Recession haircut!

Before:














During:















After:

Christmas

Thanks Uncle Rick and Aunt Mary Lynne!











Reading a new book with Da.














Storytelling with Nannie.

Making (and eating) marshmallows

A three year old's pre-Christmas stress

A few days before Christmas I was struggling to get Jack ready for a trip to the grocery store. His words: "I don't want to go to Whole Foods. Whole Foods makes me sick."

Birthday

Opening some presents on his birthday morning.
















His requested cake, vanilla with purple marshmallow frosting (except it came out kind of lavender).

Shuffle repeat

We scored a hand-me-down cd player recently, and Hans hooked it up in Jack's room so Jack could play his cds. For the first few days Jack would put in a cd and then continually press next or back or pause, etc. Then he started messing with the function buttons, so sometimes I'll come in and find him listening to the same song over and over ("I just like it") or it'll be on shuffle and he'll have his face pressed against the display waiting for the song numbers to change.

A few mornings ago we heard him wake up at 5:45 or so. A few minutes later a Dead Can Dance cd started playing, and he tottered off to bed to listen while waiting for the clock to change to 6.

Jack's also been singing constantly, and his favorite songs include "Good Day Sunshine" and all of the They Might be Giants songs from ABC's and 123's.

Heffalump trap!

Jack and I were hiking at San Pedro Valley Park recently, and as we made our way slowly uphill, he got distracted by a little trench running parallel to the trail. At first it was just a pit, but we quickly realized it was, in fact, a heffalump trap! Jack "fell" in over and over again, and had a great time pretending for about 15 minutes. I sat down at the edge of the pit and enjoyed the view up to Montara Mountain. Our entire hike was about 2 miles, and it took us about 2 hours, but it was great fun. I know he'll want to go back again and check "the trap."

Laugh of the day

Jack and I were making up a song about things we love. He asked me what I loved, and I told him a few things (him, Hans, hiking), then asked him what he loved.

His reply... bacon.

Branching out to board games

A few weeks ago I created a card matching game for Jack -- just a 4x4 grid of animal and plant playing cards for which he searches for a match card one at a time. This went so well that I thought maybe it was time for some board games. I've ordered some for his birthday and Christmas, but Hans brought home Candyland from Target this weekend, so here we go.

First of all, I just have to say, what happened to Candyland? It was so perfect (see the photo) -- I don't like the "modern" look of it at all. I looked around a bit to see if anyone made the classic version, but no... Dora the Explorer Candyland yes.

Anyway, playing Candyland with Jack is a really good test for a parent's patience. The first game he moved randomly around the board, back and forth, with no regard to the cards. But today we did a whole lot better; Jack moved his gingerbread man as the cards instructed and even took card one at a time. He doesn't yet understand the concept of winning and I have the feeling there should no hurry with that lesson.

The other games on the way are Hi Ho Cherry O, Hiss, and Caribou. Anyone have other suggestions?

Honeyspooner

Jack, the boy who loves licking the honeyspoon, has become incredibly sweet.

At Thanksgiving dinner, just after we all lifted our glasses for a toast, Jack took our hands and said, "thank you for our family! Thank you for our food! Thank you for our friends!"

Last night when he was heading for bed with Hans he gave me a kiss and said, "you have nice dreams mommy."

Such a sweet boy.

The power of three

Jack has been at preschool now for three months and his third birthday is quickly approaching. Perhaps not coincidentally he seems to have suddenly grown up in many ways.

He's engaging in dramatic play for the first time. At home he shows tambourine frog how to spell and count. We pretend cook all sorts of unappetizing things with his plastic food and pots. At school he's flirting with the play kitchen more each day.

Also at school he's stopped pulling letters and numbers off the walls and cubbies. He is interested in art projects and plays with a variety of things, not just with letters and numbers.

Jack has become more open to new experiences as well. We've been hiking several times lately and he willingly walks on his own two feet more often than not.

Tantrums are becoming less frequent too -- we're enjoying a more calm and happy child, at least for now.

Beeself

Jack's nickname, Beeboo, has persisted, even though at home we mostly call him Jack and at preschool everyone calls him by his full name (there are several Jacks at school). Despite that, for the most part, Jack still refers to himself as Beeboo, so when he asks a question or wants information it comes out, "mommy tell Beeboo" or "tell Bee."

Jack is increasingly independent, so I often ask him if he wants to do something himself or with help. Today when I asked him he answered "I'll do it Beeself."

Here is a photo of Jack "writing" words, which is his newest skill. He writes dog, pool, pig, and frog, among others, and usually it's pretty legible (at least to me).