J Turned 4

This post is over due...by several months. But it is too important to not post. The only way to get back into the swing of writing is to start.

Jackson turned 4! 

On April 5th, his last night as a 3 year old, I interviewed my little monkey. The video is priceless. Here are a few of his responses:

Favorite Color: green

Favorite Food: french toast sticks (the ones from his school) - now it is apples 

Favorite Play Activity: Hulk smash games and sword fighting

Favorite Super Hero: Batman!

When he Grows up: he wants to be a Scientist! "I want to make a big machine that makes bubbles that will pop and turn into a ball that suck up people...but not scientist people, bad people"

Favorite Thing to do with Mommy: snuggle

Favorite thing to do with Daddy: play sticky hug

Favorite thing to do with Emmer:  play with mom

Favorite thing to do with Grandparents: build things, like Lego castles

Happy fourth birthday Jackson!

A Simple Trip

We took part of Columbus Day to go to the local Children's Museum. Only about one month earlier I had taken J & Em to this same museum. This time, I had much different results. 

Jackson this time gravitated to a pyramid block stacking activity. After a little bit of problem solving/stalking the older kids around him, he figured out how the blocks were to be stacked to reach the highest point. He gathered, stacked, watched, stacked, took away, watch and stacked. With a little prompting on the need to start another diagonal row, he eventually sped up when noticing he was near the top. 

He was so proud when he finished it...for about 30 seconds. Then he crashed it down into the bins for the next kid. There was that slight moment though where I sensed his notice of accomplishment, his recognition of mastering something new. 

We continued on to air tunnels and opportunity for being loud. 

It was Emerson that really shocked me on our trip. Last time she was very reserved, almost just turned off by the loud noises. This time she was eager to be released from my arms. 

The first time we were there she was not quite walking completely on her own. This time she took it upon her self to travel around tables and to blocks that she wanted to see. 

One spot in particular caught her attention though. She loved this neon backlight round table with iridescent magnetic 2D shapes. The shapes would build if you set the magnets correctly. Em though, she just liked to lay and lift, lay and lift. She was completely mesmerized for the longest time. It was wonderful to see her focused on her "task" while still noticing activity around her.

This spontaneous trip to the museum turned out to be one of my recent high lights. Their imagination, inquisition, and overall interest in life is such a blessing.

Morning Conversation

While they were in the same room it wasn't long after one woke up before I would hear the other. Often I would hear Jackson be silly and Emerson laugh. Then Jackson would call for Mom and Emerson would make a scream too. 

When I would go pick Emerson up she would immediately wave and smile at Jackson. I would set her in his bed and despite some bickering of a stolen stuffed animal they would usually feed off each other for morning laughs and smiles. 

Now in their own rooms, their happiness  when reunited in the morning is so cute. Emerson shakes her head and wiggles her body with excitement when we go say good morning to J. Emerson loves grabbing all Jackson's animals and J loves making silly noises and faces to make her laugh. 

I want to freeze time right here. Sweet and innocent, happy in the morning, full of love. 

A Moment by the Flowers

We went grocery shopping. Just me an J. He brought his Lego dump truck, Little People Joker and Robin. He was going to be my shopping buddy. He was also planning to drive the truck around the store. 

We walk in to an amazing display of gerber daisies on sale. I asked J to help me pick some out for home. 

We are deciding on the second bunch when he asks me a question.

"When do I get married?"

A little surprised by the question, I was more surprised to turn and see him intently looking at me, full of wonder, waiting for my answer as if it would spray magic.

"When you meet a special girl."

Pause.

Head tilt and blue eyes still looking up.

"Like you?"

Little man you are beyond special and I pray that you meet someone that will ignite your laughter, cherish your sweetness, and always see the special twinkle in your eyes. 

Little Moments, Big Memories

Little moments that quickly go that never want to be forgotten. 

