What's New With the Stamm Family

Residency Graduation

2010-06-14T13:51:00.001-07:00

On June 11th, Nathan and I had the privilege of heading to Peoria to help celebrate my brother Dejan's residency graduation! Hopefully the last graduation for him ever! Ha ha! It was a great dinner and some long speeches, but overall a fun time. It was an achievement long in the making and well worth the long trek from Indy to Peoria. I couldn't be prouder to have a brother that will officially be a doctor at the end of this month! Congratulations Dejo!

Girls Trip

2010-06-14T13:44:00.000-07:00

at Proof, a yummy restaurant down the street from the theater where we saw Wicked

view from our seats at Wicked...

After the show, headed down to Fourth Street to Howl at the Moon to share this yummy drink...

Jill, Pam, and I headed down to Louisville for a little overnight girls trip. Did some shopping, saw Wicked, ate at a yummy restaurant, and had an overall great time. It definitely needs to be repeated on a yearly basis! Thanks girls!

Pre-K Graduation

2010-06-14T13:34:00.001-07:00

Jacob's cap and gown picture...makes me tear up just thinking about what he's going to look like at his high school and college graduations...

Jacob and his teacher, Mrs. Cadwell

Jacob and his other teacher, Mrs. Price

the two Jacob's...Jacob M and Jacob S...what buds!

Jacob graduated from preschool on May 21st. It turned out to be a great day, with a great program and some sad good-byes. His school was just awesome and I cannot wait for Nathan to start in the fall! And although I thought I would be crying as my baby graduated, I did not! Ha ha...it was too cute to cry!

T-Ball

2010-06-14T13:27:00.001-07:00

Jacob played t-ball for the first time, and boy has it been interesting! He loves every minute of it, and it is fun to watch. The kids make us laugh at how they tackle each other for the ball, among other things. The first five games required the kids to hit off the tee, and since then they have 5 attempts at hitting it from the coach pitching it to them. Jacob can hit it well, if the coach pitches it well...
He is enjoying his t-ball, and can't wait to play soccer in the fall!

(sorry for such a gap in posts...no excuse!)

Disney World

2009-12-14T12:27:00.001-08:00

We headed to Disney World in the beginning of December with Memaw, Papaw, Jill, Wes, Ethan and Samantha. We got to the airport to catch our flight to Orlando in style...a Hummer limo courtesy of Memaw and Papaw! The kids just thought it was the coolest...and will only travel in style from now on...
The first couple of days were cool (60 degrees), but warmed up to a muggy 80 degrees. On our last day there, it decided to rain, so it made it a little easier (not much) to come home. Except coming home meant 17 degrees! Brrr!!!!
We had a lot of fun...exhausting but wonderful. Jacob really enjoyed meeting the characters, the Stunt Show, and his pirate adventure at our resort, the Caribbean Beach. And Nathan loved the animals and the characters, which surprised us considering he was afraid of people in costumes before our vacation.
This definitely won't be our last visit there...we look forward to new things next time!

New House

2009-12-14T12:23:00.001-08:00

So, in November, we picked up and moved from Peoria, Illinois to Plainfield, IN...it was a tad bit stressful on everyone, but we are glad we are finally moved in! The boys love the house and we are all slowly adjusting to life here. It's nice having Joe home with regular work hours, and it is nice living closer to friends and family...if you ever find yourself around the west side of Indy, don't hesitate to stop on by for a visit!!!

Tommy & Kelly's Wedding

2009-12-14T12:14:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to my cousin Tommy and his new bride, Kelly!!! It was a beautiful (but cold) Halloween day that they decided to become husband and wife. It was a also a beautiful ceremony and the reception was lots of fun!

Halloween 2009

2009-12-14T12:08:00.000-08:00

Sorry I haven't blogged in quite a long time, but things have been a little busy, and I'm sure most of you understand...
But here are my little hallo-weiners...Jacob was a clone trooper from Star Wars (probably mostly because it had a weapon), and Nathan was my little ninja. They had fun at Jacob's preschool class party and got plenty of candy! On actual Halloween night, we attended Tommy & Kelly's wedding, where there was a candy bar and the boys showed off their costumes once again.

Jacob's 1st Day of Preschool

2009-09-08T08:47:00.001-07:00

Just havin' some fun...

2009-09-01T15:51:00.000-07:00

Happy 6th Birthday Ethan!

2009-09-01T15:43:00.001-07:00

The birthday boy...

Then, the day after Ava was born, we headed to Indiana to celebrate Ethan's 6th birthday! It was a lot of fun...pony rides, fishing, roasting over an open fire...Jacob loved the fishing and Nathan loved all the animals and walking around the pond. Fun was had by all!

Congrats Dejan and Jane!

2009-09-01T15:34:00.000-07:00

I've been bad about blogging, but a lot has happened at the end of August! My brother and his wife welcomed their first child, a little girl, into the world on Aug. 21st. She is absolutely beautiful and Jacob and Nathan were super excited about their newest cousin (even if she is a girl)!! Congrats to Dejan and Jane...they make beautiful babies.
Ava Maksimovic was born in Peoria, Illinois at 9:47pm. She weighed in at just a little over 7 lbs and 19.5 inches. Love her!

Peoria Zoo fun

2009-07-07T09:05:00.000-07:00

Jacob finding out his wing span is as big as a hawk...

On the camel...

This was too cute...Jacob watching the sea lions, and Nathan trying to...

A huge iguana in the reptile house...Jacob loved this part of the zoo the best!

We headed to the Peoria Zoo the day after the 4th of July...it was a beautiful day! In the 4 years we have lived here, we had never gone because it was a really small zoo and never heard good things about it. But this year they added an Africa exhibit, which doubled the size of the zoo, so we had to go check it out. The boys had fun, the sun came out, and it was a great couple of hours! Jacob's favorite parts were the sea lions and the reptiles. We'll definitely have to go back because some of the animals were just laying around and sleeping...how boring!

4th of July

2009-07-07T08:58:00.001-07:00

Aramis Ramirez...apparently there was one other Cubs player there, but I missed it because he only batted once.

Jacob and his Memaw...

Nathan and his cute self...he really enjoyed the entire game!

Uncle and JaJa...having a good time!

After it finally quit raining, we were able to enjoy the 4th with a baseball game (too bad the Chiefs lost) and fireworks. Of course, Jacob and Nathan didn't go to the fireworks, but a few of us were able to enjoy them, despite the chilly weather.

Father/Son Baseball Trip

2009-07-05T09:12:00.000-07:00

St. Louis...with beautiful weather...

The Stadium at Kansas City...

Kansas City...

Where the boys bought some fireworks...

Des Moines...one of the few pictures they took...none of the stadium though.

Joe and Jeff (a.k.a. Papaw) took off on July 1st for their annual baseball trip. On Wednesday, they were at the Cardinals game...suite tickets I believe that included food and beer. On Thursday, they headed to the Kansas City game. And on Friday they were in Des Moines for the Iowa Cubs game, which unfortunately they didn't get a lot of pictures of because it rained. I think they had a blast and definitely will be doing this trip again next year!

