Happy 1st Birthday Little Buddy!

Jake turned ONE on Dec. 30th!! I can't believe one year has gone by already! Sometimes it seems like he has been with us much longer than that, but for the most part it feels like it has FLOWN by. We were in Seattle with my family on his b-day, so they were able to celebrate with us. He has been such a great addition for me and Steve, as well as for Jake's grandparents and aunts and uncles. We just LOVE him!!! He is such a crack-up, and kinda wild and crazy :) He can be challenging for me as his mom, but to other people he is really funny. Maybe I should learn to laugh a little more at the things that frustrate me... ??? ;) Anyways, Jake is our pride and joy, and he has definitely taught us how to love deeper. Happy Birthday, little man!!!

At the Cheesecake Factory, YUMMMMMO

Ha, we didn't plan for this, but while we were there, we realized that Jake's b-day was the next day so our server brought out an ice-cream cup and we got to sing to him! He didn't quite know what to think of it, haha.
Ooooo, fire.

B-day time!! Helping us with a taste-test of the cake! He approved :)

Making our own pizzas is a family favorite, and since Jake is also a family favorite, we thought it was fitting!

I'm sad, I didn't get ANY pictures of him opening presents :( But he got this pull-along dog that "barks," but really it squeaks, and it was his friend for the moment.

Pin-the-Tail-on-the-Monkey!! His party was monkey themed, so we switched things up a little. And I was able to pull out my drawing abilities for the first time in a loooong time to create the monkey :)

Monkey cupcakes, aren't they cute?!

Being sung to again, same reaction, haha.

Before.......

During........AFTER!! It was a success!

Here are his stats:

Height: 30 1/2 inches, 70th perc.

Weight: 22 lbs, 33rd perc.

He's been about those same percentiles at every check-up!

About Jake:

• He can walk very well. His first step was at 10 1/2 months and he took off from there. He's even starting to run, but he usually ends up tripping.
• Knows how to get down from things feet-first. Our bed, the couch, stairs, etc.
• Says Mamma, Dadda, Yeah, Yum Yum, Nanana=No
• He still only has 8 teeth, but I can see white caps where his pointy teeth are going to make their way through at any time.
• He's starting to mimick a lot more. We say, "Where's the baby?" and he puts his hands on top of his head as we say, "Up there!" then he claps. We say, "Cheese!" and give him an all-teeth, squinty eyed smile and he does it back to us, it's so funny! Just things like that, he loves to copy what we're doing.
• He's drinking milk now, but it's in a bottle, he doesn't like it in his sippy cup yet, but we're working on it!
• He knows that he needs to blow on food when it's hot.
• Favorite foods are: grilled cheese, peanut butter toast, pears, bananas (used to hate them), cut-up prunes and grapes, string cheese, really any kind of cheese, English muffin pizzas, any kind of pasta with red sauce on it, mac n cheese, cooked carrots, green beans, olives, ravioli, turkey burgers, and Mexican food! And I haven't noticed tummy troubles with him when he eats it, good thing.
• Foods he hates: plain bread, chicken, peas. Other than that he's usually a good eater.
• Favorite toys are anything he can push/pull around, containers to put things in, things that sing/ make music so he can dance!

Baby's 1st (Should've been 2nd) Christmas 2009

Jake should've already been a Christmas pro, given his due date was Dec. 20th, 2008. BUT he decided to come (or rather, was forced, thanks to Pitocin) on Dec. 30th. So, we were all very excited to make this Christmas extra special for our little rug rat :) We got to spend this year with my family up in the Seattle area, and since he is the first grandchild on my side (17th on Steve's), he was spoiled ROTTEN!! But we had fun doing it, of course.

So, Christmas is my absolute favorite holiday. I mean, who doesn't love Christmas music, yummy food, fun holiday traditions, or getting to see your family and friends that you haven't seen in forever?? Oh, and don't forget the presents! I must say, I was in desperate need of some new clothes, some smelly good lotion and perfume, a video camera, new dishes, kitchen appliances and home decor. And "Santa" was good to me in those respects (THANKS everyone!!). But what I really love about this time of year is being prodded to think of the Savior more often. And it seems that the Spirit really is stronger in people, too. There is more kindness, service and love. I am grateful for the birth and life of Jesus Christ, for His brave and strong earthly parents, Mary and Joseph, and for His and our Heavenly Parents who love each of us enough to send their Only Begotten Son to this earth to live and die and atone for our sins so that we can have the opportunity to be with Them and our families forever. I know that He lives.

