As I sit down (sitting, what's that?) to finally record the latest of this your second year of life, I am so glad I jotted down short notes along the way these last few months. Even just reading over them I realized how quickly I forget the little things you say and do. And how quickly still it is that you change!
You continue to blossom more and more into your own little person, your own very dynamic personality. Around new people you are almost always shy for about 5-15 minutes, but then when you warm up...boy do you warm up and everyone is your friend!
You have a strong, outgoing personality, and you like to be in charge. I don't mind letting you think you are, either. ;) You're definitely one of the bossiest kids in your class! "Sit down, Pierson, wight now! On your bottom!" For a while you had a real affinity for scolding inanimate objects - "no sir watch, you in twouble, time out!" or "so sad, bear, so sad, you in twouble." You're at the age where it's still quite endearing, so I think you continue to get by on the cuteness factor. Might be in trouble if that wears off before the bossiness does!
For a good two months, you were obsessed with your "geen hat!" You wanted to wear it during Mass, to sleep, at the dinner table, the list goes on and on. You've finally outgrown it a little bit and at least don't flip out if we leave the house without it.
A few months ago we got you your first potty! You kept asking to go potty (I think because you see some of your friends at school doing it) and so we thought, why not? I didn't get my hopes up too much, which is a good thing, because you would still rather just sit on it for a little while, "go potty", and then stick your toys in the empty bowl. Thank goodness it's empty, at least for the toys' sake.
Towards the end of my maternity leave in October, we got to enjoy some really great fall weather. We spent many an evening out in the front yard. It was your favorite part of the day! You lived for your fire truck and bubbles guitar in those days.
 |
| Daddy's helper |
Your language development continues to amaze me. I don't think your father ever thought he would have such a talkative son, but I suppose that maybe you get that character trait from me. Or your grandmas. Tough call there on which of us can talk the most! You continue to repeat EVERYTHING! One of my favorite moments (right up there with the first time you said "I love you") was hearing you chime in as we prayed the Lord's Prayer one day. I didn't realize you had been learning it all along! Somewhere around 23 months you started speaking in sentences more consistently - some of your first were "Daddy's holding Norah", "I pick it up", and "She's eating her hand" (Ha, that one is in reference to Norah who loves nothing more than her fist in her mouth).
You continue to LOVE Curious George. The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History had an exhibit all about George that we were happy to get to take you to. You literally squealed with delight the moment you saw the giant George statue at the front of the exhibit.
Thanks to Dad, you've also become quite the rock and roll connoisseur. Your Uncle Aaron once asked if you were more of a Beatles or a Zeppelin kind of guy. So far, definitely Beatles. Among your favorites are: Yellow Submarine, Good Day Sunshine,"Friends Song" (With a Little Help from My Friends), "Better Song" (Getting Better), "Pepper Song" (St. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band), Birthday, and All Together Now (the newest favorite - I agree, it's pretty awesome). You also really love Neil Young's Wondering and The Black Keys' Act Nice and Gentle and ask for both of them by name. Wondering makes your dad especially proud. He even has a Jacob playlist on his phone now and loves adding new songs to it as you discover a new one you like. It's tough at this age, because when you like a song, you want to hear it OVER AND OVER AND OVER again. We once listened to the monkey song eight times in a row. I should clarify that - you and I once listened to the monkey song eight times in a row. Dad wasn't there and I'm sure he thinks I'm nuts for humoring you that long. :)
Other kid song favorites include - the Muppets Manah Manah, Monkey's Jumping on the Bed, the dinosaur song, shark song, Row Row Row Your Boat, and We are the Dinosaurs, and your all time favorite before bed - the Wheels on the Bus.
Speaking of bedtime, for a few months you were super into bringing all of the stuffed animals, whom you call "friends", into your crib at nap time and bedtime. "Friends are sweepy" you would say. And we would pat each one on the back, tell them "night, night" and then I'd tuck you in.
You continue to LOVE Curious George. The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History had an exhibit all about George that we were happy to get to take you to. You literally squealed with delight the moment you saw the giant George statue at the front of the exhibit.
Thanks to Dad, you've also become quite the rock and roll connoisseur. Your Uncle Aaron once asked if you were more of a Beatles or a Zeppelin kind of guy. So far, definitely Beatles. Among your favorites are: Yellow Submarine, Good Day Sunshine,"Friends Song" (With a Little Help from My Friends), "Better Song" (Getting Better), "Pepper Song" (St. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band), Birthday, and All Together Now (the newest favorite - I agree, it's pretty awesome). You also really love Neil Young's Wondering and The Black Keys' Act Nice and Gentle and ask for both of them by name. Wondering makes your dad especially proud. He even has a Jacob playlist on his phone now and loves adding new songs to it as you discover a new one you like. It's tough at this age, because when you like a song, you want to hear it OVER AND OVER AND OVER again. We once listened to the monkey song eight times in a row. I should clarify that - you and I once listened to the monkey song eight times in a row. Dad wasn't there and I'm sure he thinks I'm nuts for humoring you that long. :)
Other kid song favorites include - the Muppets Manah Manah, Monkey's Jumping on the Bed, the dinosaur song, shark song, Row Row Row Your Boat, and We are the Dinosaurs, and your all time favorite before bed - the Wheels on the Bus.
