A few nights ago, Jack folded his chubby little toddler arms and said his first prayer to his Heavenly Father.

Daddy smiled and blinked back the tears in his wet eyes and Mama laughed at her growing boy and did the same.

 

Here’s the thing. The kid doesn’t talk much, not in full-sentences, anyway. It’s mostly gibberish. And we’ve asked for weeks if he wanted to be the one to say our family prayer, and he politely declined. (Actually, he giggled and acted all embarrassed by it.) So when he actually said an entire prayer the other night (repeating after us, of course) it was nothing short of a miracle.

 

Here’s what I gather so far from Jack-speak, and you’ll see he’s a fan of the letter ‘d’:

BUUUUUUSSS! (alert the media, people. we’ve spotted a bus. and he won’t stop screaming this until you acknowledge it)

YIGHT! (light)

eye (eye, prepare to get rudely poked in the eye)

shoooo (shoe)

dher-dis! (there it is!)

bun-dun (button)

ssssahhh-eee (sorry)

dain-do! (thank you; this one comes with the sign language sign, too)

dat (that)

cgl-kk (clock)

yay (yay; this one comes with his own applause)

 uhhhn-dunnn (all done/no thank you)

dee-dee (baby)

vroom!/vroom-vroom/beep beep (car)

choo-choo (train)

diss? (this; always in the form of a question)

wow (wow)

doo-bhush (toothbrush)

desss? (yes, always in question form)

dohhh (no)

uhhv-oooh (love you)

yunch/yunk (lunch)

des-dast (breakfast)

dack (snack)

dee!/tee! (good heavens! we’ve spotted a tree. and another tree. oh, there’s another one!)

doo! DOOO! (not sure what this means, but he’s usually excitedly pointing at something – like the Lorax, for example)

peas (please)

uh-oh! UH OH. UH OHHHH! (again, he won’t stop shouting this until you acknowledge the so-called disaster, which is usually a tiny spill of food or drink)

dee-dooooh (peek-a-boo!)

mum (mama)

da-dee (daddy)

eww (poop, and this word always comes with the sign for toilet in sign language)

dear (dear)

a-den (amen)

fake snoring sounds (but neither Tyler or I snore?)

hi & bye (bye-byes have become quite the display and have been known to be repeated for three or four minutes, long after we’ve left)

most letters and sounds of the alphabet

some animal sounds (dog, cow, pig) but if he doesn’t know the animal you’re asking for he just makes it up (ex: a dinosaur might go “doot doot!”)

Jack loves to sing and dance. He frequently puts on performances with his fisher-price xylophone, and if he’s around a piano (we don’t own one) he loves to play with both hands and sing along to his own song. Today in church when the music started (before everyone started singing) he excitedly put his arms up, ready to conduct, and when we started singing he started conducting. That kid. :)

He has become more selective on what he will eat, which I think is because I slacked off and fed him more goldfish and less vegetables when I was pregnant. (One-year olds are very impressionable with food!) But he still loves broccoli (more than the pasta on his plate!) and will now eat gummy vitamins so I think he’ll survive. ;) Our favorite lunches and snacks are refried beans + rice + avocado burritos, peanut butter & honey sandwiches, pasta, soups (corn chowder was a recent favorite of his), pears (sometimes), applesauce, homemade whole wheat vegan muffins, raisins, peanut butter + banana + cocoa smoothies, annie’s organic bunny crackers, ritz, spaghetti (the kid loves the challenge!), cucumbers, and peanut butter on a spoon. (Tyler also wants to add he loves french fries, macaroni and cheese, and doesn’t like pizza.)

He loves to play ball, and can catch it now in his hands. He loves to go to the park and especially loves the swings. He is still in love with the movie, The Lorax, and though we limit TV time, he’s discovered how to turn on the tv using the remote. ;) He still loves to play outside and explore in our backyard, but it’s rained a lot recently so we’ve been stuck inside. He recently fell in love with play-doh, and can make a worm by himself. He loves to “cook” in his play kitchen and is especially fond of banging his pots and pans together. (At least he can help us celebrate New Year’s?)

Jack also loves to watch and help me cook in the kitchen. Any time I’m in the kitchen (putting dishes away, whipping up a quick snack, getting a drink of water) he pulls up a chair and stands at the counter. He’s really curious as to what is up there, and wants to be part of the action these days. A few times a week if I’m feeling extra patient I’ll let him help me make dinner or a snack, which probably ends up being the highlight of his day. He loves to measure, pour, and watch things bake in the oven. Sometimes if I’m in a hurry or there isn’t much he can help with, I’ll set up a little “water station” by the sink for him, where he can dump water back and forth in bowls with a 1/4 teaspoon. He loves it!

Jack is much more independent and comfortable in his two-year old skin. He does really well on Sundays in nursery now. When I stopped in after the first hour to take him potty, he waved goodbye at his friends! (This is a big deal because a few months ago he would still have rather been left alone than be around other kids). He loves to give his friends hugs nowadays and loves to say “hi” and “bye” to them. Can I emphasize that he’s got friends? How cute is that?

Potty-training is going well, and I think it’s been a great confidence-booster. He is great at staying dry during naps, and we just put him in a diaper overnight. He’s pretty much got it down, except for poop. We did really well with poop for the first month or so, but lately he’s been horrible! He KNOWS where to go, (and even has ample opportunity to go!) but seems to like going in his underwear for some strange reason. Today shortly after we put him down for a nap he came out saying, “uh oh”. That tells me he KNOWS he’s pooped and he KNOWS going in his underwear is wrong. We’re trying some new tactics so wish us luck that it’ll “click” in his brain soon.

Lastly, he is really getting into Christmas, more than any other holiday before. My mom bought us an advent calendar, and each night as we put a piece on I try to explain the Christmas story of Jesus’ birth to him. He is very fond of the tree, and loved decorating it with us. Luckily he knows to just look, not touch. I never have to worry about him with the ornaments or presents, which is honestly such a relief! We love you and your obedient, choose-the-right self, little man. Don’t ever change. ;)

 

photos by gail pomare