Slip N' Slide, Shipley's Friday & PPK

Yesterday we set up Jacob & Madelyn's little pool at my mom's and a sprinkler set Jacob got for his birthday & a slip n' slide he also got. They had a great time playing in the pool together. Ruben & I set up the slip n' slide for Jacob but he didn't really know how to do it so I went & put on some old clothes I had at my moms and decided I would show him. Boy oh boy was that fun!! I hadn't been on a slip n' slide in years!! So Jacob & I played on it for like almost an hour...we even slid Madelyn down. It was funny but she wasn't a big fan of it. Well I wake up this morning & I am sore!! I feel like I was hit by an 18 wheeler. I guess a slip n' slide really is made for kids only. Haha! It was worth it, I had a blast!Jacob & I love love love Friday's. We call it Shipley's Friday. Each morning we eat breakfast at home but on Friday's we stop at Shipley's. He loves do-nut holes. Well they have this deal if you buy a combo meal you get a bag of do-nut holes free. So we get a #1 (2 regular do-nuts w/a small drink) for me and he gets the bag of do-nut holes (for free)...pretty sweet deal...we only pay $2.48...crazy huh? Works for us. He looks forward to getting do-nut holes on Friday & for the cheap price you can't beat it!

So this week at school was transitions. Right now Jacob is in PPS2 (Private Pre-School 2...older 3 year olds) well we got the letter last week that he will be transitioning into PPK (Private Pre-K) all this week. (You have to be 4 to move up to PPK and have the teachers feel you are ready to move up). So he and a couple others in his class are moving up to the next class, PPK. His teacher said they would go everyday this week from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. to get used to the new class & teacher. I went to pick him up yesterday at his normal class & they said he was still in the PPK class. What?...he stayed ALL DAY! I went to the PPK class and there he was...the teacher said he did really well so they kept him all day & if he wanted to he could stay all day Friday. So he said he did, so today when I dropped him off I dropped him off for the 1st time in the PPK class. It was so exciting...he's really growing up. So next week will be his official 1st week in the PPK class. They wear uniforms in that class (except during the summer so we wont have to get those until August) and go on field trips. I am taking off the days they go on field trips cause you know I am NOT missing those!

We are taking Jacob to the movies to see Up today and tomorrow he has his friend, Olivia's, birthday party at the Little Gym in Friendswood to go to. Should be a fun and relaxing weekend!

My Best Friend

Ruben & I officially are parents to a 4 year old...crazy! I still can't believe it. It feels like it was just yesterday we were driving like 20 mph on 288 driving home from the hospital. We were too scared to go any faster. I remember the 1st song that came on the radio in the car that day...Tim McGraw's "My Best Friend". To this day when that song comes on my eyes tear up thinking back 4 years ago to the car ride bringing our new baby home, scared beyond belief, but knowing we loved him & he truly was our best friend. We always tell him that...he's our best friend. By God's grace we heard that song that day because there's a part in the song that really explains how we feel about him & the song couldn't say it any better:

I was tired of hurtin'

So tired of searchin'

'Till you walked into my life

It was a feeling I've never known

& for the first time I didn't feel alone

Your more than a lover

There can never be another

That makes me feel the way you do

Oh we just get closer

I fall in love all over every time I look at you

I don't know where I'd be without you here with me

Life with you makes perfect sense

Your my best friend
We love Jacob Ryan more than words could ever express & I truly don't know where I would be right now if God didn't bless our lifes with him. We have had our share of bad & hard times but good ones were always there to follow. I am lucky to be his mother because he is one of the smartest, kindest, funniest kids I have ever known. My heart melts when those big brown eyes look up at me. Everything I do I do for that boy. He is my life.

The last pictures we took of him as a 3 year old.

Ok now on to this weekend & his party...

Friday: I went to get a pedi...ahh I love them. If you know me you know I hate to be touched. If I don't know you don't me...I don't touch you, you don't touch me. I'm not rude about it it's just how I am. So for the longest time I hated getting pedi's...I would do them myself. Well I learned I have to let go & just relax & have them done. I take my magazine & turn on the massaging chair & try not to think of the lady touching me. Weird I know. So after my pedi I went to find some new black flip flop type sandals to wear to Jacob's party. I went home cleaned up a little & then picked up Jacob from school & went to take him to get a haircut. We then went to my mom's where some of my family had already gotten there. We hung out & then the rest of my family arrived. My mom bar-b-q'ed for everyone & we had a great time hanging outside. We went home & got ready for the next day.

