Jake's World

Jake's Christmas

2009-01-24T13:45:00.004-06:00

Jake had a great Christmas this year. He really, really wanted a drum set and a Bat Cave playset, so his daddy and I divided up the gifts. Alex and I (or rather Santa) got him the drum set. Hmm, think we got the wrong end of that deal? Nah, he was so excited when he saw it! Besides, all of his other musical gear -- electric guitar, acoustic guitar, harmonica, recorder, etc. -- are here at home anyway. Now he can be a one-boy band!

Jake got lots of other fun presents from Mommy and Poppy, and from his family. Puzzles and games were a big hit this year, along with some new Wii games to play.

It was our usual relaxed day, where we all just hang out and don't ever get out of our pjs. Not having to get out of his pjs is definitely one of Jake's criteria for an excellent time!

Look! Santa ate his cookies and the reindeer ate almost all of the carrots! (We...er, Santa and the reindeer...left just a few crumbs and a a bit of carrot with a bite out of it) Jake is just old enough to really "get" Santa and still young enough to completely believe in a man wearing a red suit, flying all over the world with presents. A rabbit hopped through our yard sometime on Christmas Eve and left tracks in the snow right by our front door. Jake thought they were reindeer tracks!

Jake sees his drum set for the first time. It's a cool set, with it's own leather drum seat. It adjusts different ways and it is wired so the bass lights up when you hit it. Jake decided he now has a band, called the "Robot M&Ms." Sadly, the Robot M&Ms broke up before Christmas was over and formed a new group, the "Broken Robot Eaters." (Seriously, these are the names he came up with.)

Trying out the drums. Our poor neighbors...it was pretty early for drumming, but you can't say "no," now can you? It was unlimited drumming on Christmas.

Even when not playing the drums, Jake wanted to sit on his drum seat. Here he and Charlie watch a new DVD and eat snacks. In their pjs. That really is Jake's idea of a perfect winter day...

More Pics

2009-01-16T10:19:00.002-06:00

It's been so long since I updated, here are some pictures from the last couple of months..

Charlie and Jake love to wrestle. Of course, Jake doesn't know his own strength and Charlie has no fear, so it can be sort of nerve-wracking. But Jake usually tries hard to be gentle. And they both laugh so hard!

Every year, Jake and I make a gingerbread house for Christmas. This year, it was a Willy Wonka brand house, so the candy was particularly good. Oddly enough, once it's made Jake doesn't want to eat it. He just likes eating the extra candy during the building process.

On Thanksgiving weekend, Madison had an "open house" downtown with free hot chocolate and treats at select merchants, and free trolley rides. It started out as a very cold day, but warmed up a bit. We had a great time. Jake is posing on the Capitol building grounds, with State Street behind him.

I bought Jake and Charlie Thanksgiving pjs. Jake's said, "Everyone is grateful for me" and he liked to point that out every time he wore them.

I also bought the boys matching shirts that say "Mommy's Little Monster." They look too cute wearing them and sadly, on this day, they were all too accurate. Don't be fooled by how angelic they look here! It was one of those days we were stuck in the house because of weather and they were just stir crazy. Can't wait for spring...

Halloween

2009-01-16T10:03:00.004-06:00

Jake wanted to be Darth Vader this Halloween--mostly because of the chance to wield a light saber, I suspect. It was a relatively warm night, especially for Wisconsin, so he could get away with a sweatshirt under his costume. We had a great time going from house to house; many of the houses in our neighborhood really go all out decorating for Halloween. There were packs of kids roaming around, all hyped up on sugar and excitement, so it was a good night.

Darth, all set to extort candy from unsuspecting rebels...er, neighbors.

It was my turn to take Jake out; Alex stayed at home with Charlie to dispense candy. I ended up with the important job of holding the mask, flashlight and light saber.

Jake got TONS of candy. He was so sweet and polite, many of the neighbors commented on how he said "please" and "thank you" which I guess from the comments, not a lot of the kids did. Jake may sometimes act like a wild little heathen but at least he's a polite little heathen!

Darth sharing the love with his little brother. Charlie wore a onesie which said "This is my costume." After all, his bedtime was still about 5:30 then, before dark.

Apple Picking

2008-11-08T06:56:00.003-06:00

We went apple picking one rather hot October day. Jake had a great time and we came home with lots of apples. Luckily, Jake likes apples. I had visions of making apple pie, but never got around to it.

Getting bigger every year.

Hay piles are fun to climb on...

Quick Jake Takes

2008-11-03T18:29:00.003-06:00

I've been terrible about keeping up with the boys' blogs...so tired all the time! Here are some recent cute Jake stories.

***
Last night, Jake gave me a big hug, then said, "Mommy, do you know what a hug is? "No, Jake, what is a hug?" "It's something that you give away and then it grows even bigger!"

***
Jake thinks we get pizza from "Little Sneezers" on Friday Family Fun Nights.

***
Jake likes to talk about what he will be when he grows up. It changes a lot. Currently, he wants to be an actor. Specifically, the actor in the Godzilla suit. But no matter what he wants to be, he gets very anxious at some point and says, "Mommy, when I grow up I'm not going to move away. I'm going to live with you forever." Of course, I always assure him that's fine with me.

***
One morning, I was getting Jake dressed and when he protested something, I offhandedly said, "Come on, you want to look nice for the girls, don't you?" He said, "No! I don't like girls, just boys!" Alex said, "Oh, you say that now, but one day you'll like girls." Jake denied that he will ever like girls, to which I replied, "Don't you want to get married one day and be a daddy or poppy?" Jake stopped for a second, thought hard, and then said, with a horrified look on his face, "No way!"

***
Another morning, Alex was watching a YouTube clip where a guy was pulling books off the shelf and reading the titles, then adding, "...in your pants!" Sort of like when you read a fortune cookie and add "...in bed!" Jake wanted to watch, so Alex let him. It was perfectly clean and the double entredres were going right over Jake's head, but he found the concept hysterical. I came downstairs to see what all the laughter was about and found the two of them pulling Jake's books off the shelves, reading the title and adding "....in your pants." So it was "Journey to the Center of the Earth...in your pants!" Ha, ha, ha. "How The Grinch Stole Christmas...in your pants!" Hee, hee, hee. You get the idea.

Jake kept laughing about this the entire car ride into school, saying titles of different books he's read recently and adding "...in your pants." Lately, Alex has been reading him children's versions of classic literature.

We walked into the classroom and Jake proudly walked up to his teacher and said, "I have Moby Dick in my pants!"

It was a special, special parenting moment...

Awww...

2008-09-24T03:51:00.002-05:00

On the way home today, Jake asked me how my day was. I told him I spent it packing for my upcoming meeting. He asked what kinds of things I packed, so I told him. After I reeled off the list, he thought for a minute then said, "Mommy, would you like to take some cereal?"

No trip is complete without cereal...

Short and Sweet

2008-09-18T19:25:00.003-05:00

Recent conversations:

(Jake hands me a strawberry)
M: "Thanks, Jake."
J: "My pleasure, Mommy."

****
(Reading him a story about Blue from Blue's Clues visiting his friends, all of whom are celebrating different holidays)
M: "Here we are visiting Orange Kitten. Orange Kitten celebrates the festival of light, Hannukah."
J: "Oh! I want to celebrate Harmonica, too!"

****

Jake was listening to the mix CD we made for him. When a song would come on that he particularly liked, he would pump his fist and say, "Yes!" When a Springsteen song came on, he exclaimed, "Alright! Rock and roll!" and started dancing.

****

We drive by a middle school every day on the way to and from school. Lately, the football team has been practicing. Jake would say, "Hey look! Those kids are playing Packers!" A couple of weekends ago, his dad took him to see the Wisconsin Badgers play (Jake's favorite part was the band and doing the wave). So now when we pass by the school Jake says, "Hey! Those kids are playing Badgers!"

Happy Birthday! Jake Is Four

2008-08-27T07:34:00.007-05:00

Jake is four years old now.

It's so hard to believe. I remember being pregnant with him, and him being a tiny newborn, so clearly. It is true what they say: When you have kids, the days are long but the years are short. It's amazing to me that he's gone from:

To this:

He is now 39 inches tall, and weighs 33 pounds. He's still in the 25th percentile for height and weight, but he's on the charts! And he's very healthy. He has seasonal allergies, and tends to get upper respiratory bugs a bit easier than most, but he comes by that honestly (thanks, Mom). He likes a wide variety of food and likes to make healthy choices -- although he certainly also likes sugar, particularly cupcakes, popsicles, and candy.

He's incredibly verbal, with a large vocabulary. He has good fine motor skills and can write his name, and draw circles and other shapes. He can even draw recognizable pictures now -- for his birthday, he made "thank you" cards with pictures of animals and you could actually tell what they were. His teachers tell me that he is a good listener in circle time; he pays attention and can talk about the subject at hand.

Music is still one of his favorite things, and he loves to play his guitars and make up songs. He also likes to play in his playroom, having epic battles of Batman vs. the Killer Butterflies, or make forts for Godzilla to attack and destroy. We play outside a lot (Mommy is his usual playmate) and go walking or hiking quite a bit.

Jake likes to play the Wii. When we first got it, the Sports games were a little beyond him. He would get incredibly frustrated, to the point of crying. If Jake can't be good at something, or win, he gets very upset (it's scary to see your worst traits in your kids!). We're working on the concepts of "trying your best" and "being patient." He's gotten a lot better. We also got him some games he can succeed at. It's amazing how much better he's gotten, both in terms of the fine motor skills and analyzing capacity necessary to play, and in having the emotional control to keep trying and not get upset or give up to easily. He really is not a baby or toddler anymore!

But he's still a sweet, loving kid who likes to snuggle and is very thoughtful and caring. I'm so lucky to be Jake's mom! It's been a wonderful four years.

We Can Be Heroes

2008-08-27T07:19:00.005-05:00

Jake with his light saber, a fun squirt gun alternative.

Jake likes to play with his water pistols. Because I am his usual playmate, we don't play games where we squirt each other unless it is really hot outside (hey, I don't want to get all wet).

One of his favorite games is to pretend that our front porch is a fort. Now that he's getting into "Star Wars," it's become a Rebel hideout that we must protect from aliens and monsters. I am "Mommy Princess Looey" and he is "Captain Hero Jake." We spot aliens and monsters and then shoot them with our laser pistols, er, squirt guns.

Jake comes up with some really funny monsters. For example, the Yellow Slugula, which drips bright yellow slime wherever it goes. Or the Giant Green Farticus, which is as tall as a tree, bright green with bumpy skin, and lets out a giant fart with each step it takes. Or the Spiderificus, which is a giant spider that likes to eat chocolate.

Sometimes he gets so excited while we're running around fighting the alien monsters, that he just spews out names: "Mommy Princess! Watch out! it's the Goobershnorklegrrblmldfkl!"

The other day, we were getting our squirt guns and going outside to play:

J: "Mommy, you can be the hero and I will be the princess."
M: "Okay, but you know Princesses can be heroes, too."
J: "Oh! Then we'll both be heroes!"

And that's how we spent our evening after dinner...being heroes, making the world safe from the dreaded Goobershnorklegrrblmldfk.

Two Conversations....

2008-08-13T19:48:00.006-05:00

These conversations took place in my car recently:

#1 - Fly Me To the Moon
J: (out of the blue) "Mommy, I don't want to go to the moon."
M: "Why not?"
J: "Because I would really miss you guys."
M: "We would miss you, too, but you could always go for a visit and then come back. That would be cool."
J: "No. Rocket ships sometimes blow up."

