Merry Christmas!

Wow, am I glad that's over. I want my happy kid back, please! He's been toddler-glycerine lately - one touch the wrong way and POW! it's all over but the crying! We think that maybe his 2 year molars are starting to come in. He usually has teeth issues at the same time as a growth spurt and he's certainly been eating like a growing boy lately. And he's complained that his head hurts, so I'm hoping that's what's making him grumpy and that this isn't the kid I get until he's 4. But if it is I still adore him and he's still better than most kids (in my humble and completely unbiased opinion). So, the holidays.

Christmas Eve he stayed home with me and we made Candy Cane Snickerdoodles for Santa. Well, more Doodle than Snicker. Mommy read the recipie wrong and didn't put in enough flour so they were more like lace crisps, but they still tasted good! Jake loved cooking and wanted to cook more after his nap so he helped me make cinnamon rolls (see picture). I'd love to tell you what a help he was but, well, he's 2 so not so much. Still, he's very ernest about it and loves to cook so I plan twice as much time as I would normally need to cook (and 3x what I'd normally need to clean) and off we go.

Santa must not have been too dismayed by the cookies because he still brought Jake the green wagon he asked for. And the kitten. OK, stuffed, but what are you going to do? His name is Meow and he has joined the ranks of the elite in Jake's bed. Santa also left a lovely thank you note, which I thought was very Emily Post of him. Christmas was pretty laid back after that. We spaced out the presents so he got to play with them all, including a pony (on a stick) from Memaw, hot wheels and a case (!), and a fishing game that has become all the rage. OK, mostly he takes the fish out, puts them in a bowl and "cooks" them, but hey.

Saturady Ama took us to a park that had BUNNIES that were tame. Jake got to feed them carrots and Mommy got to pet one of them. It was seriously cool and much fun was had. Sunday was a kick-back day with a trip to McD's (it was raining, we didn't eat there!) and a walk around the block (twice) with Lauren in our new wagon. Have to show off the new wheels to the girls! Of course, Mr. didn't want to go back to school today (he's been in a very clingy "Mommy" mood - another possible sign of teeth coming) and put up quite a fight, but I'm hoping as we get back into our routine life will settle back down. Granted, with a little more clutter, but settled none the less. Here's to a happy, healthy, uneventful 2010!

Two quick videos before I do the whole update...

Two quick videos to post: one is Jake singing the A-B-Cs (without N-O, which is ironic because that's a word he can't manage to go 5 minutes without saying lately!) and the other is the Zoo Phonics song (through "N") from school. With guitar accompniment, of course!

OK, I can't resist commenting. The first you really can't hear him, he's too far away from the cheesy mic on the Flip, but you have to love that he got up on "stage" to do this. The second video you can hear much better. I love that he's really trying to sing and modulate his voice. He has a real Bob Dylan kinda thing going on at some points. Also digin' on the guitar usage and the multiple sets. Though these two were taken only minutes apart, you can tell the second is much more his "unplugged" style.

Happy Holidays

We have had an eventful and happy holiday season so far. Jake appears to like Hanukkah just fine (especially latkes and getting presents). Also dreidels are good. He had a great time with his cousins at the party Saturday night. (Picture)

But this year it's hard to compete with Santa. Any man in a red hat is Santa. The lights, the carols (Jake loves Jingle Bells and Jingle Bell Rock), and the tree. He got his own Santa hat at the grocery store Saturday and spent the rest of the trip telling everyone he saw "I'm Santa! Ho, Ho, Ho! Merry Christmas!" Too darling.

Last night I was treated to a bath-time spontanious recitation of the Alphabet Song. OK, he missed "I," but who needs "I?" It was great - I had no idea he knew pretty much the whole thing. I think he was happy with the burst of happy that Mommy showed, so after the bath I got the Zoo-Phonics song from school up to "H." I think there should be a law that schools should have to send home the words and music for any song they teach the kids: I feel like a dolt when I don't know the songs he wants me to sing!

We're looking forward to Christmas, and even more to all of this fuss being over. Santa is bringing the requested green wagon (or so I hear) and the kitten is ready for the stocking and life will go back to normal soon. Happy Christmas and a Wonderful New Year to all our friends and family. We love you.

Holiday Recital

I'm going to state up front that I haven't yet decided whether to post the video. I was off to the side, the Flip has very little zoom, and you can't really see anything, certainly not Jake. There is at least one still (Ama to the rescue!) that I will come back and add to the post when I get it.
That said, as a member of the live audience I can state that you didn't really miss anything. I watched and saw him sing one word (which was one word more than a lot of the other kids his age). He mostly sat there staring blankly and occasionally pondered the Christmas tree right behind him.
However, there was a second act. I got down a little closer (along with every other parent there) to get video. Unfortunately for that theory, I was spotted. He got this HUGE frown on his face (I honestly didn't know a person could get the corners of their mouth that low - I thought his chin might actually become disconnected and fall off!) and started crying "Mommy!" He pulled it together while they were singing, but I rushed up and got him right after to avoid any more drama. Not too bad. Honestly, better than the kids that kept grabbing the mic and shouting parts of the song or other random words into it.
As truly painful as it was to sit through the other class' holiday offerings while waiting to retreive my son, I am looking forward to many years of watching him belt out holiday songs I've never heard of in a key that can only be described as "hopeful."

NEW ADDITION: Pictures. You can see the frown from the side in the second one, but nothing could replace the original!

Preview of Wednesday's recital

Here's Jake singing Jingle Bells and wishing you all a Merry Christmas!

Mommy's Big Boy!

OK, so this probably won't seem like anything to anyone but me, but I'm so jazzed over it, I had to post. First, Jake had a rough night last night. Basically, I slept (on and off) in his room from 1:45 a.m. to 4 a.m. But, after I went back to bed I slept until the alarm woke me at 5:30. As usual, I rolled out of bed and tiptoed into the kitchen and toward Jake's room to close his door so I could get his backpack ready for school today. I assume he's asleep because when he wakes up he has always, since the day he got his bed, come to get me the second his eyes open. But not this morning! As I entered the kitchen I noticed that there was more light than there should be (I know, a lot of you are thinking there shouldn't be ANY light at 5:30 a.m. but that's beside the point). I found Jake sitting on his bed with his reading light on reading books! He informed me that he had "read" Meatballs (Cloudy With A Chance Of) and was now reading Terrible Day (as in Alexander and the). I sat with him while he flipped through Alexander and commented on what was going on in the pictures. He remembers from all the times we've read it what the story line is at any given random point. He also has favorite parts of the pictures that should be commented on (where the kitty is sleeping and how said cat may have attained that position, for instance). It was so cute and, frankly after keeping me up half the night he owed me, but also a little bittersweet to see him continually grow in his independence. He's speaking in clear sentences and even showing some empathy (eg. last night's comment when told Dippy wasn't going to get ice cream with us "So sad, Dippy. No ice cream for you."). He's growing up so fast but he's growing into such a wonderful young man that how can I be sad? Still, somehow I manage a few tears, both sadness and pride, as I watch my baby drop away like a thin cocoon and the beautiful young man emerge and take flight.