. You instill in me the desire to be worthy of of You and all the other blessings I’ve taken for granted. Thank you.

You are progressing at the speed of light it seems: crawling by 4 mos. (remember how you liked to “crawl” up Mom or Dad’s chest when you were a couple of weeks old?)

You’ve got your first TWO teeth coming in now when you’re barely 5 mos.! You’ll be asking for the car keys any day!.

Mom and Dad diligently video/audiograph your every little event. Even before you you arrived, Daddy got nice pix of Mommy’s tummy with you inside which she hopes he didn’t put on YouTube. ( One tape, Jacob’s First Bath, is a study in What NOT to Do With Anybody’s baby!)

Jake, that one-of-a-kind brilliant smile you’re so generous with, melts my heart. I fervently pray that forever in your life and world, you’ll always have reason to use it.

I love you,

Nana

February 20, 2009

Jacob's Potty Chart

2010-10-14T10:20:00.006-05:00

This week we have started the potty chart for Jacob. His 2 year birthday was on September 6th, 2010 and I figured it would be a good time to start training him before he hits the terrible two's. I haven't read a single book or article about potty training because I figured I know my son better than any author out there.

What I decided to try was a really simple potty chart with stickers. I know how much he loves stickers and stamps at school for rewards so I thought what better way than to reward him for using the potty. Now let me back up a moment. Jacob isn't really aware of when he is going potty. He doesn't care and then runs away when we try to change him. By the way he hates getting his diaper changed. So I figured why not start off really simple and reward him every time he tells mommy and daddy that he has already gone and he gets a sticker. Really simple here folks. So we will do this for 30 days and see how it goes. I am fully aware that there are going to be many times we forget to remind him to tell us, but at least it's a start.

Then after 30 days we will institute the big potty chart. He will then have to tell us when he has to go potty. During this time we will teach him to use the actual toilet seat in his bathroom. Again if he does tell us he gets another sticker for everytime. I am crossing my fingers that this works.

Does anyone else have any advice for potty training?

Wee Bit Wednesday

2010-10-13T13:15:00.004-05:00

Here we go again! {one} have you ever milked a cow or a goat? No and I can't say that I have ever wanted to try.

{two} what sound does your alarm make when it goes off in the morning? ugh, this REALLY annoying buzzing/beeping sound. it’s pretty awful.

{three} chocolate milk or hot chocolate? Definitely hot chocolate! My husband uses milk and I use water to make it.

{four} what is one of the quirkiest things about you? I am very OCD about certain things. Like the way I do laundry, hang clothes, load the dishwasher.

{five} are you more like your mom or your dad? I would have to say I am very much like both of them in very different ways. When it comes to arguing, I am like my dad. My mom and I have very similar tastes in colors, furniture, and shopping.

{six} do you sleep with the TV on? I have a really hard time falling to sleep with silence. I think it's because I never really turn my brain off at night. I always have something I am working on, so having the TV on helps me drown out my personal thoughts. Of course my husband hates it.

{seven} if you were a crayon, what color would you be? My color choices are always changing. If we are talking design wise I would have to say either gray or a light blue color.

{eight} ross, joey, or chandler? I would have to say Chandler. He would always keep me laughing.

{nine} do you play any musical instruments? I have no musical talents whatsoever. Ask my husband and he would tell you I can't even keep a beat.

{ten} what’s the worst thing you’ve ever cooked/baked? Well it wasn't something that I actually cooked or even baked. It was cheese fondue. Last Valentine's Day my husband and I decided that we wanted to try making it at home. We got a recipe online and then headed to grocery store. It had a couple of different cheeses that neither one of us had even heard of before. We put it all together and added some white wine like the recipe called for and melted it. It stunk the house up. We could barely get through one bit before we called it quits.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

First Time to Tailgate

2010-10-11T13:34:00.004-05:00

We took Jacob to his first TCU tailgate this past Saturday. We had everything all set up and ready to go and boy was he ready for some football. He got to wear his own TCU purple football jersey. He did rather well at the tailgate. He played a little football in the grass area, sometimes he would sit in his purple chair, but mostly he would go from person to person asking for food.

The game and weather were perfect. We have five seats so that we can have enough moving room for all the adults and Jacob. He mostly sat with Mimi and Big Daddy becasue he can always see us at home. It was funny listening to my mom explain football to Jacob. She basically used really easy words like the Purple Monsters are attacking the Yellow Bad Guys. And then he would say "ARRGGGHHH!"

We stayed until the end of the 3rd quarter because we had already passed nap time and he was getting pretty restless at that point. But all in all he did really well, so we definitely will be taking him back for many more games to come. Big Daddy and Jacob even made it on the Faces in the crowd website. That's where we got the above picture. We really didn't take too many pictures because it's hard when you are chasing after a 2 year old.

GO TCU!!!

Sleep Talking

2010-10-11T07:54:00.002-05:00

A picture is worth a thousand words. I had to write a quick post about something that Jacob did last night. As Vince and I were watching TV last night about to fall asleep, we could hear Jacob over the baby monitor. He was talking up a storm all by himself. I went in there to check on him and to make sure that everything was okay. When I went into his room and looked at him, I noticed that he had had an accident so I had to change him. I pulled him out of his crib and changed all of his clothes and sheets and put him back to bed. The entire time he sat in his rocking chair with his eyes wide open, but he was still sleeping. I put him back into bed and he closed his eyes. I sat with him for about 5 minutes and the entire time he was talking in his sleep. He never opened his eyes or looked at me, but just kept on jabbering. He would say the cutest things. I even caught him making the "choo choo" noise and hand motion. How cute!

Fabulous Headbands!

2010-10-06T16:42:00.008-05:00

I think I found some of the cutest handbands I have ever seen. Whippy Cake! Visit their link and tell me what you think.

I love how soft and bold they are. Such pretty colors and textures. I can definitely see myself wearing a few of things on the weekends with the right outfit. And the most fabulous thing is that they are interchangeable. How awesome is that girls. All you have to do is order the headband and you can change out all the different styles. Here are a few of my favorites.

This is my favorite because it's purple and I could definetly wear it to the home games.

I love this one because it's so big.

This is so romantic and beautiful.

And last, but not least I could wear this one to work without looking to out of place. So tell me, which one do you like most?

Wee Bit Wednesday

2010-10-06T16:22:00.003-05:00

I can't believe I actually remembered to do this today. Of course you can tell that I haven't blogged since last week as well. But I have been super busy! But enough about that let's get on to the questions.

{one} grilled or fried? I prefer fried, I am a Southern girl. But if I am watching what I eat, then grilled.

{two} if you could change one thing about where you live, without worrying about money, what would you change? I would buy a new house with everything that I ever wanted, wood floors, new cabinets, window shutters, spa bathroom, and of course a beautiful landscaped yard for my husband.

{three} what is your favorite time of day? if I'm not working, then the late afternoon if the weather is nice and breezy.

{four} what’s your favorite cereal? Some brand called Oh's!

{five} do you open your mouth when you put mascara on? I can't seem to remember.

{six} if you could make any fictional character come to life, which would it be? probably something English and romantic, like Emma from Jane Austin's book.

{seven} what are your favorite pizza toppings? Really just cheese and pepperoni. I really don't care for pizza that much.

{eight} are you a heavy or a light sleeper? depends on if I have a lot of things going through my mind. I'm so OCD and antsy, I can't stop moving when I have things I want to finish up.

{nine} what is your favorite board game? Probably just good old checkers.

{ten} what star/celebrity do most people say you look like? A lot of people use to say that I looked like Natalie Portman or Ashley Judd. But they are so much prettier than me, probably because they have people who can do their hair, clothes and make-up. Wouldn't it be so much easier if we all had a styling team following us around.

Until next time.

Wee Bit Wednesday

2010-09-30T11:00:00.005-05:00

I completely forgot about doing this yesterday. So I am only a day behind for anyone that actually reads this blog.

{one} what is your biggest pet peeve? Tardiness. I am always at least 15 minutes early to everything. I grew up a millitary brat so there was never an excuse for being late. If you are a family member in my household you better have a good excuse for not being on time.

{two} what is your favorite dessert? I love sweet and tart desserts. Things like Key Lime Pie.

{three} what is the first thing you notice about people? their skin.

{four} are you usually late, early or right on time? early. Refer to question #1

{five} have you ever fired a gun? I have only fired a gun one time. My uncle took me to an outdoor shooting range. There were so many types of guns to shoot. My very first one was some kind of semi-automatic. Pretty cool and I've got the pictures to prove it.

{six} are you right-handed or left-handed? right.

{seven} which do you prefer: coke or pepsi? Coke. It's a bad habit that I have.

{eight} do you dance crazy when no one is looking? maybe. okay, yes.

{nine} what’s your favorite movie snack? Sour patch kids

{ten} do you scream on roller coasters? I think I do. I haven't been on an actual roller coaster since I was a little kid. It's been so long and no I am not going to tell you how long. Just a little bit more information on little old me! Have a great weekend.

Growing Up!

2010-09-22T15:30:00.001-05:00

Oh the joys of growing up to be a big boy. I am so proud of the things that my husband teaches my son. I am going to come home one of these days and he will be drinking milk straight out of the jug. Sorry the photo isn't the world's best, it was taken with Vince's phone.

Wee Bit Wednesday

2010-09-22T14:34:00.006-05:00

I thought I would procrastinate just a little and actually put something on my blog today. {one} what is your happiest childhood memory? It would probably have to be going to see my grandmother. She always made every visit so special

{two} what is your middle name? Gail

{three} what’s the habit you’re most proud of breaking? laziness, just ask my husband, I never sit down. I am always up doing something.

{four} what do you order when you order Chinese food? Always chicken fried rice. I am so adventurous.

{five} what’s the best bargain you’ve ever found at a garage sale or thrift store? I recently bought a china hutch from craigslist. I had never seen it in person and had my husband pick it for me. It actually turned out to be a beautiful piece once I had refinished it.

{six} what’s the best costume you’ve ever worn? it wasn't the best costume, but it was definitely the most memorable. My mother decided to make me a pumpkin costume. Well pumpkins are suppose to be round and large. Well mine was slightly flat and droopy. I was so embarrassed.

{seven} who’s your favorite game show host? I don't really watch any game shows, but I do remember watching Wheel of Fortune with my grandmother, so I would have to say Pat Sajak.

{eight} what’s your favorite breakfast food? breakfast tacos, I live in Texas.

{nine} what’s your least favorite word? panties, I just hate that word!

{ten} describe something that happened to you for which you have no explanation. This is a hard one. I will have to get back to you.

My new Website

2010-08-03T11:31:00.012-05:00

Come and take a look at my new design website.

www.mypaintedperfection.blogspot.com

I will be updating soon with all kinds of pictures and options. Also see my updates on facebook and become a fan.

My hobby

2010-07-20T09:00:00.001-05:00

My newest hobby is my start up small business. If you know me, then you of course know that I am always working on some kind of project. Just ask my husband, he swears we have lost square footage in our house because of the multiple times I have painted the walls. I digress.

