Acker Family Love

Marshmallow Sculpture

2011-03-20T22:43:00.000-07:00

Watching Curious George always gives us new ideas for art, science and math projects. Lucius has been wanting to make a bridge out of marshmallows and toothpicks for ages. Finally I gave in and this is the fun that ensued! Needless to say, he ate alot of marshmallows and gummies that day. He didn't get a tummy ache, which is a good thing. But now it's like he doesn't believe me that eating too many sweets it bad for you!

his robot!

his robot with legs

Hem, I made the robot with feet...

the lower one on the right is a giraffe (by Lu)

my attempt at a horse!

The ins and outs of the past few months....

2011-03-20T22:32:00.000-07:00

Where to begin? First of all, Lucius is fully potty trained!! Woot woot! We do have the occasional accident, but it is safe to say he poops and pees in the big potty. I never thought that teaching another person to use the facilities would make me feel so proud and accomplished! Since reaching this mile stone, he is now able to attend preschool! And starting in the fall he will be attending a part-time, co-op preschool. This means that 3 days a week, for 3 hours a day he'll be in school. And for one of those days I will be there, as a teaching aid/assistant helping out with activities. I am super stoked about it. Being involved in the boys' education is very important for me and on of the main perks for not working a conventional job. We will be applying for a summer program, but will have to wait to see if we get in.

As far as Owen goes, in the past month, we have discovered that he has a milk allergy. It manifested itself in the form of a horrible eczema skin rash on his cheeks, neck and armpits. Poor baby! Considering that he is breastfed, I have had to omit all types of dairy from my diet because the milk protein is carried through the breast milk. No cheese, milk, yogurt, milk chocolate, lattes, sour cream, hot dogs, and you 'd be surprised to fin how many other products contain whey, lactose or lactic acid. Fun, huh? It takes about 3 weeks for the milk protein to fully leave your system. So he is definitely looking and feeling better. It now makes sense as to why he cried and fussed more as an infant.

Lucius, Owen and I made a short trip to SoCal with Emily and had an unexpected adventure. It all began with me trying to convince Em not to drive down from Sacramento to Long Beach all by herself. She had no other options and I figured a one day visit with the WHOLE family (mine and Michael's included!) would be fun and well worth the trip. Well, after missing 2 turnoffs in less than an hour, we began to smell something burning. We took it to a shop and they told us that we'd be lucky to make it down, but couldn't use the air conditioner, heater or defrost. So, it was pay $700 and spend 4 hours to get it fixed, or rent a car. We rented. And that was just by chance as well! The person who had the reservation on the last car didn't show and we lucked out! If we had been paying attention to the road and not talking as much, chances are that we would have broken down on the 5, thirty five miles from a station, with 2 kids and no potty! It took us a total of 10 hours to make it down. I arrived to Patricia's home just as the family was arriving! We had a great time and I got to hold Leah, who is about 2 months younger than Owen. She is Michael's cousins baby.

The next day we got to visit with my side of the family and for the first time all 5 grand babies got together. If anyone knows how to get three 7month olds, a 2 year old and a 3 year old to sit for a picture, PLEASE let me know!!! Owen kept scratching Addison's face and Abi was a squirmy wormy! Too funny and too cute. It was a great time.

That evening, Lu and I had dinner with my cousin Dawn and her hubby, Randy. By 8 am the next day, we were back on the road ( the rental had to be back in Tracy @ 1pm!!!) We made it back in time and had a great trip! Whew! Will I ever do it again??? I don't think so :)

Blason, Addison, Owen, Abi and Lucius

I love this pic of Addison!

Abi is either smiling or worried.

This one just makes me laugh!

Insert your own caption!

Owen sits @ 7 months

2011-03-03T22:41:00.000-08:00

It's official! Owen is all grown up. He's 7 months old and sitting on his own. HE's a super sweet sweet and a cute cute!

Tornado Week!

2011-02-21T11:32:00.000-08:00

Lucius and I trying out our homemade Tornado!

The boys

2010-10-18T22:42:00.001-07:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

Video of Owen

2010-10-04T20:38:00.000-07:00

Owen is a talky talky. But when he sees the camera he becomes entranced in its shiny-ness! So I tried to capture him without him seeing the camera. He loves to coo and goo, and I wanted to film it! Just click on the image below to view the video!

October Update

2010-10-04T20:27:00.000-07:00

It seems like time escapes me and updating this blog keeps being pushed back on the priority list! Anywho, Lucius started a pre- preschool in September and is loving it. Once a week, for 2 hours, we go to school and read books, do arts and crafts, play with other 2-3 year olds and eat snacks. He was a bit shy at first but is doing much better. Last week we had a field trip to Little Farm in Tilden Park. Cows, sheep, goats, a big fat pig and fowl.

Lucius is learning to "go" on the potty. Some days he's on it (no pun intended!) and others, not so much. Very inconsistent but so much better than before. I just have to remember to ask him if he needs to go every 1 1/2 hours! Soon, I hope. I mean, he won't be in diapers forever... Right?

Owen is now 12 weeks old. On his 2 month check up he was 13lb 4oz, 24" long and very healthy. Got his shots and did very well. It's funny because you always hear that every baby is different, but it becomes more evident when you have 2! Owen is sweet and precious but he is very needy. Loves to be held, or should I say, demands to be held often. Loves to smile, laugh and coo! And still won't sleep for more than 1 1/2 -3 ours at a time!!!! Ugg! But we couldn't be happier!

Last weekend we all went up to Tomales Bay for some oysters and beach time. There is a secluded beach that we love and it was an amazingly relaxing time. I have to say that I am in love with my family and life. Everyday I feel loved, blessed and excited.

1 month old


Owen's 2 month pic, His brother cracks him up!

Scott, Lucius & Baby Abigail

Owen 7 weeks

Lucius' 1st day of school

Grampy, MeMe & Owen

Lucius' 1st field trip

Tomales Bay 10/2/10

Drinkin wine out of coffee mugs! Classy!

My boys!