Swimming Fun!

2009-06-28T08:36:00.001-07:00

Big smile from Nathan while watching his big brother take his swim lessons...

Nathan trying to run away from daddy...

Jumping in the pool...

Jacob has really been enjoying his swim lessons. He is a natural fish in the water. He is still somewhat afraid of swimming on his back, but is getting better each time!

What NOT to do with Styrofoam....

2009-05-31T12:21:00.000-07:00

Okay, probably not the smartest move we've ever made...but, we decided to let Jacob and Nathan play with some Styrofoam, and this is what we got...
Needless to say, we really got to clean the house afterward, and we're still finding it everywhere!

Nathan's New Haircut

2009-05-12T12:50:00.001-07:00

Before....

After...What do you think? It's still growing on us, especially since the haircut makes him look older. Maybe we should let it grow out again?

More Easter

2009-04-23T12:11:00.001-07:00

Then two weeks later we headed to Munster to celebrate Orthodox Easter. Jacob and Nathan enjoyed more coloring of eggs and another Easter egg hunt. After church, where Jacob, mommy, daddy, and Auntie Annie did communion, we headed home for a wonderful meal. It was truly a great weekend, filled with family and great weather! Thanks Baba and Deda!

Easter

2009-04-23T11:59:00.001-07:00

We got to celebrate the first round of Easter in Kokomo at Memaw and Papaw's house. Jacob and Nathan were so excited to go on an Easter egg hunt, color eggs, and open their baskets. It was a great weekend, even if it was a little chilly!

Finally!

2009-03-28T09:20:00.001-07:00

Jacob finally earned a stripe on his white belt in Karate on Thursday! He was so excited (but you can't tell from this picture)!!! Way to go buddy!

1 Year and 4 Years Old!

2009-03-25T13:07:00.000-07:00

I took the boys to get their pictures taken today at Sears. Jacob did an amazing job and was super easy to work with...he did everything the photographer asked of him. Nathan, on the other hand, wasn't too sure about the photographer, and so we were only able to get two pictures of him with a smile on his face. These are two of the pictures...look for some in your mailbox in a couple of weeks!

Double the Birthday Fun

2009-03-25T12:59:00.000-07:00

The two cakes decorated by Memaw...she did an amazing job! Thanks!

We celebrated both Nathan's and Jacob's birthday with mostly family this past Saturday. It was a great time filled with food, cake, and lots of presents. Thank you everyone for all your generous gift-giving. The boys have enough toys to last them a lifetime...or until they get bored! :) Jacob loved it all and took every moment in, while Nathan wasn't too sure of everyone and everything. Therefore, he did not demolish his cake like his brother did when he was one! Oh well...I'm sure that will change with time. Thanks to everyone for everything!!!

Happy 4th Birthday Jacob!

2009-03-15T13:37:00.001-07:00

Here are Jacob's special birthday surprise...he named them 1 Fishy and 2 Fishy at first, but now they are Thomas and Percy. Hope they last a little while!

Jacob is officially 4 years old today! It makes us sad, but we are proud of the fact that even though he's definitely full of energy, he is definitely a great boy! Time flies by so quickly, and before we know it, he will be graduating high school and hopefully college.
We try to savor each moment with each of our children...whether it be good or bad. Because pretty soon, they will grow up to independent men with their own families.
I'm sorry it has taken me awhile to update the blog. I got a new camera, and our computer was acting up, but I have finally been able to get some new stuff on here. Hopefully I will be able to download a few of Jacob's pictures from each year of his life when I get the next chance! Enjoy!

Just for fun...

2009-03-15T12:57:00.000-07:00

Nathan doing what he does best...knocking things over, taking every toy out of the box, and opening/closing doors!

Taking Karate seriously...yeah right!

Jacob enjoying himself at Ethan's birthday party, which he still talks about today!

Nate-dawg by the tub...getting ready to join his older brother w/ a lot of splashing!

Mr. Cheeseman himself...Nathan loving anything w/spaghetti sauce!

Jacob started off taking a nap on the couch, but he ended up asleep on the floor! He didn't have a clue that it happened either! Of course, of course, I put him back on the couch. :)

This is a video of the boys on our treadmill. Too funny!

Nathan's Walking

2009-02-15T13:46:00.000-08:00

Here is video of our little Nathan who is now WALKING! I guess he's not so little anymore. Since this video was taken, however, he has just takes off and wants to run after his brother! Mom and dad are in for the run of their lives chasing after Jacob AND Nathan!

Quiet spells trouble...

2009-01-25T08:26:00.001-08:00

This is what I walked into after Jacob told me that he was done "cleaning." It was quite an interesting sight, and it's happened before. He proceeds to take out all the toys and place them in the corner or on his train table. Needless to say, Nathan thought it was fun, and he loved playing with the bins, toys, etc. I think we are in trouble as they get older!

Nathan's First Haircut

2009-01-09T17:46:00.000-08:00

This evening, we took Nathan to get his first official haircut. It was getting too long. In fact, one lady waiting on us at a restaurant thought he was a girl, despite the fact he was wearing blue! So, after the holidays ended and gave us some room to breathe, it finally got done. I was expecting Nathan to cry, but he showed us nothing but smiles! He did want to get loose a few times, but he was a champ. Now hopefully future haircuts go as smooth as his first.

And Jacob was in rare form during the haircut...

He told daddy, "Take a picture of this, daddy!" What a riot!

And the finished product...now he looks like a little boy and not so much a baby anymore...mommy is a little saddened by this!

More Christmas...

2009-01-05T11:45:00.001-08:00

Jacob and his Aunt Annie...

Jacob rockin' out with Uncle Niko's guitar...

Nathan loving his new phone...

Did someone say Planet Heroes???

Baba and Deda enjoying their gifts from the boys...

Jacob with his rocket ship growth chart from Uncle and JaJa...

The tree and all the presents...

After partying it up in Indianapolis, we then headed to Munster to celebrate Orthodox Christmas a few days early. Jacob was super excited at the fact that he was going to open up even more presents! We had a great time playing games, opening presents, and eating like there was no tomorrow. Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas too!

New Year's Eve

2009-01-05T11:37:00.001-08:00

Joe and I (before the drinking took effect)...

Melissa and Jason (a.k.a. Jonah Jonas)

the fellas...taking a Jager bomb...

Matt & Meghan...

Matt & Kelley...

Playing some pool....

We headed to Indianapolis to ring in the New Year with some friends. Joe's sister, lucky Aunt Jill, was nice enough to watch Jacob and Nathan while we had an adult evening out. We enjoyed a nice dinner at Rock Bottom, and then headed downstairs to play pool, cards, and drink it up! It was a great time, and we were glad that we were able to celebrate New Year's Eve with Matt, Kelley, Jason, Melissa, Matt and Meghan...especially since we hadn't done that in quiet a long time! Happy New Year and may everyone have a most wonderful 2009!!!