#2 - What If God Were One Of Us?
J: "Mommy, what's that?" (pointing)
M: "That's a church spire. Churches have those on top of their roofs, so you know it's a church."
J: "Maybe we should go to a church."
M: "Maybe. What do you think happens at church?"
J: "I don't know...maybe something with animals?"
...
M: "Um...no, actually it's where you go to learn about God?"
J: "Who's God?"
...
...
M: (mustering all her well-honed parenting skills) "Well, some people believe God is a powerful force for good who created the world. And [insert lengthy yet simplistic explanation of the world's leading religions' take on the concept of "god."] "
J: "Oh. Can I have ice cream?"

Snakes!

2008-07-31T19:58:00.003-05:00

Jake got to go to see a real, live snake! Poppy took him out of school early to go to the event.

For days they had talked about what snakes might feel like and look like up close. Jake would say, "I don't know. Maybe rattle-y?"

There were tons of kids there, but Jake was so well behaved that the snake ...dude? guy? handler? bent down and made sure that Jake got to touch the snake.

Afterwards, Jake was pleased to report that snakes are "soft and dry."

Sweet Dreams

2008-07-31T19:56:00.001-05:00

I'm not sure how this is comfortable, but apparently it is. We find him in all sorts of positions during the night, some even stranger than this one.

But Mommy I Will Miss You

2008-07-31T19:52:00.003-05:00

The other day on the ride home, Jake asked me what we were having for dinner.

M: "Spahgetti and cheese toast, I think."
J: "Yum! That's my favorite!"
M: "Do you want to help me cook?"
J: "Sure! I'm a good cooker."
M: "Yes, you are. Do you think you want to be a chef when you grow up?"
J: "Yes! I will a chef and have a restaurant and cook for lots of people."
(pause and then a small, soft voice from the back says)
J: "But I will miss you, Mommy."
M: "Oh, I would miss you, too, Jake. Tell you what, when you grow up, you can live near me."
J: "Yes! I will live right next to you and my restaurant will be next door and you can come visit me and I will cook for you every day."
M: "Sounds good to me, sweetie."

If only it were that easy...I'll remind myself of this conversation in 10 years, when he can't wait to grow up and leave home...sniff.

2008-07-28T19:42:00.005-05:00

The mighty hiker, ready for anything. Water bottle? Check. Walking stick? Check. Binoculars? Check. Toy gun? Check. Hat? Check. Sunscreen? Check. Bug spray? Um, bug spray?

Soon after this picture was taken, the mighty hiker moved into the shade. Swarms of the Wisconsin state bird (aka the mosquito) attacked. End of hiking trip...

What's a Calorie? And Hey, That Man Is Fat!

2008-07-27T19:54:00.002-05:00

As a special treat, I took half a day off work so Jake and I could go to Vitense's Golf Land, a fun family entertainment center here in Madison. Jake and I pass it every day on our way to school and work, marveling at the many fun creatures populating the mini golf courses. I told Jake he had been so good lately, he would get to play putt-putt for the first time (or as he calls it, "hutt-hutt").

Before we went, I took Jake to lunch. While we were waiting for our food ("Why does it take so long to cook our food, Mommy?" he always asks) we were building forts with the jelly and sugar packs. Jake asked why there were three different colored packets of sugar in the container. I explained about the difference between sugar and artificial sweeteners, and we talked about calories and making healthy choices. Jake was really into it, and talking about healthy foods. I was mentally congratulating myself for raising a kid with such a good attitude toward food, when Jake informed me he likes sugar.

M: "Yes, I like sugar too. But I don't want to eat too much, because I don't want to be unhealthy and get fat."
J: (seriously) "Noooo." (thinks for a minute) "Hey, Mommy! That guy is fat!" Pointing to customer at the next table, who of course heard him and gave me the evil eye.

So then we had to have the talk about not pointing at people and not talking about them in public....

Jake in July

2008-07-27T07:17:00.012-05:00

What a busy month! Earlier in July, we went to my parents in NC for vacation. Jake had an awesome time. MeMe and PapPap spoiled him, of course. Here are some highlights:

Jake went to the beach for the first time! He was very excited. He loved the sand, the waves, the salt air....just like Mommy does. He had a blast with his Uncle Nate, who took him out "way far!" in the waves and helped him ride the boogie board MeMe bought.

Speaking of MeMe, here are Jake and my mom at the estuarium in Washington, NC. Jake really liked all of the open tanks they had with different crabs, shrimp, turtles and fish. They also had a baby alligator, which fascinated him.

Happy Fourth of July!

We had a lot of fun in NC -- sometimes too much fun. Jake's schedule got a little off some days. He handled it pretty well most of the time. He had a blast on the Fourth of July -- we had a cook out, he played with the neighbor girl, he went swimming (it was really hot while we were there), and of course we went to the fireworks down by the river. He got to stay up until 10:30 pm and have ice cream! He thought the fireworks were really cool. Either Nate or I held him the entire time (Poppy, who is not a big fireworks fan, stayed home with Charlie) and Jake just oo'ed and ah'ed the entire time. Here he is at the end of a long day. Thank goodness he isn't too old to want to snuggle with Mommy.

Here's the family, after our $900 Mexican dinner (there was a little error on the Visa charge...oops!). Uncle Keith is taking the picture, and once again, Poppy is home with Charlie, enjoying some peace and quiet. Everyone just loved Jake, and couldn't believe how big he's gotten. It was really nice to spend time with my sister and brother, and my brother-in-law and niece.

His vocabulary is certainly much bigger than most three-year-olds. He and PapPap were talking about something, and Jake said, "That's very disturbing!" We were talking on the phone to MoMom and PopPop and PopPop was surprised that he could 1) hold a conversation and b) understand everything Jake said, very clearly. You can tell and Alex and I don't talk down to him. If Jake doesn't understand a word, he just asks what it means.

Madison has its decorative cows, Washington DC has its donkeys and elephants, and Washington, NC has...crabs. (Insert your own joke here.) Jake really liked finding all of the different crabs around town. "They are so pretty, Mommy!"

Jake's cousin Elle is staying with MeMe ad PapPap this summer. She was so sweet to Jake. They liked to play "Chuzzle" together on the computer, and she would watch his cartoon shows in the morning.

Jake's very first friend was Morgan, the daughter of my parent's next door neighbor. They were born just two months apart, so she's an older woman. Morgan's mom is also an older mom (ahem), so we had a lot in common. We used to take Morgan and Jake strolling around the neighborhood. Now, they were old enough to actually play together. Morgan has a four-wheeler and an electric Jeep--lots of fun, although Jake asked her to "Go slow! Slow down!" when they were driving. Let's hope he still feels that way once he gets his license! This picture makes me think of the future, when Jake will be going on real dates, instead of play dates...sniff. Let's hope he dates teenage girls as sweet and nice as Morgan.

Here are the Pipsoes on vacation. We really did have a great time. As usual, it went by too fast. Jake keeps talking about the trip, saying, "I wish we could go see MeMe again today!" Me too.

Jake: The Third Year

2008-06-28T10:06:00.005-05:00

Here's a video of Jake from his second to third birthday, with a soundtrack by one of his favorite bands (he is only three...)

Little Stories...

2008-06-22T07:42:00.007-05:00

At school, they do a fun activity every month for the kids -- field trips, special visitors, etc. This month, Wayne the Wizard, Magician and Ventriloquist, is coming next week. Jake asked, so I explained what a magician and ventriloquist are. I asked what he will think when Wayne comes. "I will be so freaked out!" Hee, he makes me laugh...

***

Jake is ready to move on. The other day he said, "When Pluto is gone, I should get a hamster." He can even tell you what kind of hamster. I guess Pluto won't be missed.

***

Jake always notices what I'm wearing. He particularly likes necklaces.

Recently, I wore a couple of necklaces, layered. One of them is a small "P" Jake says "Mommy, I love your neck-a-lace" (always a three syllable word with him). "You have a P for me!" "Me too, Jake, my name is Piper, too." He looks at me as if I'm crazy: "No you're not, your name is Mommy!"

***

We went to Door County for the weekend. (Happy Anniversary to Mommy and Poppy) The parts Jake liked most? The swimming pool and game room at the motel. Really, we could have stayed at the Holiday Inn down the road and he would have had just as good a time.

***
Jake likes to play mechanic. The other day, he was "helping" Poppy. Alex gave him a real screwdriver, figuring he couldn't do anything with it. By the time I came outside 20 minutes later, Jake had removed every visible screw from his electric car...

Just So We're Clear...

2008-05-20T19:52:00.003-05:00

Jake has many stuffed animals, but he is particularly fond of Bunny (a gift from Grandma on his first Easter), Emmephis (a stuffed elephant his Aunt Abby gave him when he was born), and Froggy (a gift from MeMe). Those three get to hang on his bed and sleep with him, instead of being relegated to the Pile (by his bed) or the dreaded net inside his closet (where bad stuffed animals go).

Tonight, Bunny was MIA. I had looked around, but could not find him. This conversation ensued:

J: "Mommy, where is Bunny?"
M: "I don't know, sweetie. Maybe he's on an adventure!" (brightly)
J: "Why?"
M: "Well, maybe Bunny went on an adventure so he could tell you all about it tomorrow."
(pause) J:"Mommy, Bunny is a stuffed animal."

Olbrich Gardens

2008-05-19T20:10:00.006-05:00

We went to beautiful Olbrich Gardens here in Madison. It's near the lake, across from the Capitol. It's a gorgeous spot. It was a perfect spring day and Jake, Poppy, Charlie, and I had a wonderful time (Charlie slept the entire time). We would tell Jake to run ahead to a certain spot (like the tulips) and he would take off running, then talk to the flowers until we caught up with the stroller. He and Poppy had a great time exploring the Rose Garden tower and the Thai temple (only one in the United States).

Mother's Day

2008-05-19T19:49:00.005-05:00

Jake made me a beautiful stepping stone with his hand print. He was so excited to show it to me, the first thing he said on Mother's Day morning was "Mommy, let's go open your present."

Here's some pictures of me and Jake and Charlie. The sweetest word in the world has to be "Mommy."

Jake & Poppy

2008-05-19T19:47:00.003-05:00

Aren't my boys handsome?

Hairy Is Beautiful

2008-05-19T19:46:00.002-05:00

The other day, Alex was changing shirts and putting on deodorant. This
conversation ensued:

Jake: "Poppy, what's that?" (pointing to Alex's armpit)
Alex; "That's deodorant."
J: "No, no, what's THAT?" (pointing again)
A: "Oh, that's my underarm hair. You'll have it when you grow up, too."
J: "No, I won't!"
Me: "Sure you will. All men have it."
J: "No they don't."
M: "Yes, they do. Your daddy does, too."
J: "No he doesn't!"
M: "Honey, he does. He has hair on his chest and face, too. When
you're a man, you are hairy."
J:" No, my daddy isn't hairy! He's beautiful!"

Boy, is he in for a surprise when he sees his Daddy this summer in a bathing suit...

Preclampsia Walk

2008-05-11T20:29:00.002-05:00

Did you know that although more than 200,000 pregnant women get preeclampsia every year, no one knows what causes this sometimes deadly disease? Very little research is being done to find out causes, and possible cures, for this disease, which can cause premature births, developmental disabilities or delays, or even death and permanent damage for mother and baby. The Preeclampsia Foundation works to raise awareness about preeclampsia, HELLP, and related diseases, with the goal of getting more moms and babies the help they need, and ultimately, finding the cause and cure.

Alex, Jake, Charlie and I will be participating in the Madison Walk-A-Thon on Saturday, May 31. Your pledge will help enormously. Please email me if you'd like to support our walk for babies and moms. Thanks!

A Three Year Old's Love is Conditional

2008-05-02T16:11:00.002-05:00

Sometimes, Jake looks so sweet and cute.

