Our Little Tax Write-Off

No doubt about it, Jacob is a growing toddler. He may be short and still fitting in 12 (and some 9) month clothes, but he is growing, developing and changing every day. It amazes me at how smart he is. He tries to do so many things that I thought were too advanced for him. He loves feeding himself with a spoon (or spork), and manages to get most of it in his mouth. He likes helping me pull on or off his shirt during changes. He knows that Chalupa lives outside and he is always looking for her so he can feed her a flower. He loves putting his crayons back in the box. Yesterday he was swiping through pictures in my phone. And now we are getting word that the daycare wants to move him up to the bigger toddler room.

His personality is changing too. He knows what mommy and daddy can do to make him laugh and tries to get us to do it (particularly my alien face hugger impression). He gets upset when he doesn’t get his way. He looks concerned when another kid or baby is crying.

Jacob is growing so much that I have to stop every so often and appreciate each moment. He may be so much bigger tomorrow. And our love for him will grow to match.

Jacob turned 16 months old today. Not a milestone or anything, but to us it is still remarkable to see how quickly he is growing. It seems like it was just yesterday that he was stumbling after taking his first steps. Now, we are having a hard time keeping up with him. And he is smart. Sometime we can’t believe how smart he is. From problem solving to trying to manipulate mom and dad with fake cries. Still, we love each and every day with him and we treasure each moment. Jacob has enriched our lives so much. It’s amazing how much joy he has brought to us and our family.

He spent the day at the Lomita Fair, a celebration in a neighboring town. As always, he took everything in with the same sense of wonder and curiosity that we have come to love.

Happy 16 month birthday little man. I can’t wait to see what the rest of 2014 brings you.

The time is finally here. Team Bonilla is on the move. Today, we will move to our new home. It is bittersweet because our old home is where we had been for years. It was Jacob’s first home. I still remember bringing him home for the first time. It is where he took his first steps. He loves his home.

As for the new home, it is bigger and Jacob should love it. It is just half a block away from a great park and walking distance from a few restaurants and small businesses.

The transition has not been easy. Moving rarely is easy. There was some work that needed to be done in order to make sure that it was comfortable for our family. Then there is the packing and actual moving. But we know that once everything is done, it will be worth it.

Looking at our old home being empty will be tough. But we know that this new chapter in our lives will be worth it.

Everyone loves baby firsts, right? That first smile, the first time they sit up, the first words, the first time the crawl, first steps, the first time they walk on their own. Firsts are wonderful! Well, most of them are.

There is also baby’s first tantrum — and Jacob has had his.

Shortly after we stopped his favorite songs and cartoons on the iPad because it was time to eat dinner, he started refusing food and getting very fussy. It got worse and worse. Eventually, he was squirming and kicking. Crying and screaming at the top of his lungs. Val, being the loving and concerned mother that she is, was very worried and thought that something may be hurting him.

We ran the shower because he loves bath time and we thought that might soothe him. Nope. Finally, it was getting so bad that Val was ready to take him to urgent care because she thought he was in some kind of massive pain.

Then we remembered his cousins around that age and thought, “uh oh.” Could this be a tantrum from turning off his songs? Before we rushed to find a medical explanation, I decided to test this theory.

I took screaming Jacob back to the iPad and started playing the songs again. He immediately stopped and was calm again.

It was indeed a tantrum. Not all firsts are fun.

And to think that we were excited that he was walking up to 12 steps before falling down. We are in some real trouble now! Our little man is more mobile and has learned more about a little thing called balance. It started today. When I arrived to pick him up at daycare this afternoon, his teachers told me that he was walking all over the place today. It was all of a sudden, like he just decided, “You know what? I am going to start walking today.” Then he proceeded to chase me all around the daycare room. He was making turns and everything. It was one of the most amazing and rewarding things that I had every seen. I was so shocked and so happy.

We know that this will make things a lot tougher from now on. Now that he has discovered how to get around better, he will just be looking for trouble. However, it is still a great thing to see.