My new focus is re-finishing furniture pieces. Whether it's an old piece that needs a little love or something new that needs a special touch. i love updating furniture adn getting my hands dirty. I have always had the philosophy that home should feel loved, lived in and comfortable. I am not a big believer of having all of my furniture matching and looking like it came off the furniture showroom floor or a model home. And yes, I do know that some people prefer it that way because it makes everything easier to design around. Red goes with red, yellow goes with yellow and beige goes with everything. If you have ever picked up a design magazine and believe me I had so many of them I finally had to throw them out, and looked at all the photos in the homes, none of the furniture matches. But it all flows together in a cohesive mood. All of the furniture and accessories are like instruments to a piece of music. Some are soft, others bold or loud and some are added as a background foundation that keeps the entire piece together.

So that's what I am trying to accomplish with my furniture. Pieces that add character to the look of a room. Something special and one of a kind.

I have been working in our garage for many hours trying to get everything all set up and ready. I am also trying to put together a website that will have all of my information. I promise as soon as I am finished I will let everyone know. So stay tuned in for my new business website.

Busy Summer

2010-07-20T08:45:00.002-05:00

This has been one of the most enjoyable summers I have had in a long time. For one thing, Jacob has gotten older and is so much fun to hang out with outside or at the pool. He is at such an age that he gets so tickled at the simpliest things. Vince and I have taken him to our neighborhood pool a few times and he absolutely is in love with the kid's pool area and slides. I think he would go up and down the water slides all day long if we let him. He just cracks me up. I definetly think the swimming lessons have been helping.

Another reason that summer has been busy is that I have joined a monthly Bunco group with a bunch of my girlfriends. It has been so much fun. I really do look forward to getting together with other mommies, taking a break and gossiping about nothing. It also helps that we always have yummy food and beverages every time. It also means that Jacob gets to have special "Daddy Time," no mommy around to keep the boys in line.

Vince has been busy with his triathlon that he plans to enter in August. He usually bikes around 25-45 miles every Saturday morning with my dad on the Trinity River. Then throughout the week he trains by himself at the gym with swimming and running. THis will be his first tralthlon and I think he is going to do great. He will also be entering in some other races like the Hotter than Hell in Wichita Falls, where he will be biking for about 60 miles in the Texas heat and sun. Good Luck. I know I couldn't do it. But this something that he has always wanted to do.

This is also the summer that Vince will get to go to New Mexico with my parents for a fishing trip. He is definetly an outdoors man. This is one trip I don't go on because fishing and camping are just not my idea of a summer vacation. But he enjoys and I fully support him.

Well that's about all we have been up too, other than the usual hussle and bussle of a family of three. As Jacob gets older I know the summers are going to get busier and busier, but I enjoy it.

Saying Goodbye to an old friend

2010-06-01T15:08:00.001-05:00

Well this past Memorial Day Vince and I celebrated by purchasing a new vehicle for the Porter family. Poor Vince was overdue for a new car. He practically had no A/C, check engine light was on, and other various issues. So we decided to go take a look at Ford Trucks. We all loaded up into the car and drove over to Mimi and Big Daddy's house so that they could watch Jacob for us for the afternoon. Little did we know it would be through the early evening hours until we finally were able to pick him up.

We first decided to visit Grapevine Ford. The place was packed. Did I forget to mention it was Memorial Day and all the sales. We were able to find a couple of trucks that we liked with all the options that we were considering and finally narrowed it down to one. After a nice test drive, they actually let us off the lot by ourselves, we decided to talk price tag. This is where it got sketchy for me. You can ask my husband, I always play the role of the bigger talker, but when it came time to negotiate there were a few times I had to step away. The tension was just to awkward for me. But it was kind of funny seeing a completely different type of personality with Vince. I know my husband pretty well, but we have never worked or sat in a business meeting together so seeing this shark like business money negotiator personality coming from him was a little unexpected. I almost thought Donald Trump himself might jump out and say "You're Hired." But all joking aside, he got us a great deal on the trade-in and new vehicle. He had already priced out all the options, knew how low he wanted to start negotiating and knew what he was willing to finance.

We finally got the financing office around 4:30 that afternoon and we were almost on our way out the door with the keys to our brand new truck. After an hour of paperwork, we we still had to clean out our old Jeep. We had already had it vacuumed and wiped clean, but we still needed to get our personal items out. We couldn't forget the car seat and garage door opener. We would've been in deep trouble. It was kind of sad saying goodbye to the old car. We have had so many good and bad memories in it. She has taken us to so many tailgates and football games. Many road trips to see friends and family. Lots of trips to the deer lease, always caring precious cargo on the back. Oh wait that was only one time. And last, but not least it was the vehicle that brought us all home from the hospital when Jacob was born.

I still remember that day. Jacob was in his car seat carrier and I was next to him in the back seat, while Vince was the designated driver. I have never seen him drive so slow and cautious. Thank you Jeep for getting all home safe and sound.

We'll miss you old girl.

But say hello to our new Texas Limousine!!!

VIP's Backyard Bootcamp

2010-05-30T15:58:00.004-05:00

Are you looking to tone up and lose weight this summer? Do you want to get in shape for the summer for the pool or the beach? Are you pale from too much office work? Then VIP's Backyard Bootcamp is the perfect exercise program for you.

This program specifically designed by Vince himself is a great program that tones, tightens and tans you for that perfect summer body. Best of all , its only once a week for 2 hours! You might ask yourself these questions :

Can an exercise program that is only 2 hours a week really help me?

My answer is simple, yes it can. My program involves cardio and strength & resistance training to really push yourself to the desired result.

I know , I know, your next question is , Should I already be in good shape to start?

Well eager exercise person, we can specifically design a program to suit your level of fitness from beginner to advanced.

Alright already VIP , When and where are these programs conducted ?

Classes are on Saturdays or Sundays at 2pm or 3pm in the afternoon at the gym of Vince & Rebecca at the front and backyards of the gym.

I am interested, so what is involved in the boot camp?

Now we are talking. There are four simple steps to complete the boot camp workout. The first step is Grass Elimination Push Pull. This involves using a specially designed piece of workout equipment that will be pushed and pulled in strategic designed rows to eliminate unwanted grass growth in the front and backyards of the Gym. The second step is the Weed Eater Power Clean. This involves taking a heavy piece of motorized fitness equipment to eliminate hard to reach unwanted grass growth. The third step is the Edger Crunch whereby you will eliminate the grass along sidewalks, flowerbeds, and trees to form uniform straight lines. The fourth and final step is the Clean Up Cool Down where you will sweep unwanted grass clippings into piles to eliminate via the Outdoor Vacuum or Blower.

Hey this sounds a lot like yard work to me?

The only one being cheated by not taking part in the bootcamp is you. I am a teacher and motivator but I can not do the workout for you.

Okay , Okay, How do I signup , what is it going to cost me, and where do I find this needed fitness equipment?

This is the best part, the class is free and all equipment will be provided for you. If you are interested in joining all you have to do is email Vince at the Bootcamps email address at : vip@MowMyLawn.com

Is this program provided year round?

You got me hear, unfortunately we can only take students from March to maybe Mid October. If we have enough participation I will gladly plant Rye Grass so that we can continue programs throughout the winter. However we will be offering alternative workout during the winter months like the Tree Prune & Flower Bed Rake Workout or our favorite workout The Christmas Decor Attic Climb and Christmas Light Hanging Challenge.

Here are a few words from friends and happy customers:

I have lost 1 lbs just watching VIP perform the Backyard Bootcamp. With my only being 1 & half years old I am too young to perform most of the exercises but my dad promises me that when I am old enough I can workout every week doing the Backyard Bootcamp.

Jake in Keller

I am only been able to perform the Grass Elimination Push Pull in March when its 75 degrees or lower but I can attest that its a tough workout. I have seen students after performing the workout in July and August and they are covered in sweat after the workout. The farmers tan that goes with the students workout is an added bonus.

Rebecca in Internet Land

Hope to see a new crop of students for VIP's Backyard Bootcamp soon!

Swim Lessons

2010-05-26T10:10:00.004-05:00

Our little man is set to start swim lessons this Friday for 13 weeks. I hope he enjoys it as much as he did on vacation. I think this will be a good class for him and get him use to being in the water and learning how to possibly breath. The thing I am most scared about is submerging him under water. It literally scares me to death to see him go under and possibly not know how to hold his breath. But I am sure he will be a trooper and enjoy himself like he always does.

The Many Faces of Jake

2010-05-19T20:41:00.001-05:00

Can you Hear ME?

2010-03-27T21:06:00.002-05:00

Really, the last blog post was from December 10th? How bad are we? Jacob's hearing and language is awesome right now, we need to post and update on aadfll his test and progression thus far but he is doing great:

2009-12-10T13:17:00.004-06:00

Getting to Know Me....Christmas Edition! 1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? - Wrapping paper. I always have a special kind that I buy for each year. 2. Real tree or artificial? - Artificial....I hate the needles that I have to clean up. 3. When do you put up the tree? - Usually we start the weekend after Thanksgiving, but since having Jacob sometimes it takes us a little longer. 4. Do you like eggnog? - NO! Disgusting! 5. Favorite gift received as a child? - I think the best gift I ever received was a CD player boom box. I think I got about 5 CD's that year, MC Hammer, New Kids, Vanilla Ice, and some others. I know bad taste. 6. Do you have a nativity scene? - Yes, but I didn't put it out this year because it is breakable and the little man has his hands all over everything. 7. Hardest person to buy for? - My husband. He never says anything that he wants. And when he does it is usually something for hunting and I am clueless. 8. Easiest person to buy for? - Jacob. He's only 15 months so of course he's not to picky right now. I could wrap an old gift and he wouldn't know the difference. 9. Mail or email Christmas cards? - Mail! I love mailing Christmas cards and I love going to the mailbox everyday during December to see if we received any Christmas cards. Which means I better get to work on sending our's out. 10. Favorite Christmas movie? - The Christmas Story. As a kid we would always watch it and now it has become a tradition on TV for 24 hours straight of "The Christmas Story." 11. When do you start shopping for Christmas? - Usually the weekend after Thanksgiving and I usually finish mid December. 12. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? - All the dinner sides. I love all the casseroles and potatos. I am not a big fan of turkey, but I don't mind it. 13. Clear lights or colored lights on the tree? - Clear lights. I don't like colored lights for some reason. 14. Favorite Christmas song? - I really don't have a favorite Christmas song. I actually don't really listen to it that much. Too many of the songs get stuck in my head. 15. Travel or stay home at Christmas? - We usually stay at home because all of our family lives in the area. 16. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? - Dasher, Prancer, Donner, Vixen, Comit, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen, Rudolph!.....that is all I can name. I was trying to sing the song in my head. Ha! 17. Angel on tree top or star? - usually some kind of bow that I have made and an tree topper ornament. 18. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? - We always open presents on Christmas morning. 19. The most annoying thing about this time of year? - Nothing really bothers me about this time of year. I love it! It is my favorite time of year. 20. What I love most about Christmas? - Spending time with my family. I love the togetherness. I also enjoy going to Children's Mass on Christmas Eve.

Christmas 2009 Santa Pictures

2009-12-06T18:38:00.004-06:00

We fought the mall traffic and got Jake's picture with Santa today:

Here is his December 2008 picture with Santa, what a difference:

I would like Jake's 2009 picture with the 2008 version of Santa. I am not sure whats going on with Jolly Old Man but he has those deer in the headlights look about him.

