Happy Birthday Baby Boy!

Breaking News!

This is really only breaking news to us, but, Jack ate grapes on Monday night.  Yes, you heard me, we're hooting & celebrating because my almost 3 year old ate not one, but 7 or 8 grapes!  

I can honestly count on one hand the amount of fruit Jack has eaten since he went off baby food.  A bite or two of banana, a sliver of strawberry, and one whole blueberry (that was over a year ago).  He refuses to touch the stuff.  But at dinner on Monday John & I were eating grapes & Jack yelled, "I like grapes!", took a bite of one, shivered & made a funny face & then ate the rest.  John & I cheered & he kept on eating them.  He even ate some yesterday.

The excitement never ends around here.

This Is the Messiest You Will Ever See Jack

Jack, enjoying some cookie dough.  This child never intentionally gets messy, except, apparently, when cookie dough is involved.

Looking Forward & Back

I am not a mom who doesn't want her baby boy to grow up.  I look forward to the day when we can play board games together, watch a movie on a rainy afternoon, and read chapter books together.  I love each stage of Jack's life more than the last.  I love hearing the next new thing out of his mouth & I love watching him interact & discover his world.

That's why I was surprised when I felt sad after we took apart his crib & put a big bed in his room a few months ago.  My baby boy will be 3 years old next month.  And, as much as I look forward to the years ahead & all he'll experience, my heart feels sad at all that will fade away.

At this point in his life he is completely honest.  The idea of telling a lie doesn't occur to him.  He says it how it is without hiding anything he's feeling.  And, he believes everything we tell him.

He loves his momma & daddy.  He's so excited to see us, to play with us, to make us laugh.  He loves to hold our hands & wants 10 hugs & kisses before he goes to bed.  I will hug & kiss this boy as many times as he wants because I know the day will come when he'll not even want me to tuck him in, much less kiss him.

He can't hide his excitement.  When he sees something new or something he loves, he yells & points & laughs & wants to tell me all about it.  And I will listen as long as he wants to talk to me.   

Sometimes, I feel so much love for him that I think it will make my heart burst.  Before he entered the world I didn't know it was even possible to love someone so wholeheartedly knowing that they can give you nothing but themselves in return.  

And, I think about him becoming a teenager and I hope he still likes me.  I hope I can still make him laugh.  

I want him to be free to grow & explore & become the man he's going to be, but I also want to hold on to him so tight & hope that he'll never leave because he is my baby & he'll always be my baby.  I know I have a long time before he's all grown up, but I also know it's going to go so much faster than I ever thought possible.

So, I try to savor the days we spend together.  I try to listen to him when he talks, get on the floor when he asks me to play with him, and kiss & hug him until he doesn't want anymore.

Too Much Curious George

I went to the doctor yesterday.  Jack knows my doctor.  He knows my doctor's name.  He's seen my doctor many times & never says anything to him or in his presence except, "Great job Mama!"  (Everyone needs to hear this after having their feet in stir-ups!)

Yesterday when my doctor walked into the room Jack shouted out, "Hi Dr. Monkey!"  My doctor asked what he said & he yelled out again, "Hi Dr. Monkey!" and giggled.

There's an episode of Curious George where George is Dr. Monkey.  Apparently this made an impact on Jack.  At least my doctor thought it was funny too!  And, I'm very glad the man doesn't actually resemble a monkey.  

This is what happens when he dresses himself.

Jack picked out his own clothes this morning.  Suede boots (perfect for a 90 degree day), ratty sweatpants, and his Easter sweater vest from 2 years ago.  He obviously gets his fashion sense from his daddy.

What More Could a Boy Want?

Trucks, baby animals & snowcones!

I Forgot to Mention...

that John got me a Wii & the Wii Fit for Mother's Day.  Pretty much the best gift ever from the best husband ever.  I'm off to headbutt some soccer balls & panda heads while the child naps.

I Might Stop Blogging About Sleep Sometime Soon

Today we have an appointment at the St. Luke's Sleep Center with pediatric nurse extraordinaire Nancy Burkenmeier.  We've visited her once before when Jack was 8 or 9 months old & waking up every hour.  Last time it took us 3 months to get in.  This time they had an appointment the next day.  She gave us a plan to follow & he was happily sleeping through the night in less than a week.  I kind of knew myself what to do with an infant, but just needed her to kick my butt to do it.

I, however, have no idea what to do with a kid who is almost 3.  Do we let him cry it out or will that freak him out so much that he'll really never want to sleep in his bed again?  All I know is that the kid has no idea how to relax & go to sleep & it's up to us to help him with that.

We really do have other things going on in our lives.  I really do have other, much more exciting things to blog about.  But, the sleep issue is so all-encompassing that it's hard to write about anything else.

So, hopefully coming soon will be a sleep success story, photos of the Dan Zanes concert we went to as a family (I had been looking forward to this concert for almost a year & it rocked), and some other cute photos of the boy.  