Owen Elliott

2010-08-05T22:40:00.000-07:00

Born on July 12th at 2:42pm, weighing in at 8lb 4oz, our second son, Owen Elliott was born. He has dark hair and blue/gray eyes (for now). It was a scheduled c-section and everything thing went smoothly. I couldn't have asked for more! Although undergoing major surgery is very frightening, it was well worth it when Owen was born without a hitch. We were hoping to avoid the situation that happened with Lucius' birth and we were successful. My wonderful mother-in-law was staying with us and watching Lucius. Roy, Michael's dad was also in town and between the two of them, Lu has never been more spoiled!!! Grandpa Roy got him a John Deere power wheels tractor. Watch out sidewalk enthusiasts, Lucius is on the roll! Speaking of Lu, he is loving being a big brother. He is so gentle and loving towards Owen. Michael & I feel very lucky to have such a great family.

Big Boy Bed!

2009-08-18T23:28:00.000-07:00

It seems like Lucius is growing up so fast! After he climbed out of his pack-n-play in Vegas, we decided it was time to convert his crib into a Big Boy Bed! He thinks it's great and hangs out on his bed. He calls it his bee bo beh. The first night he did fall out once so I put a comforter on the ground to pad his fall. It seems to be working out so far. Before I know it, he'll be shaving!

Playing with his favorite kinda toy: Trucks!!!

Lucius climbed into the Z and Michael was tickled. He said" get the camera, quick!" with a big grin. He's cute!

~j

Las Vegas

2009-08-18T22:53:00.000-07:00

My mom recently moved to Las Vegas. Lucius and I had to jump on the opportunity to visit her since she's so darn close! Even though they have been living in their house for 3 weeks, their furniture still hadn't arrived yet. Thus, a huge indoor playground for Lucius to run around in! He had a blast! It was great to see my mom, even though it reached 106 degrees! Air conditioning you say... she keeps the house at a balmy 85. Nice, huh? Needless to say, we spent some time at shopping malls and Target. It's fair to say, Lucius loves his Halmoni (he pronounced it Um-e). He was calling for her all week! They laughed and ran and played all over the place. I can't wait to go back soon and see her and Dennis. I think the next time we go back will be mid December.

We went to this mall because they had this great play area. However it was under going renovations for the entire week we were there. It's a good thing we found these carts with a car attachment. For Lucius, it's just like an amusement park!

Halmoni and Lucius

Having lots of fun!

Sweet Baby!

~j

Gram & Grandpa's Visit

2009-08-18T21:57:00.000-07:00

The weekend following our trip down south, my grandparent came up for a visit. Like I mentioned before, it's hard to get quality time in when we visit the fam, so it was a real treat to have them all to ourselves!! We had loads of fun. Lucius loves his great-grandparents. He couldn't stop asking for Santa! While they were here, we went to Tilden park to ride on the steam trains and the Merry Go Round (yeah, we do that often... but Lucius LOVES it!!). On Sunday, we had a BBQ at my brothers' new place, which is about 8 blocks away!! It was great. I continually feel blessed and extraordinarily lucky to have a such a wonderful family. That's probably the greatest gift Lucius will inherit.

Catalina & Disneyland!!

2009-08-18T21:02:00.000-07:00

We all went to SoCal for my cousin Travis' wedding on Catalina. It was our first time there... and maybe our last. It was quite a pretty penny for the boat ride out there... However, it was a gorgeous day. We got to spend the weekend with my cousin Jess and her sweet baby, Blason. It was great to get some one on one time with her. So often, we are surrounded by dozens of family members, it's hard to get real quality time in.

Sunday, the day after the wedding, Patricia took us to Disneyland for the first time. Another sunny and hot day. Surprisingly enough, the lines were not too bad. The longest was Dumbo... but honestly, I can understand why! We rode on lots of fun rides and had a great time. By 5pm, Lucius was done for, and Grammy Patricia took him home while Michael and I rocked it out for the rest of the night. Very cool. Overall, it was another great trip down south. I've got a great Mother-in-Law!

The boat ride with Jess, Blason, Aunt Kim, Me, Michael & Lucius

Grandpa and Blason

Post Wedding

The nuptials

Grammy, Lucius and Gramma

Check out the slide show for more Pics!
~j

The photographer

2009-07-28T17:00:00.000-07:00

I found Lucius with the camera yesterday. He was not very happy when I took it away. It wasn't until I uploaded the pictures that I realized he had actually taken some pics! This was the scene:

Don't take the camera away!

The prized picture!

I've been working on a new stained glass piece. Just finished today!

Fun in the sun weekend

2009-07-27T23:10:00.000-07:00

It was warm, sunny and beautiful this weekend- way too nice to stay inside! So Michael, Lucius and I went to Tilden Park to ride the steam trains and the merry go round. Last time we went, Michael stayed home, so it was a real treat for him.

Had a hard time getting a good picture!

On Saturday, we went to the Alameda Wine & Arts Fair. Ate some street food and Lucius played with some wooden trains. There was a petting zoo, jumpy castles, beer, vendors, wine, and live music. Good times. The main event for Lucius was the huge inflatable slide. He gets such a kick out of it. I think it's kinda scary. The drop off is straight down. He just laughs and laughs! My brothers and Kolya met up with us and stayed for dinner. It was nice to see them.

Lucius looking in on the petting zoo (he's too afraid of the animals to pet them)

The kids being silly!

We are gearing up for a trip down to SoCal. My cousin Travis is getting married on Santa Catalina Island. We have to catch a ferry there. Should be fun. Then, on Sunday, we are going to Disneyland with Grammy!! Wooo Hoo!! Very exciting. I hear there are many rides Lucius can go on. I'm just curious to see how he will do with all that stimulation and napping in the car??? Maybe we'll have to go for a drive around the parking lot! Wish us luck!

Does every kid do this?? He found my lipstick and proceeded to put it on! Too funny! He does this just like his Auntie Emily!

He is so funny!

Feeling much better...

2009-07-22T22:53:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was a total wash! Michael and I got horribly ill with food poisoning!! Poo! (if you know what I mean!) It was horrible, awful, painful and gross! Thankfully, it only lasted the weekend. But by Monday, my girlfriend Erin called up to see if I could watch Eden. Seems she and her hubby got ill too. Hmmm, maybe not food poisoning.... hmmm... So we brought Eden over and had a grand ole time. Lucius can now say Eee Dee, for Eden. We also watched her on Tuesday. I think he thinks that if he just says her name, we'll go get her. He's cute.