Since its one of my favorite pictures, here is Santa Jake from last year:

Jakes 1st TCU Game and the Like

2009-12-01T16:42:00.004-06:00

We took Jacob to his first Football game this past weekend, a 51-10 TCU beatdown of New Mexico. Now on to a BCS Bowl to be named later (please be the Sugar if not the National Championship)

We could only stay the first half because as you can see in this picture he was all over the place in typical Jacob Style. Oh and he likes to feed Seven his dog food when we happen to leave the laundry room door open:

2009-11-13T15:40:00.005-06:00

I apologize this has taken me this long to put together. Thanks to Raegan at http://hansonsdallas.blogspot.com/ for nominating me for this award. Sorry it took so long, I couldn't think of anything say about myself. Here are the rules for the award: 1) You must thank the person who gave the award and list their blog and link it. 2) You must share "10 Honest Things" about yourself. 3) You have to present this award to 7 others whose blogs you find brilliant in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged you. 4) Last, you must tell those 7 people they've been awarded HONEST SCRAP and inform them of these guidelines in receiving the award. "10 Honest Things" 1) I love to design and decorate. You would never have guessed it by the piles of projects that I have all over my house. Just ask my husband what my favorite thing to do when he is out of town, I guarantee he will tell you she's painting the walls again. 2) I am very OCD and ADD. What a combination!!! There are some things that drive my husband crazy about how attention to detail I am, such as ironing the sheets before I put them on the bed, making sure all the clothes are hung on white plastic hangers, the blinds all have to hanging at the same height, etc. I could go on and on about the tiny little things that I am obessed about. But then you turn the corner and I've become the ADD girl that can carry on a conversation in multiple directions it would make your head spin. I seriously can start a conversation off on the topic of the Economic crisis we are in and somehow end up on the discussion of pureed dog food, a do or don't. It's just the way my brain connects things. 3) Same as Raegan, I love shoes. I pretty much have about 90-100 pairs in my closet. I did finally get rid of few so there aren't as many. And yes, they are all in clear boxes, stacked on top of each other and divided up into categories, color, season, and style. I told ya OCD!!! 4) I love the smell of the bathroom after we give Jacob a bath. It smells so fresh and clean from all the baby soap. If only I could get my whole house to smell like that all the time. 5) I secretly want to be Martha Stewart. Okay maybe not actually be her, but somehow build an empire like hers with crafts, designs, and cooking. I just need all those people that work for her to come help me build my empire. Of course it would be for free. Sounds like a deal to me. 6) I can stop whatever I am doing and always sit down and watch a chick flick. Even if I really don't like the movie. That's the ADD in me because it means that I was probably in the middle something that wasn't very interesting, like filing the bills and I wanted to procrastinate. 7) I really like to watch Reality TV. A lot of it is because I like competition and I want to see who would win, but I guess you can't consider The Real Housewives... a competition unless it's a race to determine who is going to use up their last brain cell first. And yes I still watch them all. 8) I love to read other people's blog. Regardless of whether they are happy or sad. I mainly read blogs about people that write about their children. I love reading about other people's perspective on their little ones. It is so cute and funny to see how we all look at our children and try to figure out who they will become based on different character traits and funny situations that encounter each and every day. Some days, it would seem as if Jacob is going down the path of a WWE ring fighter and then other days because he is so whiney I think he might become a politician. 9) I have the worst diet in the world. It amazes my husband that I will go a whole day only eating junk food and that I consider it to be normal. I am trying to get better at cutting back on the sweets and adding in more nutritional food, but it does creep in there every once in awhile. OMG I was horrible during my pregnancy. I am surprised I didn't gain over 60 lbs. I lived on KFC mashed potatoes, sour patch kids, smarties, and Arizona lemon tea in a can. Empty calories!!! 10) Becoming a mother has changed my life more than I will ever know. Jacob has been one of the most wonderful little boys I will ever have the pleasure of getting to know. I feel guilty sometimes about being a working mother because I don't get to see him as much as I use too. But then I realize I am a better mother for doing what I have to do for my family. Right now at this age he doesn't understand why mommy and daddy have to leave every day, but one day I hope he recognizes the sacrifices we've had to go through for him. While Vince and I enjoy both working, if we had a choice or of course won the lottery we would much rather be with Jacob.

These are the other peoples' blogs that I read and find inspirational in some sort.

1) MckMama from http://www.mycharmingkids.net/

2) Kelly from http://www.kellyskornerblog.com/

3) Patrice from http://patriceandmattwilliams.blogspot.com/

4) Joy from http://threecalhouns.blogspot.com/

5) Sue from http://thelifeofsuz.blogspot.com/

6) http://mysweetsavannah.blogspot.com/

7) http://roomtoinspire.blogspot.com/

Flower Mound Pumpkin Patch 2009

2009-10-19T20:24:00.008-05:00

Here's a few photos of our trip out the the Flower Mound Pumpkin Patch 2009!!!

Pumpkin Painting 2009

2009-10-19T20:11:00.007-05:00

We hosted our annual Pumpkin Painting at our house this year. We invited all of our friends and their kids to come on over and join in the festivities. We had such a great time. I guess I didn't really plan the timing all that great because it was in the middle of the UT vs. OU game. So that basically meant all the dads were pre-occupied with football. Oh well we all still had a great time. I think the kids really enjoyed themselves and the clean-up was not that bad. Basically you take the regular kind of paint and mix it with dish soap so that it washes out better.

I put down tons of newspaper in the rotunda and basically let the kids go at it.

Jacob even got to paint his own pumpkin. I think he paint more on his hands and face.

Austin was the master of the painting the pumpkin. He covered the whole thing.

"Jason say cheese!"

McKinnely looking at another pumpkin.

Mia was just content being the little artist that she is. She was the last one done and took her time. I see a gallery opening in her future.

Mia was so tired afterward she decided to take a little cat nap with Aunt Marisa.

We lined up all the kiddos with their pumpkins. McKinnely, Jason and Austin.

We had to take seperate pictures of Jacob because there was no way he would sit still with all the other pumpkins lined up.

He was so tired by the end of it he kept laying his head on Big Daddy's shoulder to take a little nap. Too bad it didn't last long because he kept getting interested in everyone around him. I am so glad that we decided to keep the tradition going. I think painting pumpkins is a much better idea than carving when it comes to kids. I know I didn't want a trip to the ER that day.

TCU 56, Tx State 21, Vince Negative $300

2009-09-27T18:34:00.004-05:00

On the 19th our Alma maters met on the football field for the first time, Tx State traveled to TCU. We have had this date circled on the calender for a couple of years ever since I first started hearing of the possible match up. This was going to be an all out civil war in The PorterHouse. Of course my Bobcats play in the FCS (Football Champion Subdivision formerly known as Division IAA) and TCU is a FBS school (Football Bowl Subdivisions formerly referred to as Division IA). The difference between the divisions in football is fairly apparent as FCS schools rarely knock off a FBS school on the football field , therefore going into this game I knew my Bobcats stood a tall task. In fact before the game I found a website that had TCU favored by 35 points which is a huge spread in football. However with me being the homer for Bobcat Football I was willing to challenge Rebecca to a wager on the outcome of the game, not straight up but with points. With that said Rebecca would give Tx State 28 points and the winner got their bragging rights and a little something extra. For those of you that don't quite get point spreads, basically TCU would have to win by more than 28 points for her bet to win or else I would win (essentially the game was 28-0 Tx State before it even kicked off with my point spread). Anyway I threw this wager out at the last minute thinking it would be for bragging rights and maybe a massage or a something to pamper the other spouse. Well Rebecca's idea of being pampered was a Coach Purse. Not quite what I had in mind but I thought my Bobcats can keep it close and I get a new shotgun out of this deal so my win was a new 12 Gauge. Now I did not really need a new shotgun so I am fairly sure had my team won that I would not have pushed for this new gun. Rebecca on the other hand damn sure did not need another purse as she already has a few. Well as the game wore on it was 28-14 at the half and I could care less about this wager as I am hoping my Bobcats can pull off this miracle and win straight up. In the 3rd Quarter we get it to 35-21 and we have the ball on the 10 yd line about to push it in for a 35-28 game when our QB throws an interception and the wheels shoot off from there and TCU and Patterson proceed to run up the score in the 4th Qtr to make it a 56-21 final , as you can see the Horned Frogs covered the Rebecca/Vince 28 point wager so she wins. Of course she pokes and prods and enjoys her bragging rights as they won but the ensuing week she would not shutup about this purse. Every chance she got to rub it in she would, I would be sitting at my desk working hard on tax returns and get an email from Rebecca with a subject line of "Look at What I found at Coach.com" as she would send me the exact purse she had wanted. So yesterday I finally owned up to my part of the wager and we went to the Coach store in Southlake and she picked out the one she wanted, here it is with TCU Purple Lining and all to make sure I never forget to the score of the PorterHouse Civil War:

All in all this game was a lot of fun. We had a big 20-30 person tailgate with a lot of folks we went to school with and really enjoyed ourselves. I absolutely love football season and getting a chance to go out and tailgate and mingle for a few hours with our friends, it was a lot of fun. However , the next time we face off on the football field I might take more points or knock down the prize as Coach is certainer proud of their handbags.

The week before last was also our 4th wedding anniversary and we got my mom to come to the house to watch Jacob and we went to Trulucks in Southlake for a anniversary dinner (Now that I think of it Southlake is taking all of my paychecks here recently). We had a great time going out as Rebecca has never gone before and gotten to indulge in their famous chocolate cake, wow that some good stuff. Here is a picture we coaxed the waiter into taking of us :

Good Times!

Birthday Photos

2009-09-09T19:42:00.008-05:00

Hey everyone. We got the proofs back from the photographer from Jacob's birthday party. I love the pictures. Take a look yourselves. Go to Jacob's 1st Birthday Party Click on client proofs and then you will see Jacob's gallery. These aren't all the photos, there are more to come. Enjoy!!!. I promise to write a whole blog about the birthday party later once I have a little bit more time.

Goodbye Brodie Bear

2009-08-30T15:30:00.005-05:00

I am going to use this blog as therapy today to eulogize our beloved dog. On Thursday we lost Brodie, a big part of the family. He was the sweetest , most gentle, easy going dog I have ever been around and I have had my share of good puppy dogs through my days. Brodie was Rebecca's dog from her TCU days that she adopted at 6 months from an neighbor in an apartment . Being the dog person that Rebecca is she took him in and gave him all the love he could handle for the better part of 9 years. Seven and I came along back in '03 and the four of us could not have gotten along any better. In fact we always had to get onto Seven because he would always want to show Brodie how much they got along and Brodie was never the wiling recipient of Seven's affectionate ways , if you get my drift. I could dive off into a thousand different stories of our dogs and how much they are a part of our day to day lives, but the remarkable part of Brodie was his disposition. The best example I could give is how he was around Hurricane Jacob. Jake is all over the place moving 600 miles a minute and when he approaches Seven he either completely leaves the room or gives a snarl before his exit. Not Brodie though. Brodie would let Jake climb all over him, hug him , kiss him, let Jake pull his ears all while just looking up at Rebecca or I as if to say "No big deal guys but this does deserve an extra scoop of Dog Food or perhaps a Rawhide would not be out of the question!". Brodie's disposition was cool , calm, and collected. The only thing that would get him out of his nonchalant ways would be the occasional thunderstorm. He was the most low maintenance dog you could ask for in that way. What Brodie did have was Canine Epilepsy. For the past four years we have dealt with seizures with Brodie that were unsettling no matter how many times before you had gone through it. We were able manage most of his seizures with medication from the vet but the seizures never went away. In fact Brodie was my alarm clock 7 days a week at 6am as he would sit next to my side of the bed and grunt until I got up to give him & 7 their morning cheese with his medication. He would have a seizure about once every 3-4 months it would seem like. The seizures themselves were about 1 minute long in length but nonetheless a traumatic event to the guys health and to witness. This Thursday he happened to have a seizure while we were at work and he could not quite snap out of on his own. I actually came home early that day out of the blue at 4:30 since I had a client appt that ended in the afternoon and decided to come back to the house. I found the grumpy bear in the mist of his last seizure and felt absolutely helpless as I held him and said goodbye before he drifted into a peaceful sleep. The house feels so eerily different and lonely without him. Seven deeply misses his brother as do Rebecca , Jacob and I. We love you Brodie, we miss you so much!

