Playing Cars

Britton has been waiting a long time for Jake to be interested in cars.

Who do you think is having more fun in this picture?

I'd say it's pretty close.

:)

Turning into a little boy

He might still have plenty of baby chub, and not very much hair on his head...but Jake sure is growing up fast. Tomorrow he will be 15 months old. Here's some things that Jake enjoys:

• rough housing
• eating dog food when no one is looking
• opening doors (yes he can reach the handle and he figured it out quick)
• a bottle o' milk
• talking--this kid is a chatterbox
• attempting to stick his finger in any electric outlet he can find
• Gunther (my parent's dog). He regularly says Gunther's name, but not Mama.
• looking out windows and talking about what he can see (in his own language)
• playing outside! he cries when it's time to go back inside.
• his cousins. period.
• dancing

Laugh!

Here is the cutest video of Jake laughing. He is super ticklish around his ribs....just like his Daddy!

PS--it's been mine and Britton's goal for a long time to buy a duplex, live in one side, and rent out the other and keep it as a long term investment once we grow out of it. This past week, we made an offer, went back and forth a couple of times, and reached mutual agreement! We had the inspection on Saturday, and only a few issues were found, the rest were cosmetic. We were expecting this, because it is a total fixer-upper. I mean it. You will laugh when I post pictures. Which I'm not ready to do yet. We are excited though--to do whatever we want with the place. We know it's the right choice and it's such a good investment. Hopefully things keep falling into place as they have been.

Favorite

This is my new favorite picture of Jake, taken courtesy of my sister Jamie on her cell phone.

Jake is creeping up on 15 months. I can't believe how fast time is going with this little boy. I truly do love this kid more than I ever knew was possible! He's such a character. He constantly talks in his little jibberish language, and he says it like he knows it and he's the boss.

Jake is starting to be able to play outside for the first time in his life. While we were in Rexburg he was just too little, and when we got to Kennewick all he could do was sit in the grass. Now that he's walking and it's starting to warm up (a little ) we go outside whenever we can! He loves picking up rocks and just seeing what he can see. He constantly falls on the uneven surface of the grass or pebble-y cement driveway but he just hops back up like it's nothing!

I love every day I spend with Jake. I'm so glad to be his Mommy!

Bath Time!

Tonight Jake took a bath with his cousin Kyle.

I think they had a pretty fun time.

Jake loves his cousins.

And they love him!

Sleepless in Seattle

This past week was my Spring Break. A week off from waking up early, a week off from the guilty feeling that I should be studying every time I turn on the TV, a week off from clinical, a week off from listening to lectures that I really don't want to be listening to.

At the beginning of my Spring Break, Sunday night, I made a list of things to get done.

1. study for med-surg!!!! (nope)
2. complete assignment #4 for ethics (1/2 way nope)
3. work on blog for N322 (nope)
4. finish Monique and the Mango Rains (nope)

I had also been planning a fun 3 day trip to visit my sister Jamie in Seattle. I had visions of playing games late into the night, buying loads of cute clothes, walking in the park with Jake every day...it was going to be a relaxing trip to Seattle to see Jamie.

But it wasn't to be.

We arrived in Seattle Tuesday evening. Jake was happy as a lark, exploring Jamie's apartment, flirting with her roommate, just being his happy silly self. Then bedtime came. That kid would NOT go to sleep. There was weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth...and then there was Jake. He SCREAMED. and SCREAMED. Eventually, in the wee hours of the morning, he fell asleep laying on my chest. He tossed and turned all night while laying on top of me, waking up every 30 minutes or so to let out a cry.

The next day was spent recovering...we did manage a walk in the park but it ended with Jake falling in a puddle in front of a large group of people who probably thought I was a terrible mother. And we did have pizza with Jamie and her boyfriend Mikey...it was good pizza. That night we were able to go to my Uncle's house nearby in Everett. They were out of town, and I thought I would have better luck letting Jake cry it out because we weren't in an apartment and I wouldn't have to worry about angry neighbors. We arrived to my Uncle's house just in time for bed. Great, we can put Jake to bed and spend the rest of the night watching The Office dvds. After a couple attempts involving lots of screaming, Jake fell asleep in his port-o-crib. Jamie and I watched the Office for a few hours, ate some popcorn, and crawled in to bed exhausted. Minutes after I pulled up the covers, I heard an all too familiar sound. It was the type of screaming I knew wouldn't end in sleep. Jamie went and got Jake, brought him to me, and we spent the night the same way we spent the one before.

Thursday we spent time with the kids Jamie babysits, did a little shopping, and ate at the best burger joint I know of...Dick's. At 4:30 we hi-tailed it out of there, leaving a day early and hitching a ride with my Dad on his way back home from his week of work in Kirkland.

We got home Thursday night and I handed Jake over to Britton, so exhausted I couldn't even stay up to watch the new Office. I spent this weekend recovering from the trip and doing absolutely nothing.

Better luck next year, eh?

A walking little man

The past couple of weeks Jake has been taking little steps here and there. Just this past weekend, he decided to start walking everywhere! He is now all over the place and getting better at walking all the time. It's so funny to see him walking around! He's such a cute little boy.