"Westerns are closer to art than anything else in the motion picture business."

December 29th: Wrapping up the year with my little elf. He had a wonderful year with a lot of progress. He is able to say sentences, he is working on potty training and is an avid runner. In the next year we are going to be working on our normal things, stubbornness, temper and how to be more awesome than the next year. Duke is going to have an awesome 2014.

There are several adults around him ready to catch him.

Merry Christmas from the Duke!

December 24th: Duke's teach has been very creative with projects for the class for the holiday season. FYI some of the pictures are cropped because he has kids in his class (who are adorable) but I don't have permission to show their pictures, just my little guy.

Mini Gingerbread houses make around milk cartons

Lessons planned around reindeer.

Special Reindeer food to lay out on Christmas eve.

 

Sad John Wayne Trivia Fact: Although it has often been written that Wayne was dying of cancer when he made The Shootist (1976), his final film, this is not actually true. Following the removal of his entire left lung in 1964, he was cancer-free for the next 12 years. It wasn't until Christmas 1978 that he fell seriously ill again, and in January of the following year the cancer was found to have returned.

December 17th: Duke love Santa. he was so excited to see him and it was hard, like holding back a wild stallion for him when he was next to see Santa and had to wait his turn.

 

Santa got out of Duke that he wanted a Ball, love this kid!

[his speech at The 42nd Annual Academy Awards (1970) (TV)] " But tonight I don't feel very clever, very witty. I feel very grateful, very humble, and I owe thanks to many, many people. I want to thank the members of the Academy. To all you people who are watching on television, thank you for taking such warm interest in our glorious industry. Good night." John Waye

November 25th: Duke's Thanks giving week at school was filled with fun picture books, turkey hats and a turkey feast. I love the great things they do in class and how engaged they get the kids.

The funniest part of the Thanksgiving pictures is this one to me. It's Duke looking at a plate of food I couldn't get him to eat if my life depended on it. His face is one I am familiar with and still love.

Duke trivia: Duke's first movie he saw with John Wayne was Donovan's Reef

November 12th: Duke's IEP meeting was today, I heart his teacher and all the people who adore him and treasure working with him!

John Wayne Trivia: Allegedly John Wayne gave Sammy Davis Jr. the first cowboy hat he ever wore in a film.

October 31st: Duke did awesome this Halloween. He was Clark  Kent for Daycare and the Red Power Ranger for Trick or Treating. He ran from house to house and this kid crushed it, his bucket is 100% full.

It's amazing how Duke has done from this costume his first year, to these over the past 4 years.

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

 

"When I started, I knew I was no actor and I went to work on this Wayne thing. It was as deliberate a projection as you'll ever see. I figured I needed a gimmick, so I dreamed up the drawl, the squint and a way of moving meant to suggest that I wasn't looking for trouble but would just as soon throw a bottle at your head as not. I practiced in front of a mirror." John Wayne

October 23rd: Newest update from Duke's Teacher. I very proud of how well Duke is doing and am so proud of him, he's fantastic.

• "Duke had a great week at school! I am so glad that you were able to come to the bounce house. I know that he had a great time and I hope you had a great time meeting the other parents. Duke is doing really well using words in the classroom. We know that he is very capable so we always encourage him to try to use his words when he wants something or when he is trying to tell us something. His little stubborn behaviors continue to improve every single day. He is making it through circle time without indicating that he wants to be somewhere else. He is doing really well with following directions in the classroom and transitioning through our routine with fewer prompts. We are really proud of him :)" I asked what Duke likes to do in the classroom here is the response."Duke loves to dance, play during centers (blocks, housekeeping, and reading tree), play outside with his friends, eat snack, and sing songs/finger plays during circle time! "

It's amazing how big he is now compared to this little guy on his first October.

 

"I was overwhelmed by the feeling of friendship, comradeship, and brotherhood"- John Wayne in regards to DeMolay

October 19th: Duke had a play date today with his classmates. They went to the mall to a old store that was converted to a bouncy area. Duke had such a good time working on his climbing skills and punching the inflated bunching bag things (sorry I am sure there is a real name, but I don't know it).

Thank you I-phone update that does multiple shot when you hold it.

