I am so sorry that I haven’t been the greatest in updating the blog. Jack, you deserve a lot better than just a measly 8-9 posts for 2010. We’re almost in April!!! So here is what has been going on:
* Jack speaks in sentences now. And my favorite response to that is “I don’t like it.” I don’t like that our little guy now says “How does it do that? “ or “ I really like Thomas and Friends.”
He is little Jack. Baby Jack. It is a bit sad for me to see my other friends who have little babies and they get excited about the first roll over, or the first taste of cereal. I feel like it has been 10 years since Brian and I went through that phase. I try to remember what Jack’s sounds were like when he was 8 months. It is getting harder to remember exactly. I was hoping that I would have the memory of an elephant and remember every coo, gurgle and sigh. *sigh* I don’t.
Yes, life does move incredibly fast. So much more faster since we are both working parents. I feel that we only get to experience any new thing that Jack does for just a few minutes. And those few minutes would be after dinner cause then Jack goes to bed. Slow down life, Jack is only two.
* The no TV project somewhat has failed. However, I have been getting stronger (somewhat) every day about restricting his TV. He still does get his library treat every Saturday. Every Saturday, we go to the Elmwood Park library, hang out, read some books and pick out which DVD to rent. A new DVD to watch. Awesome. Sometimes Jack thinks that we are getting about 5 movies. Not so fast bud. I think we are quickly getting to that point where Jack has rented almost all the Thomas DVD’s. Time to get a new obsession. Classic Disney movies perhaps? Ok!
*There was one night where we were having family night at my nother in law's, and Jack was not in the greatest of moods. I attributed that to the fact that our niece, Frances, was there and everyone oohed and aahed over her. And why not? It's a baby!! Who has that baby smell.
For some reason, Jack was just giving one pouty face after another. Followed by a lot of No's. It got to be so much that I told Brian, you take care of him, and went upstairs and cried silently.For a bit. All these things came to my mind, Will he be like this forever? Will he never like his baby cousin? What if we have another kid? Will he be Mr. Pouty forever? I was about to ask myself 10 more questions when my mind said “Alright, stop. It's just one bad night. It is not the end of the world."
There is a happy ending to this story. That day was just a one off. Since then, Jack has been nothing but the most affectionate cousin to Frances. He gives her lots of hugs, kisses and shares stories with her that only kids 2 and under would understand. It is the best feeling in the world as a parent to watch your child slowly become this little person with such a loving nature. Does this mean we are ready for child # 2? If time says so, then yes.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
"Cold turkey can be tough on everyone"
So says our friend and family member Rita Takenaga. She was referring to the no TV for Jack for the week.
Day 2 Tuesday
I slipped only because Brian had to leave for an assignment at night, Jack had already eaten dinner at my parents, and I had to eat something for dinner or else I would pass out. My only" babysitter" at the moment was a DVD (booooooo) .
That only lasted about 15 minutes. Then TV was off!
Day 3 Wednesday
I had a day off. We were trying to gather everything since we were about to go to the Oceanarium that day. And any parent knows that in preparing to go out somewhere is literally a one hour task.
Diapers? Check
Wipes? Check
Books? Check
Snacks and drinks? Check
Diaper cream? Check
Change of clothes? Check ( which by the way, I cannot believe that Jack is two and we still have to carry around a change of clothes.I thought that would stop when the infant blow outs would stop. Wrong)
So, in trying to get ready and to keep Jack still for a couple of minutes, Toy Story had to play.
Other than that, no TV.
It has been somewhat good. Jack is not a boy that throws HUGE temper tantrums and will cry and whine for hours on end. He will complain for about 1 minute and then will go and keep busy with something else.
That one minute though,,,that one minute of crying, sad faces, angry faces, and saying No....is like nails on the chalkboard for me. Brian ,the rock, is not fazed and for that I am eternally grateful.
Day 2 Tuesday
I slipped only because Brian had to leave for an assignment at night, Jack had already eaten dinner at my parents, and I had to eat something for dinner or else I would pass out. My only" babysitter" at the moment was a DVD (booooooo) .
