Jake is ONE!!!

It’s hard to believe that Jake is one year old. I don’t know if I thought we wouldn’t make it or what. I’ve definitely lived more “in the moments” this year than projecting into the future because many days I could not see past the tip of my nose.

Gratefully Jake has been such a good baby. And yet this year has been one of the hardest I can remember. Jake was born with an underdeveloped digestive system. Doesn’t sound that bad when there are so many other unfortunate circumstances all around, but as a mom, I cringed when my baby was in so much pain and despite all my efforts, I couldn’t make it better. I have been so taxed and stressed with his condition while managing motherhood responsibilities that I have battled feelings of inadequacy more than ever.

So to be where we are today seems almost an act of mercy. Jake has been on goat’s milk since he was four months old. Jake and I both struggled to nurse for two months before I tried other options. In the end, we found the only thing he could keep down was raw goat’s milk. I found some lady 30 minutes away that would sell me unpasturized goat’s milk and then I have supplemented with vitamins and minerals.

It took me four kids with reflux and digestive issues to figure out that Brandon and I do not make the best systems. Nursing may have gone better if I went off of all dairy products. Who knows. But the funny thing is, when we were together with my family at Christmas time (Jake was 6 months old) my dad saw the goat’s milk in the fridge. He said, “Oh, I had to be on goat’s milk until I was 2 years old. It’s the only thing I could keep down.” (That information REALLY WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL MONTHS AGO!!!) I’ve become a pro at traveling with a cooler wherever we go and have even resourced goats in Idaho that have supplemented the supply when we are visiting family.

I have been more accommodating to night wakings and discomfort because I think he has needed additional nutrition. The pediatrician has been concerned for his weight and growth, ignoring my brush-offs that he’s on track with two of my other children. (At his 12 month check-up he was 3% for weight and 50% for height.) In fact, Drew’s the only one who’s had a different growth curve with weight. Drew's actually normal compared to the charts. The others have been tall and skinny. Still, it’s a problem now with a 12-month old baby who wakes in the night!!!

But the goat’s milk has only been one part of the problem. He couldn’t keep things down on the upper end or get things out on the lower end. The gastrointestinal specialist had no suggestions that I hadn’t already tried. His best advice was “maybe he’ll grow out of it by 10 months” but he had no rational explanations. Interesting to note, when I was taking my friend’s Zone Reflex class a couple months ago, she said exercise helps strengthen the muscles of the digestive system. Jake was 11 months when we started to see some improvement. About 10 1/2 months Jake started crawling on all fours. (Army crawl had been his preferred mode of mobility since 8 months.) He had already been climbing and walking around furniture, but we could not get him to crawl. 10 days later he was walking. “Exercise” for him finally included his lower limbs and the results with his bowel movements were amazing. In fact, all at once, he became a new baby. I delayed introducing baby food but he didn’t seem to be phased once 11 months rolled around. He has been catching up on everything he’s been missing. Forget flavorless mush, he wants FOOD!!! And he seems to be handling it o.k.

I must say, there has been a residual side effect that the entire family is growing tired of. When he would have a bowel movement, or be attempting to, he would SCREAM bloody murder. And this would happen once or twice a day, never really predictable. That’s one reason leaving him with babysitters was so difficult. How do you explain to a teenager, “When he starts screaming, hurry and pull off his diaper and “help” him poop.” A little too much for them. ☺ But that’s what would happen. Jake figured out because he was screaming out of pain (hemorrhoids and bloody stool) I would come running and apply pressure to help move things along. Once when he was sick he had a diaper with direah and I cried tears of joy! Who cared if he pooped up his back and ruined all his clothes? I know this all sounds gross, but that’s life.

So the side effect of his condition is he knows if he screams at the top of his lungs, he gets attention. He has been nick-named, “The Raptor.” It’s rather annoying.

Aside from his physical pain, he has been very content to be a part of the family. Adjusting to the siblings took a while (they can be a bit overbearing) but now he LOVES their attention. He wants to be part of the action and is doing a fair job to keep up. He is sooooo sweet and loves to give hugs but he saves most of his kisses for mom. He is so cute and loveable – the type of baby that makes you question why you don’t have more.

I definitely take lots of pictures of his development because I just can’t resist. He is so proud of himself when he accomplishes something new. He is quite the Houdini and fits right in with his agile siblings. (See "Up and Coming Trouble Maker") He climbs like a monkey which is why for his first birthday, he got a monkey cake. AND, he inherited the cursed “Bishop” ears (my mom’s side), but I think they are cute!!! He wears them well.


Jake, we love you and are soooo glad you came to our family. We would not want life to be any different.


The kids helped me decorate for the party. I don't remember going to this much effort on their first birthdays, but when you have older kids, they want to make everything a big deal. (Or maybe now they are my excuse.) They appreciate the party decor much more than the one-year old.


More than eating the cake, Jake loved to squish the chocolate between his fingers. Still, he had his fair share of sugar that night. :)