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.