

Jake mastered the tummy to back roll over a while ago (see: http://babybalice.blogspot.com/2009/12/thats-how-jake-rolls.html ), but this week he finally figured out the back to tummy roll! He was VERY close for weeks, but couldn't quite get get his arm out from under him...until now!
Jake also loves to practice "standing" and he looks like a little surfer boy while trying to balance himself on mommy's lap :)
Jakey had his 4 month check up on Monday and here are his current stats: 15. lbs. 7 oz. (between the 50th & 75th percentile) and 26.75 inches long (still in the 95th percentile!) The nurse who gave him his shots was shocked that he was only 4 months old. My constant reply to people who comment on his size is "I know, he's a big boy!" What else am I supposed to say? I'm hoping he stays tall even though he does not get that from his mommy or his daddy! I have tallness on both my mom and dad's sides of the family though, so hopefully Jakey has those tall genes!!
As much as I hate needles/giving blood it is much worse to see Jake get his vaccinations. Poor baby! The screams and tears from the pain of the needles are just horrible. And when he looks at me like 'why are you letting them do this to me mommy?' it just breaks my heart. I know it's for the greater good, but it's REALLY hard to watch! Luckily he did not get a fever from this round of shots, and though we did give him some Tylenol just to be safe, he seemed to recover really well.
Besides the shots, the appointment went really well and the pediatrician gave us the ok to start Jake on rice cereal (which we had already been giving him!) and then baby food once he gets used to the cereal. He is still trying to figure out the spoon thing and his swallowing needs work, but practice makes perfect, right? He has already been a messy eater with just bottles of formula, so we know that his food will go everywhere! So far he has had cereal and applesauce, and tonight we tried peas for the first time. Since he is still getting the hang of the whole eating thing, we are going to wait until he gets a little better at it before we start him on any other foods. Can't believe he gets to start eating already!!! Before we know it, he will be walking & talking...
Hope everyone has a great weekend!


the proof that baptisms are exhausting
I don't have the energy to write very much, but wanted to share the photos from Jake's Baptism on Sunday. He was a champ and didn't cry (or screech) once! In fact, he slept through the oil-on-chest portion of the ceremony, and didn't wake up until the "bath time" portion! Luckily, the warm water and sleepy baby make for an ideal baptism candidate. The only hiccups were the outfit - which we did not practice putting on him and it took FOREVER to get him in it - and the fact that the Deacon-in-training kept calling Jake by the wrong name (Jacob). I know "Jacob" is biblical and all, and we were in church, but that is NOT his name! I kept my mouth shut on that one, which was REALLY hard. We did receive his baptismal certificate in the mail today and it says Jake, so at least it is correct on paper!
After the ceremony, we had a party back at the house, and a good time was had by all. At least I think so! Since we are on a tight budget now (babies will do that to you!), I had to cook for the party people instead of calling a caterer. My hard work in the kitchen paid off, and my lasagnas and cross cookies and cupcakes were a big hit! The only thing I didn't make was the salad, which came from Big D's!!!! Big D's was a restaurant I used to work at in high school and they had THE BEST creamy Italian salad dressing ever! My mom and I joke that there was crack in it :) Sadly, the restaurant closed down several years ago but they just reopened for catering only! It was seriously the best day ever when I found out that I could eat the crack dressing again. If I could have it "catered" everyday for a party of 1 I would. Thanks mom and dad for the amazing salad and for sponsoring my dressing addiction!
Thank you to everyone who attended - it meant so much to have you there to share in Jake's special day. And thanks for all the wonderful gifts for Baby Jake! Thank you to Jen (Bad Girl) & Mark (OGBG) Valdez for proudly accepting the important position of being Jake's Godparents - we love you guys and are so happy that you are such an important part of Jakey's life and that our baby boys get to grow up together! THANK YOU to Barb and Geary-Ellen, Christine & Elizabeth for all of their help on the weekend - they helped me in the kitchen and also helped watch Jakey while I was busy with party prep. They also took charge of cutting the lasagnas and refilling the bread, cheese, dressing, etc. You girls are awesome and I couldn't have done it without you! And last but not least, thank God for the unseasonably warm weather! Short sleeves in January? Only in California. It was so nice out that most of the party sat outside on the patio (if it had been cold or rainy it would have been way too crowded indoors and we would not have had enough seating for everyone!)
We are so glad that Baby Jake is now blessed and baptized (and that we don't have any more parties to plan for a while), and we thank God every day for our beautiful baby boy!

As promised, Jakey's pterodactyl call! Apparently, it works on cats too.
I should be working on stuff for Jakey's baptism or Jackie's baby shower, but I am entirely too tired to get up from the couch right now. Jake is asleep in his crib, Joe is asleep on the couch next to me and I should be sleeping too, but instead I am blogging. It's my outlet...
Jake is just getting over cold #2, and (crossing my fingers and knocking on wood with the other hand) is FINALLY done with the ear infection that outlasted the Energizer Bunny. I'm so over the day care thing - the other babies are cute and all, but their snotty noses are not ok. Jakey is entirely too young to be exposed to so many "snotty kids." Hopefully we will have an alternative child care solution figured out ASAP. I still think one-on-one care is the way to go. I can't deal with any more 19-year-old nannies though. Sigh.
We are looking forward to Jake's baptism this weekend and hoping he will be a good boy during the ceremony (as in no tears and no pterodactyl calls - although, the latter would be pretty funny to hear in church). Despite my best efforts to keep his fingernails trimmed, he has managed to scratch himself twice this week - once on the nose and once on the cheek - so the baptism pictures will turn out awesome! :) As I said before, babies are unpredictable! It's a good thing they are so adorable, as this outweighs the holiday screamfests and what I like to call the the trifecta: spit up, projectile pooping and the peepee fountain all at the same time (yes, this has happened before...right Elizabeth?!?!)
Hope you all are enjoying the first full week of 2010! I have been a good girl so far and have NOT broken my resolution about the fried foods. Even when tempted with two baskets of tortilla chips on Saturday I restrained myself (and then proceeded to eat an ENTIRE super burrito because I didn't eat any chips as my appetizer course! But a burrito is better for me than deep fried tortilla chips, right?) I know we are only 5 days into the year so far, but this no fried thing is hard! Especially since I was pregnant for most of 2009 and gave myself carte blanche on food. I loved my "Brat"ney (as in B. Spears) Taco Bell pregnancy diet almost as much as I love using parentheses and smiley faces :) So wish me luck that I can handle another 360 days of BAKED chips...at least I can have caffeine and alcohol this year!