Big Boy Room!!!

2009-08-25T19:12:00.004-05:00

Okay as promised I have finally finished Jacob's big boy room. It has taken me forever. One reason is because I am way to picky and couldn't quite narrow down exactly what I wanted to do. Secondly, have you ever tried to paint a room with a wild child running all around your feet and legs. Sometimes I could only paint to a certain height on the wall because I could go too low or someone would have their fingers all in it. What a mess. So here it is! Tell me what you think? I did all the painting by myself free-hand and that is probably what took the most time. In the Jungle, the mighty jungle the lion sleeps tonight...

Another Milestone Checked off the List !

2009-08-16T20:34:00.004-05:00

We have been waiting a while to get little mans hair cut. We finally broke down today and checked his first haircut off that milestone list. He was getting the early signs of a full on Billy Ray Cyrus mullet going on in the back so we needed to get it trimmed. So here are the pictures from our trip to Cool Cuts 4 Kids in Keller today.

Photographer Needed!!!

2009-08-12T11:27:00.005-05:00

Okay everyone I need your help. Jacob's first birthday is just around the corner and I am getting all the preparations out of the way. So expect to see your invitations in the mail next week and keep your calendar open for Sept. 5th @ 5pm open for cake and a party. What I need help on is a photographer. I really want pictures of his first birthday party and everyone that came along to join the fun, but I am a horrible photographer. I also didn't want to worry about taking pictures the entire time because I think I will have my hands full enough with a 1 year old running around and entire house filled with about 50 peopple. So if any of you have photography experience and a good camera or know of someone that I could hire for a really cheap price I would really appreciate it. Hey I will throw in some cake as a bribe! Just send me an email with their contact information.

11 Months

2009-08-09T17:32:00.002-05:00

I can't believe it Jacob is already 11 months old. He has changed so much in just the few months that we have known him. Trying to get a chair picture is harder than ever now that he is completely on the move and there is no stopping him anymore.

Music

2009-08-08T22:31:00.004-05:00

So I was playing around on the computer tonight and I figured that I really needed to add some music to my blog. I found a couple of my favorites songs, old and new. Tell me what you think? Half of them make me tear up thinking of my little boy and how much I love them. And a few are just because I love the melody and music. So for any of you readers out there are there any new or old songs that any of you really love, let me know. I would love to add some to my list. I always look at music as an escape or a way to capture a feeling that I just can't quit describe in words myself. I always use music as way to remember a time or moment in my life and it seems to help me get back to that feeling.

Daycare

2009-08-06T16:58:00.003-05:00

Okay I am a little stressed right now because it is finally going to happen on Monday. I am going to be dropping Jacob off for his first day of school. I am so happy to be going back to work, but also have the stomach pains about leaving my child all day with someone else. I know they are going to be great with him and he will do really well. I am just so use to being around him all day long, just the two of us. No matter what kind of day we would both have and how often I thought to myself I just want to back to work and be a human again and not have to listen to you whine and cry. I would always sneek into his room and cradle him at night. I really do love him so much and I am going to miss all the time we have been able to spend with each other. He is now 11 months old and I wouldn't change a thing about him. It has been a hard 11 months, but I wouldn't have traded it for anything. It was actually a blessing in disguise that I got laid-off at the time and looking back on it, it was the best thing that could have happened. Now I just need to get the courage to actually drop him on Monday morning and not pack him away in my work gear to bring him to the office. I don't think my new boss would appreciate me bringing my child to work on my first day. Or maybe she would? Just look at that face, how dare I go back to work?

Sneek Preview

2009-08-04T12:58:00.004-05:00

Here is a sneak preview of Jacob's new big boy room!!! I have been working on it for the past couple of weeks and I am almost complete.

Hurricane Season is Upon Us

2009-08-02T21:43:00.005-05:00

It's been a while since we have updated our blog so thought I would grace you with a post. We have started to affectionately refer to Jacob as "Hurricane Jake" as he can transform any room from organized to chaos in a matter of seconds. Dictionary.com defines Hurricane as anything suggesting a violent storm. I think anyone who has had the opportunity to watch after Jake now that he is upright and walking would attest to the fact that the nickname is appropriate in a good way (we love and thank you Nana, Mimi & Big Daddy). Just last night we spent the evening at our good friends house for an adult birthday party. These days adult birthday parties are few and far between but they are a much needed break. All of the adults there had kids of there own , I guess the point is that anyone out there with a child could nickname their child "Hurricane" as no clean room is safe with an infant/toddler on the loose. To offer up some photographic evidence I give you the before picture of our living room or the calm before the storm back when Jacob was merely a newborn:

Fast Foward 11 months and take a look at the living room:

This is only one of his play areas as the majority of the house seems to mimic this look. Our friends parents were at the bday party and offered up some good advice for those of us who are now parents ourselves. They said that we need to take advantage of all the fads/craze/in things that your kid is involved with and cherish all the moments we have because when you look back on it , it will have gone by so fast. This is so very true as a year ago our lives were so very different that I can hardly remember a time without Jake. So I guess I will try not to fret over the living room or house being a complete disaster after a "Category 5 Hurricane Jake" play session sweeps through because soon enough he will be able to pick up after himself. Until then we are going to have to batten down the hatches and board up the windows and doors because this Hurricane does not appear to be letting up anytime soon.

Our first steps

2009-07-08T19:13:00.001-05:00

We took our first steps today, what a milestone!!

A Little Motivation

2009-07-07T17:34:00.003-05:00

For the past few days Vince and I have been trying to get Jacob to start walking on his own. He has been doing really well cruising around the house and crawling all over, but just hasn't had the motivation to walk yet. I know that some of you are saying to prolong it as long as possible because once they start walking it's all over for us, the parents. My main reason for him to start walking is because of his poor knees. It's summer time and he has the roughest knees because I don't put him in pants. He mainly wears shorts but they just don't help cover his knees enough. The other reason is because his hands and knees are always so dirty. I've decided that if he has dirty knees after two days then it's time to mop the floor. He's my personal dirt monitor. So after many attempts of trying to get him moving to objects that maybe he was interested in to walk towards he would usually give up and just crawl over. But I think I have finally found something that just might entice him a little more than a toy. FOOD!!! And not just any food, MARSHMELLOWS!!! He loves them. So I bought a large bag of the tiny bite sized marshmellows and I always keep them handy in the living room just in case. I think it's a great invention. I always knew my kid loved food, just look at the size of him.

Lets do some dishes

2009-06-24T21:33:00.009-05:00

For those of you that keep up with Rebecca via FaceBook you have no doubt heard the stories of what the little man is up to lately. Today while Rebecca was in the bathroom Jake managed to find his way to the kitchen trash can and take a half eaten porkchop out of the trash and proceed to start chewing, sucking, and gnawing at it. This is not the only kitchen exploit of late, he has discovered that the dishwasher is the perfect height to climb on and has lots of not yet seen toys and gadgets:

He is under the impression that if he shoots you this smile that we will disregard the fact that he is doing something he is not suppose to be doing:

You might also notice his new hat. Its not that we are big fans of Charles Lindbergh and feel the need to outfit Jake in aviator hats from the 30's but rather this keeps him from pulling off his hearing aids. If you recall our April 21st entry Get That Hearing Aid out of your Mouth then you will know how hard this has been to keep him from pulling off his aids. For the time being the hat seems to work! I am not sure what we are going to do about the dishwasher and trash though!

Our Last Can!!!

2009-06-18T15:44:00.002-05:00

We are almost finished with our last can of baby formula. We are so excited. About 4 weeks ago we started Jacob on whole milk and formula together. I knew he would do great on the milk because he never had any trouble with cheese or yogurt. I think he actually prefers the milk over the formula. I would because it smells a whole lot better and probably tastes better, even though I never actually took a sip of formula. I just have had enough spit in my face from laughing. I am so thankful to not have to buy anymore expensive cans of this stuff, Jacob would go through a large can in about 4-5 days, that's about $50 dollars a week in formula alone. I swear I think all the baby formula companies have a monopoly on the market because they know families have to have it. Stupid companies trying to take advantage of families. Well at least it's over for now until the next is born and that is a long ways away!!!

Little Swimmer

2009-06-16T21:06:00.004-05:00

Vince took the day off to watch Jacob for me today while I worked this morning. When I got home it was such a beautiful day that we decided to head over to the community pool. We got everything together and Jacob looked so cute in his swim trunks. The pool was really busy with all kinds of kids and parents. We first headed over to the kiddie pool to make sure that Jacob was comfortable being in the water. He loves bath time so much we didn't think he would have too much trouble. We put him in his swimming tube and he took off. He was a little hesitant at first because it took some getting use to the cold water, but once he got over the shock we was fine. The kiddie pool wasn't too much fun for mommy and daddy so we decided to head over to the grown-up pool. Again Jacob was in heaven. He was a little unsure about floating in the water because his feet didn't touch the ground, byt he really enjoyed himself. After a few minutes he decided that he didn't want to be in the floaty tube and wanted daddy to hold him. He swam around awhile with daddy, but did not like being held out far away from daddy. He wanted both arms holding him the entire time. He did however like standing on the pool steps and hanging off of the stair rail. He kept reaching for the blue tiles and trying to pick them up. No such luck. Vince and I thought that maybe we could get him use to swimming if daddy and Jacob both went under water together. This is where it started to go down hill. He cried the entire time. He usually doesn't like to be held too much, but after that if we let go of him for just a moment he would scream. Poor baby!!! We soon packed up and decided that it was getting late and close to his nap time. We didn't want to ruin the pool for him and make it a bad experience because he was getting cranky. Overall I think he really enjoyed himself. We are definitely going to take advantage of the pool this summer. Maybe next year we will put him in swim lessons when he is a little older. Sorry we don't have any good pictures, we forgot the camera, but Vince was able to get one on his phone. I promise you he isn't crying. This is his new thing where he snorts and growls at us in excitment.