For the most part, he is. But he's reached that stage where he had demands -- demands which are not always met to his liking. When they aren't, he can get a tad....upset.

The other day, he was mad at me for something or other, and he told me he didn't love me. I asked why. "Mommy, sometimes I love you, and sometimes I don't, and that's just the way it is," he patiently explained.

"Well, I love you all the time," I replied, trying to hide my laughter. It's hard to argue with logic like that.

Boo Boo

2008-04-20T02:32:00.002-05:00

Jake has had a fun weekend, but he hasn't been his most graceful. Friday night he managed to walk smack into the door frame, bonking his head. This morning, he did a face plant on the rocks by the driveway. He scraped himself up pretty good with that one.

Most of the time, Jake barely notices when he hurts himself. We've had issues at school where he comes home bruised or battered and we don't get a "boo boo" notice--and it's because unless the teachers see the cause, Jake rarely complains or tells them.

Today he cried a bit when he fell, and we went in and washed him off. I asked him if he needed a band-aid and he said no, just some "special cream" (Neosporin). And then he went about his day quite happily.

Tonight during his bath, I noticed that he really had scraped his arm. He noticed me looking. Once he saw his boo boo, he became very dramatic. "Oh, I need a band aid!" he said. I told him once he was dried off and in his pjs, we'd get him a band-aid and his "boo boo buddy" (a gel-filled ice pack that looks like one of the characters from the movie "Cars.")

While I was drying him, he kept saying anxiously, "I hope my pjs don't cover my angle!" Huh? His leg wasn't hurt, so I knew he wasn't talking about his ankle. He kept saying it and I kept not getting it until finally, in exasperation, he pointed to his elbow and said, "My angle, Mommy!"

Well, I guess it does make an angle when you bend it...

(Oh, and he got his band-aid and boo boo buddy. And short-sleeved pjs. All is well.)

2008-04-16T17:58:00.003-05:00

Here's Jake, enjoying himself at the creek.

Jake plays his guitar outside...

Boys love sticks...

Do these two look alike or what?

Quick Takes

2008-04-13T19:04:00.003-05:00

Jake has taken to trying to stuff his doll, Phil, up his shirt so he can be "pwegnant." He also likes to "feed" Phil like Mommy; he pulls up his shirt and puts Phil up to his chest.

Each day at school, he gets a note that tells me what he ate, when he napped, what his mood was like, and what his favorite things to do were. Imagine my surprise when his favorite thing was, "feeding his baby." At least he's nurturing his pretend baby and not trying to kill it!

*******

The other night, Jake laid both of his hands on my cheeks, looked at me very sweetly, and said, "I care for you, Mommy."

*******

Jake has started eating vegetables again (he used to love them). The other night, he actually asked for salad!

*******

We bought Jake a bunch of glow-in-the-dark stars for his ceiling. He also has Twilight Turtle, which projects stars onto his walls and ceiling. We turned the light off to see what the new stars looked like, and he said, "Look, Mommy! It's a whole consolation!"

*******

I was doing laundry today when Jake appeared about half-way down the basement steps. "Are you in the water, Mommy?" he asks. "Where's the water? Is it invisible?" He had heard us talking about how the basement was leaking...

Fish Are Friends, Not Food

2008-03-31T12:07:00.002-05:00

Jake has a new pet! Welcome to Pluto the betta fish.

Jake has wanted a pet for a while. Since he can't have a cat (his first choice), we decided a betta fish would be a good starter pet. They're extremely low maintenance and inexpensive; the tank, food, accessories and fish all cost less than $20. And it's a lot less smelly than a gerbil and there's no chance of escape (or biting). Plus, Jake's classroom has a betta fish so he's familiar with them.

Jake picked out a lovely purple and white fish and a matching purple "house." (He wanted a green fish but you can't really find one.) At first he wanted to name his fish "Will" (rhymes with "Phil?") but ultimately decided on "Pluto." He's a little disappointed that he can't take Pluto for a walk, but so far has been a very responsible pet owner, carefully feeding Pluto each night.

Current Events Boy

2008-03-24T16:16:00.002-05:00

The other day, Jake took a copy of the local paper, spread it out on the floor, and lay down to read it (I must confess, one of my favorite paper-reading positions). He quite seriously read through all of it, paying close attention to any car ads he saw. For some reason, he's convinced that we need a new car. He also muttered to himself at the articles, I guess disturbed by the news...

Happy Easter!

2008-03-24T16:09:00.005-05:00

Jake had a great Easter. The Easter Bunny came to Daddy's house in the morning and at home in the afternoon. Double the sugar, double the fun!

Although at home, Jake's favorite Easter egg filling was quarters. And MeMe and PapPap sent money in a card. Jake said, "Look! A dollar!" We explained that it was FIVE dollars, but Jake insisted it was A dollar. Either way, he was happy. He spent his $5 and his $2 in Easter egg money on a book later that day. That's my boy...

He had a great time helping to make dinner. We made banana pudding with Nilla wafers, pudding, whipped cream, etc. and then topped them with purple Peeps. He was very artistic, layering his ingredients and putting the Peeps on just so.

He does NOT liked deviled eggs though. He took one taste and was practically scraping it off his tongue! Must be his father's side, everyone else in our family loves my deviled eggs...

Just Drive...

2008-03-18T15:20:00.003-05:00

Doesn't Jake look too cool in his car? I predict a lot of broken hearts 15 years from now... (just because so many girls will want him, but he'll be too polite and nice to play the field, I hope)

Man Nipples?

2008-03-17T17:21:00.002-05:00

Jake has a habit of getting completely naked during his evening "Poop Break," which was created to make sure he "goes" -- otherwise, he'd hold it for days with predictably uncomfortable results.

Anyway, I was sitting on the stairs outside the bathroom waiting for him. Suddenly, Jake got a very puzzled look on his face and the following conversation ensued:

J: "Mommy, what is this?" (pointing to his nipple)
M: "That's called a nipple. Everyone has two."
J: "But why?"
M: "Well, mommies like me use them to feed our babies, like I feed Charlie."
J: "So can I feed a baby?"
M: "No, only mommies can. Boys like you have nipples, but they don't work. They're just for decoration." (Well, what was I supposed to say? Not even scientists agree on why men have nipples!)
J: "But why? I want to feed a baby!"
M: "Sweetie, I don't know. But everyone has them. You do, and Poppy does, and so does Daddy."
J: "No, Daddy doesn't have them."
M: "Yes, honey, he does. Girls and boys have them, just like we have noses and toes and ears -- everyone does, including your Daddy."
J: "No! Daddy doesn't!"
M: (sighing yet laughing) "Yes, trust me, your Daddy has them, too."
J: "NO! Poppy does, but Daddy doesn't!"
M: "Okay, you can check next time you see Daddy. But everyone has them, Jake."
J: "Not Daddy."

I'm not sure why Jake insists that Daddy is nipple-free, but he is going to be sadly disappointed next time he sees Daddy...

Baby Van Gogh

2008-03-16T07:54:00.003-05:00

This morning, Jake was sitting next to me with his paper and pens.

M: "What are you doing, Jake?"
J: "I'm drawing Monster Trees."
M: "Wow, Monster Trees! That's cool! I can't wait to see!" (trying to be supportive of my child's creativity)
J: (very exasperated) "No Mommy, I said I'm drawing a MASTERPIECE."
M: (face red) "Oops, sorry."

How Was Your Day?

2008-03-12T08:37:00.002-05:00

Sometime during dinner, I usually ask Jake, "How was your day?" and then leading questions about what he did at school.

Last Sunday, Jake came home from his dad's and we sat down for dinner. Jake leans over and very seriously and sweetly says, "Mommy, how was your day?" When I said, "Pretty good, but I missed you." he replied, "I missed you, too! What did you do?" and then proceeded to make comments and ask more questions as I told him what I'd done that day. He did it again last night. The kicker is that he seems genuinely interested in the answers...too cute!

More Coolness

2008-02-22T10:19:00.003-06:00

Jake got a temporary heart tattoo from one of his school friends for Valentine's Day (along with way too much candy, but that's another story).

He was fascinated! He thought he was so cool to have a tattoo "just like Poppy." He really wanted another one and finally I found some acceptable ones at Copp's, the local grocery store (they are made in America from all-natural vegetable dyes). He loves putting in his 50 cents (from his piggy bank) and seeing what cool tattoo he gets.

Of course, we had to explain that he can't get a permanent tattoo until he's 18. I softened the blow by explaining that he can try lots of cool different tattoos between now and then. Meanwhile, he loves making "muscles" and showing off his tats.

Cool, Man...

2008-02-22T10:02:00.003-06:00

Some things, like leather jackets, just never go out of style when you are a cool rocker...

The other day, I asked Jake what he wanted to be when he grew up.

J: "A rock star, Mommy!"
M: "What kind of rock star?"
J: "Like Bwuce!"
M: "Oh, so you're going to play the guitar?"
J: "Yes, and I will sing, too. I will have lots of different guitars, because Bwuce does." (I love how he has that Elmer Fudd thing going on with his "r"s, it's so cute.)
M: "Bruce writes his own songs. Do you think you will, too?"
J: "Yes, I will use my words and be on videos!"

Hee. Jake talks a lot about "his words" lately. I think it's because they are focusing on getting the kids to "use their words" as school, instead of hitting or getting mad. When Jake gets upset at us, he will say, "Listen to my words!" Of course, then he often cannot tell you exactly what words he wants you to pay attention to...more that he wants you to pay attention to him, I think.

Wheels On the What?

2008-02-19T08:39:00.002-06:00

Jake's teacher told me that Jake and his friend JT were playing music -- they were using the big wooden blocks as pretend guitars and microphones. Jake was singing one of his songs (probably the Goo Goo Doll's "Better Days," his most recent favorite). Apparently, JT asked, "Can we sign "Wheels on the Bus'?"

It's tough to be ahead of your peers...

Thanks, Mommy

2008-02-13T03:22:00.002-06:00

Jake tends to get twisted up in his covers when he sleeps, or they get knocked off the bed. Usually, I check on him a few times a night, when I'm up with baby Charlie, but sometimes Jake will call for me because he's cold.

Sometimes, but not always, I'll hear a soft little "Thanks, Mommy" when I go in to tuck him back in, even if I think he's asleep. It's so sweet!

Roar!

2008-02-09T13:11:00.000-06:00

Jake got some giant building blocks for Christmas -- the large cardboard kind that are great for building forts. (And causing scars -- Mommy has a scar on her eyebrow from being hit in the face with one of those blocks as a kid, although to be fair, the block opened an existing wound that came from sliding off a bald man's head. Really. Okay, on second thought, never mind the block story, it's just too weird and I'm sure they've improved the cardboard technology since 30 years ago.)

Jake likes to build forts with the blocks. When he builds them with Poppy, they pretend to be Godzilla and Mothra and knock the forts down while roaring loudly. When he builds them with Mommy, they make interesting architectural statements and play inside the fort.

Here is Jake and his doll Phil in a Mommy fort, being attacked by Godzilla. Shortly after these pictures were taken, Phil was thrown to Godzilla as a distraction while Jake escaped...

No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem...

2008-02-09T13:07:00.000-06:00

In one of his videos, Bruce Springsteen plays his guitar without wearing a shirt. Jake has decided that he wants to be "like Bwuce" and so he's started taking off his shirt to play, too. Always willing to take things to the next level, Jake decided that if no shirt was cool, no pants must be even cooler. So now he likes to play rock 'n' roll while dressed just in his underwear. He's moved from Springsteen to Red Hot Chili Peppers...

I'm a Big Brother!

2008-02-03T08:01:00.000-06:00

"Yeah, well I caught one that was THIS big..."

On January 17, Jake became a big brother again. Charles Spenser Finnegan was born at 8:43 am on Thursday, January 17.

