Deja Vu

Happy Halloween!  We had a bit of a deja vu moment tonight, b/c this picture is of Jake LAST Halloween.  He didn't so much like his skunk costume.  I thought it was possibly because it was too hot for CA - but about 2 hours after this picture was taken, he also started throwing up for about 24 hours, so.....then I just assumed it was because of that.  However, I think Jake just DOESN'T LIKE COSTUMES, because.....

this is Jake tonight....as I was trying to put on his pirate costume :-)  He was NOT having it at all!  Of course, this year it didn't help that he fell into the kitchen table about 15 minutes prior and got a bloody nose, so he already wasn't feeling up to par.  I think Jake just really prefers being in his t-shirt and diaper - no costume for him.  I had such great expectations of this little pirate running around passing out Halloween candy, but....we couldn't even get the costume all the way on :-)
He did enjoy ONE of the costume accessories (the sword).  It's lots of fun having Aunt Becky here with us - and Jake is thoroughly enjoying himself - and the attention.
I talked Chris into putting on the accessories of the costume that would fit him, so I could at least capture a "pirate picture" :-)   What a good sport!
AND this is Jake laughing at his Daddy pretending to be a pirate.  Jake was just happy to have him home, b/c he has been gone for the better part of the week, so it was nice having him around tonight.  Hope everyone had a safe and FUN Halloween (and don't forget you get an extra hour of sleep tonight)!  Yay! :-)

Happy Anniversary Nana and Papa!

I just wanted to say HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to my grandparents, Nana and Papa.  Today is their 61st wedding anniversary!  Wow!  I think that is so awesome - and what a wonderful example they are to their 4 children, 8 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren (with 2 more on the way) - and so many others.  I wish I had a picture on this computer of the lovely couple (unfortunately, they are all on my other computer), but....I still wanted to wish them a Happy Anniversary - and let them know how much I love them!!   

Crack-up!

This is a video of Jake getting up into the kitchen chair this morning after we ran a few errands.  Listen closely, but once he gets situated, he goes, "ahhhh."  He has been doing that A LOT lately - like when he sits down on the floor after running around for a while - or in his Jake-sized chair - he always makes this noise.  I wonder if I do that after being on my feet for a while or something, b/c I keep wondering where he gets it from?!  It cracks me up, though!  It's his "relaxation" sigh :-)  Anyway, at the end of the video, he is getting frustrated, b/c he knocked down one of his cups - and one thing is for sure about Jake - he knows how he wants things - and he gets very impatient very quickly if he doesn't get immediate results, so I am continually explaining to him he just needs to try again - and he'll get it right.  Of course, that only works when I can read his mind and know exactly how he is wanting things to go.... :-) 

Time for Climbling toys!

Jake is climbing EVERYWHERE these days - and on to EVERYTHING.  On Sunday morning, I walked out of the kitchen to find Jake had climbed on top of a table we have behind our couch.  Of course, I snapped a quick picture - and then put a QUICK end to that.  He has progressively gotten better throughout the week about not pushing his luck and climbing on top of that table.  Also, the other day, I was writing some cards at the kitchen table - and I leaned over to grab some stamps out of my purse and when I turned around - Jake was sitting in the chair next to me - haha!  These 2 pictures were taken this morning, BUT unfortunately, the other morning when he did it, he sat there for a few minutes and then leaned back - and FELL THROUGH onto the floor, so that not only scared him, but had to hurt - and definitely scared me, too.  Now, I watch him really close, but he loves sitting up in the chair at the table beside me - and we have some good conversations :-)  I think it's time for some CLIMBING toys, though....things he IS actually ALLOWED to climb onto - good thing Christmas is right around the corner...

Then...and NOW

Jake is 21 months old today!  The 21 months isn't that hard to say, but it's the fact that he is 3 months away from being 2..that's hard!!!  Then, parents stop saying the age by months - and they just start saying the actual age in years.  It's so hard to believe he's getting close to 2 - but he's not there yet...but oh, how he has changed over the past year.  Here is a picture from the pumpkin patch last year that I recently found....it was beginning of October of last year. 

And here is Jake on October 28 of last year....we were back in 29 Palms waiting for Daddy to get home in only 4 days!!  
And here is Jake (aka. mr. independent) TODAY...  He still has the cutest and sweetest smile ever (very UNbiased opinion) :-)  

Good Day!

On the way out....Jake got to play on the tractor...

Jake hiding behind 1 of his "jake sized" pumpkins on the way home...

