Jacob Thomas, Taylor J, Jeremiah, Sopha, & Gracie

Boys at play

2011-12-04T13:41:00.000-08:00

Jacob loves arts and crafts. Here, he is painting a turkey.
Taylor crawls all over the place. He has even learned how to stand up alone for several seconds. He grabs on to whatever he can to get from one place to another. He's really the definition of a "momma's boy." Playing in the train room also known as "the happy room."

Jacob is learning how to be a good big brother. He gets a lot of mini lessons about being patient and being kind.

I don't know how to fix the red eyes! Here, they are watching Jake and the Pirates.

Isn't he so cute????

Soccer

2011-12-04T13:31:00.000-08:00

Jacob started soccer practice a month ago and sso far, he has done exceptionally well. For kids in his age group, he's got some reaaly great motor skills. He is still working on his listening skillls, but for a first timer, he is such a great athlete. (Sorry, picture quality is not good.)

New preschool

2011-12-04T13:17:00.000-08:00

This post makes me emotional because it reminds me of how fast my Baby Jacob is growing. Jacob has grown and matured in so many ways since we've moved to Texas. Jeremiah and I can't believe some of the things he can do and say. He is very smart.

We found a preschool on Katy that had a good balance of academics and social development. Jacob bonded with the teacher right away when we went for a school tour. I was shoocked! Now, he goes twice a week and we are considering more days since he enjoys it so much. He is there from 8:30-3:00.

On his first day, 12/1/11, he didn't even cry! He said bye to me before I can even say goodbye. While taking pictures with his teacher, he called me stinky pants (something he learned from the photographer the day before lol). Overall, other than wetting his pants the very first hour and pulling on another kids shoulder, he had a fantastic first day. I cried on the way home, but Taylor kept me busy, which made the day go by really fast. Can't believe it, but we are so proud of our Baby..oops...Big Boy Jacob!

Christmas Photo Attempt

2011-12-04T11:58:00.000-08:00

Every year I try to capture some cute pictures to put together a collage for my parents. Some times I get lucky...this time, I wasn't at all. Taylor was very unhappy. We had just gotten back from a photo shoot from Jacob's school and he freaked out because he was afraid of the photographers. So, when we got home, all he wanted was to be held. He wasn't having any of it. Jacob on the other hand, loved it. He especially loved the fat reindeer.

My favorite picture!!

This was an absolute disaster. I gave up after this one.

Putting up the Xmas tree

2011-12-04T11:51:00.000-08:00

Our decorations are very simple this year. I didn't feel like going through all the boxes, so we just placed ornaments on the tree. We had a surprise for Jacob because he diligently helped with the ornaments. He is so particular. Things had to be placed in certain spots, considering Taylor and all. He's something.
Thomas the Tank Engine ornament! Yay!

Thanksgiving in Texas

2011-12-04T11:36:00.000-08:00

We were so happy that Auntie Monica and Uncle Daniel decided to spend their Thanksgiving with us in Katy! They drove down from Prosper (Dallas area) Monday night and stayed with us until Saturday. WE all enjoyed their company, especially Jacob. He has a special bond with his E-Ca because she gives him whatever she wants, but I'm so happy that she is not afraid to discipline him when he is misbehaving. We love them to pieces!

Here, they are working on the pies! We had chocolate pecan pie, lemon meringue pie, and pumpkin cheesecake. They were delicious!!! Eca was so nice. She took over and cooked our entire Thanksgiving dinner. Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures of the food because I didn't have patience for pictures. I dug in right away!

For dinner, we had TurDucKen, ham, pies, Daniel's special made mashed potatoes, and a bunch of other sides. No one touched the salad though! LOL. It was so much fun. We even squeezed in family pictures at the park before dinner as well!

Two boys and...

2011-12-04T11:26:00.001-08:00

...a GIRL!

Baby #3 is a girl! Since she was conceived naturally, her estimated due date is March 29th. I am still considered a high risk pregnancy, so I have to get progesterone shots every week and visit the specialist often as well. Fortunately, the nurse comes to our place and gives the shot. We also get to hear the baby' heartbeat each time. We are hoping and praying that this baby will be full term. We had a scare just this past weekend. I was feeling mild contractions throughout the day, but didn't think too much of it because I wasn't feeling well. But, by evening time I was really concerned and the doctor told me to go to the ER asap. Everything is fine. I was dehydrated, which caused the uterus to contract. I am better now because I'm jugging down as much water as I can.

Halloween with Mickey and Friends!!

2011-12-04T10:43:00.001-08:00

Yes, it was an absolute dream come true trick or treating with Mickey and Friends with my boys!!!!! We decided to take Jacob to Disneyland again this year for the second time because he has become such a Disney Mania. On top of that, it was a surprise birthday gift for me from Jeremiah.

We had just learned a month before that we were going to move to Katy, Texas for Jeremiah's work and thought that having one last BIG California adventure before going would be fun for the family. Disneyland is just so magical! If you love Halloween and Disney, then you absolutely must make a trip there in October. It's just so much fun!

It's a Small World is Jacob's favorite Disneyland ride. This time it trumped the trains! Yes, you heard right! We probably went on this ride at least 10 times. Each time, he acted as if it was his first time riding it. It was priceless. Taylor even enjoyed the ride.

Jeremiah pointed out that this was Grandma, so every time we passed by, Jacob would yell out, "Look, it's Gramma!"

Here we are waiting for the Mickey Soundsational Parade. It was such an awesome parade. I actually like it better than the electrical parade!

Having dinner at Goofy's Kitchen was the best EVERRR! The food was just phenomenal. Everything was good! Lots of characters were there and they were so nice. I like this much better than the surfing breakfast with Mickey.

Jacob looks grumpy because he just woke up from his nap.

Taylor was a dragon for Halloween! Adorable!

He is learning his "lizard" look.

His excitement for trick or treating. First, he didn't want to put on his costume, but after trick or treating at two boothes, he wanted it on.

Isn't he the cutest Thomas ever? By the way, Disney is very GENEROUS with giving out candy. We probably visited 6-7 boothes and got three bags of yummy goodness! These are good candies too like almond joy, snickers, twix, skittles, you name it!

Yes, I'm the number ONE engine!

Waiting for the costume parade...which he missed because he fell asleep minutes before they started. It was a long day, so I don't blame him. At least we were able to get him to trick or treat.

Jake's first day of preschool

2011-11-17T12:29:00.000-08:00

Jacob started preschool this August. Though we were only there for two months, it was worth it. Jeremiah was fortunate to be able to bring Jake on his first day, but I couldn't because I had to be at work! School had already begun for me! The teachers told me that Jacob cried for a while before settling down for the remainder of the morning. I have to say that since then, Jacob has matured a lot!! I brought him with me to take a tour of a local preschool in Katy and he was so comfortable with the teacher- letting her hold him, carry him, and even taking him to her room to get a sticker without me there!! He also looooves nursery in our new ward. It's amazing how much he has changed in a couple of months. I don't know if staying at home contributes to his level of comfort with others...knowing that I'll always be there to pick him up or that I'm not working...but it's amazing to see his growth. I'm very proud of him.

Ms. Julie, his teacher.

I must add that Jacob recognizes all his letters of the alphabet. He also knows some of the sounds as well. He can spell his name, but can't write it yet. He is really eagered to learn new skills and absolutely loves to read. He can finish sentences of his favorite stories that we read each night. His favorite thing right now is "flashlight" reading before going to bed.

Taylor's first haircut

2011-11-17T12:21:00.000-08:00

On August 7, 2011, Mama gave Taylor his first haircut. I didn't like it at first and then it grew on me. Jeremiah totally loved it! I couldn't believe that after the haircut, there was a bald line stretching from ear to ear and it's still there today!

Summer '11

2011-11-17T12:09:00.000-08:00

Random pictures taken here and there this past summer.

Bowling with the Family Aug '11

2011-11-17T11:58:00.001-08:00

This was Jacob's first time bowling and it was so much fun! It was the first time our entire family went bowling together! I'm so grateful for that chance we were able to do something together because it is rare!! We all had so much fun. The only people missing were Daniel and Jeremiah. They missed out, but we missed them!!

Day Out with Thomas the Tank Engine!

2011-11-17T11:38:00.001-08:00

We took Jacob to see Thomas and boy was he thrilled!! As we were driving into the lot, he spotted Thomas the Tank Engine and he went W-I-L-D! We could hardly unbuckle him from his carseat. It was worth the drive (Taylor crying like crazy). At the park, they had several stations for kids to either paint, blow bubbles, play in the jumphouse, get tattoos, and even play with trains and tracks. It was such a beautiful day and everything was just PERFECT. It was a great family outting.

Getting his first tattoo...

It was so hard to explain to him why it had to be washed off a few days after while bathing. He just could not understand that it was not permanent.

They had other trains running that day and it just added to the fun!

The souvenir store which we were gladly able to escape with just spending $30...lots of bribing to try to get outta there. My only regret...we bought him a CD with songs from the series and it is about the ONLY track he will let us listen to in the car. It has been over 6 months and we are STILL listening to all the songs on that CD.

Jeremiah has to be one of the coolest dads out there. He is so involved and hands-on with Jacob. I love watching them play...and quite honestly, very jealous as well. I wish I could do all of that with the both of them, but Taylor slept and wanted to be carried the entire time. We spent a couple of hundred dollars on a double stroller and uhhh..yeah...not happening with the lil man.

Finally on the train and he is ready to go! While on the ride they played one of the songs from the series and Jacob just stood up and started tapping his hand on the train. It was so cute. Jeremiah caught it on video. Unfortunately, because uploading videos take forever, we can't put it on the blog...we can, but I just don't have the patience.

Sir Topham Hatt!! He wasn't even scared! And of course a picture with Thomas the Tank Engine himself! I thought this was the best picture, but apparently not.

When we were there, we stayed in Capitola and it was not what we expected. It's nothing compared to Monterey! Anyway, while there we enjoyed Pizza My Heart and was able to pay a visit to the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz. Now, tell me why he chose the pink truck? I was disappointed.

