Josh, Cathy, Jacob & Maya

Fun with Lulu Ladybug

2010-12-01T10:38:00.002-05:00

Thank you so much to Aunt Kay and Uncle Scott for the fantastic Lulu Ladybug rocker they sent Maya for her birthday!! Here's a funny video of Jacob giving her a trial run just after we unpacked her:

Jacob's Two!!! (oh boy)

2010-09-11T23:26:00.004-04:00

Believe it or not, but our little Buddy is 2 already! We'll post more footage from the week-long party shorty, but this one's for Tia Emily. Here's JJ playing with a cool little toy car she got him. Thanks Sis! He loves it, and he's learning how to get it to zoom away on its own better and better since I shot this video. =)

Our busy-body little Buddy!

2010-05-24T21:16:00.007-04:00

We know it has been some time since we last posted, but we wanted to update everyone on the new roles that our little man is developing with each passing day:

Suave ladies man:

Fearless furniture scaler:

Adventurous outdoorsman:

Aspiring chef and foodie:

And finally, soon-to-be loving big brother!!!

Our new little sweetheart is due to arrive Nov 7, 2010! We are all very excited to meet him/her!

Halloween!

2009-11-11T08:12:00.005-05:00

JJ has been having fun, dressing up for Halloween and working on words!

We had so much fun getting ready for Halloween! JJ got dressed up in the special scrubs sent to him from Uncle Bill and Auntie Jan, and Josh made a special scrub hat and I made a surgical mask for him. His toy stethoscope and Josh's pager completed the outfit (though JJ thought he needed Josh's palm to really feel like a doc!)

He's also been working on expanding his language skills. Though he's been using "Dada" for some time (both when referring to Josh and I!) he just recently started very happily pointing out any "ki-cat" (kitty cat) he sees, worriedly saying "uh-oh" any time he drops anything, and smiling and saying "yummmm" whenever he likes what he's eating. We haven't caught any on video, but it's so much fun to watch him learn!

JJ's First Steps!

2009-10-28T23:46:00.002-04:00

JJ surprised us - after spending weeks braving only one or two steps without support, one day he just decided to start walking! We were thrilled to capture it on film!

JJ's first haircut!

2009-10-04T14:02:00.002-04:00

One Year Old!!!!

2009-09-06T12:54:00.016-04:00

Believe it or not, our little munchkin has recently passed a major milestone - he turned one year old on August 30th, 2009. It's hard to believe that a whole year has already passed with this little guy in our lives, but then when we look at all the changes he's gone through in his transition from a neonate to a toddler it's not so hard to believe after all. Here's a recap of the year in pictures and videos, lovingly compiled by Mama. Enjoy!

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Feats of Sleep:

We are fully aware of how lucky we are to have a baby who LOVES to sleep. From the beginning, we had only minor setbacks on setting up a sleep schedule for the little guy, and he learned to sleep through the night by 4-6 weeks of age. Josh credits "On becoming babywise" for his excellent sleep habits, I credit the incredibly comfortable cradle built by Grandpa Sid (pictured below) and the incredibly comfortable crib, built by Dada (second picture).

It was funny to see JJ's sleeping positions once we stopped swaddling him (around 4 months). He liked to sleep sideways, upside down, butt in the air, or as many limbs as possible sticking out the crib slats! Yet somehow, he always keeps sleeping!

Feats of Strength and Skill:

From a helpless little newborn, JJ quickly gained strength and skill to become the determined little toddler he is today. He quickly learned how to hold his head up to see the world around him, as below. It also gave us some prime Kodak moments!

From laying he moved on to sitting, and was so happy to find how much easier sitting up made it to play with his ever expanding collection of toys!

Even before he mastered sitting, he began army crawling. I thought this would be a temporary skill, just before he moved on to regular crawling. Much to my surprise, JJ continued to army crawl for months! He became very good at it, and could give any marine a run for his money! He didn't move on to hands and knees crawling until 11 months!

Like any good Latino, JJ also counts dancing among one of his skills. Though he also can do a very nice white man's head bob, here he is showing Momma a few of his moves (or is it the other way around?)