Great Weekend

2009-06-14T19:52:00.004-05:00

Vince, Jacob and I had a very much needed relaxing weekend together. Friday night we basically just lounged around the house cleaning up and watching T.V. It was fabulous. Jacob went to bed at his usual time and I think Vince and I both fell asleep before 10pm. That usually doesn't happen with me very much because unfortunately I am a night owl. I think I was worn out from the week and from the Friday ordeal. Earlier that morning I got a call from my dad saying that my mom wasn't doing too good and needed to go to the hospital. He rushed her over to the ER and they went ahead and admitted her because of her heart and breathing problems. She basically has been retaining fluid in her body and lungs and hasn't been able to get rid of it. The doctors all say this is typical after having heart surgery and that we shouldn't be concerned. Everything has checked out good and her heart is in great condition, actually better than before. So it's a good thing. They have kept her there until hopefully Monday or Tuesday and then she will get released. Yeah!!! On Saturday, Vince and I cleaned up around the house some more and did some yard work. The grass really needed to be mowed because of all the rain we got during the week. And now it looks picture perfect. Sorry honey I didn't actually take a photo. I promise I will next time. Then the three us headed to the grocery store to buy food for the family cook-out that night. We invited over some of our dear friends', the Carriers and the Wylies. Both families have a 3-year old and they get along great. It was perfect because they entertained each other while the grown-ups got to chit chat and catch up with each other. It was so much fun. It was also really funny to see the boys playing and running around with each other because it gave Vince and I insight to what to expect when Jacob is closer to that age. We can't wait! After dinner we all hung out and watch baseball, college and professional. Too bad the Rangers didn't win. Jill made a dessert, peanut butter pie. She found the receipe on the Pioneer Woman's website and it was so good. Unfortunately I only had one slice, but it's okay I think if I had anymore I would have gained about 10 lbs. It was a great evening. Thanks to the Wylies and Carriers for coming over and hanging out with us. We really did enjoy it. Sunday, again Vince, Jacob and I just hung around the house. Earlier I had bought Jacob two new toys, a basketball hoop and a baseball toy. He absolutely loves both of them. He immediately got the hang of the basketball hoop. I promise I will work on getting it on video real soon. It's super cute. He still has a little trouble with the baseball and the bat. He prefers to chew on each piece individually. But daddy is working on hitting with the left hand. I still don't understand why it's such a big deal to be left handend in the Major Leagues. If he sucks left handed it doesn't matter anyways, does it? Is there some special rule that if you are left handed and play baseball you are automatically drafted? If so, sign my kid up!!! Later that day we went to visit Mimi and Big Daddy at the hospital. She has been missing her little man and she desperately needed a fix. We stayed for about an hour before Jacob became too restless and needed his afternoon nap. It was nice to visit with them. Hopefully Mimi won't be in the hospital too long and we can come visit her at home. All in all it was a great weekend. Too bad the week has to begin.

Prayer Requests

2009-06-10T17:38:00.003-05:00

Okay I normally don't do this, but I am desperate. Things have been really stressful for me lately. I haven't been able to find a job in this economy and it is wearing me down to the point that I am becoming a little pissy and cynical. I hate to say it, but I am. The other thing that is bothering me is that Brodie seems to be having a few too many seizures. This stresses me out because it means that his condition is either getting worse or that we have to plan on him having more seizures more often. And lastly, today Jacob's latency test came back with abnormal responses. They aren't sure if his auditory nerve has hit a plateau or not. This means that we have to have more tests in the near future. So as you can tell I am pretty much at my wits end. I am asking everyone to please keep us in your prayers and thoughts. We really do appreciate it. This such a difficult time for us and we really do need it.

Latency Test

2009-06-09T08:58:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow Jacob will go with his Dad to Dallas to UTD Hearing and Speech Center for his Latency Hearing Test. This is his 3 month check-up to make sure that he is still on track with his hearing. There is a specific range that children his age should follow within that determines how quickly their ears and brain responds to sounds at different decibels and frequency. The first time Jacob took this test he fell within in that range. When we spoke to the doctor he said that it is very unlikely that once a child is within that range that they will fall out of it. I hope this is true for Jacob. I am asking everyone to say a prayer that things go great for Jacob and that his hearing only gets better.

Blogging

2009-06-08T21:18:00.002-05:00

Okay this might sound like a stupid question, but I have no idea how to do this through blogger. Does anyone know how to highlight a word and have it link to a webiste? How about a website address that will automatically connect you once you click on it? Help???

Cute Backgrounds

2009-06-08T21:02:00.012-05:00

For all you bloggers out there I found some really good sites that have some really cute backgrounds for your blogs. They are super easy to install and some of them come with blinkie buttons and glitter flashies and more. Check 'em out. simplychicblogs thecutestsiteontheblock

9 Months

2009-06-06T10:12:00.004-05:00

I can't believe how big my boy is getting. Everyday he amazes me with all the things he is learning and doing all by himself. He is already starting to stand without any help from anyone. He usually can do this for about 20-30 seconds and then of course plops on his bottom and giggles. He is really getting into the rythmn of cruising with the coffee table and sofa. We will sit down on one end and he will move all the way to us in a matter of seconds. Vince and I think he is going to start walking before he turns 10 months. I don't know, but we will see. He loves food and will pretty much eat anything we give him. He has eaten strawberries, bananas, peaches, pears, potatoes, green beans, carrotts, whole milk, yogurt, cheese, baby crackers, vienna sausages (the baby kind), and anything else he can get his hands on. He already has 6 teeth that have come through. These last two have been a bit of a downer because they have been the most bothersome of all. Normally he had no problems before, but for some reason these are keeping him up at night and a little bit more cranky. He is also excelling in the verbal department. He is learning to communicate much better with Vince and I. He has learned to play a few games and can recognize a few commands and words. He is already starting to say "dada" and "mama" a bit. He recognizes the words for a few toys, the dogs, his bottle, both Vince and I, bath time, and few other things. This first year is flying by and before I know he will be moving out of the house and onto college. Everyday I try to remember how special and awesome he is to be mine my little boy. He is the most precious thing I could have ever asked for. I love you little guy, you mean the world to your daddy and me.

Playing around in the Study

2009-06-03T15:45:00.007-05:00

So Jacob wanted to have a little fun in the office today while I checked my email and a few blogs. I know what you're thinking, "is his hand in the paper shredder?" And yes it is, but it's turned off and unplugged basically because of him.

Another One Completed

2009-06-03T08:20:00.004-05:00

Another project completed today. I had an old magazine box that usually was filled with Jacob's toys. So I figured I would dress it up a little to go with the whole toy theme that we have going on in the living room. I think I did a pretty good job. Someone else also likes it too!!! Got it! That's what I have been looking for this whole time!

Project Complete

2009-06-02T15:55:00.005-05:00

It's finally finished. I have been working on the drapes for Vince's office for months now. I started the leather cornice right after Jacob was born and installed it about two months later. I then started on the drape panels and completed one whole drape about 3 months after that. So today I finally finished the whole darn thing. I took Jacob over to Nana's house because there was no way I was going to get anything accomplished with him around house. I got to sewing around 12 noon and was done by 4:00pm. I can't believe it. This project has taken way too long, but at least I finally have my dining room back to normal. It's no longer the craft project room. So here are the pictures, what do you think? I was going for a gentleman's hunting theme.

These are the drapes that I actually sewed all by myself. I am so proud. I will never do it again! This is the leather cornice that took three people to hang. It was a doozy to get up on the wall.

Popsicle

2009-05-28T16:27:00.013-05:00

Okay my son is going to kill me when he gets older because of this video, but who cares that's a long ways off. So today I headed over to my parents' house after speech therapy to give them a chance to hang out with Jacob for awhile. Mom hasn't really had a chance to be around him much since she just got out of the hospital not too long ago. She is finally feeling better and was able to really enjoy being with him and playing. It was such a nice day outside that we decided to hang out on their back porch and get a little sun and shade in with a nice breeze. Dad figured it was a good thing to go ahead and give the dogs a bath because they kind of smelled a little funny after being in the kennel for a week. Afterwards, we all had popsicles to cool us off. Jacob loves popsicles, but hasn't quit mastered the art of how to eat them. They are kind of cold on his teeth and I think they give him brain freeze, but still he shoves them in his mouth. We striped him down to his diaper and straped him in the highchair and let he go at it. Once he was finally done, he was an absolute mess of stickiness, but still adorable. Mom suggested that I give him a full bath, but I just wasn't in the mood to do that at 2:30pm in the afternoon. So I got the brillant idea from my dad that we should just hose him off in the backyard. The water wasn't too hot or too cold, but just perfect. He loved it. I practically had to pry him of the iron bars to get him dry. It was so cute that we had to get it on video tape. Enjoy!!!

How my morning routine has changed in 8 months

2009-05-23T12:55:00.007-05:00

Before we had Jacob we knew , from family , friends, and the glaring obvious , that our lives would never be the same. With that said I just never knew I would be sitting at my desk on a Friday afternoon humming the theme to "Shaun the Sheep"! Don't get me wrong I am a fan of the show. Jacob and I usually get an hour in the morning together before Rebecca gets out of bed and we have a fairly consistent routine now. We drink our milk for 10-15 minutes in what seems is the only time of the day he will sit still for a period of time, then we are off to the races. First we empty the toy bin in the living room that mommy and daddy just got through organzing, once we have spread every toy out in the living room (which takes no longer than 5-10 minutes itself) , we then move on for daddy's attention and wrestles the sports page out daddy's hands with one hand and grabs for his cup of coffee from the coffee table with the other hand. Once we have shredded daddy's newspaper to a unreadable crumbled mess we move to the TV stand and start banging on the DVD Player, Daddy's Playstation, the VCR and grab for any wires within our grasp. At this point in time I usally tell Jake "No" and he will then proceed to cry for 5 seconds before becoming distracted by the DVD/VCR Tape Rack . He then moves for that at lighting quick speed and pulls every "Field of Dreams" "Full Metal Jacket" and Pilates exercise DVD/Tape off the rack and throws it on the floor. Once the living room is completely wrecked he will move on to terriozing the dogs. Brodie and Seven could not be any better with the way they behave around Jacob but to their credit they have learned to stay out of his way. Jacob usally spots a dog lounging on the floor from across the room and if he is interested will pounce on them like a cheetah hunting a gazelle. If quick enough he will pull their tail or grab a handfull of their coat and laugh as the dogs just look back at me with a "How long are you going to let this kid stay in our house?" gaze. The dogs now have caught on and when they see the cheetah coming they leave the room for the saftey of the grassland praires (our closet). By this time its usally 6:45am or 6:50am , this is the time for the "Hot Dog Song" on Disney's Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Jacob loves this song and it's worthy of it's own post in due time. So we sit there for a minute or two that the hot dog song is rocking out and Jacob stares with amazement. Once the song is over it's back to toys, dogs, and living room demolishment. At this time I am out of breath and begging to get into the office to take on something less physical like dealing with an IRS Auditor and working up a Statement of Grounds on a Sales Tax Redetemination for my clients. However before I get that that I usally catch the 5 minute interlude between cartoons on the Disney Channel which features "Shaun the Sheep"at this time. Dont get me wrong, I would not trade this new morning routine for anything on earth but it is exhausting chasing after an 8 month old with a mission. I absolutly adore, respect, and cherish Rebecca for her ablity to handle him for 10-12 hours a day , 7 days a week as it is no easy task. And when Jake gives us that great big smile and laugh it makes our day. For those of you that have not had the opportunity to hum the theme to "Shaun the Sheep" at your desk, enjoy:

Mom's Surgery

2009-05-21T14:37:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone if you want to get an update on my mom's surgery and recovery check out her blog at www.the-jacob-house.blogspot.com You can also find the link to the right side of my blog. I will keep updating it daily.