Watching him walk makes me both happy and sad. Happy that he is growing up and learning. Sad that he is growing up so fast. Love this little guy. After watching his friends at school walk for a while, he is very happy and excited to join them. You can tell from his face as he walks.

Below is a video of Jacob excited to show off his walking ability at grandma and grandpa’s house.

Adding to Valerie’s post from yesterday, here is a short video clip of Jacob trying to walk in his room. He is getting braver and braver as confidence in his little legs and feet grow.

We have been waiting, watching, and practicing…and over the last few days Jacob decided he was ready to start taking real steps! It was only one or two at first, usually as a means to fall down on purpose (he loves falling). However, we’ve been encouraging him to balance despite his tendency to stand on his foot sideways. We just didn’t consider what he was doing as “walking” yet.

Yesterday, Jacob’s daycare teachers asked if he was taking steps yet. When I said he kind of was, they got really excited and shared that he took quite a few that day. I was so proud if him, and we came home to practice. He only did a few again at home, but we resolved to keep trying.

This morning, we took him to school together so we could see if that helped his walking. Well, there must be something magic in the carpet because he started really walking from mom to dad, back and forth, up to almost 10 steps!! We are so proud of our little man and he looked so happy when he was doing it. I know that parents say to watch out when they start walking because they get in to everything, but right now we are going to celebrate and enjoy the moment.

Jacob has entered his really clingy phase. He always wants to be with us, in our arms, or just next to us. Dropping him off at day care leaves him in tears once he realizes that we are not staying there with him. Sometimes, he will grab onto my pants and hold on for dear life once he realizes that daddy is off to work. He doesn’t seem to have any issues once we are gone, it’s just the leaving portion that is the issue.

On the plus side, he has become very cuddly at times. It is absolutely adorable to be holding him and feel his arms wrapping around you or holding on while he rests his head on you.

Working on standing

Jacob is super mobile now, crawling faster than we can sometimes keep up with. He is good at getting himself up on his own and has even stood on his own for 5 seconds or so before falling on his butt and laughing like crazy because he finds it so hilarious to fall. Something tells me that is going to be bad later. LOL.

He has no problems walking around with a little help and most of the kids in his class are walking, so hopefully he will follow soon.

Time for another haircut?

His hard has grown fast. It already looks like it needs another trim. It was not that long ago that he god his first haircut. However, we are unsure if we are going to let it grow out or buzz it again. Shorter may be better for summer.

Future drummer?

One of Jacob’s favorite toys now is a little toy drum that came with drum sticks. He loves going to town, making his special brand of music. And don’t get me started on the big spoons and pots in the kitchen.

The Bonilla men on Father’s Day

Jacob just keeps growing at a rate I cannot believe. It seems like since his first birthday he has decided he is going to be a big boy and catch up to all his friends. Within a week of his birthday he started army crawling and soon after that he learned he could crawl on his hands and knees. At the same time, he started pulling up on his toys and shows a real interest in trying to stand. He is getting so good at getting around, that this past week his daycare started transitioning out of the infant room and into the young toddler room. He has done so well that he is making the move permanent this week. He is even transitioning to regular milk and doing very well.

Since Jacob is becoming such a big boy, we decided it was time for his first haircut too. We took him to the same place David gets his hair cut. The lady stylist asked how short and we had no idea, but settled on her using the razor attachments to get it done quickly. Luckily, Jacob discovered a magazine he liked and just sat rustling pages as she began. I think it helped that the razor was super quiet because it didn’t even phase him that something was happening. He did get interested in the hair falling around him, and we spent the rest of the time trying to make sure he didn’t eat it.

The entire cut probably took less than ten minutes, but it looks great! While it may take some getting used for mom and dad, as soon as Jacob saw himself in the mirror he smiled. I think he will like the breeze on his head even more!

Next stop, a new car seat to last several more years and maybe soon the road to walking! How fast it all goes!!

No, this is not a scene from The Blair Witch Project. This is what we have woken up to the last two days (today before 6 AM!). It was bound to happen. Jacob has finally discovered the mysterious object mounted to the corner of his crib. Yes, he has found his baby monitor. And now that he is able to get up on his knees on his own, he has no problem reaching for it. I mean, it must be pretty cool, right? It has a little camera lens, a swivel, and A LIGHT!