Saturday: We woke up early & Ruben, Jacob & I picked up my mom & aunt & headed to Sam's to buy the food & candy for Jacob's party. We got home and everyone got ready to go have lunch at Juanito's. After that we headed out to do a little shopping and then Jacob & I had to go home and get ready for a birthday party. We got ready and met my sister at her house and we all headed to Angela's daughter, Zoey's, 2nd birthday party. It was Dora themed & they had a Dora there that Jacob wanted nothing to do with. It was pretty funny. So after the party 2 of my cousins went to Wal-Mart with me & we picked up some Pei Wei for everyone for dinner. Ruben, my dad, sister & I had a re-match of the game we play (Ruben is seriously determined to win) and guess what....I WON! In all the years we have played I have never won! So I was excited...Ruben not so much!

Sunday: Party Day!! I woke up early & picked up my sister and cousin Steph so we could pick up the cake. The bakery is closed on Sunday's so I had to be there at 9:00 a.m. to pick up the cake. We we get there & guess what....it's not ready yet! What? Are you kidding me? Every year something goes wrong with his cake...every year!! Everyone knows the cake is the most important thing to me...I don't know why it just is. So they say they need 20 more minutes. No problem...so we head to a Target to kill some time. We 30 minutes pass & I call to see if it's ready yet...NOPE...they now need 30 more minutes. My heart is pounding & beating about 200 mph. So we wait some more & then go to the bakery...it's done...but TOTALLY NOT WHAT I ORDERED. His party theme was fireman/fire truck so I ordered the cake to be just a 2 layer round cake with white icing and fondant (sp?) flames going around both layers...easy right. We I got the bottom layer correct but then they added to layers on top...1 was painted buildings and the other was pained brick buildings with ladders going from the bottom tier to the top tier. I hated it. My sister said I should say something but I was too upset to. I am not a confrontational person and I don't like to cause problems. I was mad that it happened to me again. I just thought this time it would turn out fine cause that bakery always does such good work. I was seriously devastated & I refused to take a picture of it cause I was so mad. So we go home and start on the center pieces. We set up the chairs and tables & what do I see above...RAIN CLOUDS!! Here we go again. I was ok with the rain cause the day before it rained in the morning & then passed so I was hopeful that would happen again. We we got all the tables & chairs down & waited for it to pass. When it finally did we started the pit up again and got the tables and chairs out and started decorating. The party started at 3:00 p.m. & a lot of people started showing up. The kids were playing in the moonwalks and having a good time. Then what do I hear & see? LIGHTNING & THUNDER!! Are you kidding me? So we move all the tables into my parents garage and down it comes. It was raining so hard at one point there was hail. Just our luck. The wind was so hard it flew the moonwalk & the blower we rented across the street and into a huge ditch. It probably would have kept flying but Ruben's dad went out into the rain & tied it off onto a fence there was. We got really lucky no one got hurt. We called the moonwalk people & told them what happened & when the rain let up the came & all the guys at the party went to see if they could get it out. It was full of air & water and was way to heavy to get out. It was crazy. So we did the pinata and played a couple of games since it stopped raining. We moved the tables onto the driveway and had cake and opened presents. Everyone had fun despite the storm & even though every one that was supposed to come out didn't make it we had a great turn out and Jacob & his friends had a great time playing...they didn't care about the rain at all. The fire truck & ems didn't make it out, they called & said they were too busy which I totally understand. Honestly the rain didn't bother me cause Jacob still had fun (I was probably more upset about the cake). It was a crazy day! Everyone left and we cleaned up and headed home to rest. Everyone was wore out. My mom said she would send us on a vacation next year instead of having a party...I will go for that!!

Monday: My family from out of town left so we went & said bye to them & then we went home and set up Jacob's sprinkler set he got and let him play in that for a while. The rest of the day we just kinda hung out and took it easy.

Tuesday: Jacob Ryan's 4th birthday!! Ruben & I woke him up by singing Happy Birthday to him at 5:34 a.m. (the time he was born, Jacob thought it was funny but quickly fell back asleep) When he woke up later we had breakfast & got ready to go to Flip N' Out. He had fun on the moonwalks. We then met my mom for lunch at Gringo's by her work and then went to Jacob's school to take cupcakes & goodie bags to his friends. They sang to him...it was really cute. We went home and napped for a little bit until Ruben came home from work & then we all hung out until it was time to go to his birthday dinner with both of our families. There he opened his presents from Ruben & I. We got him some clothes from Gymboree (didn't care to much about that), movies, games, more Thomas trains & a soccer ball...he had been wanting one. We went home and just hung out for the rest of the night. He had a great birthday. Our baby isn't a baby anymore...he's a little man (he likes when we call him that). I am excited to see him grow so I don't get sad that he gets older...I love it. I love he can talk to us & play with us. He has his own personality that just amazes me.