Zoning out to Elmo's Potty Time

We eat in the nude at the Acker House!

A busy week....

2009-07-14T22:36:00.000-07:00

Had some good times these past few days. Most Importantly, it was Michael's birthday. We celebrated by eating brunch at Otaez, in Alameda. It was nice to get out and not cook. Michael's birthday was on a Thursday and he had to work. So, the real celebration commenced on Saturday. We went to Water World with Chris, Niccole and Kai while Lucius spent the day at Erin's house. It was a blast. I can't even remember the last time I went to a water park. It was a warm and sunny day AND they sold booze! Good times. We used a waterproof camera and have to get the pics developed.

We also did some East Bay exploring and made our way to Lake Anza in Tilden Park with Erin, Mary Jane, Eden, Sara and Race. Another warm and beautiful day and they sold ice cream and espresso! Only in the Bay Area! It felt like a mini vacation.

Birthday Flan!

Happy?

Hangin' out at Kelly's house with the kids! We got together to welcome home Alex and Araliya from their long trip to Sri Lanka. It was good to see them doing better! Araliya got very sick in Sri Lanka and was hospitalized for many days. We were all very worried for her and glad to see them home!

Storytime before bed. He's so sweet. We read the same 3-5 books a night: Big Dog Little Dog, Moo Baa La La La, Hop on Pop, Hands Hands Fngers Thumbs and Polar Bear Polar Bear What Do You Hear? I can recited them all from memory complete with the voices and sound effects!

He loves wearing my shoes, cute. He says "Mama, Shoos"

I thought that these monkey bandaids would help distract Lucius from the pain of a boo boo. I think they actually freaked him out! He wouldn't even let me take them off. Poor Baby! Scraped both knees real good.

The Fam at Lake Anza post Chocolate Cherry Coke Float

Pretty cool huh? Unfortunately we went on a Wednesday. Turns out that's day camp day. There was about 75 kids. You can see that the water is marked off? If you swim outside that area, you get fined $250. Ouch!

Finn, Lucius and Race post haircut. We went to Sara's house and there Bridget cut all 3 boy's hair. Race and Lucius didn't do well. On the other hand, Finn faced it like a champ. Either way, they all look very handsome!

Happy Independance Day!!

2009-07-04T21:51:00.000-07:00

Had a great day today. Saw the Alameda July 4th parade for the first time. The Garvie's, the Hunt's, the Ward's and the McConnell's all rocked it out at Kathleen & Dave's place. After the parade, Dave fired up the BBQ and busted out some great food. Then the kids all jumped into the kiddie pool. It was a great time, considering Lucius didn't nap. BUT, he did go down at 7pm for the night, as opposed to 8:30! Happy Independence Day!!
~mami jen
ps, thanks to Grant & Erin for the photos. Can't figure out how to make them fit in page.... sorry!

1st Annual Acker Sterling & Hunt Family Vacation!

2009-07-04T21:18:00.000-07:00

Beautiful sunny Lake Tahoe. The weekend before July 4th, the Sterling's and the Hunt's joined us in Lake Tahoe for a super fun weekend filled with horseshoes, bocci, bbqin', hot sunny beach, bubbly hot tubbin' good times! (oh, and babies too!) We had so much fun... we decided that it was not long enough time and that we need to do it again!!

(Some photos are courtesy of Stacey.... Thanks Stacey!)

~mami jen

The view from the beach umbrella

The great house!!

The boys playing Bocci Ball

Stacey and Thomas

The Mountains

Sunday was Stacey and Greg's Anniversary. We celebrated with a steak dinner... Yum!

Mami & Baby Lu

All the kids!

Lucius Loved the hot tub. But really, who doesn't???

Arrr! Ye be walkin' the plank!

2009-07-03T17:25:00.001-07:00

On June 20th, we meet up with the Sterling's and the Hunts in Vallejo for a Pirate Festival. It was a rip roaring good time! The Acker's love to dress up and we looked great... if I do say so myself! There must have been 15,000 people there eating smoked turkey legs and wearing eye patches. They had a tall boat that was firing cannons and live music to dance to. We had a blast dancing, drinking and exploring all of the vendors booths. The most fun was at the gambling corner where is was like a Chuck E. Cheese. One game was called Mouse Maze. Basically, there was a round, roulette style table and which ever # the mouse went to won! Then you could exchange your winnings for prizes. We had a great time and for sure won't miss next years festival!

Father's Day

2009-07-03T16:48:00.000-07:00

We had a great time on Fathers day. It began with a ferry ride to San Francisco. This was the 2nd time Lucius rode the ferry. He loved it. Sunday turned out to be a beautiful day: sunshine with a cool breeze. We met up with Niccole and Jose for lunch at Boulettes Larder, a restaurant where our friend Laurie works. It was nice enough to sit outside. We ate everything! Lamb chops, sardines, beignet's and a fresh salad. We left feeling full and happy. We caught the ferry home, but this time we we rode around the bay and got a great view of Angel Island. It was a great day even though Lucius peed on me and Michael. Ahhh, the joys of parenthood!

The morning ride, 1st stop, Jack London Square!

Lucius loved the boat ride!

Waiting to board the ferry at Peir 41

After a well deserved nap, we all went to Foster's Freeze for dinner (Papi's choice!) and there Lucius had his very first ice cream cone. What do you think.... did he like it?? You will see to the right, there is a link to our videos on you tube. I posted a short video of him chowin down on that cone. Check it out!

Mmmmm, Ice cream!!

~mami jen

Fun at Tilden Park

2009-06-08T15:46:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, Lucius and I picked up Stacey and Thomas and we all went to Tilden Park to ride the Carousel and the steam trains. It turned out to be a beautiful day and we had a blast. Lucius particularly loved the trains! Choo Choo! He's so sweet.

Lucius rode the rooster, Stacey and Thomas were on the Frog, while I was on the Lion!

What's that what's that??? (his new favorite phrase!)

The train car we rode in.

Aren't these the cutest trains ever. Perfect miniature replicas!

It was a full train.