Sonoma in July '11

2011-11-17T11:25:00.000-08:00

Jacob is a huge fan of trains, if you didn't know already. Well, his excitement is so contagious that we took every and any opportunity we had this summer to bring him to places with trains. We decided to take a day trip to Sonoma to a train park and he was probably the happiest kid there. It puts a big smile on our face to see how happy he is. On top of that, he is so grateful and expresses it so often, it just melts our hearts. We had a feeling then that Taylor would be in to trains and believe it or not, he is NOW. If you remember a while back of how excited Jacob would get when the soundtrack to Thomas and Friends came on, then just picture Taylor just as excited, but just bouncing up and down on his bum. It's so cute.

When going over a bridge or under a tunnel, he always puts up his arms.

4th of July in Monterey, CA

2011-11-17T10:41:00.000-08:00

For Fourth of July this year, we decided to take a trip to Monterey, one of our most favorite places to be! We spent time on the beach, the aquarium, did some shopping, and lots of eating! Most importantly, we found out 3 months after this trip that I was expecting again. The whole summer I wasn't feeling too well. I was always light-headed, nauseaus, and plain SICK! I didn't realize I was pregnant until August. This trip was when we expanded our family...I guess. :)

He has got the wildest hair ever. We started on rice cereal, but it didn't last very long because it seemed like he was allergic to it or something. He had bad eczema, so we didn't feed him baby food until September.
Jacob totally acting like a big bro.

Of course when you are visiting Monterey, you CAN NOT not go to the Dennis the Menace Park. It just screams FUN for kids, especially Jacob!

Trains...totally in love with trains.

Our first day visit to the aquarium.

Our favorite beach.

Jacob has some sensory issues, so it was trying to get him to play in the sand. He wanted to play so much, but wanted to be carried. Daddy wouldn't do it, so he eventually did it all by himself because he wanted to play. I couldn't help but laugh from afar. You can tell Jeremiah was getting frustrated because Jacob kept screaming and crying if he wasn't carried to and from the water.

Day 2

Riding the train at Casa de Fruita. We always stop there before heading home to Tracy.

Isn't he just so adorable?

First Disneyland Trip in Feb '11

2011-11-16T09:21:00.000-08:00

The Easter Bunny brought our family tickets to our first Disneyland trip this year! Aunt Monica was so sweet to knit some Mickey Mouse hats for the boys. Jacob had been watchingthe sing along songs to Disneyland and was prepared for eerything DISNEYLAND!
As we were walking through Downtown Disney, one of the security guys told us we couldn't bring in this wagon because we were pulling from behind. Soooo...we had to go back to our hotel and get the stroller. Good thing I had Jeremiah pack the one seat stroller. So guess who sat in it the whole time?? Yep, Mr. Jacob! THat left me carrying Taylor our entire trip. The classic place to take pics at Disney!

Happiest place everrrrr!

Taylor's blessing & Baby Shower

2011-11-16T09:04:00.000-08:00

Big brother, Jacob who will always be my Baby Jacob.
Our growing family...

Taylor and Claire

Mama & KongKong

Daddy and Taylor

Kisses from mommy

Surprise baby shower? They tried to surprise me, but I threw them in for a loop since their party date was scheduled on my back to school night at work. Pretty funny! Love my sisterss and husband who put it all together. Also, my friends who came on last mminutes notice.

My very good friend, Yan Higgins.

My best friend, Nay Colvin.

My gorgeous sisters! Missing Steph and Sreynoun!Mama!!!!

Jacob before Taylor

2011-06-17T16:04:00.000-07:00

Taken the day before Taylor arrived, Jacob is happy because he just opened a package from E-Ca!

This is what she made for him...a super soft Thomas and Friends blanket! It is really popular around here! Both boys love it it because it's so soft and lightweight! Can you tell his hat is getting smaller? One of our favorite winter hats!

Prepping Valentine treats for his nursery friends. He stuffed the bags with Teddy Grahams with a note that said, "Bear Hugs!" Love, Jacob.

Cried for something. I don't remember for what, but all I remember is that I was big and tired and ready for Taylor to come.

With my parents in town and Edith to help at home, I took Jacob to the park frequently because I knew that when the baby arrived, I wouldn't have a lot of time with Jakey. He loves slides.

He likes to play by himself, which makes me sad sometimes. Hopefully, he will grow out of it and become more friendly. (With my best friend living a few minutes away, we've had tons of playdates together which helped Jacob come out of shell quite a bit...actually A LOT!)

The observer. He didn't want to play until he watched all the kids use the play structure.

Absolute PRO bike rider here. Nowadays, we have to watch when he's coming around with his bike before he runs into our heels. He's gotten into so much trouble so many times, but he keeps thinking it's funny.

This was taken during his early riding days. Now, you can find him riding without steering and totally braking before the bike could stop moving in one direction. It's hilarious because he almost tipped over several times.

*Sigh* Back when church began at 1 pm and not 9 am. We actually had time to take pictures. Now, we're rushing out of the door to make it on time. Most of the time, my hair is wet and in a bun...yuck. I'm last, but boy oh boy...my boys are super cute for church...all three of them.

Happy Easter

2011-04-24T09:56:00.000-07:00

We had a fun(ny) Easter morning. Jacob didn't know what to do with the eggs the Easter bunny left for him in the hallway outside of the bedroom door, so he just scooted down the stairs where there were only a few eggs. When he saw the big surprise in the living room, he dropped his eggs and slid down the stairs as fast as he could...very much like what he did when he realized what Santa Claus had left for him on Christmas morning, except this was way cuter! We laughed so hard! We were so happy to see how excited he was because he had such a terrible week! I haven't blogged in months bc it's been so busy. I will blog a little more in detail for both boys later today...IF I get a chance to. :)

Strong Team

2011-02-21T04:09:00.000-08:00

Update: Taylor's jaundice levels went down on Saturday, so the pediatrician discharged us from the hospital. Even though he had lost 7% of his birthweight, she felt that it was okay to release him and we were thrilled. She ordered another bloodtest for Sunday morning followed by a visit in pediatrics, where we found out that Taylor had to be readmitted because his levels spiked up more than the initial results. He also had lost a total of 11.5% of his birthweight. So, here I am at 4:15 in the morning, sitting across from Taylor's crib watching the SPO2 monitor like a hawk! Every time the alarm goes off, my heart skips a beat. This is totally a flashback of our NICU time with Jacob. However, the only difference is that we are much more prepared this time. We are stronger. We are more knowledgeable. We have more trust in nurses. We have each other. We are a strong team. I don't think there is anything Jeremiah would not do for me or my boys. I sit here with tears as I don't know what I did to deserve such a loving husband who sacrifices so much for his family. His love for us is so immense that nothing seems impossible or unresolvable. He makes things easier, which I appreciate so much. I hope he knows how much we love him!!

While Taylor is receiving his phototherapy for jaundice, Jacob is happily spending time with my parents. I feel so lucky to have family that can help any time I need them. So many have sacrifice their time for me and I am so grateful. When we were in the hospital, Jeremiah would go back home for an hour to visit Jacob and bring special treats and surprises to make sure that he knows we are thinking about him and that we love him. I know he misses us because he makes sure my mom knows the routine at night before going to bed, which is reading a few of his favorite books, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Chica Chica Boom Boom, If the Savior Stood Beside Me, and The Book of Mormon. Following that, he would fold his arms to show that he can pray like Enos. Then, he'd cry for me. =) That is when my mom turns on "frout (sprout)" to console him until he falls asleep. Jacob is so lucky to have Mama and KongKong there to spoil him to pieces. We are blessed too. We don't want them to go home next week! =( Having spent so much time with my parents, we were surprised to find out that Jacob can speak a Cambodian word! Guess what it is???? Yes, it is "POUM." When we were changing Taylor's diaper before feeding yesterday, Taylor passed gas and Jacob said, "Baby poum!" Jeremiah and I laughed so hard. It was pretty funny. Hahaha...my parents...sigh...funny.

Jacob meet Taylor. Taylor meet Jacob. When we got home on Saturday, Jacob was napping. I was so anxious to see Jacob's reaction to the new baby. When my dad brought him to the room, I took one look at Jacob and had the biggest smile on my face. He looked like a BIG...I mean BIG boy! He was always my little baby, now he's a big boy! He came and sat on Jeremiah's lap and pointed and said, Baby. When Taylor cried, he would say Baby Cry, but would not touch him at all. It was almost like he was afraid. Jacob stared and watched for a while before Jeremiah brought him downstairs to get a special treat that Taylor had brought home for him...sprinkled cupcakes! It didn't take long before he escaped and ran upstairs to see Taylor again. The night went pretty smooth until 3 am in the morning when Taylor woke all of us up. The hardest part was explaining to Jacob that I had to feed Taylor and he needed my attention. I couldn't hold Jacob. I couldn't hug him and we couldn't fit on the rocking chair all together. He was pretty upset and cried a bit. We all finally went to bed about 1 1/2 later...so I thought. I woke up 1/2 hour later to find Jeremiah rocking Taylor to sleep....then an hour later...then another hour later...he didn't put Taylor down at all. It was so sweet to see how much he loved the little boy already. He is such a good father! Now with us in the hospital again, we'll have to reintroduce the boys and hope the transition will be somewhat of a smooth one. =)

Introducing Taylor J Sorensen

2011-02-19T08:52:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the world, Taylor J Sorensen! Taylor was born on Wednesday, February 16, 2011 at 3:45 in the afternoon. He was a whoping 8lbs. 8oz. and 20 inches long.
We did not get information about weight and length until after almost an hour of holding, cuddling, and kissing him. After he was delivered, he was placed directly on my chest while the nurse cleaned him. He started working right away breastfeeding,while Jeremiah and I adored him. I kept looking at Jeremiah in amazement at how big Taylor was. I couldn't believe I gave birth to such a cute and big boy!

While the nurse was prepping for his first bath, Taylor was inconsolable...just like any newborn. Taylor grabbed Jeremiah's finger for comfort and it reminded me so much of Jacob when he was in the NICU.

Here he is lying on the giraffe after his bath. The hate barely fit him. Some of the other beanies I brought from home didn't fit it either. I guess he can skip the newborn sizes and move on to 0-3 months. So...who do you think he looks like? Any resemblance to Jacob? I think he looks a lot like meeee! =) First bath...I still can't believe how BIG he is.

