Jack's 2nd Birthday!

Jack is 2 years old!! The first couple of pictures were taken on his actual birthday: Friday, January 6 before he went to daycare! He was so excited it was his birthday and brought his daycare friends crayons and coloring books. That night, we went out for pizza at the Brickhouse with Leah, Joe, and Grady. Of course Jack had pizza for lunch at daycare, but still wanted it for supper. The second Grady got his mac n cheese, Jack wanted nothing to do with his pizza. After repeating that he didn't have to eat, he finally caved and ate a couple pieces. We then went through Dairy Queen for ice cream. Jack was excited to eat his twist ice cream!

We bought Jack the cardboard bricks (120 of them that my family took the time to help us fold), and when he saw them for the first time, he walked up to a blue one, handed it to me and said, "Open!" I had told him we were heading downstairs to open his present and he thought that there were 120 presents in front of him to open! He has been a very lucky boy with Christmas, his birthday, and big brother gifts that we weren't surprised he was confused! He loves stacking towers now and making a wall to roll his cars down.

His birthday party was on Sunday, January 8 and we enjoyed donuts, breakfast pizza, fruit, orange juice, and Elmo cake and ice cream! Jack picked all of these items. We had Grandpa Bob and Grandma Carol, Grandma Mary, Grandma Joyce, Papa, Uncle Mikey (the new name for Mike Steen), Uncle Mike, Aunt Laura, and us! Jack was in heaven surrounded by everyone who loves him so much!

Hanna turned 2 weeks old the day of his birthday party so there are a couple of pictures where we actually got him to hold her at the bottom!

Dear Jack,

What can I say about my baby boy? My angel? My pride and joy?! I love you so much. You are my buddy...my best friend. I feel like we speak the same language...the same goofy, makes no sense to anyone else, sort of language. You laugh at everything I say and do and I love it. I think I laugh at everything you say or do too!

You are just so darn cute. Your long hair that we can't keep up with, your funny faces, your phrases, your commands: 'People, come on! Come on guys! Downstairs! Come on!' Your beautiful big brown eyes. Wow. Those are going to be killer some day. How can you say no to those?! I just feel like you are a gift from God...made just for your Daddy and I. We are so lucky to call you ours. You are so loved by so many.

I can't believe you are 2!!! . These 2 years have absolutely flown by. Since Hanna has been born, I find myself reflecting on how fast time has gone by with you. I loved holding you when you were a little baby. You were so adorable. It went too fast!! I just gave your baby clothes to Aunt Laura to use for her baby. She took a picture of the closet, and I immediately started crying. I just have so many memories of you in those tiny clothes that it made me miss that. But I wouldn't change anything. You are at the BEST age! So hilarious, so curious, so active, so opinionated, so thoughtful, so feisty, so lovable! I look forward to seeing you at the end of each day because you just make me smile....constantly. At night your Daddy and I talk about the funny things you did or said that day.

For instance: the other night, Grandma Joyce was here. Daddy was taking you down to bed, and you led the way. Instead of giving us kisses and hugs, you said, "Byeeeee." "Bye Grandma." "Bye Mommy." "Bye People." "Thank you." "You're Welcome." "Knock, Knock, Who's there, Nana, Nana-who, Santa Claus!" Yes...you said all of this on your walk downstairs. It was hilarious and we laughed at you the whole time. Thank you for bringing so much laughter and fun to our lives. You are awesome!!!

I love watching you run around, seeing your little body in your big winter coat, seeing you in your hats that you can't get enough of, little boy tennis shoes, little athletic pants...and most recently, your little boy ankles and calves and cheekers and belly. You are just turning into a big boy before our eyes! You will ALWAYS be my baby boy, my angel, my best friend, and a main reason for my happiness. You, your Daddy, and your sister are my rock. I love you all so much, and can't wait to have family vacations, and watch you play t-ball, and soccer, and play with friends.

Some Jack-isms:

Bed-time routine. At night, Daddy has been putting you to bed most nights. You've recently requested Mommy though, which makes me so happy!!!

1) We tell you it's almost time for nigh-night around 7:15 (this usually takes anywhere from 20-45 minutes)

2) You either say, "Noooooo, play!" or "Ok."

3) We tell you there are a couple more minutes left and you continue playing with your blocks or kitchen...or stalling...

4) We ask who you want to read you books and put you to bed.

5) We walk with you to your room. You turn on the fan, froggy, and lambie, then walk towards chair.

6) We grab penguin and blankie and hand them to you.

7) We snuggle on the chair and read books..usually Thomas, Treasure Chest, Animals, Silent Night right now.

8) We'll read 2-3 books and then put you in your crib.

9) We sing to/with you. Usually it is Silent Night, but last night you wanted Mommy to sing Twinkle Twinkle, then Mary Had A Little Lamb, then Twinkle Twinkle again. It is SO adorable to stare at your big brown eyes while we sing together as you get sleepy. You chime in at certain times in the highest, sweetest voice. It melts my heart! You usually end with, "Again, again."

10) After song is over we tell you good night, and you say it back. As we walk away, you shout, "Mommy" or "Daddy". We come back to reassure you it's okay. You try to beg us to read a different book or sing another song or go back to rocking chair. We tell you we can do these things tomorrow, and walk away again. You then shout our name again, a few more times, and we just have to shut the door and let you sleep. Sometimes you sing yourself to sleep. Sometimes you talk to yourself and say new words or list people you saw that day.