First Mother's Day

2009-05-11T08:40:00.004-05:00

It was my first official Mother's Day this year. I was about 5 months pregnant last year anxiously awaiting to meet our new bundle of joy. And boy is he. It was such an awesome day. Vince let me sleep in a little while he took care of Jacob in the morning. It is such a treat to always get a few hours of extra rest. Once we all got up and going, we headed over to pick up Nana Rita for lunch. We had a wonderful lunch outside and took some pictures. Jacob really enjoyed himself and behaved very well the entire time. He kept looking at the table next to us and talking out loud. I guess he figured everyone needed to know what he had to say. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful little boy. I couldn't imagine my life without him or what my life would be like if he was never around. He is the most precious gift I could have ever received and I thank my lucky stars that I have him. He is the cutest and most adorable little thing I have ever witnessed. He cracks me up all the time and always keeps me on my toes. I love you Boo Bear!!!

My favorite thing to do

2009-05-05T13:28:00.004-05:00

We have all heard the famous quote, "Never wake a sleeping baby!" But lately it has become one of my favorite things to do with Jacob. I usually start getting ready for bed around 9 or 9:30 at night. I brush my teeth, wash my face and change my clothes, if I am not already in my pj's. Then I will sneek into Jacob's room and pick him up out of his crib. He will usually wake up for a minute or two, but will then fall back asleep in my arms. We sit in the rocker and listen to music while I hold him and cuddle. If any of you know my child he doesn't sit for very long and is off to the next big adventure. So this is my time to be close to him and let him know how much I love him. He so sweet when he is sleeping and I swear I can actually tell what he is dreaming about. Sometimes he will make whimpering sounds, like he is chasing after mommy, daddy and the dogs. When he is awake he is always trying to attach us. This is such a precious time in his life that I always want to remember, so I try to take the time when I can because it is always so crazy around here that I don't want to miss a moment. I want to look back on our time together and know that I spent every chance I could to be with him, awake and sleeping.

Get that hearing aid out of your mouth!!

2009-04-21T21:43:00.003-05:00

When Jacob first got fitted for hearing aids we read accounts from other parents and heard from our Doctors that the children will put their hearing aids in their mouth or take them off all together all of the time. For his first 3 or so months of wearing the aids this was not a problem at all , lately however is a different story. This son of ours constantly has the hearing aids in his mouth sucking on them. We have bought one of the hearing aids and the other is a loaner from Cooks as we are still not sure if he will need aids long term or if we might go down another path for his hearing. It is to the point now where we leave the room for 2 minutes and come back and he has one or both in his mouth slobbering all over this $1500 piece of equipment. We had to send the loaner aid back to Cooks for some repairs as he gunked up the aid so bad. Fortunately we have not lost an aid or he has not damaged them to the point of no return. However the constant struggle with this child to keep on this gets tiresome. Therefore we are to the point of covering the aids in a "Nail No Bite" type product that tastes terrible and might deter him for sucking on these. Our other option would be to have him fitted for a football helmet so he can't get to his ears.

Photo shoot

2009-04-20T14:25:00.003-05:00

Today we took Jacob over to Picture People to get some cute photos of him. He did such a good job. Sometimes he smiled and other times he had really thoughtful look on his face. We got so many good shots of him and the family. Here are a couple of our favorites.

Easter 2009

2009-04-15T23:22:00.004-05:00

Vince and I started the day off at church at St. Patrick's Cathedral downtown in Fort Worth. We got there extra early because you never know how many people are going to show up for mass. It never fails that the two holidays people always attend church service for is Christmas and Easter. We ended up getting a whole pew to ourselves so we were able to keep Jacob pretty much entertained the whole time. He really does well during mass, but usually by the end he has had enough and is ready to either eat a meal or take a nap. Afterwards we headed over to my parents' home for Easter lunch. My mom had taken the time to put out the huge Easter eggs for Jacob to play with. These things are enormous. They are literally about 12 inches each egg. Oh and there were of course Easter carrots too!!! We had a great lunch with all of the family and even Jacob participated. Mom and I kept feeding him table scraps like potatoes and bread. I had even made some Easter cupcakes and we thought it would be funny to watch Jacob demolish one. Take a look at the second photo and see for yourself what became of the cupcake. He had it everywhere. And of course we got a full bath afterward. He had all between his fingers, his hair, up his nose and even some in his ears. He was a complete mess. Gotta love that kid. After we all had lunch and had cleaned up the Jacob mess, we played a little with all the gifts the Easter Bunny had brought. It was such an awesome day. Hopefully next year it won't run interference with the dreaded "TAX DEADLINE"!!! And maybe Daddy will be able to relax a little more and not have to run back home to finish tax returns.

Isn't he just the cutest little bunny you have ever seen? I know I'm a little biased.

Look at the messy face!

After bath time. He is such a hill billy baby. All he had on was a bib and a diaper. We had to wash and dry his clothes while he took a nap.

Easter Bunny

2009-04-09T19:38:00.004-05:00

Today my mom and I went grocery shopping at Carswell Airforce Base in Fort Worth for Easter brunch. We spent the whole day running around with Jacob and he was so well behaved. He cried a few times, but that's typical for him. While we were out we stopped by the BX to look at some things for Jacob in the baby department. Afterward we went and paid for our items. While we were in line the cashier had told us that the Easter Bunny was in the Food Court and we should stop byfor a visit. So we headed over. There weren't any other babies or kids at the time because it was around 2pm on a Thursday afternoon. So it was perfect. While I was with the photographer deciding which package of pictures to purchase, my mom and Jacob hung out with the Easter Bunny. It was hilarious. The Easter Bunny had Jacob cracking up and giggling the whole time, it was perfect. Usually we get a few good pictures of Jacob looking up and smiling, but this time I actually had a hard time deciding which one to purchase because they were all so good. He was having a blast. Take a look how cute my Boo Boo Bear is!!! I just love him.

7 Months

2009-04-06T18:25:00.002-05:00

The Easter Bunny

2009-04-05T20:31:00.004-05:00

Have not posted pictures in a while so here we go. Today we took the family down to TCU as they were having an Easter Egg Hunt and the Easter Bunny for Pictures. We were afraid that the weather would not cooperate as the wind was howling when we woke up this morning but it turned out to be a great day. We got plenty of good pictures with the family, Mrs. Easter Bunny and SuperFrog. Check out a few pictures of our day at TCU:

Maybe next year we can partake in the actual easter egg hunt!

No more hair!!!

2009-03-16T21:15:00.003-05:00

This is what happens when you shave a 40 lbs. lab mix. His head and ears get really big and he has a boney rat body. He looks so funny, but I don't care because all the shedding hair finally gone for at least a little bit.

6 months old

2009-03-16T17:02:00.004-05:00

I know this is a little late, but I still have to post a picture of my baby. He turned 6 months on 3-6-2009. He is up to so much. He won't stand still for a second. He loves to crawl all around the house and is now learning to pull up on things, like the coffee table, fireplace and sofa. Watch out world because Jacob is getting ready to walk!!!

One test down, Two to go...

2009-03-05T21:42:00.003-06:00

We are well on our way to meeting our PPO's deductible before we get out of the first quarter here in 2009. Jake had had his ABR (Auditory Brainstem Response Test) on Tuesday and tomorrow he will undergo an MRI and next week is a P1 Latency Test. The ABR is the same test he had at 6 weeks that told us initially we had some issues, this test basically measures how his brain responds to certain level of sounds. This does not tell us whether the sound he is hearing has clarity or if he can properly hear the sound but only that his brain is responding when levels of sound are input. The MRI will check to make sure the wiring (cochlea, auditory nerve, etc...) are formed properly and our issue does not lie with that avenue, which we are almost positive it's not. The P1 Latency Test will measure Jake's response time to understanding and interperting certain Ticket lingo & drops (inside joke for all you P1's). In all seriousness the Latency Test is going to tell us more about where he is at than any of the other tests. It will tell us the response time in which sound is being captured by his brain, and I think might tell us of the clarity but don't quote me on that because I did not go to medical school! Back to Tuesday's ABR, he did well. When he took the ABR at 6 weeks the lowest level of sound they could see his brain responding to was 65 decibels, this is about the level of a normal conversations. On Tuesday they got a response down to 20 decibels which is about the sound a mosquito when buzzing by ya. This is a nice improvement and perhaps shows his auditory nerve is progressing. Again the ABR does not tell us the clarity of the sound so we could still have an issue there but the Latency Test next week will give us more information to work with on that angle. The ABR and tomorrows MRI both require him to be sedated which kind of sucks to see little man go under like that. Rebecca held him while they administered a suppository to put him under for the ABR. With the way this boy goes through diapers its a wonder the medicine ever had a chance to work. After the test we got to go see him in recovery and he was glassy eyed and stretched out on a bed . When he saw Rebecca and I he gave this drunken smile nod as if to say "This is some Good Stuff, you guys got any peaches I'm hungry!". Lets see what we find out on tomorrows MRI, 1 down 2 to go!

Hearing Tests

2009-03-02T08:04:00.003-06:00

Okay for some of you that don't know this, but our son Jacob was diagnosed at birth with a hearing impairment. We have been working really hard these past few months on his speech and language development and getting him to listening to noises. He has been doing really great and we have had a lot of success with him. Tomorrow and the next couple of weeks will be a little rough on Vince and myself because Jacob will be going through some more hearing tests. It's all standard procedure, but none the less it's still a little nerve racking. We ask that you keep Jacob in your prayers that he will pass all of these tests with flying colors because it will show how much his brain and nerve have matured over the past few months. The more they mature, the better the chance he won't have to have implants when he gets older. So if you pray every day like I do, remember to add Jacob to your list.

Playground

2009-02-26T12:38:00.005-06:00

Little man and I went to the playground today across the street from out neighborhood. It was such a nice day that I figured we should go out and enjoy the weather and sunshine. Jacob loves being outside and looking all around what is going on. We played on the swing set and he was a little hesitant about it at first. But he absolutely loved it. It 's kind of like his johnny jumper, so he wasn't too scared of it once I started swinging him in it. He would get the funniest look on his face if it went to high, but mostly he enjoyed it. I tried swinging with him in my lap,but he just refuses to sit still. So that didn't last too long. The playground also had a small slide that he went down a few times. Of course I was holding his hands because I didn't want him to fall back and hit his head. He wasn't too excited about the slide. He pretty much could care less about it. So I picked him up and we tried the big boy slide on mommy's lap. Again he could have cared less and it was kind of tight. I guess slides aren't meant for big people. Oh well. Overall he really enjoyed himself and I love to get him out of the house just because it gets so boring being at home all the time.

I'm not sure about this thing Mommy!!!Okay maybe it's not so bad.

Hey I'm getting use to this thing. Swing me higher Mommy!!!

No that's not dirt on his forhead

2009-02-25T14:13:00.001-06:00

Today I took Jacob to church with me over at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton for Ash Wednesday. I knew that I would be getting ashes on my forhead, but I didn't know that they put them on babies. It was funny watching the deacon trying to put them on his forhead. He kept turning his head from side to side to see everything that was going on. He eventually just gave him a black dot in the middle. Jacob was so good during the mass, I was kind of scared to go by myself because usually it takes two of us to handle this child. He is so active. But the kids behind us entertained him, so he stood still in my lap looking over my shoulder for about 10- 15 minutes. It was so funny because he kept laughing and screeching all during the quiet parts of the service. He is too funny sometimes.

