Jacob: My Busy 2 Weeks of Life!

Wow! I can't believe I'm already 2 weeks old! It has been an exciting 2 weeks! I've met so many great people and am learning a lot about this world I'm living in. My mom and dad are pretty cool and I can tell they adore me! Mommy was so blessed to have Grandmother here for a month as she learns to take care of me. We miss you! We were blessed by all the people who came to visit and help out after I was born, so let me share about these 2 weeks!

Here I am 15 days old (11/20/10)! Mommy can't believe how alert and smart I am!

11/5/10: I was born at 5:18am! Mommy and Daddy were there and so was my Grandmother and Granddaddy met me after we moved to the "Mommy and Me" room at the hospital. While at the hospital, I got to meet Tante Maren, Aunt Emily, Mr. Jon, and Ms. Alaina! Thanks for coming to see me!

Right after I was born!

Mommy and Daddy with me in the hospital!

Meeting my Granddaddy!

Grandmother came to visit for a month! Mommy was so glad for her help!

My Tante Maren meeting me in the hospital!

Meeting my Aunt Emily and Mr. Jon

Ms. Alaina drove all the way from South Fort Worth to meet me!

MY HEROES!:

Mommy's amazing midwife, Ann Crowell - owner of Gentle Beginnings Birth Center.

This is me at my 2 week check up with Ann on 11/22/2010 when I am 17 days old!

I weighed 9 pounds!! Mommy is so proud of me and so grateful for Ann's guidance as she and Daddy prepared for me to join our family! We love you, Ann!

This is Michelle - she is GBBC's office manager AND a midwife in training. She was an assistant at Mommy's labor at the GBBC birthing cottages before we went to the hospital. Mommy thinks she is awesome - she has a lot of knowledge and often gave Mommy good advice throughout her pregnancy. I was working on a diaper in this picture - that's why my face is scrunched up. But I think Michelle is GREAT!

This is Dr. Clark, the doctor that delivered me - he was awesome! Mommy and Daddy were glad he was there and love how he embraces midwives and their patients.

11/8/10 - 11/10/10: My Auntie Kay, Aunt Beryl, and my awesome cousins Matthew, Taylor, Emma, and Parker visited from Tennessee! We had a great time! Mommy was SO glad they could make the looooong trip all the way from Nashville to meet me and love on me! I really look forward to the day that I can visit Tennesee and ahve more time with Auntie Kay and Aunt Beryl and meet my Uncle Brian and Uncle Scott - Mommy says they are really cool and we'll have a blast! I loved meeting Daddy's side of our family! Emma and Taylor helped Mommy take care of me a lot and Matthew did such a good job holding me and Mommy loved seeing Parker hold me and kiss on me - we can't wait for the memories I'll have with these special cousins! They are pretty cool people and I can't wait to see them again! I'm blessed to be a part of the Bruffey family! Mommy says I'll love meeting our other cousins in TN - Kim, Mallory, and Chase. I hope to meet them soon!

 My TN Cousins!

My awesome cousins! Can't wait to be big enough to play with them!

 3 JPs!

(Joshua Parker, Joshua Patrick, and me Jacob Parish)

Me and my Aunt Beryl

Me and my Auntie Kay

(She took the awesome pictures)

A Kiss from Auntie Kay!

My sweet cousin Emma who helped Mommy a lot!

My cousin Matthew - I was showing him how strong I am by puffing my chest out!

My cousin Parker - I so want to play with him and learn a lot from him!

My beautiful cousin Taylor - she helped Mommy, too!

11/9/10: My first postpartum checkup with Mommy's and my midwife, Ann - she and her assistant, Michelle, came to our apartment. Mommy was excited because I was already putting on weight! I looked healthy and got some love from Ann and Michelle! I am so glad Mommy had Ann to help her through me coming into this world!

11/10 - 11/12: Mommy had some great friends come and spend time with her to help as she got used to taking care of me. Thank you to Tante Maren, Aunt Emily, and Allison!

Aunt Emily came and helped Mommy so much!

Tante Maren changing my diaper! Thanks Tante Maren!

11/12/10 - 11/14/10: Grandmother and Granddaddy came back to visit and brought my great-grandmother, Granny! Also, my Aunt Rup and Uncle Josh flew all the way from Michigan to meet me! I am so excited to one day visit Aunt Rup and Uncle Josh in Michigan! Mommy says it is a fun place. Uncle Josh held me a lot and we got some good naps in and Aunt Rup just makes me smile!! Granny is an amazing woman and she represents the strength and faith that is a part of our family. They are really cool people! I love being a part of the Parish family, too! They are all coming again at Christmas and I can't wait! I am so grateful for the family God gave me!

My great-grandmother, Granny!

My grandparents: Grandmother and Granddaddy Parish

My Uncle Josh and Aunt Rup - from Michigan!

Aunt Rup makes me smile and Uncle Josh is so cool!

I LOVE you Aunt Rup! Come again soon!!

Uncle Josh, you made me feel safe - thank you!

Tante Maren and Aunt Rup with me and Mommy!

Mommy says sisters are awesome!

4 Generations!

(Alving Latheal Parish, Jr., Janet Parish Shook, Jacob Parish Bruffey, & Elizabeth Parish Bruffey)

Parish Family!

11/15/10: Mother, Daddy, and Grandmother spent time with me as we planned for the big move to our new house on Thursday 11/18/10. Mommy got more sleep, even though I kept her up plenty! ;-)

11/18/10: Two Men and a Truck came and packed our little apartment and moved us to our great new house!! There are still boxes everywhere, but Mommy is focused on taking care of me so she is planning to unpack and set up our house slowly. We are so blessed that my Grandmother helped SO much getting things in order so my nursery is functional and Mommy and Daddy have their bed set up and the kitchen is looking great. My Auntie Angie even helped get some dishes put away! Tante Maren is coming this next Monday to help Mommy and then Aunt Rup is coming for a WEEK in December near Christmas to help Mommy get ready for all the family that is coming at Christmas!

