Tooth Explosion!

This has been an incredibly challenging week for Jacob. He has 5 or 6 teeth coming in at one time. I say 5 or 6 because I can see 5 for sure and given which teeth they are I know there's one more on the way. As you can imagine, this has been causing Jacob a lot of pain. We thought he might have an ear infection because he was getting over a cold a week ago and the doctor suggested it might happen. We took him to the doctor on Monday and his ears are fine. I was pretty happy about it but that also meant that his weekend of screaming and refusing to nurse was solely due to his teething. He's been on an on-and-off nursing strike for a few days and it's been awful. Tomorrow we're on our way to California which is a six-hour flight. Good luck innocent passengers!

Remember When...

...I barely fit in this chair? Look at me now! I own this chair.

Well, life has been challenging this week as Jacob's two top teeth are coming in. They are giving him a very hard time. Otherwise, he's doing great. He's getting ready for his big trip to the west coast to visit the Harmon family, Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Katherine, Uncle David and Aunt Holly. Hopefully he will see Aunt Tyra too, his godmother.

Time for dinner!

Banana Eating

Hey, I Love Legos Too

Jacob had his first taste of turkey this Thanksgiving. Caroline ground up a bit and mixed it with his porridge. He seemed to like it a lot. Thanksgiving was a fun and relaxed day. Bubbie was up from Florida and Jacob got to meet his Uncle Stuart. That's when we discovered that Jacob was a fan of Legos - Stuart's favorite activity.

Jacob has been feeling a bit under the weather. He had a cold for most of Bubbie's visit, making his nighttimes a bit rocky. Fortunately, he's feeling better and sleeping better. Tummy time is full of rolling from side to side and creeping around the floor. He's enjoying it more especially since (re)discovering his favorite toy, the ball. Here's some updated pictures.

Enjoying legos with Uncle Stu.

Tummy time with his ball.

Bubbie, Mommy, Jacob, Uncle Stuart and Uncle Adam after Thanksgiving dinner.

I forgot to add that he's now feeding himself banana or avocado. I'll have to post a picture of that soon, but basically, if we place a chunk of banana on his tray, he will pick it up and hold it himself and eat it with his little teeth. It's so cute. He does the same with avocado, but that's a little too slippery at times.

Another Tooth and a Visit from Grandpa

November continues to be a big month for Jacob, who is 9 months old today! Earlier this week Jacob sprouted another tooth. This one is next to the first two he's got. Teething is causing some discomfort and I think that it's really the culprit behind his erratic sleep patterns.

Grandpa came for a visit this week as well. Jacob had a great time. There was the party in honor of his adoption, trips to Red Canoe and a beautiful walk in Herring Run Park. Also Grandpa bought him some new shoes!

It's Official!

On Saturday, Caroline officially adopted Jacob as her son. We were a part of the many families participating in National Adoption Day. Click here and you can see a news story from WBAL. Don't blink and you can see Caroline holding Jacob.

It was a very nice day for the hearing. The combination of many people and unseasonably warm weather made for a very hot courtroom. The story you won't read about is that at least half the parents adopting that day were lesbians adopting their own children (and one gay male couple). Not that I think we shouldn't have a story about children being adopted out of the foster care system, but clearly there are so many gay adoptions, someone should take notice.

The judges were great and it was clear that they do truly approve of our families and were equally happy for us. It only took 30 seconds, but I was very happy to have our family legally recognized in that moment.

9-Month Check Up

Today, Jacob had his 9-month check up. It went really well! Here's the stats: 20 pounds and 28.5 inches tall! He's grown almost a foot since he was born. He's in the 50th percentile for both weight and height. As for his head, it seems a little small. It's only in the 5th percentile. The good thing is that it's growing normally so there's nothing to worry about.

We are somewhat concerned about Jacob's slow motor development. My personal doctor recommended getting an assessment of his motor development by the Baltimore Infant and Toddlers Program. They do free assessments and if it's determined that he needs some physical therapy, that's free too. It's a federally funded program. Both Caroline and I really don't want to be those parents that worry about every little thing. I'm sure in good time, Jacob will do everything from rolling around to walking, but I just wanted to see what this was about and if it could help. His doctor says give him more tummy time and let him cry a little longer. Easier said than done. Interestingly enough, Jacob got some tummy time when we got home and spent a good long time entertaining himself without tears. Who knows?

Here's a little video of Jacob in the bath. He's been enjoying bath time and learning how to play in the water.

BIG NEWS ALERT: Our adoption hearing is this Saturday, National Adoption Day, at the Clarence Mitchell Courthouse! We're really excited to finally be "official" in the eyes of the State of Maryland. We are actually quite lucky that Maryland allows second-parent adoption for gay families. There are many states that don't. We're looking forward to our day in court!