Phototheraphy=fun...NOT! He is miserable under and on top of the bililights! Lots of crying and irritability! After the first day of therapy, his numbers elevated so we had to stay an extra day. Anticipating that his levels would go down, we were disappointed to find out that it DID go down slightly by one point. As I am updating this blog, we are waiting for the pediatrician to come in and order another blood test and tell us whether or not another night's stay is planned. We all just want to go home!! Taylor especially wants to meet his big brother, Jacob!!

He has his own wubbanub and he looooves it!

Want details on how it ALL went down? Hahaha...I'm sure some of you are dying to know! First of all, I am shocked that I went beyond my due date! I thought I would deliver sometime around 34-36 weeks, but Taylor had different plans. He didn't want to come out at all. Early Wednesday morning around 3 am, I had contractions that were about 5-7 minutes apart. Jeremiah and I timed each contraction and decided to go to the hospital. On the way to the hospital, my contractions began to spread a part...more like 10-15 minutes. I was sure they would send me home. After observation, I was dilated to 5 cm (dilated to3+ cm the Friday before), they admitted me at about 6:00 ish and told me that they would break my water at 8 am. It didn't happen because it took me quite a bit of time to pass my stool. After passing my stool at 8:00ish, at 8:30 the anastesiologist (sp?) came in and prepped my epidural. At 10:00, the midwife popped my water bag. At 11:30, they started me on pitocin at 2 ml an hour, increasing it by 2 ml every 10 minutes. They got to 4 ml and I dilated to 7 cm. The contractions were beginning to take its course and the epidural meds began to kick in...an HOUR later. *sigh*... I made slow progress and at 2 pm, I dilated to 9.75. They had me push, but I guess Taylor wasn't ready. After a push, his head would retract back, so they waited another 45 minutes where I proved that I'd use all my might and strength to get Taylor out. See, even with the epidural, I could feel the pressure from every contraction. I was READY. I wanted to PUSH. Finally at 2:50, pushing began. It took about another 55 minutes before Taylor arrived. There were lots of emotions. I thought about Jacob the whole time and even cried that morning when Jeremiah mentioned his name. So, you are probably wondering how this compares to Jacob's delivery...not one of them were harder than the other. It was equally has hard. Jacob had a lot of emotional pain and uncertainty. Taylor had a lot of physical discomfort, but that uncertainty definitely is the same. I can say that Heavenly Father has blessed me greatly and has humbled me in ways that I would have never expected. I feel so fortunate to have experienced both of my children's births with my loving husband. I can't believe we have TWO kids now! *BIGGEST SMILE IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD!*

Park

2011-02-09T16:41:00.000-08:00

The weather was nice on Monday, so I decided to take Jacob to the park. He hasn't been out since last August. This was a really nice treat. At first, he watched all the kids play. After careful observation, he was comfortable enough to play and had so much fun. He was the littliest one out of the bunch, but it didn't stop him from climbing, sliding, and swinging without any help...well, he needed my help with the big kids' swing. =)

This is where he stood to watch all the kids play. He didn't move from this spot for awhile.

Wearing his Sunday's best for church. This was a special day because Jacob was in nursery ALL by himself. I left after 10 minutes and of course, he cried, gagged, and threw up. The nursery leaders were awesome. They were so patient and worked with him. On the way home, we asked him what he did in nursery and he said, "Nursery nice. Nursery cry." When we asked if he sang songs, he started singing heads, shoulders, knees, and toes. =)

Riding his bike at the park. He is such a big boy!!

Tears

2011-02-03T18:12:00.001-08:00

Jacob loves looking at his pictures and videos on the blog. Tonight was the first time we've shown pictures and videos of him in the NICU. To our surprise, Jacob was very emotional. He was on the brink of crying- had tears in his eyes and buried his face in my chest- while watching/listening to the video of him taking his first bath in the incubator and the video of me kangaroo caring with him. Tonight, Jeremiah and I held and hugged him a little closer and a little tighter. Our son is a NICU graduate! We can't believe how big our son has gotten. We are so blessed with his health. We are a forever family and I'm so grateful for that!

Gracie and Jacob

2011-02-01T10:45:00.000-08:00

Gracie has a groomer now. He picks her up from our house and drops her off. She came back smelling so good the other day! Since she was so clean, I let her out to play with Jacob. They both had a blast!

As Edith was preparing to vacuum the carpet after having Gracie out to play, Jacob decided to climb on the pillows. When he sees the camera, he jumps right in front of the lens and says, "Cheese." He will not move until he sees a flash. Here, we are at Mama's house. One of his favorite places to hang out on the weekends....BECAUSE...he gets so spoiled!!! Jacob learned how to pedal two weekends ago at Mama's house. He perfected his skills this past weekend. It's one of his favorite things to do. Unfortunately, he thinks biking into my ankles is a funny thing, so he's got some work to do. He knows when he's in the limelight, so he'd act up. You'll see it in this video.

Almost there...I think

2011-01-31T13:16:00.001-08:00

Holy Cow! I am 38 weeks pregnant and have developed a newfound respect for pregnant ladies all over the world! Though I have dreamt of making it this far and have promised to enjoy every second of it, I must admit that it is not as pleasant as I thought. First and foremost, I feel like my body has given way and I literally walk like an elderly woman who've had hip displacement. Second, my belly hits everything...no kidding...from doors to tables to everything imagineable. My bellybutton is sensitive and I wobble like a duck! My groin area feels like it has soften a little and sometimes it makes standing up difficult to do. OH, and this blade-like, zapping, electricuting feeling I get in the *** area, certainly doesn't help when it comes to walking.

HOWEVER, despite all of these physical discomfort, I honestly have to say that I am GRATEFUL to have had a healthy pregnancy. When I am concerned or worried about Taylor, he somehow gives me a little nudge or kick, sometimes BIG ones, to reassure me that he's okay. I've mentioned in past postings of all the interventions I've received that has helped me get this far, but my parents reminded me this weekend that there is a greater power that had a hand in carrying me through this pregnancy. As I grow in anxiety, in fear of what to expect from a full-term labor and delivery, my parents talked to me about the things I needed to do to prepare myself spiritually, so that I could be in control and not affect the things or people around me. It was humbling. They told me that I needed to do the things that I've always been taught to do in times of distress, fear, worry, concern, thankfulness, etc. This is what they said...I needed to be prayerful, seek the power of the priesthood to obtain blessings that is available to me, and be grateful for the blessings that have already been poured during this pregnancy.

I guess when I stray away from what is important, such as focusing on the physical discomforts instead of how healthy Taylor and myself have been throughout this pregnancy, all I need to do is remember what the wise have said to me in the past several years. Here is a summary..."DO NOT FORGET what He has done for you...(Bishop Brown)...The Lord has a great and marvelous plan... (Dad) ... Don't worry. You can't control everything. Be grateful for him. Be grateful to him. Dedicate your life to him. Pray always and attend the temple because he hears you and knows your needs. (Mom)..."

Pictures!

2011-01-20T12:10:00.000-08:00

Jacob's train table...it looks different every week.

This is what Santa left for Jacob.

Mommy and Jacob day at the zoo.

My attempt at being a photographer...it was hard, but the pics turned out well.

Jacob at the movies.

Update

2011-01-17T09:18:00.000-08:00

It's been over two months since I've updated the blog! I'm a procrastinator and I know I should be updating the blog more often. So, today is officially my first day on maternity leave. Yes, you heard right...maternity leave. That means I have made it to 36 weeks. It's been a long road, but I feel extremely blessed to have made it this far. I'm going to try to be as detailed, yet as brief as I can with updates since the last post.

Jacob:
~Jacob has had a really tough winter...getting sick every other week and visiting the doctor almost 3-4 times a month. This is his first year without RSV shots and the germies are really attracted to him. It doesn't help that he's the typical 2 year old that loves to touch and lick everything. The cold loves hanging out at our house because we have passed it back and forth to each other since November. I'm so glad we have great benefits, otherwise we would have been poor the last few months with all the doctor visits and prescriptions!!

~Jacob has picked up a lot of language. It is slowly developing, but he ceases to amaze us with his comments and phrases. He always surprises us! He continues to learn how to read new words everyday and is so smart. The other day, he gave me this long kiss on the lips and then looked at me and said, "GROSS!" It was cute, but really??? He's way to young to say that to his mommy! =( One of his favorite phrases would have to be, "I want that." Where did he learn this from? His father!!!! I'd have to say that Jake's language skills are getting better and I'm not as worried as before. To add to this, Jacob has been quite the master in putting together puzzles and playing matching games. His favorite games would have to be the ones that his father downloaded onto the iphone...=/. Please don't ask me why he did that!

~Jacob is in the process of potty training! He doesn't like it very much and would tell us after the fact. For Jacob, the best part of potty training is playing with bubbles aka washing his hands. He cries when he's on the toilet and would tell us he's done before he sits on it. We are fortunate to have a babysitter who is consistent and persistent and really good at training him. We've also tried having him without the diaper and just in his Thomas underwear, but the wetting does not bother him at all. All I can say is, this is going to be a hard one!

~Jacob had a wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas. On Thanksgiving, we took him to his first movie in the theater to watch, Tangled. It was awesome. He didn't cry one bit and enjoyed every minute of it! He especially loved having all the popcorn he wanted! He even laughed with the crowd! I don't believe he got up one bit or even nag during the movie. Going to the movies will definitely be a hobby for this family from now on! Then, we went to my mom's side of the family to have Thanksgiving. Christmas this year was very special. We had lots of family from everywhere visiting. The only downside was the fact that Jacob was so sick that we couldn't bring him out of the house. My sisters visited from Idaho and Utah. My aunt came from Maryland. My MIL and FIL drove down from Utah and my other aunt finally emigrated to the United States. It was a big Christmas!! The best part of it all was reaping the rewards of Jacob being able to point to Baby Jesus and know who he is after months of teaching. He's so smart! This was also the first Christmas in which he was fascinated with presents. We could almost get him to do anything for us just to open presents! The look on his face on Christmas morning when he saw what Santa left for him was PRICELESS. We will have to figure out how to upload that to the blog!!

Jeremiah and Sopha:
~Jeremiah works and works and works! He is so busy with work! He leaves very early in the morning and gets home early evening around 5-6ish. However, we were lucky to have him to ourselves for one whole week after Christmas! It was nice and relaxing. We wish he could be around more often, but we know he is working hard to provide us with all the things we need.

