Happy Birthday, Jacoby Cade!

WOW, WOW, WOW...today, my little man is officially a toddler. Today, my little man only lacks 4 years until he starts Kindergarten. Today, my little man only lacks 15 years until he gets a driver's license. Today, my little man only lacks 17 years until he graduates from high school. Okay, so I'm getting carried away, but seriously, today, my little man turned ONE at 9:18am!

1-Year Stats:
Weight: 22.4 lbs.
Length: 29.5 in.

You haven't grown at all since last month, but you haven't lost weight, either. I guess that's why they only do check-ups every 3 months. (The same thing happened to Jaydon at this age. Coincidental, or genes at work? I think this is what happens when you are a mover & a shaker so early on!)
...and just because I always look at their medical folders to compare, I'll fill you in. Jaydon was 21lbs. 8oz. and 31.5 inches at this age. They are pretty close, but Jaydon definitely has the taller genes. You boys were neck and neck until this month. It's time to start drinking Ensure, Jacoby!

Where do I begin? There are so many things that I could say right now, so I'll just type away from the very beginning... (Side note: This may get a little personal, so if you aren't interested, just skip on down to the videos and pictures!)

It took us 15 months to conceive Jacoby. With Jaydon, (and Jilian now, too!) Jeremy literally took his shoes off and he was conceived, but we won't go there.
We started trying to conceive Jacoby in January of 2006. Day after day, week after week, month after month...nothing. It was such a disappointment to us not knowing what was going on.
In January of 2007, after one year of trying, we went to see my OB/GYN, and she said that I was officially considered infertile. What? ME!?! No way! She said that she would start me on Clomid, and she would also give me a prescription for another "ointment". We went to pick both prescriptions up, and the lady at Wal-Greens says, "That will be $735." I barfed in my mouth a bit, hyperventilated, and finally regained enough strength to say, "How much?" She explained that the Clomid was covered by insurance and it was only our usual $5, but the other ointment was not covered, and it was $730. I will NEVER forget that day. We said that there was NO way we were paying that much money for medicine and left. I took the Clomid for all of one week and then stopped taking it. We just decided that if it was meant to be, it would happen. We are not terribly religious, but we thought that God did things for a reason, and we just needed to be patient.
At the time, I was working full-time in North Dallas. I was driving 40+ miles each way, and I was gone from 6:15am-6:00pm daily. By the time I picked Jaydon up and got home, I had been gone from the house for 12 hours. My job was very stressful, and one day I'd had enough and quit. That was in March of 2007. At the same time, I also decided to start losing weight. I have never been a huge person - I'm big-boned, but not huge - so I knew that I needed to do something about the way I was looking. Going from a toned body and a size 6 to a size...never mind, but I was big! I joined Weight Watchers with a dear friend, and we both started losing weight. Within 8 weeks, I had lost 23 pounds!
Guess what? 4 weeks after I quit working, and 4 weeks after I started losing weight, we were pregnant! I honestly think that the stress from my job and the fact that I was so heavy was not allowing me to get pregnant. The girls that I worked with at the time kept telling me the same thing. The other thing was that I had been on the depo shot prior to that, and I have also been told that sometimes, it takes up to 18 months for that bad boy to clear your system - talk about potent!
Needless to say, however it happened...we were pregnant, and quite ecstatic! :)
So Jacoby, we tried very hard to have you. Out of the 3 kids, we honestly consider you the little miracle.

In the past year, you have really turned our house upside down, Coby. Going from 1 to 2 children after only having 1 child for 5+ years is a big change...but we wouldn't have it any other way.

You have achieved so many milestones this year:
You have smiled, rolled over, sat up, crawled, stood up, grown 8 teeth and ½ a molar, waved hi & bye, understood the meaning of your name, said "Ma-Ma & Da-Da", and of all things...you are walking!!! Yep, you started walking a few weeks ago, and haven't stopped since.
The kitchen cabinets are child proofed - something we never had to do with Jaydon. We find you in the weirdest places...under the dining room table, under the coffee table, opening up drawers and lifting up on your tip toes to look inside, and in the kitchen pantry (prior to child proofing). You love to explore! You refuse to play with any of your toys, but the second one of your brother's toys come out, you snatch them from him and laugh. You are very reserved with your laughing and hardly ever do so except when you are with us. When you see your mom, dad and brother all together, that's when the laughing begins. We can already tell that you are very family-oriented. What a plus! You suck your thumb when you go to sleep and have never taken a pacifier. You have a temper like me and honestly, I kinda like it. It just means that you won't take lip from anyone! :)

You have also gotten quite handsome - if I do say so myself. You have a cute little round face, and big brown eyes. Oh and that hair is still light brown with some honey colored highlights. You could have gotten a hair cut already, but I think your Aba and half of my friends would chop off my left boob if I gave you a haircut. They all just love the curls that are forming in the back.

So enough babbling...I don't want to bore all of my blog readers with how proud I am of you.
You are now going to be the middle child Jacoby, and we just want you to know that being in the middle is actually a cool thing. You are the cream in an Oreo, the bologna in a sandwich - and who would eat either one of those things without the middle? :)

Jacoby, we have tried to capture as many things as we can on video or in pictures. I have to admit though that some of the best memories I have of you are those that are in my mind, and in my heart forever.
Thank you for bringing such joy to our lives in 2008. Your daddy is a changed man because of you. He has learned that all children are different, and is becoming more patient because of it.
We know that you will be a great big brother to Jilian when she arrives.

Also, please know that we didn't forget your birthday. We are postponing your birthday celebration until February 7th. There is just too much going on right now, and we don't want the focus to be on anyone but you.

Happy 1st Birthday, Coby-Co-Co!
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I got so overwhelmed that I forgot to take pictures with the #1 candle in his cupcake. The video wasn't that great either, so I didn't add it. Oh well, that's what February 7th is for!
Please enjoy and don't forget to watch the 2 videos at the bottom...

Jacoby & Jaydon on January 2, 2009

Jacoby loving the cupcake with extra icing!

The new thing is pulling off his socks & shoes...SO annoying!

Exploring...

One of those weird places...

Yesterday, (New Year's Day) we went to Liberty Park in North Richland Hills. This park is really neat. It has tidbits of history all around. We are going to make this a Spring picture spot for some family pictures after Jilian arrives. I have some ideas brewing about things I want to do there. We are going to try our best to get a new camera - a GOOD one - with any tax money we get back next year. Enjoy the pictures from the park, too!

A quote at Liberty Park

The cutest baby at the park that day can be found on this flag...

Bound & Determined...

I'm a walkin', folks...