the baby whisperer...

from a few months ago-just trying to figure out the fastest way to get movies on this dang thing- blogger doesn't like iphoto apparently....sigh...

My Happy Boy

My son is a very happy kiddo.  Not that other kids aren't-he just loves to shower his happiness on anyone who pauses to interact with him.  Like there's so much it just bubbles up and spills out all over the place. I love watching his sweet spirit brighten peoples' moods.  I'm so lucky to be his mom.
Go ahead and try to not crack a smile at the following pictures:

Jake and Grandpa Frank

Jake and Aunt Ashley

Jake and cousin Hannah

Jake and Aunt Meghan

Jake and Daddy

Jake and Grand Aunt Sandy

love it!

Jake and aunt Mikayla

Jake and Uncle PJ

Jake and Grandma Shayne

Also he seems to enjoy family card games which means we are going to get along just fine :)

We love our happy boy!!!

Spoon River Anthology

I noticed this book of poems/short narratives on our bookcase as I was rocking Jake to sleep.  Cody introduced me to this book.  I remember it was one of our favorite things to do-to flip randomly through it and pick out random poems.  There are many dog-eared pages showing Code's favorites.  I remember even back then how I wanted to read through all of them find all of the connections between them.  You see, it's not just a book of random poems.  It's filled with the recollections/experiences of this one small town's dead residents.  They are all titled with the name of the resident who is speaking.  They're not all connected but many of them mention other members of the town so if you go and read theirs it usually adds deeper meaning to each other's final thoughts etc.
For example:

Elsa Wertman

"I was a peasant girl from Germany.
Blue-eyed, rosy, happy, and strong.
And the first place that I worked was
at Thomas Greene's.
On a summer's day when she was away
He stole into the kitchen and took me
Right in his arms and kissed me on my throat,
I turning my head.  Then neither of us
Seemed to know what happened.
And I cried for what would become of me.
And cried and cried as my secret began to show.
One day Mrs. Greene said she understood,
And would make no trouble for me,
And, being childless, would adopt it.
(He had given her a farm to be still).
So she hid in the house, and sent out rumors,
As if it were going to happen to her.
And all went well and the child was born- They
       were so kind to me.
Later I married Gus Wertman, and years passed.
But- at political rallies when sitters-by thought I
       was crying
At the eloquence of Hamilton Greene-
That was not it.
No! I wanted to say:
That's my son! That's my son!"

the next page has this:

Hamilton Greene

"I was the only child of Frances Harris of Virginia
And Thomas Greene of Kentucky,
Of valiant and honorable blood both.
To them I owe all that I became,
Judge, member of Congress, leader in the State.
From my mother I inherited Vivacity, fancy, language;
From my father will, judgement, logic.
All honor to them
For what service I was to the people!"

They're not all sad like that but it's just fascinating to read and start connecting the dots.  Like discovering another world one key hole at a time.
One of our favorites:

Cassius Hueffer

"They have chiseled on my stone the words:
'His life was gentle, and the elements so mixed
   in him
That nature might stand up and say to all the
    world,
This was a man.'
Those who knew me smile
As they read this empty rhetoric.

My epitaph should have been:
'Life was not gentle to him.
And the elements so mixed in him
In the which he was slain.'
While I lived I could not cope with slanderous
   tongues,
now that I am dead I must submit to an epitaph
Graven by a fool!"

Final Atlanta trip post!

Sunday started early and Jake did NOT want to get up!  Normally when I sneak around and be quiet-every lil noise wakes him up/makes him stir.  But when I walk in the room make no attempt at being quiet and eventually turn on the bright lights....nothing.  sigh.

We went to church at 9 and he actually stayed in his car seat ALL of sacrament! He would manage this in the first month of going but hasnt' for a long time so we were pretty excited, and he actually fell asleep and was a great example to the other kids in the room :)

Jake chilling in Sunday School.

After church we had a delicious dinner of cafe rio style burritos and had a fun game night.

Monday the kids were back in school and so we went to walk around Atlantic station-a nice place down town that they've made nice with tons of store fronts etc.  We ate at Moe's southwestern restaurant  and stopped by an insane sweets shop.

yeah, that's a chocolate covered apple with HUGE chunks of butterfinger bars.

I got a piece of dark chocolate with chunks of oreos stuck to it and code got a carmel dipped shortbread cookie.

It was a lil cold so we didn't stay too long plus we wanted the kids to be able to hang out with jake before we had to leave.  We played Zion's check for a few hours and then Frank and Shayne drove us to the airport.  Our flight wasn't too bad.  Jake fell asleep at take off with a bottle again and woke up after 40ish min in the air cause the pilot came on to make an announcement only the mic was WAY too loud and it woke jake up....sigh, without the pilots or flight attendants our kiddo prolly could have managed to sleep the whole way-oh well.

We had a great time and loved seeing family! THanks Georgia Noldens!

Atlanta trip pt. 3!

Saturday was a family day all around which I love.  First off, it was Shayne's birthday!  (the main reason for our trip).  There were some men and boys basketball games at the church so we ran by to watch don's game that Frank was reffing (sp?).

Jake slept through most of it despite the loud whistles and banging noises etc so we think he'll be able to handle his next BYU game if we get the chance (he didn't like the last byu bball game we went to-too loud).  Don did great-scored 2 pts and in the men's game before that that Frank was playing in, Frank scored 10 points and took a beating from the wall going after the ball and had the carpet burn to prove it-ouch.

After the game we stopped by DQ for a Reese's bday cake for Shayne (which consequently was put into the fridge instead of the freezer so we got another later in the day).   While Shayne napped we decorated the table and had pizza for dinner.  

Jake had fun with all of his aunts and uncles:

chilling with aunt Megan!

photo bomb! 

Happy Birthday Shayne!

Jake with Grandpa Frank (some of these are blurry but they're still cute)

darn you streamer!

Jake with aunt Ashley:

Jake and Grandma Shayne:

Jake and Uncle PJ:

awww

Jake sporting a Weber State hat just to amuse Grandpa Frank :)

After presents and cake, Grand Aunt Sandy came over to see Jake.  She walked in the door murmured hello to cody and me as she want straight for Jake ahaha.  Jake was just fine with this arrangement and proceeded to snuggle with her and fall asleep.

Later after everyone went to bed code and I stayed up for the portland BYU game- we were much happier with the outcome of this game and there was some crazy fighting in the middle which kept things interesting-it had started to get boring so we didn't mind it too much.