Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial Day from our family to yours!

Jake says, "Wait, what's Memorial Day?"

Goodbye, Preschool...Hello, World!

Friday, May 28th, was Brooklyn's last day of pre-school. What a bittersweet day! To celebrate her "graduation," Brooklyn gave me one last "tour" of her classroom.
Upon arrival, all kids sign in.

Drop your stuff off in your cubby and get your letter for the "center board."

Don't forget to wash hands! (and sing the ABC's)

All the kids were outside on the playground but before we went out Brooklyn gave me a tour of the centers inside.

Writing

Science

Books

Cozy

Home Living

Music

Blocks

Where Brooklyn naps...her family collage

The Center Board...so many choices!

Then we ventured outside where we met up with her wonderful teacher, Ms. Jeanna, and one of her best friends, Kate.

Brooklyn and Kate decided to give me a tour of the playground.

Goodbye school! Thanks for taking care of my baby girl and getting her more than ready for Kindergarten!

Happy 63 Month Birthday, Brooklyn!

I am quickly learning as a mom of 2 kids that things need to be as even as you possibly can make it. So.....here is Brooklyn's 63 month birthday post. :-)


Brooklyn's last day of school is TODAY! I know we only had to pay for daycare for 2 kids for 5 weeks (thank you, Girl Scouts, Gramma, and Aunt Patty!), but HOLY COW, that was an expensive 5 weeks. But I do have to say that it makes me very sad to see Brooklyn leave the school that has co-raised her since she was 7 weeks old. We have been sooooo blessed by the best childcare facility in the world (as far as I am concerned!), and I look forward to the next 5 years with Jake. :-)

Brooklyn will spend a week with Gramma, a week with me, and then the whole summer with Chad. She's a great kid, but can a little stubborn and sassy at times. A few weeks ago, we implemented this chart for behavior....otherwise it would be a looooooong summer for Chad :-)


Each time she does one of these things (without being reminded or forced against her will), she gets a star sticker. Brooklyn helped come up with most of the items on the list, and she gets super excited when she gets to put a sticker on (which, as you can see, comes easier for some tasks/behaviors more than others). Once a row is full with 15 stars, we'll take a trip to the dollar store or the Target dollar bin. (Again, 2 kids in daycare = no money!)

Let's see.....Brooklyn at 63 months....loves Dancing With The Stars (go, Nicole & Derek!), American Idol (Katie was her favorite), 19 Kids And Counting, and this new Quintuplet show on TLC. She loves to do worksheets in this Kindergarten workbook that Chad bought her for the summer, but she is tearing through that so fast, she'll be in 1st grade by June and middle school by August. She enjoys singing songs from Shout and Grace Reigns Down....and the current favorite in the van DVD player is Nick Jr Christmas (Dora, Blues Clues, and Little Bill Christmas shows).

She and Chad have a busy summer planned with golf, trips to his school, the playground, painting my living room and downstairs bath, trimming hedges....well, you get the picture. They'll stay busy. :-)

So, my precious first born....Happy 63 month birthday! I love you, sweet girl!

Happy 7 month birthday, Jake!

Say it isn't so! My BABY is 7 months old this week! Parents, I know you agree that "they grow up so fast." But seriously with the second kid....it's unreal how quick time flies.


I have to say that I am enjoying every second of this sweet one's babyhood. He is such a JOY. Absolutely a precious angel.


So.....what's up with Jake at 7 months?


Jake is wearing size 4 diapers and size 18-24 month clothes. I mean, I could SQUEEEEZE him into a 9-12 month, but I want the kid to be comfortable. No one likes their thighs to have the circulation cut off.

Jake is taking two great naps a day at home (10am and 2pm)...about 2 hours each. At school, it's a different story, but none of his classmates seem to be "super sleepers." He is going to bed between 7:30pm-8:00pm and waking up about 6:30am.

My boy is still the champion eater- loving his fruits and veggies and breastfeeding like a champ. He's on a great schedule of eating 5 times a day.
Wake up: Nurse
9am: Cereal and Nurse/Bottle
12pm: Fruit, Veggie, and Nurse/Bottle
3pm: Nurse
6pm: Fruit, Veggie, and Nurse

Little Pook is such a charmer. He hasn't met a stranger and is just so happy all.the.time. I REALLY hope this personality is here to stay because, holy cow, he is the easiest baby. Chad and I just commented this week on the fact that he just doesn't cry. I mean he's definitely spoiled rotten so he shouldn't have a reason to cry, but still....I know I am sooooo lucky.

Jake started school on his 6 month birthday and has adjusted so well. I mean, I know he probably cries at school when he's tired and hungry and they have 7 other kids to tend to, but overall, they say he's very happy and content most of the day.

And the first thing he learned at school?

.....How to sit unassisted!

I'll work on getting a better picture of sitting on the floor for another post. :-)

So, between sitting and blowing raspberries, the tricks just keep on coming!

Way Back When-esday!

August 2005: Allie (4 years) & Brooklyn (6 months)

and because now I am obsessed with comparing Brooklyn and Jake pics... :-)

May 2010: Allie (8 1/2 years) and Jake (6 months)

An attempt to try and keep taking pictures of the 2nd child :-)

Still loving that Exersaucer!

And still looking like Daddy :-)

Remembering A Special Man

On May 20, 2009, the world lost a very special man, my grandfather, Ed "Fast Eddie" Roever.

It's been the quickest, longest year without him in our lives. He lived such a full and blessed life, yet when I think of all the things he missed this year (obviously, my Jake Edward, for one)...and all the things that are yet to come, the "selfish Jaclyn" feels sad. But I know that he is watching down on us from Heaven, probably wearing a hat like this...



And maybe sitting around a table playing games with the fellas...

Boy, do we miss him, but thank you Lord for the opportunity to have had him in our lives for sooooo long...and for the day that we will all be reunited in Heaven.

Miss you, Grandpa! Thanks for the memories!

The Many Faces of Jake

We are so in love with this "little" fella.

Strawberries...and Raspberries

Jake can do this for full minutes without stopping, but here is just a snippet for your viewing pleasure. It never fails to crack me up!

And yes, you may discuss how cute those chubby legs are!

A Trip to Bernie's Berries

Last Friday, we made our first trip out to the strawberry fields (patch?). We always go to Bernie's Berries.

Why?

1. Because she has the best strawberries... 2. Because "Bernie" is also known as Mrs. Kenan, my high school math teacher and a very precious lady....

And 3. We get to ride in the "Berry Cart." :-)

Brooklyn made Mrs. Kenan proud as she liked to separate her berries into basket by size. Warms a math teacher's heart! :-)

Jake did so good despite the heat and the fact that we really didn't have much for him to do.

He was his usually happy self and enjoyed some stroller time.

We got two nice-sized baskets full. Brooklyn was very particular about which ones we could pick. :-)

Such a fun way to spend a Friday afternoon...and I am still eating those yummy berries!

Way Back When-esday!

Here is Miss Brooklyn in May of 2005- she was three months old.

And it may be just because I am the Momma, but I loved comparing the above pic with this picture of Jake below...similar "Elvis-esque" facial expressions and some sort of secret "gang" sign with their right hands. :-)

And of course then I lost control and had to find some more comparison pics. Having a girl and then a boy doesn't always lend to "OMG" moments with seeing similarities between your kids, but it is fun when you can see it a teeny bit.

Here is Brooklyn in June of 2005 (first time in the exersaucer). She was almost 4 months.

And Jake at 4 months...in same exersaucer.

I promise this is the last one (for today!). Here is Chad with both his babies...

Hop on over to Cheryl's Blog and play along with us at Way Back When-esday!