My sweet baby Jake is 4!
I guess that means he’s not a baby anymore. In fact, he acts like he’s 6 keeping up with Henry in almost everything he does. While Henry is still his favorite “toy”, this year Jake has really grown to have his own interest -- Dragons.

It’s now first of February and he’s been wearing this red costume since Halloween! Yep, almost 4 months and while we keep telling ourselves this is a phase and surely by the time Texas starts heating up, the red fleece outfit will be tossed. We have seen a little flexibility in his attire lately. He’s gone from every day, to now only wearing it a couple days (and nights) per week. Then he lets me wash it, which takes a few days. When he sees it bouncing around in the dryer he gets all gitty knowing he can wear it again soon.

We found it only fitting to give Jake a dragon birthday party. He, and 20 of his closest friends, met at Lowe's to build wooden dragons, slay a dragon pinata and eat dragon cupcakes.

We then took Jake to Medieval Times for dinner and jousting. This exciting birthday (and no nap) caught up to him about 6:30pm.



Some more about Jake:

- His daily melt-downs have subsided. I look back now and think “terrible 2s” perhaps. He’s sweet to all his friends, and has no problems at school.

- He still loves sleeping with his small baby silkies and also a mound of soft, plush animals and 3 new giant silky blankets. He’s a bit obsessed with anything super-soft. He sleeps in the top bunk now, which looks more like a nest than your ordinary flat sheet and coverlet.

- Loves mommy’s iPhone, daddy’s iPad, the Leap Pad, Leapster, computer and the television show “Jake and the Neverland Pirates”.

- Can glide pretty far down the road on his Stridder and got a yellow Bubblebee Transformer bike for his 4^th bday. When it gets a bit warmer I think he’ll easily make the switch from run bike to peddle bike.

- Favorite friends right now are Drew, Christian, James, Luke and Beck

- Henry and Jake turn into giggle boxes at dinner every night. They do all they can to make each other belly laugh.

- Jake loves mama’s homemade macy-cheese. He’s a really a good eater, will try almost anything, and usually eats most everything on his plate. He’s also a big snacker (or “forager” as Matt likes to call him.)

- First team sport at 3 yrs old, played soccer last fall and this spring

- He’s still the first one up every morning between 6:15-6:30. Takes a 2+ hour nap every day. He’s in school on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 to 3.

- He knows all his letters and their sounds. Can sound out 2 and 3-letter words. Cannot write his name just yet but we’re working on that. He can count to 20, and to 100 with help from Henry.

- Doesn’t really like coloring, drawing or crafts as much as play-doh, Legos, blocks and making traps (like on the movie “Home Alone”). Jake will set up all his action figures blocking doorways and paths. He also loves looking for bugs in our backyard, swinging, jumping on the tramploline. (He doesn’t really play sports in the backyard though.) His favorite toys are his new Fisher Price Imaginext Castle, Serpant Ship, knights and dragons.

- Jake has a BIG personality. I'm anxious to see where all this spunk takes him.

Jake at 4yrs - 40 inches (38% height), 36 lbs (49% weight).

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