That only lasted about 15 minutes. Then TV was off!
Day 3 Wednesday
I had a day off. We were trying to gather everything since we were about to go to the Oceanarium that day. And any parent knows that in preparing to go out somewhere is literally a one hour task.
Diapers? Check
Wipes? Check
Books? Check
Snacks and drinks? Check
Diaper cream? Check
Change of clothes? Check ( which by the way, I cannot believe that Jack is two and we still have to carry around a change of clothes.I thought that would stop when the infant blow outs would stop. Wrong)
So, in trying to get ready and to keep Jack still for a couple of minutes, Toy Story had to play.
Other than that, no TV.
It has been somewhat good. Jack is not a boy that throws HUGE temper tantrums and will cry and whine for hours on end. He will complain for about 1 minute and then will go and keep busy with something else.
That one minute though,,,that one minute of crying, sad faces, angry faces, and saying No....is like nails on the chalkboard for me. Brian ,the rock, is not fazed and for that I am eternally grateful.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Day 1
Monday - Even though I know that Jack got his fill of movies when my parents took care of him, we did not watch any TV last night. Big props to Brian and myself for sticking to it.
Jack did try. He asked for Cars, Thomas and UP. His cuteness almost got me when he said " Take out and watch?
Jack always asks first. It's nice that he asks rather than demands that we watch movies. I do have to give Jack credit for that.
I told him that we will not watch anything tonight. And he cried for about 15 seconds before he went to find something else to do.
Round 2 begins tonight - Brian will be out on assignment.
I miss the warm days when Jack and I would be at the park until bedtime, and as we would walk home together, Jack would pass out on the stroller.
Jack did try. He asked for Cars, Thomas and UP. His cuteness almost got me when he said " Take out and watch?
Jack always asks first. It's nice that he asks rather than demands that we watch movies. I do have to give Jack credit for that.
I told him that we will not watch anything tonight. And he cried for about 15 seconds before he went to find something else to do.
Round 2 begins tonight - Brian will be out on assignment.
I miss the warm days when Jack and I would be at the park until bedtime, and as we would walk home together, Jack would pass out on the stroller.
Monday, February 15, 2010
The Choosing
Our choice for this week is to deny Jack of all things TV.
No DVD's. No UP. No Thomas and the Big Adventure. No special treat from the library DVD.
Jack has discovered our DVD hiding spot, which is the living room closet. But silly me, I was the one that showed it to him. I thought that showing it to him one time would be just that, one time.
I didn't even think that he would remember the spot and go back there again and again.
As much as I love and adore that all of Jack's blabberings are turning into real words, now our conversations go something like this.
Jack - Watch Thomas?
Me - Sorry, we already watched this today. We can see this another day.
Jack - WAAAAATCH!!!!! ( followed by the dramatic tears)
I am thinking that this maybe go as well as his sleep training did. There will be a whole week of crying and frustration, but after that week is over, Jack will get accustomed to not always seeing his movies.
And by the way - where does he get his dramatics from? I cannot believe that a little boy his age can produce so many tears. The waterworks that fall from this kid is so intense, at times I do not know what to do. Console him? It makes the tears that much more intense. Ignore it? It may work, but I cannot stand to hear him being upset. It makes me sad as a mom and makes me feel that I am not doing my part in raising a happy kid. Alright, now I am being dramatic. Question is answered. Jack gets his dramatics from me. Great.
No DVD's. No UP. No Thomas and the Big Adventure. No special treat from the library DVD.
Jack has discovered our DVD hiding spot, which is the living room closet. But silly me, I was the one that showed it to him. I thought that showing it to him one time would be just that, one time.
I didn't even think that he would remember the spot and go back there again and again.
As much as I love and adore that all of Jack's blabberings are turning into real words, now our conversations go something like this.
Jack - Watch Thomas?
Me - Sorry, we already watched this today. We can see this another day.
