Man I love these boys!

I’m working on Jake’s letter, but I will probably wait to post until after his party next weekend. However, here is his 12 month picture with Rex!

Dear Jake,

Every week it has been something. Last week I took you to the doctor and you had an ear infection and upper respiratory infection. Seriously, I am so ready for Spring!!! Despite being sick or snotty nosed (which you still are, by the way) you are changing so much everyday. You are WALKING! Last month you did a lot of standing alone, and now you are walking! Sometimes you take 3 steps, other time you walk across the living room. Your balance is getting better and better, and I think by next month you won’t be crawling at all. Makes me a little sad. Soon you will be a toddler and not my baby. The past 3 days you haven’t been taking a bottle before bed. I alway give you a sippy cup during the day, but at bedtime we give you a bottle. I was planning on stopping when you turned a year old, but I guess you are ready now. Tonight I really felt like you weren’t my baby. After your bath, I brushed your teeth and read you a book and sang to you before I put you in your crib. You are just growing up so fast.

You have added waving and saying “Bah-bye” to your “bag of tricks.” It’s so cute! Sometimes if we do it then you will do it, and other times you will just randomly start waving. Either way, it is pretty adorable. You still say “ball” all the time and that is pretty much your favorite toy. The little end table that sits next to the couch has always been the snack and drink table for Max. We put his cup there with his breakfast or snack so that he can just take a bit and get a drink whenever he wants. We have done the same thing for you. We put your sippy cup on the edge of the table so that you can reach it, and we leave cheerios or whatever cereal or snack you are eating on the edge so that you can reach it. It is so funny because whenever you get thirsty or hungry you jus walk over to the table and start shoving food into your mouth. When you run out of whatever snack you are eating and you want more you start kind of yelling, “ehhh!” Max is usally the one that responds first and takes a handful of cereal out the bowl and putting it on the edge of the table so that you can reach it.

It snowed almost a foot a few weeks ago! It broke a bunch of records because it NEVER snow in Texas, and if it does it doesn’t snow much. Max and I built a snow man while you were taking a nap. When you woke up we went out in the front yard to play for a little while. You weren’t so sure about the snow, but I let you crawl around in it. We didn’t stay out for very long, I think you started getting cold! Who wouldn’t get cold if they were on all fours in the snow! It was just so neat for it to snow so much here!

This winter has been rough on you. Max has hardly ever been sick, and you haven’t been sick until now. Last month you and Max got RSV. Two weeks ago you and Max both got a fever and started coughing, AGAIN! I didn’t take you to the doctor right away, but finally, after two weeks, I did. You kept randomly pulling on your right ear so I finally decided to take you to the doctor. I’m glad I went with my instinct because you had an ear infection and an upper respiratory infection. You are still taking your antibiotics, but you still seem a little fussy, especially in the evenings. I have noticed that you keep putting your finger way back in your mouth and chewing on it. I looked in your mouth today and noticed your gums were red and swollen on the top right hand side. I’m pretty sure you are getting some molars. It has been a rough few weeks. I think you are finally well, just teething, again.

Max has this headband with bunny ears on it that Nona gave him a long time ago. The other day you discovered it in the toy box and we all took turns putting them on our head and singing, “Harry the Bunny” except we inserted our own names. It was really cute because when I started singing you started bouncing and “dancing.” Since then you have figured out how to get the bunny ears on all by yourself. You get this expression on your face when you do it and you seem so proud of yourself. You are so used to me singing the little song, “It’s Jake the bunny, he likes to act so funny!” that you automatically start bouncing around when you put the headband on. The cutest thing is when you leave the bunny ears on and continue to roam around playing. You are such a funny bunny!

You are starting to try and say more words. You say, “ball” all the time. You say it when you see a ball, or if you are looking for a ball. It is the main word you say. You still say, “mama” and this past month you started saying, “uh-oh.” You usually say it when you drop something or throw something. You are trying to dog but the “g” doesn’t usually come out so it sounds like, “dau.” You are responding to different things I say and I know you understand me by how you react. When ask where your cup is you will usually go find it. If I ask if you want a bite you will hold your hand out or go over to the “snack table” to find something to eat. Speaking of eating, you are a good eater! At your last doctor’s visit you weighed almost 23 pounds. You will eat pretty much anything but it depends on your mood. One day you will eat something and the next day you will push your tongue out of your mouth so I can’t possibly shove anything into it. I would still consider Cheetos as your favorite food. That’s what I give you in church to keep you quiet. You are still such a wiggle worm in church.

