Jackson is 3!

Happy birthday to my crazy, silly, clever, sweet 3 year old!

It seems like yesterday you were brand new in my arms.

And now you've been in my arms for 3 years! Time got so weird once I became a mother...some days the hours go so slowly, but always the years go by quickly. One thing is for sure though. Each moment is precious and the moment you entered my world, it became filled with vivid color.

I love you so much, Jackson Wayne! Happy 3rd Birthday, Sweet Pea!

About You Today:

Weight: 29.2 lbs
Height: 38 in
Clothing Size: 2T
Shoe Size: 7

Favorite colors: red and green
Favorite movies: Madagascar and Cars
Favorite animal: Hippo
Favorite TV shows: Blue's Clues and Dinosaur Train
Favorite book: Little Mr/Little Miss books
Favorite song: Jingle Bells (by "Mr Michael Buble)
Favorite food: pizza, mac and cheese, and cake
Favorite toy: LeapPad
Favorite instrument: tuba
Best friends: Natalie and Dylan

You like to play outside...especially at Myles' baseball practices. You like to "go to work with Mommy" and listen to the orchestra. You like to play with your cars, trucks and trains. You like to pretend you are animals (dog, cat, monkey and pig are the most common). You like reciting "5 Little Monkeys". You love listening to music in the car. You know all of your ABCs and numbers up to 12. You are beginning to sound out words. You are a wild sleeper! If you aren't in your crib, you wiggle EVERYWHERE. You are very quick at learning songs and are a very good mimicker. You can work 24 piece puzzles by yourself and 48 piece puzzles with help. You love your brother and give him "little hugs" often. You like to dance (tap dance) and do cartwheels.Your vocabulary is enormous and your speech is clear. My favorite words you use are "yester-morning and yester-night" to refer to anything that happened in the past. I also like "bobbom"...or bottom. You give the best hugs and the gentlest kisses.

I'm A Big Kid Now

Guess who is peeing in the potty?

Thanks to Brandy the Baby Whisperer, 2 days before his 3rd birthday, Jackson is wearing big boy underwear during the day. 

YAY!

Easter Parade

We had two fun-filled days of egg hunting and chocolate eating. Maybe a little more of the latter than the former...

First off, our apartment complex hosted an egg hunt on Saturday morning. It was a great turn out on a beautiful day. 

They had the hunt divided into three age groups to make it all fair. Both boys had a great time "searching" for eggs.

And Jackson loved counting his eggs and was delighted with the "treats" found inside (although I took the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups...I told him they were really yucky and that I should probably eat those).

On Sunday morning, we woke up to find that indeed the Easter Bunny had come and hid 12 eggs and 2 baskets. Luckily, the Easter Bunny got the memo that the boys are allergic to eggs and didn't need any more sugar, so that clever bunny hid plastic eggs with puzzle pieces inside them. I was amazed that both boys loved hunting for the eggs.

Jackson got the CandyLand game in his Easter basket. He understood the concept and rules of the game, and upon first play (and second) he kicked my butt. It's a sign of things to come, I guess...

Later that evening, we went to my parents' house for pizza and the final egg hunt. Luckily, my dad is in the midst of tax season and hasn't had a chance to cut the grass so the Easter Bunny didn't have to work too hard to hide those things. Jackson, Samuel and Myles had a great time wondering around the tall green grass looking for plastic eggs with MONEY in them. Really, Easter Bunny? 

All in all, we are up one CandyLand game, one Magna Doodle, a water table, about 100 pounds of chocolate and $5.00. Success!

Also, who knew that plastic eggs double as fantastic bath toys?

Happy Easter!

Two Little Boys

Love <3

A Bushel and A Peck

I love you a bushel and a peck
A bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck
A hug around the neck and a barrel and a heap
A barrel and a heap and I'm talkin' in my sleep
About you, about you
'Cause I love you a bushel and a peck
You bet your purdy neck I do

I love you a bushel and a peck
A bushel and a peck though you make my heart a wreck
Make my heart a wreck and you make my life a mess
Make my life a mess, yes a mess of happiness
About you, about you
'Cause I love you a bushel and a peck
You bet your purdy neck I do

I love you a bushel and a peck
A bushel and a peck and it beats me all to heck
It beats me all to heck, how I'll ever tend the farm
Ever tend the farm when I wanna keep my arm
About you, about you
'Cause I love you a bushel and a peck
You bet your purdy neck I do

A Musical Joke

Treble Maker

Only the son of a musician... this shirt makes me giggle. Every time.