Adventures in Sleep

The sleep saga continues in the Hendrix household.  We're quickly approaching the month mark that we took Jack's binkies away.  We soon realized it wasn't the staying asleep that was a problem, it was the calming down enough to actually get to sleep that was the issue.  

I started off very adamant that we were not going to rock or rub him to sleep.  After much screaming that has been thrown out the window.  Now I just want him to sleep & I seem to spend my entire day trying to get him to sleep.  

We ended up moving him out of his crib & into a twin bed.  That helped a lot.  I think he felt trapped in his crib.  But now we've started having to lie down with him just to get him to fall asleep.  If this was a quick process, it wouldn't bother me so much, but tonight, for example, it has taken an hour and a half.  And the longer it takes him to get to sleep the more fidgety he gets & the more he wants done for him.  He "needs" lotion, kleenex, water, a different friend in bed, his toenails clipped (yes- he has asked for this several times), his socks on, his socks off, a different blanket, and the list goes on & on.

I am going crazy.  I actually found many grey hairs on my head this week.  I'm putting a call into our trusty sleep doctor tomorrow & am hoping she can help us with a plan.  

I Broke My Son's Heart Tonight

The binkies are finally gone.  Yes, my 3 this July, walking, talking boy still slept with his beloved binkies.  Today he happily traded them in at the toy store for this cool piano.  Needless to say, the piano is of little comfort at bedtime.  He told me to take it back & get his binkies.

This is by far the hardest bit of parenting I've done thus far.  Harder than letting him cry it out at 8 months.  Harder than taking the bottle away.  Harder than dropping him off at his mother's day out program while he wailed for yet another kiss.  He cried & cried like his little heart was breaking & I feel like the worst mother alive.

Another reason I love this kid

So, I took Jack to the bookstore tonight.  St. Louis has decided, after teasing us with a taste of spring, that it is,  indeed, still winter.  So, we escaped the house for a while & went to read some books.  Jack loves the bookstore.  Okay, in reality Jack loves going to just about ANY store, but he really loves the bookstore.  

We sat in the kid's section to read.  There was another boy surrounded by Thomas the Tank Engine books & other "boy" books.  Jack decided to sit down and read this.  Now, I'm not a huge Thomas fan- I find him rather surly & mean, but surely he's better than Barbie!  Right?  

The other parents grinned at me as I read to Jack about all things Barbie.  When were were done reading he pointed to the pretty, sparkly Barbie & yelled, "Mama!"  

I said, "Where do you see Mama?"  

And he once again pointed to Barbie & said, "There!  That's my Mama.  So pretty."

How can I argue with that?

A double post is tacky, but the only thing that seems appropriate tonight!

Rock Chalk!

Have you ever seen anything more perfect?

A Belated St. Patty's Day Wish From Jack

This is why I can't keep chocolate in the house.

Today should be a national holiday for it marks the much awaited delivery of our Girl Scout Cookies. A whole sleeve of Thin Mints has already disappeared & more are waiting in the freezer. It's a good thing those little sin snacks only come around once a year.

Last year John told my girlfriends that ONE Somoa packed a whopping 4 grams of fat. This was after almost a whole box had been eaten. I think he received death threats for a month.

ps- i must give credit where credit is due.  i found the little drawing over at Tales of a Real Life Lusbian.  it didn't say it was copywrited, but still...

My Guitar Hero

Enjoy Jack's rendition of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. A little toddler speak translation for you- at the end he says, "Thank you New York Jesus!"

Shhh...don't wake Fred Bird!

Fred Bird, or red bird as Jack calls him, is Jack's favorite new friend. In this photo he is rocking Fred Bird to sleep. He then dropped him on his head in the crib & had me cover him with a blanket. He wanted me to give Fred a pacifier, but I told him that Fred hates binkies & thinks they're gross. I'm hoping that rubs off.

It's pretty sweet to see him parent Fred. We diapered the bird, put band-aids on his boo-boos & Jack tears around the house with Fred in a little stroller. The other day I listened in on a little conversation he was having with Fred. It went something like, "Ohhh. Fred! You fall down. You so sad. It's okay. I kiss it."

I forgot my camera again...

I woke up this morning & it was 21 degrees outside. So, my next logical thought was, why don't Jack & I go to the zoo? And we did. And we froze, but had so much fun.

We've been visiting the zoo a lot lately & I can't believe how much Jack loves it. Today we went to the reptile house, the monkey house, the bird house, the outside bird paths, the bears & we caught the 12:30 sea lion feeding.

And, I forgot my camera like I do every time we went to the zoo. So, what you don't see photos of are Jack waving to the birds, peering at the tiny neon frogs (tiny is Jack's new favorite word), and running like a madman through the monkey house laughing at all the monkeys. He also thought the sea lions were hysterical. At the end of our visit we ran into a like-minded friend & her daughter who also thought it was fun to go to the zoo when the temperature drops below freezing.