Jake got to meet Charlie on Friday, although he wasn't allowed to hold his baby brother, due to an RSV scare with his other little brother, Kyle (Jake had been staying at his daddy's house with Kyle, who was sick). Jake thought Charlie was pretty cool, and he was really glad to see Mommy.

Jake enjoyed visiting the hospital (Mommy was in for four days) and having room service and eating on the hospital bed. Charlie got Jake a "Jack's Big Music Show" dvd to watch while hanging out, which went a long way to making Jake happy about being in the hospital (although I'm not sure he realized the baby would be coming home with us).

Jake decided that the bassinette was a "baby aquarium." One day, I put Charlie into his Moby wrap so we could all take a stroll around the hospital floor for some exercise. Jake got a very puzzled look on his face and said, "Mommy, take the baby out of your tummy and put him in the baby aquarium."

Poppy decided that he didn't need to take Jake out of the room when the doctor came to check my incision. He thought it might help Jake be a bit more empathetic. The look on Jake's face when he saw it! Poor little guy, I think it might have scarred him for life... Although he certainly has been more empathetic. He's very sweet, patting my tummy and asking if I'm okay.

So far, he seems to enjoy having a baby brother. He wants to hold him, and he's always putting his hand on his forehead and saying "He feels hot, Mommy. Is he okay?" He's definitely acting out a bit more, and wants Poppy a lot more than Mommy, but I'm sure he'll adjust...

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-30T09:26:00.000-06:00

Jake had a wonderful holiday. We were up before he was--he slept in until almost 7:30 am. He woke up in a great mood (and why not?)

We went downstairs and in our tradition, he put the 25th snowball on our Advent Snowman. Then it was over to the tree...where lo and behold! Santa had come and left a blazing red, flying V electric guitar, amp, and purple stand-up microphone. Jake was so excited, he was almost speechless. It's sad, I'm not sure we'll ever be able to top this gift. It's all he's talked about for months, and then it was there! Peaked in the gift-giving department at age three...

Then it was time for stockings and other presents. He really liked everything he got. We got him smaller stuff, as the guitar was his main gift -- games, DVDs, blocks, etc. But his family outdid themselves as always. Aunt Abby & Uncle Keith got him a Leapster Laptop, MeMe and Pappy got him a very cool cash register, Nanny got a Light Drawer, Uncle Ed & Aunt Linda and Uncle Greg and Aunt Vickie got gift cards...he had plenty of very nice gifts. His father dropped off a few presents to open, including a very cool digital art studio.

But the big gift was definitely the guitar. He played it all day long. He would make up songs and play his heart out, then turn to us and say very sternly, "Clap!" I think he would have slept with it if we let him.

We all stayed in our pjs all day long, grazing on snacks. Everyone got to eat whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted. We watched "Shrek III" as a family that night, cuddled on the couch. Maybe it was just the Xmas spirit, but it was an almost perfect day--no fights, no tantrums, just love and happiness. A great day, other than me being on bedrest and having to spend most of the afternoon upstairs lying down....But Jake came up and asked to watch cooking shows with me, so we hung out together. He does like to watch cooking shows...and read cookbooks. If he doesn't turn out to be a rock star, maybe he'll be a chef!

Cattywampus

2007-12-19T07:32:00.000-06:00

Jake's vocabulary has taken another huge leap. He's always been verbal, but now it's like talking to a 10 year old (or possibly a 30 year old).

Last night I made spaghetti and meatballs. (Jake will now deign to actually eat the pasta and sauce, not just the "balls of meat.") He was being very polite and practicing excellent manners -- asking me to please pass the salt and pepper, etc. He asked for the parmesan cheese and tried to shake it, but nothing was coming out because it had made that annoying clump it sometimes does.

Jake sighs and hands it to Alex, saying, "Poppy, can you please fix this? It's all cattywampus."

I'm sure that's something he's heard his father say. Between David's expressions, mine, and Alex's, it's no wonder Jake comes up with some funny phrases now and then...

Sense of Mortality

2007-12-19T07:29:00.000-06:00

Where exactly does a three year old get a sense of mortality? He still insists Calvin the Cat is just sick, not dead, and he doesn't know his grandma died recently. Maybe at school?

At any rate, Alex showed him a video of a monster truck rally (he can't wait until one comes to town so he can take Jake--lord knows, I'm not going). Jake watched, and then Alex said, "So what do you think? Doesn't that look cool? Do you want to go with me sometime?"

Jake turned and looked at him as if he were crazy. "Why no, Poppy. I could be killed!"

Of course we explained that no one, including Jake, is actually in the cars when the monster trucks are crushing them!

Exploding Buildings

2007-12-19T07:23:00.000-06:00

Poor Jake was absolutely terrified the other night.

He and Poppy like to watch Springsteen's "Atlantic City" video and there is a part where they show some of the old buildings being torn down. So Alex decided to find a clip of one of the hotels in Vegas being blown up, thinking Jake might enjoy it, as it's a total show--fireworks, music, a countdown, etc.

Jake was completely freaked out! He started sobbing. Finally, Alex brought him in and we figured out that Jake was afraid there were people still in the building who got hurt and that he was afraid it could happen to our house. We talked about it and explained how buildings are imploded, and that no one is ever, ever inside, and that could NEVER happen to our house. Finally he calmed down.

The next night, as soon as he walked through the door, Jake was asking to watch the "building blow up video" again. Poppy took him up to watch it and they talked about it. Turns out, Jake was fine so long as he knew that "Bruce" wasn't inside. Apparently, he made a connection between the Springsteen video and the implosion and was concerned that his hero Bruce Springsteen might have been hurt.

He then came downstairs and told me all about it. He asked again if our house could blow up and I said no. When I asked him why, he thought a minute and then replied, "It's made of metal!" We also talked about how our house was small and low to the ground, not high like a hotel. I asked if he thought anything else might blow up and he said, "Not Daddy's house. Not my school. They're too little." Yes! So he feels safe now, and I think he's proud that he watched the video again and didn't let it scare him.

Mommy's Helper

2007-12-09T16:45:00.000-06:00

Jake and I had a really nice morning. We came home from the diner (our family Sunday ritual) and I asked him if he wanted to help me clean my and Poppy's room.

I turned on the iPod and he danced all over with his guitar, playing and singing. Once the room was clean, I switched the music to something a little mellower and we organized all the baby things. He was so helpful and so excited at seeing all the nice things for his baby brother. He particularly liked when I went through the clothes and told him if something had been his or his little brother Kyle's. He kept saying, "The baby will be so small!"

He also liked putting away the blankets and accessories, although he was a bit perturbed that the baby didn't have any toys. So I told him he could pick out a toy for the baby, from him.

He is SUCH a sweetie...

Smarty Pants

2007-12-09T16:43:00.000-06:00

Jake has had a lot of colds/sinus stuff this fall/winter. He's gotten into the unfortunate habit of picking at his nose, mostly unconsciously.

I'm trying to help him break the habit, so I usually say, "Jake, please don't pick." when I see him doing it. Today, we were driving home and I saw him in the rearview mirror, picking away. So I say, "Jake, please stop picking."

To which he replies, "Mommy, you shouldn't watch me, watch the road!"

Oh Christmas Tree

2007-12-07T08:26:00.000-06:00

We put up our Christmas tree over Thanksgiving weekend. Jake really had fun putting on all of the ornaments. We have a lot of ornaments that "do" something, so those were extra fun. We also talked about different ornaments, like the ones I've gotten him since he was born and the ones MeMe bought him. He liked hearing about when he was little.

The only thing he didn't like? The ribbons I put on the tree. Instead of garland or tinsel, I put gold wired ribbons on the tree, cascading down from the star.

The other night, Jake and I were looking at the tree. I said, "I like our tree this year, it's so pretty."

Jake thought for a moment, then replied, "Personally, I don't like ribbons, Mommy."

It was the "personally" that cracked me up...

Fingers and Sweetness And Love for Baby

2007-11-13T18:29:00.000-06:00

Most mornings, I get Jake out of bed. Then he goes into Poppy's study to give him a hug and say "good morning." I sit on the stairs until Jake comes out so we can go down and get breakfast.

This morning, Jake was asking Poppy about some of the stuff on the bookshelves:

J: "What is that?"
P: "That's a book I bought when I was 14. That was 30 years ago. Do you know how long ago that is?"
J: "Why no! I don't have that many fingers!"

Much laughter coming from the stairs at that point...

***
Later in the morning, Jake and I got ready to leave for school. We walked out into the garage and Poppy had left the door up for us.

J: "Hey! Poppy left the door up for us!"
M: "Yeah, he did."
J: "That is so sweet!"

***
Jake gives the baby a hug and kiss every morning. We went to have pictures done and he was so sweet, posing with the baby. He likes to say that "It will be Thanksgiving, then Christmas, then New Year's Eve, and then the baby will come and I will be so happy!"

Random Jake Stories

2007-11-06T04:00:00.000-06:00

Tonight, I met some friends for dinner so Poppy and Jake got "manly bonding time" alone together.

They were watching Bruce Springsteen videos. Poppy showed Jake one where Bruce runs across the stage and does a cartwheel and sort of bounces up at the end. Jake thought he should do it too, except he doesn't know how to do a cartwheel. He would run across the room, then throw himself down on the floor. Then he'd bounced up and ask, "Do you think could Bruce could do that?" Um...

I didn't get home in time for Jake's bedtime, which is rare. I told Jake that if I didn't, I would be sure to come in and give him a kiss (which, of course I did). About 2:00 am, I hear "Mommy! Mommy!" I go in, and Jake (mostly asleep) says "Did you have good? Did you have good?" I think he meant did I have a good time. I said, "Yes, I did, but I missed you." I gave him a kiss, tucked him back in and he was out. Such a sweetie.

Happy Halloween from the Dark Side

2007-11-02T03:02:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween!

Jake had a great Halloween. When we asked him earlier, he said he wanted to be "Eddie" from the movie "Eddie and the Cruisers" or Elvis, specifically young (hot) Elvis from the '68 comeback special. Eventually it was just Eddie. One of his favorite songs for a long time was "On the Dark Side" from the "Eddie and the Cruisers" movie. He's seen the clip on YouTube dozens of times. Poppy will also show him the music numbers from the movie, including the sequel (how many of you have seen that particular tribute to 80s hair?). Jake also loves watching the DVD of the Elvis Comeback Special -- the one where Elvis was in great shape and wore black leather. Seeing Jake do "Jailhouse Rock" along with Elvis is quite the treat.

When we went out to a Halloween superstore earlier this month, we showed Jake a bunch of costumes. He fell in love with the "50s rebel leather jacket" and that was that.

It was funny, they had a party at his daycare on Wednesday and parents were invited. It was fun to see the kids all dressed up. There wre princesses, Mutant Ninja Turtles, Spiderman, Superman, a fireman, Brett Farve (it is Packer country) -- all the normal things you expect kids to dress up as. And then there was Eddie from "Eddie and the Cruisers." That's my Jake, always the individual.

Jake loves Halloween. We decorated the house inside and out with all of our many light-up pumpkins, talking skulls, ghosts and snow globes, etc. It's been orange and black here for a month now. Party City finally put up their giant, inflatable rooftop pumpkin a few weeks ago, and Jake waves "hi" to "Big Pumpkin" every morning on the way to school and on the way home. It was a sad day yesterday when Big Pumpkin was taken down...

Trick or treating went well this year. Jake went to a bunch of neighborhood houses and came bag with a giant bag of candy. He was polite and sweet, and played his guitar for anyone who asked. :-) He loved seeing all of the many decorations. Of course, all he wants to eat now is candy, but that's a whole different story...

That's My Poppy!

