Please, Thank You and ... Peace Out?

We've got a lot going on around these parts!

We are in the middle of closing on our home in St. Pete....

We are super excited!!  Come visit!!

....in the middle of a major project at work (what else is new?)....

....and learning our pleases, thank yous and...well, our "peace outs" - which really sounds more like:

"peeeeaaassse"

"tank koooo"

and 

"peese awww"

What's funnier than a 19 month old throwing up a (half) peace sign with a "peese awww" ??  Come on, that's way better than your run of the mill "bye bye" !!  The kid has a serious personality.

We've also discovered our love of Bruno Mars:

When the music comes on, he just starts to wiggle his arm a little bit and then it's like the music takes over his whole body section by section.  He has this special dance move....where he drags his left leg like it's his bum leg.  We've been trying to get it on video but I'm sure you can imagine what that's like.  

Since our last update, we've been on a few airplanes (shocking), did a few stints as single parents (each), visited the Jersey Shore, went to the US Open and saw the Yankees play the Rays at Yankee Stadium!

My two most favorite Yankees.

Jack managed to sit through the entire game as long as we kept feeding him.  Yep.  He's still a great eater and a great sleeper.  I'm nervous to have another child as I'm unclear on how to handle a child that won't do one of those things....or neither.  (you can't be serious....you have to eat OR sleep...you can't be hate both, can you??)

There have been occasions where Jack has eaten more than me at mealtime.  This concerns me and my (in)ability to cook.  Someone has to feed this kid...and it's all fun and games until he's wanting steak and potatoes every night.

   

Jack also experienced Pensacola and all that it has to offer....complete with boats, beaches and a kiddie pool big enough for adults!

 

  

You know what's NOT as cool as it seems?  Touching a fish....as evidenced by this horrible face:

 

Granddaddy B even showed Jack how to jump in mud puddles and enjoy a little downpour:

As if it wasn't enough that we live and die by the game of golf in our house, we spent Father's Day Sunday at the US Open.  I swear the kid has golf in his blood.  It just comes natural to him.  All he wants is that golf club and a ball.  And if I can get him to stop hitting me in the shins with that plastic club by the time he's using a real club, this will all work out.

 

 

And while I know he loves golf (almost?) more than me, he also is my child....and loves the beach.  This is really how I know he's 51% Matt...and 49% me.  Matt hates the beach, but Jack and I - we love it.  Although, I'll be honest - the beach is not what it used to be for me.  I used to be able to roll out of bed, into my swimmie and my flip flops, grab a towel and some chapstick and GO.  I'd then proceed to sleep on the beach for 2 hours until I was crispy...take a dip in the water and "air dry" on the ride home with the windows down.

Let me tell you how different THIS TRIP was....OMG.  Do you know how much crap I drug out to the beach??  I was up super early cutting fruit, packing snacks and juice boxes, making sure we had shovels and dump trucks and buckets, finding tiny folding chairs, locating and maneuvering toddler sized flip flops onto feet that never stand still and loading this massive amount of stuff into the car.  Oh, and don't forget the regular stuff you need...diapers, wipes, the iPad for Mickey Mouse Club in the car and the 1 binky allowed.

You can't be surprised that golf made it to the beach can you?

  

 

Baby Powder.  Don't forget the baby powder.  It's the only thing that will clean off a sandy little butt.  Well, unless you're Jack and you love to hang out naked under the public outdoor shower.

(yes, he will HATE ME for this when he's 16)

Next stop....ST. PETERSBURG.

Peeeese Awwww!

Jack Has Found Himself

I have heard that boys get to a stage where it's all about the penis.  And, with three boys in this house....there's a whole lotta penis talk.

We don't have to discuss the details, but just know that Jack has found "himself" and figured out that Dada has the same parts. 

He has also decided that the toothbrush, the comb, the binky everything should touch the penis.

"No Jack - We don't put the toothbrush on the pee pee.  Thank you."

I'm not gonna lie, I used to worry a lot about milestones.  What if he doesn't roll over, sit up, crawl, walk, talk, eat, grow, blah, blah, blah.  Now I know (and finally believe) that all children are different.  They all move at their own pace and they will all "get there."  In fact, I surprisingly turned into one of those moms that's less about pushing (I know! me?!) and more about letting him be little.  I found that I was ok with him NOT walking because now he runs!  I found that I was ok with him not knowing how to use a fork because he tries to stab my fingers with it as I'm putting food on his plate.  And, I'm quite ok with diapers for now.  We DID purchase the potty and he likes to use it as a seat in the living room while he's eating or watch the bird (Big Bird, that is) - or he likes to stand over it like "Dada pee pee" .... oh man.

We are a bit away from potty training.

We are closer, but NOT quite there yet, to wanting another child.  We honestly get SO MUCH joy out of Jack....that I just wonder if I have enough love for #2.  I know that must sound CRAZY, but what if #2 doesn't like Jack?  Will I hold that against #2?  Jack is my most favorite person to ever exist - ever - and I can't imagine someone not liking him....so if #2 doesn't, then what does that mean for #2?

All that this confirms is that I'm crazy.

Note to self:  Do not refer to second child as #2.

What's awesome about having a toddler is that you sometimes take on their personality.  For example, Matt and I immediately say "ball!" every single time we see a baseball, football, basketball, golf ball.  Or, we "woof woof woof" at dogs passing by.  Or we say "ny ny" now before we go to bed:

We are desperately looking forward to a week or so in FL in early August.  We need the humidity and all that comes with FL - friends, family and southern accents (at least my hometown).  Jack is so pumped about being in the pool every weekend so I know it's going to be a busy summer!  I just hope he waits on us to get to the pool before he hurls himself off the ledge into the pool.  He has been getting in and out of the pool by himself....apparently, he's a regular Michael Phelps.

