4th Birthday Party

On Jack's actual birthday, we had his big 4th birthday party, which was a LOT of fun.  This was the first year that he'd really been interested and wanted to invite friends...unfortunately, our house went on the market just a couple of weeks before, so having a party at home seemed to be a bad idea.  While I'm not a huge fan of big over-done birthday parties for little ones, we really couldn't ask that the house not be shown for an entire Saturday just 2 weeks after it went on the market so we decided to have his party at Maymont.  Little did we know the house would be sold already and we could have had it at home, but it's ok - it worked out great and I didn't have to clean the house! :)

Jack is a HUGE fan of Maymont so it seemed a good fit.  However, he is also a huge fan of superheroes and mixing farm animals and superheroes into something cohesive was a bit of a challenge.  I'm not really even sure we succeeded, but I can tell you that Jack Lion thinks we did and that's all that matters.  He had the BEST time being surrounded by his friends in one of his favorite spots on earth.  It was really neat to watch.

We colored and cut, two of Jack's favorite things to do.  

We played pin the Spidey on the web and Jack got to go first and pinned it right in the very dead center!?  He later admitted that he could see through the blindfold.  OOPS.  

We had an obstacle course painstakingly designed and constructed by Kenny.  He worked really hard on it and it was super cute...

We played superheroes.

We had pizza and cake!

We played with and fed the animals that were out in the pen next to the party room.

We got to pet a duck that they brought by to see us.

We climbed on the gate and watched the animals being led out of the barn into the sunshine.  This was Jack's very favorite part!

We ran around like silly-heads and just enjoyed being with our friends.  That's what it's all about...and while it was a lot of work and there were times when I wished we'd just invited everyone to Chuck E. Cheese and called it done, it really was ALL worth it.  

Jack even tried his hand at writing his very own thank you notes.  I was really proud of him.  He didn't love it...but he did it!

Thanks to all who helped make it come together (especially Eddie and Audrey and Grandma!) and to all those who came and played and made his day so perfect!  

18 months

Oh Max - he's getting so big!  A year and a half old...it's crazy how fast they go from tiny little helpless creatures to real little boys.  But this little boy is so happy and full of life and giggles that I hardly miss the tiny guy, most days at least.

He's not talking as much as he's pointing and grunting but it's always very clear what he wants.  He did learn to say "whoa" this month and says it a LOT.  He's also saying juice and shoes, on top of his Momma and ball and more and animal sounds.  

He went through a phase for a few days where he was obsessed with putting on our shoes.  He'd struggle and struggle getting in there and then just stand and grin.

The paci lives on.  He's not showing much interest in giving it up.  He can certainly go long stretches without it, but knows where we keep them and will go stand in the kitchen and scream until he gets one.  Since the ped told us at his 15 month appointment not to worry about, I'm not!  He doesn't get to have it at school, so at least he does know how to survive without it.  

We played with this shape sorter a LOT this month.  He got really good at it.  He'd get it off the toy shelf and sit on the floor and point at the space on the floor next to him and squeak a bit - translation, "come sit here and play this with me, please!"  Then he'd put them in, using all the right holes for a bit and then try and put one in the wrong one and just look at you.  I'd say no, that doesn't go there and he'd pretend to put it in another hole that wasn't right and just giggle until finally trying the right hole last.  

Max saw snow last year but he was a tiny guy and just went out and sat in the stroller while Kenny and Jack played.  This year he got to play too, but he wasn't so much of a fan really...

He really pays attention and listens to what you are saying though.  He knows exactly what is going on and remembers how whatever that thing is happened last time.  One night, I was taking too long to fix dinner I guess, and he opened the cabinet where I keep the placemats, got his out and took it to the table.  He was sure it was time for dinner and needed me to get the hint!  He also will point to his diaper if it needs changing and walk himself on over to the changing table.  In the morning when I tell them it's about time for school he will go get their jackets out and give Jack his coat and hat and wait for me to put them on.  

One morning Jack had a boo-boo on his finger and needed a bandaid.  Max watched the whole thing go down and a few minutes later brought me a sheet of stickers.  I peeled one off and gave it to him, thinking nothing of it and went on my way.  When I came back in the room a minute later, here's what I found:

He clearly needed a band-aid too!


