5 Weeks

Here are lots of pictures of Jacob from the past month or so!  Unfortunately my nice camera lens broke right before Jacob was born so these are all from our phones.  However, I am very excited about my new lens (Happy early Birthday to me!!) and so hopefully I'll be able to take some better pictures from now on!!

Jacob is growing so fast!  He weighed 10lbs. 4oz. at his 1 month appointment. He grew/stretched out another inch as well.  We were blessed to see some awesome smiles this past week.  He especially loves to smile at Gabi. :)  It melts my heart every time.  He still has all of his hair and it is lightening up a little bit. He isn't quite as dark as Maya was, but he seems to have my skin tone and a lot of my features.  Maya looked a lot like Joe, so it is fun to have my own mini-me. :)

He is sleeping well and is now sleeping 4-5 hour stretches at night, waking up to eat and then going right back to sleep.  He gets a little grumpy in the evening, but is pretty chill and good-natured during the day.  I love that he is more alert and interactive now.  The girls like it too.  They are really good at entertaining him and still love to hold him.  It is nice that they are old enough to be so helpful...I still haven't taught them how to change a diaper...that may be coming soon!

Morning Nap

Happy Boy...trying to capture a smile!

Big sister snuggles

Building a fort for Jacob...the first of many to come I'm sure!

Gotta love those "sleep smiles"!

Loves tummy time!

 Gabi & Maya love to "fix" Jacob's hair!  Sorry these won't turn...

fauxhawk!



Naptime with Daddy



Bath time is lots of fun!  The girls think it is hilarious that he almost always manages to pee in the bathtub. ;)

 On the weekend of June 29th, we all went to Alliance, NE to attend my Uncle Don's Memorial service.  He passed away earlier this year.  Although it was a sad event to say the least, I was thankful for the chance to see all of my cousins and aunts and uncles.  We are all spread across the country and abroad, so these occasions do not happen very often.  In fact, the last time I saw many of them was at my Grandma Genie's funeral 3 years ago.  After the service, we went to the family cabin near Crawford.  Don's ashes were spread and we enjoyed a sunny and wonderful afternoon.  Jacob got to meet everyone and received lots of cuddles.

My cousin Cheri's daughter, Jenna, with Jacob

Quality time with Grammy Mary :)

Jacob got to meet Uncle Tom!!

 We stopped in Spearfish on the way back home, so Jacob could meet Grandma Fern!

This is a very special picture...4 Generations of Halls!  We are so thankful that Jacob will grow-up surrounded by very hard-working, genuine, tough, and caring men.

 

 

 

 

This is what happens when a tired mama of three tries to make herself a cup of coffee in the morning.  Oops.  Joe thought it was so funny he decided to take a picture of it and then of course showed all of his coworkers. :)  This too shall pass...we are cherishing every second of our three special kiddos.

 

 

I will try to be better about posting pictures more often!  Lots of love!  Tara

Birthday Party x3

We had Maya & Marco's 4th Birthday and Milan's 2nd Birthday celebrations at the park on June 6th.  There were lots of cousins and friends there to help celebrate.  Everyone had a great time!  Special thanks to Amanda for making the fun cakes for the kids!

The Party Crew

All the fun cakes!

Maya's cake!  She loves monkeys...and nothing beats a PINK monkey!

First Week

Little Jacob had lots of people who were anxious to meet him during his first few days of life!  He also had two big sisters who were excited to finally be able to hold him.  We were very lucky that my Mom and Dad were able to be here for the first week and help us out so much.  They kept the girls very busy while Jacob and I rested and got used to each other!

Gabi loves to hold Jacob.  She is so good with him...singing and gently moving his arms to music like he is dancing!

Grandma Phyllis and Jacob

Papa Don and Jacob

About Jacob's name...Jacob David Hall.  I've always loved the name Jacob.  Since we decided to keep the tradition of (most of the) men on the Hall side having the initials JDH, Jacob was an easy decision for a 'J' name for a boy.  Joe, his Grandpa, and his Great-Grandpa all have the initials JDH.  The Hall ranch brand is also JH.  His middle name, David, is after Joe's dad.  It also turns out that Jacob is the name of Phyllis's grandfather!

Papa Gary & Jacob

The dressing up is starting already...Maya put these barrettes in Jacob's hair!  I'm surprised Joe let her do that!

Jacob went on his first hike at 6 days old.  My Mom and the girls walked a couple miles with Gabi & Maya along Clear Creek in town.  He seems to really like the ErgoBaby carrier so far, so that is good!

