Bearded Jack

Jack was trying to look like Santa Claus in the bathtub the other night. He's VERY excited to see Santa in a couple weeks and he says "he's been a good boy!" He's an adorable boy, but we seem to think otherwise! He's been throwing a ton of tantrums lately. We can't seem to win some nights. Last week we had a knock down, drag out, 1/2 hour tantrum before bed...all because I wouldn't let him put his own toothpaste on his toothbrush! So, at least we have Santa to lord over his head! Great parenting, I know!

"Why, Mommy?"

Jack has been a "why-asking" machine lately. Everything is, "why, Mommy?" I'll give an educated answer and he'll say, "but, why, Mommy?" I can't win! Grandpa Jim said we'd get to this stage. Evidently he fondly remembers it (or not so fondly) of Breanna! Jack is so curious and wants to learn about everything. He's such a sponge. I merely mentioned the other day that Mamma was at the clinic and today on the way home, he points to the clinic buildings in the distant and says, "Mamma had clinic appts today..." (which she did) Totally in his Jack jargon. Adorable!

Family Pictures FALL 2009

As always, we hired Mandy to take our pictures again (for Christmas cards)! It was the longest stretch of time I had gone without having professional pictures taken of Jack...8 WHOLE MONTHS!!! They turned out great and we absolutely love them. Mandy is amazing!

Long time no update!

I had actually kind of forgotten about this blog! In fact, I didn't even have its URL bookmarked, so I didn't have it staring at me in the face! Meanwhile, I just was inspired by someone else's blog, so I thought I'd update mine!

I noticed I hadn't posted last since last October. Well, now it's November 2009! Jack is clearly a year older and he's SO FUN! He talks a mile a minute and his personality is emerging more like mine than Jay's! I think it's too much for Jay to handle!! Two jabber-jaws! Yesterday Jack asked a very inquisitive question: "Do Zebras have hands, Mommy?" How smart is he to have such questions!

Jack has also been emerging with an "imaginary friend" of sorts! He's name is Dylan. For a while there Dylan had to do everything before Jack did it. Take a bath first....do his inhaler first....drink his milk first....put his PJs on first....etc. Luckily Dylan hasn't been around as much in that capacity. He has been around more in the, "Dylan likes that too" capacity. Or "Dylan likes chicken, Mommy!" OK, Jack, thanks for telling me! It's been very funny! The best part is, when we investigated if "this is normal," we found, not only is it normal, it means the child is "SMART!" Both Jay and I looked at each other and said, "Did you have an imaginary friend?" Neither of us did!!

At the end of the summer we embarked on the wonderful world of potty training. Many of my friends thought I was absolutely nuts to try potty training before Jack was three. In August he was exactly 2 1/2. I thought, I'd like to try it while I'm off work and we'll see what happens. We send Jack to daycare full time, so if I didn't start the potty training over the summer, essentially Jackie, our daycare provider, would be doing the training. So, we starting on August 11th! It was trying and messy, but the kid got it and he's potty trained! I should say, "mostly potty trained." For whatever reason, the child is still terrified of pooping in the potty, so he "poops in a Pull-Up!" It's hilarious, though, he goes in his room and puts on his own Pull-Up, does the deed and then comes our for us to help him clean up! Really, I can't complain. He's never had a poopy accident! He also still wears a nighttime diaper. Jackie assures us that both of these things are TOTALLY and COMPLETELY normal, so we're off to a great start! He very rarely has accidents!