Speaking of bandaids, his 18 month checkup went really well.  He was:
24 lbs (25th percentile)
34.75 inches long (65th percentile)
head circumference19.75 inches (95th percentile)
He got a couple of shots and screamed a little bit, but only for a minute!  He got to have his first doctor visit lollipop which seemed to be quite a hit!   She thought he was doing great, so we go back at 2!


When it's time to go up and take a bath before bed, he goes right up the steps and into the bathroom and hops up on the stool to brush his teeth.  He thinks he is such a big boy!  He does a pretty good job actually, though he'd do it all night if you let him!

After bath we read a few books and he is so very sure of which books he wants, but of course can't quite call them by name.  This leads to me picking up a book, asking "this one?" and him shaking his head no or nodding yes.  Sometimes it takes me a good 12 books before I pick the right one!  His favorites right now are Hand, Hand Fingers Thumb, Red Hat Blue Hat, any book full of animals or pictures for you to ask him to point to, and A Cuddle for Little Duck.  We have a few books that are mostly pictures to help them learn words and he can point to a LOT of things if you ask, "where is the giraffe" or any other object.  So while he's not using that many words, we know he at least knows them, he just can't quite verbalize them.  He gets really excited when we get to the part in Hand Hand Fingers Thumb where it says "Hello Jack!"  He will always point  in the direction of Jack, where ever he might be, when we turn to that page, even before I read it!

He's in love with his little lion blankie and a little white tiger that Jack and Grams and Gramps brought him from the circus.  He holds them both when he goes to bed at night and plays with the tags.  The good news is that most anything with a tag will do in a pinch, so if we can't find those, we don't have to spend hours hunting them down like we do if Jack's blankie goes missing.

He is really good at kicking and throwing balls.  He is beyond obsessed with balls and often wakes up in the middle of the night screaming "BALL!"  He loves to pitch them back and forth with you and to kick them.  When he kicks a ball he stops and holds his foot with his toes up and heel to the ground.  It's really funny, and definitely his own style!  We have about 12000 it feels like and no matter how many we have out, he is always in search of another.  

Max and Jack continue to be the best of friends.  

Sometimes I am REALLY overcome by the cuteness of it all.  Last night Jack cried because Max wasn't behaving too well and had to leave bathtime a little early.  Jack was so upset and just wanted to play with Max.  They giggle at each other constantly and really are playing together now. Max also gets really upset if Jack is crying and if it doesn't stop quickly, Max will usually start crying too.  Jack also tells me that if Max sees Jack on the playground at school, he'll cry because he wants to go play with him.  They have separate playgrounds for the different ages so I don't think they get to play together too much but I can just imagine Max wanting to be near Jack, at all times.

They are a mess...but are having so much fun!  Max is his own little man, that's for sure, but he's a lot of fun and keeps us all entertained!

Bittersweet

It looks like we're moving!  Our sweet little house sold in 5 days.  We're thrilled with that, but so sad to leave.  She's a really big part of us.  It's the first house I ever bought, and the first place Kenny and I lived together.  We got engaged here, spent our wedding night here and brought 2 sweet boys home from the hospital here.  We're so very hopeful that the new owner loves her just as much as we did.  And we think she will!  She seems excited and this house hasn't ever been in better shape, so hopefully she can just enjoy her new home for a while.  We also hope that we can find something good!  There are big shoes to fill.  We love everything about this house, it's just gotten a little bit small for us recently and we need a better school district for the kids.  If there was any way we could make it bigger and take it with us, we would!

Speaking of taking it with us...we were at the grocery store when the call came in about the great offer and so once we checked out and collected our thoughts, we told Jack, on the way home, that we'd sold the house and would be getting a new one soon.  He of course knew this was the plan, and was very excited!  However, when we pulled up in front of the house, he said "Guys, look, our house is still there!"  It only made sense, that like when you get new shoes, you replace the old ones with the new ones.  He expected a new house to be sitting in our yard when we got home!  