Two teeth

2009-02-23T13:59:00.005-06:00

Here's a quick picture of what Jacob's first teeth look like. They are coming in so fast.

Pictures from the week

2009-02-23T08:08:00.018-06:00

This past week was filled with all sorts of new and exciting things for Jacob. He has been perfecting his Army crawl. I will put him in one place and the next five minutes later he is all the way across the room. And of course he is reaching for all the wrong things that he shoudn't be reaching for. But I guess that's what curious babies do. He is also becoming a huge chatter box. There is never a dull moment when he doesn't have something to say. Whether he is letting mommy know he's hungry or that he is absolutely laughing at how silly mommy is being. We continue to work on his speech and his listening. Speech therapy is going great. So great that we have moved his appointments from once a week to once every other week. Great news that he is progressing so well. The teething thing is getting better. We officially have two teeth that have broken through the gums. I can't believe he got two at the same time, but I guess it means we will get through this much quicker. So hopefully he won't be too fussy much longer. He really has been good through all of it. The only issue we have been having is that he keeps waking up more during the night and can't fall back asleep. Other than that he is chewing on everything in sight, burp cloths, toys, remotes, and watch your fingers. This week I also bought Jacob his first pair of tennis shoes. He probably won't be needing them for awhile, but I figured what the heck. With the way he is going he will probably be walking by eight months. That is so scary to think of, a very mobile baby means no time for mommy. Here are a few pics that I took during the week.

5 months old. It's getting harder to take pictures of him in the chair because he just can't seem to sit still for a second. He is always trying to get into something!!! He is also getting much better at sitting up all by himself. It's kind of the last thing on his list since sitting requires him to be in the same place for more than a minute.

See what I mean. He's got that look in his eyes that he is up to something.

Dinner time at the Porter house.

Jacob loves to eat. We have already tried carrots, squash, green beans, peas, sweet potatoes, applesauce and a few other Stage 2 foods. Look at that messy face, I just love it!!!

Bath time.

This is what happens after we are done eating. He loves the water. I hope he loves it when he gets older and he is learning how to swim.

Play time.

Jacob can pretty much entertain himself. But he loves to sing songs and play games with mommy and daddy. He has so many toys to play with that Daddy has forbidden Mommy to buy anymore until his first birthday. But every once in awhile Mommy sneaks a few in.

1st Tooth

2009-02-11T17:50:00.002-06:00

Like I said in the post before this one my baby is getting so big. I was feeding him dinner tonight and I noticed that he kept biting the spoon with his gums. And for some odd reason it felt like the spoon was pulling on something. So I took a look and wouldn't you know it, his first tooth is breaking through the gums. It's his left bottom front tooth. He's been such a good boy about all of it. Not too fussy or irritated. Hopefully when it really starts coming in I will be able to get a good picture of it.

5 months old!!!

2009-02-10T20:11:00.005-06:00

Yeah Jacob is finally 5 months old!!! I can hardly believe it. He is getting so big and active. Every day he is surprising me with all the new things he is doing. Right now he is crawling all over the place. I will put him down in one spot, turn for a second and look back and he is completely on the other side of the room. It's so cute. He doesn't quite have the crawling thing down perfect, but he's learned to do the worm on his tummy. The funny thing about all of it is that he still can't still up all by himself yet. Basically it's because he can't stand to sit still for a moment. If he is in the same spot for two long he totally goes crazy. He is also talking up a storm. He's learned how to blow raspberries and loves doing this especially after eating. So basically mommy is covered in baby food and formula. But who cares, he's so cute. So here are a few pictures that we've taken over the past few days.

Having fun in the Einstein, but now he is starting to hate it because he can't move around in it.

My big boy just crawling around on his tummy. Loving all the freedom he has.

Mommy better be careful.

He loves his squash and peas. Of course he hates rice cereal,

but can you blame him it tastes like wallpaper paste. I just love this picture. Mommy quite pointing that flashing thing in my face.

This sums it all up...

2009-02-05T18:42:00.004-06:00

I came across this letter the other day and felt like it pretty much summed up my life as a stay at home mom. I love being home all day with my little man, but unfortunately other parts of my life seem to get further and further a way from me. I feel so guilty when people try to call or email me and I forget to get back with them. It's just so hard when you are constantly on the go with the daily activities such as feeding, bathing, playing, changing diapers and then trying to get a baby to take a nap is nearly impossible sometimes. This is just a small example of the day to day activities and doesn't even include household chores, that's another entire day. it's not all bon bons and soap operas. I guess what I am trying to say is, yes it is exhausting staying a home, but I wouldn't change a thing. I just want all those people out there that don't have children to understand because one day they will be in my shoes and I promise not to laugh or judge. I will patiently await for their phone call to say that they finally get it.

Four Month Chair Picture

2009-01-14T21:49:00.001-06:00

We took Jake’s four month picture in the chair. The pictures are 1 month in the top left, 2 months bottom left, 3 months top right, and 4 months bottom right.

Here are a few good pictures we took over the holidays :

Santa Jake

Happy Jake

Jake & Mommy

Vince is turning 30!!!

2008-12-22T19:07:00.010-06:00

Okay so Saturday night I was able to surprise the hell out of my husband. I threw him a surprise birthday party with all of his friends and family. I felt so bad because I had been lying to him for about two weeks so that I could keep it a secret. We had so many friends and family join us for the special occassion. I have to say a huge thank you to everyone for coming and for keeping it a secret because he had no idea. Thank you to all that helped me out because I was a mess and could not have done it without you. We had so much fun and really enjoyed ourselves. Vince was so surprised and happy to have all the company over at the house. He had been bugging me for about two months saying that we really needed to have an annual Christmas party every year. But I kept saying it was going to be too much trouble and that we just didn't have the room. So it was really hard not being able to tell him, but it was all worth it. I just didn't know what to get him for his birthday or Christmas because he is so hard to shop for so I figured the best gift would be celebrating with family and friends. Vince is a really big family man and he loves making memories with everyone.

The Texas State Bobcat Birthday cake. And yes there were 30 candles!!!

The Birthday boy blowing out all 30 candles!!!

Bryan and Jennifer. She's expecting and around 18 weeks pregnant!!!

Amera and Aly. I think Aly is up to something, you never know!!!

Ashlee and Braxton. She is also expecting and is around 18 weeks pregnant!!!

I hope everyone enjoyed themselves. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Better Late than Never

2008-12-22T19:01:00.002-06:00

Okay so here are Jacob's three month photos. Vince and I decided to celebrate with a Christmas chocolate cake. Isn't he so cute. Sorry for the delay, I promise I will get better at posting once the holidays are all over.

Santa's Little Helper

2008-12-11T20:41:00.001-06:00

Well Vince and I went to Northeast Mall on Sunday to take Jacob to see Santa. We stood in line for over 2 hours. We decided to take shifts to go shopping because it was so boring just hanging out in line. Jacob did awesome because he was asleep the entire time. We finally woke him up a few kids before it was his turn. We figured he would wake up once we put him in Santa's arms so we decided to wake him up so that we didn't have a cranky groggy baby for the picture. Here's the picture, what do you think? He's so darn cute. Hopefully next year he will have more of a clue what is going on.

Disco Elves

2008-12-07T21:02:00.003-06:00

Can you hear me NOW!!!

2008-12-04T21:13:00.006-06:00

Okay this is going to be a long blog, but I wanted to share with everyone one of the most amazing days of my life. Today was probably the most exciting and thrilling day for Jacob, Vince and myself. Hooray!!! Jacob got his new hearing aids today and it was the perfect gift for Christmas.

As most of you all know Vince and I have been dealing with the recent hearing diagonsis of our son, Jacob. He has Auditory Neuropathy, which is a hearing impairment that means he can still hear sounds at certain levels, but the sounds don't quite synchronize with his brain. The first step of treatment to help minimize his hearing loss is to fit him with hearing aids. The aids are meant to allow for sound to travel directly to his ear and to continue stimulating the auditory nerve that transmits sound signals to the brain. Getting the hearing aids today was such a blessing. The appointment took about 2 and half hours of testing and learning all about how the aids work and to properly care for them. Trust me they are expensive so we want to know exactly how to take care of them. Right now Jacob currently has two aids, one for each ear. One is a loaner aid provided by Cooks Children's Hospital and the other we purchased ourselves.

At the beginning of the appointment we tested Jacob's hearing using a sealed sound booth. It is pretty much the same kind of test we all received when we were in elementary school. Now don't laugh because even though I think my baby is a genius, he didn't raise his hands when we turned on the sounds. I think that might have freaked me out a little because he can't even roll over by himself. The main difference with this test is that small tube micorphones were placed in both of his ears and we looked for body responses from Jacob while he was sucking on his bottle. Basically when babies are sucking on a bottle or paci when they hear sounds it causes them to stop the sucking motion in order to respond. Sometimes they raise their eyebrows, their pupils can widen or their head my flinch. Jacob's audiologist said that he was the poster child for the test because he showed great results. She was able to determine that Jacob has a mild hearing loss, which means he can hear sounds at a conversational level and that quite whispers are where his hearing gets a little fuzzy. Still great news, because it means that this whole time that Vince and I have been playing, singing and talking to him he has been able to hear us. All that hard work paid off. Just kidding!!! Being with our baby is the most precious and exciting thing for us to do, so it's not really work, just awesome play time.

After the appointment was over, Jacob and I headed back home, while Vince went to work. Jacob was awake for about an hour after we got home, so he wore his aids the whole time and then he quickly fell asleep. His poor little brain was on over drive and he needed a break, so he slept for about 3 hours. And believe me he needed it, because we have been sleep training for the past week because he doesn't really like to take naps. But he went down with really no problems. He woke up a little bit before 5pm and it was time to put his aids back on his ears. He is only suppose to wear the aids during all waking hours of the day and not really during his sleep. It's not that the aids would do anything to him during his sleep, it's just that they can be uncomfortable on his ears while pressing down on the mattress and his head.

So we started to put the aids back on and they look easy enough to mess with, but try dealing with a moving target. It does get easier, it just takes practice. And they fit perfectly. Once we got the aids back on and he had a refreshing nap, it was like a whole new baby. I have never seen him so excited and giddy over all the toy sounds that we started playing with. He was laughing and smilling the entire time and was so intrigued by the toy piano keys. I know this might sound corny, but I pretty much cried a little to myself because it was the most touching and amazing thing I have seen so far. Vince and I have been truly blessed with this miracle baby boy. The one thing that I wished could have happened is that Vince didn't get to see much of Jacob in action. By the time Vince got home from work Jacob was winding down and it was getting pretty close to bedtime and he started to get a little cranky. I guess babies will be babies.

So to wrap up this whole experience, I would have to say it was eye opening and awe-inspiring. Learning all about Jacob's condition has made me so aware of all the wonderful things God has given me. I have a wonderful and caring husband. A beautiful home that I take so much pride and enjoyment in decorating. An awesome family and circle of friends. And of course a healthy and extraordinary baby boy that has touched my life in so many ways he will never know how much. I couldn't ask for more. So I want to say thank you to everyone for taking the time to read this blog and caring so much. All the wonderful words of encouragment and prayers have gotten us to where we are now. I've said it before and I will say it again, Vince and I have been truly blessed.

