Our Crazy Month of December

December was filled with illnesses, airline woes, and more illnesses, but we still managed to have a super fun Christmas and exciting New Year's. We started the month with a visit from Grandma, who arrived not feeling so great. She was rather under the weather the whole first half of her visit, but we finally managed a short shopping trip to Laguna Beach.

First order of business - breakfast in the living room! (Looks like Grandma approves.. :)Grandma, Jacob & Mommy at sunset with the Pacific Ocean behind us in Laguna Beach.

I think Grandma blinked on this one..Pausing along the boardwalk..
What happened to that sunset??
The hills of Laguna Beach in the early evening moonlight. Jacob calls the moon "mmmm".Jacob holding Flat Stanley (our friend Thailei's school project) with the Laguna sunset behind him.Warming up at BJ's Pizzeria - Grandma helping Jacob color.

Mama's Lap: No Better Place to Throw Up

(Another update from December.......)
I can now officially say that I have been thrown up on. Like, not partially, not just 'nearby'.. but completely and totally puked on. Oh well, what are moms for, anyway? I remember throwing up on my mom at least once, so this is the cycle of life. :) He didn't know what was happening to him when he would feel sick, so he would come moaning over to me and next thing you know.... oops... on my lap.

My poor sick boy... I didn't realize how he must have felt until I got the same virus the very next night. We had his pull-out 'sofa' in the kitchen where it was much safer to get sick..and he could still watch his cartoons. But all he wanted to do was go to bed in his crib.

Three Days En Route

Once we finally were well enough to travel (I postponed my flight to WV twice because of being sick), Jacob & I ran into every sort of airline issue imaginable. We left California on Thursday morning, got stuck overnight in both Houston, TX and Columbus, OH, then finally got to Mom's house on Saturday night at 9pm! But I have to say, as much of a nightmare the travel was, I have the BEST cousins in the entire world. My cousin Tim in Houston drove an hour to pick Jacob & I up at the airport, took us out to dinner (good ole Texas BBQ - yumm!!), put us up in his guest room, then took a half-day off work the next day to cook a nice breakfast for us and take us back to the airport. We even got to visit with other cousins who live in Houston who came over and had breakfast with us. What a treat!

After a full day in the Houston airport and seven failed attempts to get a standby seat, we finally managed to get on a flight to Columbus, where Tim saved the day again and arranged for my other cousins Debbie and Kelly to come get us (at midnight!) and put us up for the night! Like I said... yay for cousins!!!

We got lucky on most of our flights and Jacob got his own window seat. He really loves looking out the window! This is leaving Orange County, with Newport Beach below us:

Jacob's first time in Texas - and he had a great ole time! He made the flight nightmare so much more tolerable.Jacob really loved cousin Tim. He would've been happy to just stay a while!

23 Months!

Today is the last 'birthday' that I can officially state Jacob's age in increments of months. After this, he will be two years old! How can all this time have passed already? They said it would go fast, but it went faster than fast.

For one more month, Jacob is still a baby... but once he turns two, I can't call him a baby anymore. Get used to it, I guess.....

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!! I will have to get caught up on pictures and happenings after the holidays. :)

Happy Birthday Mama!

We had a fun day today, complete with a girls' birthday lunch (with Amy & Bella), and lots of cake, cards and flowers! Mommy was very spoiled today. Jacob & I started out with cupcakes for breakfast, and I put a pink candle in each one and we 'sang' happy birthday. I took a video, but Jacob was rather skeptical of the whole situation, so it's not much more than a still-shot of Jacob looking serious!
Later after dinner, I put another candle in a small piece of cake, and this time Jacob was really into it. He helped me sing, and he chuckled like it was the silliest thing ever. I showed him how to blow out the candle, and again he chuckled like this was the neatest game he'd ever played. Then whoooosh!! He blew out the candle and we clapped and went "Yayyy!!!" We both laughed and laughed, and that moment was truly the icing on my birthday cake.

California Wildfires

Wildfires are once again wreaking havoc in Southern California - less than 15 miles away from us. But they won't reach our area, so we're in no danger. I just hope the wind changes direction so we don't get so much smoke and ash. But boy is it ever dry as a bone here!!! Hot and dry desert winds have been blowing all day and evening. Even my hands are chapped!! I put lip balm on Jacob's lips before he went to bed. He's been sucking his thumb and/or chewing on all four fingers all day and evening, so even below his lip is red and chapped.

Halloween Pics

Finally - - here he is, the little blue monster:
Not liking his costume much...

Wow - SO much candy!!

Some of the neighborhood kids with Jacob on our porch.

More neighborhood kids (minus a few that were refusing to be in the picture).

The other neighbors had a cool inflatable Halloween globe - Jacob LOVED it.

..and they also had this inflatable Haunted House - complete with a strobe light and screaming sounds. Jacob does not let go of his pumpkin full of candy the entire night.

Hittin' the streets w/ the boys.

"I'll push my own buggy now..." This was Jacob's mode of transportation for the evening.

In front of a neighbor's really cool decorations.

The best picture of the night - - if only I had used the flash!! :(

Kickin' back with all that candy, with Finn, Ethan (in the back), and Flat Stanley.