It was either a Monday or a Thursday because football was on TV after Matt was home from work. We were all in the family room and Jackson was bouncing from toy to item he uses as a toy. He wanted to play "sticky hug" with Matt. It's this tickle and jump in couch game that Jackson coined Sticky Hug. He very clearly requested his daddy's full attention..."Put your "puter" (computer) away daddy". With a big smile he did. 

At the library they have book marks with animal faces on them. You can pop the eyes out to then hold them up to your face to be the animal. Jackson took one again but this time made a request. "I take one for my baby sister." He was excited to show her when he got home. 

"Jackson are you hungry?"

"Want pizza or something?"

"Yeah, something."

Lately Jackson has been asking about my day before bed. He wants to hear what I did before we talk about his day. Today I told him that my day started by getting to go to the coffee shop with my two little kiddos. When it was J's turn he started with "My day was wonderful. Went to coffee shop with my kiddos."

Little Moments, Big Memories

Little moments that quickly go, but never wish to be forgotten:

On the day we brought Emerson home we are all sitting as a family together for the first time. Jackson and I are sitting on the couch while Matt is sitting in the little chair holding Emerson. J, sitting to my right, turns on the couch and puts his hand on my now very different belly. You can tell he is unsure. He pats it and inquisitively looks up at me. I say "Baby sister is not in there any more." He repeats what I said, I reply, "no, she's not." He pauses to think for a brief moment before asking "I can jump on you now??"

The second day we were all home together I was holding Emerson in the loft and Jackson was playing with Matt right there too. He decided he wanted to throw his toy hammer at me. I told him he can't throw it by baby sister. He paused while in thought and then very matter of fact said "Give Emerson to Daddy." I smiled before doing just that so I could catch a thrown toy hammer. 

My husband and I were talking to J in the family room and said he could go play in the garage. He asked if I was coming, I told him yes with baby sister. He then said all our names and said very proudly, "our whole family!"

Out of the blue at dinner on the third day Emerson was home Jackson said "I'm glad baby sister is here." He said it again so calmly and matter of fact.  He even said it with a little smile, one that showed he was warming up to the whole idea, even genuinely happy about it. 

J and I were upstairs playing when I needed to change Emerson's diaper. 
Me: "I'm going to change baby sister." 

J: "No, don't. She will cry."

He follows me into their room. 

She starts crying loud as I change her. J comes over, concerned. He almost immediately picks up her pacifier and puts it in her mouth without prompting from me. She grips, sucks and calms right down. 

Jackson and I went to the park just the two of us. There was another mom their with her boys and two girls that she watches. The one girl was just Jackson's age wearing a real pretty summer dress. Jackson saw her and asked me if he could play with her. I told him yes and he ran up to her. The two went up and down slides. As I was talking to the mom a few minutes later, with GREAT excitement, Jackson came running over..."Mommy, mommy, she said hi!!" He had a huge smile on his face. I caught him as he ran into me with a hug and asked if he said hi back. He paused and still smiling turned around and ran off back to her. I heard a hi as I watched with a big smile of my own. 

Little Moments, Big Memories

Little moments that quickly go but never wish to be forgotten:

On August 6th, Matt went through Jacksons bedtime routine with him. Usually he will kiss Jackson good night and leave while I stay and read to J and lay by his bed for a minute. Well the routine tonight was the same except I kissed J goodnight and said dad was going to read to him. He was fine at first but then Matt left the room maybe a little earlier then I would...J started crying. It quickly turned into a full blown meltdown. Soon, between breathes and cries he was desperately saying "I love you Mommy...Mommy, I love you!" It didn't take long for my heart to brake...I went in his room to say good night again. 

On August 8th, we were in the car leaving the zoo. Jackson yawned big from his car seat and proceeded to say "I'm tired, I was yawning."