The best part of the day was that it was true quality time together. We spend a lot of time getting together with friends in the mornings, which we both love, running errands or just trying to stay busy with an activity. It's nice to do something, just the two of us, where we can talk & hold hands & share a meal together. Sometimes it gets lonely spending all day every day with a person who is really only interested in themselves. But, such is the life of all mothers with toddlers I think. I was thankful to slow down and have a day where we just enjoyed being together with no agenda & no where to be.

And, I've found that the zoo rocks in the cold. You'll never get the monkey house to yourself unless you go when it's freezing outside!

Jack-isms

These are some of my current favorite Jack-isms.

"Me no like my dinner." This is said often.
"Soscrem!" Toddler for ice cream. This is said even more often.
" I NEED _______!!!" Fill in the blank with whatever you want. Some common fill-ins are "my mommy", "treat", and, of course, "soscrem"
"Ummm...sure." and "No tank you." These two phrases make him seem surprisingly more agreeable than he is.
Tonight we were having him say, "No dinner! Straight to bed Mama!" which came out with all the words mixed up & amidst much laughter from all three of us.

And, my all time favorite, (drum-roll please!)
"Oops-a-doodie!"

Just because...

Here she comes...

Miss America!

Tonight we will be enjoying the Miss America Pageant. We love watching this together every year. We'll be enjoying brownies from the great state of Minnesota & Cheetos hailing from Texas all while rooting for Miss Missouri, Kansas, New York & New Jersey (and whoever else we decide is pretty!).

I've been waiting for this night for months!

From the mouth of my babe...

Jack (discovering that he is different from mommy): Mama! Me no have boobs!

No son, you don't.

A New Favorite

I just added a new link to my blog. I found her work on etsy & think it's amazing. I'm going to have to start saving...

Drumroll please...

Jack peed on the potty for the first time ever today! Okay, he actually peed all over the bathroom floor, but he was sitting on his potty when he did it. I forgot to put on the little boy pee guard. But still, if you are a parent, you know this is HUGE. We haven't even been doing any real potty training, we've just had a potty in the bathroom for a few months. He likes to sit on it while fully clothed.

But, today I was going to the bathroom & he asked me to take his pants off so he could go too. He just sat there smiling at me (I ignored him & read my magazine. Come on, can't I have a moment of privacy!) When I was done he got up too & mimed flushing his potty & ran out of the bathroom. A few seconds later I heard him say, "Oh! Again!" and he ran back into the bathroom, sat on his potty & peed!

We danced a little pee-pee celebration dance afterwards.

Maybe this potty training thing will be easier than I thought.

The Best Christmas Present Ever

My parents got us a membership to The Magic House. I'm so excited about this because Jack loves it there & is entertained for hours. We all went after Christmas & it was a madhouse, but so much fun.

Christmas

A few Christmas photos. Jack got something on the camera lens Christmas Eve, so some of the photos are a little fuzzy. Booo.


Cheese!



Jack loved opening presents. He didn't even care what was in the wrapping, just that he got to open more gifts!



Too many presents!!! This photo shows you what we're going through right now. It's Christmas detox at our house. Everyday I'm asked for "candy, candy, candy!", "treat please mama!" along with many typical 2 1/2 year old tantrums.

Santa?

Jack and I had some guy time this morning. We hit the loop and drank coffee and chocolate milk. (The milk was mine.) On our sidewalk stroll, jumping over the 'walk of fame' stars, Jack made a shocking discovery. He spotted the cart pushing older, somewhat portly, bearded gentleman who sells bongs and other head-shop accouterment. He shouted: "HI, SANTA!"
The man responded warmly and then Jack got nervous. As I picked him up I said, "No, Jack, Santa's high." We left and jumped over more stars.

My Kid is Smarter Than Your Kid

Snow Day!

Jack quickly learned that snow was tasty for lunch.

Pie Night!

Here are a few photos from our first pie night (a tradition ripped off from the Kirkland family who had TWENTY-THREE pies this year!).


As you can see, the kids loved pie night.



And after pie they all piled on John's lap for a story. What you don't see is that just a few days later all of these children came down with the same killer cough & fever. Bummer.

You know your kid's sick when...

They refuse to eat ice cream for dinner. True story.

At least he tells the truth with a smile

The following is a conversation I had with Jack this morning after picking him up from school.

Me: What did you do at school today?
Jack: I cried.

Sad, but true. That's what he did at school. He said the same thing when John asked him about school. But, all with a smile.

Le Thomas de Engie Tanket

John here:

In New York, you can see anything on the subway.
Riding back to New Jersey on friday, the train door opened and in came two parents with a toddler about Jack's age in a stroller. They bent down and chatted with him playfully. As I heard the boy respond, I realized the little guy had a French accent. I then immediately noticed that his parents were speaking sing-songy French to him. All of the young boy's words and sounds were the same cadence as Jack's, but En Francais. I couldn't understand anything they were saying, though I suspected it was the same kind of conversations we have with Jack now. But, then he pulled out a "Thomas the Tank Engine" toy and showed it to his mom and said "Mama, Choo-Choo!" She said "Oui, Oui, le Choo Choo!"

Some things are the same in any language. I smiled all the way home, missing my little boy.

