Santa

So, we weren't exactly sure how Jakub would react to Santa this year. He is usually pretty good with new people, but not necessarily new people with big white beards wearing a red suit. Well...as you can see from our pictures, things didn't go all that well. Unless I was holding him, he wouldn't get within 2 feet of Santa, even with the tempting bells that Santa had and a big wrapped present he was trying to give him. He tried to do anything that might get him to not have to be near Santa, such as try to pull his pants down! Maybe next year will be a better year!

First Haircut...

So, Slawek and I took Jakub for his first haircut at Gary's Barber Shop in Orchard Park on Friday. His hair was getting a little out of control in the back...sort of a baby mullet, so it was time. He wasn't so sure when we first put him in the seat, but with a little sippy cup comfort, he settled down and towards the end seemed to be comfortable in the chair. He really looks like a little boy now...not so much a baby. He is growing so fast!

First sitting in the chair...not so sure...

Not liking the cape thingy...

Daddy giving some sippy cup comfort

Calmed down and liking it (a little)

Carving pumpkins!

Jakub helped carved pumpkin for the first time today! He wasn't so sure about touching the yucky inside goop, but he did enjoy playing with the spoon and drawing "hair" on the pumpkins! Slawek's pumpkin was much more creative than mine...he is a true pumpkin artiste! Nana also joined us for the festivities, but almost ruined Halloween when she pulled the stem off of one of the pumpkins! :)

Drawing on the hair

Not so sure of the goop...

Slawek's masterpiece

Great family weekend!

We had loads of fun this weekend with a visit from Jay and Liz! We also had visits from Uncle Tim, Aunt Barb, Melissa, Andy, Jack and Madeline on Saturday and from Aunt Ag and Marilyn on Sunday! It was a packed weekend! Lots of fun and beautiful fall colors to match. It was great seeing everyone!

Our backyard...pretty colors!

Pumpkinville!

Yesterday we made the trip out to Pumpkinville, near Ellicottville, NY. It was a crazy place! In the middle of nowhere, all of the sudden there are 100s of cars parked in the muddiest field around. Yes, we did get the new car stuck in the mud! Anyway, Jakub had a blast running around playing with the pumpkins, watching the animals, eating donuts and carmel apple slices and, of course, playing with the pumpkin wheelbarrows! That was his favorite! He couldn't walk by one without trying to push it. Actually, it was more like any one he saw he had to bee-line it straight for it and whined when we had to take it away from him. Here are some shots of the day.

He just couldn't let a wheelbarrow opportunity go by!

Dada and Jakub watch the goats!

Oh...and Slawek and I celebrated our 6th anniversary yesterday!

Detroit Zoo!

We had a very eventful day today in Michigan! We visited the Skanska office in Southfield before we went to lunch with Aunt Jenn...so that was fun. We then went to the Detroit Zoo with our friends Laila and Ava (and their mommy, Miea). Here are a few tries at a group photo...We had a fun day and zonked out by 7pm!

Super long time!

So, its been 3 months! since we last posted on our blog! A lot has happened in those three months. Jakey is an expert walker now and has started saying words like Juice! and Shoes! and Buddy! and Ouch! Soooo cute! He started day care at the beginning of August. It has been a little rough with all of the germs flying around all the time he has gotten a sinus infection and an ear infection and a virus all in the last 2 months. :( I guess its all part of growing up, huh?

This week, I decided to take a week off and take a road trip to visit friends and family in Michigan and all along the way there. I know I am a little insane for taking a 17mo old on the road alone with me for a 5-6 hour drive, but that is why I bought the handy dandy portable DVD player for the car! He loves it...watching his favorites...Blue's Clues, Wonder Pets, Bob the Builder and of course, Yo Gabba Gabba! Here is a pic of Jakey zoning out to Gabbas.

In other news, Slawek started his own construction management company and was just awarded a 3 year contract for Roswell Park Cancer Institute! Very exciting!

Promise to start posting more often!

New Pool

Jakub got a cool new pool from Aunt Ag when we went to visit her last week! It was such a nice day out yesterday that we decided to try it out. He wasn't so sure about being in the pool...the water just didn't want to warm up out in the sun, but we had a great time outside the pool splashing around!

The Ride for Roswell

Yesterday, my mom and I rode 30 miles in the Ride for Roswell to support Roswell Park Cancer Institute. It was an awesome ride along the Niagara River. The event was really great with over 6500 riders and 1000 volunteers. The weather couldn't have been more perfect and everyone seemed to have a great time. Our knees and butts are only a little sore today, so we aren't too worse for the wear. Here is a pic of the two of us before we started the ride...

First time at the lake and First Steps!

Today was Jakub's first time at Lake Erie. He didn't know quite what to make of that BIG pool and the sand. Also, yesterday, Jakub took his first steps during the day with nanny Lindsey. All of the sudden in the last 2 days, all he has wanted to do is walk everywhere...holding your on to your hand or his fire truck, of course. He will be running around in no time!

Erie Zoo!