Spring Fever

We can hardly believe this nice weather! It gives us a chance to ride the scooter,

throw around a ball (or two),

and eat popsicles!

Was the groundhog WRONG? Did Spring come EARLY?

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy

We've started a tradition of meeting at Wendy's after church on Sundays for lunch. We have all come to really look forward to it. 

Beware: it can get pretty goofy!

Happy Together

One of the things I enjoy most as a mother is seeing my two boys play together. My heart melts when I hear Jackson say "I love my brother". And the tears well up when I see Samuel blowing Jackson kisses. Yes, they fight. But more often than not nowadays, they play. Happily. Together.

A bike ride on a winter's day.

Getting the hair cut together.

Jackson sharing his yogurt.

Photobooth

Because we are goofy.

Moves Like Jagger

It's been two months since I've done an "official" update on Jackson. He is now 2 months away from turning 3. I can hardly believe it. I don't know what it is about becoming a parent, but once you have a kid, time seems to go by so much more quickly than it seems. Days go slowly; years go quickly.

Where do I begin with everything that is Jackson. It amazes me that his baby years were so defined and with every passing week there is a multitude of new things and dimensions new to him.

He is SO smart. He plays the games on his LeapPad meant for 4 - 7 year olds without help. He works 48 piece puzzles with no problems. He loves books, and knows all the letters and what sounds they make. He still uses his left hand consistently to draw, write, and eat. He is beginning to gain an understand on how to control his writing utensil to make letters and pictures.

This is a picture of his Aunt Holly. He made her hair, eyes, nose, mouth, body, and shoes.

Jackson is very into using his imagination nowadays. He loves to pretend to be a puppy. I love it, too. Most of the time. Because when he drops to his knees in...say...the grocery store and begins to pant, bark and lick things...hmmmm

I never know when he wakes up who he will be (Puppy, Dora, or any other host of characters) and who I will be (inevitably it is Dora's Mama, Puppy's Mama...but sometimes I play the role of "Jaxa").

Staying true to the legacy left by his Cousin Myles, he loves lawn mowers. And any store where he can test one out is a good store in his book.

Thomas is still one of his favorite characters. And he insists that Samuel loves watching Thomas, too (I think he is right).

According to the cMoe scale, Jackson weighs 31 lbs. 

Jackson loves to dance. He has spectacular moves...

He loves coming to work with me. He has been to three orchestra rehearsals/performances. The first time he loved the tuba, the second brought out the love of the cello, and in the third, the flute stole his heart. I love that he loves music, and it is one of my favorite moments with him...to share a love of music!

Playdough is a new favorite activity. 

So is chilling out like a gansta watching TV apparently.

Most of the time, he is very polite. He says "no sir" and "yessir". (Right now everyone is called "sir"). His speech is so clear. His brain is a sponge and even if he isn't acting like he is listening, he is. He makes me laugh. All the time. He likes it when people feel "much, much better". If he gets himself worked up in a crying fit, usually a hug will calm him down in seconds, and it is accompanied by a big sigh. He is very particular about how things are done. He loves his routine. And he knows 4 of Adele's songs by heart. If I sing them wrong (lyric, rhythm or note), he will tell me about it. That would be my karma...

Yes, this kiddo is a thumbs up.

I love you very much, Jackson Wayne!

My Funny Valentine(s)

How lucky am I...

To have TWO Valentines?

Jackson got a guitar and Samuel got a keyboard as Valentine's Day gifts.

And as per normal, they wanted to try out each other's instrument. 

Happy Valentine's Day to those we love near and far!

Song For Dad

We were very excited to have Daddy come and visit us for 16 days at the end of January/beginning of February. The boys were very glad to see him and they had a lot of fun.

Some of the exciting things we did were:

An evening at Chuck E Cheese;

A morning at cMoe with coloring,

Climbing,

Playing rhythmic instruments,

and rice box construction;

We took a day trip to Nashville to see the Country Music Museum:

Which included a tour of the RCA Studio B where 1000s of hits were recorded (200 by Elvis).

This is a piano Elvis played in the RCA B studio.

Outside of Studio B

Inside the Country Music Hall of Fame

It was a great day. And the boys were asleep within 5 minutes of getting in the car to go home.

NOTE...Jackson fell asleep while eating cookies. His hand is in the bag. Who does that? (*ahem* Nana)

There were walks

And snuggles

And, overall, a good time had by all.

We were sad to see Daddy go back to Australia. Come back soon!