Our Trip

John & I went to New York this weekend. I was surprised with a ticket to go see Cyrano DeBergerac with Laura starring....are you ready?...JENNIFER GARNER and Kevin Klein. Yes, JG, my favorite person in Hollywood. It was fantastic. Laura & I sat with binoculars to our eyes the whole time.

We had such a good weekend, but it felt like too long to be away from Jack. I missed him so much. He had fun with the grandparents & wept when they left. So much for missing mom & dad! Next time we go were planning on taking Jack. That should be a real adventure.

Hero of the Day!

Kevin, after finishing the NY Marathon today. Rock Star.

Baby Dreams

I was just eavesdropping on Jack talking in his sleep. He moaned, "I want that." and then, "Mine. Mine!"

Sounds about right. His sleep talk sounds suspiciously like his wake talk.

Show me some love people!

Seriously. If you love me & are reading this, today would be a good day to tell me. This might be your last chance as I'm 95% sure that Jack is plotting my demise as I write this. Can you kill a mother with a full week of grouchiness, demands to be held & temper tantrums? I think so.

Add this to the fact that my kitchen just exploded dirty dishes everywhere. And the clean clothes are multiplying in my bedroom- when are we getting the dryer that folds the clothes? Or just a maid. And I'm feeling especially frumpalicious these days (ack! I'm a frumpy mom!!!) thanks in part to a shizy haircut that makes me look like (and these are my words folks, don't go stealing them) "a shaggy dog ass face". If you don't know what that looks like, come take a look at my hair. And, if I don't find a new pair of shoes soon, I'm going to be spending the winter barefoot & with frostbites on my toes. Seriously, why do all sensible shoes look as if they were made for an 80 year old woman?

AND John is super busy with good work, but a lot of work all at once. So we're all just snippy at the Hendrix house.

That's my rant for today. If you see any of the three of us, we could probably all use a hug.

MINE!

This photo doesn't match this post, I just thought it was cute. Yes, that is a ring of chocolate around Jack's mouth. And check out his cool surfer dude hair.

Jack is going through the mine stage. Everything is his. MY BOOK! MY CUP! MY GUITAR! MINE, MINE, MINE!!!

It kind of drives me crazy. He yells when he says it & grabs things.

But, today I was glad to hear mine. We were leaving the grocery store & he laid his head on my shoulder, gave my back a pat & whispered, "My mama".

I love this kid. He knew just what I needed to hear.

What's the deal with farm animals?

Parents As Teachers is a national organization that sends a Parent Educator to your home about every 2 months to help make sure your child is developmentally on track & to help the parents with educational activites. We love PAT. They've helped us with sleep, food, and fun. They have play groups & lots of fun activities throughout the year. And, we love our parent educator Angela. Jack loves her too.

That being said, Anglea was here about a month ago. She was playing a game with Jack where he would pull different objects out of a can & name them. It was to test his speech more than his vocabulary. (Yes, this story gets better, hang in there...)

Most of the items in the can were animals of some sort. Jack wouldn't name any of them. He mooed at the cow, but that was about it.

When she left I freaked & told John that we needed to work on animals with Jack. But then I thought, what the heck is the deal with all the farm animals??? Big deal, Jack won't identify a pig. Show the kid a saxophone & he'll walk around all day yelling "SAXOPHONE"! He can also name a clarinet, flute, piano, guitar, drum & bassoon.

All you parents out there need to help stop the farm animal madness with me.

Reflections of Me

It's scary when you realize that your children are reflecting you back to yourself- the good stuff & the bad. John & I have discovered that he had little to do with the DNA of Jack- he's almost entirely me. That's scary to me!

Not only does he look exactly like me, but all of his mannerisims and the way he talks are reflections of me. He's shy in new situations & takes a while to warm up...just like me. He loves to pout & resists being cheered up...just like me. He's so, so stubborn...just like me. He has a fiery hot temper...just like me. He thinks poop is really funny...just like...well...me. He's grouchy when he wakes up...just like me. He's compassionate & emotional...just like me. He likes to steal his friend's toys...oh wait, not like me. And I could go on & on.

Sometimes, when I get frustrated with Jack, I sit back & realize that he is reacting exactly the way I would like to react & probably would react if I had no impulse control. I hope the fact that we are so similar will make me a better mom to him. Poor John has to live with two of us in the same house!

Ribbon Dance!

As promised, here is Jack's ribbon dance. I just want to know who the moron is that filmed it sideways. Oh wait, that's me.

Cock your head to the side & enjoy! He really gets going in the 2nd half.

Blogging Blahs

If you haven't already noticed, I haven't been blogging much lately. I apologize to my two faithful fans. It's not for lack of ideas (I'm bubbling over), or lack of time (although my time has been sparse lately). Mostly, lack of motivation. When John started school the laptop went with him, so in order to blog I have to (GASP!) climb the stairs to the attic. Easy access is the key to my successful blogging life.

But, as of right now, I'm recommiting myself to posting more regularly.

