"When people say a John Wayne picture got bad reviews, I always wonder if they know it's a redundant sentence, but hell, I don't care. People like my pictures and that's all that counts." John Wayne

May 8^th: Yesterday I was leaning over to Duke to tickle his stomach and he held my face for the first time with both hands and smiled. He is so incredibly sweet. He then proceeded to take the glasses off my face….that he got from his cousins. It’s amazing how big he is now. Here is comparison picture of the first time I held him to now. He is a person.

Today is our first Mother’s Day together. We started off the day very happy and smiley. It seems like Dukes is never in a bad mood (except that time when he was on the Roids). We spend time with the family enjoying our time together. It’s funny to see Duke when people hold him now because his neck and shoulders are much stronger and he is going to be sitting up on his own soon.

I was not expecting anything for Mother’s day, Duke is 7 months old and can’t make anything yet. I am totally looking forward to future works of art by my little bird. I think homemade cards and gifts are sweet.  When we were giving gifts Pop Rock came out with my “gift from Duke.” My money bags of a son got me a Kindle…however he didn’t know Mommy had one. For the rest of the day I got several guilt trips because I am returning my first Mother’s Day gift from Duke (totally feel like a heel).  Duke found a replacement that I didn’t have.

"When I saw what our boys are going through - hell - and how the morale was holding up, and the job they were doing, I just knew they had to make this picture."

May 1st: Duke has been sick. Poor baby sounds like an 80 year old smoker. He has a case of bronchial virus and now has the pleaure of nebulizer treatments every 3 hours. The cool thing is the mask is a dragon and looks like it is blowing steam, but the 3 hours is between feeds and through the night. Needless to say, I am exhausted! They put him on steroids for a day, but he was beyond angry and fussy, which isn't him even on his worse days. The doctor recommended taking him off and I was greatful because I just wanted my darling smiling baby back. It's funny, even when he was getting bloodwork and constant check-ins he was always content hand cheerful, if he is in the slightest bit whinney, you know something is wrong. When he is done he cracks his smile again.

Good News Duke is up to 13 lbs and finally has baby fat rolls on his arms, legs and feet.

"I have tried to live my life so that my family would love me and my friends respect me. The others can do whatever the hell they please"

April 24th: Happy Easter to Duke. The question of the week was what do you give a 7 month old for Easter.....babyfood and a duckie.

We all had matching outfits (which I am sure to hear "moooooommmmmm" for eventually but he can't say anything now). Everyone cooed over Duke, but the poor baby was hot after a while because it was 80 degrees. The sweater was the first to come off then the pants. I found it funny that he was chillying in a onsie in the family portrait with his 9 cousins.