Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Janie Grace Sitting!
Until last night, Janie could sit upright on her own for just 5-10 seconds before needing a hand of support to keep her upright. However, something has clicked. Last night, Janie sat up straight for several minutes on a couple of occassions. This was a first. The cameras were rolling!
Granny & Jensen
The kids have enjoyed spending quality time with Granny this week. Last night, Jensen asked Granny to read her a book...they ended up reading four!
Monday, November 21, 2011
Janie's Dedication
Janie Grace was dedicated at church on Sunday. Monthly, our church, designates time at the beginning of the service to dedicate young children to the Lord. It serves as a public proclamation by families of their intent to raise their children to know Christ...hoping and trusting that each child will choose to have a personal relationship with Jesus. Further, it reminds the church Body of its responsibility to provide a place where children can be taught the Truth.
As this is our third time around the block, we've grown accustom to looking forward to this memorable day for each child and each service has been special in its own way. I remember our time dedicating Jacob and Jensen very vividly.
Naturally, as we approach Janie's first birthday and reflect on the past year, anticipating yesterday with Janie Grace was an even more emotional as there were times over the past 18 months where we wouldn't have been able to guarantee in our minds what yesterday would like for her. As it turned out, it was memorable for all the right reasons and some humorous moments made it an event we won't soon forget.
Thanks to technology, you'll be able to watch it here shortly but some written commentary is probably appropriate to provide a bit of context.
First, with Jennifer's dad being a pastor, it's an honor and privilege to have the kids' Poppy D dedicating their lives to the Lord. While Don does a great job making dedications personal for all families, his opportunity to dedicate his grandchildren is a neat family event.
Secondly, as has been documented here through various examples, Jacob isn't very shy once he's comfortable with somebody. Therefore, despite the fact that he was probably standing in front of close to 1,000 people while on stage, he might as well have been in the living room with Poppy D alone. Also, as has been documented here, Jacob is a very precise kid. As bed time approaches, we'll give the 30-minute warning. It wouldn't be unusual for him to say, "Dad, bed time is actually in 28 minutes." Response..."yes, Jacob, that is true", followed by a roll of the eyes (presuming he isn't looking!)
Therefore, at the 0:50 mark of the video below, you'll hear Jacob correct Don while Don is making introductions as Jacob reminds Don (and the crowd) that he's actually "six-and-a-half". As if that wasn't enough, Jacob went on to correct Don moments later when he mistakenly mentioned that Jensen will be 5 in April only to have Jacob inform him (and the crowd) that Jensen will be 5 in May (Jensen was originally due in April and came late on May 2nd).
Okay, so the humor is behind us and it's time to get down to the rather serious task at hand, right??!!...reading a verse that we'd selected as sort of a charge for Janie Grace's life and praying for Janie Grace. However, Janie decided to throw a curve ball. Pay special attention beginning at 1:50 of the video...
Let's just say that Jennifer and I probably needed to re-apply deodorant after those brief moments on stage!
Ironically, Janie Grace almost NEVER spits up like that. We were completely caught off guard. (Now Jacob was a whole different story, he spit up after every meal and in between throughout the first year of his life. We walked around with towels on our shoulders never sure when he'd strike.) Thankfully, Janie Grace has always been good about keeping her food down (that was all the more important when every calorie counted early on!).
Fortunately, all the unplanned extracurriculars, didn't completely distract from the task at hand and there were a few moments that went according to plan. However, for many reasons, it'll be a day we never forget!
Here's a progression of still-shots while Janie was spitting up. Jennifer's facial expressions are priceless.
Finally, here are a few shots of the family on hand to celebrate including Jennifer's Granny from St. Louis.
As this is our third time around the block, we've grown accustom to looking forward to this memorable day for each child and each service has been special in its own way. I remember our time dedicating Jacob and Jensen very vividly.
Naturally, as we approach Janie's first birthday and reflect on the past year, anticipating yesterday with Janie Grace was an even more emotional as there were times over the past 18 months where we wouldn't have been able to guarantee in our minds what yesterday would like for her. As it turned out, it was memorable for all the right reasons and some humorous moments made it an event we won't soon forget.
Thanks to technology, you'll be able to watch it here shortly but some written commentary is probably appropriate to provide a bit of context.
First, with Jennifer's dad being a pastor, it's an honor and privilege to have the kids' Poppy D dedicating their lives to the Lord. While Don does a great job making dedications personal for all families, his opportunity to dedicate his grandchildren is a neat family event.
Secondly, as has been documented here through various examples, Jacob isn't very shy once he's comfortable with somebody. Therefore, despite the fact that he was probably standing in front of close to 1,000 people while on stage, he might as well have been in the living room with Poppy D alone. Also, as has been documented here, Jacob is a very precise kid. As bed time approaches, we'll give the 30-minute warning. It wouldn't be unusual for him to say, "Dad, bed time is actually in 28 minutes." Response..."yes, Jacob, that is true", followed by a roll of the eyes (presuming he isn't looking!)