I Heart New York

You're gonna have to tilt your head to the left. I'm no good at editing but you get the gist of it. Jacob's on the swing for the first time. We're in Jefferson Park in Harlem across the street from Jack's apartment. Jacob had a great time!

We drove up to Brooklyn to Caroline B.'s place Saturday morning. The trip went pretty smoothly, but Jacob got lonely in the back seat so I had to hop back there to keep him company. He loved Aunt Caroline! We spent the afternoon at her apartment because of the never-ending rain. That evening Jack came by and we all went out to dinner.

The next morning we had bagels and headed to Jack's for the day. Jacob spent time with Jack (aka Pappa) and Ramsey. He had a great time hanging out in their cute studio apartment. We took a walk over to the park and played on the playground. Jacob had a blast.

The car ride home was less than fun. I think Jacob just had enough of his car seat and was inconsolable for a while. He finally fell asleep for the Maryland leg of the trip. When we arrived home, he transitioned to his crib smoothly. He woke up around midnight for pjs, a diaper, and a snack and then slept the rest of the night through. It was a whirlwind weekend for this little jet setter!

Random News

Well, we're off for our first road trip tomorrow. We're headed to Brooklyn/Manhattan to visit Jacob's pappa, Jack. We will also visit NYCaroline, aka, Caroline B. who is going to be our gracious host. It's a quick up and back because our schedules are all kind of crazy. It's going to be fun.

He's also going to be sporting his homemade, hand-knitted wardrobe. The flap-cap is Caroline's creation. You can't quite tell, but it has eagles on the ear flaps. He loves this hat. He chews and sucks on the long ties. And they keep him occupied in the car seat. The sweater is my creation. The pattern is called the Tiny Top Down because it's all one piece when you knit it. It's a tad big which is good. It should last him all winter.

Jacob has graduated to three meals a day. Here's a sample menu:

Breakfast, porridge of-

• grains (rice, barley, millet, Bulgar, or kasha)
• orange veggie such as carrot, sweet potato or squash
• green veggie such as peas or asparagus
• protein such as egg yolk or ground pumpkin seeds

Lunch

• yogurt (Stonyfield Farm Yo Baby Simply Plain)
• fruit such as apple, pear, banana, peach, kiwi, mango

Dinner is another porridge similar to breakfast and maybe a teething biscuit. Also, if Caroline and I are eating some of the veggies Jacob has eaten like carrots or sweet potatoes, I'll smash it a bit and give it to him as finger food. He's not quite into the finger food yet, so it's mainly just practice. We've also included ground flax, tahini and kelp into his diet, as instructed by the Super Baby Food book. He loves eating. Right now, he eats pretty much anything we offer him and he's working really hard on holding the sippy cup to drink water. If he does it himself, most of the water ends up on his shirt, but he's getting there.

Anyway, that's really all the news I have for now. Jacob's next doctor appointment is Tuesday. I'm looking forward to learning how tall he is and how much he weighs, though I know he weighs about 20 pounds. We're also going to ask the doctor about Jacob's development. He seems behind most of the milestones which is probably because he was a preemie, but I just want to be sure we have nothing to worry about. Jacob is moving along. He moves himself more and is definitely showing progress, which I think is the important thing.

It's an unseasonably warm day in Baltimore again. We're going to the tot lot this afternoon for playtime!

Yes We Can!

Play Date

Yesterday Jacob had a play date with Aidan and Norah. They all played "together" for an hour or so. It was fun to see the babies interact with each other. Jacob and Norah swapped toys again and again.

Well, I can hear Jacob waking up now....

Where's That Darn Pumpkin Patch?

Yesterday was an adventurous day! We were in search of a pumpkin patch and drove all over Baltimore County looking for one.

We started out at Weber's Farm. I thought they would have a pumpkin patch because they sold pumpkins and had lots of family activities. No such luck. They had lots of pumpkins, but no pumpkin patch. So we got some pictures of the goats and the tractor and jumped in the car in search of a real pumpkin patch. (We also bought a yummy Caramel walnut apple pie!)

Caroline remembered the name of a farm she wanted to visit and after placing a few calls to Directory Assistance, we got directions to Huber Family Farm. They did have a pumpkin patch. And we learned a valuable lesson. If you want a pumpkin patch, you have to go to a Pick-Your-Own farm. That was the difference between Weber's farm and Huber Family Farm. So here are the pumpkin patch pictures. Jacob finds dirt very fascinating so he had a good time rolling around in the pumpkins.