Mommy told me that the reason we have this house is became of the blessing from my Mamaw - Ruth Ann Bruffey. Mamaw went to Heaven on August 20, 2010 so I didn't get to meet her, BUT Mommy says she was SO excited about me! She was really excited I was a boy, smile! She gave me lots of clothes and love me so much! We miss her and Mommy was really sad that she wasn't here after I was born, but Mommy tells me all the time about the wonderful Mamaw I have in Heaven. Mommy also says that us having a house for our home is a part of the legacy Mamaw left for our family - that and her incredible faith in God through Jesus. Our home is a tribute to her and the strong family I have from both my Mom and Dad. I love you Mamaw and look forward to meeting you in Heaven one day!

Mommy (and me!), Daddy, and Mamaw Bruffey!
(May 22, 2010 at a wedding in TN)

Our dining room after the movers left - whew!

Our living room after the movers left - a lot to organize!

11/19/10: My first pediatrician appointment with Dr. McGehee! Daddy wanted to go ahead and have me seen by a pediatrician. They had to do my 2nd newborn screening and it HURT! I cried, but Mommy laid her head on the table with me and held my hands and let me know how proud she was of me for being so brave. Mommy and Daddy were really proud because I have such a high clotting factor. They weren't glad that the nurse had to stick my heel twice, BUT they were glad to know my blood clots really well! Grandaddy came back to visit and I had time with him and Grandmother!

In my car seat - I like riding in the car, but not when Mommy has to tighten the seat belts in my carseat - I get a bit fussy.

Daddy holding me in the doctor's office. I'm gonna be big and strong like him!

A sign Mommy liked in the doctor's office!

Chiling with my grandfather! He is a great guy!

Grandmother is so good at taking care of little guys like me!

I just loved looking at her and getting to know her!

She left to go home yesterday (11/20) and Mommy misses her A LOT!! She was a HUGE help and was with Mommy for a MONTH! We love you Grandmother!

Granddaddy told a joke and laughed really deep and it made ME laugh! This made Mommy, Grandmother and Granddaddy ALL smile!

11/20/2010: My Uncle Chip and Auntie Angie came all the way from Houston to meet me! I was so excited to finally meet this part of my Parish family! Mommy has told me all about them and how much fun I'll have with Daddy, Granddaddy, and Uncle Chip when I get bigger - playing football, going to games, playing baseball and maybe one day even some golf! Uncle Chip told me all about the history of his favorite team, the Chicago Cubs! He plans to call me Cubbie because of my name "Jacob" - a great nickname! I'm gonna love my Uncle Chip and hope he'll take me to a Cubs game one day!

Meeting my Uncle Chip - he's a great guy! I can't wait to learn about sports from him!

Uncle Chip telling me about the somewhat tragic history of his favorite team, the Chicago Cubs. I was all torn up for the Cubs! ;-)

Auntie Angie was great at making me feel safe!

What a great aunt!

Whew! It was a busy 2 weeks! Mommy and I have been learning all about taking care of me from feeding to diapering to clothing - Mommy has been doing a lot of laundry! And I love the time I get with my Daddy - he is the biggest, strongest man EVER! He works nights so we don't see him as much as I'd like, BUT he has at least 2 days off at Thanksgiving so our family of 3 can't wait for the time we'll have together soon! And Mommy is so proud of Daddy for how hard he works at his job!

Here are some pictures of me with Mommy and Daddy!

Mommy and Daddy in my nursery

(picture by my Auntie Kay)

Daddy, me, and Mommy

Daddy's strong arms!

Daddy - I love you!

Daddy is great at taking care of me!

Meeting my Dad for the first time!

Mommy just loves me - and I look TOO cute in this outfit!

A kiss from my Mom!

I love you, too, Mom!

Always hold me close but also let me explore, Momma.

I want to be just like my Dad!

Dad was sleepy, but at night I like to be WIDE awake!

I am a lucky guy - an awesome Dad AND great dogs!

And these are pictures of me that Mommy LOVES!

Sweet boy just before leaving the hospital on 11/6/10

Ready for my first car ride - home from the hospital!

Our first day at home - sleeping with Mommy!

My co-sleeper in Mommy's and Daddy's bed!

Yeah - I'm a good lookin' guy!

I am strong like a lion!

Mommy wanted to take a picture for Granddaddy, but I started working on a stinky, haha!

I'm starting to work on my sign language skills!

Adorable!

Auntie Kay took this one - I got flowers from Aunt Rup!

My Dad is the strongest guy ever! And I am blessed to have him as my father!

Just tooooo precious! A face my Mommy adores!

I like lifting my head up! I can't control it much, but I feel so strong when I lift it up!

Auntie Kay is SO creative with pictures! I look great with all these colors!

My Mommy says baby feet are just too precious!

My feet in Daddy's hands!

Some tummy time with Mommy supervising. She and Daddy just LOVE this picture!

My awesome swing plays music and the fish go round and round. I love to watch them!

11/20/10 - Sleeping with Mommy after my lunch! Mommy's heart just melted!

Yes - it's been an incredible 2 weeks! A whirlwind Mommy and Daddy say! But we love each other SO much and Mommy and Daddy thank God for bringing me into their family. Thank you to all the friends and family who came to visit and help take care of me. I love you!!