And of course, what good is dancing if you can't sing. I mean, JJ's never going to be able to woo Malea Diehn without a good set of pipes. So here the little guy is, diligently practicing his scales:

Once all these skills came together, there was nothing left to do but tackle the great outdoors! First, the front yard, then, THE FRONTIER!!!

Finally, JJ mastered pulling to stand and cruising. He loves all the extra freedom this gets him, and had a blast at his birthday party showing off all his skills for his loving family!

Feats of Taste:

JJ started out like many babies, enjoying nursing and the occasional bottle with either breastmilk or rarely formula. He loved the bonding time he had with Poppa when he would get a bottle, and never had trouble going back and forth.

However, like all babies, JJ eventually had to move on to solids. This was not an easy transition of him (or us!) Here is JJ enjoying his first taste of rice cereal. And yes, his face does in fact say "what are you feeding me, battery acid?"

Eventually, however, he did adjust, and even learned to love solid foods. He especially loved the homemade foods Poppa and Momma (and Abuelita) would construct. Here he is after an especially enjoyable meal of beats and squash.

Finally, we had to accept the idea that our little baby had become a big boy and was ready for his own seat at the table. Josh and I got him his own "high chair" just after moving to San Antonio. He loves sitting with us at mealtimes and trying to get our food off our plates!

And, now for the shots everyone is interested in, here is the 1-year-old tradition - the first piece of birthday cake, eaten by Jacob himself! He tried for a short time to eat nicely with his fingers, and then realized this was much more efficient!

For an even funnier video of the big moment, check out Grandpa Dave's posting at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmXUZ4Zpm2k

Feats of Love:

JJ has inspired a lot of love in this family, and we often say there can't possibly be a more loved baby in the world! Thanks to these good examples, he has learned to give a lot of love back, and spends a lot of the day giving hugs and kisses to all around him.

JJ has learned to share love with everyone, especially cute little girls who come to visit. Here, though likely to cause great embarrassment when he's a teenager, is JJ stealing a kiss from Miss Malea Diehn, who was kind enough to bring her parents up for a visit when we were in Minneapolis. JJ has been asking to go back ever since!

JJ has had a lot of fun with Uncles Chris and Nick, both at Thanksgiving and when he got to see them over the summer. He even got to check out Uncle Nick's house this summer, and got to go on a tour of downtown Lawrence (including the ice cream parlor!)

JJ and Grandpa Dave have formed quite a bond. We got to spend some quality time with them this summer, and JJ and Grandpa had fun checking out the yard, the house, the fun condor and Hawaiian shells that decorate the house.

Abuelita Mayi has been always ready to step in and help us out when work schedules get hectic. She has spent months this past year taking care of her grandson and teaching him all sorts of new skills!

JJ and Grandpa Sid are close buddies! JJ loves to have Grandpa carry him around and show him how everything works. He's had a lot of fun taking Sid around the house during our visits this summer.

Grandma Joan is always ready to shower JJ with love! It has been so nice that JJ has gotten to spend so much time with her this summer, so that they've had the chance to become so close.

Tia Emily has been such a fantastic aunt! She loves to play with JJ, and makes sure he always has lots of attention! She has a big fan in her little nephew!

What more can I say - there's nothing in the world better than a cuddle from your little boy!

JJ and his Dada have always been close. Josh is a very hands-on Dad, and probably spent more time with JJ over the first year than I did, thanks to fellowship. Their relationship is only going to get closer as JJ gets older.

Settling in San Antonio!

2009-08-13T22:50:00.010-04:00

It's been a long trek, but we've finally made it to San Antonio! After Cathy finished her fellowship, we took off on a cross country adventure, visited with lots of family, and moved in to our new place. We had time during our trip to visit with the Kollars, including being able to go to JJ's Great-Grandmother Irene Kollars memorial service, and attend the Tramp family reunion. We were also able to visit with the Kral family and check out more of Minneapolis, as well as visit with our Mayo friends! Finally, we headed south, stopping to stay with Uncle Nick and visit with cousin Tessa and her boys, before meeting up with Grandpa Sid and Grandma Joan in Wicheta. Below is the photo journal of our move..