Jackson has two giraffes that he routinely sleeps with. One is well worn, having had it since birth, the other I bought much later as a back up but the smart kid noticed the difference in its fresher and softer fabric and doesn't like it as much. Well one day he went into his room and was looking for his second giraffe. I saw it in baby girls crib. I pointed, "Here it is J." He replied right away, "Oh yeah, I have it to baby sister...I have a giraffe and she has a giraffe too!" It has remained there ever since. 

On a Saturday a week ago Jackson was sitting on his big boy bed talking to me. He was asking "Who come over tomorrow?" Like he usually does. Then he told me that Baby Sister was going to be here tomorrow. 

Recently when we are riding in the backseat of the car Jackson had wanted to be part of our conversations up front. After quietly listening to us talk a bit he curiously chimes in, "what you guys talking about?" Or "what you talking to?"

Whether you are holding Jackson down for a diaper or picking him up when he wants to get down he will try hard to ask you to not by saying "Let go to me!"  We correct him but it always makes me smile when he still says it. 

On August 20, I was about to say good bye to Jackson before I left for work. He right away goes "Mom, I love you all the time." A moment later he follows it up with "when you come home I'll be real happy!" Talk about making it hard to leave!

This morning I was dropping Jackson off for his second day of school. I asked him for a big hug before I left. I let go to begin to leave and he said "I give you one more hug Mommy." Then when we let go he said "I won't be crying" just as his lip quivered and I can see sadness come over his face. He cried day one but Jackson your a strong boy, you did great!

Little Moments, Big Memories

Birthday Rock Cake

My dad's birthday was the beginning of May. I kept talking about it to Jackson. I helped him make a card and he helped me to make cupcakes. For a while whenever I mentioned it, he would say "no, my birthday." Well, the morning before my dad's birthday when he came to watch Jackson I got him out of bed early and told him we were going to say Happy Birthday to Grandpa. He immediately started singing. We restarted the song when we got downstairs but he was so proud to sing it to him.

The best part of this day happened while I was at school though. Jackson was playing with rocks and sand toys. He put a bunch of rocks in the sifter for a "rock cake" and gave it to Grandpa while singing Happy Birthday again. He did it all on his own, unprompted and extremely adorable.  

"Whats that sound?"

Jackson recently started asking "what's that sound?" whenever he hears a different noise. He stops what he is doing and looks around, very concerned about the unfamiliar sound. From music on the radio to the dishwasher running or a truck outside, he notices a lot more and is so curious what it all is. 

Baby Stroller

My mom bought a little kids baby stroller from a friends garage sale. The intention was she would bring it to her place and save it for next summer for baby girl. Well, Jackson fell in love with it, immediately putting his lamb or giraffe in it. He would push him around and then stop, pick up the toy and say "you ok giraffee?" while putting him on his shoulder and cuddling him. The tone in his voice was full of care and concern.



Too early, not tired

Jackson had a busy day with Grandpa and barely napped. Ever since I was home from work he was uninterested in anything but the iPad, had tired eyes, and quick to cry. So dinner and bath were done before 6:00 and after some books (and some tears for no more iPad) I laid him down and said good night just before 6:30. As soon as I said good night he asked where his dad was. Connecting that he wasn't home yet Jackson immediately said "It's too early. Im not tired." I couldn't help but smile. He continued, "I go back downstairs, it's too early. Im not tired."

I took him downstairs and sure enough he was in a great, playful mood till he crashed hard at 8.

Little Man in the backseat

"You worry me Giraffee"

We were driving home and Jackson had his giraffe with him. He had been talking to himself (and the giraffe) for a while when I heard something that caught my attention. "You worry me Giraffee" He asked if he was ok, said it again then asked if giraffe had dirty diapers. My heart just melted that this two year old is saying he worries about his giraffe. I'm sure I have said it to him before, but not that often...at least I don't think so.

"I don't know"
Jackson will ponder questions you ask him, often with a head tilt or a "hmmm." But recently, he started to respond with a genuine "I don't know" when he doesn't have an answer. It rolls off his tongue with such innocence and curiosity. It is truly amazing to watch him grow up!

