Goddard School Christmas Program

Jack is in the red sweater vest - check out that thumping!  I have been wondering why he's been so into Frosty the last couple of weeks!

Two Year Stats

Jack had his two year appointment this Wednesday so I'll do his official two year blog post now.  I will blame my tardiness on having to reschedule that well-check...yeah, I'm not a bad blogger at all.

Weight: 31 lbs (82nd percentile)
Height: 35.25" (71st percentile)
Head: 19.75" (86th percentile)

Clothing sizes:
Wears a 2T in almost everything and a 3T in most jammies.  Is still in a size 6 diaper but the number of leaks at night tells me that we should size up...if a bigger size existed.  Hopefully potty training isn't too far down the road but it seems like it probably is.  Mainly wearing a size 9 shoe save for one pair of Stride Rite 8s that run big.

Teeth:
18?  Does that sound right?  I've gotten a little off on my teeth chart updating but you have them all except for both second year molars on the left side.

What you love:
You love all things train and truck.  Steamies, diesels, dump trucks, bulldozers, garbage trucks, you love them all.  You've taken a strong interest in Thomas lately but your favorite is watching YouTube videos of real trains.  Steam engines is your #1 video preference but sometimes you ask for diesels.  You like to play the cube game with Daddy and I in the evenings after supper.  It's the ThinkFun Roll and Play game that neighbors Lucca and Sal gave you for your birthday.  Wonderful game for the 2 year old crowd, moms!  And speaking of, you love playing outside on the driveways with "Bucca and Sal".

What you're saying these days:
You have become so conversational with us lately and we really love it - mainly, except for when you're using your mad conversational skills to be demanding.  Some classic Jack phrases at the current moment are:

"Not this one, Mommy" (wanting me to change a train YouTube video - constantly)
"We'll come back." (he says this every time we leave somewhere, even the doctor's office last week after getting his shots)
"Night-night, see you in the mohning!"
"No, you're a meatball!" (that's a little thing that he and Brent do back and forth, calling each other meatballs.  Beats me, friends, but they think it is hilarious.)
"I like chocolate milk, Mommy" (he leaned over close to my face in a Panera one day last week, patted my arm and said this so sweetly.  I know you do, baby, and so do I.)
"Let's..play..game!!!!!" (talking about the cube game above)
"Play outside!"
"I need more" and "I need some" are crowd favorites with Mom and Dad
"Let's..watch..choo-choos!" (talking about watching steam engine videos on YouTube)
Random funny thing - we have a lamp base shaped like the Eiffel Tower and no lamp shade on it that still doesn't have a home in our house, and you grab it all the time to use as your microphone.  You sing "Away in a Manger" into it mainly, but sometimes "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star".

Favorite books:
Steam Train, Dream Train
Giraffes Can't Dance
Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site
Go, Train, Go!
Dear Zoo
Goodnight, Gorilla

Favorite songs:
*Away in a Manger was hot in September - hopefully you are still into it in two months
* the Airplane Song and Truck Song (or Dump Truck Song, or Garbage Truck Song, or the Fill-in-the-Heavy-Equipment-Here Song because it's basically the same tune) - these are songs that I've made up and they typically go like this (but are subject to change at any second because I make it up as I go):

"There's a garbage truck in our neighborhood
Our neighborhood
Dear Jacky
There's a garbage truck in our neighborhood
Dear Jacky a truck

He is here to get our garbage
Our garbage
Our garbage
He is here to get our garbage
Our garbage that truck

He hooks up the ca-aaan
And li-iiifts it up
Then du-uumps it out
Then hooks up another can

He is here to get our garbage
Our garbage that truck"

I had no idea this would end up being such a huge hit but I sing some variation of this at least 11 times a day.  I should probably go ahead and make my own CD now.

Big kid stuff:
Well this wouldn't be a mom blog if I didn't mention that you pooped on the potty last month!  No action since then, but that's okay.  You were pretty happy with your "tweat" afterwards but not impressed enough to do it again.