Remember our trip to Larriland Farm? Jacob fell asleep just as we got to the pumpkin patch, so we skipped it. Well, he did the same this time around too, but we were determined to get our picture. When he woke up in the pumpkin patch, he was excited the adventure was still in full swing.

Finally, we ended our day at Aunt Steffie's where we had a Halloween themed play date with Aidan and our new friend Dillon. We met Dillon's dads through Families With Pride, a GLBT parents group in Baltimore. Dillon is a couple of weeks older than Jacob. Look, they are both lions! Aidan is that cute pumpkin in the middle.

So, all in all, it was a busy day. Jacob had a lot of fun playing with his friends and going on our adventure. When we got home, he ate and went fast asleep. Sweet dreams.

Quickie

Well, there's not much new to report today. Jacob is napping now so I thought I'd post some pictures and give a quick update.

New foods to add to his growing list of yummies: broccoli, kiwi, and butternut squash. We're glad to be expanding into some vitamin C foods since the flu and cold season are starting up. Poor Caroline has a cold again, but so far Jacob and I have managed not to catch it.

Jacob loves sitting up on his own. He can't get himself into the position, but once in it, he sits on his own for quite a while now.

He's also finally grown more interested in his feet. And one of his new favorite toys is the good, old-fashioned ball!

Well, that's all for now. We hope to get to a pumpkin patch soon and get some pictures. This weekend we're going to hang out with some friends and watch the Ravens. Hopefully Jacob in his gameday outfit will be the luck we need to get a win!

Pick Your Own

No, not your nose. It's Pick Your Own fruits and veggies and it's how we spent the day yesterday! We went to Larriland Farm in Howard County. First we picnicked with friends and their babies, all of which are around the same age as Jacob.





Jacob is getting stronger and stronger on his belly. He manages to find some interesting things when it's tummy time.








Then we went on a hayride, which he enjoyed very much on Caroline's lap. Caroline poured hay over him and he thought it was very funny. He laughed and giggled the whole way.







Then we went apple picking. That was great. We got a bunch of fresh apples that I can't wait to dig into.

All in all, it was a great day. We tried to make it to the pumpkin patch for a picture, but as we were driving back to it, Jacob passed out from his big adventure so we just went on home. He had a great time and we plan on going back in the spring for berry picking.

Giggle Fits and such

Today's feature is Giggle Fits by Jacob Irving Harmon-Darrow. He finds life very amusing right now. It's such a pleasure. Please enjoy.

What's new? Well, we are transitioning Jacob into his own crib. He's been sleeping in a co-sleeper since we brought him home and we think the time has come for him to sleep in his own room. He's been sleeping through the night for months (with the exception of this week) so it's not as important to have him at arm's reach. Even though he's been waking up at the 3 a.m. hour this week for no apparent reason, I'm hoping the transition to his crib will actually help him to sleep through the night again. Caroline has blocked his windows with dark coverings to keep the room nice and dark for him. It's been helping his napping a lot. He's had a few nice long naps in his crib this week. Wish us luck with our new sleeping arrangements!

Here's the most recent list of foods Jacob eats: tofu, mango, millet, barley, brown rice, sweet potato, carrots, apples, pears, nectarines, peaches, peas, asparagus, avocado, egg (yolk), and yogurt. I may be forgetting something, but that's a pretty full list.

This weekend we're heading out to Larriland Farm to pick our own yummies and have a hayride. Aidan and Steffie will be joining us. Fun!

Rosh Hashanah

Jacob had his first trip to Florida this week to celebrate Rosh Hashanah with Bubbie and the rest of my family. It was great! Jacob was really good on the plane. The only tears were due to an overdue nap. He loved going to the airport and looking around at all the goings-ons.

In Florida, he spent a lot of time on his Bubbie's lap. He loved Bubbie!
















Unfortunately, he didn't love the pool.

Or the beach...

But we had lots of fun at Aunt Ninette's and Uncle Sy's house.

And he was a big hit at synagogue with his cute yarmulke.

Overall, it was a great trip. Jacob had lots of fun with my aunt and uncle and cousins. He can't wait to go back. He also tried his first mango and he things it was really yummy.

First Teeth, First Cold

What a week for Jacob! On Monday, Jacob's first teeth cut through the gums. The two bottom center teeth are coming in. Now he's learning what he can do with them ... like bite. No worries. He's pretty well behaved while nursing.

His other first of the week is not as fun - his first cold. Jacob has been pretty congested for the last 24 hours. Last night offered very little sleep for me and Caroline as we took turns holding him upright so he could fall asleep and drain his sinuses. Caroline made a MacGyver-like adjustment to his bassinet so he could be propped up while sleeping. It was great and helped Jacob sleep really well.