1st round of Christmases

2008-12-27T07:09:00.000-08:00

An attempt with reindeer antlers...not a successful one. :)

This is the best picture we could get of the 4 of them...

The whole gang...couldn't believe we got a great picture! :)

At our house...Nathan wasn't sure what to make of everything...

We celebrated Christmas with Memaw, Papaw, Aunt Jill, Uncle Wes, Ethan and Samantha last weekend, and it was a lot of fun! Jacob and Ethan could not wait to open the presents, and Samantha was eager to rip open presents too!

Then on December 25th, Santa arrived with more presents for Jacob and Nathan! When it was all over, Jacob looked under the tree and asked where the rest of the presents were. I guess it never is enough for a 3 year old! Now off to the 2nd round at Baba and Deda's house! Hope everyone else had a wonderful Christmas too!!

Nathan -- 9 months old!

2008-12-27T07:06:00.001-08:00

Nathan is now 9 months old and boy does time fly! We can't believe how much personality he has begun to show...crawling, pulling up, cruising on furniture, eating big people food, and the list goes on and on. He is quite a character! At his 9 month check-up, he weighed in at 20 lbs and 28 inches (42nd percentile for both)!

All Aboard the Gingerbread Train!!!

2008-12-02T08:34:00.000-08:00

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, Jacob and mommy decided to tackle making a gingerbread train. It wasn't bad for a first attempt at a gingerbread anything, and Jacob had a blast making the train, and especially eating and demolishing it! Yummy!

Purdue Christmas...the tradition continues...

2008-11-17T07:28:00.001-08:00

Here are all the kids...not really wanting to take a picture as some of them are demonstrating...

Here are the kids again...a little more cooperative this time. I think this was the picture where the kids were asked if they wanted a present (in order to get them to smile), and of course, Jacob raises his hand! Too funny!

We headed out to Indiana this weekend to continue in the annual Christmas gift exchange with our Purdue friends and their children. There were 12 children...under the age of four! It was a great time, especially since we don't get to meet up with everyone like this as often as we'd like. We look forward to doing it again next year!!

Mini Vacation

2008-11-05T13:23:00.000-08:00

A stop on one of the trails. Jacob liked this way because he got to see the water most of the way...

Jacob's fave spot at the indoor water park...the hot tub.

Our 2nd day on the trails...got to check out some of the canyons and really wear ourselves out!

On Monday we headed to Grand Bear Lodge and Indoor Water Park in Utica, IL. It was a fun couple of days that involved a lot of hiking trails at Starved Rock State Park and pool time at the indoor water park. We lucked out with the beautiful weather too!

Lovely fall weekend...

2008-11-02T06:59:00.000-08:00

This weekend, after the sugar-high that is Halloween, we enjoyed the lovely fall weather with a visit from Papaw and Memaw. We also helped celebrate JaJa's birthday! It was a great weekend...

Jacob eating his huge buttered noodles at Granite City...

Happy Birthday Jane! We enjoyed a lovely dinner at Basta's...still full just thinking about it!

Jacob and Memaw checking out the river...

Hope everyone was able to enjoy this lovely weather! We sure enjoyed our time outside!

Happy Halloween!!

2008-10-31T17:43:00.001-07:00

Spiderman to the rescue!

Isn't this such a cute Rambo???

Mommy w/her two cuties!

Daddy w/his boys...

Spiderman, wearing his mask like a hat...

Daddy wearing the mask...

Rambo w/attitude...don't mess w/him!!! :)

So, when all was said and done, everyone (except Nathan) was on a sugar high! Way too much candy, but it only happens once a year, right? Hope everyone enjoyed a safe and very happy Halloween! The weather was beautiful here, so Jacob and Joe took off trick-or-treating for an hour! Jacob's bucket was full...so full, he couldn't carry it home by himself!

A few memorable quotes from Jacob for the evening...

When asked if he had already eaten one Twizzler candy, he replied, "Yes, it's in my belly and I need more!"

"Spiderman is done for the night!"

Jacob's Halloween at Preschool

2008-10-31T12:03:00.000-07:00

Jacob had a little parade for Halloween at school today. Since the rest of the daycare was having their parade at 3:00, the preschool class went around to each classroom and had their own parade at 11. As you can tell, Jacob is Spiderman, without the mask. He finds the mask a little unnerving, and starts to panic and believes he won't be able to breathe. Hmmm...when he got the costume, I made sure to tell him it had a mask, and that is what Spiderman wears. Oh well...maybe I'll get some pictures with him in the mask later!

Jacob with almost his entire class...

Jacob and his teacher, a nice witch, Ms. Amber...

Run, Jacob, Run...

2008-10-31T11:58:00.000-07:00

This might be one way to wear Jacob out this winter...

New pictures

2008-09-30T09:30:00.000-07:00

We took some family pictures and Nathan's 6 month pictures yesterday. Here are a few of them...

Both boys did really well and although Nathan had to be coaxed into smiling more often than usual, the pictures were adorable.

Happy 1/2 Birthday Nathan!

2008-09-30T09:06:00.000-07:00

Sorry this has taken a while...Nathan turned 6 months old on the 24th, but his check-up wasn't until today. Here are his stats:

19 lbs 14 oz

26 1/2 inches long

He is all kinds of fun right now...showing more and more of his personality each day. I can't believe how fast 6 months has gone! He has been sitting up all by himself for a few weeks now, holding his bottle (when he feels like it), eating baby cereal and baby foods like he's never eaten before, and really a whole lot of fun!

my little lion after a bath...too cute!

checking out Rosco...

holding hands with his new little friend, Chava....

I just couldn't resist this picture...he was so tired...even his leg had a difficult time staying in place!

7 years ago today!

2008-09-29T09:09:00.000-07:00

Today is our 7th wedding anniversary! Here's what we looked like then. It was such a beautiful day...I think it was in the 70's, the sun was shining, and it was a great wedding with everyone having a wonderful time. It's amazing to look back and see what has changed in our lives since that day. We have two beautiful boys that make us smile everyday, loving family and friends, and we look forward to all that the future holds for us.

Karate class update

2008-09-26T08:57:00.000-07:00

Jacob has been really enjoying his karate class...especially now that he stops throwing tantrums about going! He is learning different punches, kicks, and blocks, along with disclipine and focus. It is too cute to watch him out there!

Working on his roundhouse punch...

Getting ready to do a side kick...

Here he is with his best front kick...

Oops...

2008-09-26T08:52:00.000-07:00

Yes...that's right. That's Jacob with his hand stuck in a toy. I brought this toy out for Nathan to play with, but Jacob wouldn't allow it. And next thing I know...he's screaming saying his hand is stuck. So...
I got him to walk upstairs while I held the toy, and we were able to get his hand wet, and slide it out of the toy! Whew! He was relieved. But I had to wonder why, at 3 1/2 years of age, did he decide to put his hand there, when he was younger he was not curious at all to do such a thing. I guess boys will be boys and Jacob will be Jacob...