Sliding with Ms. Rogers!



How did they know my nickname without asking, Shout out to my  BP!



They gave me socks to wear.....They obviously aren't prepared for women with a size 12 foot....

"I don't want ever to appear in a film that would embarrass a viewer. A man can take his wife, mother, and his daughter to one of my movies and never be ashamed or embarrassed for going." Johne Wayne

October 18th: Duke making his masterpiece in class. He looks very into his painting!

"There were periods when you could blow the valve and let off some steam. Like Halloween. You'd talk about it for three months ahead of time, and then that night you'd go out and stick the hose in the lawn, turn it on and start singing Old Black Joe or something. And when people came out from their Halloween party, you'd lift the hose and wet them down. And while you were running, the other kids would be stealing the ice cream from the party. " -Johne Wayne

October 16th: Duke had his first field trip today, they went to the local farm and pumpkin patch . His Pop-Rock went with him and had a BLAST. We've even got a picture of Pop-Rock taking a selfie with Duke and someone taking a picture of that.

I'm not sure he was ready for the bouncy area

He's a really tiny guy on a really big slide

 

Downward Facing Duke

I love this picture most because Duke is OBSESSED with bugs, especially spiders

 

"I was trying to play a man who gets dirty, who sweats sometimes, who enjoys kissing a gal he likes, who gets angry, who fights clean whenever possible but will fight dirty if he has to. You could say I made the western hero a roughneck." John Wayne

October 13th: Duke has his first chore, cleaning his handprints on the window. Typical kid, he has to listen to the I-pod as he does his chores.

"[on the Oscars] You can't eat awards -- nor, more to the point, drink 'em." -John Wayne

October 9th: Got an update from Duke's Teacher about his progress in class. I am very excited about how he is doing in school (minus the stubbornness). He's been working with me as I write lately; which I love.

"Duke had an AWESOME week at school! Although we are still working on those stubborn behaviors, he is responding really well to cues from adults to follow directions. Duke has learned to sit through our entire circle time without whining to get up. He drank from a cup today (multiple sips) without spilling! He did spill the first two times but the last attempt he drank multiple sips without spilling. He was really proud of himself. We have also heard a lot of language from Duke this week. He is repeating words and signs. So funny...today he was eating cheez its (sending the extra home with him) and he started putting them back in the little cheez its bag. So I took one of his and started to put it in a different cheez its bag. He went to grab for it and shook his head "no" to tell me that it was his. It was very funny but also very smart that he knew exactly what I was doing. Smarty pants!"

John Wayne Trivia " Most published sources refer to Wayne's birth name as Marion Michael Morrison. His birth certificate, however, gives his original name as Marion Robert Morrison. According to Wayne's own statements, after the birth of his younger brother in 1911, his parents named the newborn Robert Emmett and changed Wayne's name from Marion Robert to Marion Michael."

October 4th: Duke's week evaluation spoke volumes. My little guy is crazy cute, and incredibly stubborn, which I have had pointed out to me....That he gets from me. I would like to note he gets his crazy cuteness from me as well. Since school has started we have had picture day (which I protest because we get them cuter and for less at Picture People), a field trip permission slip for October and a visit from the fire fighters.

Though I didn't buy duke's pictures I still dressed him for a picture. He face palmed on his own.

      This is from his teacher Ms. Rogers "Duke had a great week at school! He is quickly learning our routine and learning to follow directions in the classroom. He is a very self-directed little boy, which is typically what we see from new students. We are working on having him follow teacher directions to get what he wants throughout the day. We have noticed that Duke can be a little bit stubborn (what 3 year old isn't???) so we are working hard on this with him. Duke is giving us some approximations of words at school. For example, today he was told to ask for help if he needed help with his chair and he voiced "help" pretty clearly. Does he say "I want that" at home? He has said something that sounds a lot like that at school a few times appropriately and I am wondering if you have heard that before. He is a very fun and smiley little boy. We are loving having him in class"

"I've always had deep faith that there is a Supreme Being, there has to be. To me that's just a normal thing to have that kind of faith. The fact that He's let me stick me around a little longer, or She's let me stick around a little longer, certainly goes great with me -- and I want to hang around as long as I'm healthy and not in anybody's way." John Wayne

September 30th: Duke's 3 year check up. This big boy is on the 20th percentile for weight and height, WOO HOO. We knocked out his flu shot and he didn't make a peep during the evaluation.

