Little Things that make Jake Awesome

When Jake's happy, he pats my back or his knee or the dinner table and grins.

When Jake's in my arms and we sing, he takes my hand.

When he sings, his little lisp is adorable. His head wobbles and he gives it his all.

When we watch Thomas, he says their names as they appear on-screen.

When we watch Winnie the Pooh, he jumps to his feet and dances.

When I say "Mammy...Daddy...Nana...Grandad...Uncle Mick!" he does too...and the best part is when he says "Cul Mick".

When it's bedtime, Jake lights up and gives his Nana a hug and cuddles into her. He's a good boy.

When I tell him I love him, he says "I you!" and means it.

Jake laughs at almost everything. He is the happiest little boy in the world and I love him to bits. He makes me so proud to say "Jake is my son." And when I think of him, which is often, my heart warms and I often stop just to be thankful to be the dude Jake calls "Daddy."

Pictures worth a thousand words...Jake's laughs are priceless.

This post is short and sweet because really, Jake was just a gem. Grins when he sees me, lots of fun home. Weekend full of giggles and games. He's copying me now. When I say things he copies me. I say "Lovely" a lot and now he grins to himself and says it too.

Putting his shoes, his socks, his slippers on, he'll say "Sock...sock again!" He's grasping and figuring out and coming out of his shell and it's beautiful to see and experience. I'm proud to help him grow and be happy, and I love him more than any words could even begin to describe.

Saturday and Sunday Jake and I come up with a new game in the back garden. I honker down and he runs at me grinning and giggling. I scoop him up, swing him about, make funny noises. Jake focuses on laughing so hard and so long his little cheeks are roaring red and his eyes are squinty. He's so much fun and always so mischievous. he grabs a box and wears it like a hat.

He is a gem.

"Beep beep!" Off to the park with Grandad. "Shy..." Big run. "AGAIN!"

Friday evening:

Jake was great. Popped him on my lap and chatted about trains and Winnie the Pooh. I asked him the names and he says them all! Says "Bye...bye!" to his grandad and off we goto our bus stop. He's randomly singing and shouting "BEEP BEEP!". I pretend to be startled, do my best shocked face, he laughs out loud. He shouts "BEEP BEEP" between giggles, I do silly yelps, he's nearly crying with laughter. Two of us: weirdos!

We do a dance waiting for the bus. Bus comes.

"On we go."

"Awwwweeeegoooo!"

Our stop is close. I carry him up. I say "I love you." He responds: "Iiiiii you!" I get him to say "Bye bye!" tot the driver. We're walking home and he looks at me with a smile and says, "Mommy?" and grins! Points at a bunch of flowers in a big pot as we're getting home, "Flower!" I say "We're gonna have dinner soon!" and he says, "Yummy!", dancing and jumping on the little shores.

Home. Gives his Nana a big smile, plays with his trains.

I say, "Who's that?"

"To-by."

Dinner's ready and waiting for us, he's very excited.

"Say yummy."

"YUMMY!"

"Say dinner."

"DINNUUUUUUR!"

Sitting down having our grub, he won't eat, wants TV, points and grunts; I do a big "Yommmmmm" as I plunge my forkful of food into my mouth. he grins and does the same. 

"First dinner. Then telly."

I say this a few times, each time more dramatic til my head's on the table, and he's got a big curry, rice and chicken grin.

Bathtime: he sings the Bob song. Looks right at me:

"Hewo."

"Harold?"

Serious: "Hewo."

"Hello?" (I'm lost.)

"Hewo."

"Ummmm...."

"Hewo."

Toy needs fixing. I fix it and he breaks it again! With a smile. Pours water on toys, water goes everywhere. "Ohhhhhnooooo!" Does it again.

"Me Daddy," I say. "You Jake." He takes it in. Nods.

Out of the bath and in his pj's. Closes the bedroom door behind him leaving me in the hallway. Then I hear a little knock-knock.

Then: "Come-heyuuuur."

I open the door and shout: "BOO!"

He jumps and laughs. Within minutes, he's curled up asleep, still smiling to himself.

Saturday:

Up, dressed, a game of "BOING!" He bounces, I make sure he doesn't land on his little face. It's funny because he just can't stop moving and bouncing and laughing.

My dad comes to pick us up and bring us to the park---it's sunny and Jake's excited. His Grandad gives him a new toy: a Ferrari! Jake chats away mostly to himself. I get him to say Winnie and Co's names---Grandad is amazed!

We go adventuring. jake's a big boy in his own mind, wants to run ahead, but not before giving me a big smile...

He says "Woof-woof" to a passing dog and then we walk-run-laugh our way to the Pope's Cross. Up the hill and down again we go, and we all have lots of fun...

He shouts "AGAIN!" and he's so happy and delighted and full of giggles. We get ice cream and he laughs as he spills icecream on himself and on the car seat. Rain lashes down and we're warm and snuggly and off home we go.

Bathtime: he sings our version of the Barney song. Splashes about, and gives into sleep real quick. So do I. We're wrecked!

Sunday:

I wake up to Jake saying, "Thomas... and Fwends!" I can still see his big smile. This is his way of getting us to play trains downstairs and we run down and do exactly that.

He thinks it's hilarious to climb into the gap between mattress and wall and declare, "IIII'm stuck!" He thinks it's even funnier when he wedges himself against the wall so I can't get him out!

He does the same on the bus-ride home. I should be entertaining him but he's always the one making me laugh! I say hello to Brendan the bus-driver; Jake curls up and smiles: "Shyyyy."

I tell Jake to look after his Mammy's Mother's Day card. He dutifully obliges me.

"Are ya gonna give your Mammy a big hug?"

Smile. "Yeah."

"And a big kiss?"

Eyes twinkle, smile becomes huge grin. "Yeah!"

"When you get off the bus you're gonna say I-love-you-Mammy."

"Yeah."

"What're ya gonna say?"

Hesitates. I say it a few times in a sing-song voice, make it a game. He gets it:

"I ummm you Mammy."

"Very good!"

Later, I prompt him as he goes into his Mammy's arms; he says it and I give him a hug. He gives his Mammy her card and we say our bye-byes.

I'm still smiling as I go home and I know he's smiling too.