I love you so much. I’m starting to plan your birthday party. While it’s exciting, it’s a little sad to watch you growing up so fast. You will always be my baby, no matter how old you are.

Love,
Mama

(11 Months)

Video to come!

Dear Jake,

So we didn’t start this week off very well. Today you are 10 months old and you have RSV. It is a nasty respiratory virus that basically makes you sound like you smoke 6 packs a day. You have a runny nose and you are basically coughing and having trouble breathing. Max also has RSV (and an ear infection) and had to have a breathing treatment today. Right now I am having to keep a close eye on you and Max and when you have a coughing fit or sound like you are wheezing I have to give you a breathing treatment. I’m not looking forward to attempting to give you a treatment because I’m sure you are going to fight me the whole time. My poor little boys!

So many fun things happened with you over the course of the last month. You experienced snow for the first time! We got to play in the backyard for a little while, which you love, and I don’t think you were quite sure what to make of the snow. Of course, you ate some. You and Max got a Power Wheels “Arctic Cat” and you both love it. Max drives you around in circles in the backyard and you love it. Sometimes, he even lets you touch the steering wheel. We also took a trip to Oklahoma and we went to the New Years meeting. It was your first “big church meeting” besides Labor Day, and Lord willing, there will be many more trips to various meetings in your future. I dare say, you made some friends. Towards the end of the services it seemed like the back of the building was “baby row” because there were several of us trying to wrestle tired and fidgety babies.

You have started doing so many new “tricks” this month.I can’t believe it but you have been standing on your own lately! You’ve been pulling up and cruising for a while now but just this month you started letting go. It’s really funny when you do it because you have this look on your face like, “Hey, look what I can do!” Actually, today you took your first independent step! I was sitting on the floor playing with you and you were holding onto the ottoman. Next thing I know you let go and stand there looking at me and take one step and fall into my arms. It was awesome, and I’m so glad I didn’t miss it. You also said your first word outside of “mama” this past month. Oddly enough, you and Max both said “mama” first and you also both said “ball” as your first word. The way you say it is so cute and sometimes is sounds like “bah” and other times is sounds like “bawl” with an emphasis on the “w” sound. Do you even have to ask if I got on video? Of course I did. So that little 3 foot slide of ours was the best $35 I ever spent. Max jumps from it and now when we sit you at the top of it you rock back and forth until your momentum sends you sliding down. It is hilarious, and yes, I got that on video too. I spent $200 on that iPhone and you better believe I’m going to put it to good use.

The past few days you have started mocking things we do or things Max does. I was blowing bubbles with my gum and I guess you just saw the part where I stick my tongue out. If anyone sticks their tongue out at you then you do it back. You’re such a character. You will be playing and you randomly start snorting when you get excited on your mission to get something. Usually that something is what your brother is playing with. At church you have started to “sing” along during the song service, and sometimes when it’s dead silent. The best thing though, is that you give kisses. When I tell you to give me a kiss you open your mouth and plant one on me. It is so slobbery and I absolutely love it.

Have I mentioned that you are getting some hair? Ever so often you will realize it’s there and you pull it and then yelp as though someone else has hurt you. Dude, you are the one pulling it! Also, you must think it’s fun to rub food all over your face and in your hair when you are no longer interested in eating it. Now, you’ve learned another way to entertain yourself, by throwing your food to the dogs. Allie and Zeke love that now there are two of you to sit under during dinner. You get a piece of food in your hand and hold it up as high as you can and then lean over the side of your high chair and watch the dogs scramble for it as it falls. I’m not that worried about it though, you weighed in at 22 pounds at the doctor so it’s not like you’re skipping many meals.

There is nothing that I love more than getting you out of your crib in the morning or after one of your naps. Usually you are sitting there staring at the door, or you are standing in your crib watching the door. You always greet me with a smile and reach for the doorknob and play with it. You are such a mischievous little booger. I have really enjoyed you being a baby and it makes me a little sad that you won’t be my baby much longer. I’m going to stock up on those slobbery kisses while I can!

Love,

Mama

10 Months Old

Video of Jake saying “Ball”