So, while Daddy, Papa and Uncle Jay were off on their Father's Day trip to NYC to see a Mets game and the US Open, Nana and I took Jakub to Erie to see Aunt Ag. The original plan was to go to the beach, but we didn't think that the weather was going to cooperate, so we didn't bring the beach supplies. But, lo and behold, once we got to Erie it was a beautiful day! So, instead of going to the beach, we went to the Erie Zoo! We saw all the great animals...monkeys, tigers, lions, gorillas and all! And we got to ride on the cool train, which was a much better train than the Buffalo Zoo train.

Loved the wild dogs...they are cool!

Riding the train!
Cool Red Panda...only 6000 in the wild...

The Zoo!

Jakub went to the zoo for the first time on Sunday! I really didn't remember the Buffalo Zoo being so nice, but for a small city it really is a nice zoo! We saw giraffes, zebras, bears, tigers, gorillas, anteaters, monkeys, the brand new rainforest exhibit and Nana's favorite, the reptile house! We also got to ride the carousel and the train! What fun! We also discovered that Jakub loves to eat lemons...straight! Didn't even phase him! Here are a few pics from the day...

Riding the train with Nana

Zipping by on the carousel!
Watching the tigers get fed

Sitting on the rhino that we weren't supposed to sit on...:)

Watching people feed the giraffe

Yummy lemon!

Our Big Baby-doo

Jakub had his 1 year doctor appoint on Thursday...and it is verified and attested to...we have a big 1 yr old on our hands! He is 33" tall which is 100 percentile for babies his age, which I assume means that there aren't many babies taller or as tall as him at 1 year old. Explains why we are buying 2T clothes for him at 12 months. He is 23 lbs 8 oz on the scale and at 33"tall, that weight is long and lean. Keep up the good work growing, baby-doo!

Happy 1st Birthday, Jakub!

It is so hard to believe that it has been a whole year since our little man entered this world! This last year has been so amazing, seeing him learn and grow over the last 12 months. He is such a good little boy and a great sleeper that he has made it so easy for us to ease into our mommy and daddy roles. Its amazing how Jakub has grown from such a little baby to a big 1 year old with little blond curls, a great big smile, speedy cruiser with 8 teeth wearing 24 month clothes. He is our little boy now, not our baby anymore! Jakub is more and more fun to play with everyday as he curiously discovers the world around him...from the interesting faces he makes when he tries something new to eat to how he stretches his neck to see what is going on around the corner. He is the light of our life and has given new meaning to it. Little Jakub, we love you more than anything and are anxiously looking forward to your next year!

Awesome weekend!

Our vacation to the Caribbean was a blast! Thanks Mom and Dad for taking the family on cruise! We all had such a great time! We got to see Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Mexico and the Bahamas...and of course spend some fabulous time on the amazing ship! An unforgettable experience! I will post photos shortly of our trip...

The weather this past weekend didn't make it hard to transition back into things...with the temps hovering around 80 we had fun outside all weekend! Jakub took a ride on a swing for the first time at Green Lake and really seemed to like it! We also had a nice leisurely walk all around town on Sunday getting lots of quality fresh air!

Early Easter!

Because we are going on a cruise with Mom, Dad, Jay and Liz starting next Saturday, we had to celebrate Easter a week early! We went to Aunt Ag's and had our traditional lamb dinner. Jakub got all spiffyed up for the occasion! He got lots of new toys and books in his "Easter Basket" He really loved the piano at Aunt Ag's house, along with the carosel that played music. He also like taking a ride in his truck as well as tasting Lemon (water) Meringe Pie! Here are a few shots from the day...

Getting ready for our trip to Erie, PA in our Easter outfit..

Can't forget to play our favorite game ever...peek-a-boo around the door 100 times... ooooo...look at what I found!

Aunt Ag teaching some piano lessons...No learning by ear, Jakub!!!

Mesmerized by the carosel... The boys playing piano...

King Jellomold!

So, Jakub has taken to playing with kitchen essentials...such as ziploc-ware, bowls, wooden spoons, bbq brushes, rubber spatulas and jellomolds! He particularily likes mixing his "alphabet soup" (letter blocks in a bowl) and wearing the jellomold as a hat! Here he is in all of his glory as King Jellomold in classic pics taken by Nanny Lindsey!

New Cameras!

My (Amy's) birthday was yesterday and I got two awesome new cameras! One was an HD video camera and one was as digital still camera that is waterproof and shockproof. I was very excited to get them both for taking videos and pictures of Jakub as well as for on our cruise in a month for snorkeling. Below is the first video of Jakub. He is watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, dancing to the song and waving hi to Mickey!

More swimming

We went for our 2nd swim class on Saturday. Jakub really has the dead man's float down really well! He just goes completely still when he is on his back! I think its mostly because he notices that things sound different when his ears are underwater...but it is a pretty funny look! We tried blowing bubbles in the water, but he didn't like that very much. He also learned how to "jump" into the pool off the side. That was fun! Nana got to come with us this time and took some pictures....

Getting ready to jump off the side of the pool, looking back at Nana.

Dead man's float...his legs look so long all stretched out!