PUMPKINS

More Pumpkin Patch FUN

Jake enjoyed going through the maze - and he LOVED jumping on the hay!!  

Tractor/Hay Ride

We then went on the tractor/hay ride.  Jake was holding on for dear life - but was also busy pointing at everything he saw while we rode around.  

He even saw Thomas the Train, which really excited him - and he started choo-choo'ing for everyone :-)

Pumpkin Patch

Today, after Chris got off from work, we headed to Boone Hall Plantation in Charleston for the Pumpkin Patch!  We had some beautiful weather and some great, quality family time :-)  Jake fed the goats, played on the haystacks, went for a tractor/hay ride, picked (and THREW) pumpkins, ate a snow cone....and did all other sorts of fun stuff.  Here are some pictures from the day.  We started out feeding the animals (of course)...

Unleashed a Monster...

but a very sweet and cute monster :-)

Ever since I let Jake eat the yogurt with his spoon - if it involves a fork or spoon to be eaten, Jake wants to do it all by himself.  When the spoon doesn't cut it (aka, he can't get enough fast enough into his mouth), he resorts to his hands.  Awesome. :-)  You may be getting tired of watching him eat, but we had chili the other night.  A LOT of the chili made it to his mouth, trust me, but A LOT made it everywhere else, too!!  He had 2 bowls of chili and 3 huge spoonfuls of LIMA BEANS - go Jake!!

MORE???

Remember the movie OLIVER when he asks for MORE.  Meet Jake Ashinhurst (we just feed him better than Oliver was fed)...but he still usually wants MORE.

Oh...and you have to....

pretend like you don't see him when he's "hiding" behind the trees.  :-)

Enjoying Beautiful Weather

Playing outside with Jake requires certain skills.  First, you have to be able to throw rocks into the flower bed....

THEN, you have to be able to CHEER after EACH ROCK THROWN....
You have to be able to have an immediate response to "What's that?" with EVERY noise that is heard, while he is pointing at it....
You have to be able to enjoy crunching the leaves with your shoes (love this skill)...
AND....a whole lot of laughter has to be involved, especially while touching tree bark and playing in spanish moss :-)

New Marine Corps Commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xWA1rp50rs

Many of you may have seen this commercial already on TV over the past couple of weeks.  I thought I would put the link on the blog, b/c the commercial was mostly filmed at Parris Island while recruits were training, so you get a small and fast "inside" look into the things that Chris oversees recruits doing on a regular basis - from the famous yellow footprints to the gas chambers to the repel tower to the crucible, etc.  It's a pretty cool commercial.  

Baby Cole Update

I had a doctor's appt today - and everything looks GOOD.  It's hard to believe I'm 30 weeks pregnant!  Not sure where the last 18 weeks went (the first trimester FELT like 12 weeks long, but the past 18 have flown)!  Cole sounds good - and I'm feeling good, too (besides not being able to sleep during the night some).  All my blood work looks great - and my blood pressure has been really good this pregnancy, which is nice this time around!  After my appt this morning, Jake and I went to get our flu shots.  My wonderful husband worked it out so that he could come along (since I'm a huge wimp when it comes to Jake having to get shots), BUT Jake not only WATCHED the nurse give the shot, but he then looked at her like, "that's all you've got for me?" :-)  So, no tears - it probably helps when you're only getting 1 shot and not 4!  It was still nice having Chris there - plus, he got to hear Cole's heartbeat, too...and the hardest part about the morning ended up not being Jake's flu shot, but Jake having to say bye to Daddy when we drove off in separate cars.  :-(

Can't get enough of these Pumpkins...

both the boy - and the pajamas....

Playing with Paige

Yesterday, Paige came over to play with us while her parents (both marines) had to be at work.  It was fun watching Jake and Paige play together and for the most part, Jake did pretty well.  Everytime her pacifier fell out, he picked it right up and would "shove" it back into her mouth :-)  haha!  

This is Jake wanting me to hold up on taking the picture until he found his "good" side :-)
Jake pretty much did try to lock Paige is this "play zone."  If she tried to come out, he would try to pick her up and put her back in....crazy boy.  

Breakfast Videos..

First time (that I can recall and on video) that he is eating with a spoon by himself...

He can be easily distracted, too, though...

ps. "What's that?" is his new (and only) phrase :-)  

Breakfast Fun ... and Mess

Back to the independence, Jake likes to do everything possible ON HIS OWN these days.  So, here he is at breakfast this morning....eating his yogurt - on his own - with his spoon....a little messy, but a lot of fun (and a lot of it actually made it to his mouth, too) :-)