Jack - WAAAAATCH!!!!! ( followed by the dramatic tears)
I am thinking that this maybe go as well as his sleep training did. There will be a whole week of crying and frustration, but after that week is over, Jack will get accustomed to not always seeing his movies.
And by the way - where does he get his dramatics from? I cannot believe that a little boy his age can produce so many tears. The waterworks that fall from this kid is so intense, at times I do not know what to do. Console him? It makes the tears that much more intense. Ignore it? It may work, but I cannot stand to hear him being upset. It makes me sad as a mom and makes me feel that I am not doing my part in raising a happy kid. Alright, now I am being dramatic. Question is answered. Jack gets his dramatics from me. Great.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
I like......
Tuesday - February 2
We were having dinner at my parents house when Jack announced:
My heart leaped that he actually formed his first coherent sentence. One that you can actually understand word for word on what he said. Then my heart sank a bit that he said I like TV. A sign to me that perhaps he watches too much of it? Sometimes, I cannot help it. I am trying to fix the house, or clean or cook, Brian is working and Jack wants to pull my hand in his direction. If I were to let him pull me all the time, nothing would get done. Sometimes a Thomas DVD is necessary. And I hate that I am writing that right now. I wanted to be one of those parents that would not use the DVD as an excuse to entertain your child. That their child would be happy and content playing his cars over and over and over again. But in the middle of winter....and you live in Chicago...a DVD is a last resort. Sorry bud.
Wednesday - February 3
We went out to dinner with my father in law. Both Brian and my father in law ordered BBQ ribs. To Jack's eyes, all that goopy sauce translated to pizza for him. Why, I have no idea. I guess they are both similar in color.
Now, is this a sign that Jack eats too much pizza? Definitely not. That was just a sign that he is an intelligent kid that recognizes pizza from the pizza commercials. From the too much TV that he watches. Kidding of course.
Unto dessert, where we had peach cobbler.
"Do you want some peaches?" -Brian
( tastes his first peach cobbler) "Mmmm, I like peaches." -Jack
That's our boy.
We were having dinner at my parents house when Jack announced:
"I like TV."
My heart leaped that he actually formed his first coherent sentence. One that you can actually understand word for word on what he said. Then my heart sank a bit that he said I like TV. A sign to me that perhaps he watches too much of it? Sometimes, I cannot help it. I am trying to fix the house, or clean or cook, Brian is working and Jack wants to pull my hand in his direction. If I were to let him pull me all the time, nothing would get done. Sometimes a Thomas DVD is necessary. And I hate that I am writing that right now. I wanted to be one of those parents that would not use the DVD as an excuse to entertain your child. That their child would be happy and content playing his cars over and over and over again. But in the middle of winter....and you live in Chicago...a DVD is a last resort. Sorry bud.
Wednesday - February 3
We went out to dinner with my father in law. Both Brian and my father in law ordered BBQ ribs. To Jack's eyes, all that goopy sauce translated to pizza for him. Why, I have no idea. I guess they are both similar in color.
"Pizza!! I like Pizza."
Now, is this a sign that Jack eats too much pizza? Definitely not. That was just a sign that he is an intelligent kid that recognizes pizza from the pizza commercials. From the too much TV that he watches. Kidding of course.
Unto dessert, where we had peach cobbler.
"Do you want some peaches?" -Brian
( tastes his first peach cobbler) "Mmmm, I like peaches." -Jack
That's our boy.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Jack and the Cookie Monster
Jack usually announces all the characters when the Sesame Street intro plays. Today, he did something different.
Happy 2nd Birthday
January 22, 2008 - 5:33 pm
January 22, 2009 - 5:33 pm
January 22, 2010 - 5:33 pm - Jack was checking out our friends Jake and Laura, before he would say hi to them. Hence his "Do I know you?"position.
January 22, 2009 - 5:33 pm
January 22, 2010 - 5:33 pm - Jack was checking out our friends Jake and Laura, before he would say hi to them. Hence his "Do I know you?"position.
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