~As for me, I'm still pregnant and can't seem to let go of the worries of pregnancies. I know I've reached 36 weeks, but the stresses of what could happen never leaves my mind. I am grateful, but am so scared. I don't know how much pain I can tolerate and just want baby Taylor to be healthy and strong. With that, here are some things I noted while being pregnant...just as a reminder...

Weeks 1-12: Held my breath in hopes that I do not have a miscarriage.

Weeks 12-26: Started all interventions to prevent pre-term labor, which includes two visits to the perinatologist, weekly shots, weekly calls, and monthly visits to my ob/gyn each month. Felt better with all the help, but constantly worried that I would go into pre-term labor. Every ache and pain was a concern. Lots of crying during this period. It was hard to be around others who were pregnant. Decided to pack hospital bag in case I had to re-live what happened with Jacob. It was very emotional. (At 17 weeks, after findout out that we'd have another boy from the perinatology appt., Jeremiah came up with the name Taylor J. It only took 10 minutes for us to decide the name. Other options were Joshua, Nathan, or Edward.)

Week 28: Same interventions as above, but without Perinatology appts. They concluded that my cervix was not a reason for preterm birth. A little relieved as the knowledge of having a baby at this gestational age increases the chances of survival. However, still afraid to have to go through what I did with Jacob since pregnancies are so unpredicatable. Able to breathe a little...

Weeks 30-34: Eternally grateful to have gotten so far. Baby Taylor is as active as can be and leaves me sleepless at night...tossing and turning looking for a comfortable position. Had to wake up several times during the night to eat. Still getting progesterone shots and knows that it's definitely helping. Stomach is getting bigger and bumping into the walls or hitting students head with my belly is a common thing. =/

Weeks 34-36: Aches and pains increases...so does STRESS level. Shots ended at 34 weeks and body changes dramatically. My muscles feel like jello and I can hardly walk without wobbling. Baby tends to sit on a nerve that makes me limp and pressure around the abdominal area increases. Meanwhile, contractions occuring, inconsistently, throughout the day. Having experienced one day with intense contractions led me request maternity leave from work to prevent going into labor in front of my seventh graders!! Also, sharp shooting pains in a certain area, but nothing that would be a red light for doctors.

Week 36: Worried about labor and delivery...trying to figure out which hospital to deliver the baby at (Dameron-great doctors and nurses, where Jake was delivered...but Jeremiah can't stay overnight with me. Modesto Kaiser- new facility, 10 minutes farther, but Jeremiah can stay overnight). Trying to get sleep at night...frustrated with lots of things that ARE controllable...trying not to read L&D articles online...focusing on how things will change when baby Taylor arrives in hopes to keep them consistent for little Jacob.

Sorry, that wasn't very brief. To make it up to you, we'll post pictures later this week to this post.

Games, Pumpkins, Candy, and Trains

2010-11-07T14:37:00.000-08:00

Jacob had a great October. He learned and mastered many new skills. He learned how to master the big boy puzzles, how to say pumpkin after visiting a pumpkin patch, he painted his very own pumpkin without getting messy, helped mommy bake in the kitchen without ruining the paper cups, learned how to say, "tick-ah-teat" for Halloween, and learned more words through the reading program! He is growing fast and continues to keep us busy. He understands that there is a baby in my tummy and gently places his hands on the belly to try to feel Taylor's kick. He is crazy about Thomas and Friends and usually stresses out when he doesn't get to watch his video, wear his slippers (thanks, mom!), or read his books. He has also entered the 'picky' stage, where he absolutely insists on wearing what he wants! The other day, he had on a beanie, a short sleeve shirt, shorts, socks, and sandals! It was 85 degrees outside!! Ay-Caramba!

We almost DID NOT go trick-or-treating! Jacob woke up from a late nap and was in a horrible mood. Nothing consoled him and he just wasn't happy. We had planned to go around the neighborhood with our friends and I was so sad that Jacob would miss such a fun part of Halloween. Well, he finally settled down, but WOULD NOT put on his costume. I chased him around the house, tried to bribe him with lollipops, but he just wouldn't put any of the 3 I bought for him. I ran upstairs, grabbed his OLD costume, which is VERY tight on him, and he slipped it on like it was nothing. His friends came by and we all had a fun evening. Jacob would say 'tick-ah-teat' after people closed their doors. A few times, he said "thank you and bye-bye." It was lots of fun!

Jacob's "must haves" for church- Thomas, Percy, and Salty! He is so smart. He knows he cannot bring his wooden trains outside the house, but can bring these rubber ones wherever we go. He'd place his wooden one right in front of the door before heading out without prompting. Oh...and he can name about 20 different train names from the series. It's pretty crazy. I don't even know them!!

Before church this morning, Jacob asked his dad to read with him. I took a few videos and some were too long or too large to upload for the blog. This is a quick view of Jacob's progress in reading. He is incredibly smart and catches on very fast.

Taylor J

2010-10-31T16:50:00.000-07:00

This is the latest picture of Taylor. I saw the perinatologist last Wednesday and everything looked good. Isn't this an awesome picture? Tomorrow I will be 25 weeks pregnant.

Hug 'em, Love 'em, n' Squeeze 'em!

2010-10-19T02:31:00.001-07:00

Here are pictures taken from the beginning of summer that I didn't post.

Counting my blessings

2010-10-17T18:34:00.000-07:00

Today, my heart is full. I am grateful for so many things. I am grateful to have partaken of the Sacrament to renew my covenants with my Father in Heaven. I am grateful to have been able to hear the messages and testimonies bore today in our meeting. I am thankful for a wonderful husband who holds the Melcheizedek Priesthood and a son who wants to go to nursery so much, but couldn't because he was sick. Today, I am glad I was given another day to be pregnant with Taylor.

I have been dwelling on the "what ifs" with this pregnancy and haven't been enjoying it much. I cannot get what was said during a blessing that Jeremiah gave me the other night. It is constantly on my mind when I feel at my lowest point. I was reminded that all I needed to do was my part and that the rest would be in Heavenly Father's hands. He has a plan for me and I needed to increase my faith in Him and to accept what he has planned for me. It makes me emotional and grateful for the things I have now, the knowledge I've gained as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and the privilege I have had as a mother for the past two years. As I was lying on my couch today, I looked all around me and began to count my blessings. I saw Jacob's ball on the kitchen floor, his rocking horse on the carpet, and his shoes on the dining room table. I looked at my wall and stared at Jacob's pictures for what seemed like a long time and began to think of how blessed I've been to have such a smart and healthy son despite his early arrival. Underneath the picture was a framed picture of the Oakland Temple given to us by my BIL, Ben. My eyes began to well as I thought about the promises given to me when I was sealed to Jeremiah for eternity. I was comforted when I thought of all the blessings I'd receive here on earth and thereafter. I have so many things to be grateful for! Sometimes when things aren't going my way, all I need to do is be humble, count my blessings, and think of My Lord, My Redeemer and the things he has done for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDjjxJDc0Xs&feature=related

Prayer request

2010-10-13T19:48:00.000-07:00

Please say a special prayer for us tonight. Thank you.

10/14/10- I apologize for not filling you in. I had an extremely emotional evening after my doctor's appointment with the perinatologist. Taylor's position is head down and pushing against my cervix. The cervical measurement was fine and the doctor wasn't worried because it wasn't opened. I felt otherwise because I am afraid of delivering early. I felt better after my mom was able to put my name on the temple's prayer roll and Jeremiah's Priesthood blessing. On top of that, my good friend, Aimee Hensley, helped to console and calm me down. I was an emotional wreck.

New words

2010-10-12T20:13:00.000-07:00

Jacob graduated from the starter video of Your Baby Can Read two weeks ago learning how to read and recognize 20 words. He started volume one 12 days ago and have already begun reading a few new words. Some of those words are diaper, kick, eating, bubble, giraffe, bib, blanket, and others that I can't think of right now. He totally shocked to me tonight. As we paused the video before each word were read aloud, he was able to read the new words to us. I was shocked because last week, every word we tried to get him to read was "elephant." He is so silly.

How are you feeling?

2010-10-11T19:29:00.000-07:00

I get asked this question several times a day, everyday. I try to answer truthfully, but sometimes it's just easier to say I'm fine. I am grateful to say that I have made it to 22 weeks. However, the thought of delivering early or losing the baby is constantly on my mind. I am scared. I am worried. I am stressed. Many of my friends are expecting and our due dates are so close that the thought of me not being able to carry full term is disappointing. I hope and pray that my body will be strong enough to carry the baby full term and that he is healthy.

Taylor kicks and moves a lot when I'm relaxed. When I'm on the move or busy, I don't feel him move and that scares me. When I get to the point of worrying, he gives me a little nudge or kick and makes me feel better. This week, my body is changing a lot and it makes me paranoid because I always run to the bathroom to make sure I'm not bleeding. I drive myself crazy sometimes, don't I?

Jacob is doing well. He is a busy busy boy. He is a loyal fan of Thomas the Tank Engine and just hearing the theme song will get him going. Jacob makes me so proud...though, sometimes I feel like crying because he has so much energy (and I don't) and all he wants is some attention that I can't give him. He is (sometimes) patient with me and loves me unconditionally (always). He is completely attached to me and loves spending time with his dad as well...going to parks and arcades, etc.

Jeremiah is doing great too. He is busy with work and sometimes struggle to find time to spend with us. However, when he gets time off, we ALWAYS have a good time. He has been very supportive throughout this second pregnancy and seem to always find a way to reassure me that everything will be okay. I love it and hate it at the same time, but I have to admit that most of the time, it helps. He loves to give Jacob his daily baths and I love watching them play together. If Jeremiah had his way, he'd totally stay home and watch the kids. Unfortunately, we won't be able to live under a teacher's salary. lol.

So, how am I feeling? Looking at the big picture, I feel blessed with a wonderful family loves me unconditionally and supports me when I need them most. I can't control everything, but I know one thing for sure...that is...I need to increase my faith in the Lord to help me get through the next few days, weeks, and months.

And his name shall be...

2010-10-03T18:18:00.000-07:00

...Taylor J Sorensen...