JJ traveled like a real trooper. He loved having someone in the back seat with him the whole time, and didn't even mind the sippy cup feedings while driving to save time!

Once we got to the new place, it was all fun and games for JJ! We bought a table and chairs and sofa from the previous owners, which gave us a place to sit and eat and sleep while we waited for our goods to arrive. Most importantly, they gave the cats a place to hide from JJ, and JJ an obstacle course to crawl over!

Sid refinished a rocking chair that had once been Josh's, and snuck it away in the car to give to JJ as a housewarming gift! It looks beautiful, and JJ loves rocking in it (and rocking his stuffed animals in it!)

Here we are relaxing after a long day of driving in our new home!

JJ seemed to love the place from the moment we arrived. He still loves to point out all the ceiling fans and doors that we may not have noticed!

These are a little out of order, due to issues moving pictures in blogspot, but here is a great picture of Joan, Sid, and JJ, once we had the hammock up and running.

The house has very large windows with very low windowsills, which suit JJ just fine. He loves looking out, and has started cruising along the windowsills to get closer to whatever he wants to look at (or the cats!)

The vivid green color of the family room was a little too much, so we all decided to roll up our sleeves and paint before we got too many things put away. Joan and Sid were incredibly helpful (not to mention saints for putting in so much work to help us with this!) The new color (Mississippi Mud) is carried through from the living and dining room, and looks much better.

Wednesday night we decided to take a little break from work and headed downtown to the Alamo and the Riverwalk. We had a blast, though the temperature was impressive (it's been over 100 since we've been here!)

The next two pictures are also out of order, but show JJ climbing his first complete flight of stairs! He started stair climbing at Grandpa and Abuelita Kral's house, and made it all the way up for the first time at our new home. What a little climber!

JJ loved the hustle and bustle of the moving in process! He especially loved finding all kinds of fun new toys and clothes. He was so happy to finally be reunited with his jumper (though now he much prefers to stand next to it and play).

Despite having fun with all his things again, he will miss the empty cabinets! He thought they were the greatest playareas ever.

While everyone else was running around during the unpacking process, JJ thought he should help out too. He was able to manually lower the garage door (where all of the boxes were being brought in) a few times before we got wise to his ways!

I think Josh and I were both amazed at how much stuff we've accumulated over the years! They brought it from storage in two trucks (though one was only partially filled). Though there were several scratches on the wooden furniture (not hard to believe when you see how they set furniture down on the cement) we had minimal major damage, despite having everything in storage.

Joan had the foresight to take photos of all the rooms before they were filled with boxes, so we could remember what the house looked like when we moved in. Hopefully I'll be able to post photos of the same rooms after we're all moved in, you know, in a year or so. :-) This is the loft area, which we are now using as a study.

This is our master bedroom, complete with windowseat, just like in Michigan!

This photo is from the living room, looking up at the loft, and the ceiling fan, which JJ loves so much.

This photo is taken from the family room, looking back into the kitchen and eat-in area. Here the family room is still green.

And finally, the living room, taken from the dining room. We'll see how often we use the fireplace, but it sure looks nice.

On one night, we were visited by our friendly neighborhood gecko, just one of the wonderful little creatures that inhabit our Texas landscape.

I think it was Uncle Nick and Tia Emily who joked that JJ has so many naked bathtime photos it will not be possible to make it through the teenage years without significant embarressment! Here is his first bath in the new kitchen sink. It seems to be specially designed for bathing babies, complete with extra deep basin and detachable sprayer faucet!

We also got JJ his first highchair (or highchair equivalent, since, of course, we can't do any childrearing tasks like everyone else!) He loves it, loves being at the table with everyone else, loves being the right height at the table, and loves dangling his feet where the cats can rub against them.

JJ also enjoyed helping out wherever he could during the move in process. Here he's instructing Grandpa Sid on the best way to paint the pantry, particularly cutting, which JJ has studied extensively!

He also helped out by exploring all cabinets thoroughly.

Overall, we are all very pleased with our new home, especially the surprise for JJ in the backyard!