Hawaiian Vacation

2009-06-02T23:03:00.000-07:00

Well, May was definitely the travel month for Lucius and me. First, we all (including Michael) went down to SoCal for a surprise birthday party for Lucius' Great Gramma. She Turned 90 on the fifth and she looks grrreat. I can only hope to be that healthy and witty as she when I am half her age! Then Lucius and I went to Hawaii for a week. Mom is moving to Vegas and is planning on renting her home out. Thus the trip home. I had to clean out my room and see if I wanted to keep anything. Turns out no. Seems after 7 years, I can live without most of it. I did find some great photos of Em and I. The good ole days! Ha! Anywho, after our trip to Hawaii, Lu and I went to The OC again for a visit with Emily and Oliver. Good times.

Needless to say, it was too much time away from my husband. It feels good to be back home and close to my sweetie!

Magic Island Baby

Halmoni and her babie-ya

In Halmoni's backyard

Lots of Koreans!! My aunt and 2 cousins are visiting from Korea. It was cool to see them and for them to meet Lucius!

She couldn't get enough of him. I am glad that she will be living closer to us! I can't wait!

SoCal Trip, May 2009

2009-06-02T22:27:00.000-07:00

Lucius, Emily, Oliver and I went to the OC for a few days. Emily was in a wedding and I went to help with Little Ollie. While down there, we got a chance to visit with all 3 of Lucius' great grandparents. We all stayed at Grammy Patricia's home and had a great time. In case you all didn't know, I have the best Mother-in-law EVER!

3 Generations

Bubbles (one of Lu's new words!)

Gram and the happy Baby!

Totally fascinated with the koi pond

Doesn't everyone need a pic with Santa like this?

He wasn't really frightened of Grandpa Santa, he just didn't want to go to bed!

Finally, the girls and their kids, my how we've grown. I am gonna scan in some of the ancient photos I found back home, should be interesting!

Weekend Day Trip

2009-06-02T22:14:00.000-07:00

We all went for a nice drive this past weekend and went over the Crockett bridge to Vallejo. We went to a bayside marina and enjoyed the sunny day. It was great to hangout with the fam. I am a lucky person.

Lucius smelling the flowers

My sweet guys

Me and my baby

A self-family portrait!

Lastly, this is something new Lucius is doing... while watching Sesame Street, he pulls at his diaper and puts it below his butt! It's too cute and very funny!

Duh!

2009-05-20T22:47:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm a big dummy! I was trying to upload all my photos from my memory stick.... and yeah, I deleted them all except for these! So what will I never have anymore??? Pics of Lucius (duh) hunting for Easter Eggs in front of our home, his first haircut, and the best of all.... Lucius' first visit to Hawaii and the beach. I am totally bummed. Oh well. nuthin much else I can do. I hope I have learned my technical lesson. Wish me luck, Lucius and I are heading down to SoCal for a few days. Lets hope I can successfully upload those photos. (still feeling blue!)
~Virtual Idiot, Jen

Update, 6/3/09:
Turns out most things are not truly deleted. Thanks to Emily's genius (and clear /level headed thinking.... yes, Emily) I recovered the photos from the recycle bin. Thank goodness!

Oliver Reid Sterling

2009-05-08T08:29:00.000-07:00

This is our new God Baby, Oliver Reid Sterling. He was Born on March 22nd, to Emily and Eric Sterling. He's just the most adorable and sweet baby! Michael, Lucius and I go up to Sacramento almost every weekend just to hang out with him... oh, and his folks too!

Wow, looking back on the last post, I can really tell how much Lucius has grown and changed! He's a little man now: running, pointing, and talking(kinda!) He's just the cutest kid ever. We are just getting into our summer vacation. I am now on break from work until August. But we won't just be sitting around! With a trip to Hawaii in a few days and then back to OC, it'll be a travel packed May. Yeah, that's just this month! I am really looking forward to that (can you hear the sarcasm in my voice??) Nay, it would be more enjoyable if Michael were coming with us. Unfortunately, he'll be working... pooh! But in the mean time, here's some photos of the big boy!

Michael and Lucius at the Easter Scramble

That's my handsome boy!

Lucius and Eden with the Bunny

At the Academy of Sciences

Baby Steps

2008-12-18T14:36:00.000-08:00

Here is our little boy, taking his first few steps! It's amazing how fast he is growing.

These are some pictures from breakfast and lunch! Lucius is the Prince of Cherrios and Blueberries! We had too much fun.

Let's see. so Babaloo is now 1 year old. My mom flew from Hawaii to help celebrate his birthday. We had the Party at my work... Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity in Berkeley. It as a party to remember. I mean, how many first birthdays are at a frat house? It was great. My Aunt Vickie and her fiance Gary drove up from Southern California. That was a special treat. It had been four years since my mom and Vickie saw each other. The last time being at Michael and my wedding (is that gramatically correct??). Anywho, here are some photos of that:

We are getting ready for a trip to the OC for Christmas. Should be good times. We are looking forward to spening the holidays with the family(s). Hope you all have a Merry Christmas!
~Mami Jen

I have not forgotten...

2008-09-21T22:01:00.000-07:00

Hi, I know it's been a long time and this blog has been weighing on my mind. So here we go! A lot has happened in the last 4 months..... We have been to Orange County 3 times! And all for weddings... soon Michael and I won't have any un-wed cousins left! In May, Heather and Trevor got married, in July it was Skipper and Christina and in August, Jessica and Dan got married. Then my friends Em and Erin got pregnant and both are due in the beginning of April! We are very excited for them both and Lucius can't wait to meet his new friends (I know, I'm projecting!! ). And finally, my friend Stacey and Michael's friend Laura both had beautiful baby boys! Did I leave anything out?? Maybe a few things here and there but nothing important (like my 30th birthday). But here are some photos of the precious baby. He's now got 2 teeth! Too Cute! and he's a crawling machine. Before we know it, he'll be running all over the place!
~mama jen

Stacey and Greg and my Dad!

3 generations of Acker Men

Lucas JD Lowe 6/21/2008

Babaloo and Grampy!

He's just a happy baby! (you can see his teeth beginning to pop out of his lower gums.

Grammy and Big Luke!

Trevor on his wedding day

Family close up

Heather and Trevor!

