Birthday, Christmas, baseball, all in first week

After four months away from home recuperating from a critical brain injury, Joey Jacobsen is wasting no time catching up.

How does Little League practice, high school baseball, 11th birthday party and a delayed Christmas celebration sound in the first full week home?

"It's fan-tas-tic," Joey said at his birthday party Saturday at the Ferris Park and Pavilion.

About 100 family members, friends, classmates and teammates stopped by to wish Joey a happy birthday and continue the welcome home that began March 18 when the Jacobsens returned from an Oakland children's hospital.

Joey was injured Nov. 22 in a tree-cutting accident in Markleeville.

On Saturday, he was in his uniform as a Douglas High School batboy and stayed for half the double header with Fallon.

"That's the right place to be," he said.

His mother, Robbi Jacobsen, said he told her the Douglas game "was the most fun he's had in four months."

His birthday gift was a pair of tickets to a New England Patriots game with his father Tim.

And on Saturday, it's Christmas at grandmother Betty Jacobsen's house.

"We're having a tree and everything," he said. "The thing I missed most was my family."

His new schedule includes home health care for two weeks followed by outpatient rehabilitation three times a week in Reno and Minden and homebound school.

Older brother Timmy, 14, said he was happy to have Joey home.

"It feels good. It's been a long time. He's been through a lot and I am glad we're all home together," Timmy said.

While his parents were in Reno and Oakland, Timmy stayed with Bob and Denise Rudnick and their sons Tim and Scott.

"I was like their little brother," he said. "I just want to thank everyone for believing in Joey and all they did for us."