Therefore, at the 0:50 mark of the video below, you'll hear Jacob correct Don while Don is making introductions as Jacob reminds Don (and the crowd) that he's actually "six-and-a-half". As if that wasn't enough, Jacob went on to correct Don moments later when he mistakenly mentioned that Jensen will be 5 in April only to have Jacob inform him (and the crowd) that Jensen will be 5 in May (Jensen was originally due in April and came late on May 2nd).
Okay, so the humor is behind us and it's time to get down to the rather serious task at hand, right??!!...reading a verse that we'd selected as sort of a charge for Janie Grace's life and praying for Janie Grace. However, Janie decided to throw a curve ball. Pay special attention beginning at 1:50 of the video...
Let's just say that Jennifer and I probably needed to re-apply deodorant after those brief moments on stage!
Ironically, Janie Grace almost NEVER spits up like that. We were completely caught off guard. (Now Jacob was a whole different story, he spit up after every meal and in between throughout the first year of his life. We walked around with towels on our shoulders never sure when he'd strike.) Thankfully, Janie Grace has always been good about keeping her food down (that was all the more important when every calorie counted early on!).
Fortunately, all the unplanned extracurriculars, didn't completely distract from the task at hand and there were a few moments that went according to plan. However, for many reasons, it'll be a day we never forget!
Here's a progression of still-shots while Janie was spitting up. Jennifer's facial expressions are priceless.
Finally, here are a few shots of the family on hand to celebrate including Jennifer's Granny from St. Louis.
Sibling Snuggle
Jacob and Jensen have their moments but most of the time they have a sweet brother/sister relationship. This past weekend, they went to bed at Gigi & Poppy D's house while we had dinner with friends. We picked them up around 10:30 PM to transport them home. This was how we found them...
Friday, November 18, 2011
A Doll
This is Charlotte. She's our newest niece belonging to Tracy (Jennifer's sister) and Zack. Charlotte looks just like her mama!
Thursday, November 17, 2011
TD Celebration
Notice: Significant thought was given to how best to tell this story. Certainly don't aim to endorse the behavior but believe this is a tale that Jacob will hear told many times as he gets older.
I may be corrected on this, but I don't think Jacob's football team had a non-rushing TD all season going into the final game (but not for lack of trying). I can picture an extra point conversion in week 1 with a pass from Brooks to Carter. (We were in disbelief when it actually worked as designed!) Throughout the year, it appeared we tried more passing plays than our opponents week to week and that fact was confirmed by the head of the league late in the year. Robert would tell you we had no other choice but to pass as the running game often stalled! (We were rarely the quickest team on the field!) Most coaches offensive philosophy seemed to be that if you hand it off 10 times, one play is bound to open up due to a missed assignment or an inability to grab flags. With a few kids capable of passing and catching, our team tried its best to keep the defense honest and passed the ball (or attempted to) 40%-50% of the time.
Before I go on, let me mention that at the coaches meeting before the first practice of the season I have a vague memory of being told that we were to discourage celebrations after big plays and scores. At that point, Robert and I were far more concerned with our kids actually scoring a TD than what they'd do after getting one, so the message probably fell on deaf ears. I can honestly say we preached sportsmanship (picking up an opponent's flag, giving a helping hand to a player down on the field, no gloating etc.) However, I have no recollection of telling the kids not to celebrate a big play. Through the first 7 games, it never appeared to be an issue. We had several different kids score TDs and none of them seemed to do more than high-five their teammates and/or hug a friend/coach.
Back to the final game...the defense was struggling against one of the better teams we'd played but certainly not the best opponent we'd lined up against. Jacob's friend Carter had made several key flag-grabs that prevented a bigger hole. The opponent was up 2 TDs to none in the 3rd quarter (we're not suppose to keep score but every brain on the field knows the score), and we had zero momentum as our offense was struggling to move the ball. After a couple plays that yielded a few yards each, Brooks (Jacob's close friend, Robert's son) lined up at QB while Jacob was out wide with a couple other kids at the receiver position. Brooks took the snap, rolled right to avoid the blitzer and threw towards Jacob (about a 7-yard pass probably). It was a well-thrown ball by Brooks (accurate with good pace). The only problem was that Jacob was pretty well covered by a defender. Somehow, the ball got by/through the defender, Jacob caught it in traffic, turned and ran up the sideline for a TD. There was a defender right behind him the entire way (20 yards). I'm still not sure how he didn't get one of Jacob's flags (although the same thought came to mind several times throughout the season when our kids were on defense). We were all pumped. The passing TD got us back into the game and I was excited knowing our team had finally converted a passing TD as we'd tried so many times. Knowing it was nearly time to play defense, I took my eye off of Jacob to see the next line-up and lost him amidst the celebration in the end zone.
After the extra point attempt, I was approached by the opposing coach. He didn't appear pleased. He informed me that I needed to remind our players about sportsmanship. I gave him a puzzled look as I hadn't observed anything I'd deem inappropriate. In fact, Robert and I were always proud of our kids' sportsmanship. I asked, "what happened?". He replied, "Number 7 (Jacob) spiked the ball after he scored." I nodded and told him we'd address it. (Admittedly, I was snickering a bit on the inside as this was the first I was hearing of it.)