The new things Jakey can do

2010-09-24T19:34:00.000-07:00

Jacob can sleep in his own bed. Jacob no longer uses a pacifier. Jacob loves to kiss mommy's belly and tell his brother that he loves him. Jacob's new hobby is climbing and manuevering furniture to get what he wants. Jacob is learning how to pedal his tricycle. Jacob has learned how to read a few words: cat, dog, elephant, gorilla, tiger, baby, mouth, nose, eyes, wave, and reach. Jacob has picked up on a lot of new words, such as oh no, i want that, i want this, that's funny, mommmm pleeeaaasssse. Below are pictures of him taken from last Sunday before heading to church. He likes to say, cheese when he sees the camera.

Jacob reading.

We are having a.......

2010-09-15T20:54:00.001-07:00

...well, let's put it this way...we won't have to change our nursery and buy tons of new clothes because we are expecting another baby boy! We are beyond excited...sooooo happy!! Jacob is going to have a little baby brother! Hooray!

Growing up fast!

2010-09-11T19:51:00.000-07:00

Jacob amazes me. He's had a big month...from no more bottles to sippy cups, to sleeping in his own bed, to taking away milk in the middle of the night...he's done all of that in the last 3-4 weeks. He transitioned very well and we were so worried, but he was ready. The next step is taking his wubbanub away, which is going to be hard. We'll give him 2 more weeks and then it'll be bye bye to his pacifier. We've also been prepping him for potty training. I'm not sure when to start. We'll see.

Jacob can say lots of words, make lots of sounds, and can read three words! He can read the words; cat, dog, and clap. He's very smart! His favorite hobby is playing GAMES! If you say the word, "game(s)" he'll go nuts! He'll jump up, scream, laugh, run in circles, and wait by the hallway for me to get up to play the games with him. Games that we play are puzzles, peg boards, stringing beads, stacking cubes, building blocks, card games, and books! It usually takes us at least an hour to play everything. He will not give up until ALL games have been played.

Jacob also loves to pray. He's knows when to fold his arms and sometimes bow his head. Just this last Wednesday, he said his first prayer. He said (with my help, of course), "Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for my family, I love you, In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." We were so proud of him. The next night, he said it again. Now, he does it every night...that is after we read his two favorite books at the moment...The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? Sometimes we try to convince him that we'll read it the next day, but he won't let us pray until the books are read.

As you can see, Jacob has grown a lot...becoming somewhat independent. However, with all that energy he has, he is a handful. He likes to be kept busy. He likes all of the attention. If not received, he will definitely give us a hard time, such as ripping keys from the laptop, giving Gracie toys to chew, throwing toys on the floor or against the wall, etc. Having mentioned all the great and not so great things, we are truly blessed with a healthy 2 year old boy who continues to help us believe in miracles and the blessings that comes with being obedient.

Progesterone Shot

2010-08-31T18:12:00.001-07:00

Today's appointment went well. We heard the baby's heartbeat and was able to get an ultrasound. I feel so much better. I also received my first progesterone shot and it went a million times better than I had imagined. The needle was thick, but it was not painful...just a small pinch. I will get the same shot every week for four months. It's really not that bad. I guess I can sleep better at night now since I know what to expect each week.

We have successfully weaned Jacob off the bottle for a week and a half now. The transition was so smooth! We are now working on getting him to sleep on his own THOMAS bed. =) After we accomplish that goal, the pacifier will be taken away. That will be difficult for us because he's so attached to it. Lastly, we've got to get him potty trained before the next baby and get him ready for preschool next August. WOW...Jacob has a big year ahead of him. We've also started him on the Your Baby Can Read program. I think it's a great investment and we definitely enjoy the quality time that comes along with teaching him new words and new skills.

Our babysitter is awesome, she has a lot of patience with him and diligently works with him. We were so happy to come home and see his art project posted on our fridge. We are lucky to have her with us.

Jacob is 2 years old!

2010-08-25T12:10:00.001-07:00

Jacob turned two today! We were really fortunate that one of our good friends gave Jacob a set of 15+ Thomas and Friends trains and a complete set of tracks with all sorts of fun stuff. That saved us at least 250.00! Jacob has been super busy the last few days playing with them. So, for his birthday, we decided to buy him a train table to go with it. After putting him down to bed, Jeremiah quickly put the table together. However, it took the both of us about two hours to figure out how put the tracks together. It was so funny. We were trying to make it fancy and nice. We finally went to bed and I couldn't sleep at all because I was too excited to surprise Jacob in the morning. Well, we woke him up and he wasn't too thrilled about that...a few tears, but when he walked into the family room and saw the train set...boy, was he happy! He didn't want to show his excitement right away, but after a few seconds, you can see him grinning ear to ear! He must have had a busy day because when I got home at 11:30 today, I saw both of the boys sprawled out on the couch, fast asleep!

So how am I doing? I haven't posted for quite some time about the pregnancy because I've been worried. Just last week, I experienced some sharp pains and cramps and tried to wait it out for my appointment today with the perinatologist. The pain got worst and by 9pm the next night, I finally called the nurse. She recommended seeing a doctor because of my history with pre-term labor. I went in and the doctor told me that he was going to do a cervical exam. I said, NO, but knew it had to be done to figure out why I was hurting so much. Well, it turned out to be some ligament pain, which the nurse on the phone said I was too early in my pregnancy to experience. Since then, I've had the same pains here and there, but not as bad. Last night, I finally cried, for the first time, during this pregnancy because of the overwhelming stress and worry I put on myself. I honestly don't know how to deal with it. I've put my faith and trust in the Lord, but sometimes I think about whether or not I would be able to go through what I did with Jacob again. It scares me. Jeremiah is definitely a blessing because he pulls me out of my lowest point when he sees how stressed I get. I just hope and pray that everything goes well with this pregnancy. I will try to video the sonogram today, if given permission, and post it for everyone to see. I also have a video of Jacob's surprise this morning...on top of the last sonogram picture. Geez, I'm so behind! :p Ohhh...and pics from our last trips to Monterey Bay, Six Flags, and of course his bday party at Grandma's house!

Okay, back from the appointment and it's a little past 6:30 pm. Didn't want to start a new post since today is such a special day for Jacob. According to Dr. Graham, pics from the sonogram looked good. (I SERIOUSLY DO NOT understand why the technician didn't let me see the baby on the screen. She was horrible and unprofessional. She dropped a sterile latex glove on the floor, picked it up, and placed it back in the sterile box! Like...seriously?!?!) Anyway, Dr. Graham was great...very nice. Since my preterm labor was an "unknown cause," my chances of a recurrent PTL is a lot higher. One intervention at this point will be progesterone shots, which will decrease my risk of PTL by 33%. I will get them weekly until 34 weeks. On top of that, I'll see Dr. Graham every two weeks and my regular OB/GYN each month. If they notice that my cervix is thinning or something like that, the second intervention will be to get a cerclage. I'm totally bummed that I did not get to see the baby today. I do not like this Kaiser facility nor do I like their staff, except for Dr. Graham...but, I love my family and I love that I'm pregnant! I'm so blessed.

No pictures yet

2010-07-28T14:28:00.000-07:00

Today, I went in for my first prenatal visit with my OB/Gyn in Tracy. I was very nervous because I hadn't seen the baby for 3 1/2 weeks on the screen and on top of that, I recently switched doctors because I wanted someone who would be able to deliver the baby. I had a Nurse Practitioner before. Anyway, here is the update. I am 11 wks 4 days into the pregnancy and the baby is growing. I was caught in a big surprise and was ecstatic to see how active the baby was for a little 2 inch person. The picture was so much clearer than I've ever seen or remember seeing. The tiny arms and legs were sticking out. I can actually identify the head and the bum...it was awesome! The baby was still for the first five seconds or so, but after that...it was like WHOA! The arms were waving up and down and the legs kicking as well. Baby began to swim sideways and then wave the arms again. Nothing can describe the feeling I felt at that moment. I totally wished Jeremiah and Jacob was there with me, but I was able to bring home two pictures, not so very clear, to share with them. I just need some help scanning and sizing it for the blog and I'll post it later.

The Thomas Dance

2010-07-20T09:54:00.000-07:00

We visited the Oakland Zoo again. We wanted to see the 'new' Australian Exhibit, but there was nothing new to be seen. Nothing changed, except maybe a recorded presentation by someone with an Australian accent. We weren't there for too long because the sun was just beating down on us and I wasn't feeling too well. Jacob was happy to have seen some of his favorite animals below and ride on the train during the short visit.

Below, you are going to watch a series of the "infamous" Thomas the Tank Engine dance. Once we hit the ON DEMAND button on the remote control, Jacob goes wild and would dance and prance around the living room. He recognizes the theme song from a mile away and will get super excited. On this particular day, we've just bought Jacob a new floatable swim gear and he just would NOT let me take it off. He wore it all evening and as you can see...it just made this video so much more fun to watch!! ENJOY!

Swimming!

2010-07-15T11:20:00.000-07:00

Jacob's love for water is undeniable. He is unafraid and will hop in without reservations. He is not scared and believes he is invincible and naturally floatable. Well, that's not the case! So, we decided that bringing him to the pool and letting him experience a bit about what feels good and what doesn't would teach him how to be careful. Umm...aren't we naiive parents?? LOL...it was a nice try, but we found ourselves chasing after him every minute because he didn't care that he swallowed water or that he fell in half way. With that, Jeremiah doesn't feel comfortable allowing me to bring him to the pool myself or without a lifeguard because Jacob is just that FAST. You can tell by the look on his face that he loves playing in water and is not scared. Sneezing... Choking on some water, but it didn't stop him from swimming some more. Climbing out of the kiddy pool all by himself. Snacking after a long day of being in the water. We decided to get him a flotation device the next day.

First day of swimming lessons with Nicole Brown. She is awesome and does so well with Jacob. I'm glad he responds to her very well because he is so uncomfortable with other adults. Here, he is working on kicking his legs and holding his breath. The latter is quite difficult for him to do.

This is still the first day. The second and third day of lessons, we didn't use the life jacket and he did very well. Second day was tough, but the third day he showed off his kicking skills. He is also very smart. Instead of holding his breath and putting his face in the water to pick up the rings, he'd use his toes and feet to bring them up to the surface and grab them with his hands. Swimming with Dad...

Swimming with Nicole...

