These babies just keep growing and thriving and its the biggest blessing that makes this mama heart real sad. I love writing it down tho to look back – because when you have to so many you want to make sure you don’t forget who did what. Not that Duke would let us forget! He is a 2nd child and middle child through and through. we adore him for it but man can he be a mental handful.

Sleeping – He goes to bed 8:30-9 depending how tired they are and if it is school or no school. He sleeps in a bed FULL of random pillows and blankets and who knows what else. just like his mother did as a kid! He is our pajama wearer – though will try to sleep in jeans ( and his slip ons!) to drive us crazy. he is our child that will POP UP the second the door opens and always wakes up in a tizzy thinking he is late or being forgotten. He is also our child who NEEDS sleep. The boys are usually sun risers so they sleep in a ton during the winter and wake a little earlier in the summer – but summer also exhausts them and there is nowhere to be so they sleep in til 8 which is also awesome. Duke is known for falling asleep in the car if it is around nap time. We force him to take a nap still on Sundays and usually 1 other day a week because he just gets exhausted so easily and can still fall asleep no problem at night.

Eating: Duke is a particular guy when it comes to food too. Our main issue with his eating is convincing him to eat his supper. he is pretty much protesting every meat right now and has to sit down extra and be told a million times to EAT IT. he still is pushing us but is starting to eat a little better. Breakfast wise he will eat it all and is always ready for it. loves cereal and pancakes/waffles and his Sunday cinnamon rolls. Loves snacks and always begs for them. His favorite would be apples, goldfish, pretzel, carrots and fruit. Some of his fave foods are cottage cheese, pears, Mc Chickens, peppers Favorite dessert would be ice cream, Sno Biz, whatever we will give him! I always wonder how he eats at school. Loves to eat anything from the garden which is so impressive. Happy to go out to eat wherever allowed – love Mc Donalds and Snow Biz Does share his food very well with his siblings.

School – Duke had a fabulous year in the TK program at Oskaloosa Christian. We knew we wanted him to be held back just because me and Kyle were both late bloomers – he really thrived in the small classroom and lots of attention. He is very very good at school and is already able to read and hasn’t done actual kindergarten. he def is an enneagram 1 through and through and it worried about justice and rules and i think sometimes at school that comes out. He knows everyone and everyone’s name and what is going on around him unlike Wyatt at this age.

Nighttime he loves reading books in bed, getting to watch a show, goes to bed at 9 – takes plenty of time to brush his teeth and i think that he talks Wyatt’s head off. Usually a jammies guy but yet can be caught sleeping in jeans like a weirdo! Still loved having his blankie and puppy and his bed is full of random stuff.

Loves to help in the garden, ride his biking circles upon circles, drives his 4-wheeler very safely, climbing all over the rangere and going for ranger rides. loves to swim as long as you don’t get his hair wet. Loved jumping on the trampoline and swimming in our stock tank pool. Loves the sprinkler under it and having Jack and Clay come over to play. Loes playing in the snow in the winter. Had a great time on vacation and was the least scared of tubing, loved kayaking, going to Miner Mikes and playing all the games. Works hard to keep up with whatever Wyatt is doing. Loves army things because it interests Wyatt and he wants to play with him. Getting very into Legos, doesn’t like to be bad at things, always worried about messing up, storms make him nervous and very worried about flooding at our house. When it comes to shows he like Wild Kratts, The Deep, Movies – can’t turn on a tv because he depends on Wyatt to do everything for him. Love to play games on computer/phone ***Loves going to the library and usually picking books about Whales or animals. Does good at chores as long as Wyatt has to do the same as him… but can also be very helpful when he wants to!

Def our most emotional child who sometimes has trouble controlling it when someone upsets him. can find tears faster than most but knows when to hold them if he can. Loves putting his siblings in their place and fighting with Betsey. Your heart is so big though and you just loved everyone and wrap everyone around your little finger. Lost a toenail which was quite the ordeal but also you did so awesome about it after your initial freakout. We adore you and the hilarious things that you say every day! We just never know what will come out of your mouth and have no filter. You are loved, you would be a perfect only child who soaks up all the attention you can get.