Dear Jack,

First day of 2nd year of preschool

You are such a handsome devil.  The above picture of you has to be my very favorite.  After having a rough first year of preschool with Miss Amy, I decided a change was in order.  This year I put you in "I Can Do It Myself" which is more in downtown Payson, but I have heard for years of how good it is.  We are now one month in and you tell me all the time how much you love your new "big preschool."  After not learning one thing last year, you are already saying letter sounds left and right this year.  Maybe it is just with age, but I am a believer in this preschool.  I wish I would have put all my kids in for 2 years, but oh well.  You have homework pages every week (which you are actually loving and want actually want to do each night) and I can already see a difference.  It is so exciting and I am so grateful I was prompted for the change.

You are still a stubborn little guy when you want to be, and are learning to be more independent.  You like to help the kids unload the dishwasher and actually do a pretty decent job.  You want to put on your seatbelt and pour your own milk.  You can entertain yourself for the most part and get yourself a snack from the pantry without problems.

Since our cancellation of Netflix, you have discovered the video clips on NickJr.com and you have just recently learned how to use the computer mouse.  Needless to say, you love to watch shows and play games on the kids' computer while I am beside you working on my computer, and have lately told friends you don't want to play so you can keep playing.  Speaking of friends, you still like to play with Christian, Matthew and Adam, but we have found out the hard way that three's a crowd and you have been opting to stay home instead more and more.

At Mapleton's 4th of July celebration, your name was the first one called out of your age group to win a free bike.  I was so shocked because we never win anything and you just plain didn't know what was going on.  I had to carry you kicking and screaming up to claim your bike.  The announcer even commented, "He is crying he is so happy."  ha ha ha..  Once you settled down enough for me to tell you what was happening you were very excited, as I knew you would be.   In fact, you are getting very good use out of it, riding it about every day.  

A few weeks ago when as a family we went to through the Odgen Temple open house, they wanted to put booties on over our shoes and you threw a fit and ended up kicking down on the ground.  The ushers kindly told us you could just take your shoes off and wear socks and so that is what we finally did to calm you down and get you happy again.  You sure are particular about some things and I never seem to know what will set you off. 

You love Emmi and she is your favorite of your siblings to play with.  You also seem to be hers right now and I love how kind you are to each other.  Your other favorite pal is of course Birdie, and she sure does put up with a lot from you.  You like to act like she is your pillow and constantly try to lay on her, even though she usually ends up trying to nip you.  

You have picked up phrases such as "What da heck?" and "Oh, my gosh" which usually gets a good chuckle from any adult who hears you, but my favorite has to be your word for shoelaces... "shoe-tails."  I have no idea where you picked that one up, but I love it, especially in your little raspy, lispy voice.  You have fallen in love with the book "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" from school and you want your dad to read you our copy at least once before bedtime. I love you buddy.

Love, 
Mom

Boating with Grandma and Grandpa Hunsaker

BYU fall scrimmage

Children's Museum

Dear Jack,

I took you in for your first dental cleaning and I was so amazed at how well you did!  Maybe it was because you have seen your siblings sit in this chair for so long, that you were anxious to do it too, but you would hardly sit still when it was your turn. 

You were pretty much the same way at the first day of swimming lessons.  All you wanted to do was splash and yell. You wouldn't listen to your teacher and sit on the step and ended up about drowning until I got her attention. She had to hold you in her arms because you just could not sit still.  Thankfully, as the days went by your excitement level did taper and you paid attention a teensy bit more.  On the first day of swimming lessons, you refused to put your head in the water, but by the end you were a fish.  I have taken you kids to a couple pools and all you want to do is jump off the side and into the water.  Already you are a better swimmer than your mom, and I am so proud! 

I have to add that although you were not easy for your teacher, you won her over with your cute smile and personality.  The last day of class she walked over and asked for a big hug on the way out, telling me how cute you are.

Your buddy is still Christian down the road, and you want to play every day.  You two get along most days, but you can only play for so many hours and then I hear you guys arguing over everything.  You have learned to ride the scooter and like to ride up and down the sidewalk or down to Christian's house.  You love our next-door neighbor, Warren, who is like a Grandpa to you.  You call him "my neighbor" and will often tell me you are going over to see "my neighbor" or "what is my neighbor doing, mom?"  Him and his wife keep a freezer stocked of popsicles and he lets you follow him around when he is doing yard work, so he is your favorite. 