We switched your car seat to forward facing this week and you are loving it!  I really like it too - I can keep an eye on if you're falling asleep or not.  It only took approximately 3.5 seconds of forward facing before you were telling me how to drive - "Faster!".

You can count to six pretty steadily but have made it up to 11 before - but only if you skip over seven.  You impressed me one day when I was counting and you pulled through with "fourteen"!

When we went to the doctor this week and I told you where we were going, you started shaking your pointer finger and said "No mooe monekys jumpin da bed!".  Cracked.me.up.  Momma call the doctor!

I know, enough already.  I can't remember all the funny things that you do every day that make us laugh, but I know that I thank God for you every single day.  Happy birthday, sweet baby!  

Baby Jack is Two!

Happy birthday to the one who fills our hearts with joy and makes each day full of adventure and excitement.  We love you more than we can even say, Jack!

Starting the birthday off right with some good morning "birfday bawoons!"

The Things Jack Says - 23 months

I just want to take a few minutes to jot down some of the things Jack is saying these days, since he changes so quickly and I don't want to forget these sweet moments with him:

Today, Brent came home from work and was asking Jack about his day.  He asked him, "How long was your nap?".  Jack replied while shaking a pointer finger, "Two hours!".  We both looked at each other, surprised that he knew to use "hour" as a time increment.  Always full of surprises, that one.  (And for the record, his nap was three hours long, but since he has two Blue Dogs everything seems to be counted in a twosome right now.)

Jack loves to watch YouTube videos of "team engines" on the big computer.  We will start a video, step away for a minute to do something around the house, and then in a few minutes hear "More Choo-Choo, pwease!  More Choo-Choo, pwease!"  It gets louder and louder until we come in and start a new video for him.  At least he's polite with his demands, I suppose.

A Boy and His Dog

Jack and his Monnie are inseparable.

Jack Talks Colors

Jack's favorite color name to say is yellow, hands down. This video is two months old at this point, but he still says everything is "yeeeewoah!". Still makes us laugh!

Jack - 20.5 months

What you're saying these days -
You've added just a couple of two word phrases to your repertoire, including "My turn", "Tank oo" and sometimes "Blue dog" (instead of just Bluuuuu).  You repeat a lot of what we say now as new words.  Everything is "yewwoh" if we ask you what color it is, but you will repeat red, green, blue, and purple after we've said it.  My favorite new words are: Melmo (Elmo), Hey!, K (okay), Pweeease, Uh-oh.  You constantly call for "Monnie" to come see you and are always asking about her.      

  

Favorite activities -
Drawing with a pen or crayon, watching 'Ma, 'Ma!  (Thomas) just to hear the sing-along songs, standing on the kitchen chairs and getting things off of the table, blowing bubbles on the deck, playing in your water table, going to the neighborhood pool "Wa-wa?", opening and closing the garage door for us.

Favorite books -
The Little Engine That Could
My Truck is Stuck
The Davey books
McDuff books

Weight - ~29 pounds
Height - ~34 inches

Clothing - size 2T in most things, but some 18-24m Gymboree stuff still fits.  You've moved up to size 6 diaper and wear a size 8 shoe.

Teeth - 15.  The top cuspids are through and a second molar popped through on the upper right since the last update.  I noticed the points of the last two cuspids last night so I'm hoping those pop through soon since they have been about the worst.  You're still a pretty decent teether though, so by worst I mean really not that bad. 

Movement -
You can jump with both feet off the ground now and like to say "Jump!" while you do it.  Last night we were headed up the stairs, and I was surprised to see you taking the steps without holding on to the railing.  You thought that was pretty hot stuff!  You didn't quite make it up the stairs doing that, but I was impressed nonetheless.  You are strong!  You've also recently started to enjoy throwing balls 

Big kid stuff -
We've been doing puzzles lately and you can now complete both your wooden M&D puzzles.   You're a great helper and can follow a lot of simple requests.  You put your shoes away after we get into the house (if we ask and lead you to the basket), and last night you unpacked your clothes out of my suitcase.  You would run an item into your bedroom, I would tell you if it was dirty or tell you which drawer it belonged in, and you would put it where it belonged.  I thought that was a pretty great new game and hope we can do that a little more often!   

