Jake is TWO!

Dear Jake-

I wanted to write Jakey up there, but I didn't.  I wonder if you'll ever look back and hate that everybody calls you Jakey.  I guess it's not worse than your nicknames.  When Ryan couldn't say "Jakey," he called you "Gakey."  I hate to say it but that stuck with daddy and me.  So you have so many nick names, Gakey, Gake a Bake, Cake a Bake.  I even call you "snack" or snacky."  I'm not sure what daddy and I did to have to little boys named Wubby and Snacky.  Ha.  Sorry baby.

Anyways, you are now two.  You are actually 749 days old today.  I am so blessed to have you in my life.  I can't believe I was so nervous to be pregnant with you.  You are the best addition to our family.  This year has been incredible with you!  Year one was pretty fun.   You have the best little personality and it has come out this year!  You are so much fun and so super sweet.  You are attached to mommy's hip!  You follow me all around the house, usually dragging your blanket around the house.  You love to watch me get ready in the morning, putting on my make up and straightening my hair.  You love sitting on my hip and watching me cook dinner.  You love to snuggle on the couch when I watch my evening TV shows.  You are just CUTE!

You have done so many firsts this year!  Right after you turned one you got your first two teeth and you started walking.

We took you to get your first haircut.

You did a great job, and you've gotten so many haircuts since.  Except now daddy cuts your hair in our bathroom.

You saw snow for the first time!  & it was right in our backyard!  I'm not sure you liked it too much.  You just stood there and didn't move. You are very much an observer.  You like looking around and scoping out everything that is going on around you.

You had your first Easter egg hunt.  Last year you were only 4 months old.  This year you were able to get your own eggs.  I took a ton of pictures on my camera- and then daddy's friend borrowed the camera and lost my memory card.   I'm sad I don't have those picture of you and your first hunt, I'll just have to get even more at your second hunt!

We took you to the zoo a lot this year.  We got a zoo membership in March and have gone a ton since then.  You and Ryan love going.  When we take you out of the stroller, you walk around and stop at all the animals and just point at them and talk to yourself.

You went to your first movie!  You and Ryan only sat still for about the first hour.  I had to bring lots of snacks and your milk cup to keep you sitting that long.  You are definitely not old enough to be watching movies.  However, we took you anyways because they have super cheap kid movies during the summers.

You got to go to the lake for the first time, twice actually!  You loved it!  You love laying in the water in your life jacket.  Gosh- you are cute.  I can't wait to take you every year :)

You sat in your first time out!  You had your first time out for throwing a car at Ryan.  You sat so nicely until I told you that you could get up.  You have only had a handful of time outs so far.  You are a good boy.

You are the best eater!  You eat anything and everything that I put in front of you.  Makes my life so much easier.  You love everything, blueberries, grapes, applesauce, burritos, pasta. etc.

& I don't need to feed you anymore =(

You had your first real Halloween!  It was so much fun.  Last year, you were only 10m old so we pushed you around in the buggy.  This year, you were able to walk around on your own and get your own candy.  You snuck in a ton of candy in the wagon when we weren't looking.

You have done so many new things this year.  I am so proud of you.  I am so proud to be your mommy and to watch you grow every day.  I am so incredibly blessed to see you every day.  I get to watch you play and grow and smile and laugh.  

You love

-Your blanket, you drag that thing around everywhere

-Saying "hi" to every person we see!

-Your milk, you drink a ton of milk and the doctor even said we didn't need to give you so much, but it makes you happy.

-Taking baths, you love splashing with Ryan

-Playing cars,  You don't care for TV so when Ryan watches it, you go into the front room to play cars

-Snuggling, you are the best snuggler

-Stuffed animals & your Cloudb pillows, you call all of your stuffed animals "babies"

-Mommy :)  I am your favorite and I couldn't love it anymore

You are so perfect.  I am looking forward to watching how much more you learn and grow during your third year and every year after that.  I can't imagine you being any more amazing than you already are, but I know you will be.  Happy second birthday to the littlest love of my life.  I love you baby.

Love, Mommy

Wrote on 1/16/14... backdating to 12/30/13