Maybe he is just trying to move it so he can finally get some privacy.

Family and friends get to see Jacob all of the time. However, no one spends as much time with him as Valerie and I.

A lot of people have seen him army crawl, clap, give kisses, wave goodbye, and do his little ninja stance and battle cry (I have no idea how else to describe that). But only Valerie and I get to witness everything. Like when he first wakes up in the morning and is calling for us. Then when he is so happy to see us once we go get him. Or the Superman stretch that he does when we change his morning diaper. One time when I picked him up from day care and he was siting at the table with his little friends, he was so excited to see me that he bounced up and down, shaking the table and all of the other kids on it (their chairs are part of the table itself).

I know the names of his friends at school and will often sit there to play with some of them when I pick him up. I know how to get a quick smile out of him after I have picked him up by lifting him up into the air and saying, “It’s Jacob! King of the Bonillas!”

We know that he likes sucking on pickles. We know that his favorite toy, oddly, is just a purple cylinder that is actually part of a bigger toy. It does nothing. It is just a shape to be placed within the other toy. But he loves it and it is his go-to toy. I just wish it were not round so it would not roll away all of the time. We know that he loves splashing water during bath time. We know his favorite song. Oddly, it is the theme song to a television show that has been off the air for years and we really aren’t sure what he likes about it.

We know that he likes watching birds. We know that his excitement level goes off the scale when he thinks that one of us is going to playfully “get him.”

These and many other things that most people don’t get to witness are just a few of the characteristics that make him Jacob. And we get to see them all. Every day we treasure watching our son as his personality quickly evolves. We can’t wait to see what the future holds.

Jacob at the LA Zoo on May 6, 2014

One year ago, our family grew from two to three. It had actually happened about nine months prior to that, but it was a year ago that it became official. At 9:30 PM on May 6, 2014, a 6 pound, 7 ounce bundle of joy joined our little family. At that point, Valerie and I fell in love all over again. However, this time, it was with our new son, Jacob David Bonilla.

Since then, there have been fun days, tough days, and days where we felt that we were going to go crazy. Through it all, our love for him has never faltered.

When he wakes up in the morning, one of us is the first person that he sees in the morning and we are greeted with smiles and laughter. When he goes to bed at night, one of us is the last person that he sees as he slowly falls asleep in the comfort of one of our arms. In between those two moments, he continues to remind us that he is the best decision that we have ever made.

We can see the love in his little face when he sees us. He is always so happy to be with us. While we can’t spend every minute of every day with him, we try to spend as much time as possible with Jacob and treasure each and every one of those special moments together.

Jacob at the LA Zoo on May 6, 2014

On Saturday, we celebrated with friends and family. Today, to celebrated his first year out in the world with a trip to the Los Angeles Zoo. Watching him see certain animals for the first time and seeing the wonder in his eyes reminds us how to view the beauty in the world as if we were seeing things for the first time as well. Jacob teaches us how to enjoy even the simple things in life. For dinner, we joined grandma and grandpa Bonilla, who could not let his birthday pass without seeing him. He has so many people in his life that love him. We are so thankful for those that have been a part of Jacob’s life.

Valerie and I are still learning how to be good parents. We can only hope that we are going a good job so far. Jacob is the most important part of our lives and we love him so much.

Jacob on May 6, 2013

Jacob had his first birthday party today (his actual birthday is on Tuesday). We are truly blessed to have so many friends and family in our lives that were willing to come out on a very warm May afternoon to help us celebrate our little man’s first year out in the world. It has been a year of discovery for both Jacob and his parents. Jacob attacks each day with a strong sense of curiosity and wonder while mom and dad continue to learn what it means to be good parents. Seeing the world through Jacob’s eyes has helped us to appreciate even the small things in life.

We reflect back at Jacob’s first days with us and can’t believe how far the three of us have come. Things have changed in the past year, but the love in our hearts for Jacob remains as strong as ever. We see the love that he has for us and feel that we are two of the luckiest parents in the world to have such a great little man in our lives.