Look Ma...no training wheels!

2008-09-06T16:27:00.000-07:00

Yes...you guessed it! Today we took the training wheels off Jacob's bicycle (per his request) and he was off and peddling! The training wheels had actually been bent so far off the ground that he was really peddling the bike without them for most of his rides. So, when Joe asked him if he wanted them off, he surprised us by saying yes! There were a few minor incidents at the beginning, and Joe had to help him get started at first, but he's now a pro! Way to go Jacob! The video above is just a quick one I took with my digital camera, while recording with our video camera at the same time (except I'm not sure how to download off of that camera quite yet)...so, enjoy!

Droolin' & Chewin'

2008-08-28T13:13:00.001-07:00

Nathan is now a whoppin' 5 months old! And he seems to enjoy sucking on his hands, fingers, toes, toys, etc...with a lot of drool accompanying it! We are guessing that he weighs around 19 lbs now, but it's only a guess. Towards the end of September, at his 6 month check-up, we will see exactly how big he really is.

Lovin' the high chair...

Hi-Yah!

2008-08-28T13:07:00.000-07:00

Yes...that's right. We've signed Jacob up for Karate classes. He's super excited about "fighting" even though that's not what he's there to do. We thought he could use a little work with discipline and self-confidence. So, he goes 2 days a week for a 1/2 hour and on Saturdays for an hour (although he's really not quite ready for an hour yet). He loves it! And it's absolutely hilarious to watch him with all the other little ones (he's not the only 3 year old out there).

Showing off his moves...

The next Bruce Lee???
And daddy...getting in on the fun...

Ooh..toes...yummy!

2008-08-25T13:27:00.000-07:00

Yes, this is Nathan sucking on his big toe. Just a few days ago, before turning 5 months old, he discovered his feet. It took awhile to suck in that little baby gut, but he was quickly able to put those toes in his mouth! Now he holds his feet in his hands every chance he gets! It is just too cute.

Too cute for words

2008-08-10T17:38:00.001-07:00

4 month old Nathan

2008-07-29T15:53:00.000-07:00

Nathan went to the doctor today for his 4 month check-up. What a chunk! He weighs 17 lbs 5 oz and is 25 1/4 inches long! He just keeps growing and growing...he smiles all the time and laughs quite often, especially at Jacob. It is too precious!

Panama City Beach, FL 2008

2008-07-28T06:57:00.001-07:00

We headed to Panama City Beach this year for our annual family vacation. It was quite a drive, but a well-needed vacation for most of us. Yes, it was hot, but it was fun. Jacob especially enjoyed all the things we did. So much so, that he was completely exhausted and asleep most of the time by 9 pm! Jacob spent a lot of time on the beach with Memaw, Papaw, and Ethan in the mornings, because they would be up by 7am everyday! He even picked up a little crab, which ended up pinching him. It was a great vacation, but we are especially glad to be home in our own beds again!

This is where we stayed...The Shores...

Jacob looking for seashells (or she-shells, as he liked to call them)

He had a blast at the pool...we headed there every morning for a few hours to wear the boys out. And it worked! Jacob really enjoyed being able to swim by himself (all the floaties helped).

This is the 32 oz t-bone steak Joe and Wes each enjoyed and ate in its entirety at Angelo's. What I can't believe is that it went down way to easily!

Memaw and the grandkids...

Jacob doing a football pose...it looks like he's wearing pads under the towel. Too funny!

Daddy and Jacob on a go-kart...it went fast and Jacob loved it!

Lil' Nathan and his swimsuit get-up. He was happy in this picture, but as soon as he got in the pool, he screamed his head off! It was cold for him! So, he only wore the get-up once, and it was fun while it lasted.

My cutie-pies...

Jacob and Ethan at Sharky's. They were a little afraid of the shark at first, until they realized it was fake!

Caught 'em...too cute!

Argh! Jacob the pirate...he doesn't look to scary to me!

We took a boat trip to try to see some dolphins. Got on the boat (Capt. Anderson III), and everyone was pretty excited. As soon as the boat left the bay, though, things got a little rough, and a few of us (I won't say who) got a little scared. But, we did see some dolphins, and Jacob even spotted a jellyfish!

Nathan asleep on the boat ride...even during the bumpy, rough waves, he stayed asleep!

Jacob...asleep...after the scary parts were over and we were almost back to the dock.

On Friday, we finally got Jacob into the ocean to the point where he actually had a good time!

Nathan "experiencing" the ocean. He was fine until the water hit his feet, and then it was over! At least we tried!

the whole gang...

4th of July 2008

2008-07-07T13:55:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed our 4th of July fireworks in downtown Peoria. It was a combo effort with the city of Peoria and East Peoria putting on a grand display of fireworks. We parked a few blocks away from where we sat at Joe's work, so getting in and out was fairly easy! Jacob was super excited all day. We told him it was America's birthday, and the entire way to our spot, he kept asking, "Where's America? It's her birthday." It was too cute!

Joe, Jacob and Nathan getting ready to watch the show...

Oooh...

Jacob didn't like the big booms, so he covered his face? Not sure what the kid was thinking really...

Aaaah...

Hope everyone had a safe and fun 4th of July!

Daddy's Boyz

2008-07-07T13:49:00.001-07:00

Awww...too cute! Both the boys donned Daddy's Colts hat, and they are just too adorable. Little homeys from Peoria. Just thought I'd share these pictures with everyone!!!

Nathan's First Try w/Cereal

2008-07-07T13:46:00.000-07:00

Nathan got his first taste of rice cereal. Finally, something other than milk. He didn't make a sour face at all, and once he figured out he liked it, he just kept sucking on the spoon and couldn't get enough!

One day he'll figure out how to keep food in his mouth...

Day Out with Thomas

2008-06-25T08:30:00.001-07:00

We headed to Connersville, Indiana on Sunday to spend a day with Thomas the train. It was a little warm, but Ethan and Jacob had a great time. They did everything from riding on a train pulled by Thomas to feeding animals. This was the first year it worked out that we could finally get Jacob to see Thomas too!

Ethan and Jacob showing off their Thomas tattoos

Mommy and Jacob on the train...

Memaw, Ethan and Jacob

Hot mamas...

Jacob on his pony ride...once I convinced him he would enjoy it. He got to ride Pete the pony. It was fun!

Ethan on Casper the pony...the only white horse...

Jacob and Memaw feeding the goats and llama

Jump, Jump, Jump!

On a little train ride...

Jacob with Thomas!

Ethan w/Thomas

Water balloons

2008-06-13T08:56:00.000-07:00

Oh what fun we had yesterday, even if for a short time, throwing water balloons at each other and at the ground! It was so hot and muggy, that we were willing to do anything to stay cool!

1st round...started off small...

Jacob trying to throw one at daddy...

Daddy fearful for his life...ha!

Jacob trying to stomp the water balloon to make it pop. I guess the first round of water balloons weren't big enough to pop very well.

