December 2011 Jake's Christmas Spirit!

Another fun week before Christmas filled with our holiday traditions.

Baking and decorating our Christmas cookies! Jake was different then last year opening his gifts. This year everything he opened he said "what in the world", and then wanted to assemble each toy. Last year he just wanted to open his fire truck and garbage truck. Once he got those gifts he didn't want to open anything else. We open our gifts and waited till he was curious to open another box.Jake's wish list he made for Santa. Under the tree is a fruit loop Christmas tree he made in Sunday School as a gift for Jesus. He put in under the tree by the Nativity scene and explained it was Jesus birthday and we need to give him gifts too.

The Trains at Northpark is a favorite of Jake's. Loves the trains and could stay all day if we let him.
Christmas activities in Grapevine.

Polar Express train ride with Santa. Santa gave Jake a silver bell that he kept around his neck the whole Xmas week.

We love the Gaylord. We have this same shot when Jake was 6 months old.

Daddy and Jake with the giant candy cane. He made sure to tell Santa "thank you" for his candy cane, but he turned to me and said "Mommy I don't like them, they taste yucky."

Mommy and Jake going for a sleigh ride.

Jake and Westlee after their school Christmas Program. Jake told the boys to wear Santa hats and Xmas shirts and the girls can wear pretty dresses. He sure took charge!

Jake and neighbor Baby Brennan.

Jake and his buddy Max!

November 2011 Preparations for Santa and what we are saying and doing.

Jake caught the Leary Xmas Bug!!! He couldn't wait to start to decorate the house.
Yes that is him and Daddy on the roof putting up the lights. 1 1/2 hours he spent on the roof helping get the lights up so Santa would know where he lived.

Decorating our Gingerbread house. Lots of extra yummy candy to eat.

Helping Daddy put the reindeer out on the lawn. He found the Santa hat in the decorations box and wore it all weekend long. It was so fun to watch people notice him in his hat. He would also bring bells and Xmas toys every where we went.

Jake is very into the difference between boys and girls. He will say no I can't do that its only for girls. Mommy needs to be the girl toy. Blue can't be Mommies favorite color because girl colors are pink, yellow, and orange. It is cute but I am trying to teach him that boys and girls can like the same things. I reminded him he had a girls on each of his baseball teams. At school the teacher tell us that at this age they divide up and play seperate from each other.

October 2011 Fun in the fall!

Fun night of Tricker Treating with the neighbors. Alix TJ and now Baby Brennan can join us.Ed and Martie's house was our first stop. They knew to smile say T or T and also thank you for their candy. Jake wanted to be Buzz for a 2nd year in a row.
Jake kept saying if his Buzz costume fit he wanted to wear it again. Last year it was big and this year it just fit him.

School candy parade! Good practice for Tricker Treating in the neighborhood.

Pizza and cupcake party before the parade of candy.

Family ride on the tractor at the Flower Mound pumpkin patch.

Jake and Alix in the pumpkin house.

Jake showing how strong he is.

Sammy's birthday party with a pony and petting zoo. What a great family.

Jake feeding the baby goats. He wanted to go back and ride the horse!

September 2011 Blastball, bike rides and Chuck E Cheese!

This month Jake started at St. Ann's Sunday School. The first class Daddy stood outside the door and watched Jake interact. He did cry the first day but the next week he gave me a big hug and off to build blocks. They have 2 adults and 3 college age students teaching the class.

Jake at Chuck E Cheese birthday party. I am amazing he is now afraid of the big mouse. He kept running over to him to get more photos. He even bummped a kid to get right next to CEC. Mommy and Daddy were so proud.

Jake and TJ were hilarious this day at the park. They stood up on the table and began singing songs. They were being boys and weren't letting Alix sign too.

Jake and Alix on a bike ride down the alley.
Fall Blastball was so much fun with Jake's friend Westlee on the same team. Westlee's parents were the coaches. Daddy helped get them to round the bases and I was the photographer.

Check out that swing. We are so excited how much he loves to play. This season he has Nike shoes like the Captain and Uncle Rob wear. I hope they fit in the spring. :)

Look Jake has a Mommy and I get a photo with my ball player. Last game of the season.

Jake has all the moves and is very serious to get the ball.

Jake Westlee and Alley on their first game of the season. Allie would stand next to Jake and run with him for the balls.

August 2011 Uncle Rob visit, the Captain and swim lessons!

