Happy Birthday, Jake...

dear jake...
today you turned one. as i'm typing this right now, the computer says it's 7:59pm. (i didn't plan that.) that is the exact minute you entered into the world one year ago. screaming. {then you continued screaming for the first 2 months of your life...as you can see, we all survived. it was touch and go for a while.}

there is no possible way to sum up a year. especially the first. so i thought i'd just tell you some stuff about you, how you are right now. i often wonder how much of this will change and how much is a reflection of who you will grow into. only time will tell.

you have always loved being outside. it was one of the only things that kept us sane during the colicky months and it remains your favorite place to be. i love that about you.

you are a terrible napper. always have been. maybe you just don't want to miss out on anything. or maybe you really don't require as much sleep as some kids. or maybe i passed on the "light sleeper" gene. who knows...i've learned that i guess a lot in this whole parenting thing.

you have started mimicking us more and more. two words for that - cute & scary. as if parenting wasn't sanctifying and refining enough. i hope you pick up on the good more than the bad. i have a feeling we'll be saying sorry to you a lot as well.

you are not an organizer. you know how some babies like to put things inside stuff? nope, not you - you dump, scatter, empty, spread, everything, everywhere. this is a challenge for your type A momma. i'm learning to let go of "neatness" all the time...it's a never-ending battle. i have a feeling we will have some battles over cleaning your room.

you don't snuggle much. so when you do, i soak it up. i love that you know your sleep "cues." when the light goes out and the sound machine goes on...your head goes on my shoulder. that's why it's hard to relinquish the "going to bed" duty to anyone else. that's my only snuggle time with you.

you have so much of your daddy in you - you are such a people person. you love being around lots of people. and you thrive in new places. you love exploring and experiencing new things. this is SO your daddy. and some of my favorite things about both of you.

you love your daddy so much. i love watching you when every time he gets home. the excitement in your face is priceless. i hope you always admire him in this way - he is such a Godly model for you.

you are extremely determined. maybe the term is strong-willed. this can prove to be challenging but i fully believe that your strong will can be harnessed and used in a mighty way for Christ someday. i pray that the Lord uses this to make you a strong leader. for Him.

you are beautiful. i stare at you a lot and study your face, your smile, your little fat feet. pictures truly can't capture your cuteness.

you have expanded our ability to love more that we ever knew possible. and you have expanded our view of God. to think that God the Father loves us infinitely more than i could ever love you truly baffles me. when i really try to wrap my mind around that truth, it's so humbling. and comforting. i pray that you know God in this way someday.

your daddy and i pray that you will come to know Christ in a personal, tangible way someday. that you will find full confidence in who you are in Him, not who this world tells you to be. we pray that you will understand at an early age that you are performing for an audience of One. and that you will experience freedom in obedience to His ways.

happy birthday jake, our little tooter. we love you so very much.

Meet Brooke Avery...

She's here! My new niece, Brooke Avery Scott, arrived on September 4th. Josh, Jake, and I traveled down to Texas last weekend to meet the latest addition. She is beautiful. See for yourself...

Isn't she gorgeous? My sister makes some pretty babies (you too, David.) ;) 

 

Proud big brother - Luke's first time holding Brooke. He did really well. (Of course, that was only interesting for about 45 seconds, then on to something else.)

 

Me and the little sweetheart. Love all the pink stuff and bows - we're not used to that!

Jake checking out his new little cousin. So sweet.

My dad rode down with us since my mom was already in Texas with Paige. So we also got to celebrate Jake's 1st birthday (a little early) with my family while we were down there. (We had 3/4 of us there...that was the best it was gonna get.) I can't wait to share those pictures. The cake smashing was awesome! :) 

It was a really fun weekend celebrating both little ones. Luke, Jake, and Brooke are almost exactly a year apart each. At this rate, there should be another one next August or September. Ryan, Libby? ;)

Another hiatus & a Jake update...