On a lighter note, here are some pictures of our Christmas Eve and day! I'm sad that I didn't get as many pictures as I wanted to, but that's what always happens with me because I'm having fun and I forget to take pictures!

One day I will figure out why the pictures never rotate on Blogger! Anyways, my mom set up a little tree in our room for Jake. It was a sock-monkey tree! We are always joking that he reminds us of a monkey, so that's kind of his theme, haha.

Christmas Eve! Steve flew in that night because he had to work, but he was able to stay for another 12 days, so he got a good long break in! I ended up being there for about 3 weeks total :) And yes, I came back home a little out of touch with reality!

My sis Emily, her hubby David, my sis Hannah and my brother, Brent. No, he does not like pictures. And yes, he is the only boy and the only one with red hair and blue eyes. Did we call him Fed Ex growing up? Also yes :) He still loves us!

Grandma and the Jakesters

Haha, it might look like he is scowling, but he was really giggling with the biggest grin on his face. He is a little ham!

New TOYS!!

We got a new video camera!!!! Ours was stolen at my sister's wedding back in July. While on the Manti Temple grounds with all of our family around. Luckily, or maybe by divine intervention ;), Steve had taken out all of our wedding videos and everything up until Jake was born. Unfortunately, Jake's arrival and newborn tape was still in the stolen video camera, but we did take a lot of the same types of videos on our regular camera. But still!! Didn't see that one coming!

Christmas family pic 2009

Meeting Santa

Yeah.... didn't like him. Jake met Santa for the first time at my parents' ward Christmas party, and he made this face the second we set him on Santa's lap. Oh well, maybe next year... :)

Jake with Grandpa
HA, after Santa and dinner were over, all these little boys were tossing a football around and Jake wanted to be right in the middle of everything, and the boys were nice enough to stop their game and let Jake play with the ball! It was cute.

Me and Hannah Banana :)

Work Christmas Party

Yay for Christmas parties!!! It was SO FUN to get together with Steve's co-workers (old and new) and their spouses (aka: some of our best buds!). Steve is fortunate enough to work with a lot of LDS people, since the company he works for is based out of the Salt Lake area. So, when we first moved to California about a year and a half ago, Steve was really lucky to have a common ground with a lot of people he worked with because they were also in our ward. And fortunately, their wives are some of the best and coolest people I know! So needless to say, we have a lot of fun together. We first lived in Palmdale, and now live in Murietta, about 2 hours south. Unfortunately not everyone was able to come down to Murietta, but at least we have 1 awesome couple (Cameron and Rachel Martin) down here with us! Hopefully we'll all live in the same area again someday, but until then we'll just look forward to company parties, hehe. See ya in the summer Palmdale People!!

Me, Rachel and Cameron Martin, Nate and Autumn Zarlengo, Thad and Lindsay Hymas

Ha, bad picture, but here we are, anyway :)
Alyssa and Spencer James, Ryan and Talia Haughton, and Kelvin and Eric

The gals

The guys, minus Cameron

Fun at the Park

There is a park about a mile away from our apartment and Jake and I make a visit there at least 4 times a week. He loves it there, and I'm grateful that it's so close! Now that he's walking, this park will be a lifesaver since we don't have a yard :( Maybe someday.... but for now, this will do :)

Weeee!!

I love this kid!!

Playing Peek-a-boo.

Trying to climb up the slide. He didn't make it very far!

