growing, growing, gone!

New Basketball goal from Aunt Shazah!

2 points!

Peepaw!

Jake havin' fun!

Please stop taking my picture!!

Don't take any more pictures!



Goats!


Quit taking my picture!!!


A Longhorn feeding a Longhorn!

Jake is growing soooo fast! I swear, he grows an inch every time I turn around. He's starting to imagine now too! It's so fun to watch him play. Just this morning he decided that his cozy coup was "Dad's truck" and he was going to Mimi and Grandad's in it. He got in, closed the door and said "See you later!" He says so many cute things. One of my faves? "Sit in lap, Mommy, right now?" And the way he says "Cewious Goourge" (Curious George) is just too dang cute for words. I'm so proud of my boy...

Can Can Kids

Star in Your Own JibJab! It's Free!I know it's stupid! But it's soooo funny!

Jake and Ella Doing the Charleston

Star in Your Own JibJab! It's Free!

Jake's 2nd Birthday Party

Well Jake's b-day party was a hit. I have more pics to come, but here is a start...

he's having a really good time!

Yes, he's drinking coke...it's his birthday after all!

He LOVES Curious George! He begs to watch it everyday, so he was ecstatic about getting him for his birthday!

It was so sweet...he just stared at it with that sweet look on his face for about 30 seconds.

Ella on the Mickey plane!

Mmm... cake!

I'm trying to eat Dad!

This is really good...

Hey Conan, what is up with this juice?

I don't know Makena, but this cake is good!

The party!

Jake and Ryan...sooooo cute!

Had to take a little break and have Mimi read me a story.

Xander came too! He's so cute!

This was Grandad for most of the party...snapping away with the camera!

Color time!

Snacking on an apple.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches...always a hit with 2 year olds!

Here comes Ryan on the car! He loves riding toys!

Eating their snack.


I thought it was a great party. The kids and Jake had a good time. Thanks to everyone who came and helping make it a Happy 2nd Birthday!

Jake Jargon

Jake is playing in the kitchen with some cars and I hear "Bye-bye play-doh!" I'm a bit worried at this, because...well, I don't really have to explain why when it comes to an almost two year old and play-doh... Anyway, I go to check on him and he's got bits of play-doh in the seat of his car and pushing it around. How funny are kids!?

So Jake and I are watching a show about a boy that's about to become a big brother...so I ask him if he would ever like to be a big brother. He replies, "Uh-huh! For my birthday!" I don't think we can swing that one, Son! Maybe next year!!!


Ok, so Jake is almost two... I can't believe it. He amazes me everyday. What an awesome journey raising him as been, and I've only come such a short way. To see him grow and change everyday is the biggest blessing I have ever been, well, blessed with! I mean what do parents want most for their children. To grow up in a happy home, and for their children to be happy. That's the biggest thing right? More than anything else... So when Brian, myself and Jake were having some family time and Jake stopped what he was doing, looked up at us and said "I happy!" How do you think I felt? I tell ya, my heart broke! But in the good way!!! Then later that night after I asked him about what he had said earlier, he responded with, "Happy....happy home." Well, it was almost too much for my heart to take. That's all I want for my sweet, baby boy. And I'm so happy that we've been able to give that to him... And in return, he's made me the happiest mom ever!!! I thank God for giving bringing together Brian and I and blessing us with Jake. And I thank Him even more for allowing us to provide our son with a happy, healthy home to grow up in.

AMAZING....

OK, so I have some more stories to post. I'm not good about writing stuff down in the baby book, so this is where I do it. So please! Humor me...

Story 1)
Brian, myself, Jake and Brian's parents are all sitting down for dinner. Jake finishes before us and gets up to play. He puts on Mimi's (Brian's mom, otherwise known as Freda) shoe and starts talking about it.
Then he puts it on backwards and looks up at Mimi and says "Backwards?"
Mimi thinks this is pretty cool. She praises him for knowing that it is backwards and then says, "Oh Jake, sometimes you amaze me..."
To which Jake promptly replies, "AMAZING!"

Story 2)
Brian, Jake and I are sitting down playing while the news is on. Well a commercial comes on about HBO that has a bunch of movie clips and a clip from Cars comes on. Jake sees it and starts asking to see cars.
Then he says, "Coming? Coming?"
I don't really answer him because I'm trying to get his mind off of it and onto something else, when he says "Coming soon?"
Where do they get this stuff!?

Story 3)
Jake's potty training is going well. I never expected him to be using the potty at all at this point, so the fact that he likes to use it some is great! So the other morning when he woke up, I asked if he wanted to go potty. He said yes, so I took him in there and he went. I praised him for it, and asked if he was done, but he said no. So I waited....and waited. I asked if he was done, and again he said no. This happened 2 more times, so I said "OK, I'll be right back and you call me when your done..." About a minute later I went to check on him and the bathroom door had been pushed shut (not totally closed). I opened the door to ask him if he was done, but he interrupted me with "Close it!" I was like, "OK...." Then a few moments later I hear, "Mommy, downstairs?" I ask if he's done, he tells me yes. I then look and see he's gone number 2. I'm proud! But, when did privacy become a factor for a 2 year old!? Wow...