Here are just a few things you can look forward to very, very soon:

-A rockin' dance video of Jack complete with multi-colored dance ribbons
-How to make your grouchy toddler happy (note:this involves having house guests named Kbo & Lola, aka: The Toddler Tamers)
-How to use your blog to get invited to a beautiful wedding & kickin' reception of people you've never met (thanks Jane & John!)
-And, without a doubt, more shoe & purse posts

So, stay tuned, there's more on the way!

Shoe Envy

John typing - We bought Jack some 'back to school' (read: fall) shoes, and boy do I want a pair of my own! Does everyone do this to their children? As in, dress them like we wish to dress ouselves? See post below for confessions of shallow parents.

We did buy matching zip-up hoodies for the Hendrix boys. Waiting for that first snap of cold with baited breath...

Fashion Faux-Pas

I was embarrassed to go out in public with Jack today. He dug a very ugly pair of sandals that had been handed down to us out of the closet & insisted on wearing them with white socks. He looked like a miniature tourist.

I know this is not bad. He could have put on a sparkly tu-tu & tiara to wear to the store (neither of which we have in our house, but if we did, I am sure he would wear them 24-7). But still, I tried to convince him to wear different shoes & I even put his crocs in the diaper bag hoping that he would see them & want to wear them.

No such luck.

Obviously, I need some perspective. I'm not even sure this is worth a blog entry except to show how vain I really am!

My Biggest Fan

I have a few more pictures of my opening (Yes, this is John, not Andrea. Sorry, ok!) on my blog. But I had to post this one that Warren took. He was so cute wandering around in the gallery! Yes, he was mostly flirting with his friend AvaBelle, and not really admiring my work as I instructed him. But, of all the things in that room, I was most proud of him. So cliche, and so very true. (Attn Mgmt: I'd like 4 more of him, please.)

The Hamster Wheel

Lately I feel like I've been living my life on a hamster wheel. Running & running, but not getting anywhere. There is always more to be done that never happens. I clean the house & about 10 seconds later it looks like a bomb went off again. Even now, at 9:30 at night, there is still more to do. Loads of laundry to be folded, dishes to be done, not to mention the big stuff to be cleaned. All I really want to do is read my book and go to bed. I think that is life with a toddler.

Little Boy

Well, the summer is over (hooray!) and I found I've been left with a little boy running around my house. At the beginning of the summer Jack seemed a baby with little boy tendencies & now he's a little boy with baby tendencies. What has changed you ask? Well, let me tell you a few things.

He's always been kind of a nervous kid. Very cautious of other kids, even kids we know & see several times a week. But, over the course of the summer he started loving other kids. In fact, not a day goes by when he doesn't ask for every single one of his friends by name (over, and over, and over again). One of his favorite games is to zero in on what toy his friend is attached to & grab it & run away laughing in hopes that he will be chased. Not a nice game. But, it is surprisingly entertaining to watch until it just gets mean after the 50th time. Perhaps we have the makings of a bully.

Or, maybe not, because he's become a very sympathetic boy. When other kids are crying he gets very concerned & often sits by them & pats their head. He does that with me as well. Mean mama found that if I pretend to cry when I ask him to do something, he will comply. I don't really use that trick, but I think it's funny & sweet.

Jack now says little sentences & every day he says new words. Today we were dancing & he stopped and said, "Mama, clap!" Clap is one I had never heard before. "Funny" also made it's way into his vocabulary this week. John & I were making him laugh in the car & he said, "Mamada (this is what he calls us when we're together) funny."

And, he is sleeping better than ever. That only took 2 years...

I am loving this stage of life. It just seems to be getting better.

Picture, picture, picture page

I haven't posted photos of Jack for a while. That seems wrong since the title of this blog is Peek-a-boo Jack. So, here are some kickin' photos for you...


Jumpin' Jack Flash





Jack loves to jump. Elliot loves to jump with him. This kid can get some height.



Fashionista




John's going to have some competition in a few years on being the most stylish dresser in the house. I think Jack will win. He's not scared to make risky moves- like carrying a flowered satin bag while garage saleing. (Yes, this actually happened last weekend...)

Firsts

It's pretty thrilling to see Jack do things for the first time. We've seen countless firsts and still have many, many left to go. He's started speaking in sentences. Here are some recent first words & sentences from the mouth of my babe:
"saxophone!" (it's said with an exclamation point- he loves the saxophone)
"Little baby toes." This was said while he was kissing Elsie's toes over & over.
"Mama, I want chocolate milk." This is said every single time we pass a McDonalds.
"I want food." This one cracks me up every time. I ask him what kind of food & he just replies, "Yeah, food!"

One of the biggest & most exciting firsts happened in the pool this past weekend. Out of nowhere he put his face in the water and blew bubbles. We've not been trying to teach him this, he just did it. All of a sudden he's become comfortable in the pool & will do so many new things. He's been jumping off of things, riding on our back & putting his whole head under water.

It's fun to wake up every morning wondering what first we'll see that day!

Rest In Peace Miss Kitty

You are much loved & already missed.