He is doing so well and is a grand-champion eater!  It makes me a little sad to know that he will get big so fast!  I've been trying to slow myself down and just spend time holding him and enjoying him.  This will be our last, so we're trying to enjoy every single second.

IT'S A BOY!

JACOB DAVID

May 30, 2013 * 3:25 pm

8 lbs. 7oz. * 20.5in.

 

Sweet Baby Boy...Healthy as can be!

Proud Daddy!

Gabi & Maya came to visit a few hours after Jacob was born.  Papa Dave brought them over to Sheridan.  They were SO excited to meet the new baby and even more excited that it was a boy!  They had both been hoping for a baby brother! Auntie Manda and my friends, Tracy & Char, also came to visit us in the hospital.

Proud Big Sister

Proud Biggest Sister

We were able to go home on 5/31 around 5:00pm.    I was so glad that we didn't have to stay in the hospital any longer this time.  (We had to stay for 3 days with Maya.)  He did develop a little jaundice, so we went back the next morning to get his bilirubin levels checked.  They were much better, so we were thankful! 

Joe saw this hat in the gift shop and had to buy it for Jacob!  Like Father, Like Son!  Go Pokes!

Ready to Go!

When we got to the hospital around 5:30am, I was already dilated 4-5cm.  They started pitocin around 8:30 to make my contractions more regular, which helped, but they weren't very strong and didn't help me progress much.  Around 1pm, Dr. Gill broke my water and that got the show on the road!  I dilated very quickly after that and by 2:45 was pushing.  Dr. Gill thought he would be out in just a couple pushes, but then realized that he was "sunny side up" (just like his sister was!)  A couple pushes turned into 45 minutes of pushing...without an epidural.  Ouch.  He came out looking up at his daddy and we both started crying when Dr. Gill said, "It's a boy!" and immediately laid him on my chest.  He is beautiful and worth every second of pregnancy, labor, and delivery.

We love all his dark brown hair, his dark bluish-tinted (!) eyes, and squeaky sounds.  He has been a great eater and a good baby so far and hopefully will follow in his sisters' footsteps for being awesome sleepers and laid-back little kids. :) 

Lots of love, Tara

Our Little 4 Year Old



Sunday was our sweet Maya's 4th birthday.  We had a very fun day starting with birthday pancakes and ending with having the "ranch family" over for dinner and cake.

 



 

Funny story about the cake...I leave the fancy cakes up to Amanda and Joyce...but I wanted to make Maya a cake for her actual birthday date (we're having a party for Maya, Marco, and Milan on June 6th where they will get the fancy cakes Amanda makes them!)  Anyways, I told my friend Bev that I had made Maya a cake that day.  Bev then asked Maya what kind of cake I made her.  Maya said super excitedly, "A RECTANGLE CAKE!!"  I felt like Mom of the Year!  For the record, I did give her a choice of a circle cake, a rectangle cake, or a round cake with a hole in the middle. :)

Marco and Maya...the newly (and soon to be) 4 year olds

 

The kids table!

Opening presents!

The cousins

Maya's new tutu dress from Grammy Mary & Papa Gary. 
I'm thinking she might wear this one as often as she wore the other one last summer!

Gabi got new glasses last week.  I thought this was a cute picture of her taken by Greer at Milan's birthday celebration last week.

 

 

On the other baby front...Maya's birthday also happened to be my due date.  Although I'm glad they won't share birthdays, I am more than ready to have this baby.  It is still measuring a couple of weeks ahead and the doctor thought it was already 8-8.5 pounds at 39 weeks.  He wanted to induce last week, but I decided to wait it out thinking it would have come by now on its own.  Was I wrong!  I have an appointment today, so I'm sure we'll make a plan!  My next post will most likely be of the new one and the new big sisters!!

 

Lots of love, Tara

Branding & Mother's Day!

Last Friday was Branding Day for the Hall Ranch! The weather was beautiful and all went well! The kids got in on the action for a little while.

 

Maya :)



Marco :)

A new crop of cute calves!

We went for a little hike around the ranch on Mother's Day.  When we got home, Gabi had the good idea of flying kites.  The wind was perfect (it isn't very often that we call wind "perfect" around here!)


 



 



 

I always have Joe take a picture of me with the kids on Mother's Day.  This might be my favorite so far.  Love. These. Girls. With. All. My. Heart.

 

 

There's one more kiddo hiding in there who doesn't want to come out!  Hopefully soon! (Due the 26th)

Love to you all!  Tara