I have more photos that I need to upload from my camera... after the battery charges up! Mom, I know you are dying to see more photos... especially the one's with you in them. I'll have them up soon!

xoxo Jen

Gilroy Gardens

2008-05-10T23:59:00.001-07:00

Just a short drive down south, about 1 1/2 hours away, is a theme park called Gilroy Gardens. It has whats called 'circus trees.' These are trees and shrubs that the shape into geometric shapes. They also have some rides. We took Lucius there to see the botanical gardens and to ride his first ride! Michael and him rode the Strawberry Sundae. There's a video of it, but beware.... it could get you sick. Oh well. I tried to document this monumental event the best I could. I was a very hot day but Lucius fared it like a champ. However, he did not like the train ride. I think the whistle was too loud for him!!!
~Mami Jen

Hangin' with Papi

Lucius' first ride!

Michael had to win Lucius a Spongebob!

One of the famous "circus trees"

Standing in front of a fun ride

5 Month Update

2008-05-10T23:28:00.000-07:00

How is it that Lucius gets more beautiful everyday?? The BIG kid is now 5 months old and lovin' it! Here are a few new pictures of him. His godparents, Emily and Eric, just moved from Minnesota to Sacramento last week and we are more than stoked to be sooooooo much closer to them. We spent a few days in Sac and even went to dinner while Eric's Mom and Brother watched Lucius. Very cool. Also, had a quick visit with mom. She's as proud as ever and couldn't keep her hands off the boy. He sure misses his Halmoni!! Hopefully it will put a bug in her butt to visit soon!!
~Mami Jen

Happy Baby

5 Months old and still rockin'

Auntie Em is packin'

Out sans baby

Happy Halmoni

Good Looks Run In The Family!!

Talky Talky

2008-04-17T11:01:00.000-07:00

Lucius is one of the funniest babies I know! I just put a camera in front of him and he can't stop talking, what a ham!! Here's some great footage of the beautiful baby:

When his Grammy was here last month, she bought him this jumper. Needless to say, he love love loves it! He bounces all the time now, even when he's not in the jumper!! Check it out! (thanks Grammy!!)

As of his 4 month check up, Lucius is now 18 lbs 12 oz and 27 1/2 inches long! Thats our boy!
~Mami Jen

Grammy's Visit!!

2008-03-16T22:58:00.000-07:00

Michael's Mom visited us last week and we had a great time. We rode the ferry to San Francisco and went to the Farmer's Market at the Ferry Building, we went shopping, and had an overall awesome time. My favorite was watching Lucius and his Grammy laugh at each other! Oh my, too cute! I've been trying to re-create the scenario but it seems I am not as funny as his Grammy!! Oh well, I can get him to giggle if I eat his belly!! Mmmmm, baby belly!

Things are going okay for us here. I am returning to work on Thursday and dreading it! I think we are going to start slowly, only a few shifts a week, to try and ease my way back into it. Poo! I keep on trying to win Publishers Clearing House, but it's not working!

Lucius and Grammy

At San Francisco

My First Ferry Ride

We stopped in at Rose Pistola and the bartender couldn't resist the cute baby photo opp. Papi and Lucius sized beers (Michael took the liberty of helping Lucius finish his!)

A baby sized brew!

My Dad turned 51 on the12th and we took him out for dinner at a Seafood Buffet in Daly City. It was a lot of food and a lot of fun!

Grampy's 51st Birthday

He found his thumb!

2008-02-27T22:00:00.000-08:00

It's just the cutest thing ever!!! He found his thumb! Now I know, thumb sucking can lead to blah blah blah, but you don't understand. His whole (all be it short) life, he used his hands to scratch or hit his face and clench a fist, so this is kinda cool. He is using his thumb with a purpose! I think it's adorable!!

And is it just me or is he the CUTEST baby EVER????? I mean come on folks, just look at him:

happy happy!

That's my Baby!!

Lucius and I belong to a mommy group that just ended today. It was a weekly meeting where we talked about problems, triumphs and over all Q&A about being a new mommy. The formal meetings have come to a end but we still meet up for coffee and what not. I was invited to join the group because Lucius was in the NICU. We had a lot of resources available to us because of that . The mommy group is run by a program that is funded by a tobacco tax (thanks smokers!!), and since the group ended we needed to document the occasion with baby pictures!! We met every Wednesday for 8 weeks. I met a lot of very cool ladies and some extremely cute babies. Here is the Picture of the Kids!

Circle 'O Cute!!

Babies!!

Lucius and Finn

Last Sunday, we went back to Rose Pistola and got 4 babies together. Here is a cool pic of them. You got (from right to left) Lucius, Eden, Nathan, and Miles.

The 4 Parents

And I don't know if any of you know, but Lucius is betrothed to Eden, my friend Erin's baby. They are in love and are gonna get married and have babies of their own!! They are inseparable, and spend like all of their time together or talking on the phone. Too cute!

Ahh Amore!

Matching Outfits!!

What can I say.... Good times showing off the kid!
~mami jen

Mami Brain!

2008-02-19T13:47:00.000-08:00

Duh! Lucius is 2 months old and 15 lbs and 26 inches, not ONE month old!! How silly of me. He's not a crazy huge baby, he's doing just right! I just got the two mixed up with the one. Anyone can make that mistake. You know, they say sleep deprivation is cumulative ;) On that note, we are doing well on the sleep front. Lucius usually goes down around 9pm and will sleep until 3 to 4 am. Then after a 1/2 hour feeding, he's back to sleep till 7 to 8 am. Then after being awake and hanging out for an hour and half, he's out for his first nap which, if I'm lucky, will last an 2 hours (but it's more like 30 min). He takes 2 more naps throughout the day and by 9pm, we're ready to start all over again. I think we got a great system going. But as soon as work starts up for me, the whole routine will get shaken up again! Good times! However, the only problem is getting to bed when he does so I can get that full 6 to 7 hour stretch..... it's just too hard to resist the free time to check email, wash dishes, read a book, clean, update the blog..... you get the gist. So yeah, you'd be amazed on how little sleep you can (or can't) function on.
~mami jen

2 Months Old!!

2008-02-16T18:05:00.000-08:00

Well, our Lucius is growing bigger and more beautiful each day. We went to the pediatricians the other day and he is officially 15 lbs and 25 3/4 in. BIG BOY!! The only down side to the visit was his first set of shots :( Poor baby, didn't even know what was coming. However, he faired well and was just extra sleepy for the next two days. What a champ! Unfortunately Lucius is growing too fast and will soon grow out of his pack-n-play that's next to the bed and will have to be moved into his crib in his own room! Poo! I am not looking forward to that. He may be big, but he's still real little. Just a baby, my baby.... Ahh well, I guess he has to grow up, it just seems like it's whizzing by.