Jack and His Construction Puzzle

This is just a little reminder of Jack's mad puzzling skillz around 19 months. It's long and probably only interesting to us and grandparents (and maybe Ashley who bought him this puzzle), so you've been warned.  

18 Months

Happy belated half birthday, Jack!  We had a special day last Friday for your "birthday", just you and Mom.  We went to the mall (your favorite - ha!), bought some new Stride Rite shoes for you since I grossly mis-measured and ordered the wrong size online (lesson learned), and had lunch at Panera where some sweet little girl gave you a flower cookie.  After your nap you went to the park, but that's pretty normal on nice days.

New stuff this month:

*Words: water, milk, truck (GUH), dog, boots, shoes, binky, book  

*Signs: monkey, hat, dog, and some signs that you're good at but we unfortunately don't know.  We need to remember to ask Ms. Krysta and Ms. Annie this week.

Official stats from our (new) pedi visit last week:
*Weight - 27 lbs, 1 oz (75%)

*Height - 33 inches (68%)

*Head Circumference - 19 1/2 inches (92%)

*Teeth - Still 12.  The top cuspids are getting ready to pop through soon.

*Clothing - 18-24 months, some 12-18m or even 2T depending on the item or brand.  Still size 5 diapers, same setting on your cloth dipes.    

Here are a few gems from your 18 month photo shoot.  You weren't really in the mood.  

WE LOVE YOU.  Even when you make faces like this.

17 Months

You're 17 months today, Baby Jack!  Very soon you'll be closer to two than one.  Weren't you just born?


New stuff this month:

*Words: birds, cheese, please, geese

*Signs: please, thank you, eat

*Naps: down to one, in the afternoons after lunch.  At home it's usually 2+ hours, and at school it's between 1-2 hours.

*Weight - 26+ pounds

*Height - 32 inches

*Teeth - 12.  The last first-year molar popped through a few days ago.

*Daycare crud - two (or one continuous) double ear infection that is hopefully completely gone now

*States visited - add Texas to the list with Indiana, Illinois, and Utah.  And Missouri, how could I forget Missouri!

(You do have more than one pair of pajamas, by the way.  We're getting a lot of mileage out of those Christmas jammies.)

Jack Facts - 15/16 months

Happy 16 months, Jack!  

Weight - 25 lbs 14 oz - 64th percentile
Height -  31 3/4 in. - 60th percentile
Head Circumference - 19 in - 76th percentile

Teeth - 10!  Three teeth popped through during the month of January and two more are getting close.

Words and Sounds - Bath, basement, no, down, up, Blue Dog ("bluu"), banana, yeah, Hi, hot, more, milk.  Some of these are new in the last week or so.  Last night I got you out of the bath and started yelling for your dad to bring up the clean laundry because you were all out of jammies in your drawer.  I started yelling "Breeeennnt, Brent, help!" and you started yelling for Brent too.  Whoops, I meant..."Daaaaaaaaddy!  Help!"  I suppose it's officially time to watch what I say.

Eating - you still have a good appetite but have gotten a little pickier on us.  Things that you've sworn off for now are eggs and most meats.  You're eating a lot of Greek yogurt, beans, and peanut butter toast for protein.  Your affinity for macaroni and cheese, bananas, and broccoli has grown deeper.  It's pretty common, though, that the daycare report says "all" beside each food item we've packed - meaning you've slammed your hippo lunchbox full of food.  You are getting pretty good at feeding yourself with a fork and spoon - held in your left hand.      

