HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACOB!

Jacob turned FIVE yesterday!

Because I am a sentimental sap, I wanted to take a little look back at the past five+ years.

An ultrasound picture of Jacob. We didn't know if he was going to be a boy or a girl...

Here I am at 35 weeks along. I carry way out in front and people often asked if I was having twins...

With friends at my baby shower. If only I could recreate this picture today along with all of our children, there would be 15 people in the picture, and 2 pregnant women (if I counted right!!)...

I went into labor around midnight on Halloween. About 37 hours later, at 12:57 pm on Nov. 2, 2003, Jacob was born! Our doula took this shot of Chris and me right after he arrived and we found out we had a beautiful little boy!

Jacob needed some respiratory therapy, but once he was doing well again, Chris asked if he could go out to the lobby and let everyone know. My dad got this shot of him running out, yelling, "IT'S A BOY!!!"

In the hospital. I thought he was gorgeous!

A few days old

One year old

17 months old. June, 2005. Just before Natalie was born, getting a big kiss!

December 2005. Two years old, identifying letters of the alphabet he saw on the television screen.

April, 2006. 2 1/2 years old. Actually looking at the camera!

June 2006. Singing "twinkle, twinkle, little star" in the bath. At the end he says "ready, set, go!" a couple times. This was amazing language for him at the time, especially the singing!

3 1/2 years old. June 17, 2007. In the hospital after Sydney was born.

4 years old. November, 2007.

Easter family picture, 2008 (minus Sydney, who was napping!)

September 2008. First camping trip!

And a few things about Jacob:

• He loves SpongeBob & Scooby Doo
• He is learning to speak using sentences
• He just learned how to drink out of an open cup!
• He is starting to label people with the right names more and more often, and is starting to say "hi!" without being prompted.
• His eyes are gorgeous grayish blue with gold in the middle.
• He is about 42" tall and 51 lbs
• He loves to play games on the computer, and is especially fond of memory type matching games right now
• He gets a silly smile on his face everytime he sees the picture of a soldier he is learning about in therapy. And he loves to come up to me and say "Soldier" with a huge grin. We're not sure what about it makes him so happy, but it is obvious it does!
• He excitedly says "Mommy and Daddy!" when he sees what looks like a mom & dad together on television.
• His favorite thing to eat (other than sweets or chips!) is cheese and crackers. Or bacon. Not sure which.
• His favorite drink is strawberry milk.

Happy Birthday Jacob! We love you!