2nd round...

Daddy getting wet right when the balloon went "splat!"

Caught this water balloon in mid-air...watch out daddy!

Emergency Expo

2008-06-13T08:47:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, we took Jacob to see all the emergency vehicles from the area at an Emergency Expo. We had to drive a whole 5 minutes to get there! :)
Let's just say Jacob had a blast at seeing all the firetrucks there!!!

Here he is...wearing a very heavy fire helmet...

"Driving" an old school fire truck...he was very curious at ringing the bell and wanted to know where the sound was coming from.

on an ATV...cool

Petting a horse...wasn't too sure about it.

In the back of a police car...let's hope this actually never ever happens in his lifetime...I told him only bad people sit back there and that is why he needs to listen and be a good boy. Let's see if that works...

"Driving" a different fire truck...Fierce!

Frank the bomb squad robot. Jacob said his name was Wall-E...Can't wait for that movie to come out soon!

Munster Weekend

2008-06-09T07:56:00.001-07:00

We headed to Munster for a fun filled weekend, filled with a birthday celebration, a tornado warning, and a baptism...

Nathan and his big, big smile!

Baba and Deda with the grandboys...

Deda and Jacob

Auntie Annie and her two boys...

For my 31st birthday on Saturday, we headed to this wonderful Italian restaurant, Cafe Borgia, to have dinner. While we were there, a tornado warning popped up, and wouldn't you know it, there was a funnel cloud right outside the restaurant! Needless to say, the entire place headed down to the basement, and waited it out. After all the excitement was over, we finally got to eat our dinner and have some cake!

Some of the fun we had post-tornado excitement...Jacob putting on Memaw's glasses. Hopefully this isn't a sign for the future. Hopefully Jacob takes after his mommy and won't have to wear glasses.

The familia...

Jacob...after singing Happy Birthday...saying, "Everybody eat some cake!"

On Sunday, we headed to church (where we got married) and had Nathan baptized. He was so wonderful during the entire ceremony. He only cried because he was super hot, and he slept through most of it!

Nathan with his godfather, Al, and parents...

Jacob squeezing us in for a big hug!

The baptism...

After it was all over...sleepy and naked Nathan could finally get dressed.

Here he is in his cute adorable outfit. Needless to say, he was so hot, he didn't stay in that outfit, and chilled in only his diaper at Baba's house.

Here is the newest cousin...Alexa...this is the first time we got to meet her and she is so adorable! Congrats Sasha and Melissa!

Here is my cousin Sasha holding Nathan.

Dejan, Jane and Tommy...a bunch of clowns! :)

JaJa and Nathan...he was just putty in her hands...shortly after this picture was taken, he was asleep!

Nathan and his godfather, Al

Cousins

2008-06-02T12:05:00.001-07:00

Jacob and Nathan spent some quality cousin time this past weekend as well. Besides fighting, they jumped, rode big wheels, and had fun outside.

Ethan just loves his baby cousin Nathan. In fact, he wants his mommy and daddy to have one! :)

Samantha sliding down the slide...just being one of the boys!

Ethan and Jacob sliding...

Ethan, Jacob, Samantha and Jill along for a ride with Papaw's tractor mower.

Ethan and Jacob really enjoyed the bumpy ride!

Memaw and Samantha...

Uncle Joe giving the boys a turn...

Happy 2nd Birthday Evan!

2008-06-02T11:58:00.001-07:00

On Saturday, we headed to Evan's 2nd birthday party! I think this might have been the first party we've been able to attend....ever...Jacob surely had a good time. He even sang Happy Birthday, and he never hardly ever sings! Thanks for a great party Kearneys!!!

The birthday boy eating his yummy cake...

There was a balloon lady for the kids. Jacob wanted an alien after he saw a couple other boys had one too!

Huge sandbox...Jacob, Lucas, Neil, and Ethan were definitely enjoying themselves!

Jamie, Meghan, and Melinda

Jamie, Melissa, me, Meghan, and Melinda...just a little windy that day!

Lucas and Jacob eating some yummy ice cream outside!

Matt, Tim and Dave...just chillin' in the shade...

Neil and Jacob playing some tunes on the piano.

Eric Clapton concert

2008-06-02T11:46:00.000-07:00

So, we headed to Indiana this past weekend to attend an Eric Clapton concert Friday night. We weren't sure if it was going to rain on us, and luckily it held off until about 10pm Indiana time. It was a great time had by all even though we were drenched by the time we got to our cars. It was exciting, especially for my first outdoor concert.

Lawn seats...the stage is far away...but it was a great concert!

The Maples

The Clarks

The Hoffmans

The Kearneys

Matt and Kelley gettin' their groove on?

Us...when it started to rain...

Dave, Jamie, Matt, and Kelley...doing the rain dance! Awesome!

Matt and Meghan under their umbrella...

Jacob's bird nest

2008-05-28T08:46:00.001-07:00

At preschool the other day, Jacob got to watch a robin making its nest in a tree right outside the front entrance. He was so interested and excited about it, that he decided to take mommy's and daddy's clothes, as well as pillows and blankets, to make his own bird's nest in our bedroom. And this is what he came up with...

Two Months Old!

2008-05-28T08:42:00.001-07:00

Here is our cute and smiling, adorable "little" boy. Went to the doctor Tuesday for his 2 month checkup, and he weighs in at a whopping 14 lbs 10 oz! That is the 95th percentile for his weight. He is 24.25 inches long, which is the 90th percentile! He's definitely not starving!
We love how he smiles back at us now...it is too precious! It's amazing how two months flies by as well.

Baby?

2008-05-14T13:43:00.001-07:00

Just when we thought we were getting back to "normal" post-baby, and we thought Jacob was getting back to his old self again...we were proven wrong! Now that Jacob sees Nathan getting a bottle, he wants one too! Needless to say, he threw a fit, and we gave in. The following pictures show Jacob drinking skim milk from one of Nathan's bottles. We can only hope that this is the last of the phase he is going through...

Brotherly love and sharing

2008-05-11T19:25:00.001-07:00

As you can tell...Jacob LOVES his brother. He always wants to see him, kiss him, etc...pretty much smother him!

Too adorable...I think Nathan looks a little worried...

Playing on the floor...

Jacob decided to fill Nathan's bouncy seat with some things...notice the underwear on Nathan's arm and the pajama bottoms to the right. He also thought that tissue paper was necessary.

Joe was in the kitchen and when he walked back in to the living room, he saw Jacob standing over Nathan. When Joe asked him what he was doing, he responded with, "I'm sharing." Too cute!

Happy Mother's Day

2008-05-11T07:36:00.000-07:00

I know I am grateful for everything that I have...a wonderful husband, two adorable and healthy boys, a loving and caring family, and great friends. There is nothing better in this world. Just wanted to wish every mother out there a very wonderful and most special Mother's Day!

Chubby and Silly...

