Everyone always says "The days are long but the years are short." Gosh isn't that the truth?! It's hard for me to believe sometimes that Jackson is almost 2 1/2. I look back at old pictures and videos and see how much he has changed, even in the last couple of months I can see a big difference.
His language and vocabulary continue to improve. He will attempt to say most anything we say to him. Some of his words sound very much like the actual word and some not so much. I love the effort though! He is very good about saying his please and thank yous (even unprompted) which makes me a very happy mommy! Some of his favorite phrases and words:
-Mommy, want watch George
-Want titch (kick) ball
-Bouncy bouncy, mommy I want bouncy bouncy
-Nummy (yummy)
-Otay (okay)
-Daddy car
-Party party Mommy Daddy or party party Nana
-Mommy daddy dinner out (he pronounces out very long and slow ooouutt)
-My daddy home (he pronounces home the same way - hooome)
-Mommy come, Daddy come, Chooper come? He says them in question form and now calls Cooper Chooper instead of Dooper. He still calls Annabelle Da belle
-My turn
-One more
-I want play ball more
He loves to play outside! We go outside and play everyday and he likes to play golf, ride his roller coaster, kick the ball, play bouncy bouncy (a game he made up with Nana), blow bubbles, use his lawn mower or just run around and throw the ball for Cooper. Lately we have been sitting on our new screened porch and he will go down and play by himself for a little bit. This is huge since he is not a fan of playing independently! Sometimes he just sits on the top step and throws the ball down for Cooper and then Cooper brings the ball back. He does this over and over! Yet he loves it!
He wants to do everything himself these days. He moves his stool around to reach the light switches and then wants to turn the water on, squirt the soap, put toothpaste on his toothbrush himself, pick out and put on his own shoes (he can't quite get them on though so he'll try and then ask for help - he can put his rain boots on by himself and he's so proud!), put his dirty diapers in the trash, put his dirty clothes in the hamper, open and close the fridge, get out his own yogurt, pour syrup on his pancakes, put ice in his cup, screw on the lids to his cups, open/close the door, open the garage door, climb in and get out of his carseat by himself and I'm sure there are more I can't think of right now. I love the independence but it makes everything take 3 times as long!
His favorite food is still fruit (any and all kinds!) with yogurt as a close second. He loves to eat yogurt! He also loves cheese, noodles, pizza, pancakes, popsicles, eggs (fried or scrambled), oatmeal with raisins and cinnamon, raisins, cheese and crackers, applesauce, milk (he still drinks 2 cups a day), popcorn, tacos, chips and dip, nachos, pb&j, grilled cheese. Sounds like we don't eat all that healthy, huh?! Well I think in general we are pretty healthy but we definitely enjoy the bad stuff too! He will gladly choose fruit over french fries though! He enjoys my pumpkin muffins when I make them. He is not so good with eating his veggies as he used to be though. He'll usually take a bite or 2 but thats about it.
We have yet to truly attempt potty training. He often times asks to go when we go and has peed several times on the potty and has even gone poo poo on the big potty twice! He said he needed to go and sure enough he did. We were very proud and so was he! He still wears a diaper full time and I am not pushing the matter until he says he is really ready. Until then we will continue to put him on if he asks to go. I always tell him it was a good try if he doesn't actually do anything.
We have our fair share of the terrible twos tantrums but overall I think we are lucky to have such a sweet happy boy who cooperates most of the time! I know the key is to redirect and we do that a lot. Some battles just aren't always worth fighting! When he does continue to act out and not listen he earns himself a 2 minute timeout. When I warn him he's about to get a timeout and then he proceeds to continue doing whatever I asked him to stop doing I tell him its time for timeout and he will go sit in the corner by himself and is quiet. Sometimes I wonder how effective it is if he gladly puts himself in timeout? Ha! He does know when he has hurt or upset us and will say "I'm sorry, Mommy."
His favorite books right now are Go, Dog Go, Curious George and the Birthday Surprise, Curious George's First Day of School, Potty Time, Little Blue Truck, Where are you, Pooh?, Where is Baby's Beach Ball? He loves several other Dr Seuss books too. He knows the books and will "read along" in certain parts. He is so excited to know what part we are at chime in with his favorite parts. He loves to draw on his magna doodle and is into his trains much more now. He is so funny and will try to mimic what we do. If we put our hands on our hips he does the same, cross our arms, rest our cheek on our hand, etc. Too funny! He definitely isn't lacking in the personality department!
He sleeps from about 8pm to 8am these days and naps from around 12:30 or 1 until 3:30 or 4. With it being summer we have found ourselves having fun outside in the evenings or out to dinner late and he has gone to bed later on many occasions. Oh well! I'm sure once winter rolls around and it gets dark earlier we'll stay on schedule more.
He is probably around 28 lbs and I have no idea how tall. He still wears 18 month shorts (and a few 12 months still) and usually 2T in shirts for length. I don't know what I'll do when its time for long pants. His 18 month pants from last winter are going to be too short but I worry 2Ts will fall off of him. He still wears size 4 diapers and is now in size 7 shoes.
So now we know he can say tooth brush he just prefers to call it a bicar! Silly boy!
Jackson and Tindal at the farmers market one Saturday
Eating their key lime pie for dessert
Playing play doh with Roman and Ryan from next door
Jackson and Will. Will was going home and Jackson wanted to go too so he sat in the seat next to him. He and Will both had their Curious George's and were holding hands. So sweet!
Mommy made pancakes for her boys! Yummy!
Mr Cool with his sunglasses on
Poor Jackson was sick last week with a high fever. We stayed in pj's a lot and played play doh and had lots of snuggles
Jackson and Sofia
Go Dawgs!