2007-10-29T03:44:00.000-05:00

I'm late posting this, but Poppy's book is finally here! It should be in a store near you...ask for it by name, "The Sword-Edged Blonde" by Alex Bledsoe.

Jake thinks it's very cool that Poppy has his own book, although he doesn't really understand why there are no pictures. We went with Poppy yesterday to a reading at a book store downtown. Jake was very quiet and attentive, and clapped like mad when Poppy was done.

What Are You Thinking About?

2007-10-27T18:49:00.000-05:00

Today was a beautiful fall day, so after Jake's nap we decided to go for a hike by the "cweek" -- our favorite walking park/trail. On the way there, the following conversation ensued:

Jake: "It's a beautiful day!"
Mommy: "Yes, it's really pretty. It will be nice by the creek."
J: "It will be quiet."
M: "What do you think you'll hear?"
J: "The trees. The creek."
Poppy: "The sound of the monkeys in the trees..."
J: "Nooo! I don't think so."
M: "Poppy, that's silly...what were you thinking of?"
J: (gravely) "Monkeys"

Poppy and Mommy just burst out laughing...

The What?

2007-10-27T18:44:00.001-05:00

Jake loves to watch music videos, particularly of bands playing live. Poppy decided to play the Live Aid DVD with the performance of Queen, recently voted as the best live performance ever by Britons (in some survey). (By the way, this is the original Live Aid of the idealistic 80s, not the corporate, soulless more recent Live Aid).

Jake was pretty fascinate by Freddy Mercury -- as any sane person would be -- but then he started asking to see the "hoo hoos." Huh? "I want to see the Hoo Hoos!" Finally we figured out that he wanted to see the live performance of The Who, which Poppy had also told him was on the DVD.

That's Poppy's boy - he likes his classic rock.

Drumroll...Jake Got His Hair Cut!

2007-10-14T04:07:00.000-05:00

If anyone saw a pig flying by, or heard the crack of ice far, far below their feet, don't panic -- it's not the end of the world. It's just that Jake finally got a haircut!

He showed up a couple of weeks ago from a visit to Daddy and Amy's with a very nice hair cut. It's so good to see my handsome little boy again! He got so many compliments on it at school. He was so cute about it, he would just duck his head and look sy, but you could tell he was pleased.

Daddy insists it was because he introduced Jake to the stylist the last time Daddy had to have a cut. That probably helped, but I really think it was because Jake had decided that he *wanted* a cut. He told me he was getting tired of pushing his hair away from his face. You can't make Jake do anything, you can only make him think it was his own idea...

I also think the fact that Daddy and Amy promised him anything he wanted at Toys R Us helped, too. At first, Jake apparently wanted a new toothbrush, until they foolishly took him to the bike section. He ended up with a new trike. :-)

Doesn't my little guy look handsome?

Pumpkins and Corn and Chickens, Oh My

2007-10-14T03:58:00.000-05:00

We took Jake to a corn maze in Lodi last weeked. It was hot as blazes (high 80s) and let me tell you, being in a corn maze with no breeze when it's hot is not much fun. Jake liked it, though.

He and Poppy got to use a giant slingshot to shoot pumpkins into a pond at a target. If you hit the target, you won a prize. I think the real prize was for a big and little boy to get to cause mass pumpkin destruction....

Then we went through the maze. It took about an hour. You got a map of part of the maze, and navigated it to a mailbox with your next clue, with 8 clues in all. Jake got so excited when we would find the next clue. "Hey! It's the mailbox! We did it!" The best part for Mommy was the each mailbox had a bench, so I could sit down and drink some water. The heat was not fun for a pregnant woman! Not to mention one that had to go to the bathroom and had a baby kicking her bladder...I think we did the maze in record time, because about halfway through, I was done. Luckily, Jake thought we were in a race so he had a good time.

(By the way, he's not really alone in the maze, like the picture would lead you to believe. It was just a big open stretch and he was happy to get to run.)

Jake also got to meet a chicken -- actually a rooster -- but he was uninterested in the batch of chicks they had. Combined with his major crankiness, and my incipient heat stroke, we decided we had enough and took off for home. I guess there's a reason corn mazes, etc, happen in October, when it's usually nice and cool!

Huh?

2007-10-13T21:01:00.000-05:00

Jake has gotten into the bad habit of calling repeatedly for Mommy and Poppy once he's in bed. I decided it was time he went back to going to bed right away, so I started telling him that if he could go to sleep and not call us, he'd get a special surprise the next day.

It's been working well, but then he went to his daddy's for a couple of nights.

Tonight, I remind him about getting a special surprise if he goes right to sleep and doesn't call us.

"What will it be?" he asks.

"Well, on Thursday you got to listen to Laurie on the iPod on the way to school," I reply.

"But what will I get tomorrow?"

"I don't know, it's a surprise. But it will be special," I answer.

Jake thinks for a minute, then his face brightens. "Hey! Maybe it will be a new lamp!"

Um..."Maybe!" I say, giving my silly little guy a big hug and kiss goodnight...

I"m King of the Oranges!

2007-10-12T17:08:00.001-05:00

Jake's appetite can be iffy at dinner time. We have a few tricks up our sleeve to get him to eat. One is to have a contest about who can eat the most fill-in-the-blank. Jake and either Mommy or Poppy gets a serving, and then the non-participating parent counts "1-2-3-Go!" and the contest is on.

Jake usually wins. We actually made a crown that the winner gets to wear for the rest of dinner. Here is Jake, being King of the Oranges.

Mommy. That's Mean

2007-10-12T17:00:00.000-05:00

The other night, I made dinner. I usually try to separate Jake's food, even when I put it on a "big boy" plate (no dividers). I put mandarin oranges on, then added a roll.

"Hey!" I hear. "That's mean, Mommy!"

"What? You asked for a roll," I say, puzzled.

"But it's touching my oranges and will get it all wet. That's really mean."

"Oh, sorry." What else could I say

Zoo, Schmoo

2007-09-30T08:00:00.001-05:00

The weather was beautiful here last weekend, so we took Jake to the zoo. Madison has an awesome free zoo; not very large, but a good variety of animals and it's very kid friendly.

Normally, we have a fairly set routine of how we walk through the zoo. Last weekend was the "Zoo Fun Run" so we knew we had limited time before all the runners returned and the zoo got crowded. Poppy really likes the herpetology house (snakes, lizards, bats, etc.) so we decided to head that way.

We spent a lot of time on the way admiring the flamingos (because they're pink) and the badger (because it's Wisconsin and my child has been brainwashed to think badgers are cool). We also checked out the rhinos and the new giraffes--a bit hit. Jake loves how tall the giraffes are, and we got really close to the baby giraffe.

We arrive at the Snake House but....it's across from the new carousel and kids' play area. Of course, we had to go. Jake loves choosing an animal for the carousel ride, and waving madly every time he goes by. Then we did a penny race with one of those huge funnels; big fun to see whose penny would go down the drain first.

Then, on to the brand new play area. It's huge; a three-story tower of parental terror, with lots of rope bridges and tunnels and hidey-holes. It was absolutely crawling with kids.

Jake can be adventerous, but he's a "hang back and check it out" kind of kid. The first time he climbed up the rope ladder, it took him five minutes of cautiously testing it, and figuring it out how it worked. He was been literally crawled over by other kids. He didn't seem to mind, but it bugged me. Of course, when he reached the top we cheered him wildly.

There was a part of the structure that involved stacked rooms made out of thick plastic webbing. The idea was that you would crawl up into one through an opening at the bottom left, and get into the next one through an opening in the bottom right, and so on -- fairly safe, because a kid really couldn't fall down more than one small level. But the "rooms" were about shoulder-height on Jake--he had a really hard time climbing up. He tried the first one and said, "I can't do it, Mommy!" Through lots of patient coaxing and coaching, we got him to climb through. It was hard work though, made harder because a lot of much bigger kids would literally push him out of the way or crawl right over him, knocking him down when he had hauled himself halfway up.

It's very frustrating as a parent to watch that. Here's your little guy--who is little for his age, anyway--being tromped on by bigger kids. But you can't show your frustation or fear. No, you have to stay positive and encourage your kid (who's natural inclination would be too give up anyway because if he can't do it the first time, perfectly, he doesn't want to do it all at all) to keep going. Jake was SO proud and happy when he finally made it up to the top. He knew his limits though, and didn't go all the way to the very top level, where all the really big kids (and the big slide) were.

So we took him to the zip line. That was scary (for us). The zip line platform was over my head. Jake got to watch other kids go on it while we were waiting in line, so we explained what he needed to do. Poppy lifted him up and Jake grabbed on tight, then....wheeeeee! Off he went. At the end, he was probably three Jake lengths off the ground. Talk about scaring Mommy! But Poppy was there to catch him. It was so worth it to see the look of excitement and pride on Jake's face.

That's the hard part about being a parent, I guess -- not letting your fears get in the way of your child learning new things or stretching themselves. And not letting your protectiveness make you rude to other kids and/or parents! I mean, really: some of those kids were old enough to know to be gentle with littler ones, even if they didn't help them. I try to teach Jake that he needs to be nice to smaller kids, and help them out. While Jake was climbing the Webbing Ladder of Despair, only one little boy even noticed him and actually waited for Jake to pull himself up to the next level.

At the zip line, one other mom and I had to constantly go and fetch the handles and bring it back to the deck. Common courtesy would tell you, once your kid had done the line, you should bring it back for the next child, right? (Most of the kids had an adult with them.) But no....the kids would jump off and the parents would walk away. We told Jake when he was done, "Okay, let's take it back to the next person in line for their turn."

I can't believe we are the only parents trying to teach our child manners, respect, and kindness...are we?

Thank You, Thank You Very Much. Hunh.

2007-09-30T07:46:00.000-05:00

Poppy and Jake listen to all kids of music. I'm constantly surprised by Jake's musical tastes. Don't get me wrong, he loves The Wiggles as much (or more) as any other three-year-old, but he also likes bands and singers most three-year-olds have never heard of.

The other day, a song by The Who was playing. I'm not a huge fan, so I changed the station. From the back seat I hear, "Hey! Turn it back!" Surprised, I ask, "Why?" Jake replies, "I like that one!" Once I returned to The Who, I was instructed to "Turn it louder, Mommy."

Jake really, really likes Elvis right now. In fact, I think Elvis may have replaced Eddie & The Cruisers as the favorite current band. I don't have much Elvis on my iPod, but Jake really likes the version of Elvis doing "Maybelline." Poppy bought a DVD of the famous "Elvis in Hawaii" concert, and Jake loves to watch and do all the Elvis moves. Here he is...all he needs is a spangly jumpsuit...

He likes lots of different Elvis songs, but "Guitar Man" is his favorite.

Sunrise, Sunset

2007-09-30T07:42:00.000-05:00

Jake loves the sunrise and sunset. One of the things we do every morning when we get in the car is talk about what kind of day it's going to be--cloudy, sunny, cold, rainy, etc. Because the days are getting shorter (and we leave the house at 7 am) the sun is usually just rising as we leave.

He loves to talk about the colors and point it out to me, especially at the part of our commute when we come up over a hill and you can really see the skyline. "Oh! It so beautiful! Look at the pretty colors, Mommy!"

He used to say, "It's sunset, Mommy!" I explained the difference between sunrise and sunset, so I think he understands now. The other day, he slipped and said "sunset" when he meant "sunrise" and I gently corrected him. "Okay, but it beautiful!" Well, true. It is beautiful no matter what you call it...

Threes Are Literal...

2007-09-27T02:10:00.000-05:00

Jake does really well with his potty training -- actually, he's done. The day he turned three, he decided he is a big boy and would go on the potty. And he has.