Vocabulary: I cannot believe how many words you come home knowing everyday! I read somewhere that kids your age should know 60-70 words right now...your Daddy and I are SURE you know at least twice this many! We talk to you all the time, and you love to talk and be social so you soak up everything you see and hear around you! Some new words you can say just off the top of my head:

Rhino, Calf, Crocadile, Budderfly, "Puter"-computer, Upa-side down, Are you??, Be ecused? (excused?), Baby cryin', What happened Mommy?, What doin' Daddy?, Daddy workin, Cut it (while using any toy around to pretend you are cutting something else to get it opened), Open!, No!, Awwwwww...cute! (when looking at baby pictures or Christmas cards), Funny, Catch, Match (cheers with matching plate or glass), Color, pay-doh, Dow-stairs, Bonk ya head, Get chu, Take a ride, Car ride, Daddy car, Mommy car, Hode you! (hold me), Lub you too Mommy/Daddy, No Daddy No, No Mommy No, Move Mommy/Daddy, Baby seestah, Baby Nana, Baby Cousin, "Smile!" (as you pick up a cell phone and turn it towards us..or you find anything that resembles a camera or phone and do this, and then say, "AWwwww, that's cute!" etc. etc.

The list goes on and on....you make us laugh daily!!

Favorite things to do:

Guitar: You got a new guitar from Uncle Mike. For a few weeks, you were on a kick of grabbing the guitar, bringing it to one of us. Saying, "Try Mommy/Daddy", and then grabbing the other parent's hand and saying, "Dance!" It was so cute. One of us would have to play the guitar (you would come push the button on the song you preferred), and then make the other parent stand to hold hands and dance with you! You love this!

Cake-cakes: You still have a minor obsession with these. You request them every weekend for breakfast and sometimes for supper. Daddy makes the best cake cakes (pancakes) doesn't he Jack?!

Kitchen: You got this from Santa Claus and love playing with it! You decided one day to make Mommy some coffee where you used the bottom of a pretend ice cream cone. This has now become the coffee cup you bring to Mommy! It's so fun to watch you use your imagination with this! Last night you made me eggs, a cookie, and french fries! Such a funny combo!

Take a ride!: You request to do this a few times a week. You know when you need a change of environment or you're bored and bed Daddy to 'take a ride' (in a whiny voice of course). You then pick which car you go in and usually pick Daddy's because it's more exciting apparently. The other day Daddy said you drove around and for about five minutes both of you were silent and you were just staring out the window. You must have needed some time to wind down from the day. Sweetie pie!

Bed time: When Daddy puts you to bed, I hear him reading you books and singing Silent Night with you. I love it. After he's done, I hear, "Daddy?" "Ya buddy?" "Bye Bye." "Nigh Night." "Lights off." You like to tell him what to do next, but also like him to come check on you one last time before leaving the room. So sweet.

Silent Night: This book we started reading before Christmas to you, and you love it. So now we can sing it with you before bed and it calms you down. You chime in to pieces of it..."...ent nigh.....ho-wee nigh. Nothing better than singing with our baby boy.

Singing: Mommy started to teach you how to raise your voice to practice singing and we use names. Starting in a lower voice we'll say, "Mooooooooooooooommmmmm" and then go higher and say, "Meeeeeeee!" "Daaaaaaaaad-deeeeeee!" and we use everyone's name! You think this is so silly.

Games: 1,2,3, hike! We got a Love Sac bean bag that is huge. You and Daddy figured out a fun game where you run to him after saying, "1,2,3 Hike!" and then he picks you up and throws you into the bag! You laugh and laugh and then say, "Pull Daddy Pull!" You decided to add in your tent for this game now. You start there and then count and sprint out from tent to Daddy! Sometimes you get distracted and turn around to make sure everyone in the room is watching you and then almost fall backwards!

Stack a towa!: You love stacking a tower with anyone! Legos, big bricks, or little blocks! We just bought you your big bricks (120 of them) for your birthday! I told you we were going to go downstairs to open your present while Daddy was setting them up. We got downstairs and we thought you would scream with excitement! But instead you climbed through them, grabbed a blue one that looked like a present, and said to me, "Open." You actually thought that we had 120 more presents for you to open! You have been so lucky with all the Christmas, birthday, and big brother gifts the last couple of weeks it's no wonder! You eventually got the hang of it and love building a wall to roll your cars on or building a tower and saying it's, "Huge!"

Helping Mommy: You have seen how amazing your Daddy treats Mommy and sometimes choose to help, "What wrong Mommy?" or you will rub my back. The other day you grabbed my water and said, "Mommy Wato, Here Mommy" and held it up to me so I could drink from the straw. Daddy has been doing this a lot while I feed Hanna. Such a sweetie you are. You are always concerned with where my cell phone is too. You will grab my water and phone and say, "Mommy wato, Mommy phone."

Phones: You seem to know everyone's phones! You don't like anyone to leave it laying around. You can even decipher between four different phones that are the same brand. You will grab it, find the person, and repeat over and over, "Daddy phone" or "Gramma phone."

Who's my angel? "Me!" Who loves you? "Daddy" "And???" "Woa." "Annnnd??" "Mike." "Annnnd?" "Mike." You will repeat Mike's name over and over and then eventually say everyone else including Mommy.

Food:You are getting pickier and pickier but you continue to love pizza, tacos, 'oli' (ravioli), roll, baked beans, macaroni and cheese, anything bad for you (which you rarely get), cheese stick, cottage cheese, yogurt, clementines (baby orange), and your milk! You also love water and notice how often we drink it so you like to carry yours around with you too. You will chug and then go, "Ah" after a good drink just like Daddy.

Weight: you are around 30 lbs. You go to the doctor on Monday.

I could go on and on about how you make us laugh daily! We love you so much Baby Boy and you will always be my angel! We can't wait to see how you change in the next year to come!

Love, Mommy and Daddy