Happy Birthday Jack!

It's so hard to believe that Jack is turning three! It really does seem like yesterday that he was born; he's gone from a helpless little blob to a precocious and darling child of three. I didn't start to blog until Jack was almost 2 1/2 so I never shared his birth story. In honor of Jack's third birthday I will reminisce about the day he was born.

Jack's due date was August 30, 2006. We had just moved into our first house which was in Ogden, Utah. We had been in our new house for four days and I was trying like mad to get unpacked and organized. I kept telling myself and everyone else that the baby boy was going to be late; most first babies are late and I really needed the time to set up the house. On August 20 Bruce and I had done some work around the house and we cleaned our old apartment. I admit that I hadn't had nearly enough water that day and I probably did too much physical work at nine months pregnant. At 10:45 PM we were about to get ready for bed and I stood up. I paused for a second and turned to Bruce and said "hm, I think that my water just broke." I took a step and I was 99% sure that this was the case. I called my doula Joy and told her what was going on. We agreed that we would go to the hospital and call her if my water did break and she would meet us there. I took a shower and started freaking out because the house was a disaster. Boxes filled the living room from floor to ceiling; we didn't know where the car seat was and I hadn't even packed a bag. We managed to find things for me to pack and we left for the hospital. My mom was going to be coming in in a few days to help us with the new baby and I was in an absolute panic that my mom wasn't here yet. She made arrangement to leave first thing in the morning. When we got to the hospital it was around midnight and it was determined that my water had broken (and I was dehydrated) and we weren't going anywhere. I hadn't started having contractions that I could feel and I wasn't dilated very far but my doctor was willing to work with us as I wanted to avoid pitocin at all costs. Bruce and I got our stuff settled into my room and then we started walking laps in the hallway. After about an hour or so the contractions started kicking in so we went back to our room so I could concentrate on each contraction better. I labored all night and thanks to Bruce and our doula I made it through without any drugs. After over seventeen hours of labor and 2 1/2 hours of pushing Jackson Bremen Cohen was born on August 21 at 4:44 PM. He weighed 8.5 lbs and was 20.5 inches long, I thought that he was a big baby... until we had Belle! Of course Jack did give me a fourth degree tear which slowed me down considerably. Recovering from that tear was worse than the entire labor and delivery. Jack was not a natural nurser, I had to work very hard to get us synced up but it payed off and he nursed for 13 months.

While Jack and I were in the hospital we had some amazing friends come over to the house and help Bruce get it into livable shape. We still had a lot of work to do but at least when we came home as a family we could find all of the baby stuff for Jack. The last three years have flown by with our son, watching him grow and blossom has been has been a magical journey. I'm looking forward to the next three years and beyond.

You Have to Become A Parent to Understand Your Parents

Growing up you hear your parents say things to you that you can't truly understand until you become a parent like them. As a teenager and young adult, we bristle when our parents call us their baby. My mom still tells me that I will always be her baby... I finally get it. Jack and I were having a conversation where I called him my baby boy. He was very insistent that he is not a baby, he is a big boy. I told him that he would always be my baby and that he would understand someday. I've also realized that all of the cliches about falling in love with your children are true... I would do anything for them. My kids make me want to be a better person and to be a strong example for them. These are things that you hear before you become a parent, you understand them in your head... But you can't feel them until you have your first child. This is for Bruce, my Mom and Dad, MommySherry and PapaCohen. Thanks for doing a great job, being a fantastic example of what a parent is and how deep a parent's love goes. My fellow young parents, it's wonderful to know that I'm not alone on this challenging and marvelous journey.

Jack the Funny Man

This week Jack has told me that he is "going to run to Disney World all by myself." It's amazing that he still remembers everything from May! He now tells me all the time that he's going to "keep my eye on you" and today I asked him to put something away in his room and he told Belle to "keep an eye on Mommy." I guess I need supervision! Jack has also been telling me that "you don't tell me no" to which I reply "that's my job." The other day he was talking to himself in the backseat and he kept saying "I say no, that's my job." Bruce asked him what Mommy's job was and Jack said "to say no." It's very clear what I say around the house a lot! Jack is now very into the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies, I asked him what his pirate name is and of course he said "Captain Jack." He put on his Pirate Mickey Mouse jammies before we watched the movie and his Pirate Mickey Mouse hat and during the movie he kept saying "I need my sword to fight the pirates!" So cute. I can't believe that he's going to be three in a week!



Jack is still so sweet with Belle, he loves to climb into her crib when she wakes up in the morning or from her nap. Jack also likes to take her hands and help her walk though she does very well on her own now. She laughs the whole time she's walking with him. Belle walks all the time now but she likes to walk with her hands up above her head. Kids are strange but fun.