Happy Hollow Zoo and Park

2010-07-15T10:39:00.000-07:00

We are taking advantage of summertime and bringing Jacob to tons of fun places to visit! After we got back from the doctor's appointment last Friday(everything is fine with baby #2), we took Jacob to the Happy Hollow Zoo and Park in San Jose. It was a cute zoo, but the rides were awesome. He enjoyed the rides because he'd cry when Jeremiah would go pick him up. The rides were free with admission, so we were able to let him go on them several times.

I tried really hard to stick around this area for Jacob, but after I saw a goat jumping on a lady for some food, I immediately left the gated area. I'm glad Jeremiah was there to keep calm for Jacob because he would have reacted to my freaking out yelp.

Jacob is fearless around animals. Is it a good thing or a bad thing? He ran to this area and started making sheep sounds...it was very cute.

These are crazy lemurs. They were very loud and sounded like they were fighting for food! He had fun on this thing. His first big boy ride and he did pretty awesome. He didn't ring his bell and wouldn't look at us, but he didn't cry to try to get out either. Instead, he cried because he was taken off when the ride was over. We were so proud of him. Danny the Dragon ride which took forever to get on! Nonetheless, he enjoyed riding with his dad.

The Ladybug ride!! Oh we didn't think he would have made it out of this one. The guy almost stopped the ride, but Jacob stayed brave and courageous. The ride goes up and down and I think that scared him. However, when Jeremiah went to pick him up, he cried bc he didn't want to get off. How ironic?!? On the car ride again!

Visiting the sheep...

On the car ride...

On Danny the Dragon ride...

On the Ladybug ride...

Monterey Trip

2010-07-12T11:00:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah surprised us with a trip to Monterey for three days last week. It was an absolute blast! It was so nice and relaxing,...except for when Jacob yelled during dinner and threw tantrums while shopping. Other than that, we enjoyed walking around, playing on the beach, going to the aquarium, and eating yummy food. Jacob's favorite part of the trip would have to be the day at the beach. He followed his dad around everywhere and was not afraid of the crashing waves or bugs or anything! After this trip, he has definitely bonded with Jeremiah and is quite attached to him now!

Our first day there, we decided to walk to Dennis the Menace Park which was like a mile and a half away. On the way to the park, we stopped to look at the sea lions sun bathing on the rocks. Jacob was so excited to see and hear them. He screamed and yelled every time we put him in his buggy to continue our walk.

Oh my gosh...if only you knew...he can be a handful! Jeremiah has concluded after this trip that Jacob has inherited my pouting skills. Hmmm...I'm not sure I agree.

Here we are feeding the geese. This is seriously...one of my top NON-FAVORITE thing to do as a mother. They come up so close and they poop everywhere! It took Jacob awhile to feed them. He kept munching on the popcorn himself. At one point, one of the goose came up and snatched the popcorn right out of his fingers when he wasn't paying attention. He cried because I made a hysterical yelp. Yeah...not something I would do again without Jeremiah there.

We finally get to Dennis the Menace park and the first thing Jacob sees is this huge train. He was thrilled to climb it with his dad.

The battery for our camera was dying (happens all the time when you're on vacay, right?) and I kept trying to videotape Jacob hanging off the bar and by the time the camera was functioning, he was way too tired. He's a pretty strong monkey.

We started the tour at Monterey Bay Aquarium with the penguin feed. It was super cute, but really crowded.

Jacob marveled at all the different ocean creatures he saw at the aquarium with ooohs, ahhhhs, wows, whoas, and yays! He was quite loud too!

Pictures of all animals are posted for Jacob.

The sign said to gently touch the starfish, but Jacob didn't understand that.

Jeremiah had just as much fun as Jacob at the aquarium.

Check out the new wubbanub. We ordered two new ones; a giraffe and a monkey. He ripped the other pacifiers and was sucking air because of the holes.

Spending time at the beach was one of the highlights of this trip for all of us. It was fun to see Jacob play and scream because of how excited he was.

He followed Jeremiah everywhere he went, even over to the rocks. When I went to get him, he'd run faster to catch up with his father.

Jacob did not want to leave. He yelled and kicked when I took off his shorts. He wouldn't even hold our hands while walking up the stairs or the pavement. He looks like a surfer baby, huh?

We were attempting the 17 mile drive, but I got car sick within the first 5 minutes. It was horrible, so we stopped for a bit and then turned around to come home. Can you find Jeremiah in this picture?

On the way home, we stopped by Case de Frutas. It was a small park. It was a nice stop for Jacob. He got to play with trains and even ride 'em. We saw peacocks and other animals too.

Jacob's new "TIMEOUT."

Feeding the geese at Dennis the Menace park.

Going down the 'big kid' slide.

Playing at the beach...listen to him scream in the beginning of the video.

Introducing...

2010-06-25T19:53:00.000-07:00

...the new addition to our family! The last infertility treatment was a success. While I thought it was a failed treatment because I was bleeding the night before the blood test was to be taken, the results came back positive. Another blood test was ordered two days after the initial one to confirm the pregnancy and the numbers went up from 105 to 319 for the Beta hCg. That's a good sign! The pregnancy was going well for a few weeks until yesterday afternoon. I began to bleed again. I called the Advice Nurse and they scheduled an appointment for an ultrasound this morning to figure out what was going on. I thought to myself that I couldn't believe this was happening again as it happened with my pregnancy with Jacob. I was sure they were going to prescribe prometrium for the next couple of weeks, but to my surprise, they didn't. The doctor explained that we might not see much on the screen because I'm only 6 weeks 4 days pregnant...BUT we did! We saw the baby's heartbeat. It was amazing. The doctor said the heartbeat was strong and both Jeremiah and I felt a sigh of relief that everything was going to be okay. It was actually the first thing we both noticed when we saw the baby on the screen. We have been blessed with another opportunity to have a baby and we are so grateful and humble to be given this chance again. We are so HAPPY

Celebrating our 9 year anniversary!

2010-06-25T19:36:00.000-07:00

June 22, 2010 was our 9 year anniversary. It's amazing how fast it has been since we've been sealed together. We have grown so much as individuals, as a couple, and as a family. We are so blessed to have each other in our lives. Our lives continue to change and with that, we have grown so much closer to each other (when I'm not moody). I feel so fortunate to have married such a wonderful man. He loves me unconditionally and works hard to provide for our family. I don't tell him this enough, but he is truly our hero and we love him very very much.

For our anniversary, Jeremiah decided to 'finally' take me to watch Wicked in San Francisco. We took Bart from Dublin and it dropped us off right in front of the Orpheum Theatre. The show was spectacular and I loved every minute of it. Because I didn't read the program really well, Jeremiah tricked me into thinking that the show was over when Elphie sang her Defying Gravity song, but it was actually the intermission. At first, I was like...nuh uh...then he was like...yeah huh...then, I got up real fast to try to beat the crowd to get out of the theatre. He then started to laugh and told me he was just kidding! I give him credit for that...he got me realllll good! Wicked was a great end to a fabulous day celebrating our anniversary!

Atascadero Zoo, Atascadero

2010-06-25T19:05:00.000-07:00

While in Pismo, we decided to take a trip to the zoo in Atascadero. It was about 20 minutes away from our hotel and we thought Jacob would have fun...and he did. He had lots of 'oooohs' and 'ahhhs' and 'yays' when he saw the different animals there. The animals were very close, so we were able to see them very well. It was a really small zoo, which was perfect because it was hot! Jacob still enjoys watching the videos and pictures taken during this trip. He cries every time I turn off the camera. We can definitely say that this outting was way worth it!
These are called, Jacob Sheeps. They were very 'communicative' because it was their lunch time. Jacob loved it because he imitated their sounds and kept revisiting their area at this zoo.

One of his many 'excited' expressions, which we love so much!

Jacob watching the meerkats play with their toys.

Isn't this cute?

He was really fascinated with the flamingos!

This is an example of how close we were to the animals. I wasn't too comfortable, but Jacob loved it!

We went to the park for a little bit before leaving Atascadero. Jacob loves going down the slide.

Jacob saying, "Baaaa."

Jacob going down the slide!

Children's Discovery Museum, San Luis Obispo

2010-06-24T21:43:00.000-07:00

Jacob loved building objects with magnets. We were at this station for a good ten minutes! Then, we had to come back because he wasn't finished. And then, for the third time before we left the museum!

He got to sit in a fire truck! That was way awesome and he just thought he was the coolest person ever steering the wheel. We tried getting him to wear the uniform and helmet, but he refused and just wanted to climb in the driver's seat! Hahaha.

Another magnetic wheel thingy that you had to connect for it to move. Again, he really enjoyed this part of the museum.

Riding on the pendulum was NOT his favorite part of the museum. He was so scared!

Climbing with Daddy...

The police motorcycle was huge, but really cool!

He likes trains a lot, so this was definitely a hit!

More trains!!

Water play was a success...he loved getting wet!

He was able to get inside the train and play with buttons and such...

Pismo Beach Trip

2010-06-24T09:42:00.000-07:00

For Father's Day and our 9 year anniversary, we took a family trip down to Pismo Beach. We had such a great time. Jacob loved playing with sand. We also went to the Atascadero Zoo and the Children's Discovery Museum in San Luis Obispo. We enjoyed the beach everyday and eating yummy and delicious food. Most of all, we loved spending time with each other and enjoyed every second watching Jacob discover the world around him. I will post pictures from the zoo and the museum later this evening, but we are now off to SuperFranks with a few friends. I'll edit this post later as well...enjoy! He was so curious and excited to be at the beach. He ran all over the place and laughed while at it. It was absolutely adorable! The first day we got there, the weather wasn't very nice. It was foggy and a bit cold. Luckily, it warmed up the next couple of days during our stay, which made it so much more enjoyable to hang out at the beach! Aunt Monica bought Jacob water shoes and we are so glad she got them for him because he didn't like walking on sand barefoot!

That's our hotel in the background. We really liked our stay there and are considering going back at the end of summer! This is one of my favorite snapshots of Jeremiah and Jacob. Love it! If we didn't pull him out of the water, he would have just stayed there or go in deeper!

Our second day at the beach...here, they are filling up the buckets with water. It was coooooold.

Yup, we brought his water and sand table with us and he had a total blast!! He would play and not stop to rest or have a snack. It was so worth the money!