Jacob Ryan,

Mommy & Daddy love you to the moon & back!

Fingers Crossed

Fingers crossed...seems to be my moto lately. 4 more days until Jacob Ryan's 4th birthday party & what else...my fingers are crossed. There is a 20% chance of rain this weekend & that is 20% chance too much. The party is outside & I pray pray pray for no rain all weekend (we have a party to go to Saturday too & then Jacob's is on Sunday). I know that may seem selfish but I have planned too hard for this party for it to be ruined by rain & I have family coming in from out of town, I would hate for them to drive all the way here & then there be a wash out of a party. (Next year we are having an indoor party for sure...I can't handle not knowing if it will rain or not.) Another fingers crossed I have is that we will be able to have the Fire Department come out to his party too. As of right now we have the EMT bringing the Ambulance but when I called yesterday to make sure they were still coming she told me she was going to try & break the rules and see if the Fire Dept. would come out as well! I was so happy she is going to try...that was unexpected surprise. Jacob's party theme is Firefighter but they said the city wouldn't let them come out to a private party so the EMT said they would be able too....all the same theme & the kids don't care as long as they get to play in it, right?! So if we had both come out that would be totally amazing! Jacob knows the ambulance is coming to his party so we are going to keep the fire truck a surprise for 2 reasons...1. they are unable to make it out & 2. his face will just light up when he sees it so we will be looking forward to that. I made all my last minute calls yesterday to make sure everything is still ready to go for Sunday e.i. make sure the bakery didn't loose our cake order, make sure the moonwalk company would be on time, things like that. I am a planner & I have to have everything in order and make sure I have everything covered. The one thing that really gets me is that I will plan his party for months..making sure I have exactly what I want and something will go wrong (not wrong to others but in my eyes) and some people just throw a party together and wait last minute and their party will turn out great...I DON'T GET IT! My mom says I worry to much & everything always turns out fine. I just have a vision in my head & get upset when it doesn't go EXACTLY as I planed. I have to just let go & realize that life is life & nothing is perfect...as long as Jacob has fun and I have my family around me nothing else should matter.

So in 6 days Ruben & I will officially have a 4 year old!

I am really looking forward to this weekend. My family is coming in on Friday. Saturday we have a birthday party to go to. Sunday is Jacob's birthday bash. Monday we are both off & Jacob's school is closed and Tuesday (Jacob's birthday) I am taking off to spend the day doing whatever Jacob wants and then we will probably go out to dinner with our families. Thank you God for the blessings you have brought into my life!!

Pizza, Pizza, Pizza

Thursday was the last day of T-Ball. They played a short game and then they were presented with their trophy's and a pizza party. I was so proud of Jacob. I pray he wants to play again but next year we will be playing at the Dad's Club since he will be old enough to play there. He was too young this season that's why we played at the Y. After the game Ruben, myself, Jacob, my sister & brother in law & Madelyn had dinner at Gringo's and then headed home.

Friday I went for a work out and then headed home to do laundry. I picked up Jacob from school and then we waited for Ruben to get home so we could make what else....PIZZA! Jacob & I were grocery shopping a couple of days before and came across a section where they had all these pizza supplies so we decided that would be a fun project & a good dinner. So when Ruben got home we made the pizza. Jacob had a blast! Ruben helped put the sauce on and Jacob put the cheese & pepperoni on. We baked it and surprise surprise it turned out great! It tasted really good!! We will definitely do that again. On Saturday morning we went to the town center so I could get my charm put on my bracelet so we stopped at James Avery and then I needed to go to Express and Victoria's Secret. Ruben & Jacob stayed in the car because Jacob has a tendency to want to touch the models at Victoria's Secret....what am I going to do with that boy? We stopped and had lunch and then headed home for a nap. When we woke up we felt outside and it was so nice. We got Jacob dressed in his swim shorts and headed out to the new splash pad at Centennial Park on McLean. We called my sister so she could bring Madelyn too so they & my mom met us there. We pull up & it says: "Closed for Maintenance"....WHAT? They just opened it like a month ago...what could be wrong with it? So thankful Ruben had brought Jacob's fishing poll so we tried to fish in the pond they have there but we didn't see anything so we decided to take Madelyn & Jacob to play on the playground. They had fun. We stopped for dinner at Big Humphrey's!! Yummy!! Jacob again got to make his own pizza! That's seems to be his new favorite thing to do. My sister & I shared a pizza as well. FYI Big Humphrey's has the best pizza period!! We had the Lotza Meatza Pizza...equivalent to the Pizza Hut Meat Lovers but only 20X better!! We went home and Jacob passed out and Ruben & I watched a movie. Sunday rolled around and we got ready again and headed to Party City and back to James Avery to get my charm bracelet. We got home and Jacob and Ruben napped while I went through all of Jacob's party supplies to make sure I had everything I needed. I packed everything up and when the boys woke up we headed to my mom's to drop everything off. We we drove up Ruben spotted this HUGE turtle in my parent's yard. My parents have 5 acres and a big ditch so seeing turtles is nothing new but this turtle was HUGE! We went to go see it and Ruben and my dad tried to take it back to the ditch were there was water but when Ruben picked it up it peed on him...it was gross! My dad and Ruben put him back in the water and of course got cleaned up. We had dinner there and then headed home.