As it turns out, Jacob went all NFL with his TD celebration. According to my father-in-law, "it was a great spike." (I'm picturing Walter Payton back in the day.) He certainly didn't taunt the other team and was only doing what he sees on TV each week. Bottom line: he was having fun. Arguably, the fun he should have as a 6-year-old when scoring a TD. (I'm just glad he didn't pull a sharpie out of his sock or do a Lambeau-leap into the parents section.) However, we had to tell him that league rules don't encourage such things, and it has muted some of the enjoyment of the moment as he hates to consider that he did something wrong. Tactfully, I keep reminding him of the sweet catch and run that he had.
I only wish it was captured on video!
I may be corrected on this, but I don't think Jacob's football team had a non-rushing TD all season going into the final game (but not for lack of trying). I can picture an extra point conversion in week 1 with a pass from Brooks to Carter. (We were in disbelief when it actually worked as designed!) Throughout the year, it appeared we tried more passing plays than our opponents week to week and that fact was confirmed by the head of the league late in the year. Robert would tell you we had no other choice but to pass as the running game often stalled! (We were rarely the quickest team on the field!) Most coaches offensive philosophy seemed to be that if you hand it off 10 times, one play is bound to open up due to a missed assignment or an inability to grab flags. With a few kids capable of passing and catching, our team tried its best to keep the defense honest and passed the ball (or attempted to) 40%-50% of the time.
Before I go on, let me mention that at the coaches meeting before the first practice of the season I have a vague memory of being told that we were to discourage celebrations after big plays and scores. At that point, Robert and I were far more concerned with our kids actually scoring a TD than what they'd do after getting one, so the message probably fell on deaf ears. I can honestly say we preached sportsmanship (picking up an opponent's flag, giving a helping hand to a player down on the field, no gloating etc.) However, I have no recollection of telling the kids not to celebrate a big play. Through the first 7 games, it never appeared to be an issue. We had several different kids score TDs and none of them seemed to do more than high-five their teammates and/or hug a friend/coach.
Back to the final game...the defense was struggling against one of the better teams we'd played but certainly not the best opponent we'd lined up against. Jacob's friend Carter had made several key flag-grabs that prevented a bigger hole. The opponent was up 2 TDs to none in the 3rd quarter (we're not suppose to keep score but every brain on the field knows the score), and we had zero momentum as our offense was struggling to move the ball. After a couple plays that yielded a few yards each, Brooks (Jacob's close friend, Robert's son) lined up at QB while Jacob was out wide with a couple other kids at the receiver position. Brooks took the snap, rolled right to avoid the blitzer and threw towards Jacob (about a 7-yard pass probably). It was a well-thrown ball by Brooks (accurate with good pace). The only problem was that Jacob was pretty well covered by a defender. Somehow, the ball got by/through the defender, Jacob caught it in traffic, turned and ran up the sideline for a TD. There was a defender right behind him the entire way (20 yards). I'm still not sure how he didn't get one of Jacob's flags (although the same thought came to mind several times throughout the season when our kids were on defense). We were all pumped. The passing TD got us back into the game and I was excited knowing our team had finally converted a passing TD as we'd tried so many times. Knowing it was nearly time to play defense, I took my eye off of Jacob to see the next line-up and lost him amidst the celebration in the end zone.
After the extra point attempt, I was approached by the opposing coach. He didn't appear pleased. He informed me that I needed to remind our players about sportsmanship. I gave him a puzzled look as I hadn't observed anything I'd deem inappropriate. In fact, Robert and I were always proud of our kids' sportsmanship. I asked, "what happened?". He replied, "Number 7 (Jacob) spiked the ball after he scored." I nodded and told him we'd address it. (Admittedly, I was snickering a bit on the inside as this was the first I was hearing of it.)
As it turns out, Jacob went all NFL with his TD celebration. According to my father-in-law, "it was a great spike." (I'm picturing Walter Payton back in the day.) He certainly didn't taunt the other team and was only doing what he sees on TV each week. Bottom line: he was having fun. Arguably, the fun he should have as a 6-year-old when scoring a TD. (I'm just glad he didn't pull a sharpie out of his sock or do a Lambeau-leap into the parents section.) However, we had to tell him that league rules don't encourage such things, and it has muted some of the enjoyment of the moment as he hates to consider that he did something wrong. Tactfully, I keep reminding him of the sweet catch and run that he had.
I only wish it was captured on video!
Jacob Pics
Jacob was invited by his former kindergarten teacher to come back and read to this year's class.
Here's Jacob's classroom this year, so that you can picture where he his every day.
Nice to be able to do homework in short-sleeves on the front porch during November!
Here's Jacob's classroom this year, so that you can picture where he his every day.
Nice to be able to do homework in short-sleeves on the front porch during November!
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