We ventured to Rose Pistola last Sunday and had lunch with a few of the other Pistola Babies: Nathan and Eden (Lucius' Love). It was great to bring the babies together and to hang out with Michael and Gwen, and Erin and Grant. We monopolized the back of the restaurant with bottles, diaper changes, and photo ops. Good Times.

I am planning on returning to work around the middle of March, so there's still a month left of my maternity leave. Grammy Patricia will be visiting us in a few weeks and we're looking forward to that. The weather has been beautiful up here. Walks have been integrated into our daily routine. Hopefully it will be just as nice when Grammy's here.

Hey, check out the new slide shows!

Mami Jen

Two Months Old!

Gwen and Nathan

Auntie Grace and Lucius

Uncle Grant and Lucius

The Three babies!

Good Times

2008-01-30T08:39:00.000-08:00

Hi All, it seems like ages since I have posted on here and I apologize. This baby thing really tires you out! Lucius flew on an airplane for the first time. We all went to Orange County for 11 days to visit the fam. It was the first time Lucius met both of his great grandmas and his great grand pa. We all stayed at Michaels' moms house. It was fun to see her dote over Lucius. We made it down to My great Aunt Polly's house for a gathering and got to see her daughters Lucy and Debbie . My Great Uncle Larry and Aunt Terry were there also. We bbq'd burgers and dogs and had a great time showing off the baby. My two aunts, Vickie and Tracie, were the winners of "who gets to hold Lucius the most" contest. It was fun.
After leaving Polly's, Michael, Lucius and I drove to San Diego to visit with Marty and Laura. They are expecting their first baby in the summer and we are very excited for them.

Unfortunately, Michaels sister Patti got sick as well as his aunt Susie, so we got to spend a lot of down time at Grammy Patricia's house. It was the first vacation we had that we didn't come home exhausted! Grandma and Grandpa Callahan were on a cruise for the week and only got to see them on the last few days we were down there. Definitely not enough time together, but they might come up here to visit us before I go back to work. Patricia is also planning a visit up here soon. It'll be great to see them. We should of had a baby sooner!

I am in the process of adding photos to a slide show. That'll take a few days to complete, but in the mean time, here's a few pictures from the trip!

~mommy jen

Flying is fun!

Grammy Patricia, Great Grandma Teresa and Lucius

Great Grandpa Santa and Lucius

Great Grandma Gretchen and Great Aunt Tracie

In front of Grammy's house

We're on Vacation!

2008-01-25T10:06:00.001-08:00

Hi all!
Just to let you know that we are on vacation visiting family down in the O.C. and will be home on Sunday the 27th. By then we will have accrued about one million photos and will post them for you all to see. So check back next week! It'll be GRRRRRRREAT!
~Mommy Jen

4 Weeks Old

2008-01-05T22:57:00.001-08:00

Today Lucius is 4 weeks old and boy have we been busy! My Mom left on the 29th, a few days after Emily and Eric arrived. They stayed during New Years and left a few days ago. We had a great time visiting and hanging out (aka nursing, diaper changes and naps!). I really miss having my Mom around. She was an amazing help and a great cook, but what I miss the most is just having her near. It's funny how my perspective has changed now that I am a mother. She always would tell me "just wait 'till you're a mom, then you'll know." And you think, yeah, I know Mom. But you really don't know. I apologized for all the turmoil I put her through as if it will lessen the blow that Lucius will lay on me. What goes around comes around? I hope not.

Anyways, we took Lucius out on New Years Eve to Sushi House for his very first outing. He did amazingly well and as it turns out, he loves wasabi! He also had his first bath. Auntie Em took pictures of that (and hopefully she'll send them to me!). My friend Liz stenciled some onesies for him and I finally put him in them to take a few pictures. They are awesome, however Lucius decided that today was not a good day for his close-up and thus ended the photo shoot. But I did manage to get a few good shots in.

I put all of these pictures in a slide show off to the right. There are a few Christmas pictures as well. Lucius is sleeping and I am going to join him! Hopefully I'll get an hour in before he wakes.
~Mommy Jen

10 Days Old!!

2007-12-19T17:19:00.000-08:00

Well, here we are, a few days over a week and boy oh boy are we getting big! A nurse stopped by the house on Monday and checked out Lucius and I. Its a common procedure for NICU babies. When we left the hospital on Thursday, he weighed 8lb 12oz. when the nurse weighed him, he was 9lb 3oz. NOW, just two days later, we went to the pediatricians today, he weighed in a whopping 9lb 8oz!!!! He's almost 6 feet tall too!! So we are moving into a barn soon just to accommodate our giant of a baby :)

Today was probably the worst day of little Lucius' life. He got circumcised today. It was awful :(
He cried so much and so loud that he wore himself out and has been sleeping for most of the day. It was very hard on Mommy and Papi too. Papi stayed in the room with Lucius while Mommy waited outside crying! I'm just glad that it's over. We are hoping for a girl next time!!

Here are a few new pictures of him with his Harmoni and his Grandpa. Also, theres a picture of Lucius with his Papi.... his Papi takes pictures of him all the time. I think he gets it from his Mommy! It's too cute.

I am also adding a video of Lucius getting burped by his Harmoni. She really gets into it, but he doesn't seem to mind!

~Mommy JenGrandpa & Lucius

Proud Papi taking photo's

Harmoni & Big Baby

You lookin' at me??

Mommy & Baby holding hands!

Burpin' Baby

COMPARE THEN AND NOW, LUCIUS...

2007-12-15T21:26:00.001-08:00

shyness

smiling

gazing
hardness

The Sweetest Little Baby Face!!!

...AND HERE'S MOMMY AND PAPI

2007-12-15T21:05:00.001-08:00

Here are a couple of Jens' baby pictures but, when you look at this one on the left, take out the dark hair and just look at her face. I don't know, is it just me, or do all babies look alike? because that looks like Lucius to me!

Now, here's me when I was just born, and except for the ears (mine were more pointy) he looks just like me too! So, if mommy looks like him...and if papi looks like him...you put us together...
and you got one good lookin' baby!!!