2008-05-08T08:06:00.000-07:00

It's been a little while since we've posted something...sorry about that! Life has been a little busy lately.
Here are some recent pictures of the boys. Nathan keeps getting chubbier and cuter by the day and Jacob just keeps getting sillier!

Man boobs?

What a chunk! He's outgrown some of his 0-3 month clothes and is already wearing 3-6 month stuff! Wow!

Here Jacob is putting on his dirty stinky socks as puppets...

And here he is putting on a puppet show! Too funny!

One Month Old

2008-04-24T13:39:00.000-07:00

So, Nathan is already one month old! We can't believe how quickly the time flies. Jacob adores holding, kissing, and poking his little brother every chance he gets! And he's quick to tell mommy that he's crying and needs to be fed or picked up.

I put Nathan in his crib under the mobile and Jacob decided to climb in and join him!

Here he is...one month old!

Big brother giving little brother a kiss...

Playing with Mr. Crabby

2008-04-24T13:00:00.000-07:00

Jacob LOVES his hermit crab, and he loves to take him out to play with him. At first, he didn't want to touch him at all, but then he saw that daddy could do it, so he could do it too! The only thing that freaks him out is when Mr. Crabby looks at him! Other than that, he's fine. It's too funny. Poor Mr. Crabby...I wonder how long he'll last with Jacob around!

A few pictures...

2008-04-14T08:27:00.000-07:00

Here are just a few pictures from this last week...just in case anyone is interested. :)

Nathan making some kind of face...

all the boys...

Jacob holding Nathan (notice he is sitting backwards on the couch and daddy is in close proximity)...

Mr. Crabby

2008-04-14T08:24:00.000-07:00

Meet Mr. Crabby, Jacob's new pet. While Memaw and Papaw were here helping out last week, they took Jacob to the pet store, and out he came with a hermit crab! Thank goodness it wasn't a puppy and fairly low maintenance!
Jacob enjoys watching him move around his tank, and come out of his shell. Thanks Memaw and Papaw!!!

Two Weeks Old

2008-04-08T08:59:00.000-07:00

We took Nathan to the doctor's office yesterday for his 2 week checkup. He is growing like a weed! He now weighs 9 lbs 10 oz and is 22 inches long! Amazing!

Jacob, at 2 weeks old, weighed only 8 lbs 12 oz and was 21 1/2 inches long! What a difference.

Nathan update

2008-03-31T13:50:00.000-07:00

Ah...finally a little time to post some more pictures...
We took Nathan for a weight check today, and he weighs 8 lbs 11 oz and is 21 inches long! He is already past his birth weight and growing like a weed!!

our newest cutie pie

Big bro mesmerized by little bro's feet...

proud daddy

Uncle and JaJa

one big happy family...

Over the weekend, we also had the Hoffman family out for a visit as well. Joe and Jason ran a local 5K race in the hopes of being able to drink lots of free beer afterwards. Well, this year there was no beer so they were sadly disappointed. Oh well, the weekend was still fun....especially watching the kids play.

Jacob and Elle playing together...or at least Jacob is trying to share his toys...

Elle wearing Jacob's bug glasses...

Jacob spinning Elle on his sit n spin...sorry that there isn't any sound.

The New Addition

2008-03-26T13:41:00.000-07:00

Welcome Nathan Jeffery Stamm

8 lbs 10 oz

19.5 inches

Born at 7:33am

Proctor Hospital - Peoria, IL

Jacob is very proud of hie baby brother.

He can't give him enough hugs and kisses.

Memaw and Papaw for the 4th time

(feel free to comment on Dad's mullet)

Baba and Deda round 2.

(Dejo and Jane better get started)

We will try to get some more pictures up this weekend.

Happy 3rd Birthday Jacob!

2008-03-16T14:08:00.000-07:00

So yesterday we headed to Chuck E. Cheese's to celebrate Jacob's 3rd birthday. It was a little hectic, but I think overall the parents, and the kids, had a lot of fun. It was definitely worth it because Jacob wore himself out to the point of actually sleeping all night!

Here is the Monster Truck cake I made him...it was delicious!

Griffin riding the pony...

Boston sliding down the slide...

Sam and Simon on the roller coaster video...

Jacob and Braden on the roller coaster ride. Jacob laughed during this ride because he said his "brain was shaking."

Drew watching Jacob blow out his candles...

A Chuck E. Cheese mascot guy came around and the birthday kids marched in a little parade before we sang Happy Birthday to Jacob and he blew out his candles. Too bad Jacob was afraid of him!

1st picture attempt of all the kids...Griffin, Bricen, Braden (behind balloon), Simon, Sam, Jacob, Boston and Jax...

2nd attempt...Drew got added, but Jax and Boston got cut off...sorry...can't get a great picture all the time...

Jacob opening 1 of 2 presents at home...this one from Memaw and Papaw...thanks for the ESPN baseball tee...he loves it!!! We can't wait to get it outside where he has more room to hit. And thank you to Uncle and JaJa for the Smart Cycle games, Thomas trains, and etc...he loves it all!

Celebrating Jacob's Birthday 2 days early

2008-03-13T14:28:00.000-07:00

Today, Jacob celebrated his birthday at "school" (a.k.a. daycare) and I think it went well! His teachers got him a crown, mommy brought a cupcake cake and his friends sang Happy Birthday to him! He was so excited! Check back soon for pictures from his actual birthday where he will be celebrating at Chuck E. Cheese!

My little boy is such a ham!

his monster truck cupcake cake (thanks Wal-Mart!)

blowing out his 3 candles...

Cheese!

stuffing the cupcake in his mouth

Jacob's 1st Hockey Game

2008-03-11T11:53:00.001-07:00

We took Jacob to his first hockey game this past Sunday. It was kids day, with inflatables to jump on, hot dogs for $1, and booths for kids to play with sand, trucks, playdough, etc. Now we waited in line for him to jump in a castle, but just as he was about to go in, he panicked and decided against it. The lines were always way too long for balloon animals and face painting, so that was out of the question. We had great seats, and Jacob enjoyed watching the game for about 2 periods, then we headed home. Not as fun as we had hoped I guess. Oh well. At least he got a hockey puck (courtesy of daddy) to remember it by!

Almost here...

2008-03-07T15:24:00.000-08:00

Well, with a little over 2 weeks to go, this is what I look like (almost 37 weeks prego)...and the look on my face says it all! I am big and I'm really not sure how much bigger I can go! Keep checking back for pictures of the new arrival in the coming weeks...

Jacob loving his baby brother...

Is that a basketball or a baby in there???

Acting like a baby...

2008-02-15T15:12:00.000-08:00

We've been slowly preparing for the arrival of Jacob's little brother, and Jacob has been very eager to "test" everything out for us! We got the swing out today and he started to act like a baby! He started saying "mama" and "dada" and laughing. I think we might be in a little trouble next month...