We do have some very sad news, though. JJ's Great-Grandpa Stan Kral passed away on August 10th. We had just been home to visit him and go to cousin Sarah's wedding. He passed away rather suddenly, but peacefully. We will all miss him, but we are glad we had so many opportunities to see him this summer and tell him that we loved him. Below is a photo from Christmas, where Great-Grandpa was holding Jacob. This summer, he was strong enough to wrestle with him!

Here is a photo of Great-Grandpa taken just after he returned home from WWII, where he served in the second armored division under General Patton. Like so many of his generation, he led an amazing life, and taught many things to those who came after him.

JJ working on a turd and his singing range

2009-05-10T10:43:00.003-04:00

Fun with Abuelita!!!

2009-05-10T09:47:00.008-04:00

Wow! It's been waaaay too long since we've updated our blog, but what better day than Mother's Day to do so? Here's the lastest on what we and our little munchkin have been up to:

Bathtime!!!

The obligatory naked baby picture - aren't those cheeks cute?!

JJ and his Mama, whom he loves to bits!

Here's the two of us on my B-day - that's a "Little Husker" hat he's wearing.

Here we are hiking around the arboretum in the great pack Kay and Scott gave us.

And here the little fella is with his beloved Abuelita, who visited for 3 weeks!

JJ with one of the classic toys from Grandma Joan and Grandpa Sid.

JJ showing his Husker pride!

. . . and enjoying his first piece of bread.

Jacob with his first basketball.

Here's another vintage toy of mine.

JJ sporting his G diaper

And finally, JJ in his Michigan gear, provided by Randy, Amy, Katherine, and Luke (thanks guys!)

Jumpin' and Splashin'

2009-04-11T15:43:00.006-04:00

We've been having so much fun as JJ grows and gains new skills. He's been having fun, too, finding out all the ways his new skills make the world more fun!

Here JJ found the fun of splashing. It's too bad he found this out in Tia Emily's kitchen (sorry for the mess Em!). Still, it's awesome that Joan, Sid, and Emily got to see what silliness their grandson/nephew is up to now.

We also got a jumping activity center after seeing how much JJ loved the one at daycare. It was one of the best toy investments we've made! He absolutely LOVES it. It gives him a chance to play hard, work on standing and jumping, and play with all kinds of different toys. It give us the chance to cook dinner, get a little work done, or spend a little time with each other. What a great toy!

Here are some pictures of Josh's birthday, where father and son got to showcase their new Husker's hats! JJ's was just a little big (turns out when they advertised "one size fits all" they meant that at some point, every infant will grow into this hat!). It should fit perfectly just in time for football season, though!

Mixed Bag - San Diego - Feb 2009

2009-04-05T15:52:00.003-04:00

So this posting comes a little late, though with the last couple of months we've had, we're just glad to get it posted! We had a wonderful reunion with the Mayo gang! It was so great to have time to get together with such awesome friends and to see everyone's growing families. It's always amazing to see how quickly all the kids change and how little everyone else changes!

JJ had fun making friends with all the kiddos! He and little Malea Diehn got to spend some quality time together. What a cutie! And the Kurup girls caught his eye as well! Here we got all the kids (including soon to arrive Ethan Fang, here still inside Mommy!) together for a picture. It was definitely tricky to get everyone picture ready at once!

Here's the web album at Picasa:
http://picasaweb.google.com/catharinekollars/MixedBagSanDiego?feat=directlink

Here's to Mixed Bag 2011!

JJ chillin' in the bathtub

2009-03-01T20:25:00.002-05:00

So here's a brief clip of Cathy scrubbing down the little guy in the kitchen sink the other night. Many thanks to Charie for the suggestion - we'd been using a bath basin in the bathtub previously, but with the kneeling and the basin sliding around and leaning over the tub side our backs were taking a beating! He's always been a fan of baths, and I think this new setup suits him pretty well. =)

Eating, rolling over, and other such skills!

2009-02-22T12:43:00.007-05:00

Jacob continues to amaze us with how he's growing and changing every day! Here are some examples of the new things he's doing

Rolling Over

He's gone from surprising himself when he rolls over to using it to get what he wants! Such a smart little boy!