We smile at our memories of you growing up over the past year and can’t wait to make new memories in the years ahead. Today, we celebrated your birthday, but nearly a year ago, we gave us the greatest gift of all.

I look at the days winding down as we near Jacob’s first birthday, and don’t know how we got here. It was just yesterday that I was pregnant and wondering what was a leg or arm. Last week I was marveling at how tiny they made baby clothes and how big they looked on Jacob. And wasn’t it a few minutes ago that he made his first coo, laugh, sit up, start eating solids and learn one skill after another…

I was watching Jacob play today and it is so amazing to see how far he has come. He knows how to put a circle in the right hole on his dog toy. He knows how to open its mouth and feed it a treat. He understands how to give me what I ask for, and who mommy and daddy are. He may not fully crawl yet, but he has the most infectious laugh. He may drool buckets, but I finally see the telling bump of a top tooth. And he may drop and fling food at times, but he doesn’t refuse his veggies or fruits and loves to feed himself.

I don’t know how I got to be so incredibly blessed with a great baby boy. He does not cry for no reason, he gives kisses freely and is so curious about everything around him. He is the brightest part of my day. I can’t wait to see what his life will hold for him.

It always breaks your heart to see your child crying. Jacob was overdue for his blood work and needed to have his blood drawn today at his pediatrician’s office. It was done so late because the last time he went in, he was sick and they could not do it.

He sat on my lap and stared out the second floor window at the leaves on a tree outside rustling in the wind. The nurse straightened his arm and got it ready for the needle. He was somewhat curious, but easily distracted by the nature and sunshine outside, not noticing that I was holding his other arm down. Then the needle went in and he could not be bothered with what was going on outside the window. He stared as his blood exited his body. I was so proud that he was not freaking out.

Well, he didn’t freak out but I did notice his head go down. I leaned over to look at him and he was indeed crying. His eyes were closed and tears were forming. His mouth was open as if he were screaming cries, but no sound was coming out. Then moments later, the sounds of cries exited his mouth. However, by then, the nurse was nearly done.

They pulled the needle out, put on a bandage, and then Jacob quickly cuddled up and grabbed onto me and he cried a little more. I offered him a Mum Mum as a treat and he reluctantly took it and then started eating it. After a few seconds eating his tasty treat, he was fine and back to his curious self.

What a brave little guy.

Serious business

Mommy making him smile

Jacob officially hit 11 months old today. He spent the day at church, having lunch with mommy and daddy at Hof’s Hut, running around town with mommy and daddy, playing, and then Sunday dinner with family. He is slowly becoming more mobile (better late than never). His sense of wonder about his surroundings continues to grow. There are times when he prefers to be near us and in our arms and there are times when he is perfectly content just playing on his own … whether that be with his toys or with something like his foot.

He continues to make us laugh at the little things that he does. We enjoy seeing the world through his eyes, where everything is new and wondrous.

People can’t believe how old he is when we tell them. They say that he is so small. But he will grow at whatever rate he wants and be just as great as anyone else.

His 1st birthday quickly approaches and we still can’t believe how quickly time has passed. It seems like just a short time ago, I was staring at him for the first time while in the hospital. Every day, we see more and more of ourselves in him, yet he has his own distinct personality as well. He is such a big part of our lives. We almost forget what it was like not having him around.

And the best part of the whole experience is that we can tell that he loves us back. He is our little man and there isn’t anything that we would not do for him.

Jacob and Alexa playing together on Monday morning

I was given a little surprise when I dropped Jacob off at day care this morning. As he was playing with his friend Alexa, who was the only other baby there already, and I started to get up off the ground next to him and leave, he turned to me, grabbed my head to bring it closer and gave me a big wet kiss on the cheek and then turned and continued to play. He has been making kissing sounds all month when we give him kisses, but this was the first time (for me at least) that he intentionally tried to give me a kiss.

It was great and very heartwarming. Then as I headed out the door, he turned and waved goodbye.