Thanksgiving Getaway

Ok, so this post is a little delayed, but better late than never, right?! This Thanksgiving we made the long drive up to Idaho Falls, ID to be with Steve's family. This was an extra-special Thanksgiving because ALL of Steve's seven siblings were there with their families, which hasn't happened in a long time! So we started off driving on Wed. at 5 am, and when we got to Lehi, UT we were able to meet up with some GREAT friends, it was so fun!!! We couldn't stay very long, but it was so great to have even just an hour with them! So, when we finally got to Idaho, it was awesome to see everyone and see how much the nieces and nephews have grown up. We had a blast playing basketball on Thanksgiving morning (and Lightning and Horse for those of us who are athletically challenged ;)), and then we all enjoyed the Thanksgiving feast, of course, and we had fun just talking, watching movies, playing games and then shopping on Black Friday. And for once I didn't need to get up super early because I have all my shopping done already, YAY! But my sister and I went later on just because, uh, well what else do you do on Black Friday?? Anyways, on Sat. morning all of the adults enjoyed a temple session together, and then spent the next couple days playing foosball, around-the-world ping pong, Wackee Six, Phase 10, putting puzzles together, eating SO MUCH GOOD FOOD, etc. etc. Overall it was a great Thanksgiving weekend, and I'm so glad everyone was able to be there!!!!

On a more serious note, I just want to make a short list of things I'm grateful for (this is more for my sake, so feel free to skip over this if you want :)) ::: Steve-- without you I would be missing half of me. It's impossible to put into words how much I love you and am grateful for you every day-- for your love, support, wisdom, humor, smiles, hugs and kisses, advice, and for my best friend. Jake-- for teaching me patience (still working on it), how to love unconditionally, how to put someone else's needs before my own, how to find humor in frustrating situations, and how much Heavenly Father must trust me to send down a new little person who is so small and helpless and precious and amazing. I love you forever. The Gospel-- for all the things I know to be true and how that knowledge changes my life and makes it better. For my Savior and His Atonement, that even though I am FAR from perfect, I know that He is on my side, and has made it possible for me to repent and change. My family-- Without my parents I wouldn't exist, and without their examples I wouldn't be where or who I am today. Now that I have a child I have just a glimpse of how much they sacrificed for me, and how much they still do everything with their children in mind. Thank you! For my siblings, who are my best friends and support systems, and who inspire me and others more than they know! I am grateful for Steve's good, stable job, especially in these hard times; for my friends!! There are definitely awesome people in this world!; for a roof over our head, food to eat and clothes to wear; for two running cars; sunshine; the internet; cameras to put memories on paper; tithing; medicine; prayer; air conditioning/heat; running water... and the list goes on and on. I'm grateful for my life-- hard times and all!!

The Utah crew: Andrea, Devin and Carter Phillips; Emily (pregnant with Luke) and Jesse Havens; Steve, me and Jakers, and Jeremy Stoker

Checkin' each other out first...
... then off to sharing crackers!

Aww, these guys are so awesome!!! Steve became friends with Devin and Jeremy in High School, but Steve and Jesse have been friends since Elementary days. I think they all will be forever friends :)

And it's a good thing Devin and Jesse married such AWESOME chicas, because now we can be forever friends, too!!! Seriously, these girls are too awesome for words!!

Ok, on to Idaho! Here is little Savannah, just 3 weeks older than Jake. I hope they are good friends growing up!

Our future basketball star.

YAY!! My sister, Sarah, was able to spend most of the weekend with us!! She's at school at BYU-Idaho, so she was only a half hour away. Jake was her buddy for 4 days, and it was awesome, let me tell ya. We love you, SAWAH!!!!!

The annual Thanksgiving b-ball game

All the girls went out to eat for lunch on Black Friday. The waiter didn't get me in the picture :(

The English Christmas Tree!! This is one of my favorite Knowles/English heritage traditions. You stuff a Christmas tree (or in their case, TWO Christmas trees!) full of odds and ends gifts. They can be goofy, practical, or whatever you want. Then each person (or family) takes turns picking things off the tree one at a time until everything is gone. Some of the things we got were hand towels, an egg separator, a mini strainer, a flashlight, books, lotion, a pan scraper, and a little clock. Jake got 2 books, puzzles, a soft little soccer ball, and a teddy bear. Good times!

Natalie and Josh working on a puzzle.

Steve's parents, his siblings and their spouses. I love this family!!!!

So, after we left Idaho, we stopped in Provo to visit my sister, Emily, and bro-in-law, David. They are newlyweds going to school at BYU, and they were kind enough to make us some lunch! Thanks guys!!! They were also kind enough to give Jake some maracas to play with, and a mustache!

Thanks for letting us come see you guys!!! We love you!!! :)