Eating Solids:

We started out with some rice cereal. JJ didn't seem to realize what a change was coming! Though at first he just gave us a look like we were trying to feed him battery acid, by 5 minutes into the feeding, he was letting his displeasure be known. Oh well, hopefully he'll get more used to it as he gets older! And at least cereal only ended up all over him and the bumbo chair; we were prepared for it to coat the kitchen!

Happy Holidays!

2009-01-10T16:54:00.010-05:00

Now that we are settling in following our first holiday with the little guy, we thought we'd share some of our favorite pictures. We had a blast visiting both sides of the family, catching up with family and friends, and showing JJ around both his Abuelitos and Grandparents homes for the first time! He had such a great time getting lots of love from both sets of grandparents, learning how to open presents, playing with his new toys, and overall being an absolute ham and charming everyone he met. We will definitely remember this holiday season forever!

JJ just before his first plane flight:

Mr. Cool, Calm, and Collected.

JJ surrounded by the ladies:

Grandpa and Abuelita Kral through him his own party to introduce him to their friends and family. Did he ever love the attention!

Photos with the Grandparents

JJ LOVED goofing around with and getting spoiled byhis grandparents (and after all, what else are grandparents for?)

Presents!

He seemed to be more fond of opening presents than actually playing with them or wearing them. But then, what red-blooded almost-4-month old wouldn't be?

He enjoys the bears onesie Tia Em got him, and the Bears side of the family had fun taking photos with him (Jacob and Sid look worried about the Bears chances of making the playoffs, don't they?) Mom did have to put her foot down, when it came to dressing him on the final Sunday of the regular season. After all, I have to put some effort into making him a Vikings fan!

JJ did have some very sweet snuggle time with the toy Duck Uncle Chris got him for Christmas (henceforth to be known as Christmas Duck). He especially seemed to enjoy either kissing or tasting him (either way, I think it made Christmas Duck a little nervous!)

The Tramp family Christmas

We got to take Jacob up to Menomenie, NE to celebrate Christmas with Joan's family, who gather together every year on Christmas day. Here are Josh and a group of the oldest Tramp cousins (all those with kids) and their children.

Josh and his cousin Tessa, who are just 5 months apart in age, and their sons Jacob and Devon, who are 6 days apart in age!

Snuggletime with Tia

Bathtime!

JJ always loves his baths, but he especially enjoyed lounging in the sinks at both the Kral and Kollars households. We joked that all we needed were some candles and little baby slippers and he would have turned it into a spa visit!

Dancing in Daddy's Tennies

Joan and Sid gave Jacob some of the toys and clothes his Poppa used when he was a little one. The shoes Jacob is wearing in this picture belonged to Josh when he was a baby. They looked so cute on Jacob, and when his Grandpa Sid helped him dance in them, Jacob laughed and squealed with delight!

Ready for the cold!

In true hearty, midwestern fashion, we bundled JJ up and took him out into the winter elements (once it got above zero, anyways). He looks like he's having fun, doesn't he? The stocking hat is one his Abuelita made for him, based on a photo Grandma Joan found.

Time with Poppa and Momma

We love sharing our little guy with those who love him, but we also loved having a break from work and a chance to snuggle with him ourselves.

Our little goofball!

Happy 2009 to everyone!

A Family Thanksgiving

2008-11-29T14:35:00.014-05:00

Now that the turkey is picked over, the veggie thanksgiving casserole is finished, and the pumpkin pie is tucked away in our tummies, we have some time to post some of our favorite pictures from Jacob's first thanksgiving. We were so lucky to have both sides of the family come out and join us. It was so much fun!

Grandpa Dave and Abuelita Mayi got to spend several weeks with JJ, and he loved every second of it!

Uncle Chris and Nick had fun meeting their first nephew. Jacob had fun breaking them in to all the various joys of sharing a house with an infant! For an awesome video on some of their fun, check this out! http://nicreations.net/blog/ It's on the blog on the Thanksgiving posting!

We got a chance to take a some great family pictures, too (always an important part of every holiday celebration!)

Sometimes it was tricky to get everyone to look at the camera and smile at the same time. :-) Othertimes we got some great shots!