So far, he seems ok with the idea of moving and we hope it stays that way.  He's not really one for change, but hopefully we can make the transition a smooth one and if he gets a little more room to play and a new neighborhood to explore, he'll be thrilled!

Wish us luck and make sure if you're ever traveling through the neighborhood to give this beauty a wave. I think she's gonna miss us (and all of you) too.

FOUR

How in the world I am a mother to a FOUR year old, I will never be sure.  It was surely just yesterday that we were feeling him flip around in my belly and debating which color of blue the nursery should be.  And now, now, he's all grown up it seems.  And it's really hard for me.  The morning before his birthday, I got a little teary as I sent him off to school, cupcakes in hand.  He looked at me for a few moments and asked, so innocently, "Momma, are you sad?"  "Yes, baby, I am.  I'm a little sad that you are almost 4 and getting to be such a big boy."  He seemed to understand.  He said, "because you just want me to stay little?"  "Yes, sweet pea, I just want you to stay little."  I do.  We didn't dwell on it, and I won't here either.  Four, so far, is turning out to be a great age and while he's definitely a medium sized kid, he's a pretty darn cool one, if I do say so myself!

He's madly in love with superheroes, but doesn't like to watch the parts of the shows that are scary or mean.  He's just in love with the idea mostly, which I love.


He's really sure of himself, which makes me proud.  


He's using big words, like actually and evaporate and definitely.  He loves the word gross and this week learned the word fart.  He's definitely a boy.


He still loves snuggles. Right now he likes to curl up on the couch with me under a blanket and read books.  There's nothing more wonderful in my mind.   


He's really good at building with Legos.  But mostly he wants to draw or play with his animals.  He loves figurine animals and we have about 8000.  From squirrels to whales to llamas.  He loves making forts and lining them up in a parade.  


He loves books.  Especially books about sharks.  

He is willing to try a lot more foods but he's still really picky about them...like there can't be any cheese strings on his pizza or spots on his fruit.  He has to have things just so, but then, life is grand.


He loves his friends.  Especially Emerson.  Whatever Jack thinks Emerson will think is cool, he's excited about.  This morning Jack was choosing a little tattoo to put on and he chose the one he thought Emerson would like the most!  Of all the people he could feel that way about, I'd choose Emerson too.  He's a really cool kid!


He never ever has a potty accident at home, but has them from time to time at school.  He sleeps in a pull-up still.  


He loves his little brother to pieces.  He wants Max to be with him always.  He gets SO excited when he teaches Max something new.  He was made to be a big brother, for sure.

He's so thoughtful.  Ansley's dog is sick and I told Jack that, because Jack loves her dog Kaiser and I thought he should know that Kaiser might not be around much longer.  Jack asked a few questions about what was wrong with him  and if we could take him some treats to make him feel better.  Then got quiet for a minute and said, "Momma, we should take China (their cat) a present too, because she must be really sad."  I melted a little, I'll admit.  


His drawing skills will never cease to amaze me.  He just looks at things and draws them.  It's fascinating to me, who can only draw things with straight lines.

He can write all of his letters and loves to do so.  He's still on capital letters for the most part, but knows a few of the "baby" letters too.


He loves real music.  He's really into the Black Keys and knows all the words, after hearing them just once or twice.  He prefers Daddy's ipod to mine.


He doesn't like wearing shirts without something on them.  Stripes are ok sometimes, but for the most part, he insists that there be something on it, for school at least. 


He loves building forts with the couch cushions and blankets.  I always loved doing that too. 

He loves doing puzzles and is really good at them.  He's into the 100 piece ones and usually wants a little help with those, but could do them alone if he had the patience.  He informed me the other day that he really only liked doing new puzzles.  


He calls Lincoln Logs "Winkin Logs."  And we laugh every single time.


He loves to go new places and meet new people.  I hope that never changes.  


He still panics if water gets in his eyes in the bathtub.  He's also still really scared of mascots and this year we learned that also applies to clowns.


He's smart, he's funny, he's sweet and thoughtful.  And I love him to pieces and can't wait to see who he turns out to be.  Whoever and whatever that may be, I hope he knows that I am his biggest fan and always will be.  I love you Jack Lion, I love you my sweet baby boy.