Little Moments, Big Memories

Some little moments that I want to always remember. 

"Right now!"

The first time I heard him say it we were driving home with Portillo's for dinner. Of course I had to sneak a warm fry and gave one to J too. Well he ate it as fast as I did and wanted another. After informing him we had to wait till we got home to eat more he surprised me with "No, right now."

Since he uses it many weekend mornings after he wakes up "Mom....mom....come here mommy, right now." Demanding little man.

"I have idea"

This started the weekend of his birthday when he was trying to distract me from having him do something else. He said "I have idea" while grabbing my hand and leading me toward the hall closet. That time he wanted to play this Mickey yatzee game that has been with all our other games. (This is another thing that cracks me up, every time we go upstairs he has to show me the Mickey game and then 'lock' the door behind him.) 

"Oh this?"

Jackson is very inquisitive. Constantly looking at the world around him, he often sees things that he doesn't know or understand. This results in many questions to clarify. His way to ask is "Oh this?" while pointing. Sometimes its a challenge to know exactly what he is referring to but I love when he hears the response and reacts with a connection to something else he already knows or even just says "oh....yeah."

"Come sit Mom, story time. Name?"

His imagination continues to grow. All of a sudden he would grab a book, ask us to come sit, then point to pretend people in front of him saying "name." He would proceed to read a story to the group and sometimes try to sing a song. 

"Hi Grandma!" [door opens] "Move Grandma, HI Grandpa!"

My mom and dad came over one day. Jackson greeted my mom with a high pitched hello and an eager, jittery, over excited hug. Then...the door opened behind her and in came Grandpa. "Move Grandma," Jackson said, "Hi Grandpa."

ABC's

My dad started saying the ABC's when Jackson washed his hands in order to ensure he washed them long enough to get them clean (and practice learning them). Jackson quickly started to try and say them along with us each time. He would get small patches of letters correct, like A-B-C, and several single letters, including a loud Z at the end. Well, the week before his birthday we noticed that he wasn't skipping letters much at all. In fact he was saying a lot of the alphabet ahead of us helping or even with out us. Then I noticed that when I gave him a paper towel or wipe to clean his hands at other times he would rub the towel together in his hands and go through the ABC's on his own. Then his attention span only lasted about a third of the way, or I would have to help get him through a few letters. Either way I am once again blown away by what this little man knows. And all from washing hands.

"Love you" 

Recently, after I lay Jackson in his bed and say I love him and good night I started getting a response. In a soft whisper (usually with a pacifier in his mouth) he rolls over to look at me and says "love you, g-night" back to me. [sweetest thing ever]

"I throw it far"

On Easter my brother and Jackson were throwing a toy out in the yard for his dog Max to fetch. Jackson watched him do it, throwing it real far, Max go get it and bring it back. Jackson wanted to try. His first few attempts the toy only went a foot or so in front of him. He seemed a little discouraged that Max grabbed it right away, not needing to run. We encouraged him that he had to throw it real far. All of a sudden, Jackson took off running with the toy into the yard. 

"Where are you going J?"

"I throw it far."

Sure enough, Jackson ran out, stopped, threw the toy, and looked at Max who this time took off for a long run out to his toy. Jackson smiled and came back too.

Little moments, Big memories

Life flies by fast. Too fast for all the memories. I try to write as much down as I can so that I can recall the sweet, heart warming, funny, inspiring, and sometimes surprising moments. I know I won't remember them all but I hope on Jackson's first day of kindergarden, the first time he says he doesn't like me, and when he leaves for college I can read them and remember when he was so small.

Some of these memories date back several weeks, but better late than never. 

One evening as Jackson was winding down in his room before bed he brought his stacking cups over. Out of almost no where he stacked the cups one by one counting them as he went. He counted 1-9 out loud without any mistakes. He did so almost nonchalantly and did not seem to understand my excitement. Even Matt (who was downstairs) came running to see if he would do it again. Of course, he wouldn't count again, and to be honest I don't think I have heard him count straight through accurately again.  