Grandpa Sid, Grandma Joan, and Aunt Emily (henceforth to be known as Tia Emily) arrived Thanksgiving day, and then JJ REALLY started feeling like the center of the universe! :-) He had all kinds of fun snuggling with his Tia and Tios

He especially loved all the "getting spoiled by Grandma/Abuelita" time. He sure loves those ladies!

Sometimes he even got attention showered on him from multiple directions!

It was a wonderful holiday, and we are so thankful that we have such a wonderful family full of so much love. It was a blast cooking together, feasting together, playing knock-down-drag-out Wii tournaments together, and sharing time together. We hope it is the first of many such holidays!

JJ and his invertebrate friends

2008-11-21T21:06:00.003-05:00

After we had a fantastic meal of mushroom fettuccini alfredo and gave Dave's new cranberry sauce recipe a trial run, we caught Jacob having this lengthy discussion with his friend the caterpillar. Who knew he's fluent in the lesser known invertebrate dialects?

Cozy together with Grandma Mayi and Grandpa Dave

2008-11-21T17:40:00.008-05:00

So we've all been having a blast lately, relaxing around our place and keeping warm now that winter has arrived. Jacob has also been having fun playing with Grandpa Dave, who arrived in town just last weekend! The two are quickly becoming good buds. Here are a few recent shots:

And here's the whole crew enjoying a nice evening together by catching up on the events of the day while we cook a little grub together. We're working on getting JJ to peel the potatoes, but so far all he does is salivate all over them. Don't get me wrong - we all greatly appreciate the pre-digestive services that the little guy provides. Perhaps, though, we'll just let JJ entertain everyone with his wit and lively conversation and leave the cooking duties to the rest of us for now. =)

Abuelita Mayi and Grandpa Dave have been absolutely fabulous - they've given Cathy and me the peace of mind that JJ's in the hands of those who love him now that Cathy's gone back to work. Every day we see new signs of the bonds JJ's forming with them, from the big smiles and jabber he gives Grandpa, to the hugs he gives Mayi when she picks him up. He's even started mimicking her as she waves her hands at him - it's amazing to watch him mimick someone for the very first time!

Jacob being a boy

2008-11-09T10:29:00.003-05:00

Well, I was scrambling around earlier when I heard Jacob chatting up a storm in the middle of his breakfast in the hopes of catching a bit of his talkativeness on camera. Instead, all I got was some quizzical looks, a manly belch, and JJ chuckling at himself for having his crude behavior documented on film for all posterity. Ah, boys will be boys. =)

Jacob's First Halloween

2008-11-06T19:41:00.004-05:00

Hi everyone! Well, Halloween has come and passed and we're just now getting around to putting up a few shots of the little guy sporting his scary duds. What do you think? =)

Jacob finding his voice and packing on the pounds

2008-10-27T16:05:00.007-04:00

Hi everyone! We've all been having a great time here with the little guy lately, and he's been absolutely loving spending the days with his Abuelita. He continues to eat like a champ, and we can see the benefits of Momma's milk in his pudgy little cheeks, his little Buddha belly, and his hefty little thighs. We've also been noticing a gradual lengthening of the time he can sleep at a stretch overnight. He's slept all night long two or three times already, and if he does awaken it's generally just once around 2 or 3 for a little midnight snack. We attribute his good sleeping to his size as well as to the recommendations of our favorite parenting book to date: "On Becoming Babywise". Their suggestions are working brilliantly so far!

So here are a few additional tid bits - a video of Jacob learning how to coo, and a few recent snapshots.

Jacob having fun with Mom

Jacob's funny little smirk - he does this a lot when he's in a good mood.

New Skills!!

2008-10-17T13:08:00.007-04:00

We have been having so much fun with Jacob during the last 7 weeks, and we've been just amazed at all the new things he does every day. From the simple tasks of focusing on us to the more complex sounds he's making to his new ability to play with his activity gym, watching all his new skills has entertaining Josh and I every day!

His head control, which we have always thought was advanced (;->) is getting better every day! Here he is telling us what he thinks of being forced to get clean! Actually, he LOVES sitting in the bath, as long as it's warm water.