This month, we had our family photo day at Rancho Los Alamitos in Long Beach, California with photographer Russell Snider of Snider Photo and Design. We had so much fun and are very excited by the preview of the photos that Russell took that day. He is always a pleasure to work with. He was our wedding photographer and took Jacob’s newborn photos. So obviously, we enjoy working with him.

Valerie and I had never been to this location and we found it to be a beautiful place to spend some family time.

Click here for all of the preview photos

“I’m so cute.”

Jacob is closing in on his first birthday. In just two short months, he will be 12 months old. Yesterday was his 10 month birthday.

Valerie and I are starting to look into ideas for his first birthday. Hopefully it will be something very simple. Just a gathering of family and friends to celebrate our little gift from God. We love watching the wonder in his eyes as he observes the world around him. He finds the strangest things amusing. Mommy’s feet, daddy spitting into the sink as he brushes his teeth, a sneeze. These are all sources of amusement to him and we love it.

These months have passed so quickly. It does not seem like long ago that I was meeting him for the first time.

What is nice is that no matter how bad a day I have had, Jacob’s little smile and laugh can make everything better. We are truly blessed to have him in our lives.

“Yum! Rice!”

Valerie and I had nearly given up on getting Jacob to eat food that is right in front of him with his hands. Yesterday, we decided to give it another shot. So I stuck some sliced bananas in front of him. The positive was that he started grabbing them and shoving them into his mouth. Mom and dad were so proud. The negative was that dad should have chosen something other than bananas because the end result was a banana filled mess absolutely everywhere. Toward the end, he was just playing with the stuff, mashing it and seeing what he could smear it on.

Today, and a load of laundry later, I decided to be a little smarter and made him some pasta noodles to go with his breakfast. While the floor once again hot the majority of it, it was easier to clean and his clothes did not suffer the same banana wrath from the night before.

Jacob and I had lunch with my parents at the Olive Garden and Jacob tried again. This time with some breadsticks (just the inside part so that he did not get the salt) dipped in water after his lunch. Again, he absolutely had a blast eating that off of the table.

After dinner, I threw some white rice from my dinner in front of him, and he was at it again. This one may have been his favorite. We are so happy to see our little man progressing. Better late than never.

So Valerie has been sick. No, no. Really sick. How sick you ask? Well, she has bronchitis, a sinus infection, and pink eye … all at the same time. She is pretty much in quarantine in the bedroom. The couch has been my bed for the week. And to top things off, today was our three-year anniversary. I’m sure this is not what Valerie had in mind when they said “in sickness and in health.” She was probably leaning toward the “health” part.

So what does this mean for the “team” part in “Team Bonilla?” Since Jacob can’t really be exposed to Valerie, he has been without his mother for the week. And since I am the one that is primarily interacting with our son, I have to be very careful as I am trying to take care of Valerie. That means a lot of washing my hands — to the point where they started cracking and bleeding from all of the washing I was doing — and keeping my distance while trying to do things for her. And Jacob misses his mommy. You can tell. He gets so happy at the mere glimpse of her and is often looking around for her when he hears her. Sometimes looking around for her even when he has not heard her for a while and saying “Ma ma ma ma.”

In the meantime, this situation has made me (somewhat of) a single parent. So that means waking up early, trying to get cleaned up before he wakes up, feeding him once he wakes up, packing up his stuff for daycare, dropping him off, then taking care of Valerie while trying to get at least a few minutes of work in (which means no big projects — just answering emails from advertising clients), running errands, doing anything that needs to be done around the house, picking up Jacob from daycare (which really is the highlight of my day), sometimes forgetting something at daycare and having to go back to get it (haven’t forgotten Jacob yet!), giving Jacob a bottle, spending some quality time with my little man, playing toys with him, feeding him dinner, putting him to bed, doing his laundry, cleaning his dishes, and anything else my family may need. I even gave Jacob a bath all by myself tonight. I had never done that alone. All of this has given me an increased appreciation for everything that Valerie does for our family each and every day. She works so hard for us and is an amazing wife and an unbelievable mother.

