Birthdays

It's birthday week!  Clara's birthday is April 1st and Jacob's birthday is April 6th.  Clara and Jacob both add so much energy and fun to our house.  We wouldn't be the same without them.  I can't believe that Clara is already one.  It seems like her first year went by faster than any of our other kids.  Her first year was actually one day longer than all the other kids because of leap year this year.  She is the best baby.  Clara is very loving with all her brothers and sister.  She gets very excited when she sees them and they all love her so much.   

Clara Eileen Estock loves to play.  She loves her baby doll.  She loves food and sleeping.  Clara is a screamer...she screams when she is excited, happy, sad, mad, bored, and when we are not paying enough attention to her.  Clara is fun to play hide-and-seek with.  She is not fun to play Memory, Candy Land, or Apples to Apples Disney with.  She likes to read books and pull books off the shelves at the library.

Clara loves to smile at people, but she only wants mom to hold her.  (Just ask anyone who's tried)

Clara loves to go for rides in the stroller.  She is lucky because we walk everywhere...the school, the store, the doctor, the church, the park, the fair,...everywhere.

Clara has 10 teeth.  She has her four front teeth on top and on bottom.  Two molars just poked through and two more are trying to poke through.

Clara has a great sense of humor.  She laughs and claps when the kids do.  She loves to hear a good joke and loves when we are all laughing and happy...which happens alot because she is just so much fun!

(Can't you tell just by looking at this picture)

JACOB WELLS ESTOCK

Jacob is five years old today.  I still remember very clearly when he was a little baby.

Jacob was born with a full head of dark brown hair.  He has two competing cowlicks in the back which makes his hair always want to be a mohawk.  Jacob was born right on his due date (April 6th) which made me happy because of the significance of that date.  Jacob is special.

Jacob is the most rambunctious of all the kids.  He laughs easily and sometimes can't stop.  At least once a week he tells me his tummy hurts from laughing so much.  There are times he asks to kids to leave the room because just being in the same room as them makes him giggle.  Here are a few of my favorite pictures of Jacob's first five years...

Jacob sitting on Adam's lap

Jacob often has this look on his face...anticipating what fun thing is coming next

He LOVED taking baths in the sink

Jacob was only 17 months when Samuel was born.  When I would sit down to nurse Samuel, Jacob would sit next to me and we'd read stories.  It was special bonding time for the three of us.  One time Jacob fell asleep during our storytime and I couldn't resist taking a picture.

His grin is slightly crooked (like mine), but it rarely leaves his face.

 Jacob is helpful.  Jacob is strong.  Jacob is tough.  Yesterday, Dan asked Jacob to take to garbage outside and put it in the big container and bring the big garbage back in from the curb.  I honestly didn't think he would be able to do it.  The one kitchen bag was heavy and that was the easiest part.  I watched from the front window as Jacob walked out in the pouring rain lugging the big bag at his side.  He went to the curb, stood on his tiptoes and lifted the lid all the way off the big garbage.  Then he struggled to put the kitchen bag in the big garbage, put the lid back on, and slowly roll the garbage back up to the house.  I was so proud of Jacob when he came back in.  He had accomplished a really hard task without help.  He was proud of himself too.  Jacob likes challenging himself.

 

I carry Clara in this sling alot.  Jacob wants to carry her too and is sure that he's strong enough.  I'm afraid it would not turn out well.  Jacob wanting to, shows how much he loves Clara and how much he loves being helpful.

Jacob has been nervous about this birthday because he knows it means kindergarten.  He loves being at home with mom, Sammy, and Clara.  He doesn't like going places without me.  He gets nervous if I don't stay with him at friend's houses, and it's a struggle on Sunday with Primary.  (One of his best friends is Betty Williams- a sister in our ward who came to watch our kids one time. Jacob attached himself to her and she sits with him in Primary each week.)  So...last night before Jacob went to bed, he came up to me, took a deep breath, and said, "Mom, I think I will be okay going to kindergarten tomorrow."  and I knew my little boy was growing up.  Then I explained that he wasn't going quite yet...but when he does, he will be ready.

I love being Mom.