Sticky Traits

I have a nice goal to finish Jackson's baby book, prior to our August 15th baby due date. I spent 8 hours "scrap booking" at a crazy scrap party my aunt hosted in March, and I've finally gotten around to writing stuff on the pages. During this process it has been so fun to reflect on how Jackson has changed since infancy, and what personality traits have stuck around.

Stuck:
- Loves loves loves attention
- Can go from super sweet to complete terror in 3 seconds or less

- Not so interested in eating if there's a party going on
- Generally easy to take anywhere, as long as he's fed and not tired
- Problems? Take him outside or turn on music--still magical today

Traits that were less sticky:
- Little to no desire to move
- Rolls of fat
- Solid night time sleeper
- Bald head and cradle cap

 (Gosh he was FAT! -- Jackson at 7 Months)

We love this kid, but especially love his new interest in sentence forming. Often it takes a bit of time to figure out what he's trying to convey (like today's explanation of his friend Tommy getting on the school bus), but generally he gets some message across. My favorites of late are "I did it!" and "I like it!" (with that L lingering on his tongue). By far his best word is "Okay." He's amazingly agreeable when reasoned with at this point in life, and if I take the time to warn him or tell him something in advance, he'll give me a nice "otay" and I know I can count on it.

This is one trait we're hoping sticks!

Identity

Jackson has been stopping randomly (like in the middle of stories, songs, and running escapades) to get reassured of his self identity. His face generally scrunches up with a slightly concerned look and he points to his chest and says, "I Dackduh" (poor kid can say L's and R's but hasn't gotten the necessary tongue twisting for his own name). He'll keep saying it until someone assures him "yes, you're Jackson."

Fascinating! Mostly because he's responded to his name for so long, but I guess that's a lot different from realizing you are a separate person. He also LOVES listing off friends we might see during the day. On working days, he loves rattling off "Dack, Dane and Commie" (Jack, Jane and Tommy), but boy does it get exciting when either of these two are coming over:

Ms. Lilia


or Bodie man


(Bodie's shirt says "Don't make me flex, I like this shirt." )

It's curious that Jackson can say their names with perfect clarity, but way cuter how much of a thrill he gets when they come, and all the memories he's started to associate with them. A ladybug landed on my arm when Lilia was here one day--ladybugs now seen in books and in nature all evoke a long explanation about Lilia. (Which, is even cuter because she was a part of the ladybug family for Halloween.) Sitting on a ball next to the door like the picture above--means "Bodie!" is screamed. Jackson knows each of their their houses very well, and I always feel so bad when I just have to pick something up or drop it off as he cries "Bodie" or "Llillllia" (he loves lengthening the l). How disappointing for the little guy, but SO cool that he has friends his age whose parents don't stay at home all day long.

He also has recently mastered "Enwie" (Henry), but I think he gets incredibly confused because of the 5 or 6 different Henry's we frequently play with. Certainly a little tricky to explain, but he's starting to figure it out.

We're still working on object identity. T's have been replaced with the p sound lately, and boy, jackson sure loves to use his "poopbrush" (toothbrush). It's almost so funny, we're not sure we should work on it.

Sing a Song of Six Pence

Yesterday I started warming up my voice to practice a song for an upcoming performance. Immediately Jackson took his hand and threw it up in the air and did a "high sigh." I nearly died. For non-vocal people, a high sigh is exactly that--sighing high to warm up the vocal cords. The funny part was I hadn't even done a "high sigh" yet, but he knew that was an important part of vocal warmups.

Jackson is becoming more vocal with his own singing voice lately. He mostly focuses on figuring out how to say the lyrics of his favorite songs, so most of his songs are a-tonal, but that sure doesn't matter to a voice teacher!

Amazingly, the ABC song--which has no actions--has become one of his favorites (up there with Popcorn Popping and The Wheels on the Bus). When we sang it before nap time this afternoon, he produced some kind of sound with every letter, so I grabbed the iPod and tried to record it, and this is what we got:

Certainly not school ready, and a bit distracted by his own face, but not bad!

A few weeks ago we also caught his composition skills hard at work. (Don't mind Mark's interjection mid-video.)

I love his concentration at the beginning. So careful!

He's also fallen in love with nursery rhymes lately, and especially loves G'ma Brown's book she gave him called Animal Nursery Rhymes. It's full a ton of rhymes I've never heard before, and it's hit home the British nature of most of our nursery rhymes. These are my 2 favorite:

(Note--this one must be said with an Irish accent, think Lucky Charms to get you in the mood)

On the first of March,
The crows begin to search,
By the first of April,
They are sitting still;
By the first of May,
They’re all flown away;
Crowing greedy back again,
With October’s wind and rain.

I think I only like it because it requires the Irish accent. Otherwise its lyrics are as silly as most nursery rhymes. Most excluding this awesome one. Enjoy the brilliance in these words:

There was a little guinea-pig,
Who, being little, was not big;
He always walked upon his feet,
And never fasted when he eat.

When from a place he run away,
He never at the place did stay;
And while he run, as I am told,
He ne'er stood still for young or old.

He often squeaked, and sometimes violent,
And when he squeaked he ne'er was silent.
Though ne'er instructed by a cat,
He knew a mouse was not a rat.

One day, as I am certified,
He took a whim and fairly died;
And as I am told by men of sense,
He never has been living since.

Chocolate Dilemma

Dilemma.

I don't want to be the overprotective mother. I also don't want to deny my children the deliciousness of life in the name of nutrition. BUT we have a chocolate lover in the house, and it's not me.

These pictures were taken after making my birthday cake. (It was kind of a rude shock when I handed him the beaters the following week after making mashed potatoes--poor child).

On Sunday we had a nice crepe breakfast with some friends. Jackson only ate the chocolate chips.

He obviously appreciates the stuff.

Problem is, Easter is here and Jackson just got a nice little cold. I'm pretty well convinced that sugar (and dairy--but especially sugar) make it very tough to get rid of a cold. So, I'd rather he didn't eat sugar right now.

The great news is that he hasn't really figured out what candy is yet. Which is awesome, except we enjoyed a nice Easter egg hunt today for our weekly playgroup, and have another one scheduled for Friday. He dutifully helped fill our eggs, and was excited to find the eggs on the hunt--the whole time, he never even asked to try a piece. So, should I give all the candy to Mark (too sweet for my taste)? Should I let Jackson eat it right away? Or should I save it for a week until he gets over his runny nose and then let him in on the candy secret?

It's been such a nice secret to keep for so long... but I suppose it would be a nice tool to have for bribery purposes now that the binks are out of the window. Poor deprived child.

The next secret to go will be ice cream. Pah! Watch out daddy.