Last but not least, Jacob is working really hard on sitting up on his own (see picture to the right)! He can stay up for at least 30 to 60 seconds before tumbling over.

Well, the peanut has finally awoken from his extended sleep. That means it's time for his second breakfast. Here I come Jake!

Nap Time Post Script

Ahhh... finally. It's been 1.5 hours.

Nap time ... I wish

Today's blog is being co-authored by Jacob, himself. The photo is courtesy of the web cam that Grandpa bought us. Pretty cool, huh?

So recently, Jacob has shrugged off his nap time. At best we get a 45 minute nap once or twice a day. I'm not sure what has brought about this change, but I hope it's only temporary.

Jacob has started moving himself around more intentionally. He's getting really good at sitting on his own and now he's starting to reach for toys that are just beyond his grasp. This is a precursor to crawling, though I think we're a long way from that. As long as he's on the path, we're happy.

He's added some more foods to his diet this week. He loved carrots, which we started last week. We also added asparagus and barley. He's taken right to the barley. He's so-so about asparagus. Sometimes he eats it right up and other times he says he can do without it. Today we're also adding pears.

Well, Jacob's giving me the signal that it's time for lunch so we'll sign off for now.

Avocado!

Jacob started solid foods about a month ago. His discovery of eating is so much fun! Initially, he didn't know what to make of the rice cereal we were feeding him and the spoon we were using. Now he eagerly opens his mouth for a spoonful of something.

Caroline makes all of his food at home using recipes from various resources. Of course, being from California, she was very invested in his affection for avocado. At first, he rejected the green fruit. But after several tries, we added a bit of breast milk to it and he enjoyed it very much! We had the same experience with bananas. He rejected it over and over, so we took a break. Then recently Caroline tried again by mixing it with yogurt and he loved it. Today, I fed him straight banana ... okay, there was a hint of breast milk in it.

Currently, his solid food diet consists of apples, bananas, rice cereal, yogurt, and avocado when it's available. We will be adding carrots this week.

Three more weeks until our trip to Bubbie!

6 Months!

Well, keeping up with this blog is not easy! It's been an amazing 6 months. Jacob is such a happy baby and we are enjoying him so much.

Here's some pictures from over the last 6 months. He's really grown!

First born...

Our sleeping angel, 2 months...

First laughs, 3 months...

Our happy boy! 4 months...

He already knows more than the president, 5 months...

Always smiling! 6 months...

So there you are. Jacob truly is a happy boy. He wakes up laughing! I can only imagine what he dreams about.

We've started him on solids. Caroline is a super mom, making all his baby food from scratch using fresh, organic fruits and veggies. Check out Super Baby Food if you want to know more.

Well, I'll try to keep up at least once a week! Maybe once a month???

Welcome!

Hi all! I started this blog to keep our friends and family up-to-date on all the goings-ons of Jacob's world. It's hard to know where to start or what's interesting enough to write about. I find every day with Jacob to be an amazing day filled with new things. Caroline will be contributing to the blog too (I hope!) when she doesn't have her hands full of two babies.

Let me just start off by answering the question, "Why the Mighty Jacob?" Well, as you know, he only weighed 4.5 pounds when he was born. I think he's mighty because he's worked so hard to grow so big and fast! Now he's 14 pounds and 24 inches long! That's mighty to me.

Today is Caroline's first day with both Aidan and Jacob. Aidan is our friend, Steffie's, baby. he's a bit over 2 months old. Caroline will be his nanny. When I left for work, they were both content. Jacob was awake and Aidan was just waking. Jacob was very interested in the new baby in the house. We actually got them together last weekend. When we put them face to face, they were captivated by one another! There were lots of smiles between the two of them. It was so cute!

So, just to catch up on the mighty Jacob, he's 4 months old. Everyday he tries new sounds with which to express himself. He's very talkative and loves to converse with us. He's not quite rolling over yet, though he's done it several times, but he's very close. I actually think he'll be doing a back-to-front rollover soon. He's taken to arching his back while lying down and it looks like it will turn into a rollover.

He loves his mobile and likes to have a burp cloth to cling to at all times. He's drooling like crazy ... teeth are on their way. He smiles a lot when he's awake! He seems like a very happy baby. We've started playing games to get him to sit up on his own. He can't do it yet, but he loves the game in which I pull him into a sitting position with his hands. As soon as he gets to the sitting position, he grins a big toothless Cheshire cat grin.

It has been a joy since the day he was born. Our family is very happy.

We're planning on going to the Baltimore Gay Pride festival this Sunday to show him off. He'll be wearing his "I Love My Moms" outfit. See you there!