Story 4)
Brian and I took Jake to the beach pool at Stonebridge today. We were having a blast, and got out for a break. Jake saw a little girl playing with a bucket in the sand and wanted to do the same, so I gave him his bucket and he went for the shore. Then all of a sudden, he drops the bucket and goes out into the water. Brian and I call for him to come back, but he doesn't listen. So Brian runs after him and gets to him, just as his head goes under and he's literally floating under the water! Good grief! I don't want him to be scared of the water...but a little respect for it might be nice! He coughed, spat and begged for more! FEARLESS!!!!


I wish we could take these moments and put them directly from our brains and onto video! It just all goes by so fast. I can't believe how much he is changing and how smart he's becoming. Ahhh, the moments come and go, never to be seen again. Well, at least I have my trusty blog! And at least you can share in the moments with me!

French Fries?

So Jake and I are sitting down, doing what is arguably his favorite thing to do, reading. We get to a book on wild animals and I'm pointing out different things about each animal, when we get to the elephant. This picture has an elephant with really long tusks. So I'm reading the book when Jake interrupts me with "French fries?" I don't know what he's talking about at first, but then I realize it's the tusk. I laugh and tell him, that no those aren't french fries, those are tusks. He will hear nothing of it. This is the way it went...
Jake: French Fries?
Mom: No, Honey, those are tusks...
Jake: French Fries, yum!
Mom: Those are tusks Honey, (I'm laughing at this point)
Jake: MMMMMMMM!
Mom: (laughing hysterically)

Kids are so funny!

Eye woes

Thanks to all of you and your prayers. Jake is doing much better. His eye just has a little redness to it. But this is what he looked like the other day...

Grease!

As most of you know I've been teaching voice lessons for years now. Well, the student I've had the longest (5 years), and my best singer...was in Grease! the musical last weekend. Karley played the part of Rizo, and totally stole the show. I know I sound biased...but trust me, she out acted and out sang everyone on that stage! Several people made comments about it. I was so proud! She's competing at State Solo and Ensemble this weekend...wish her luck!

Sassy Rizo, she played the part well!

The cast

Close up of Karley

Proud teacher!
(I know I look like I'm not wearing make up, but it's just because of the stage make up that Karley has on!)

Bath tub woes!

I was running the bath water for Jake, and went to go get a towel. I was gone for literally 10 seconds and came back to this!

He climed into the bath tub, fully clothed! What a stinker!!!

What?

Cookies with Mommy

The yummy cookie dough!

I'm having so much fun!

You know how you put water in the mixing bowl when your done? Well, Jake decided to scoop it up with a spoon and drink the water...and called it "juice"!!!!!!

I'm such a stinker!

Mmmmmm....

These are great!

I wasn't feeling well this past week. Mommy tried everything to keep me from running around, so that I could rest and get better, but nothing seemed to work. Until, that is...we made peanut butter cookies! Not just any old peanut butter cookies, but cookies made with whole wheat flour, honey, and dark brown sugar. They were not only yummy, they were good for me too! I really enjoyed myself. I kept saying "mmm!" at the top of my lungs, while trying to eat the dough. Mommy had a good time too. She said her kitchen was messy (I don't know what she's talking about) but that it was worth it. I hope we get to make more soon!

So many new things!

Jake loves this hat! It's way too small on him...it's supposed to go on a stuffed ginger bread man at Mimi's house!

Jake is changing at record pace. He is talking so well now, and soaking up everything like a sponge. He's done so many funny things, and I have to write them down...

Warrior Child!
Brian turned on the TV and Lord of the Rings was on. Of course it's too violent for Jake, so he turned it right away...but Jake saw a battle scene where everyone was running to the field with swords raised and shouting battle cries. I guess he loved it because a few minutes later, he had picked up the dowel that we use to lock the sliding glass door, was holding it up as high as he could, while running and yelling at the top of his lungs. Then I started doing the same thing and he couldn't stop laughing.

No, No, No, Jake!
Just as I woke up one morning, Jake was in his crib talking to himself. I heard all kinds of mummerings, and then I hear, "No, no, NO, NO! No, Jake!" I felt terrible! Is that all he ever hears?!

I Dub Doo!
One night Brian and I went out to dinner and left Jake with Mimi and Grandad. I gave Jake a hug, and said " I love you!" as I was walking out the door, when Brian and I hear, "I dub doo!" ....His first I love you!

Hot Ball
For some reason, any ball is a 'Hot Ball." Football, basketball, baseball, golf ball, even hockey, is Hot Ball! We have no idea where this came from!!! :)

Beez?
I read a book of rhymes to Jake every night before bed. One of the rhymes goes like this...
Here is the bee hive.
Where are the bees?
Hidden away where nobody sees.
Watch them now, come out of the hive...
One, two, three, four, five...
BZZZZZZ! All fly way! (I always tickle him on this part)
Anyway, he always asks me to say the rhyme by saying "Beez?" and when I do, he smiles from ear to ear, and sticks out his belly in happiness. Too cute!



Jake is developing into such a person now! So much personality, likes and dislikes, even a sense of humor! I can't believe how much fun he's become in the past few months. I just want to squeeze him all the time! Who knew having a baby would be so wonderful?