New things you can do:
* roar like a lion
* put your finger to your mouth and say "shhh"
* make an elephant sound and move your arm like it's your trunk
* blow kisses
* blow on your food
* identify your nose, eyes, ears, hair, and feet

Things you like to do:
* sit on our heads if we're lying on the floor while playing in the basement
* grab the computer mouse and put it to your ear like you're talking on the phone
* pull Bonnie out of your chair...or just sit on her in a squatters rights stand-off
* throw things - doesn't have to necessarily be a ball - always with your left hand
* have dance parties in the basement
* give hugs
* rock and sing songs at night
* sign "more" for everything, all the time
* feed yourself with a fork or spoon
* draw with an ink pen - again, left-handed

Things you don't like to do:
* brush your teeth
* have your nose wiped
* get out of the bathtub
* watch us leave the room at school

What we think about you at 16 months: 
Other than that we think you're the greatest thing since sliced bread, you mean?  Well, we think you're a busy, busy, wild man.  You're into everything and we both hit the mattress pretty exhausted at the end of each day.  You are so playful and good-natured.  Your smile comes easy and you're such a pleasant child.  We're so proud of how well you did during your transition to school and are proud to claim you as our precious baby.  Typing this out and thinking about you makes me smile.    


 

The Lovable Lobster

First day of school!  He wonders why he's up before we left for work today, and what happened to the nanny. 

Jack started his first day of organized, bona fide child care today!  Here he is this morning in his Broncos orange and navy and ready to participate in Spirit Day.  I felt okay sending him in this, but had yesterday's Colts game turned out differently I would have been torn.  I guess that luckily, no one has to choose whether to root for the Colts or Peyton.  Crisis averted.

But back to daycare!  Jack started in the Lovable Lobster room and had a super day!  He got right down to business as soon as we walked in the door.  In the first five minutes, he tried to steal a girl's pancake, gave her three bear hugs, rolled around on the soft forms, and tried to open up the back door.  Sounds like our cue to leave!  He was a hot, tired mess when we got him home tonight.  I'm so proud of him and hope that tomorrow is just as good.     

Close Encounters of the Woodland Kind

We've had two strange brushes with animals in the last couple of days:

1.) Rumor on the cul-de-sac is that a fox has taken up residence in a neighbor's backyard. Yesterday, Brent looked out the window and saw it in our yard! He grabbed the camera and just caught a bit of its backside as it jumped the fence. He said "It all happened so fast, I didn't even really aim the camera."



And a close-up:



Brent saw our fox friend while running the other morning, too.  He ran behind it for awhile before it turned down our street and he kept running.  Catch ya on the flip side, fox friend. 

2.) I was jogging this afternoon and was so into my jam (Britney Spears "Crazy", so you get it) that I failed to notice the dead squirrel on the sidewalk. Stepped right on its fluffy tail. SICK.

Jack Facts - 14 months

Not a great picture, but so him.  Binky in, Blue Dog in one hand, and a treasure stolen from the dishwasher in the other.

Teeth: 7 - two molars popped through in the last couple of weeks.  Still waiting on the top right incisor to finally make its appearance.

Words:  Mom, Dad, bath, yeah, no, broom (buh), wuh (woof), down.  He's become quite the little parrot lately - imitating our movements and expressions.  Sighs, squeals, hand gestures, you name it.  He also started responding to questions recently with a nod or head shake.  He's got the right answer about 51% of the time. 

Likes: sweeping the floors and carrying around the broom, picking up the dog (add this to Bonnie's list of dislikes), twirling with his arms outstretched.  He runs to the basement door 19 times a day, wanting to go down and play.  If we say "down?", he laughs because wow, how did we know that's what he wanted?  He's a little obsessed with the vacuum cleaner, and loves to turn the lights on and off.  If there's a button or knob around, he's pressing it or turning it.

Dislikes: not getting what he wants (such an obvious statement, we all dislike this)