This is JJ during one of his early days in the activity center his friend Connor Kelly lent him. Notice he's happy just to enjoy a little rest during tummy time, and isn't that interested in the toys.

Here's JJ today in the activity center (all cozy in the sleeper that his Grandma Joan got him!) He now loves batting at the toys and listening to the sounds they make. He seems to really enjoy the giraffe that Marty and Dave got him, he's been having fun tugging on the legs! It's fun to watch him move from side to side and check out the different toys- it seems like such a little thing but it highlights how much he's grown in the last 7 weeks!

JJ all cozy warm in one of the sweaters he got as a gift. It's just a little bit big, but it's wonderful for the cool fall days. We have to enjoy it now, too, because he's growing so fast he'll grow through it in no time!

He's definitely learned how to focus on the camera! Of course, that might be secondary to Mom's insistence of having a photo shot at least once a day! Thank goodness for digital cameras!

Look Ma! I can stick out my tongue! Dad and Jacob having fun out in the fall weather. We love those grasses, which are doing a great job hiding the utility boxes in our front yard after just one year!

Like any true Latino, one of JJ's first skills had to be dancing! He especially loves dancing with Poppa, who has a very comfy chest to lay on.

JJ and his Poppa definitely share a special bond! He loves to stare at his Dad in the Baby Bjorn.

He loves to kick! Whenever he gets excited, his little legs go back and forth at a million miles per hour! You can tell he's really getting into it when his toes curl up, too!

Mr. Jacob, showing off his voice and his ability to look from side to side. A little more tummy time, and he'll be rolling over!

The Nursery

2008-10-06T15:49:00.001-04:00

After many contributions from the whole family, the Nursery is finally finished. Josh put a ton of work into it, from building the crib, to picking the photos/paintings for the walls, to building the frames for the wall art. Em came out and designed the color scheme and helped up paint the walls, and all of our family and friends have helped us fill it with books, toys, and momentos that he will love!

We started painting during a REALLY hot summer day. Notice my big belly! It made crawling around to get the tape on the baseboards a little more difficult than expected!

We picked earth tone colors so it wouldn't be too nursery specific, since we're going to have to sell this house soon. Still, the stripes Emily designed below make it really fun!

Josh worked hard the last couple of months before Jacob was born to design and build the crib. Because of a staining issue (Lowe's stopped carrying the stain he used for half the crib, and we had to order more the week before he was born, which arrived the day he was born) the crib was ready to go just before JJ turned 1 week old! The nice thing was that it allowed Josh and Sid to work together on the final staining and assembly, just like old times!

Here are Josh and I, admiring our son and his new crib, built by Poppa! I made the curtains, too, so we all added something to the room.

This painting is called Momma's Boy, which is, of course, what I'm hoping JJ will become! The rocking chair is very cool - we found it at the Ann Arbor art fair, and got it as a gift from Grandma Joan and Grandpa Sid!
This is one of my favorite animal photos! The colors in all the artwork really go well with the paint (thanks to Em's good eye for color!) and the frames really set them off perfectly! It's amazing what Josh can do with wood and some tools!

Here's the crib along with the frame Josh built for Big Ears. We loved this picture - and it seems so appropriate for our little snugglebug!

Here's the nursery from the entrance. The other furniture was Josh's furniture since he was a little guy. There's even a trick drawer in one of the dressers, that was broken from Josh climbing it to turn off the light switch in his room when he was little! I think JJ's going to love having all these family treasures.

Jacob's First Month

2008-10-06T15:24:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to add in a few images of JJ's first month. We've been having an absolute blast with him, and we can't believe that he's already 1 month old! While time is definitely going by too fast, we are looking forward to all the fun things we're going to be able to introduce him to as time goes on!

Here's JJ laying on Poppa's tummy - he usually likes a more snuggly position, but on this day we think he wanted to watch the football game with Poppa!

Here's our little man all dressed up in his new duds. We had to get new clothes for him pretty quickly - he outgrew the newborn clothes in about 2 weeks!

Here's JJ with his Poppa and Abuelita after a bath - notice the look of contentment on his face, now that we've figured out how much he likes really warm water (he's like his Momma that way!)