This is a tribute to GRANDPA SORENSEN...we didn't bring any tennis shoes and it was cold outside, so we put on socks with sandals for the little guy! (Dad, this is Jer's idea...lol)

Our third day and he is owning the beach!

He kept banging the doors of this armour, so we had to block it with our luggage. Then, he decided to climb on it and jump. He never gets bored and always keeps us busy. Our last day in Pismo...so sad...we didn't want to leave! We taught Jacob to wipe his hands on his clothes when he got sand on it. He is such a germ freak like his mom. He always asks for wipes or holds his hands out for us to clean it for him.

Here, we stopped at a park on the way home.

Summer Fun in Utah

2010-06-19T16:34:00.000-07:00

I've finally taken some time to post pictures from our trip to Utah. Aunt Monica and Uncle Daniel picked us up from the airport and took us to lunch at Gateway in Salt Lake City. (By the way, Jacob was so good on the plane because he fell asleep right when we took off! It was perfect!) Lunch was so yummy. We went to the Chocolate Mountain Factory for dessert. Can you guess what Jacob wanted? [Don't forget to check out three more posts (Memorial Day, Bean Museum, and Children's Discovery Museum)below this one. There are lots of pictures of outtings in Utah.]

This Aunt Monica aka E-Ca.

We finally arrived at Grandma Sorensen's house and Jacob was thrilled to be able to run and roam around Grandma's garden! It was so green and beautiful!

Erin was so excited to see Jacob. She was his best friend the whole time we were there. She is so good with him and we've missed her dearly since we've left Utah.

Watching Koda and Kessi run around the garden...he loves dogs.

Jacob wouldn't let Grandpa hold him.

Eli asked me to take this picture of him. He's so cute. Eli is Jacob's cousin. They are 1 year and 2 days apart.

This is my gorgeous Erin Kay. She is Eli's sister and Jacob's cousin. She will be turning 9 years old this October!

This is my sister Sokee or Sokimna. We are only 14 months in age apart. I miss having her close by, but she has learned how to text, so it's been fun!

Jacob being a mischief in the house. He keeps me on my toes...he gets into EVERYTHING! Playing outside before heading to Grandpa's BYU Ward, in which he asked me to share my testimony. I did not sleep all night because I was so nervous and excited, all at the same time. I had been wanting to visit the Brothers and Sisters of his ward for quite some time. You see, they've donated baby blankets to the NICU where Jacob was born for a couple of years and I wanted to thank them personally for all that they've done. They will always be special to us!!

Grandma Sorensen is so beautiful and youthful. We love her so much!

Playing on the slip n' slide at Erin's. It was so much fun! Jake threw a fit when I brought him in to take a bath.

Sokimna's awesome slip n' slide run...I promised not to upload the video. I'm sorry...it's classic though! =D

Erin is so good on the slide. She's an expert slider.

Jacob loves the water!

Here he is trying to fill up his bucket with water. He was trying to copy me from minutes before.

This is our last day at Grandma's before staying a few days with Erin. As I was trying to clean the room, Jacob decided to jump on the bed...like a monkey...he didn't fall this time, but did big time when we came home and tried to show daddy. =(

Memorial Day and E-Ca's Bday, UT

2010-06-19T16:25:00.000-07:00

We were so happy Uncle Daniel and Auntie Monica drove from Rexburg, ID to spend a few days with us. On Memorial Day, we had a picnic and celebrated E-Ca's birthday. The best part of the party was when Monica chased Sokimna with a bucket of water. IT was hilarious!

Bean Museum and Art Museum, UT

2010-06-19T16:01:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictires taken at a few museums while we were in Utah.

Children's Discovery Museum, UT

2010-06-19T15:44:00.000-07:00

We went to the Discovery Museum in Salt Lake City and Jacob had a blast with Erin, Eli, and Auntie Sokee. From playing with balls to water to every toy imaginable...Jacob was having the time of his life. It was great!

I'm not pregnant...

2010-06-09T16:26:00.000-07:00

...but I want a jar of baby dill pickles.

Summer Break!

2010-06-02T15:35:00.000-07:00

School is out and it is officially SUMMER BREAK! Hooray! Two days after school let out, Jacob and I flew to Utah to visit Grandma and Grandpa Sorensen, as well as Auntie Ca, Uncle or Susu Daniel, Auntie Sokee, Poo Towtow, Erin, and Eli. We are still up here and will return home next Tuesday to reunite with Daddy! We sure miss him a ton, but we are having a blast too! Jacob has been kept busy and has been eating more and sleeping better at night. We've been sleeping in every morning until 10ish! You've got to LOOOOVE summer break! =D

Last Thursday was the insemination date. Everything from the start of the treatment to the very end felt right to me. I was super confident that I'd get pregnant this time, but as the blood test date is drawing closer, I'm starting to lose it. I am still cramping and don't really know why...please keep praying for us!!

Reduction?!? You mean...Abortion??

2010-05-24T21:03:00.000-07:00

Hah...scared you didn't I? I'm not pregnant...yet. Hehehe.

I went in today for an ultrasound and things are growing the way they should be. Even with a smaller dose, the follicles are growing. The smaller follicles should be shrinking with the injection change, but the larger ones should continue to grow. There are three follicles that are big enough for insemination in the next couple of days (15-17.9mm). I was originally going to continue two more days of bravelle and then hcg on Wednesday night, followed by IUI on Thursday afternoon, but that changed when I received a call from REI when I walked into the door this evening. Since there is a chance of the three follicles being fertilized, resulting in having triplets, it was a concern. The doctor asked if I was opened to reduction (aka abortion) if that were to happen and I immediately said, no. Because of that, I am only on bravelle for one day, hcg on Tuesday, and IUI on Thursday morning. However, I was somewhat opposed to the treatment change because I really wanted to increase my chances of getting pregnant (so selfish of me) and it was not certain that I'll be pregnant with triplets...you know what I mean? But, I understand the risks and complications with multiple births...and if it means enabling me to successfully get pregnant with one, I am okay with it. Jeremiah had to help me understand that tonight. We are all crossing our fingers and saying our prayers...hoping this cycle will bring some changes in our lives...positive changes! =D I should also note that these hormones are hard to keep up with. Parts of my body feels completely tender and sore. I always feel bloated and would also have frequent heartburn. In addition, I am quite moody. =/

Besides this, school is almost out for the school year! I have two more days with students and I am DONE! D...O...N...E!!! Wahoo! Then, on Saturday, Jacob and I will be flying out to Utah for 10 days! We'll get to rest for a few days when we come home and then off to Pismo Beach for a few days to celebrate Father's Day and our 9 year anniversary! I'm so excited!!!

REI update

2010-05-22T18:28:00.000-07:00

Both appointments went well this week. The follicles are growing and insemination date is near. I'm only on Bravelle for two more days (took Menapur out today to stop the follicles from growing, allowing the three big ones to grow) before another ultrasound on Monday to determine insemination time. Let's hope for positive results!

Timeout and other stuff

2010-05-19T17:41:00.000-07:00

Jacob's timeout rug...he doesn't leave the rug until he says sorry. He's been put on timeout in many different places like my friend's house, Kaiser's pharmacy, etc. It's becoming more common since he has entered the terrible twos. The yelling (usually the word 'no'), stomping, and kicking is so embarrassing. One time, he slapped and pulled my hair in front of people. I was shocked.
Jacob's new art table. He loves it.

Jacob's new apron handmade with love by E-Ca! Thanks, E-Ca!

Jacob didn't want to get ready for bed. He was having too much fun with his new art table.

The New Plan

2010-05-12T20:51:00.000-07:00

The ultrasound showed no cysts in the ovaries, so we are starting a new treatment plan this cycle. Dr. Proctor said the injections were too risky with the last cycle producing too many follicles with the given 'low' dosage. He asked me what I wanted to do and I said it was really up to him. He looked at me and said, "IVF." I looked at him and said, "Not yet!" We can't afford it and I think I could get pregnant without exploring that option (crossing fingers). So, he prescribed five days of Letrozole (pill) and three days of injections (Bravelle and Menapur). I will see him next Thursday for an ultrasound and will go from there. Given the boxes of injections I picked up from the pharmacy this evening, it looks like it'll be way more than three days of injections. I paid $24.00 for all of my prescription, saving $970.00. My benefits are way awesome. Last month, we saved $3,000.00 in prescriptions alone.

Many have tried to talk me out of going through the treatments because they have seen how hard it is on my body, mind, and strength, but the joy and happiness I've experience as a mother is priceless. Watching Jeremiah as a dad is also amazing. I can't imagine how it would feel to watch Jacob be an older brother to his sibling...I hope I get pregnant this time.

Results

2010-05-10T18:35:00.000-07:00

It's negative! I pretty much knew the results before getting them from the advice nurse this morning. Treatments will start again this Wednesday. I am going to assume they will put me back on letrozole instead of injections since my appointment is with Dr. Proctor. He mentioned that it was better than injections since it worked awhile back getting pregnant with Jacob. I'll keep everyone posted. I was really bummed about finding out the results on "Mother's Day," but felt much better after spending the evening cuddling with Jacob and Jeremiah.

'Memorable Moment' this week: We always read to Jacob before going to bed. His favorite is The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Brown Bear, Brown Bear. Well he was extremely squirmy and onre after reading the stories, which most of the time, he is ready to go down and would fold his arms to pray. So Jeremiah asked him, "What do you want, buddy?" and Jacob took a seat back, looked at us, and folded his arms for prayer!! It was soooo cute! Here we were thinking he wanted to do something else, but all he wanted was to pray! Hahaha. My son is so adorable! *sigh*

It's Mother's Day...

2010-05-09T21:49:00.000-07:00

EVERYDAY! I'm so blessed to be a mother to Jacob and a wife to Jeremiah. I love how they love me for who I am.

We're going to the zoo...to the zoo...to the zoo...

2010-05-01T16:16:00.000-07:00

In the light of the moon...