 

We know that he found "himself" recently...but he really IS so many different little people lately....

A golfer, because well -- it's in his blood:

  

He goes NOWHERE without a golf club....

  

A sk8r dude:



A football player:

A hockey player:

 

A baseball player/bunny chaser ala Elmer Fudd:

A tennis player:



A lacrosse player like his buddy Loudy:

An intellectual:

 

An outdoorsman:

 

A swinger:
no, wait...that's not right....

A basketball player:

A future President!

And, he desperately wants you to know where his belly button is....or he's working on removing the lint that is accumulating in there.  Oh come on...of course I bathe him.  Geez.

 

He's a lover...and let's me take selfies with him....

 

And, he's SUCH a lover lately....he's a hugger, he's a kisser (he'll even blow you one if you make a request) and he's even vocal about his emotions.  ("Ilushyou" turned into "Ilughyou" but it's all the same in my book!)

He's really my kind of man.

 We did had the joy of experiencing teething again - but I'm happy to report that, while a mouthful of teeth are apparent - it was MUCH EASIER than his first round of teething.  He whined a little, but ultimately just got a little clingy.  I only had to sleep in the crib with him once.  LOL.  We remember that first teething experience right?  When a small terrorist took over his body during the first week of December...and he cried 24 hours a day for a WEEK?  He cried SO MUCH that we took him to the doctor because we were certain that he had broken some bone in his body or that some virus/food/bacteria/disease was plaguing him to the point of misery.

Oh you blocked that out of your mind too?

Dear First 6 Teeth - Thank you for that unforgettable experience.

  

I worry a lot.  I know that must be shocking to y'all.  And, while Jack has certainly found HIMSELF...I'm still getting comfortable in my own parenting skin.  I was telling my mom that I just worry about something new about every 2 weeks....first it was him being born, milestones, now it's daycare/preschool stuff...before I know it I'll be stressing about college applications.  It's just exhausting...all that worrying.

I asked her:  "It seems like we should get to a stage where I'm not worried about the next milestone, heartache, skinned knee, knot on the head, college application.  When will I stop worrying about him?"

She replied:

"I'll let you know."

Things Change...but Some Things Remain the Same

The thing is....

well, I thought that....

....it's just that I assumed....

well, that....he'd always NEED me.  And, even if there was a point in time where I *knew* he didn't *actually* need me...I always thought that he'd THINK that he needed me. (am I being insane clear?)

Jack has totally called bullshit on me.

Since he started walking -- he has BURST out of his tiny little cautious shell -- into this great, big world and he's clear about one thing:  He doesn't *need* me.

See what I mean?  Already making board room decisions.

He doesn't need me to get him from point A to point B or to feed him or to bathe him, apparently.  He splashes around like a maniac, plays with the ducks, squirts water all over himself everywhere and then tries to climb out - alone.

I would just like to know when he learned how to use that spoon by himself?

He's like a real person.  He walks, talks, smiles a LOT, thinks just about everything is funny, doesn't want to eat when he has a bellyache, ALWAYS wants to eat otherwise, has the occasional meltdown over nothing and totally picks favorites along the way.  He has a little attitude when we try to take something away from him, he gives dirty looks and he still cries and reaches out for a hug when you tell him "no."

When did he decide that he had a favorite book ("booky")...and that he should back his way into your lap and hand you the book to read to him.  I mean, WHAT?!  (oh, and by "read to him" - I mean, read it to him 4000 times in a row)

The itsy bitsy spider gets a lot of airplay in this house...all you have to do is ask "where's the spider, Jack?" -- and it's ON.

He has learned to voice his displeasure, get his own tricycle out and how to push Lucky around without abandon.

You can no longer "hide" things from him nor can you "trick" him into eating foods he doesn't necessarily like (there are *some* foods that he won't eat).

You can't hide his head from anymore either:

He can tell you the difference between a hat, a pot, a dog, a light, a duck, a ball, a binky, a bucket and a truck.  He's mastered all of the three letter words we can find -- and luckily, hasn't picked up on momma's favorite 4 letter word.  Yep, that's me - Mother of the Year.

We met watched one of the many rabbits in our yard:

He knows that steam means "hot" and that it goes "up" from the "pot" -- and if he doesn't know what something is, well, he asks "what's that?" -- which sounds more like "whas zat?"  It's so fun to watch him learn...and be amazed by every day things that are new.

You know what else is a new experience?  Roadtripping with a toddler.  Ho-Ly Crap.  Don't think for a second that we let him watch Sesame Street for 2 hours straight (we totally did) because good parents would have split time sitting in the back seat with him teaching him his ABCs.  Right.  Believe that happened.  

With all of our travels with Jack, we've mastered the "crawl on the floor to avoid being seen from the pack & play" move in the hotel room....because, well, babies need their own room and being in the SAME room with them when they need to go to sleep at 7pm simply means that you have to have all adult conversations in the hotel bathroom -- which isn't nearly as cool as it sounds.

He can pick "Dada" from a lineup, a picture, through a window and with his eyes closed....and MOST of the time he will call me "Mama" -- but he's not as consistent with me.  He thinks the sun rises and sets in Matt.  He wants to throw the ball with Matt, follow Matt everywhere, cut the grass with Matt and bang on the window when Matt's outside.  He looooooves that man (me too!).  

I can, though, take pride in the fact that he only wants me if he's in pain or doesn't feel good or is really tired and wants to sleep on someone.  Will it always be that way?

I always say the current age is my favorite....and although I miss my newborn and ALL that that means, I wouldn't trade THIS age for anything in the world.

He'll always be my Baby Jack, but now he's my sweet toddling Jack Jack.