John Wayne Fact: John Wayne's only Christmas referance is in Donovan's Reef, and this was a Hawaiian Christamas

December 25th: Merry Christmas From our favorite little Elf

From Christmas Cards

With his Girlfriend/ Mortal Enemy From Daycare

From Christmas Day

"You may think all my parts are the same. That's just what I want you to think. You get lost on the screen if your personality doesn't show through" - John Wayne

September 15th- Duke decided the night before his 2nd birthday he wanted to stay up and not go to sleep, which I found funny because he will usually fall asleep as soon as he hits the bed. On this night he said....nope I'm holding onto my youth. I am sorry my love you are getting older and bigger! You are spectacular!

John Wayne Fact: Though he was the Singing Cowboy, he didn't sing it was a voice over.

November 2012: The boy is obsessed with Wreck it Ralph, when we put the Tattoo on his belly he would show everyone and this was a great way to teach him body parts!

"[on his third wife Pilar Wayne] I can tell you why I love her. I have a lust for her dignity. I look at her wonderfully classic face, and I see hidden in it a sense of humor that I love. I think of wonderful, exciting, decent things when I look at her."- John Wayne

Trip #2 Airplane to Boston, then a Taxi to a Hotel and a Wedding (5 new things)
My son is 98% of the time an angel. He is sweet, content, happy and funny, I don't know why I would doubt this for a plane but I did. I was scared the 2% would come out where he is a bit whiny and wants to roll around when it is not the time to roll around. I have heard the horror stories starting with Bill Cosby's routine about the little "Jeffrey" on the plan with his mom alone. Duke fell asleep 10 mintues before take off and slept until we were flying over Logan to look at the boats and smile. I love my son.

The wedding was beautiful. It took place outdoors at the Hotel Marlowe, where Aunt Laura and Uncle Nathan looked great and in love. The weather has never been better for a wedding, I was nervous after the heat wave and storms from the previous two days. I had multiple people offer to take pity on me with Duke on turns to watch him (he's going through seperation anxiety a bit so it didn't last long). Duke played with Lilly and Quinn who were also babies at the party, but we are going to have to work on the slapping......poor Quinn.

I love this picture becuase if you look at Duke he is cutting eyes at Nathan and I'm not sure why.

"I'm an American actor. I work with my clothes on. I have to. Riding a horse can be pretty tough on your legs and elsewheres.- John Wayne

New Trip #1- We went to the Baltimore Zoo with Aunt Candi, Rockey, Abram, the Cote Family and the Gentry Family. Yes, Duke went the Zoo last month, but not the Baltimore zoo which means his first time with a tram, the interactive zoo and Penguins. All three of these new things.....Duke was not a fan of. My poor sister tried to get Duke some interactions with the turning turtle shells and Duke threw a fit about the shells and would not go to my sister for the rest of the day. The Tram freaked Duke out and I think it was because of the wind and the bumps. The penguins were cute.

 

Photo credit Candice Jewell

"Talk low, talk slow and don't talk too much." John Wayne

May 24th- Duke's first trip to the National Zoo was with myself and his Uncle Charlie. Charlie knows the zoo inside and out and all there is to know about the animals so he was the perfect tour guide. We had a very lively animal day with the Orangatangs on the trail (which Duke thought was unreal and was glued to watching them), the lions were playing, the gorillas where out and about and the crocodile was outside snarling and pacing.  We managed the day with no sunburns, which I was sure was going to happen, but thank goodness for SPF75.

John Wayne Trivia-His nickname of "The Duke", was picked from his favorite horse, that he personally named Duke. He rode Duke, during the filming of Western movies, while acting, in his earlier years.

May 10th- Duke has a few loves and they are highlights of the joyful child he is. First off Duke will wake up from a dead sleep if he hears music. He loves drums and guitar and those are some of his favorite toys. He rocks out to music whenever he hears it and wiggles around when sitting. He's starting to get into cars and is making a vroom vroom noise. He recognizes how to play with them without throwing them. Which is a great relief. I will say Duke's newest habit of unloading the toy basket...that's getting old. I liked it when it ws fun for him to pu things into the basket.