She's Not A Bed!

Earlier this evening Bruce and I were sitting on the sofa and Bruce put his head on my shoulder. We were tired (shocking), catching up on the day and watching the kids play. Jack comes up to us and demands to his Daddy "don't lay on her!" We were surprised and Bruce asked why he shouldn't be laying on Mommy. Jack said "she's not a bed." Children are so wise.

Jack is also fascinated with Bruce going to the office or going to work. A couple of days ago Jack got some play keys and said "I have to go to work, I'm going to the office." I asked him what he did for work and he said "play with toys." Great work if you can get it.

I borrowed a great idea from a friend and picked up some squeaker shoes for Belle. The little dickens can walk but I'm hoping to motivate her to walk more, whenever she walks the shoes make a little squeak. The squeaker can be removed but I find it cute and it's nice to know where she is if I'm trying to get things done. However, I know my son and if Belle had squeaker shoes he would want some too so I went ahead and picked up a pair for him too. We have a pair of squeakers whenever we go out and both kids are entertained merely by walking!

I bought these for Belle:

And I got these ones for Jack:

I will be uploading more photos soon, it's been a very busy summer so once I get them off the camera watch out for picture overload!

From the Mouths of Babes

Jack and I were watching "The Little Mermaid" the other day and as she was going through her transformation he asked me what was happening to her. I told him that she was turning into a human. He looked at me quizzically and said "a human?" I said "yes, you're a human." As he thought about that I said "is daddy a human?" Jack said "yes" and then I asked if I was a human and he said "no." I was bemused so I asked him "what am I?" Jack said "you're a lady." After a series of questions about who in the family was a human, it turns out that to an almost three year old men and boys are humans and women and girls are ladies.

He still makes me smile when I thank him for something, he says "you're welcome, it's my pleasure." Such a polite little toddler.

Excuse Me Guys, I Have a Plan

Toddlers hear everything. While this is not a newsflash it does tend to surprise me when Jack repeats my common phrases. I obviously use the terms "guys" and "plan" on a very regular basis. The other day Bruce, his dad (Jack's Pappa) and I were talking. Jack comes up to us and says "excuse me guys, I have a plan." He then regaled us with said plan to our dumbfound surprise. Jack's Grammie has been visiting and he has been directing "Drammie" as to how things operate and where things go. After she read him a story a few nights ago she forgot the book on his bed. We start hearing him scream "you forgot to put the book away! Put the book away!" She went and got the book and started to put it away on a lower shelf and he told her to"put it on the top shelf" which is funny because the top shelf is dedicated to books that are more delicate and could easily be ripped, i.e. books that we don't want Jack to be able to get on his own. The next night she remembered to take the book and put it away but she heard a little voice call out "did you put it on the top shelf?" He also assured Grammie that playing with his whale toy in the bathroom was OK by telling her that "it's perfectly fine, Drammie." Jack also told her that as she was supervising his bathroom usage while eating a piece of cinnamon bread that "you can't eat in the bathroom Drammie, you have to eat at the table." He does know the rules even if he doesn't always follow them. When my mom was visiting he told her that he was going to come get her in the morning by knocking on her door "I'm going to knock knock knock on your door Dramma (Grandma)." He then showed her how he was going to knock by rapping his little knuckles on his bed. Too cute.



Jack is now totally diaper free! He hasn't had an accident during the day or at night for weeks and we couldn't be prouder of him. Now we just need to work on his aim when he's standing up...



Bruce and I are also dealing with a lot of phobias with Jack. He's developed a fear of the bathtub drain though it does seem to be getting better and he's a little afraid of the new humidifier. We just keep telling him that he's safe, we won't let anything happen to him and everything is OK. We keep telling ourselves that these are phases and they will pass as quickly as they came on.

We're also gearing up for the beginning of school. I can't believe that Jack and Belle are going to both be in school full time in a month! I know that it's going to be a lot harder on me than it will be for them but it's exciting nonetheless.

Belle's One Year Check-up

Belle is healthy just as we thought. When she was born she was 20.5 inches long and 10.8 lbs. Now she is 30 inches long and 19.7 lbs which puts her in the 75th percentile for length and 10-25th percentile for weight. At one, Jack was 30.5 inches long and 19.8 lbs so both of our kids are growing in a similar fashion. Belle is walking when she feels like it, she got across the room tonight because I had a toy that she wanted. She laughed the whole way across the floor because she thought that she was clever by holding back how skilled she is with the whole walking thing. Little devil.