He does really well at listening to his body, and telling us when he has to go, even if we're out in public. The other day we were at Border's and he told me we had to go.

I took him into the ladies' room with me. He's not quite tall enough yet to stand at the toilet and pee over the rim without assistance, so I had to pick him up a little bit. I'm busy helping him get his pants and underwear down, while also lifting the seat and picking him up, when I say, "Now Jake, remember, don't touch anything in a public bathroom."

He replies, "But Mommy, I have to touch you!"

Um, well, true. :-)

Baby Names

2007-09-14T16:29:00.000-05:00

Jake knows that Mommy has a baby in her belly, although he's not terribly excited by the idea -- probably because it doesn't seem real to him. (I don't think he remembers his stepmom being pregnant with his brother.) But he will ask every now and then, "Is the baby getting bigger?" and kiss my belly.

I told him he would be able to feel the baby moving around soon because the baby was getting so big. He got the strangest look on his face and kind of slowly leaned away from my stomach...

We ask him what we should name the baby. Here is his list of favorite names to date:

Pancake (his favorite thing)
House (apparently, some reference to Mommy's size)
and
Phil (which is his doll's name, for some odd reason)

I don't think we'll be going with any of those...

Things That Make You Go "Vrooom"

2007-08-29T20:02:00.000-05:00

Jake has a car. Not just any old push-with-your-feet Fred Flinstone car -- no, this is a car "just like Mommy's!" It's an electric car that with a "gas" pedal, a steering wheel and horn, and more. Top speed? Three mph, although Jake thinks he's going 300 mph, at least.

It didn't take much for him to learn how to drive it. He's already an expert at wide turns and staying on the road (in this case, the sidewalk). He does sometimes get distracted by his own shadow: Hey! Look, I'm driving a car! But overall, he's a good driver. He loves feeling as if he is doing something Mommy and Poppy and Daddy do. And he likes that the more he practices, the better he gets (we're working on turning around in driveways). Reverse gear is still a issue, but that's true for adults sometimes--in fact, some adults Jake is related to (not naming names, of course).

Thanks to MeMe for the fabulous birthday present! Jake loves it!

Dissent & Revolt, Three-Year-Old Style

2007-08-18T18:01:00.000-05:00

More birthday fun for Jake -- he got a cool purple lightening strap for his guitar! And because all rockers need to be rebellious, a "Dissent and Revolt" sticker for his guitar. I think it will end up being accompanied by Elmo and Blue's Clues, but hey, he's only three; rockers have to start somewhere.

The guys at The Guitar Center were most impressed with his guitar and the fact that he plays it so much. Jake was a little overwhelmed with all the noise (there were a bunch of guys there playing the electric guitar) but he really liked looking at all the different guitars hanging on the walls.

Happy 3rd Birthday!

2007-08-15T19:31:00.000-05:00

It's Jake's third birthday. He's had a great day. Mommmy and Poppy woke him up by singing "Happy Birthday" and he got to eat both french toast AND cereal for breakfast.

He opened one present this morning -- a "real" two-octave kids' piano from Nanny. He was so excited! Now he can watch his "Laurie" DVD and either play guitar like Laurie or keyboards like Susie. Although after watching that DVD, he thinks you play the piano by standing up!

He had a great day at school and was "king" of the room. Mommy brought in a Curious George ice cream cake and special treats for all of his friends. Everyone said the cake was really yummy. Jake also got a present from his Daddy and Amy; a toy UPS truck. BIG hit.

In fact, UPS was part of his birthday: After dinner at McDonald's (Jake's favorite place to eat in the world) we drove by the district UPS facility and saw lots and lots of "PUS twucks, Mommy!" So cool. Jake can discuss the medium trucks, the 18-wheelers, what colors they are, what they might carry...he's quite the UPS truck expert. (Don't ask me, I have no idea why he's obsessed with them.)

He got his very own digital camera, a McDonald's gift card, a game, and a Wiggles DVD. Tomorrow he gets to see the Wiggles live in concert and he is very excited. On Saturday he has a family birthday party planned. Whew!

Of course, he didn't get one thing he wanted -- a rhinoceros. We discussed that we don't really have room for a rhino, so we decided we would have a pretend rhino for a pet. Jake decided that he would name him...."Bunny."

Currently, he and Poppy are watching "videos". The Beatles are a big favorite right now.

Sigh. I can't believe he's three. Seems like yesterday....

Random Stories

2007-07-28T01:52:00.000-05:00

Random Story #1
Jake was playing his guitar the other day and singing. I couldn't quite make out the words. "Jake, are you singing 'On the Dark Side?'" Exasperated, he replies, "No Mommy, I'm singing 'Paper and Fire'." He likes his Mellencamp...

Random Story #2
While visiting in VA, my sister was nice enough to loan us her minivan. We got in one day and the door got stuck for a second before we could get it closed. From the back we hear, "Piece of crap!" Where did that come from?

Random Story #3
Every night Poppy and Jake watch videos on Poppy's computer, which sometimes acts up when downloading YouTube for some reason. The other night the Explorer window shut down, which is what happens when there is a problem. There's a heavy sigh and then, "Piece of crap." And NOT from Poppy...although I suspect that's where the phrase originated.

Shaggy Boy

2007-07-28T01:44:00.000-05:00

Jake's hair cut boycott continues unabated. I'm not sure why he equates getting a hair cut with having a body part lopped off, but he does. MeMe almost had him convinced to let her cut his hair, but by the time we were in a place with scissors that would work, the moment had passed. I'm going to start carrying hair scissors around with me so I can take advantage next time!

Meanwhile, he spends a lot of time pushing his hair out of his eyes and generally looking like a sheepdog. Let's hope this phase passes before his hair gets longer than mine. (My dad suggested holding him down. I had to explain that there's no way you can hold a screaming, flailing three-year-old still enough for a hair cut without risking bodily harm to someone. Besides, it's not that big of a deal.)

The Fruits of His Labor

2007-07-28T01:38:00.000-05:00

Jake loves to help me water. He has his own watering can, but he prefers to use my big one. He'll also help manage the hose, although he likes doing that for about one minute, then "It's all done, Mommy! That's enough!"

We have some pots in the backyard with tomato plants and green beans. Everyday, Jake says "Let's check our 'mato plants!" He loves to be able to pick the tomatoes and beans and he's very critical of if they are ready or not. We'll talk about just how red a tomato is, or it it's still orange. "Oh no, Mommy, this one not ready."

Here is Jake proudly display the fruits of his labor. Now if we can only get him to eat them...he doesn't actually like tomatoes to eat, just to grow...

Jake and the Elephant

2007-07-16T16:22:00.001-05:00

We went to Circus World this weekend, which is sort of a living museum for the old summer camp of the Ringling Bros./Barnum & Bailey Circus. They have exhibits and a lot of the old buildings and equipment, but they also do shows and have fun stuff for kids.

Jake was VERY excited because he got to ride an elephant! I was sort of torn, because I'm actually against using animals in circuses, but he was so excited by the idea that we had to do it. Poppy was going to, but he couldn't because he hurt his leg working out the other day. I thought Poppy was being a wimp until I got on -- elephants are very uncomfortable! It was like riding a 6-foot-wide broomstick.

Jake fit perfectly, of course, and thought being up so high was cool. The elephant, Tomba, put its trunk back to smell us when we got on. I told Jake it's a good thing he hadn't eaten any peanuts or the elephant might have thought he was lunch! Jake laughed.

There was one other very exciting thing about the elephant experience...Tomba pooped! Yes, Jake saw real, live elephant poop.

J: "Mommy, he poop!"
M: "Yes, Jake."
J: "Why?"
M: "Well, it's like your book...'Everyone Poops'."
J: "He poop in the yard!"
M: "She's an elephant, she's allowed."
J: "He poop a LOT!"
M: "Yes, elephants poop at lot, they're big."
J: "Wow, he POOP!"

Jake was also impressed that Tomba was a movie star and has been in movies. In fact, when retelling the story, he says, "I ride an elephant. She a movie star!"

Jake liked the camels, too, but not when one tried to eat his hair. Yuck! He wasn't at all interested in the ponies.

We also saw these really cool and talened Chinese acrobats. Jake was enthralled by their tricks and feats, especially the younger kids they had in the show. I think he was planning on trying some tricks himself...

Two Firsts

2007-07-12T04:20:00.001-05:00

Two "firsts" for Jake today:

One, he pooped on the potty! This is a big deal. He's been potty trained at school during the day for a long time (at home is another story), but he still always pooped in his pull-up. Today, he told his teacher he had to go potty. Then she heard, "Miss Mal-wee, I poopin'!" Big excitement! Now, if we can only get him to start going on the potty when he's home...

Jake's second "first" was exciting, but not as positive. He fell off his bed! Poor little guy, I heard him crying and ran into his room. He has rails on his toddler bed, but he's such a restless sleeper I guess he worked his way off. He bit his lip and has an "owie." I didn't realize it at first, and just gave him a hug and put him back to sleep. He couldn't settle down though, so I went back in and that's when I saw the dried blood. Almost gave me a heart attack. At any rate, he was cleaned up and it's just a little spot on his lip. He got some "gwape" (Tylenol) and some cuddles, and now he's fast asleep. I, on the other hand, am wide awake at 4:30 am....

The First Movie

2007-07-06T16:39:00.001-05:00

Jake saw his first movie in the movie theatre!

It was rainy on July 4th, so we took him to the 10:00 am showing of "Ratatouliie." He's been obsessed with the movie since he saw a preview for it on the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse DVD he got for Easter. He would ask us to put it on repeat and watch it for as long as we could stand it. "The mouse! He steal the cheese! He runned away!"

So it was a big day when we told him we were going to finally see the mouse steal the cheese. He was fascinated with the theatre -- the outside with all the posters, buying the tickets, the huge screen, the seats, the snacks.

He doesn't quite weigh enough to keep the seat down, so when he first sat, it kind of folded up on him. He looked at me with this quizzical look, as if to say, "Is this how you watch movies in a theatre, Mommy?" Needless to say, he watched the rest of the movie from Mommy or Poppy's lap. He was very good, talking quietly and paying attention.

He did really well although he was ready to go about 20 minutes before the end of the movie. "I done, Mommy." We decided to go, but then Jake decided he wanted to stay after all. We were almost out of the theatre, so we found a seat down front. Unfortunately, another family was letting their little girl run up and down the aisles so Jake wanted to do that, too. We had a hard time making him understand that no, *we* sit in our seats to watch movies.

He applauded at the end and seemed to really enjoy it....even though the scene from the preview was never in the movie. Nope, the rat never did steal the cheese and run away.

Helping Peoples

2007-07-06T16:35:00.000-05:00

Tonight on the way home, Jake and I saw a police care by the side of the road, helping a broken down car.

"Mommy, there's a police man!"
"Yes, he's helping someone."
"Why? Why he help someone?"
"Because that's what police do, they help people."
"Like Batman!"
"Um, yeah, like Batman. Sort of."
"And like Superman! He helps peoples!"
"True. Although police officers can't fly or stop planes. They're just regular people. Who else helps people?"
"Um. Batman helps peoples!"
"Yes. So do firemen."
"And Superman! He helps peoples!"
Sigh. "Yes Jake, you're right."

Hair Washing

2007-07-01T01:14:00.001-05:00

Jake hates having his hair washed. Every night at bathtime, he says, "Don't wash my hair!"

It's become such a battle that hair washing went from a nightly occurence to a once-a-week trauma (for all involved). Poppy has been working tirelessly to overcome the hair washing phobia.

Last night, breakthrough was achieved: hair washing without tears! AND soap! Alex let Jake help pour the water (with quite a bit of help). It took about 7 minutes and a lot of negotiation to wash the hair, but washed it was. Hurray!

