The other morning I was woken up by Thane. At 4 am. This is not an unusual occurrence lately, especially not since Jake passed.

What was unusual that was instead of trying to jump into bed with us, he was leading me OUT of bed. He took me by the hand. I followed. I followed into the kitchen. I figured he wanted milk or water.

I found that he had brought the foot stool from the dining room to the kitchen counter. Also there was a silver mixing bowl from a bottom cabinet and the carton of eggs from the fridge. He stood on the stool, took two eggs out and started to tap them on the bowl to break them saying, “Mommy make eggs.”

I did the only thing I could. Grabbed the camera and woke up daddy.

Daddy, after being assured nothing was wrong came in, saw the site, and agreed this was a memory worth pursuing. He took it one step further than mommy who was ready to make one egg to appease his son. He made each of us two eggs and we sat down to a family breakfast at 4 am. We got back to sleep around 4:45. We were a little late for work but I would not trade it for the world!

Thane and Mara continue to grow and do new things.

Mara is becoming an ever more entertaining little miss. Her two little bottom teeth are coming out more and more and make for a very cute tooth-ful grin. A week or so ago she started “scooting” or moving on her tummy. She seemed as if she did not always know that she was doing it but she was doing it. Now, however, she is a woman on a mission. If she sees something, she goes after it. She is now also getting up on all fours. No forward progress, but getting up and rocking. I have a feeling we are just weeks away (if not less) of being in serious mobility trouble in the Hansen house.

Mara is also learning her signs. I think I have caught her doing the milk sign herself on at least 3 occasions. I know she understands it because she will pitch a fit if I make the sign and do not have a bottle to follow it up with immediately.

Thane continues to be helpful where Mara is concerned. Monday afternoon when I had Mara on her boppy and I was making her a bottle, she began to cry, then she stopped. Thane came to me and said, “Mommy, Mara is hungry. I gave Mara bottle.” I paid no heed. Then I heard her start to cry again and looked to see her with an empty bottle in her hands. After a moment of panic thinking he had given her milk that had been sitting out for 8 hours or more, I realized he had taken one of the used but clean bottles out of her backpack from school.

Thane has recently gotten attached to two of his teddy bears, he sleeps with one or both each night. When I asked him what their name was he quickly and easily said, “Thane.”

Jay and I sleep in a full size bed. Yes, I said my 6′4″ husband and I sleep in a full size bed, it is called togetherness. Anyway. Thane has had a bit of a summer cold recently. The last few nights he has come in to our room crying with the coughs and sniffles. He gets in bed in between us to try to fall asleep (or keep us awake, I can’t tell which). Last night, as he was trying to get comfortable (and push me off the bed) he kept saying, “I’m stuck, I’m stuck.” This is the same thing he says in his car seat. I told him he could be less stuck in his own bed if he so desired.

At the doctor’s office today, he patiently waited in the waiting room. After forever and a day, he would ask “my turn?” every time the door opened.

Tonight we said good night to a dear friend. He is suffering no more. My hands shake as I write this. I hope we did the right thing. I hope he feels no pain anymore. We miss you.

Jake was my beloved friend. He was a tribute to my move to Nashville on my own. He was a wonderful dog, a running partner for Jay, a snuggler for me, a big brother and protector for Thane. Every day he taught us something new and more and showed us an even better side of himself. He was Arwen’s big brother and the two were inseparable. He kept me company on walks and on nights alone. He protected the house with his seldom heard but very scary bark. He played with us.

Here are some of my favorite memories of him. There are so many more.

-Winning 1st place in the Maggie’s Bark Park competition for his award winning high five
-”Introducing” me to James and Diane
-Dinners at James and Diane’s with Arwen
-Car rides, especially long ones to Canada or New York
-Him getting loose without a collar and James carrying him all the way back to the apartment
-Walking through Gatineau Park and trodding through the water and going after frogs jumping
-Giagia spoiling him with people food
-Getting excited about Jay putting on his sneakers for a run
-Jay coming home excited that he had made Jake tired during a long run
-Coming home from the hospital with Thane and having him watch over him
-The afternoon Thane would not stop crying, Jake looked at us, looked at the stairs, looked at us. We told him to go ahead and see if he could do better. A few minutes later we had a settled down baby and a very pleased dog
-Hearing Thane call him Jakey-buddy
-How very much he loved Thane, treated him like he was his own
-Yesterday, when I took the day off and the two of us snuggled on the couch and watched movies

Goodbye, dear friend. Watch over us.

Thane, if you read this years from now, we don’t know how to tell you your friend has passed. If we did not do it right, I am so sorry.