Wow, it's been over 3 weeks since I last blogged. It doesn't feel like that long ago. Time is FLYING! Someone said in Bible study yesterday that Christmas is less than 100 days away now. How did that happen? Anyways, every night after I put Jake to bed, I have this nagging thought in my head that I need to go blog (and I know I'll be glad that I have this little online journal someday), but man, sometimes it's just not what I want to do at the end of the day. I just want to veg on the couch with my husband. Or attempt to make at least one checkmark on the to-do list. I haven't even really been on facebook. Confession: I still have what I like to call a "dumb" phone, so it's pretty easy to disconnect from the interweb as some like to call it. And here's another confession: sometimes it's really nice and exactly what I need. One of the many things I love about kamp. But I digress. All excuses aside, I'm back now. :)

Lots has been happening in the past month. Mostly with Jake, of course. I don't want to forget these fun things, so it's kind of wordy. Feel free to just check out the pics. :) And since there's so much to catch up on, who doesn't prefer bullet points?

• Jake started walking right before he turned 11 months. I really thought it would be sooner b/c he was taking steps for weeks...it just took him a while to decide that was his primary mode of transportation. So the funny thing is, I can't really even remember when he took his "first step." I feel like there were lots of them. Mother of the Year award, I know. I earn lots of those every day. (Hope you are picking up on the sarcasm.) 

• Within days of him walking, he also started signing everything. It's like everything clicked all at once. It's so fun. All those months of me signing "Please," "More," "Thank you," etc. finally paid off. He gets it. And it's precious. Especially thank you...looks like he's blowing you a kiss. Okay, so he was really just clapping in this pic, but it that's basically what "more" looks like...

• The kid LOVES him some water. A pool, bath time, really any running water. He can reach the faucet on the tub in our bathroom, and he turns it on ALL the time. Just turns it on and walks away, as if the water is supposed to be running all the time. If you turn it off, he'll be back in a matter of moments to turn it back on. Exhibit A:
  
  
   
   
  
  
  
• He got sick for really the first time about 2 weeks ago. Pretty yucky head cold and fever. Nothing major. We are thankful to be able to say he almost made it a whole year without a "sick" visit to the doctor. We realize this is a HUGE blessing. But look at that sad little face...
  
  
  
• Funny story (well, funny now...not at the time) coming out of him being sick - Benadryl does NOT knock out our child. Has the reverse effect actually. I don't know why I was surprised by this - by my child who takes the shortest naps and who will NOT sleep in the car. That was a long night, and needless to say, no more Benadryl for Jake. :)
  
• Speaking of naps, we are transitioning to one. At the risk of sounding like a complainer, we'll just say it's a sanctifying process - for me that is. We can just sum it up by saying, he doesn't nap any longer when he's supposed to have one LONG nap. Nope - an hour and this guy's good to go. :/
  
• He loves dogs. He starts barking (well, his version of barking) every time he sees one - in real life, in a picture, on TV...without being prompted. It's awesome. My brother was in for a visit and his dog was in the backyard - Jake was glued to the window for a couple days...
  
  
  
  
• He had about a week where he was terrified by the windshield wipers. It was kind of sad, but hilarious at the same time. I so wish I had taken a video of the first time he saw them running. Pure terror. (That sounds mean, but someday he'll laugh at himself.)
  
• And lastly, the jury is still out on whether Jake is a strong-willed child. So those of you who have one are probably thinking, "Well he's not then because you would know." Well, there are lots of days I have NO doubt in my mind, then the next he is the sweetest, loving little guy. But man, if he gets his mind set on something, he's gonna do it. Now that's he's walking and on the verge of running, you should see him pick up the speed when he knows he's doing something he shouldn't, holding something he shouldn't, when he sees a door open that is normally closed, when he ___ (fill in the blank.) It's not funny, but it is. Praying now for discernment on how to discipline and guide him without breaking his little spirit. :)
  
  
  
  
  
  

Hoping to keep the updates coming more regularly (not all Jake, I promise.)