Jake - 10 months old

(this post originally was his 8 month post, then 9 month, and now is his 10 month..poor 2nd child ;))

I love this boy so much.

He makes me so happy.

He is now 24 lbs....I love his chub.
He is just getting his bottom 2 teeth.

What is he doing?
......CRAWLING.....!!  And crawling everywhere...and fast!  If he sees something he wants...he gets it quick.  He has always been the best baby, and still is...for now, but I've worried about the day he got mobile if he would still be his happy/easy self.  So far, so good!  I love being in the other room and hear him coming to find me...when his little head pops around the corner he is so proud of himself and has the biggest grin...I love it.  He is also pulling himself and walking along furniture.  He has a few good bruises on his face from facing planting in to whatever he pulled himself up on.  I love walking in to his room in the morning or after nap time and finding him standing up in his crib...he is always so smiley and happy.  He also will clap if you tell him to and wave hi and bye. 
  
What he likes?
.....his mom (definitely a momma's boy, but will go to anyone and everyone), his bottle, his blanket and binky (but only at naps and bedtime), taking every tool out in his tool set, crawling after all his balls, bath time, cheerios, yogurt, bread, bananas, watching his big sister, walks to the park in the stroller, being tickled (he is so ticklish), bouncing up and down to music, baby Einstein, ....I could keep going....but that's the jist. 

What he doesn't like?
.....baby food.  He HATES it and will not open his mouth at all.  I even try to trick him with a cheerio and then baby food, but he knows it's coming and keeps his lips closed tight.  He loves table food and eats pretty much everything I give him...other than baby food.  He also hates being left alone in a room now by himself and quickly comes and finds us.

how am I ever going to say no to that face??

all things Easter

We had a great Easter (and week prior).  Holidays are so much fun with kids and I'm loving that Brooklyn gets excited about them now and I can plan fun things to do.

I love our ward, for many reasons, but one of them being all the fun things they do for moms and kids.  Play group the Wednesday before Easter was an Easter egg hunt at the park.  We combined with another ward, so there were lots of kids and eggs!  Brooklyn loved caring her basket around and finding the eggs.  I had to tell her to keep going and find more eggs because once she discovered there was candy in the egg she wanted to stop and eat it.  Every kid got to find 10 eggs. 

The Friday before Easter we had another Easter egg hunt, but this time it wasn't for candy, but for lunch.  My friend Missy saw this idea on Pinterest and it was so fun!  Each mom brought 8 eggs (for 8 kids) with a lunch item in it...I took pretzels...then we hid the eggs and the kids got to find them!  There was 2 sandwiches, carrots, fish crackers, cheese, grapes, and a mini muffin in the eggs. We sat on blankets at the park in the shade and ate our lunch. 

That afternoon we made and decorated Easter sugar cookies with my friend Jen.  Brooklyn loved frosting and decorating her cookie (and eating lots of frosting/candy too). 

Saturday morning there was a big Easter egg hunt, crafts, a bounce house, and the Easter bunny at John's school.  I love that the University is so family oriented and does family-friendly things like this throughout the year.

 lots of kids and lots of eggs!

Brooklyn and her buddy Parker

That night, after John got home from studying, we dyed our Easter eggs.

Brooklyn thought it was pretty neat to stir the egg in her cup and Jake destroyed the egg I gave him and tried to shove it in his mouth, shells and all, as fast as he could before I cleaned him up.

 Brooklyn and Jake found new pajamas from the Easter bunny on their beds that night.  Brooklyn kept saying, "the Easter bunny brought me pajamas....that's so nice!" 

fresh and clean in their new jammies :)

 John did an egg for each of us

The kids woke up on Easter to new outfits and basekts with candy, coloring books, crayons, an Easter book, and a truck and soccer ball for Jake.

We went to our friend's baby blessing, Nate and Kayla's little boy Nixon that morning.  It was a really sweet blessing and afterwards they had everyone over for a yummy brunch.

Brooklyn and Lexi

Reese, Landon, and Brooklyn

Brooklyn's friends...

 Seran, Nixon, Lexi, Parker, Reese, Brooklyn, Landon, and Carter (Jake was asleep)

I'm so grateful for such great friends!  I love these girls and their kids.  It makes being away from family, especially on holidays, so much easier.

Kiya, Kayla, Mandy, me, Kayla's cousin Emily, and Kandas

For Easter dinner we met some friends at the park by our house.  Everyone brought something and it was so nice not to have to prepare a whole meal.  The weather was perfect and we enjoyed everyone's company and ate great food!

 I made deviled eggs....idea from Pinterest.

 We also had ham, homemade rolls, salad, baked potatoes, cheese ball, and dessert.

Tal, Alison, and Brooklyn

Jackie, Austin, Owen, Blayre, Ryan, Ryan, and Kali

 ...and cute Paxton.