Jack, 2 1/2 Years

Man, what can't I say about this kid? There is so, so much to say about my Jack...

I think if there was anything at all I would want to remember about him at this age, is how his eyes light up when he smiles. 

My Jack is always singing. It's so cute. I once heard a quote that said something like "the happiest child, is one that sings". I think that's true for my Jack. He always has a little song in his heart.

I love the way Jack plays. He gets so intense with his toys. Mostly, he likes to gather like things into groups and arrange them in neat little lines he calls trains or stack them on top of each other. His little OCD tendencies come out when he's lining up his toys. Such a funny kid. 

Jack climbs on EVERYTHING! He is unstoppable. This kid is fearless. He'll go down any slide, climb up any ladder, and swing from any set of monkey bars. I really have to keep a close eye on him. 

Jack has a very advanced vocabulary for his age. There is nothing this kid can not say. If he hears it, he'll repeat it. Most of the time it will be in the correct context too. 

He has an amazing memory. He has several entire children's books memorized along with the title and the author. 

Jack loves dinosaurs, cars, trains, and bugs. He isn't afraid of any kind of bug. If he can find a bug, he'll pick it up. The other day, he carried a live bumble bee to Sandy in his little hand. When he opened his hand, Sandy quickly flicked the bug away and Jack said, "LOLLY!!! That was my bug!" and he went and picked it back up again. Crazy. He is constantly picking up ants too. I have no idea how he hasn't been bitten or stung yet. Maybe he's the bug whisperer...?

One of Jack's favorite pastimes is quoting movies and singing along with the songs as he watches. He's pretty good at it too. 

Jack has been asking about his sister, about where she is... kind of funny. Makes me think he has a sister waiting for her turn to come to our family.

Once, I was talking to Jack, and I mentioned Joseph Smith. He said, "Oh, he got dead. He got an owie. Hims was with his friends, and got an owie, and got dead, and fell a long way down." I was speechless. I have never told him about the account of Joseph's martyrdom, but it sounded like a pretty accurate two year old version to me. 

On another occasion, Jack said to me, "Jesus, I love him. He got an owie here (and pointed to his hand) and here (and pointed to his wrist). Hims hurt and dead. I want to help him." Once again, I was speechless. the crucifixion isn't something I have taught him yet, fearing it might have been too scary for him. It just makes me wonder how he knows these things? Does he dream them? Does he remember them through a thin veil? 

Jack is generally very sweet to Charlie (as long as he feels he is getting adequate attention). He calls Charlie his "little baby sweetheart" or "Charlie Parley Pooper", names he came up with himself. 

Jack loves all things yellow.

His favorite foods are ravioli and pizza.

Jack has started with imaginary play. I love to watch him play from a distance and listen to him talking for his toys. 

Jack LOVES women. It is not uncommon for him to tell a woman that she's "so cute" or "pretty like a princess". 

Jack goes to nursery happily now, and has for some time. We have actually had a bit of an issue with him being a bully in nursery, but I think we are passed that stage now. 

In the last six months, Jack FINALLY gave up the binky. Thank heavens. We just had to clip all of them a little bit with scissors. Once they were cut, he said that they were broken and he wanted nothing to do with them. 

We attempted potty training. It was a miserable failure. It was literally the worst two weeks of my life. 

Jack is a master at stalling when it comes to bed time and nap time. 

Jack loves to "run together". He'll make everyone in the family get up and run around the apartment. 

Some of Jack's catch phrases are: "I love you forever", "yummy to my tummy", "holy guacamole", "ka-chow", "nailed it", "did it all by myself", "ya help me?", "I don't like it", "gummy salsa", "impa pajimo", and  "puh-lay-lay". 

Jack LOVES to be tickled. 

Jack gives the best hugs.

He always show concern when someone is hurt. Without fail he'll ask, "are ya okay?"

Jack hates when Gordy tickles me. I think that he things I'm being attacked. He usually cries and hits Gordy and yells at him to stop. Good to know I have another protector.

Jack loves McDonalds, which he calls "McDonald's hadda farm" and Taco Bell. 

When I get ready for church, we always tells me that I "have a pretty dress". Such a ladies man. His two favorite people on the planet are Gramma and Heather. 

Jack loves to cuddle, but he isn't all sweetness all of the time. We are definitely into the terrible two phase. Kicking, hitting, and yelling are daily occurrences here. At the end of the day, I usually regret how little patience I showed toward Jack, and pray to be more level headed with him the next day. Oh, the inadequacies we feel as parents some times....

Jack is so goofy. He is always trying to come up with some silly thing to make us laugh at him. 

Jack weighs 29 lbs and is 3 feet tall. 

Jack still takes a nap in the afternoons on most days, but is slowly transitioning out of the nap phase. 

Jack sleeps in a big boy bed now!

I can't believe how much he has changed in the last 6 months. He's more of a little boy than a toddler now. Sometimes I look at him and am floored by the little man he is becoming. I think to myself, "where did my baby go?". He's growing up so, so fast. I'm excited to see what the next six months has in store for this little guy!