I know this situation is really tough on Valerie. She wants to spend time with us, but can’t. But she is strong and working hard to get better and it is up to Jacob and I to support her in any way she needs. Not just during this tough week, but going forward. She is 10 times the parent that I am and, even now, I always rely on her for advice and support.

And to say that I have been doing this completely on my own is not really true. We have a great support group. Valerie’s parents are always around to lend some needed support, and they have. It is great being near family.

My time flying solo will eventually end. Right now, it is kind of a blast.  Hard, but still fun. Of course, I don’t know that i would be able to do it long-term. So to all of you single parents who have done it for years, I am so much respect for you. You are stronger than I.

“Foot. Nom nom.”

Jacob and I were sitting in his room talking and I realized I didn’t make a nine month post! Well, I was talking and he was saying “mamama” and “bbblllbbb” and laughing at my toes. Now he is contentedly laying on his back and sucking his thumb.

I can’t believe it has been nine months since Jacob was born. It seems like time is flying by. He is so much bigger now. Even though he is still working on crawling and picking up small food with his hands, he is learning so many new skills. He is overall a smart, happy, loving baby.

It is hard to believe that, as of today, Jacob is already 8 months old. Just 4 months away from his first birthday. It seems like just last week that he started eating solid foods, but that was almost 2 months ago. Jacob has spent the past two weeks off from daycare and hanging out with mommy. Today was his first day back. He went to the Aquarium of the Pacific for the first time over the weekend and was fascinated by all of the sea life.

Since he has been home for the past two weeks, I have had the privilege of waking up to his laughter as he and mommy would play in the mornings. Then I would jump out of bed and head over to see him. As soon as he sees me, he will just give me a big smile. It is one of the best feelings in the world to be able to make your child smile like that.

These past 8 months have gone by quickly and I can’t wait to see what awaits us in future months.

I am starting to think back on this past year and realizing how much our lives have changed. Last year at this time I was pregnant and just starting to really feel Jacob moving. We were preparing in many small ways to bring him into our home, not knowing what he will or will not need. As 2013 progressed we watched my belly grow, welcomed home a tiny little baby, and watched him blossom into a 7 month old little man. We have had sleep deprived days and nights, been peed and spit up on, sucked out countless boogies and changed diaper after diaper.

But we have also had first smiles and laughs, rolling over and playtime, hugs and slobbery kisses, and cuddly naps together. We have seen Jacob grow longer and heavier, and had to put away those cute first outfits. While I think it is amazing how much the year changed from start to finish, I am more in awe with all that will come next year.

In 2014 we should have crawling, walking and standing, the move to finger foods and sippy cups, understanding of words, and many more teeth. We will also see Jacob celebrate his first birthday. I don’t know how we will keep up!

I know we have more challenges and triumphs ahead, and as a team we will all get through it.

We are amazed at how fast our little man is growing and his fascination with everything around him continues to grow as well. He is becoming quite a handful, but is uniquely Jacob. He is starting to put sounds together. He knows “up” when he wants to be picked up. “Mamamama” is usually a call to mommy and means that he wants food or wants to be comforted. I’ll even get a “dadadada” occasionally. He has his likes and dislikes as far as baby food is concerned and he loves Mum-Mum crackers. They are one of the few things that he will hold himself to eat.

Jacob had a great first Christmas. He woke up to find that Santa brought him a new jumper with all kinds of fun toys attached and stuffed his stocking with all kinds of other goodies. Of course, mommy and daddy helped him discover those goodies.

Then it was off to grandma and grandpa Gonzales’ house to open gifts with his cousins and spend some more quality time (he was there on Christmas Eve) with family.

Then it was off to grandma and grandpa Bonilla’s house in Pasadena to spend time with my family. He was once again showered with gifts, ate with the family, went for a walk with auntie Linda, and even got to go see Christmas lights.

After a long day, he returned home to get all snug in his bed and dream of all of the toys he would play with later. It is needless to say that our house is packed full with all of his new stuff. However, we are grateful that so many people love him enough to want to make him happy.

Jacob on Christmas morning with his new jumper

Jacob opening gifts at the Gonzales house

Jacob surrounded by his gifts at the Bonilla house