Sorry, I'm computer illiterate!

2007-12-11T12:47:00.000-08:00

Last night I was on this computer thing for 4 hours trying to post these videos. Came time at 3 am to hit the hay( it didn't help that I hadn't much sleep in 2 days). Finally, for me, they are here. Check out this cute little man!

before i knew i could hold him

2007-12-11T12:21:00.000-08:00

saying hello to the camera

2007-12-11T02:01:00.000-08:00

master of the soothie

2007-12-11T01:44:00.000-08:00

BIG BABY LUCIUS!!!

2007-12-10T23:53:00.000-08:00

Hello family, I'm pleased to announce that Lucius Ayden Acker finally decided to join us in the world(after being a week late) at 10:12pm on December 9, 2007 weighing in at 8lbs 14oz and a length of 21 inches and he has strawberry blond hair with blue eyes(so far). To start off both mom and baby are on the road to a fast recovery and are looking as beautiful as ever. Jen had underwent a c-section and we found that Lucius was having trouble descending being that his umbilical was wrapped around his body. He unfortunately had fluid in his lungs and needed help breathing until he absorbed it all. NICU is taking care of him for a couple of days to prevent any infections so he won't be staying in Jens' room:( But, other than that he's awesome! He hasn't needed any extra help with oxygen or iv's since 12 hrs after delivery! So far he doesn't cry for more than 10 seconds at a time (keep that one going strong buddie) and very okay with all that is happening around him. Goin' with the flow. I can't believe how much I love my baby. Papi-

The Waiting Game

2007-12-05T19:02:00.000-08:00

I assumed that by now, we would be showing you all pictures of Lucius.... but it seems that he is content just hanging out. So as of today, he is 6 days over due. And everyday I am receiving phone calls from a dozen people who are wondering if I am in labor or not. (hint: if I am in labor, I will NOT pick up my phone!)

Our last doctors appointment was on Tuesday and she has scheduled a sonogram for tomorrow to determine his weight. If he is over 4,500 grams (9lb 15oz) she'll induce immediately. However, if he's not too large, she will induce next Wednesday, the 12th. Either way, this kids coming out whether he likes it or not!! I would prefer to go naturally, but what can I do?? I am very close to taking a shot of castor oil. Very close.....
~An impatient Mom

Bowling Bonanza!

2007-11-16T18:42:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, Michael, Dad, Bonnie and I went to a musical in Berkeley. My friend Brandilyn was the musical director and it was their last performance. The title was "A Shirtwaist Tale" and it was about Jewish shirtwaist makers in early America who were over worked and under payed. The musical tells of their strike and the hardships they endured. It was a great experience and the best part was the music, by far. Not only did Brandilyn direct the musical aspect of the play, but she also played the clarinet and rocked it out if I do say so myself!! Afterwards, we joined the cast and crew for a Chinese dinner. It was Dad and Bonnie's first experience in Berkeley and I think they really enjoyed themselves.

So it is a rare occasion when Michael and I attend the theater and we decided that one who attends theater must dress appropriately. So we did and it was fun. Even though I was 9 1/2 months pregnant, it felt good to dress up.

The good lookin' couple

Michael, Brandilyn and Me

This past Monday night, a few of us got together to rock it out at the bowling alley. There was Liz (Mz. Peggy Bruiser), Washington, Grace, Rich, Chris, and Michael and I. It was too much fun. Not only were we laughing up a storm, there also was a DJ who was playing early nineties music. We're talking Toni Tony Tone, Color Me Bad, Boyz 2 Men, Notorious BIG, LL Cool J and the like. So needless to say, we got our groove on! As it turns out, I am not the best prego bowler. The first two games I played, I sucked, relatively. So by the third game I tried to mix things up a bit and decided to bowl the entire game left handed. I doubled my score. I may never bowl right handed again!! Fear and relish in the power of the hand of left!!!

Michael, Chris and I were on one team: The Solid Gold Fantastics!, and Liz, Washington, Grace and Rich were on the other. I think their name was something like "The Tin So-So's." I can't remember. And considering the fact that they had one more player than us and we still scored higher than them (according to my memory!) we were the overall first place, blue ribbon, medal winners. Number 1. Yeah, that's pretty much how it went.
~Jen, member of The Solid Gold Fantastics!

The winners "The Solid Gold Fantastics!"

Michael, the bowler Extraordinaire!

Jen Rockin' it out!

Mz. Peggy Bruiser

My Beautiful Pregnant Wife

2007-11-09T01:40:00.000-08:00

Jen glowing. This happens daily, hourly, secondly and as the days go by I wish more and more that I didn't have to leave for work. Isn't she cute! We've been meaning to take a coupleof photos for the record but have been holding out until the bun was nice and hot. It's only gonna get hotter from here on out! Lucius kicks and pushes and hick ups every day. When I feel where he's at he'll push back at me. Reminds me of someone holding their hand up to the glass in prison, sort of:)>
NOTE TO LUCIUS: Don't go to prison!

Fatherly instincts already kicking in, cool.
proud papi

The Baby's Room (completed)

2007-11-09T01:15:00.000-08:00

So, here's a couple of shots of the baby's room after the baby showers we had, adorned with all a baby could ask for! I have to admit the place looks great! Either this kid is going to poop his pants at the sight of it all or he won't know what to make of it. I can't wait to see what he'll do! I'm voting poop=) Enjoy, proud papi.

Decompression

2007-11-08T22:00:00.001-08:00

So every year after Burning Man, there is a Decompression. Basically, people who went to Burning Man get together and throw a huge block party. Since Michael and I were unable to make it to the playa this year, we made sure that we went to Decom. But, in addition to attending, we also volunteered! We had the time of our lives and have vowed to volunteer much more often. We were stationed at a will call booth for performers and theme camps and our shift was about 3 hours long. We got to meet and greet dozens of people and had a great time doing it. It definitely made our Decompression experience 1,000 times more enjoyable. After our shift was over, we meet up with Scott and Patrick and cruised the 6 blocks that the party consumed. There were 6 stages with live bands, performers, and shows going on all day. In addition to that, there were also theme camps set up and DJ's playing, and art installations. I put the photos in a slide show to the right. check 'em out!