Jake meeting the Captain at the Rangers game. He couldn't make Jake's party so the Rangers told us to contact them the next time we are at the ballpark. Jake was in heaven with getting to see him upclose. Infact we saw the Captain several times when we were close to the field visiting with Uncle Rob.The Captain stayed and gave Jake a bag of goodies.
Mommy Daddy and Uncle Rob take a photo. Jake stares at the one of many baseballs Uncle Rob gave him during the series.

Uncle Rob took Jake into the dugout and he met the Manager and several players.

Jake's summer swim lessons with Miss Laura. By the end of the month he was swimming 1/2 the length of the pool and jumping off the diving board. He would swim to the side of the pool all on his own. It is amazing to see how quickly they pick up on things and look so old doing it. He is still the 4 year old because he doesn't want the water in his eyes, so we must have our goggles on.

July 2011 4th of July, Family Bowling, and California trip.

Nana, Auntie, and Uncle Brad took us for a fun day at an amusement park for younger kiddies. Gilroy Gardens had rides made out of fruits and veggies plus an amazing train Jake loved to ride around the park.

Here he is with his 3 California cousins. This is important to Jake since he is now aware of not having siblings. We had a great time shooting guns, going to lunch and just showing his big cousins all the things he likes to do.

Uncle Steve and Jake having fun. He was off work so we missed our Garbage Truck ride. We will be back!

Jake was so great on the plane ride to California. He listened to my MP3 player a lot. He colored an entire book of pictures and ate snacks. Great traveler like his Mommy.

In the mornings as we are getting ready for work, Jake has asked to exercise! He turns on the treadmill and away he goes. He is very proud of himself and says he a big boy.

Our family bowling night! The first time we went bowling and we had a blast. Jake has the competitive edge.

Look at him on those tippy toes!!! Yelling to knock down those pins.

Coppell's annual 4th of July parade. It never fails to be the hottest day at 10am!

Mommy and Jake enjoying the parade. The kids love that the floats throw candies to us.

The night in Coppell is full of family fun. Yes that is Daddy in the train car with all the kids. Lots of fun family activities waiting for it to get dark and see the fireworks!

Jake is 4, here is what he is saying lately!

Girlfriend stories from school. Londyn and Jake lay next to each other at nap time. She has been caught touching his face, fixing his lunch and giving lots of hugs. We think the big kids from school started it. They are there for the summer time. This is the first year Jake can go in the bus on Wednesday field trips. The first one I had to drive Jake and Alix since they weren't 4, but after that he loves being a big boy getting on the bus with his friends.

Jake loves the map in his room that Uncle Brad gave him for Xmas. He has pins where all his counsins live. It has become very important we talk about his cousins since he doesn't have a brother or sister. He was very sad one day talking to Mommy that he didn't have one.

Jake is very detailed, he even noticed my toe nail polish on mommy and said it looked pretty.

Jake said that "wearing a necklace doesn't look like a girl."

We have had storms with lighting during the day and night this month. Jake made sure we knew that he was not scared. He said some of the kids at school got upset but he didn't. I would ask him the next morning if he heard the storm and he said no.

Sleep routine at night has become so sweet. We tell each other we love each other bunches and bunches and bunches while blowing kissing. It reminds me of the love squeezes Nannie gave to us.

Jake is learning already about working out. He asks to turn on the treadmill in the morning so he is exercising like mommy and daddy do.

Jake started getting out of bed at night to see us in the living room. Then on the weekends he will crawl up on our bed to ask if it is time to get up. No sleeping in with a 4 year old.

Jake has gotten to see Uncle Rob, and "we don't say he is at the park it has to be he is at the baseball park."

Jake says he is getting big and strong bigger so we have to buy a new car so he will fit in it.

Jake's 4 year Dr apt meant 4 shots in the legs. I was never bothered by it before but he pleaded to stop after shot number 1 and I had to tell him it was 3 more to go. Loved his band aides and was walking around for days with them on saying his legs hurt. After 24 hours it shouldn't but he wouldn't let us take them off. The band aides had to fall off then he was all better.

June the George birthday month, field trips start at school.

Each Wednesday during the summer Jake goes on a field trip. This one is at a small zoo.

Cici's Pizza a perfect place for kids to go. Jake, Westlee, Jack and Tj together. Jake ate 4 pieces of pizza.

Studio Movie Grill Kung Fu Panda 2. Jake and Alix weren't 4 yet so I drove them in my car so they wouldn't miss the outting.

Jake 4th birthday party was at a Bounce House. Perfect place for a June birthday in Texas. The kids run all over the place and then have pizza and baseball cake in a private room. This year Jake told us what kind of cake we were having. Daddy had a plane cake and Mommy got one with lots of flowers. It didn't matter what the cake tasted like, it was all about the theme. Love my party planning son!!!