Our Day in Court

So, we had our day in court yesterday. I won't reveal the details of our case on my little blog in case there are super secret agents looking for evidence against us in our measly little small claims case. But, many of you have heard our saga, so I don't need to re-hash it except to say that he wasn't there, so we have to re-summons. Stink.

BUT, the real reason for this post is to say that small claims court rocks! I loved it. I think I'm made to be a small claims court judge. Minus the fact that I'd have to go to law school. When Jack was born I watched The People's Court everday while he nursed. (Okay, I watched The People's Court before Jack was born as well...) And, if you haven't checked it out, you should. I love Judge Marilyn Mulian. She can bring it, but she brings it with a smile, unlike Judge Judy.

We only got to see one full case, the others before us were dismissals or cases like ours where only one person was in the court. But, it was exciting. The judge was snippy, the plantiffs were inflamed & there was almost a little scuffle at the end. I'm actually glad that we'll have to go back again.

My normal child

Jack had his two year check-up on Monday. Good news. He's normal!

Before I had Jack, if you would have asked me to tell you my hopes & dreams for my future children, I would have said I want them to be exceptional. I want them to be free-spirits & free-thinkers. I want them to have the courage to stand up for what is right & just, to protect those who are easily victimized, to love those who are unlovable, to be anything but average, normal.

But, as I felt Jack growing inside of me, and was quite certain that what was in my belly was more likely to be an alien than a child, I just prayed that he would be normal. Please don't let him be deformed. Please don't let him have a neurological disorder. Please just let him be normal.

I still have those same hopes for Jack in his future. But, most days I just want to be reassured that yes, my child is normal. I just want to know that the things we experience together that are so foreign to me are, indeed, the normal things you encounter when living with a toddler.

John & I find Jack to be exceptional for a 2 year old. We are constantly telling each other about things he did or said, ways he's made us laugh during the day. We remark about the funny way he says hello ("Hoooe!"), and the sweet way he says thank you (oh my, he's so polite). His funny little breakdance moves impress us & we both love the way he cheers John on at softball games ("Allright Da!"). And, we're quite certain that Jack's grandparents would elevate him to genius level.

And, while he is exceptional to us, him mom & dad, it's surprising to be given a list by the doctor of characteristics of a 2 year old and find out, well, he's just normal...
-walks up & down stairs...check
-jumps from a step....check
-often negative & prone to temper tantrums...check, check
-shy with strangers....check
-mimics & imitates....check
and on & on. Check, check, check...

It's of course reassuring to know that he's hitting all of his milestones & he's where he's expected to be developmentally. But, as a person who often doubts herself & wonders how important her life is, it's even more reassuring to realize that Jack isn't an exceptional person because of what he does, because of how much he has accomplished, because, let's face it, he hasn't accomplished anything by worldly standards & everything he does is pretty typical of your average 2 year old. And, he's not unexceptional because he's normal or average.

He's exceptional because he's loved & created by God. Because he's loved by his parents. Because he is a unique creation, no matter how "normal". I've often said that Jack could grow up to be a garbage man & I wouldn't be any less proud of him (this is not to speak lowly of garbage men...I think you all get that!). I need to remember those things for myself too, especially when I'm sure my brain is leaking out of my ears as I sleep at night due to lack of use & I wonder what I've really accomplished in my 30 years. What really matters is the relationships we have, the way we love those around us, the way we love our Creator. The rest is just the normal stuff of life...

Happy Anniversary to Us!

We turned 8 years old today.

Paci Days

I know everyone has been waiting with baited breath to find out what has been going on with Jack's precious. AKA: the pacifier. Read on if you'd like the update...

If you've read my blog at all, you know Jack's loves his pacis more than anything in the world, and that I hate them with every fiber in my body. The past few weeks he's been completely fixated on them. I know he is cutting the last of his molars (and we are very ready to be done with teething!), but whenever we were home he would scream for them & when he was sad or bored or fell he would cry for the "bink" as well. We knew it was time to take action. (That and the fact that he has his 2 year check-up coming up in a week & the doctor told us to ditch the paci at 18 months.)

So, on Monday, John clipped off the tops of his pacifiers. For those of you who are childless, clipping the top of the paci makes it harder to suck on & way less fun. When John gave it to him at bedtime he sucked on it, pulled it out and said "uh-oh". Then he tried another one & said the same thing. He finally went to sleep at 9:30 that night after an hour & a half in his crib. He wasn't screaming, just chatting & jumping & laughing with the occasional cry thrown in.

The next day he didn't ask for his bink at all!

But, at nap time he hit me, cried, threw his pacis at me, threw his kitty at me, pulled my hair & cried some more until I finally got him calmed down & just rocked him to sleep. Then he only slept for an hour.

Last night he fell asleep at 9pm which is an improvement & today for his nap he went down without a peep.

And still, he hasn't begged for the bink at all today.

Next week John is going to clip them even more so that he won't have much of anything to suck on, but can still hold them in his hands.

Hopefully we'll be rid of them completely in the next few weeks.