Needless to say it was a great day. I loved dressing up and Michael and I made quite the couple. Scott and Patrick rocked it out in their own right even though they've never been to the playa or knew what to expect. It was fun. And being that I was 8 months pregnant at the time, I have to say, I looked grrrrrreat!

~jenMichael and I at Will Call

An art installation

Michael, Scott and Patrick the Pirate

Our new Kitty

2007-10-05T01:55:00.000-07:00

We have a new addition to our family. Her name is Cheeto and she's 4 months old. Scott and Patrick found her and her litter when they were 1 day old. They hand fed them and cared for them for weeks until they either gave them to friends or a no-kill shelter. But Scott kept Cheeto and eventually gave her to us. So, she was never weened and subsequently, has this suckling habit. It's sooo cute!

We love her. When she first arrived, we thought she was a he, but after taking her to get fixed and vaccinated, the vet informed us otherwise! She constantly terrorizes our other cat, Dixie Rex, but it gives him plenty of excersize.
~A happy family

Baby Shower

2007-10-05T01:29:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, September 16th, my friend Stacey threw us an amazing baby shower. It was in Rebecca's back yard. It was beautiful. The theme was high tea. Stacey went all out, making tea sandwiches, collecting a few dozen quaint tea cups and pots, and hanging wind chimes and flowers in the surrounding trees. It seemed like a magical day! Lots of people came and we had a great time.

We also had another sonogram done a week ago. All seems healthy and well. It's just that Lucius seems to be a big baby. At 31 weeks, he's 4lb 11oz! almost 2 pounds more than "usual" but the doctor says that he's well in the "normal" range. We did have a slight scare last week when I started having contractions during work. Our doctor told us to go to the hospital just in-case, but it turns out that they were just practice contractions. We still have 8 weeks to go, I don't mind waiting! I don't want to have a big baby, but I don't want a small baby either. A medium sized baby, like 7-8 pounds, would be perfect! We'll see.......
~mama jen

Baby Moon

2007-09-09T23:16:00.000-07:00

It has been a fun and busy week for Michael and me. We started it off with a visit from Emily and Eric. It was a lot of fun going up to Sacramento and then over to the Russian River with them. They were here until Tuesday afternoon, which was also our 3rd anniversary. That night, Michael and I went to Chez Panisse. It's a small restaurant in Berkeley that we have wanted to visit for a while. It was great!

On Thursday, we left early in the morning (11 am) and drove down to San Simeon. We checked into our hotel and checked out the sunset.

That night we went to Moonstone beach and ate at a oceanside restaurant. Cute and fun.
Friday was our busiest day. We had two tours scheduled at Hearst Castle: one in the morning and the evening tour. They were both great. The morning tour featured an overview of the Castle and a charismatic and highly knowledgeable tour guide. We were very excited about the evening tour because they have actors who dress up in 30's costumes and walk around the grounds. So Michael and I took that as an invitation to dress up as well! We are good lookin'! That was the most fun! Although nobody else dressed up, I could tell that the wished they did after seeing us!

In between the two tours, we explored the small towns around Hearst Castle. We went to Moro Rock and saw some seals (and the rock, which is really like a small island) and went to Cambria for lunch. We just bummed around and enjoyed each others company.

On Saturday, which happened to be my birthday, we checked out of the hotel and headed up the 1 to Monterey Bay. There we had lunch( I had crab) with an ocean view.

We ended our trip at Dad and Bonnie's place for a home cooked meal: manicotti and chocolate cake! Yummy!
Overall, it's been an awesome time. Michael and I just wanted to spend some time together before the baby came. We always laugh a lot and there's nothing better than going on adventures with your best friend.
~a happy and rejuvenated jen

Baby Room

2007-08-23T09:30:00.000-07:00

We decided to convert our dining area into our baby room. Our friend wants to silk screen images on the walls, but in order to accomplish that feat, the wall surface needed to be smooth and our walls in that room had a good amount of plaster texture. So instead of sanding the plaster down or plastering over the plaster, Gramma Callahan had the genius idea of putting a lining paper (similar to wall paper but much thicker to cover textures and imperfections) up to cover the texture! She's a smart one. Not only did it work wonders but it wasn't as messy as the other options. When Dad and Bonnie came up, they helped us put up the liner paper and we accomplished the job in record time!

Dad and Bonnie only stayed for a few nights. When they left Scott and Patrick came up just in time to help us paint the room! How convenient! With all the help, we got the whole room papered and painted in just a few days. It was great to have the help. Here are a few "before and after" pictures of the room and of the crib that the guys put together. It's not a huge room, 8x8, but it's just for a baby, right?

Before

After

The crib!

Sonogram

2007-08-12T12:32:00.001-07:00

The 18 week sonogram
... and no, that's his pelvis and spine!!

Belly Shot

2007-08-12T12:18:00.000-07:00

Okay Karen, this one's for you. Here are a few photos of me at 25 weeks pregnant! Everyone says that I'm not that big, but I feel HUGE! Everything is going well. Michael felt the baby kick the other night! Finally! I feel him move ALL the time. It kinda feels like gas but then you don't fart!
We are looking forward to Dad and Bonnie's arrival tonight. They are moving back to the bay area and are gonna stay with us for a few nights. I am happy and excited that they will be so close when Lucius is born. It's always good to have family near by. And in a few days, my brothers, Scott and Patrick, will be coming up. It should be fun.
~jen

Top of the World!

2007-08-07T23:04:00.000-07:00

When Michael and I were down south, he took me to a spot where he and his friends use to hangout in high school. They called it "the Top of the World." Here are a few photos from the top.
~mama jen with baby lucius kicking in her belly ;)

Getting Started

2007-08-07T20:33:00.000-07:00

So we're havin' a baby and I've decided that the best way for the grandparents and great grandparents and uncles and aunties and ALL the family to keep updated with us would be to try and create a blog of sorts where we can post whats new and exciting with our family and hopefully, if I can figure out how to, post photos and video. We'll see how well this works!
So, as of today, I am 23 weeks pregnant! We went to the doctors last week and she says that everything is going well. My favorite part about going to see Dr. Kaur is that we get to hear the baby's heart beat. It's so strong! He has been kicking and moving more these days. Soon I think Michael will be able to feel him kick.
~mommy jen