Jake was so proud of himself and of course, he received lots of praise for his bravery. He behaved so well at bathtime last night that he didn't get dinged any vidoes at all, his normal consequences for bad behavior. So he watched "Johnny Quest," Grand Funk Railroad ("That was great!"), and all of this other favorites. Then it was time for story, song from Mommy, snuggles, Mommy's Magic Sleepy Safety Dust, and bed. A nice end to a nice day.

That Was Great!

2007-07-01T01:12:00.001-05:00

Jake's musical tastes run to fairly simple rhythms. The other night, Alex showed Jake a clip of "Some Kind of Wonderful" by Grand Funk Railroad. Jake watched, completely fascinated, then said, "That was GREAT!"

Jakeisms

2007-06-27T16:09:00.000-05:00

Here are some of Jake's favorite expressions:

"What are you talking about, Mommy?" (said in exasperation, when he doesn't understand something I'm trying to tell him)

"Oh my goodness!" (when something surprises him)

"Good my grief!" (when something amazes him)

"Dagnabbit" (when something annoys him)

"Bummer, dude" (when something disappoints him)

If Only...

2007-06-25T14:55:00.001-05:00

After being away from Jake from Tuesday through Friday, it was wonderful to come home. As much fun as he had with Poppy, he cried for me every night at bedtime...not something he's done for a long time.

After hugs and kisses, Jake and I spent the evening together hanging out--playing outside, eating popsicles, etc. We were cuddled up watching "Curious George." After each episode, they show a bunch of kids doing something related to whatever George learned about in the episode. They always preface it by saying, "Curious George is a monkey so he can do things you can't do."

I said, "Oh yeah, we can't do that." Jake says, "You can, Mommy! You can do anything you want to do!"

I wasn't sure what to say...was he spouting back some affirmation he'd heard at school? Or expressing that adults can do what they want? I figured given the context, it was the latter. "No, Jake, even Mommy has rules and things she can't do. Everyone does. And everyone has to have good behavior."

He just looked at me and sort of rolled his eyes. I guess from his perspective, adults can do whatever they want to do...if only!

Go, Go, Go!

2007-06-15T08:40:00.000-05:00

Jake was quite impatient this morning in the car. We were sitting at the light, getting ready to get on the Beltline. It turned from red to green. "Go, Mommy, go!" I hear from the back seat.

"Jake, there are cars in front of me, I have to wait."

"But it's the green arrow!"

"I know, but I have to wait for the cars in front of me to start driving, or I will hit them. Besides, we're going now."

"Yeah, but that car is winning!"

Oh my, I've created a speed demon. Every time I stopped at a stop sign, he would pipe up, "Go, go, go! Mommy, let's go!"

He was also in a singing mood today. Besides Laurie, he sang along to Eddie and the Cruisers and Kermit the Frog. Kermit sings "The Rainbow Connection" which is the song I've sung every night to Jake for...well, years now. It was so sweet to see Jake singing along and smiling, although he said, "That song makes me tired!" I guess he associates it with bedtime!

Big & Little

2007-06-15T01:14:00.000-05:00

Alex got a guitar from our friend Jen (her old practice guitar, thanks, Jen!) so he could learn to play and teach Jake. He even got the chording for "We Are the Dinosaurs," Jake's favorite song.

As Jake said to me this morning, while getting into the car, "Poppy is a good guy, Mommy."

Going to Bed & Waking Up

2007-06-12T10:14:00.000-05:00

Last night, Jake had a hard time going to sleep. He actually hopped out of bed and came down the hall a couple of times (usually he just calls for us).

One time he appeared at my bedroom door and said, "Mommy!" (big smile). I said, "Jacob..." and he finished, "...Nathanael Piper!" Little smartie.

This morning, he woke up very early, at 4:45 am. I heard him stirring around. He fell back asleep a couple of times, but was pretty restless. I got up at 5:30 to take my shower. I heard him over the monitor saying, "Mommy! Mommy? Come here, I love you!" He kept repeating it, and when it had no effect, he switched to, "Mommy! Come out and get me! I need kisses!" He never got upset though, and was in a really good mood when I got out of the shower and fetched him for kisses.

I'm Gonna Be a Rock Star!

2007-06-04T20:21:00.000-05:00

Jake finally realized a long-cherished dream -- at least, as long-cherished a dream as a two-year-old can have.

He got his very own guitar.

He was so excited! He actually slept with it the first night. He likes to play and sing, "just like Laurie." In fact, we put on his Laurie Berkner DVD and he runs around and plays to all of the songs.

I picked him up from school today and the first thing he said was, "Hey! My guitar is at home."

He likes when Poppy or I play rhythm on his drums or tamborine. We are not allowed to sing, of course.

Who knew that so much happiness could be had for $15? Ask Jake if he's going to be a rock star when he grows up and he says, "Oh yeah!"

Feel the Love, Part II

2007-06-04T09:20:00.000-05:00

Jake has been very affectionate lately. He tells us he loves all of the time. Except, he says, "I love you, too!" Which is doubly cute, because not only he is expressing affection, he's acknowledging the fact that he knows we love him.

Nothing is better than having your adorable son come up to you, throw his arms around you, and say, "I love you too, Mommy! More than anyone!" Sniff. Melt.

Of course, he's not above using affection to get what he wants. At night, his favorite delaying tactic at bedtime is to ask for a hug. "Poooooopppppyyyy!" he'll call. Poppy sticks his head in the door. "What's up, Jake?" "I need to give you a hug!" says Jake, holding his arms out. Who could resist?

Thank You. Thank You Very Much.

2007-06-02T02:18:00.001-05:00

Jake is getting more adventuresome in his choice of evening "videos" with Poppy. His current faves:

* "Don't Mess Around With Jim" (their toothbrushing song, for some reason)
* Brandy (the "hippie" song because it shows the original band with their 70s hair)
* Our friend Jen Cass singing at her husband's birthday party (probably because it also shows her little girl)
* KT Tunstell's "Black Horse and a Cherry Tree" (woo hoo!)

And of course, Elvis. The other night, Elvis said, "Hunh!" during the video in that Elvis way. Jake went, "Hunh!" complete with head toss and lip curl. Don't mess with the King, baby...

Superman!

2007-05-31T03:44:00.000-05:00

What is it with boys and superheroes?

We don't watch any of the superhero cartoons--they are way too violent for Jake's age. But during nightly "videos" he and Poppy watch little You Tube clips of various superheroes. Batman, Superman, Spiderman...Jake loves them all (including Wonder Woman, which makes Mommy happy).

One video shows various clips from the Superman movies, set to the theme music. Jake loves when Superman says, "Would you care to step outside?" and when he saves the plane from crashing. "Wow! He stop the plane!" He can sing the Spiderman cartoon theme song.

In fact, Spiderman is his favorite. I'm not sure if its because right now Spiderman is everywhere, but he prefers Spiderman to Batman or Superman. Which is funny, because as we know all men choose a superhero allegiance fairly early on in life. You can tell a lot about a guy based on who is favorite superhero is.

Jake's dad likes Superman; Jake's poppy likes Batman. Jake, perhaps wisely, chose Spiderman. He has a Jake-sized stuffed Spiderman that Gran Grace bought him. He sleeps at the foot of Jake's bed and keeps Jake's room monster-free.

Despite his fondness for Spiderman, imagine Jake's glee when he saw this enormous statue of Superman in Metropolis, IL. He couldn't stop looking. He thought it was really cool! A Superman visit is definitely a nice way to break up a long car ride...

Sleepy Boy

2007-05-29T06:45:00.000-05:00

The cry comes at 3:00 am -- "Mooooommmyy!"

Is he sick? He's been coughing. Did he have a nightmare? He's been talking a lot about monsters. So in I go.

From under the covers comes a little hand holding a sock, then a bare foot is thrust at me. "Put my sock on!" I put the sock on.

"Give me my paci!" I find the paci on the floor and hand it over.

And he's out like a light.

While I'd never let him get away with such preemptory behavior while awake, it's sort of sweet to know that in the night, he completely trusts Mommy to take care of him.

My Little Comedian

2007-05-26T09:52:00.000-05:00

Jake has a thing about throwing away trash (not suprisingly, given who his mom is). He loves to throw away trash. He's learned that used napkins, empty snack packages, and more all belong in the trash. He also knows that if you leave a sippy cup out with juice or mlik, "it's old" and needs to be thrown away.

The other day I was dressing Jake in the morning and as usual he was not cooperating. (After all, getting dressed means leaving the house, something my little hermit crab would rather not do unless McD's is involved.) I said something like, "Jake, please come here, I'm getting too old to get up and chase you."

Surprisingly, he did. Then:

J: "Mommy, you are OLD."
M: "No, I'm not!"
J: "Oh yeah, You OOOOOLLLLDDD."
M: "Really."
J: (devilish twinkle in his eye) "Yeah, we throw you away!"
M: (mock horror) "No! You can't throw me away!"
J: "Oh yeah!" (laughing)
M: "Well, I'm not so old I can't catch you and tickle you!"

Which of course, I did. Much hilarity ensued.

Hee, Jake is starting to make jokes. I suppose that too is not suprising, given who his daddy and poppy are.

It did hit home a little. Poor guy, when he is in college I'll be as old as my mom is now, and ready for retirement. Not that I'll be able to afford to retire, given the likely cost of tuition.

On The Dark Side...Oh Yeah

2007-05-23T06:34:00.000-05:00

Jake loves music. He loves to sing, he loves to dance. Every night he and Poppy watch "videos" on YouTube. Jake's favorite (besides Spiderman, Superman, etc.) is a clip from "Eddie and The Cruisers" where they sing "On the Dark Side." Jake bounces and claps along. He has a little toy microphone and he walks around the house singing "Eddie and the Cwuisers song, Mommy!"

He likes to watch any kind of music video and concert DVDs fascinate him. If you ask him, he will tell you he wants to play guitar or drums.

On a recent trip to Tennessee, Jake got to see Alex's stepfather play a REAL guitar. It was a major moment in his young life. He stared and stared. The expression on his face when he got to actually touch the strings as A.C. was playing was priceless.

Maybe one day he will be a world-famous scientist/rock star!

Of Apples, Sponges, and Pitchers

2007-05-16T12:12:00.000-05:00

They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, that little minds are like sponges, and that little pitchers have big ears. So true!

It's always amazing to me to hear Jake repeat something back to me that I say, or act the way I would act, or remember something we've talked about but not recently. Having a child is like having a little mirror with an odd reflection...often fuzzy and sometimes crystal clear--usually when you least want it to be. Like when you're in the car in traffic and from the backseat you hear, "Go! Get a move on!" (ahem)

This morning, Jake was watching the episode of Oobie where Oobie gets scared. Oobie talks to other kids to find out what they do when they get scared. So I asked Jake what he does:

J: "I run away!"
M: "Really? Then what?"
J: "I find a mommy!"
M: "You mean me?"
J: "No, a mommy with kids."

I finally realized he was repeating back what we talk about when we read "Little Red Riding Hood" -- don't talk to strangers, and if you get lost, you should look for another mommy with kids and ask for help. Still not sure why he connected that with being scared, as he's never been lost, but good to know he remembers!

A little while later, I was dressing him and I asked him to get his sneakers:

J: "I no see them." (shrugging, hands up the air)
M: "Oh, I think we left them at school."
J: "Bummer, dude!" (with major eye roll)

Of course, that's what I say in a similar situation when he's around, instead of cursing. Good thing, or I'm sure something entirely different would have come out of his mouth!