That's all for Paci Days.

It's Here

I'm 30. Woo-hoo!

I guess it's not so bad.

Birthday Fun!

Jack turned 2 yesterday. We all had a great day. Here are some photos for you to enjoy.


A yummy breakfast. His obvious joy is not from the doughnuts, but from the candles. We re-lit them about 5 times so he could keep blowing them out.




Birthday bubble mayhem.




He didn't touch the cake, but had 3 servings of ice cream.




He wasn't interested in opening his gifts, but loved the rocking chair my mom made for him.

Happy Birthday to you.

Welcome to this dusty land
where you will cry lots, but we'll all understand.
Things may not turn out sometimes like you planned,
that's alright our little man.

Welcome outside of your mother's womb,
I know that it's frightening, but now there's more room.
Just think of all the great things you'll do,
just by you being you.

I don't care what the world says about all this struggling,
all I know is now you're here it's so lovely.
I don't care about all the things that have troubled me,
now that you're here I remember life can be so lovely, though it's troubling,
but you're lovely.

Welcome to us our little song,
you're one part your daddy, one part your mom.
We're going to help you grow up to be strong.
but for now little guy
sleep on.

~Lori Chaffer


Happy 2nd birthday to my favorite little boy.

Happy Birthday Kbo!!

Kevin & Jack 2 years ago today. Kevin's birthday, Jack's birth-day.
We love you Kevin.

The 30's are breathing down my neck...

Another 30 post. I a little over a week I'm sure there will be a 3rd 30's post.

I started feeling very down this weekend about my impending 30th birthday. That feeling kind of snuck up on me. I was feeling strange about the birthday, but not down until then.

I think I thought 30 looked a lot different than it does. It signals "adult" to me, but most days I sure don't feel very adult. I think I expected to feel more accomplished. I expected to have a career I was proud of (I'm sure mostly in case I run into someone I went to high school with! That's silly.), to have my Master's degree, and to be finished having kids. That's not the case for any of those things. None of those things really matter, I know. I have a husband & son that I adore and friends and family that love me, but I still feel down about 30.

Don't be surprised if you see me out clubbing this week. I've got to live up the rest of my 20's!

Breaking News!

Last night at dinner Jack willing ate his first green vegetable. He ate the top off of a piece of broccoli. It completely blew my mind. He will occasionly eat mushrooms if covered in cheese in a quesidilla, but he has refused every other vegetable that isn't completely pureed. We were so happy we gave him a big round of applause.

Mommy Ass

This summer, every time I put on my bathing suit, the mirrors in my house scream in horror. I'm not sure what it is about having a baby, but your whole body rearranges itself. Even if your back to your pre-pregnancy weight (and I'm not, but we won't talk about that...sore subject), things are just in different places than before the baby. And yet, it's summer, so I yank on my suit and try not to think about the view everyone gets of my behind as I chase Jack around the pool.

And chase him I do, because this kid loves the pool. The first time we went this season he was freezing, visably shaking, and still threw a tantrum when we pulled him out. And every time I dress him he walks over to the pool fully dressed & tries to hop back in.

I've wondered if I should just give up & get the swim suit with the skirt down to my knees. I'll skip the cute, sassy skirted suits (of which I've seen a surprising amount- they're not your grandma's suits anymore!) and really go all out.

I've also noticed a demographic lately that I will call the "Hot Moms". I would call all of my mom friends hot moms, but "Hot Moms" are different than your usual run of the mill hot moms. "Hot Moms" don't appear to have had any children. "Hot Moms" don't get mommy ass. I saw a "Hot Mom" at the pool today with a six pack. I kid you not. An honest to goodness six pack. My first thought was, "she seems nice, but I think I might hate her!" I think "Hot Moms" are probably genetic freaks, but they still manage to make every other mom in the pool feel a bit more insecure.

So, hug your wife today & tell her you love her mommy ass. If she's been to the pool today, she would probably like to hear it.

Funny Boy

Jack does a lot of really funny things every day. Here are two for your reading pleasure from today. Keep in mind, jokes are much funnier when in person...

I got Jack some new shirts today. It was time. Most of his from last summer have slowly become belly shirts. I handed him the shirts in the car and he smiled & yelled, "Wow! Wow!". Then tried to put one of them on while strapped in his carseat. Those of you who know Jack know that he loves to talk about his shirt (and your shirt!) almost as much as he loves to talk about his shoes.

I was putting him to bed tonight & we were rocking in his room. He asked me to sing to him & while I did he sat facing me trying to shove his pacifier in my mouth while giggling the entire time I was singing. I was trying to wind him DOWN, not up. I don't think it worked very well.

ACK!!!

I turn 30 in less than one month!!!

My awesome husband

Check it out. On newstands now. The new Paste magazine with the kickin' cover.

http://johnhendrix.blogspot.com/2007/05/paste-cover.html

Summer is here!

Jack loves the water. We filled this sandbox up with water, because we don't have any sand yet. He was in it for a long time. John put his slide in it so he could slide down right into the water.

