Two

Our little man is two! It's amazing how fast the time has gone. We celebrated with family and close friends on Sunday the 11th. Since it was my anniversary and I didn't think everyone would want Jacob's favorite (Macaroni and Cheese or blueberries) we went with my favorite - Cafe Rio. After dinner I decided to skip the cake and just have ice cream sundaes. Jacob is a true Holbrook and L.O.V.E.S. ice cream and doesn't really care for cake. Leading up to his birthday Emily and I sang to Jacob sever times. He grinned through the whole song every time. We also practiced blowing out candles and he did it first try every time... till it was showtime.  

Everyone was very generous with gifts and Jacob loved opening everything. He got a lot of favorites (Spiderman, dinosaurs, and Cars). Thank you everyone!

Monday the 12th was Jacob's actual birthday. Once daddy got home Jacob opened his present from Emily - a tool box and drill. He was so excited to have tools like daddy. He kept pointing to his drill and saying, "dada, dada."

Then Jeff and I gave Jacob a Cars trike. He smiled a lot and couldn't wait to get on. After a couple unsuccessful attempts at pedaling he climbed off and told his sister to get on. He then pushed her around the family room with just as big of a smile. After a couple of turns around the room Emily got off and pushed Jacob around.

Then we were off to Red Robin for dinner. Emily got to choose where since Jacob couldn't tell us. Of course he seemed thrilled by it. He got to eat macaroni and cheese with a ginormous spoon (you'd think they'd have something smaller for kids???).  The waitress even brought out some mud pie for all of us to enjoy.

After dinner we headed to nickel cade to let the kids play around. Jacob loved the rides the most, then hucking the skee balls all over the room, then shooting baskets. I think Jeff and Emily got more out of playing their but Jacob did seem to enjoy the sucker he got with his tickets.

I have had so many cute, random pictures of Jacob over the past 2 or 3 months and with all the events we have going on I just haven't had the chance to post them. In September he realized he could climb out of his crib (and of course he'd do it on a day that Jeff and I were going overnight and my sister was watching him). So a few days later we dug the toddler bed out of storage. Jacob was SO excited to have a bed like his sister and immediately took to it. Over the past couple months there has thankfully only been a few times when he won't stay in it. Of course I think the Spiderman and Cars bedding have helped a ton.

Jacob just adores his big sister and does EVERYTHING she does. Emily gets tired of us telling her to be a good example because he's ALWAYS watching. Anything she plays, he plays too. Anything movement she makes, he does too. Any sound she makes, he does too. He is learning a lot from her - both good and bad. He loves to help and usually tries to help Emily with her chores. He still doesn't say a whole lot but has quickly picked up on what he hears Emily say to him - "No!" and "Mine!" Jacob is often a baby, a dog, or whatever Emily's imagination dreams up. At times I am the 'Grandma' and have to watch Jacob and a baby while Emily runs an errand. He just follows her along anywhere.
One day I was doing laundry and came out to find Jacob wearing his Spiderman backpack and just laying on the floor playing. I couldn't help but grab the camera and start taking pictures. Jacob, like Emily, is so good at entertaining himself. I love the little bit of time I can have to get things done and that I don't have to entertain him all the time. I also love watching what he comes up with to play and what entertains him. He has started doing a lot more imaginative play and I love seeing his development. He is always have his cars run into each other and saying, "beep, beep!" He cooks in their kitchen all the time and brings me 'food' to eat. I also find Jacob just sitting on his bed looking at books quite a bit too. I usually end up joining him and he somehow always ropes me into 'one more'. I quite often find him with a baby. He is very good at putting them to sleep with a pillow and blanket or wrapping her up in a blanket or feeding her a bottle. He is so sweet with them and will kiss the babies too. Of course he is a boy and sometimes after a few minutes I see the baby go sailing across the room too. He does love babies though and whenever we are with someone who has a baby he always wants to hold and take care of it. 

Right after Jacob's birthday Jeff decided to lower the seat on his trike so it was a bit easier for Jacob to pedal. Since Jacob had just gotten some tools, Jeff pulled out his drill to do the work and Jacob was right alongside him helping. It was fun to see the two 'work' together. Jacob just loves it when Daddy's home and he wants to be just like him. He loves running around and chasing dad or being chased him. He likes to read books with daddy, sit on his lap at dinner, and they both enjoy playing dinosaurs and cars. I just love watching my two boys together and I'm so glad I have them.

Emily and I were gone one night and Jeff needed to shave. So he brought Jacob along and 'taught' him how. So on the 13th Emily and I were home when Jeff went to shave and I knew I needed to get some pictures. Jacob was really excited to be big like his daddy and shave and loved every minute.

We sure love our active, playful, smart and sweet little guy - dramatic fits and all!