Speaking of bedtime, for a few months you were super into bringing all of the stuffed animals, whom you call "friends", into your crib at nap time and bedtime. "Friends are sweepy" you would say. And we would pat each one on the back, tell them "night, night" and then I'd tuck you in.
My hair continues to be your number one security blanket. Doesn't matter if it's up or down, clean or dirty, just so long as you can grab a section of it and hold it or twirl it around the fingers on your right hand while you suck your left thumb, you're content. That's usually how we end each day, right before bed. And during the day your own hair usually suffices as an intermittent security blanket, as the days stresses require.
One of my favorite things these last couple of months has been watching your love for your sister grow. Before you were born, someone once told me in reference to the small age gap between you, that you while it would be hard on you at first, you soon would never remember your life without her. I have watched that transformation with my own eyes these last few months and it's been pretty amazing. You love your sister so much. You love to give her kisses, pat her back when she's crying and tell her "it's okay Nowah, it's okay", and lately love to tell her "I love you Nowah". I know you can't wait for her to be able to say it back. But I also know she already feels it. I can see it in the sweet smiles she gives you as you do silly things to make her laugh. And those are my favorite moments of the day.
Don't get me wrong, you have your normal needy toddler moments. Some weeks more than your fair share. You've told me on a few occasions to "Put Nowah down Mommy!" and my recent favorite - you leaned in super close to her face, and I really thought you were going to give her a kiss as usual. Instead you got really close and said "Nowah," very seriously, "don't touch my book." I couldn't help but laugh! You meant business.
One of my favorite outings this fall was to the zoo with two of my best friends and their beautiful kiddos. You loved following Kenlee around and she was super awesome big helper at keeping you from running away with another family!
We also went to a great pumpkin patch in Grapevine around Halloween with Baby Reese, as you like to call her. You had fun picking out a pumpkin and "driving" a big truck!
And on November 8th, you officially turned two! It took me a good week and half to teach you that you were 1 year old before your birthday. I had a crazy idea that I wanted you to understand you were 1, so that then we could tell you on your birthday that now you were two! Then on your birthday when we told you now you were two, you exclaimed "No!! Jacob's one!!!" You've since gotten on the two bandwagon and are content with the idea.
We also went to a great pumpkin patch in Grapevine around Halloween with Baby Reese, as you like to call her. You had fun picking out a pumpkin and "driving" a big truck!
And on November 8th, you officially turned two! It took me a good week and half to teach you that you were 1 year old before your birthday. I had a crazy idea that I wanted you to understand you were 1, so that then we could tell you on your birthday that now you were two! Then on your birthday when we told you now you were two, you exclaimed "No!! Jacob's one!!!" You've since gotten on the two bandwagon and are content with the idea.
You had a Curious George themed birthday party and it was a BLAST! I barely saw you that afternoon/evening! All of your cousins on this continent were here! And so many good friends, too. You played with everyone and ran around outside and inside and enjoyed the special treats of cake and all kinds of junk you don't usually get. :) It was such a great day for you and we were so happy to get to have so many people so dear to you and to us under one roof for the evening! Cleaning up after the party the next day, Dad and I sort of felt like we were cleaning up after a toddler version of a college keg party. There were cupcake wrappers in the gutters outside, wet play dough mashed into the grass, and all other kinds of signs of a really, really, really good toddler time.
We spent Thanksgiving in the metroplex, with almost all of the cousins (missed our Thomas!) on my dad's side of the family. You had an absolute blast running around with them. And then we wrapped up the week in Houston celebrating Jackie and Lloyd's wedding. You DANCED your little heart out! I had a feeling you would really enjoy a wide open dance floor and a DJ, but I had no idea just how much.
I can't believe you've officially entered into your third year of life, bud. You have grown and changed so much over these last two years. I sometimes see you so big and wonder where my little baby boy went? You are this smart, silly, lovable pre-schooler. Ahhh! How can that be?!? I'm so thankful to be your mommy, Jacob. You'll always be my little monkey. Even when you've gone from pre-schooler to post-graduate. I love you kiddo!
No comments:
Post a Comment