Thanks Tirzah, for salvaging the turtle for us!

Dinner, Dinner and Dinner

Jack ate 3 dinners tonight. One at a friend's house. Then he ate what I made him when he got home. Then he wanted some of John's dinner, so I made him a bowl of that. Today he also had 3 mini smoothies, two bowls of cereal, 2 bowls of yogurt, some soup & bread, a PBJ sandwich, a fruit bar, half a granola bar, and lots of milk & water. I'm sure there were some crackers & sweets thrown in there as well that I'm missing. For the past 2 or 3 weeks he wouldn't eat anything. Literally, he would only drink. I guess he's making up for it.

If you can't find us, look in Jack's belly. He probably got hungry again and gobbled up his mom & dad. Piggy.

Bird is NOT the word...

MAMA is the word! I can't believe I haven't blogged about this yet. The one word I've been waiting for is finally being said with great regularity. Jack is finally saying Mama. It started last month when John was taking him out of our bedroom & Jack turned to me, waved and said, "Bye-bye Maaaaa."

Now he says it all of the time with only the occasional "da" thrown in (at least Das that are directed towards me & not John). He pats me and says Mama. He waves to me when he's playing with John and says, "Hi Mama!". He repeats it over & over & over when he wants me to pay attention to him.

Needless to say, I'm thrilled. I honestly thought he would be speaking in complete sentences and I'd still be nameless.

Just because...

I haven't posted a photo in a while. That's because these are the only ones I get these days- Jack reaching for the camera. Check out his shoes. Baby crocs. He talks about them all the time & chases down other kids on the playground wearing crocs. It's pretty cute.

Creeping Crud

Jack has hand, foot & mouth disease. Or mad hoof disease as we affectionately call it. We think it sounds like something only stable animals get. Well, apparently babies & toddlers get it like crazy too. There's nothing you can do except quarantine your child & wait it out while the little bumps spread & spread. So, that's what we're doing. Mama needs to see some friends soon or I'm going to go crazy!

I do have some small comfort in knowing that it's not the chicken pox. I remember having that as a child & I think a toddler with the pox would be horrible!

Jack drops a bomb...

Last night, I was in the bathroom brushing my teeth & running Jack's bath when he comes into the bathroom. He was completely naked except for his Cardinals cap. My first thought was, "hmmm...this seems kind of dangerous...", but I dismissed it as Jack said bye-bye and closed the bathroom door. A few minutes passed and I opened the door to leave and what was waiting for me? A little present from my boy on the floor.

Now that I think about it, I'm wondering why I was the one to clean it up when John was the one who let him run around naked in the first place. I guess it was bound to happen at some point!

(You can thank me later for not posting a photo of the moment...)

Done and done

I did it. After wanting to do it since I was in the 7th grade, I did it. I got a nose ring. John got me a gift certificate to a piercing parlor for Christmas & it's just been sitting there, waiting. And people have been asking when I'm going to do it. So, I told my friend if she cut all of her hair off, I would get my nose ring. She did. And I did. I just needed a push.

I would post a photo, but my nose fell off.

Don't tell my mom.

Purse wars

Much to John's chagrin, Jack loves to carry a purse around. It's not just any purse. It's a small, black, patent leather purse that he swings over his shoulder, puts his hand on his head (so the purse doesn't fall off said shoulder) and runs around screaming. John took him to the park this evening and a fit ensued when he tried to take the purse away from Jack.

I don't see the big deal. Babies like to push & pull & carry things. John is going to try to find a more manly bag for him. Meanwhile I think he's going to bury the patent leather purse in the trash.

(What I forgot to mention is that this afternoon he had the purse & a little pink baby stroller that he was pushing around outside in front of our house...I tried to get a photo of this, but wasn't fast enough.)

Dinner Time!

Jack loves Playdough these days. He yells "DOUGH!!" and runs to get it from the cabinet.

Photo Attempt #2

My dad dropped this off on our porch the other day. Jack loves it. He gets in & out of it all day long. He shouts "BYE-BYE!" and runs & climbs in the car. The other day he got in with my keys, cell phone & a travel coffee mug. Smart kid...

Photo Attempt #1

Okay...let's see how fuzzy this one is. I love when Jack is wearing his pjs. He's so cuddly. You can see the fridge open in the background. He likes to dig around in it & pull out snacks.

Candid Confessions

I'm already giggling to myself about my play on words in the title of this entry. It's not clever at all, but it's cracking me up.

You might have noticed a lack of pictures in my recent blog entries. Jack & I were at a birthday party back in March. He was cranky & when I started taking photos of the birthday boy he perked up & wanted to see the camera. So, of course being the smart mom I am, I handed over our $400 camera. He proceeded to drop it on the floor. Oops.

The photos started to look strangely out of focus to me after that.

I finally confessed to John about a week ago. I thought if I just ignored it, the photos would improve. No such luck.

So, I will post so photos soon. But, they won't be very crisp or clear unless a camera miracle happens!

Moms let their kids do dumb things just to keep them happy.