2010-04-25T20:02:00.000-07:00

...a little egg lay on a leaf...from The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Jacob's favorite book before bedtime! We read this book to him every night before going to bed and he looooves it! The best part is when we finish reading the book, he quickly folds his arm for prayer! It's so adorable! Anyway, he's totally fascinated with airplanes and moons and will always point to the sky!
An after dinner treat...sugar-free tropical flavored (the best ever) popsicles! So yummy!!
Just woke up from a 2 1/2 hour Sunday nap very grumpy. He wasn't very happy in nursery today and was inconsolable that they had to call me. I spent my Sunday with him and watched him interact with the other kids. He definitely needs more playdates!! The funniest part of nursery today was when they had their lesson...LOL...it was in a room adjacent to the toy room and they had to sit on carpets!! Well, Jacob's timeout is on a carpet...LOL...so when I put him down, he immediately signed sorry!! And then, he just sat there looking miserable playing with the carpet. Well, it didn't last long because he saw other kids running and decided to do the same. I had to put my finger in his back pocket to get him to sit and not be disruptive. =/

PB & J...yummy!

Playing ball at Courtney's house.

The big day

2010-04-24T20:37:00.000-07:00

Friday's appointment: The endometrium thickened and one follicle grew to 17.8 mm, which meant it was time for insemination. Sorry...no multiples! The doctor didn't want to risk "waking up" the other follicles with more injections and decided to plan for the IUI on Saturday. I got home and gave myself the hCg shot to force ovulation. I didn't sleep all night because I was nervous about the insemination eventhough I've done it more than three times. I don't think anyone can ever get use to it...

Saturday: Dr. Akabosu did a great job. The procedure took no more than 10 minutes and now it's a waiting game. I find out on Monday, May 10th if it's positive...or if I get my menstrual cycle before that, then I'd know the results. I'm just glad I don't have to give myself anymore injections in the next 2 1/2 weeks!!

Home Early

2010-04-21T21:17:00.001-07:00

Went to REI (reproductive, endocrinology, and infertility clinic) in Fremont AGAIN today and things went better than the last three appointments. The follicles are growing with the help of Menapur. It is not as large as they'd like for it to be for insemination, so they prescribed two more days of injection, thus requiring me to go back on Friday for another ultrasound. Tonight, I got home at six o'clock, which is the earliest I've gotten home from the clinic everrrr!! =)

Medieval Fantasy Fair

2010-04-18T18:53:00.000-07:00

We went to Vacaville's Annual Medieval Fantasy Fair yesterday. Jacob was adored by many as he was dressed up as a dragon! It only lasted 10 minutes before he cried for us to take it off! We had a good time walking around and watching people sing and dance, but most of all, we loved watching Jacob play and interact with others.
I thought this was super awesome. This was my fifth attempt of taking their picture...hehehe... Parade...
Jacob had an awesome time with his new sword...we might actually have to toss it out soon because Jacob has been biting it...leaving tons of teething marks on the styrofoam...he ripped a piece off this morning, but handed it over to us, but you can never be sure that babies won't swallow random things...sigh... Yes, playing with the sword...

Playing outside this morning before attending a close friend's wedding

Jacob climbed into a storage bin when we got home from the wedding as we were bringing in things from the car into the house...oh yes...talking on the phone is his NEW thing. I don't know how to upload my HD video on the blog without it taking forever or not completing, so you can check it on FB.

Daddy's shoes...

Treatment update: I went in on Saturday and again, the follicles did not grow. I am now on bravelle and menapur, hoping to help with follicle growth...four more days of injections and I go back on Wednesday afternoon for another appointment. I don't know what will happen from there.

Below are pictures of needles and viles of solutions I've had to mix the last 12 days. I place them in this tupperware because I'm afraid Jacob would get a hold of them.

Treatment Update

2010-04-15T15:18:00.000-07:00

Hmmm...tough day for me...the ultrasound still showed clusters of follicles (many of them) that could potentially be released after giving the hCg shot, but unfortunately, they did not grow very much. The doctor was very upset about the way things were progressing, which made me feel hopeless and confused, but he decided to proceed with the treatment plan. I will give injections for two more days and see him on Saturday morning to schedule the hCg shot and insemination date if things are okay. From our conversation today, it almost seems like this cycle will have to be cancelled. I just know it will happen...I'm just not feeling the positive vibe. It is very stressful and um...I sometimes want to give up. I am very tired and frustrated. And the injections aren't getting any easier for me to do. I'm very emotional right now and maybe I'll feel different in a couple of hours...but for right now, I just want to cry.

Mr. Sponge/Copycat

2010-04-14T20:54:00.000-07:00

Jacob is learning new things every day! He is a sponge and will pick things up really fast. He also likes to mimick the things we do. He can say a few things, but will NOT say mom. (He can say cracker...like come on now, Jacob!!!) He climbs on the furniture and toys, uses sign language for everything, can follow simple requests, (such as wipe your face, brush your hair, make sad faces, give objects to people), loves to read books, and points to objects. He can also fake cry...yes, fake cry, blow at his food, understand left foot and right foot, turn lights on and off, talk on the phone, and..... has now begun nursery!!!

soft pears + mommy's back turned away from baby = new gel and great big smile

I love taking shots from this angle. Here, he wanted to go outside with Jeremiah to play with Gracie.
Realizing that mom won't give in.

His patience grew thin and the crying begins again.

Learning how to scribble scrabble is his new thing...until...

He is proud of his first artwork for daddy.

yes...until...mommy turns away and finds baby chewing on the crayon and coloring time is OVER.

He pulled the bow off my head and played with it. He thought it was super fun.

He is sooooo silly.

The Easter egg hunt at Veterans Park with the ward. He was fascinated with pink eggs and eggs hidden in bushes.

Found one!!!

Analyn, Marley, Yan, Marintha, Michelle, Lacy, and Josie's mom...

Running around after the hunt.

Bath time at Mama's.

It took both Kongkong and Mama to give Jacob his bath...they had a blast.

Wearing everyone's shoes is his new thing!

He helps with laundry by sitting on the warm sheets and running beneath them as I

try to get them folded.
Michael...Jacob has learned how to play the Wii (golf)...want a challenge? ;)

Timeout at Aunt Maricia's...

Grandma came to visit and so did Isaac. We went for a walk around the lake and it was fun!

We stopped by the park on our walk.

He loved walking up the slide and going down it.

He loves his sister, Gracie.

He had a lot of fun playing with the bark too.

Spring Break

2010-04-14T20:41:00.000-07:00

At the park...
My new treatment plan...INJECTIONS! I don't know where I get the courage to give myself injections every morning, but I do it. It takes me at least 20 minutes from beginning to end because I need to take my time and get mentally ready. I did the injections for 5 days and on Monday (4/12), the ultrasound showed that I had a cluster of follicles with a total of 10-15 that were growing at the same rate, which caused a lot of concern for high multiple births. I was excited when the doctor said that thinking of twins or even triplets, but she was referring to more...way more than that. I go in tomorrow for another ultrasound to determine whether or not to proceed with the insemination. I'll keep you all posted. I guess my body responded tooooo well to the treatment...and I was given the lowest dosage. *sigh*

Jacob's first merry-go-round ride!

At the outlet shopping with Aunt Tevy, Grandma, Ariel, and Anthony. Being the busy little bee that he is at Carters.

Just like his father...he had to find something to sit on while mommy 'attempts' to shop.

He loves to be outside.

Don't you just love his new sandals???? Stride rite...it's our favorite brand of shoes for babies.

At the town's carnival with Ariel. He loved the lights.

First Sunday at church after the winter season! Yes, we got through it without catching RSV!!! It was also his first day in nursery. When we dropped him off, he was so occupied with the toys, he didn't even notice that we were gone. Half an hour into nursery, he realized we weren't there and cried. The nursery leader brought him to me and I took him back and sat with him for a while. I snuck out and came back half an hour later...finding him on the nursery leader's hips. Hahaha...he survived, but most importantly, I survived.

He climbs into and onto everything.

He loves to play.

So cute and adorable!

We had fun during spring break...we slept in until 8 every morning...shopped...and spent time with Grandma and Grandpa Sorensen!!

Pics galore

2010-03-30T17:04:00.000-07:00

On our way home from our quarterly parent support group meeting at Dameron Hospital, we stopped by Target in Lathrop (thheeee cleanest Target in the Valley) to get a few things and decided to Jacob some new toys. He loves them! Yeah...those jeans are gettin' tight. Bang, bang, bang!!

He looks so much like his father!

He's such a good sport! He had it on for just four seconds...that's a long time!!! Bought this new buggy from craigslist for $15! It was a steal. It's one of his favorite mobile toys.

Chasing him around the house is always so much fun! He has learned how to expect me to catch him from the other side. Sometimes I can see his shadow against the oven trying to decide which way to go before I get to him! So cute!!

Gotcha Jacob!

Kitchen towels are spread around the entire house! We've hid them in the pantry now. He has learned how to get through the safety latches.

Content after having his first ice cream cone. He was thrilled!

I showed him once to stick out his tongue to lick the ice cream and he caught on real fast!

He stood there for a long time just licking the ice cream. He wouldn't move.

Playing with the Easter basket Grandma Horn gave him. He is so silly. We had to grab the camera to take a shot of his silliness.

He knows when he's silly too...just look at that grin!

"Look Mom! No hands!"

Playing fetch with Gracie while the weather is nice and breezy.

Fun at Yan's

2010-03-22T19:05:00.000-07:00

Took a day off and spent time with some neighborhood friends.
Where does he go when he can't get his way? Underneath the breakfast table.

Over at Yan's (a block away) playing with Hayley and Sienna.

Fun weekend with Junior

2010-03-21T18:46:00.000-07:00

The family L to R: Sreynoun (SIL), Ray (bro), Stephanie (sis), Paul (BIL), Isabel (niece), San (dad), Remona (mom), Jacob (son), Jeremiah (husband), me, Jason (nephew, Kim (grandma), and Junior (nephew). MIA: Sokimna (sis), Enrico (BIL), Erin (niece), Eli (nephew), Monica (sister), and Daniel (BIL).

Jacob and Mama (Grandma Horn) at Great Grandma Kim's 80th birthday celebration at Silver Dragon Restaurant. Fun in the sun with Junior.

At Grandma's house...

We did not let him go on the play structure! It looked disgusting and smelled bad.

Jacob was curious though!!! (The man in the background was a pervert!! I won't tell you what he did when I walked by him...ugh...yuck)

Timeout on the spot...he was uncooperative...what was I thinking??

Rocking out to Air Supply with Uncle Adam.