I can't believe Jacob's party is this coming Sunday!! And that he will be turning 4 years old a week from tomorrow! Amazing! My family will be coming in on Friday so I am so excited! Nothing means more to me than my family...I love them!!

Last Day Of T-Ball

Today is the last day of T-Ball...boo!! I love going each week and watching Jacob play. He loves it. Last week he had some really great hits...but again we need to work on his catching. After their game they will have awards and then a little pizza party....should be really cute. This summer we will continue with swimming lessons and bowling. You might think bowling is dorky (Ruben does) but he loves it and it's just something to keep him active. We are not to sure if we are going to sign him up for soccer since during the summer he will have camp at school and they go on 3 field trips a week and the other 2 days they play on the splash pad they have at school...so I am thinking he will probably be really tired by the time he gets out of school. Summer is right around the corner...I can't believe it!!

2 Weeks to 4 Years OId

The countdown is on!! Jacob Ryan will be 4 years old in exactly 2 weeks!!

2 weeks = 14 days

14 days = 336 hours

336 hours = 20,160 minutes

20,160 minutes = 1,209,600 seconds

Fun facts about Thursday, May 26, 2005:

Birthstone: Emerald

Astrological Sign: Gemini

146th day on the Calender, 147th (Leap Year)

Carrie Underwood won American Idol the night before.

Billboard Top 100 songs were: "Hollaback Girl" by Gwen Stefani & "Since U Been Gone" by Kelly Clarkson

The temperature in Houston that day was high 91, low 70

Celebrities born on May 26: Lenny Kravitz, Hank Williams Jr., Stevie Nicks, and John Wayne

I'm Good At Loving You

Friday I went to Muffins for Mom at Jacob's school. We sat and talked and ate muffins and had chocolate milk. It was really sweet! Then I went up to Zales to get my chain fixed (well replaced) for my diamond cross necklace. My chain had broken 2 times in the past like 3 months...1 time cause Jacob tugged on it & it busted the other time I don't think they fixed it correctly and it was scratching my neck and eventually it broke again. I really needed it fixed before Mother's day since it was the cross Jacob had gotten me for my very first Mother's day so I really wanted it for Mother's day. I ran a couple of other errands and then went to pick up Jacob from school. He gave me a card and a flower that had a poem attached to it. It was beautiful. The poem made me cry. I was crying while I was reading it and Jacob asked why I was crying & I said it was cause I was happy and I loved him and he said the sweetest thing I have ever heard, he said...

"I'm good at loving you!"

My heart melted. He was so sweet and so confident in his answer. It was priceless. I love that little boy like no other. We went home played, had some dinner, and got him ready for bed. Ruben and I watched some t.v. and went to bed shortly after. We woke up and got ready to have Mother's Day lunch with Ruben's parents, 2 grandmothers, aunt & cousins at Pappasito's. We gave Ruben's mom her Mother's day gift before we went to the restuarant incase she wanted to show it off. We had a calander made for her with pictures of Jacob and each month the pictures corisponded with each month...October had pictures of Jacob in all of his Halloween costumes, December had pictures from Christmas' past, ect. She loved it! And each month below the pictures I put a bible verse or phrase that meant something. I worked really hard on it & it came out great! Ruben's parents gave me a gift card to NY&Co. and a "R" charm for my James Avery charm braclet. I already have the "J" for Jessica & Jacob but I have wanted to the "R" for Ruben & Jacob's middle name...Ryan. We went home and took a nap before we got ready to go to the Astros game!! We had a blast!!