A day or two after my surgery, Warren came to door and pulled your Dad outside.  I guess you followed them both out the front door and in our front yard.  Warren showed your dad that one of our sprinkler heads was gone just next to his property and he was worried that when the water came on that night his yard would be flooded.  Just as Warren said "if only we could find the sprinkler head" you walked over to just behind where Warren was standing and opened his gas tank door on his car that was parked there, grabbed the sprinkler head that you had stuffed in there and showed them with a smile on your face.  Warren and your dad had a good laugh, I am sure.  You are the first one I ask when I can't find something, because you usually were the one to misplace it.

We have been working hard on your letters with the "Mr. Pencil" app because I would like you to be able to recognize some letters.  I don't think you can recognize any at this point, which is probably due to your age.  Thank goodness you have one year of preschool left, and that I switched to a little bit more structured school.  I should not be worried because you are such a little smarty.  

You were hilarious at the Scofield cabin.  The "forest fairy" (aka Grandma B) left out some bows and arrows for the boys one night as a gift.  You quickly grabbed onto as many as you could, calling them "aer-rows" and would say you were going out in the woods to shoot "ba-ers" and zombies, of course.  You had the cutest little hillbilly accent.  You fell asleep just about every afternoon up there too, right on the floor.  One of the days your dad pick you up off the floor from under the table and took a nap with you on the couch.  The next day you were halfway under an end table.  What is it with you and tables?

You are my buddy and little snuggler.  You are my Jackie-bear.  I love you so much.

Love, 
Mom

Gerry, the assistant lunch lady who was your favorite from helping with school lunches.  She loved you too.

I forced you into the picture, hence your face.

Scofield Cabin

Texas Roadhouse

Jumping off the side with cousin Brycey at the Lindon pool.

At Scofield with your bow.

Hangtime

Swimming lessons

Your face when someone jumps off the diving board

Dear Keaton,

I love this first picture of you even though I didn't take it (I am guessing Sam did), because that is a classic Keaton expression and because this is what you look like almost every day.  That is your favorite shirt and day in and day out that is what you will try to wear until I gently remind you that you wore it the day before and to please go change.  It has all the stains to prove it too. 

Your favorite buddy is still Landon, but you like to wait until mid afternoon before you ask to play, and like to spend your mornings alone on the Xbox, your iPod or on my computer.  Although you do come out of your shell around most people, I have noticed that you often leave the group and like to just be alone.  To be honest, it worries your Grandma B because she thinks that you feel left out, but I know that is not the case.  I love that you are confident by yourself and don't mind being alone at times. 

You are still crazy about Birdie and like to call her "Boo-ey" which drives me and your Dad nuts so we try not to listen, but you do take really good care of her, and try to make her sleep on your bed at night. You also love to walk into the room and say "Hello.. chumps."  I think you learned it from Landon, but me and your Dad have started saying it to you to get you to smile; however, I think you say it the best.

You did really well this summer in swimming lessons and passed off Level 5.  You have already decided to be done with taking lessons, and that is fine with me.  You are a great swimmer and I don't think any more lessons are needed unless you choose to do swim team. 

I love how you take good care of me, Keek.  After my shoulder surgery last month, you and your siblings didn't quite know what the doctor did to my shoulder because I didn't really tell you.  One day a week or so after the surgery you asked to see my shoulder underneath the ice packs, sling and bandages and I showed you and the rest of the kids.  It is just two little scars, and really didn't look to bad, but I could tell that you felt sorry for me and knew that it hurt.   All of sudden you were bringing me my drink, getting me food, asking me if you could do anything else to help you, and this lasted one whole day! I was very touched that you wanted to make me feel better.  I know you had been watching what your Dad nurse me with and tried to shadow him.  You have a big heart.  It meant a lot to see you take the initiative like that.  One day when I am very frail and old I hope that you will still want to help take of me.:)  I love you, son.

Love, 
Mom

Another cute picture taken by Sam

Found you and Birdie asleep like this..lol.

 

Four-wheeling with Grandpa Hunsaker on the day of my surgery.

Playing at Hangtime.

Texas Roadhouse

Scofield cabin

Swimming lessons