Now whenever he counts it goes "1, 2, 3, 6, 7, yah!"(clapping). We are working on finding 4 and 5.

We were at Kohl's by the toys and Jackson was enjoying trying many of them. Well one toy he pressed played the song Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. I have been singing this song to Jackson since the day he was born. Countless nights have been spent singing Twinkle Twinkle over and over. When he pressed the toy and heard its song, he started singing it too! He swayed his head and shifted his weight side to side, trying hard to sing with the words. He would catch several of the words, dragging them out a little over the ones he didn't know and then loudly say a few when he was confident. The smile on his face melted my heart too, he recognized the song I sung so tenderly to him for so long, and like it. 

Matt and I may be referring to each other as "mommy" and "daddy" from here on out. While giving Jackson a bath one evening, I called out of the bathroom to Matt. Well, our helpful little toddler echoed. First it was Matt, then several tries of "Daddy Matt." He has connected they are the same and I am pretty sure he knows how to spell B-E-D too. 

I had been gone all day at a shower. I returned around dinner time and soon after we were sitting down to eat. During the meal Jackson turned to me from his high chair and with a sincere smile and hands reaching out said very clearly "Miss you Mommy." A little surprised he put his thought into words, I asked him if he was happy I was home, he said "yes, missed you Mommy" and wanted a hug (heart melted).

Precious Moments in a Busy Week

Monday:

Jackson loves to play with the large flashlight that I keep by my bed. He was holding it watching it shine everywhere and loving it. He pointed it up at the ceiling at first and the light would shine slightly behind him. So to see it better he would tilt his head back, in doing so his arms holding the flashlight tilted the light farther back. He would again adjust his head/back, and again the light would move....he practically fell over! The best part though was when I aimed the flashlight on the ground for him (fearful he would lean too far back, fall and the flashlight land on his head). When Jackson saw the light on the ground from the flashlight he was holding he tried to step on it. He would take a step, but the light would move too...so he tried again, and again, and again :)

It was the most adorably innocent thing.

Tuesday:

Morning conversation as I woke Jackson up for school;

Me: Good morning my boy

J: (groggily) hi

J: Papa?

Me: You will see Papa tomorrow. Today you get to go to school. 

J: (silent)

Me: Don't you want to go to school?

J: NO!

(By this point he is sitting up, and more awake)

Me: Well where do you want to go today?

(long pause with a focused look, his eyes looked to the side as he contemplated his answer)

J: Grandma's house! (big smile and head nod)

Wednesday:
We had to run to Target after dinner. I told Jackson what was on our list and asked him what else he thought we needed. He said "Mick-mes," then after more thought..."Buzz."
So in Target he kept saying Mickey and looking all around. We picked up several things that kind of interested him and he held them in the basket with him. Then we got to the Valentines. Jackson needed two more Valentines for his additional classmates so I let him pick out a box. There he saw it. A Minnie Mouse with Daisy Valentine set. He was hooked. He held on to it the entire rest of the time, excitedly examining it. The other items he had up front with him he showed me that he would put them behind him in the main cart. He didn't let go of them till we were completely home and I could open them.

Thursday:
When I woke Jackson up for school today I was completely surprised at his new reaction.
I said good morning and he just grunted a few times, rolling over. As I got closer and rubbed his back he said something understandable, "SLEEP." He said it again, grabbing his sleeping pals and curling back up, eyes closed. He said it a third time with a NO in front and tried hard to stay in a sleeping position. I may of had to coax him awake before but this response was a complete first. I think the kid would have went back to sleep for a long time if I just walked away. He is his fathers son.

Friday:

Hope you had a good Valentine's Week!

Precious Moments in a Busy Week

Just a few moments that stood out of much joyful time with my little man this week

Monday: Jackson loves his Little People. He was sorting them super heroes and animals on the window sill for quite some time. He then brought Mickey over to join them before deciding they needed relocation.