Sunday we headed over to my parents for a bar-b-q. We ate & exchanged gifts. We got my Mom a calander too but hers had pictures of both Jacob & Madelyn. She loved it!! We got my sister a Willow Tree figurine that she didn't have (she collects them). My parents gave both my sister & I new Coach sunglasses...SWEET! I needed new sunglasses!! My sister gave me a gift card to Macy's...I needed new make up!! We then cleaned up and played our game again...after yelling and laughing my dad finally won & Ruben coming in a close close second. We had so much fun...I really need to remember the name. It's a big wooden board that you play with marbles and dice...kinda like the game Trouble. We went home and Ruben took a nap while Jacob & I watched movies. We ordered pizza...we weren't going to even try to go out for dinner...it would have been to packed. I had a great Mother's day weekend filled with lots of laughs and surrounded by the people I love the most...my family!!

Future Fire Fighter?

Jacob's 4th birthday is fastly approaching so I have been trying to think of some nice places to take his 4th birthday pictures. Since I got my camera I try to take all his pictures myself instead of getting them done. I love taking pictures & even though I haven't mastered it yet I know I will be happy down the road when I look at them & know that I was the one that took them. So with that all the places that came to mind all had pretty flowers & such...not so nice for a BOYS photos exactly as I was looking for something a little more boyish. My mom suggested going to the fire station...DUH his party is fire truck theme!! I had thought of if but I figured they may be too busy to allow someone to take pictures on their truck...wrong...they were happy to help!! So we set up a time for us to go (yesterday afternoon) and they had the fire truck pulled out & ready for Jacob. We got their & his eyes just light up...he was so excited...we can say Mommy was too. They gave us a little tour inside the fire house and then we went out and they let Jacob do whatever he wanted. They brought out their uniforms, showed us inside the truck, all kinds of things. It was really neat! They were so nice & answered all our questions. I wanted to take so many more pictures but I didn't want to feel like I was over staying our welcome. Haha! But all in all I was happy with some of the shots I got of him.

Little bummer about the fire station...they wont be able to make it to his party. I had called about them about going to Jacob's party and giving the kids a tour of the fire truck a few months ago but they informed me that the city was no longer allowing them to go to private parties anymore but we were able to get the EMS to come out so that will be a great treat for the kids. His party is fire fighter/fire truck theme but in reality is all goes together & the kids wont mind as long as they get to see it & hear the sirens and see the lights and stuff so I think everything is going to turn out great. I have everything ready. I have all the decorations, balloons, fire hats for all the kids, the moonwalk rented, the invitations are ready to go out today, the games, the cake is ordered...everything but the food (which I have to wait on). 17 more days!! but 19 more days until his real birthday!!

I am beyond excited about today & the rest of the week:

Today: We have T-Ball!! (next week is the last week :( and they will have awards and a party)

Tomorrow: I am going to Muffins for Mom at Jacob's school...so cute!

Saturday: We are having Mother's Day lunch with Ruben's family and then Ruben, Jacob & I are off to the Astros game!

Sunday: Mother's Day! We are having a bar-b-q at my moms.

Hope all the Mother's out there have a great day filled with lots & lots of love!!

& A Cake Cause' It's Sunday

Our weekend just seemed to fly right by us & we didn't even do much of anything. Friday I ran some errands and after I picked up Jacob from school I stopped by my mom's house to pick up something that I had ordered for Jacob's party. We stayed there for a while and then decided we were all going to have dinner at Pei Wei...yummm...my favorite! We had dinner and then went home and hung out for the rest of the night. Saturday morning we were up pretty early and Ruben got ready to go to Yamaha to see the progress of his bike getting fixed. Jacob & I stayed behind and got ready as well. As soon as Ruben got home Jacob & were ready and we were off to order Jacob's birthday cake. I had a vision in my head but the place we get cakes they do such an amazing job I just told them Jacob's birthday theme and see what they came up with. We talked about it and finally decided on what the cake will look like. I pray it comes out what I picture. A birthday cake is the most important thing to me & it seems like every birthday cake I have ever ordered something came out wrong. We have been going to this bakery for the last couple of occasions and I know they will do a good job! We headed home and picked up some lunch and took a nap after we ate. Jacob & I watched some movies (Ruben had to study for his finals this week) and then my mom called that another package I ordered for Jacob's party was at her house so we went to pick it up. On Sunday Ruben & Jacob went to the store to get some things to wash cars & ended up coming home with worms & a fishing rod. They went to a nearby lake and fished while I cleaned Jacob's room from top to bottom and also rearranged everything. I love rearranging a room. Jacob was like "What did you do to my room!" when he came home and saw it. He liked it though! That night Jacob & I made a cake...he told me we couldn't eat it yet cause' it wasn't his birthday yet but I told him we made the cause just cause' it was Sunday...we all liked that excuse!

I printed out Jacob's invitations this morning so I am now all ready for his party...now I just have to wait...the countdown to May 24 is 20 days!!