Jacob with his first pair of hearing aids. Isn't he too cute for words. Pardon all the drool on the bib, this child just can't keep it in his mouth.

This is the right ear hearing aid that is on loan from Cooks Children's Hospital.

And this is the left hearing aid that we purchased. Notice that it is nude colored. We figured when he gets older and if he is still wearing a hearing aid he can choose his own color next time. I figured nude went everything, I am such a girl.

Decorating for Christmas

2008-11-30T18:29:00.017-06:00

Christmas is our favorite time of year. It has become somewhat of a tradition that on the Friday after Thanksgiving we get down the decorations and get to work. Hauling down boxes and decorations from the attic is a total whipping, so is testing light strings to find the one light that is burned out that is keeping the entire sting from lighting up. Aside from these small nuances we love getting ready for Christmas and this time of year. Here are some pics of our process this year:

This is the outdoor portion of our mess this year.

Once assembled this might resemble a Christmas tree!

Rebecca and Jake are busy making cheesecakes for Christmas Parties.

Making sure each light works, each light is evenly spread out and working is no easy process.

Seven is trying to figure out why I have been outside for 2 hours and won't let him out.

The finished product. Not Christmas related but a good pic, Jacob holding his head up trying to figure it all out.

2 Month Old Pics

2008-11-25T21:55:00.010-06:00

Jacob is now 11 going on 12 weeks old. Here are two pictures of him at 1 month and 2 months old.

1 Month

2 Months

Audiotory Neuropathy

2008-11-08T14:58:00.002-06:00

This is what Jacob has preliminary been diagnosised with. Below is a link for information if anyone would like to know more about the condition. http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/neuropathy.htm

Appointment with Otolaryngologist

2008-11-08T06:21:00.001-06:00

We met with the Otolaryngologist (Dr. Bauer) on Wednesday for the first of many times. In the event you did not know, an Otolaryngologist is an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor, one of many new things we are going to learn about. The appointment was not really so much about a diagnosis but rather talking about what we can expect from here. Dr. Bauer told us that this is most likely permanent and we have to see where to go from here. One of the things that the he ruled out is that this has nothing to do with ear infections and goes way beyond anything tubes could help with. His hearing loss is most likely due either an illness, genetics, or perhaps the hardware is simply not put together correctly. In any event we have an upcoming appointment with the audiologist again on November 13th to get another ABR test (Auditory Brainstem Response) test; this is the same test he received back in mid October that gave us this original news. The doctors want to see if they can get more information than what they received previously; this will all go to help diagnosis the underlying problem. We also have an appointment lined up with a Speech Therapist that we will likely be visiting once a week for quite some time. We are also going to have some genetic testing done to see if we can get more information as to the “Why”, this will also likely help with the diagnosis. In Feb/March timeframe we will have an MRI to see if his ears are developed properly or if that is part of the problem. In between all of this we are going to be getting some hearing aids to see if this may help, however it is likely it will not as the doctors feel this is more of getting him use to having something on his ear for the future. If it’s determined that a cochlear implant will benefit Jacob then we can look at doing this surgery at around one year of age. All of this is being done so that we can give Jacob the best chance at being able to hear, speak normally, and develop just as any other child his age. It is going to be far more difficult, time consuming, and challenging than we ever anticipated but Rebecca and would not trade this for anything.

He's going to be a genius

2008-11-02T14:43:00.001-06:00

Here's just a little video of the little man hard at work!!!

A Sweet Treat

2008-11-02T14:34:00.000-06:00

Here's a couple photos of our Halloween NightItsy Bitsy Spider

He was orginally suppose to be a tiger but he out grew his costume.

Scary Face

Texas State Bobcat

Justin, Jill, and Jason joined in the halloween fun with their painted pumpkins!

Hearing Loss Reversed in Animal Study Using Cord Blood

2008-10-30T09:53:00.000-05:00

I checked my email this morning and had a newsletter from Cord Blood Registry where we banked Jake's Cord Blood. Apparently there might be a chance to use the cord blood to restore hearing. Obviously we still wont know what is going on and what steps are necessary but this is a remarkable to me. Cord blood stem cells have the ability to help restore hearing, according to a study published last month in Cell Transplantation. In the study, which used animal models, subjects treated with cord blood stem cells showed significant healing to the damaged portion of the sensory hair cells and neurons in the inner ear, while non-treated subjects continued to show serious damage. According to David Eve, Ph.D. at the University of South Florida, "This study provides hope for a potential treatment for the repair of hearing impairments." Hearing loss is the most prevalent birth defect in America today, affecting 2-3 infants per 1,000 births http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/120350.php

Changes and Perspective…

2008-10-25T11:45:00.000-05:00

Rebecca gave me the password to this site to allow me to jot down my thoughts. The truth is that I am not much of a blogger, I simply do not have the stamina to write continuous entries to keep people coming back, and a semiannual blog post would be pretty boring to the readers. Plus the English language and punctuation baffle me, it is a wonder how I skated through college level English much less high school! I have to admit that this whole situation with Jacob has caught me off guard. When he failed his first 2-3 hearing screenings while in the hospital after delivery I thought nothing of it as the nurses assured us that is was most likely due to fluid in his ears. Then when he went back a week later for a follow up hearing screening and failed I felt the same way. Jake and Rebecca went to the audiologist twice, the first time Jacob needed to sleep through the tests to get a good reading and he was bright eyed and fussy. The second time was last Thursday when we received this latest prognosis. When Rebecca called me after the test I was completely baffled as to what she was telling me. I never allowed myself to think that the earlier tests were nothing more than fluid or simply Jake being fussy. My initial denial was to question the validity of the audiologists test results or maybe its still just fluid, no way could Jake have any issues. When Rebecca called me that day she could barely converse with me as she was so beat up by the news. I was simply in shock and just kind of sat at my desk after our conversation (as I was at the office when she called) and thought, alright what do we have to do now? The only time I got visible upset was when I drove home that day pondering the situation. Is it possible that our son could miss out on the joys that we all associate with hearing? One of my favorite things to do is to sit on the back porch during a thunderstorm and listen to the thunder and rain beat down, will Jake miss out on this? I am an avid hunter and can not wait until Jake gets old enough to join me, will he ever get to hear that Buck rubbing against a tree in the brush or perhaps a dove cooing in a distance? More importantly will he be able to react to the dangers that sound alerts you to like a police/ambulance siren, horn honking, or to go back to the hunting scenario that bear growling behind him. I know the bear scenario is over the top and I am being lighthearted but hey it could happen. The situation that deeply sadden me the most was to think if he can’t hear he might not be able to develop the ability to speak properly. Would this mean the Rebecca and I would miss out on the treasured parent moment of hearing their child say “Dada or Momma” for the first time, might he not be able to speak at all? I must say that the outpouring of support we have received via this blog from family and friends is overwhelming. It is so great to have such a strong support group to get through this. I have gotten many messages to give a unique perspective on the situation and it really helps Rebecca and I cope with the situation. After a day or so of research it appears that with the cochlear implants or perhaps hearing aids Jacob may be able to hear that bear growling at him after all and lead a relatively normal life. We simply will not have much information until we meet with the Ear, Nose, and Throat Doc on November 5th but I can say I am becoming more optimistic as I educate myself to this change. We love you all who have provided words of encouragement; you all mean the world to our family! Vince

God only gives us what we can handle...

2008-10-23T23:07:00.000-05:00

Today was not a good day for Vince and me. It was one of many doctor's visits for our little baby Jacob. We went to the doctor for our scheduled hearing test at the Cook's Children's Pediatric Rehabilitation center. Jacob and I were there for over two hours and walked out with not so good news. For those of you that don't know, since birth Jacob has had many hearing tests to determine if he has any hearing loss. Some of the tests he has passed and some he has failed. Unfortunately today we received bad news for both ears. Right now it has been determined that he has moderate to severe hearing loss in both ears and it looks like it could possibly be permanent. We don't know the exact extent of his hearing loss, but it looks like our little man will have to either live with hearing aids for the rest of his life or as a family we will all have to learn sign language. He has another doctor's appointment on Nov. 5 that will give us the final determination of his diagnosis. So the next two weeks are going to be agony for Vince and me because things are still too early to determine which path God is going to have us travel. As I type this letter, my eyes are filled with tears. As a mommy, I only want the best for my baby and I don't want anything bad to ever happen to him. I only wish I could take on this burden myself and Jacob doesn't have to go through this. I recall the day he was born and remember the old saying, "I never knew I could love someone so much without knowing them." Well I am here to tell you that your love only grows deeper and deeper and more meaningful in more ways than you will ever know. So when I heard the news all I could do was hold my baby as tight as I could to keep my heart from breaking. I love him so much. So for now until we determine what path our little man will be taking, Vince and I ask for you to pray your hearts out for the best possible diagnosis, whatever that might be. We love our little baby so much and it’s all in the hands of God and we have complete faith in him. He only gives us what we can handle and the strength to handle it. I just try to remember all the wonderful things God has given us and smile. So I leave you with this small little video of one of the most precious things God has blessed Vince and I with, our miracle baby.

Sunglasses

2008-10-16T00:05:00.000-05:00

My future is so bright, I've got to wear shades...

Smile...

2008-10-15T23:53:00.000-05:00

Well it's official, it finally happened!!! Jacob smiled!!! He actually smiled all by himself and it wasn't gas because he kept doing it over and over. I had just finished feeding him his afternoon meal and he was ready to play. I starting making funny noises at him as he stared up at me with those beautiful blue eyes. And he broke out the most amazing smile. Unfortunately I didn't have the camera ready because it was completely unexpected. I did however have to call his daddy to tell him the good news. Vince demanded to see this smile in person and couldn't wait to get home from work to witness it personally. So when he walked in the door, Jacob and I were ready to show him our huge accomplishment. And he did it again. SMILE!!! Here is a picture of one of his smiles the next day. Sorry I couldn't get him to smile that much. guess he was having an off day or maybe I just wasn't as funny anymore.

1 month

2008-10-12T22:12:00.000-05:00

Okay I know this is over a week old, but figured better late than never. Jacob is (1) month old. It is unbelievable how much he has grown in just one month. He is doing great. He has learned to hold his own head up without much help. His legs are getting so strong. I think he will probably start walking pretty soon. He is great at tummy time and loves to cuddle with Mommy and Daddy. So far he is getting pretty good at sleeping through the night. We finally got him use to sleeping in his crib and not in bed with Vince and I. We are so enjoying that part. Vince and I can't wait until he gets older and recognizes us and squeals with excitement!!! We can't wait for Halloween because Jacob has the cutest little outfit to wear. He is going to be a tiger. I hope the outfit will fit him by then, but if not we will at least get a few pictures of him in it. We are so excited about the upcoming holidays because he will be getting more of a personality as he gets older. We just can't wait.

First Post

2008-10-12T17:45:00.000-05:00

So I decided to go ahead and switch to this website because it just seemed logical and easier. I will try to keep this website updated as much as possible with all wonderful events that are going on in the Porter House. Check back often to find out what we are up too!!!