JJ and Poppa at Auntie Em's. We managed to go on our first road trip at just 3 weeks of age! He did great, loved the car ride, and had a lot of fun getting spoiled by his Aunt in Chicago.

He became really good at holding his head up right off the bat. He can really show it off during tummy time, but he prefers to be held to even the play mat.
JJ showing off the Garmin baby towel he got from his Uncle Nick! Being corporate never was so soft and cozy! Or so cute!

During one of Josh's post-call days, we took Jacob to the Arb in Ann Arbor (Nichol's Arboretum). We had a lot of fun exploring the trails and showing JJ all the different kinds of plants you can find in this part of Michigan alone. Here we're down by the Huron River.

JJ and Dad, cuddling together. These are my favorite pictures to catch - which explains why we have so many of this scene!

Auntie Em was kind enough to help us give Jacob a much needed bath when we were out in Chicago. I think he's especially going to apprecite the carefully placed wipee - we put it there to avoid any golden flow from spraying around the room, but I'm sure it will spare him much grief when the family reviews these pictures when he's a teenager!

Jacob loved cuddling with Auntie Em! And she was very good a calming him down, so Mom and Dad could get a rest!

Jacob Meets Sen. Biden!!!

2008-09-16T19:25:00.000-04:00

Cathy, Jacob and I had an exciting afternoon yesterday that we wanted to share with you. Sen. Joe Biden was passing through Flat Rock, Michigan on the campaign trail yesterday, and the three of usdecided> to take a little road trip to attend the rally. We got Jacob ready for his first rally by dressing him in red, white, and blue, but mostly blue! We had a blast and Biden's speech was fantastic. Check it out here http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94640703>

Anyway, after he spoke, we made a bee line down to the infield where he was shaking hands. I was able to wiggle my way up there and hand Jacob to Sen. Biden for a few photos! Biden took Jacob and lifted him straight up over his head as the crowd roared around us. He brought him down and held> him close, and with a big smile he looked at me and said "They smell great at this stage, don't they?!" I said they sure do, and he said, "Aren't they just the greatest things ever?" I agreed! He asked our names and we shook hands, and I introduced him to Cathy who was snapping photos right behind us. He shook Cathy's hand and asked "Are you the Momma?" Cathy said yes, and he asked if Jacob was our first. Then, with a big smile he looked at Cathy and said, "As they say where I come from: girl, you done good! He's a beautiful baby!" We told him we were absolutely thrilled that he was on the ticket, and he thanked us as he handed Jacob back and moved down the crowd. We were thrilled, and Biden had such a calm, down-to-earth presence about him. I felt as comfortable as if he were my own uncle, even with all the security guys standing around watching every move we made!

Visit from Auntie Em

2008-09-16T19:15:00.000-04:00

Aunt Emily was just hitting the worst part of a bad illness just as Jacob was being born. That couldn't stop her from coming out to meet him, though. She braved the megabus while recovering and wore a mask through the whole weekend so she could spend time with her new nephew!

Visit from Grandma Mayi!

2008-09-16T19:04:00.000-04:00

Grandma Mayi had barely gotten off the plane from Ecuador before she turned around and headed to Ann Arbor to help out. She had just arrived back in the country from celebrating her Mom's 90th birthday - which also is Jacob's birthday! She had a lot of fun spending time with Jacob, and was also a huge help getting food on the table and keeping the house from falling apart as we tried to get Jacob on a schedule his second week.

Visits from Grandma Joan and Grandpa Sid

2008-09-16T18:33:00.000-04:00

The Kollars Grandparents sped out to Ann Arbor just in time for Jacob's birth. We got to spend an hour or so chatting with them before we started pushing, then they got to come in and see Jacob just after he was born. They were a huge help that first week, taking care of the house so we could focus on Jacob. I think they enjoyed having lots of good one on one time with their grandson, too. :-)

Jacob Arrives!!!

2008-09-16T18:20:00.006-04:00

Josh and I are thrilled to announce the birth of our son, Jacob Joshua, born on August 30, 2008 at 3:55 PM. He arrived at a hefty 9 lbs 7 oz and 22 inches! Mom and baby are recovering well and Dad is beside himself with joy!