He proceeded to take them one or two at a time to the cabinet in the kitchen. He carefully placed them inside, standing up properly & facing forward, then shut the door to go back for more. His imagination amazes me and I so desperately wish I understood all that he says about his ideas and activities.

Later Monday evening: Jackson loves to clean. Being his busy self, he moved right from the Little People in the cabinet (leaving about five of them still "hiding") to wanting to sweep. Busy weekend before and dirty winter weather had our kitchen floor kind of gross, so I joined him in his cleaning.

We started with sweeping, but he knows the routine so next came the Swiffer. He made a sweep of it first, then when he moved back to emptying his dust pan, I actually washed down the floor by the garage door. Bad idea. I have learned this lesson before, wet floor means slipping. Sure enough, I was making Jackson laugh playing peek-a-boo and he turned to run to hide. WHAM! Blood. His front tooth cut open his top lip. Now we have had our fair share of head bumps but this was a first. I scooped him up and while holding him tight managed to continue to talk to him while fishing out a clean towel wetting it and filling it with ice. I have him slightly calmer when all of a sudden his nose starts bleeding. OH MY GOSH, what a horrible mother. The bleeding stopped eventually and he was talking and drinking water. Me on the other hand was still shaky.

The most precious moment of it all came when he is finally starting to calm down a bit, but me Im tearing up. He stops sobbing and looks at me with genuine concern. I put on a smile and he cuddled into me. My heart melted.

Thursday: When I picked Jackson up from school he was so excited to have me join in their fun. Jackson and another kid had been listening to a story read by the teacher. He immediately got excited, feet stepping quickly in place, and says "reeed," pointing to the book. Followed quickly by "you sit, you sit," pointing at the ground next to him and looking up at me. It is a joy to see him so happy about activities at school and his eagerness to share them with me. I am also obsessed with his developing ability to almost carry on a conversation.

Precious Moments in a Busy Week

Busy. Every mom feels it. This week felt especially busy to me. I wished to get home earlier, leave later, have less to grade, not do laundry or dishes...but of course the week went on with less Jackson time then desired. 

So, I paid attention to the subtle moments.

Sunday - "Come sit"

Jackson has been saying this phrase for a long while but recently it is so much clearer. He was into a book reading kick and wasn't happy till I sat next to him on the step.

Monday - "Allldone"...."Moorr"

A training potty has been placed in the downstairs bathroom. Want a laugh a minute, start Jackson on a having to go potty streak. No, he really doesn't go potty. He even sits on it in pants and diapers, but man is he excited. On repeat for over 40 minutes Jackson went in to and out of the bathroom, sitting on the "potty" taking toilet paper, coming out saying "All done" and then turing around to do it all again.

Thursday - "Hi Mommy"

Sentences!!!! Talk about making your hear melt. Good morning to you too Jackson!

Saturday "Bye Mommy"

Weekends come and you hope to just be home....well errands stood in the way. Jackson and Daddy were playing when I said good bye. "Bye mommy" (sentence number 2). He was so sincere, with an adult, 'Ill see you later' attitude. 

Saturday - "Mickk-ey"

The Chicago Magnificent Mile Lights Parade was memorable!! Jackson saw Mickey and Minnie in the first float. For every float after he firmly requested Mickey. His big, bold, confident blue eyes looked me in the eye and in repeat requested Mickey. At one point he was in tears with such hope. My heart melted that Mickey was not returning soon... 

Saturday - Jackson has picked up on my sweeping habit. Seeing me sweep, he wanted t o do so himself. He got out his little broom and for the first time ever went to shake the garbage and shook out his little dust shovel.

Saturday - "NO"

Jackson wanted NOTHING to do with my brothers freshly cleaned kitchen floor in his apartment.  He would walk to the edge and cry to come save him from his reflection. 

Goofing around with Uncle Bryo