He also made me "breakfast" this morning. This means making "coppee" with his pretend coffee maker, toast with his pretend toaster, and then smearing "jam" on it from his play food. He serves it up very neatly on one of his play plates, and hands me the cup. He gets a serving too and takes a big sip, then lets out a big sigh of satisfaction (I think that's a Daddy and Poppy mannerism). Suddenly, he jumps up -- "We need napkins for manners!" Too funny.

I suppose I realized what a big responsibility this motherhood gig is, but now I really need to pay attention to what I say and do when he's around! Gotta model that good behavior...

Meet My Son, Sampson

2007-05-15T19:37:00.000-05:00

It started with a spritz of water.

Of course, it is my fault because I should have told the stylist that Jake fears and loathes the idea of water on, near, or even spoken of in relation to, his head. (Washing his hair is a weekly, much-dreaded ritual that requires tears, pleading, and fear -- and that's just on my part.)

Yes, we tried to get Jake's hair cut. I thought we did everything right. We talked about what would happen. We excitedly speculated on how cool he would look, and how impressed everyone at school would be. We brought the mini DVD player so he could watch Mickey Mouse in "Twice Upon a Christmas" (aka "Million Upon a Never-Freaking-Ending Christmas" given its heavy rotation year-round) while getting his hair cut. He got the choice of sitting in Poppy's lap or in the way-cool seat shaped liked a car (he chose the car). We promised treats.

But nooooooo. As soon as the first spritz of water hit his head, the arms went up, and the screaming began. And I do mean screaming. Loudly. At the top of his lungs, not to mention vocal register. He got so worked up that we couldn't even talk him down or through it. The stylist stood by helplessly. Unlike some, she didn't try to gut it out, she just refused to touch him. Of course, the other customers looked on in semi-horror. Which, let's be clear, doesn't actually bother me; I don't care what they think about my parenting skills. I do want Jake to learn that he has to respect other people and screaming and making people flinch is not respectful. And I don't want him terrified, either.

Once we reached the point where calm reason and hugs could reach him, we had to leave. (You can't not give in to the tantrum on something like this, it's not fair to the innocent bystanders.) On the way home, we had a long talk about bad behavior and consequences -- as in, no, we were not going to McDonald's and no, he could not watch videos or play when we got home, he could go to bed. We love him, nothing will change that, and he can always have hugs and kisses, but bad behavior results in consequences.

We reinforced the lesson with another personal grooming session. He badly needed his toenails cut (I used to do it in his sleep, but now he wakes up!). I told him that if he let me cut his nails with no crying, screaming or flailing, he could have two M&Ms. That would be his reward for good behavior. If he didn't have good behavior, no M&Ms and no bedtime story. It was hard, but he gutted it out and let me lop off the oh-so-valuable toenail body parts. Hurray! Celebration dance, high fives, hugs, kisses, and M&Ms all around. I asked him after I tucked him in which felt better, good or bad behavior, and he actually said, "Good!"

Let's hope a lesson was learned. Meanwhile, he's starting to look like an Ewok. Soon we'll have to use barettes to hold his hair back...

Sandbox World

2007-05-14T17:38:00.000-05:00

Jake got a new sandbox. He LOVES the new sandbox. Much time is spent building castles, walls, and making molds with the deluxe sandbox tool kit he also received. He particularly likes adding water, just a little bit at a time, so the sand is at the right consistency for building. He can play for quite a while in his sandbox.

In fact, the only other outside thing that holds his attention for as long is his new "Super Bouncy Ball." A mere quarter in a cheesy dispenser at the grocery store has purchased hours of fun. He likes to bounce it against the garage door. It's most hilarious when Mommy bounces it really high. But best of all is when Mommy has to chase it down before it rolls into the street. Good times!

Happy Mother's Day!

2007-05-14T16:12:00.000-05:00

Or as Jake thinks of it, Mommy's birthday.

Jake made me lovely card, with lots and lots of tape. "I tape, Mommy!" It also had stickers, pictures, and drawings. Jake has just learned to draw a circle (or at least, something vaguely egg-shaped) so all of his art now contain what look like lopsided donuts. "He" also got me a beautiful necklace with a charm containing his name and birthdate, and all my gardening stuff (pots, plants, flowers) so we can garden together.

It was Jake's weekend at Daddy's, but given that this was a special occasion, he went to Daddy's Thursday night through Saturday night so he could be home for "Mommy's Special Day." For whatever reason, he did not want me to have the necklace (which he brought with him from Daddy's house). He tried to tear it off my neck several times. "No! No Mommy, no!" But he couldn't tell me what, exactly, he objected to. I wore it anyway and caught him eyeing it throughout the day, obviously plotting how he could remove it. Today, he finally told me why. "Jake, you gave this to me." "No, I not. Amy did." "Is that why you don't want me wear it?" "Yeah." "But it has your name and birthday on it. I love it because it's celebrates the day I became your Mommy. It's beautiful." "It not beautiful. It not nice." Shrug.

He was so sweet and loving most of the day (other than that) so it was quite the surprise when he walked into the kitchen, tore down the card he had made from its place of honor on the refrigerator, and tore and crumpled it up. "No, Mommy!" he said sternly as he placed it in the trash. Apparently, he was mad at me, I think because I was making dinner and he didn't want to eat it. (Or maybe because he had made it at Daddy's house? Who knows...)

I took him upstairs to change his Pull-Up and he said, "I don't love you, Mommy." Sigh. "Well, I love you, Jake." "Yeah." (shrug) "Are you mad at me?" "Yeah. I DON'T love you." "Well, you can be mad at me, it's okay. Just say so. I will still love you."

Of course later on all was forgiven and it was hugs and kisses and love. But man, it goes right to the heart when they first drop the "no love" bomb....Happy Mother's Day...

Mommy, You Have Owie?

2007-05-10T17:44:00.000-05:00

My darling boy is perfectly aware that some people are boys and some are girls, but has never shown the slightest curiosity as to why this is so.

The other day I was wearing a v-neck shirt. I was bending over, putting his pjs on after his bath, when he got a very concerned look on his face. He started patting my cleavage. "Mommy, you have an owie?" "No, sweetie, that's Mommy's chest. Mommy is a grown-up girl, so she has bumps on her chest." "Oh. Looks like an owie."

Apparently, all the memories of breastfeeding have faded away...

Burps & Good Behavior

2007-05-09T18:30:00.000-05:00

Riding home tonight, Jake burped. The conversation went like this:

J: "I burp!"
M: "Say excuse me."
J: "Mommy burped!"
M: "No, I didn't burp."
J: "Yeah!"
M: "No, I didn't. You did."
J: (Burp -- "catches" it in hand) "Here Mommy, it for you!"

Gee, wonder where he learned that...(Poppy)

We went to Kohl's tonight. I told him if he behaved, we would go to "Old McDonald's" for dinner.

J: "No! I no want to have!" (pronounced hayv)
M: "Jake. Can you have good listening ears?"
J: "Yeah!"
M: "Can you be respectful?"
J: "Yeah!"
M: "Can you have good manners?"
J:: "Yeah!"
M: "Then you can behave. That's all it is."
J: "Nooooo!"

Luckily, he had good listening ears, respect and good manners so he got to go to McDonald's. But according to Jake, he is not a have!

Yes, It's Dead

2007-05-09T09:21:00.000-05:00

What is it with boys and gross things? Jake saw a crushed soda can in a parking lot yesterday, with some leftover Coke spilled out. "Ew! Gwoss! That yucky!" He was completely disgusted by the soda baking in the the sun. (And yes, we picked up the can and threw it away; trying to teach him to be a good citizen).

But give him a dead, bloated, stinking muskrat to poke with a stick and he's in heaven...

Jake The Flirt

2007-05-08T19:07:00.000-05:00

Jake is quite the flirt. One of the teachers at his school came up to me at pick up time and said, "Jake is sooo sweet! He picked a dandelion for me and said "You my girl, this for you.'" His teacher Miss Melissa said, "Hey! He did the same thing for me!" I guess when he's three he'll learn about juggling his girlfriends better... :-)

He does this when we're out, too. Today he had to go to the doctor (he has another sinus infection). He always flirts with the nurses -- makes sure he smiles, says "Tank you, Miss Pat" and gives them a shy little look from under his lashes. Of course, they always swoon over him and say what a polite, cute boy he is. Which he eats up with a spoon.

I guess it's tough being adorable.

Conversations with Jake, May 1

2007-05-07T14:37:00.000-05:00

Jake was very funny on the way to school today. He kept asking me what character his different Toy Story gummies were -- "Who dat, Mommy?" I explained to Jake that Woody is a cowboy and what a cowboy is, and that Buzz Lightyear is a spaceman, and what a spaceman is. He thought about it, and decided that he wants to be a cowboy. Then the conversation went like this:

J: "Mommy, where my horse?"
M: "You don't have a horse. You can have a pretend horse, though."
J: "Oh. Okay. But where my real horse?"
M: "You don't have a real horse, sweetie."
J: "Why? Why I no have a real horse?" (genuinely puzzled)
M: "Because you have to have lots of land to have a horse. You can't just have a big yard, you need to live out in the country, with land and a fence."
J: "We don't have a fence."
M: "No, we don't."
J: "Where *is* the country?"
M: "You know how you drive to Daddy's house, and you go past the cows in the field, with the fence? That's the country."
J: "That's the country???" (very surprised)
M: "Yes. The country has lots of land, and fences and barns for the cows and horses. Horses need land to roam on, fences and barns to be happy."
J: "Okay."

He just cracks me up. At one point, we had to wait for a school bus to pick up kids. Then the conversation went like this:

J: "Hey, that a school bus!"
M: "Yes, it's picking kids up to take them to school."
J: "My Daddy and me went on a school bus."
M: "You did? Where did you go?"
J: "To pick a pumpkin!"
M: "Wow, you went with Daddy on a school bus to pick a pumpkin with your friends. That's cool!"
J: "Yeah" (heavy sigh) "I miss Daddy."
M: "I bet he misses you, too. You will see him tomorrow, on Wednesday, though."
J: "I will?" (happy)
M: "Yes, you will. Then it will be my turn to miss you when you're gone."
J: "I miss you, too, Mommy. And I miss my Amy. And I miss my Poppy."
M: "I know, but you are so lucky to get to live with Mommy and Poppy, and go visit Daddy and Amy. Not everybody has four people to love them that much."
J: "I know." (very smug, happy look)

We also had a conversation about the seasons (we've been reading a Dora book about seasons) and he informed me that it's "ping" because the pinecone flowers are on the ground. I guess he thinks pinecones are evergreen flowers. Too funny.

Jake Shows the Love

2007-05-07T14:31:00.000-05:00

Who said that little boys aren't affectionate? Well okay, maybe I did. Jake isn't the most affectionate kid in the world...mostly when he's tired. Otherwise, he's too busy.

I kept him home on Friday, May 4. We had the BEST day. Lots of fun and bonding, just Jake and me. We were at the grocery store and in one aisle, I gave him a hug and kiss and told him I love him. A couple of aisles later, he patted my hand and said, "I love you Mommy" and then reached up to give me a hug and kiss. He was so sweet and serious about it and I got sort of teary-eyed. I said, "I love you, too, Jake. I'm so lucky to have a boy like you." He said, "No, *I* lucky." Just about made me cry in the middle of Copp's!

Here's Jake with his easter basket...showing the love to his M&Ms and jellybeans ("Dey my favowite, Mommy!")

Get Buff!

2007-05-07T14:29:00.000-05:00

Alex has been going to a personal trainer. I tease him by doing my Cartman impression...you know, from the episode where Cartman is bulking up and he says, "Yeah, but I'm the one that's gonna be on tv, looking all buff."

Last night, Alex was leaving for the gym. I asked Jake, "Where is Poppy going?" Jake says, "To the gym." I ask, "Why is he going to the gym?" Jake says, "To get buff!"