John Wayne Trivia: The Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, issued a proclamation making 26 May 2007 "John Wayne Day" in California.

September 25th: Duke did much much better. Here's a picture from Duke's Blog that Duke's Teach creates, So cute!

"There's been a lot of stories about how I got to be called Duke. One was that I played the part of a duke in a school play--which I never did. Sometimes, they even said I was descended from royalty! It was all a lot of rubbish. Hell, the truth is that I was named after a dog!" John Wayne

September 24^th:  Happy Duke’s first day of Pre-K, I’ve been looking forward to and dreading this day for months. It’s a change so I’m anxious because I have loved his therapists, who have been with him the past year, and love the structure that Michelle gives him with Day Care. It’s not for a lack of information or comfort, it’s a change, it’s new, and I’m an anxious person. 

 

            Duke was ready today with his cute dark jeans, “I’m the Real Deal” Shirt, hair parted very neatly and Superman Back pack. Michelle and I walked to where he was suppose to be picked up at the "bus stop".........15 minutes after the pick up time....no bus. So I took Duke to school and on the way called to let them know he was late, the school said they knew, the bus had a sub and it was running a half an hour late (there's more to that story, but I'm not getting into it).

            So Duke and I got into school, Duke ran down the hall like this was HIS SCHOOL and he was the boss. The teachers were there to meet him and started teaching him his school routine of putting up his jacket and back pack in his area. They got him in and I was good, no tears he was as I expected there and good, not clingy or asking for me, he leaves that for when we are home.

            A few hours later I got to work at get the message from Michelle, that the bus drove by the house for Duke's pick up...and down the street to drop him off at someone else's house. I want to die, throw up and scream in unison. Die because I feel terrible that Michelle had to take all the kids from daycare down the street to get Duke; throw up because of the thought of my 3 year old being somewhere He and I don't know; and scream because this wasn't the plan....and he's 3. So what do I do.....I call the director of transportation for the county.....and expressed firmly I am not pleased and he needs to be picked up and dropped off at daycare. Now he is being picked up and dropped off at day care, and if it doesn't happen again tomorrow....I will Not Be Pleased.

            Later in the afternoon I got a text from Duke's Teacher about how good he was in school today and that he was very interactive. Getting on the bus was a bit of a struggle, but she worked with him and hugged him to help him feel more comfortable, and now I am calm. Duke trusts her enough to let her comfort him, that's a step in a good direction because he will need that as he learns new things and fights the system. With that I am good and feeling content with the day.

Happy Birthday Duke!

September 13-16th: My little man has turned 3, and I am more in love with him daily. In the morning he gives me a kiss and he hangs in bed while I get ready, One of his favorite phrases is "Let's Go" and he let's me know when I am taking too long for him in the morning. His accuracy with throwing a football is crazy, he can hit his target 95% of the time with a football and about 75% with the lacrosse stick.

Friday-Photos and Class Tour: Duke as usual was great with his photo shoot, he is so photogenic and when music he likes is playing we get classic pictures. After his pictures we went to see his new Pre-K class for a tour. Duke was already interactive with the class and I feel within the first week of the new class he will get the structure down and will be amazing at school.

Saturday- Jessie's Wedding: Duke's been to 3 weddings, so it's not a frequent occurrence for him. He's not big on sitting when he was told to sit so we had several ways to bribe him as well as a great short ceremony.

When the music started (which was Kenny G) Duke was on the dance floor. He didn't stop until exhaustion hit him and it was laps around the farm for him.

Sunday- The Zoo: We went to the Washington Zoo for his Birthday party, I made the kids their own capes and Uncle Charlie was the tour guide, the weather was very warm and Duke was done by the elephants, but got it back together. It was great to see him interacting with all of his cousins and see how much they are all alike and different.

Monday- BIRTHDAY: Morning at Day care with Lion Cupcakes and an evening of opening tons of gifts. He went nuts over all of his Superman, Toy Story, Power Ranger and TMNT presents.