Monster Jam

2008-02-10T15:40:00.001-08:00

We took Jacob to his first ever Monster Jam monster truck show last night. He was super excited! We got there, and he couldn't wait for the monster trucks to come out! He sat so still and was so into the whole thing pretty much the entire time. It was in the evening, so by the time it was over, he was tired and ready to go home! He really enjoyed watching them race and crush cars, and especially when one of the trucks did donuts in the dirt! It was loud, and thankfully we had earplugs to drown out some of the noise!!!

the setup

mommy and Jacob

Jacob (with his monster truck headphones) and daddy

Monster Mutt (the only truck at the show that Jacob actually owned in a smaller version)

A few fun pictures...

2008-02-10T15:29:00.000-08:00

Jacob and his "spikey" hair...right afterwards, he went and got a haircut! :)

Me...32 1/2 weeks pregnant. Yikes! I'm big enough to be an umbrella for Jacob (according to Joe)!!!

Jacob...eating a drumstick ice cream...yummy!

Oooh...snow!

2008-02-01T09:55:00.001-08:00

So when it started snowing yesterday afternoon, Jacob was so excited! He couldn't wait to play in the snow. Unfortunately, there wasn't much on the ground at that time. But, by morning, we had 6 to 8 inches!! So, when daddy got home from work around 11 am today, they went out to shovel and play in the snow. Mommy got a few good pictures...

all bundled up...ready to really play

daddy shoveling some snow at home, after already shoveling a bunch at work...

Jacob helping daddy shovel...

my 2 snow angels...

Jacob all covered in snow looking up at a plane in the sky.

Baby boy #2 update

2008-01-11T12:27:00.000-08:00

So, we have decided to go ahead with another Cesarean section for baby #2. Doing much thinking, and with strong recommendation from my doctor, we decided this would be the best and safest route. Mark your calendars because on March 24th, we will be bringing Jacob's baby brother into the world (unless, of course, he decides to come early, which is really doubtful).
Today we took a tour of the hospital where we plan to have the baby (a different hospital than where we had Jacob). We took Jacob with us, and he was really excited to "pick up his baby brother at the hospital." He even told the nurses there that's what he was there to do, and where he had to go to get him. His words, not ours...it was too adorable.
Hopefully everything will go well. It's still a little more than 2 months away, but we know it will be here before we know it. We can't wait for his arrival!

Christmas Part 2

2008-01-08T08:49:00.000-08:00

We headed to Munster this past weekend to celebrate Orthodox Christmas...and it was fun! There were presents to be opened, cakes to be baked, and lots of laughs! There were too many fun pictures and I couldn't include them all, but these pretty much sum up the weekend.

opening the presents...Thank you Baba, Deda, Annie, Mina and Niko for all of Jacob's presents! (And to JaJa and Uncle who weren't able to make it this year, thank you for Jacob's gift too.)

Jacob wearing his new Buzz Lightyear pj's and new Buzz Lightyear...that seemed to be the theme from Aunt Annie. :)

The boys playing swords with wrapping paper rolls...hilarious. Deda also got in on the action a little while after this picture was taken.
Jacob decorating his own little cake with whipped cream and LOTS and LOTS of sprinkles!!!

Daddy feeding Jacob some whipped cream.

Oops...too much whipped cream! Gotta hold it in with my hand!

Jacob rocking like a rock star with Guitar Hero III. Too funny!

Annie and Niko rockin' on!

And finally....Jacob and daddy reenacting the spiderpig scene from the Simpsons movie. I think Jacob really would love to be Spiderman and walk on walls and ceilings! :)

Meet Jacob's little brother...

2008-01-02T14:02:00.001-08:00

Today we had our final ultrasound. Jacob got to come along, and he was super excited about seeing his baby brother on the screen! He kept talking the entire time, about how good the "doctor" was doing, and pointing things out. He was hilarious! Then, he thanked the "doctor" (or ultrasound technician) for doing a good job! The baby is doing good and everything is healthy, which is great news for us. He is already weighing in at 2 lbs 10oz! We got to see him sucking his thumb (1st ultrasound pic), crossing his legs, and sticking his tongue out. He is still currently breech, so with time, who knows what will happen! We definitely can't wait to meet him.

Sucking his thumb

These last 2 are in 4D. Here is a profile view, and his hand always seemed to be right by his face!

Merry Christmas! (part 1)

2007-12-26T11:18:00.000-08:00

Well, it was quite a full weekend of fun and presents in Kokomo for Christmas this year! Jacob really looked forward to leaving cookies and milk out for Santa too. Santa (and Memaw and Papaw) were extremely generous this year, leaving Jacob to ask for more presents even though Christmas is over (for now...at least until Jan 7th). Besides opening presents, Joe, Wes, Papaw and Matt K. got to enjoy a Pacers game; Joe and Wes enjoyed a Colts game; and the gals got to see the chick flick P.S. I Love You. It was a lot of fun, and we are very glad that we got to spend the holidays with family! Hope everyone else had a wonderful Christmas as well!!

the beautiful tree...

3 reindeer...how cute! This has become a yearly tradition, with the wearing of the antlers and more grandchildren!!!

Optimus Prime (Transformers) voice changer toys...now, the little boys had fun with this, but it was the bigger boys (Joe and Wes) that had even more fun!

Jacob on his sit n spin...he would spin until he got dizzy! :)

Jacob also received a Smart Cycle, which he absolutely loves too! He wants to thank Santa, Memaw, Papaw, Jill, Wes, Ethan and Samantha for all of his presents!!!

Let it Snow!

2007-12-07T05:11:00.000-08:00

While we were out to dinner last night, it had started snowing again, so by the time we got home, Jacob really, really wanted to play in it. He had a blast if you couldn't tell from the pictures below!

Jacob and daddy trying to make snowballs. I love this picture because it's snowing!

Getting ready to throw a snowball at mommy!

Another snowball...very proud!

Trying to make his own snowball. By the time they got inside, Jacob's cheeks were really red, and his hands really cold, but he loved every minute of it!

Breakfast w/Santa and Purdue kids Christmas 2007

2007-12-03T17:52:00.000-08:00

We headed to Indiana this past weekend for a couple of different occasions. First, Memaw and Papaw took Ethan, Jacob and Samantha to Breakfast with Santa at Applebee's. Jacob was so hungry that he ate an entire adult breakfast! Where does it all go? When it came time to sit on Santa's lap, Jacob got scared and started to cry, until he saw that Ethan and Samantha were fine.

Jacob, Ethan, Samantha, Memaw and Santa

Jacob and Santa (couldn't bribe him with a train ride this time!)

Then we headed to Brownsburg on Sunday to do a kids Christmas gift exchange with our friends from Purdue. There were 11 children under the age of 3! It was a little chaotic, and only a few tiffs occurred with regards to sharing of the toys, but the kids had tons of fun! Jacob really enjoyed running around and around in circles with Neil, Lucas, and Aly; and also with wrestling with Maple! It was good food, and good friends, especially since we don't get to meet up with everyone as often as we'd like. And we also got to meet Samantha Clark and Braden Maple for the first time too. Thanks to the Clarks for hosting again this year!

the 1st kids ready to open presents (from the left: Neil, Jacob, Ethan, and Aly)

everyone except Samanta (asleep) From top left: Evan, Graham, Elliot, Lilly, and Aly holding Braden; From bottom left: Jacob, Ethan, Lucas, and Neil.

