Kids gravitate to Jake.  I think they see him as a live bobble head and know that hilarity will ensue. Maybe they relate to his diaper. Whenever I am with the kids in my life, they either ask to see photos of Jake or to check-in on the live Jake cam.  There have been times when the visual of Jake has taken a child from tantrum to laughter.  Nine times out of ten, when I see Hadley, Blake, Lane, Maddy or Emmie, the very first thing they will ask is ‘How is Jakie’?

Jake has not always reciprocated that love back.  There was the time that Princess TuTu came over, in a tutu (thus the name) and Jake latched onto the tutu as she tried to run away from him.  He refused to let go.  It was not adorable. We finally got him off of it. Jake also used to be an ankle biter (his way of getting kids and other dogs to play but no living creature has ever enjoyed it or seen it as an awesome way to be invited to have fun). Most of them just screamed ‘HE’S BITING ME’!   I obviously trained him not do it.

For a while now, he has been kid-tested, mom-approved. As long as no one wears a tutu.

This past week, a little peanut named Peyton stopped off with her awesomely, thoughtful mom (and our other sweet peanut Laney Bug) and dropped a gift basket off for Jakie.  The day they stopped by was one of our less than great radiation days – the visit and the basket turned our day around.

Heart full.