Jacob's on the Move

Jacob, apparently unsatisfied with life on his back, has decided to make a move. He rolled! The first time we discovered him on his belly we wondered if it was a fluke, but over the last few days, each time he was placed on his back he would end up on his tummy. At 2 1/2 months, he has achieved this milestone earlier than any of his siblings who were each between three and four months.

Because the bassinet does not provide enough space to safely complete a roll, this event has also led to a move of another sort: the one from the bassinet next to our bed to a crib in his own room.

Baby Jacob is a joy in our lives. We love his sweet smiles and his growing interest in all of the hustle and bustle around him. We are treasuring each moment he is small, for we know how fast babies grow.

Christmas 2008

Christmas 2008 has come and gone. The tree was in the living room this year (and so too, therefore, were the presents), there was a new child in the mix, and the other kids got a bit bigger, but other than that it was much the same as Christmases past: little sleep, uber-excitement, moderate chaos, lots of family time, and an all-round great day.

Oh yeah, and a Wii. (No doubt more on that later.)

Abby Joins the Emergency Room Club; Pete One-Ups Her

December saw the Willis family mark some medical treatment milestones.

After a pair of scissors that Abby had used at a church activity somehow found their way into her knee, she got to experience her first trip to the emergency room and her first set of stitches. This is especially significant because Abby, to that point, had been the only Willis child (exempting Jacob) entirely unfamiliar with ER life. We even wrote about it in a previous entry. Luckily, Jen was with her when the event transpired, no doubt mitigating the trauma (at least a little) and she is now no worse for the wear (well, except for the scar).

Not to be outdone, Pete this month became the first Willis child to stay overnight at the ER. He came down with a case of croup on a Friday night, rested most of the day on Saturday, but experienced difficulty breathing after waking up from a late afternoon nap. Although his breathing quickly improved once he received a nebulizer steroid treatment at the hospital, the doctors wanted to keep him overnight for monitoring. This was no inconvenience for Pete. Jen and I switched shifts (she had taken him to the ER -- I don't deal with that kind of thing very well) and Pete and I spent the night in a nice big room within the pediatric ER wing (a nice facility) watching movies and cartoons late into the evening and being waited upon by a conscientious medical staff. After he checked out fine in the morning, he still didn't want to leave. Why would he?

To all of you doctors and nurses out there, Thanks.

Abby's Knee -- post-scissor attack

Pete in his "alien mask" that the nurses let him bring home.

The Name and the Blessing

Last Sunday, Baby Jake was blessed. As with all such events, it was very special. We even took a few pictures after-the-fact.




(The blessing also marked the first Melchizedek Priesthood ordinance participated in by my youngest brother Peter, who received that priesthood just two days before, from our father. This will be significant for anybody who knows Peter.)

Uncle Peter and Baby Jake

If a Tree Falls in the Woods...

Yes, it makes a sound. That sound was heard by our neighbor a couple of weekends ago as one of our trees succumbed to mother nature's not-so-gentle breezes and fell, in part, in our neighbor's yard and on one of his trees. I thought the resulting pictures were kind of neat (although I should have taken some before we started cutting).

My neighbor, surveying the aftermath

Unleashing the Dormant Spirit

I'm not big on motivational speakers, books, posters, or the like. I don't have any framed art in my office featuring sweeping scenes of misty mountain tops and titles such as "Vision" or "Fortitude." I haven't read "The Purpose Driven Life" (although I'm pretty sure I've read "Seven Habits" -- at least the first seven). I had difficulty in my college days sitting through sales meetings in which managers offered impassioned pleas about the apparently trascendent importance of selling more security systems, more cell phones, more extended warranties.

I don't mean to suggest there is anything wrong with these things. But for whatever reason (pride, probably) I've tended to be somewhat dismissive of their ability to really change my life.

So, why the disclaimer? Because a few months ago I came across a YouTube clip from a talk presented by LDS General Authority Elder F. Enzio Busche to students at BYU in 1996 -- and notwithstanding its blatant motivational-tool format, I was deeply moved. The talk itself, entitled "Unleashing the Dormant Spirit," is even better. One gem, from the many:

"In my understanding, maybe the most important principle that came to light in the message of the Restoration is the revelation that man is not a slave, not a victim of circumstances--that he is an agent for himself. When we have learned to understand this principle, we also may become aware of the somewhat frightening understanding of the consequences of this responsibility in our lives. We are no longer able to hide in ignorance or to blame circumstances or other factors that may have influenced us. Through Christ's spirit we are liberated. Understanding this principle is a very important element for our own conversion. Seeing ourselves in our full responsibility means also seeing ourselves in our weaknesses, in our lost opportunities, and in our failures--which makes us humble and meek. We see the necessity to enter into a covenant with the author of life, to activate the atoning blood of Christ to wash us clean, and to embrace, gratefully, the gracious gift of the Holy Ghost for our essential empowerment. Many times in our life it happens that these gifts of the Spirit rest dormant in us."

Plus, what a great title. Take a minute (or six) to watch.

(Note: You will have to pause the streaming blog music at the bottom of the page -- unless of course you want Elder Busche's words to be mixed with the selection of the day.)

Bilirubin Blues

So, Jacob has thus far presented as a generally healthy baby -- albeit a bit yellow.

Due to bilirubin levels [considerably] higher than our pediatrician wanted to see, Baby Jake spent the better part of 5 days after he came home from the hospital wrapped in a "bili-blanket"and endured having his poor heels pricked for blood tests so many times that even the people in the lab were starting to feel bad for the little guy. Although the blanket was a bit of an inconvenience, we are grateful we were able to treat him at home (the doctor was very close to admitting him) and are even more grateful that his count appears to have dropped into safe territory. The experience also afforded us the opportunity, for several days, to sleep with a big blue glow-worm curled-up in our arms. How many people can say that?


And just so you know that he is looking and doing great...