Jacob and Joe being workers...cute goggles Joe!

Jacob and Aly...what cheeseballs!

Aly hugging Evan

all the guys...from the left: Dave, Maple, Joe, Hoffman, Elmo, Kearney, and Tim

all the ladies...from the left: Melissa, Meghan, Jamie, me, Kelley and Melinda

Hope we can continue this tradition next year! :)

Thanksgiving

2007-11-27T06:55:00.000-08:00

This year, we celebrated Thanksgiving at Dejan and Jane's house. Both of our families made it out to Peoria, so that we could pig out on all the food that Jane made! As soon as I get a pic of the food table, I'll add it on here. It was great to have good food and family around! Jacob really enjoyed having both sets of grandparents, as well as all of his aunts and uncles in one place!!

Just chillin' and playing video games...

Jill and Samantha...awww!

We also took Jacob to see Santa Claus at the mall this year. Now, after last year's disaster we were a little hesitant, but it went really well (as seen by the picture). We happened to be at the mall later in the evening and there was no line. Jacob said he was scared at first, and wouldn't go, but we bribed him with a train ride and we ended up with a great picture! He even told Santa what he wanted for Christmas!

Welcome Braden Maple!

2007-11-13T08:08:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, November 10th, the Maple family (Matt, Meghan, and Aly) welcomed Braden Patrick to the world! He weighed in at 7 lbs 4 1/2 oz, 19 1/2 inches long! Congratulations to everyone and we're glad everything went well! We can't wait to meet the little guy!

Let's Go Fishin'!!!

2007-11-04T08:50:00.001-08:00

Uncle was over last night, and Jacob roped him into playing his Let's Go Fishin' game. It was pretty hilarious watching them play! Then Uncle and Jacob got the idea of putting the fish on each one of their fingers and "screaming" with pain. I guess you just had to be there to know how funny it was, but take our word for it!

Happy Halloween '07

2007-10-31T14:34:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween everyone! Jacob got to participate in his very first parade today at daycare. He got all dressed up in his astronaut costume. Thanks again Memaw for getting that for Jacob at space camp! The parade was a success...even after Jacob saw us, he kept on marching for all the other parents to see. It was so adorable!
Then, later on this evening, Jacob and his daddy went trick-or-treating in our neighborhood. I think Jacob had a good time getting candy too! He enjoyed ringing neighbor's doorbells, saying trick-or-treat and thank you! When he got home, he kept his costume on and helped mommy and daddy pass out candy to other trick-or-treaters. He had a blast and went bonkers on a big sugar high! Oh well...thankfully Halloween comes only once a year.

Sorry there isn't any sound...I didn't have our video camera, just the digital. He sure enjoyed the parade. Check out his little "strut" towards the end of the video...hilarious!

The little astronaut...ready for big things (one day)!

Jacob and his daddy

Jacob and his two teachers, Ms. Rachel and Ms. Amy (one above and one below). I get his two teachers confused all the time. Sorry!

Can't get enough of that candy...

A few days in Munster...

2007-10-24T07:57:00.000-07:00

Jacob and I headed to Munster for a few days after Baba (a.k.a. Grandma) got out of the hospital. I was able to watch Mina's orchestra concert, which I hadn't done since she was in 6th grade! They were incredible! Jacob had tons of fun with his Baba, Deda, Mina, Niko, and Annie. He was spoiled rotten. They bought him toys, took him to Navy Pier, played and watched movies, and he didn't want to leave. Jacob actually said that he wanted to stay with Annie forever! Maybe next summer! :)

After Mina's concert...Mom, Mina and me

Playing tractor and combine with Teta Nisa

Jacob loves this train set that Baba bought him! Thanks Baba...it's very loud!

fighting swords with Annie

Helping Annie make muffins

It's a Boy!!!

2007-10-17T15:12:00.001-07:00

Well, we had our ultrasound today and everything looked great! And Jacob is going to have a baby brother to play with, get in trouble with, and boss around! We are all super excited, and can' t wait to see how he looks, acts, etc.

his face

Can you tell it's a boy? :)

Riding his bike...

2007-10-08T10:42:00.000-07:00

Jacob has gotten really good at riding around his red bicycle with training wheels these last few weeks. Even though he got sick last week, he managed to continue where he left off. It's hard for us to keep up with him around the neighborhood sometimes. Only a hill seems to slow him down, and just a little bit. He gets going so fast....especially down the hills! Thought you'd enjoy this little video.

Visit with Great Grandma and Grandpa

2007-10-08T10:33:00.000-07:00

We headed to Indiana this past weekend to visit with Great Memaw and Great Papaw before they leave for Florida for the winter. Although the weather was really hot, fun was had by all.

4 generations

Great Grandma with her great grandchildren

Jacob and Ethan "vrooming" their matchbox cars

Playing some cornhole...

Jacob and Ethan "playing" pool

Jacob got to see these cows up close and personal.

Uncle Joe with his niece Samantha in her adorable Colts cheerleading outfit!

Diaper Surfing

2007-09-13T08:19:00.000-07:00

Jacob and his daddy decided to have a little fun with a package of diapers. Joe pushed him around like he was surfing. Needless to say, Jacob had a blast! And daddy was tired! Just a little glimpse into the kind of silly fun the Stamms like to have these days...

Jacob's got balls!

2007-09-04T08:41:00.001-07:00

Jacob's room was painted in July, but we've been working on putting the finishing touches to it in recent weeks. Just over Labor Day weekend, Memaw and Papaw helped Daddy put these sports balls wallpaper things on the walls. They are huge! Each ball is about 3 ft x 3 ft!! But Jacob loves his room. Now, all I have to do is hang some shelves and get a new curtain. Hopefully soon...

Labor Day Weekend '07

2007-09-04T08:34:00.000-07:00

Memaw and Papaw came out to visit for Labor Day weekend. Papaw and Daddy were busy working...fixing doors, fans, etc., and playing some hard core ping pong. Jacob enjoyed playing trains with his Memaw, playing on his playset, and swimming with the girls in the neighborhood. Most of the weekend was awesome weather! Thanks Papaw for all your help!

Mowing with Memaw...

Playing trains...

Just chillin' in the pool...

On his green star floatie...he wouldn't let any of the girls share this thing! It was a hot day yesterday, but Jacob cooled off by swimming in a neighbor's pool.

Pregnancy update #1

2007-08-23T11:06:00.000-07:00

I went to get an ultrasound yesterday. I am currently at 8 weeks, and am on schedule for my due date. It was awesome to see the baby's heartbeat. I am slowly, but surely, getting back to normal. Jacob has been wonderful through all my sickness, and keeps telling me, "Mommy, feel better." How sweet. Hope everyone is doing well, and I'll keep you posted on things going on!