J-A-C-O-B

Tomorrow we're headed to the beach for a whole week. I am not even close to being finished with all of the shopping, laundry, and packing that needs to get done before we leave, so instead of working on it right now, I'm blogging.

Have we not learned by now that I am a procrastinator?

Mentally, on the other hand, I am beyond prepared for this trip. I love everything about the beach. Except maybe the crabs. Jacob was fascinated by them during our beach trip last fall, and enjoyed watching them from a (safe) distance. But yesterday, he asked me if the crabs were going to eat him.

I told him I've never heard of that happening, but that there's a first time for everything. And you should always be wary of anything resembling a giant warrior spider.


Since I'm running out of time to procrastinate, this is just a quickie post. After our trip, I'm sure there will be a longer one with plenty of pictures. For now, I just had to share what my big boy did today.

We've been working with Jacob on his ability to recognize and write letters. He has been doing wonderfully. He walks around, singing the spelling of his name: J-A-C-O-B! It's a pretty catchy tune.
A few months back, he typed his name on the computer with no help from me or Jeff, which was exciting for all of us since it showed he not only knew how to recite the spelling of his name, he could also recognize the letters in them.
But even more exciting was when he began trying to write his name. His signature used to resemble an abstract piece of art with squiggles and lines, and hints of a letter if you looked closely...maybe. A little something kind of like this:



"Look, it's my name! I wrote Jacob!"

Mm-hmm...I think I can see the bottom part of a J in there. It sure is colorful, though!

His signature has been getting better & better, though careful inspection was still required. Today, though, he outdid himself. We stopped by Jeff's office after Speech Therapy this morning, and he decided he wanted to write his name.
Maybe having an audience inspired him because it was his best by far.


His latest masterpiece is currently hanging on our fridge, of course.
I am ridiculously proud of him.

Jacob's Thoughts

I remember when Jacob was a baby, an expression on his face would make me wonder what he could possibly be thinking about. Sometimes he would stare into space, or into my eyes, looking like he was analyzing his feelings or pondering life's deepest questions.







I used to wish I could get in his head and read his mind.

Well, I don't have to wonder anymore. I'm pretty sure he says aloud everything he thinks. So far, nothing too mortifying has been said in public, other than the time at Target, we saw people with bandannas on their heads, and he asked loudly if they were pirates. Or the time at a drive-thru, when he asked me while the window was down if the cashier had a baby in her belly. And no, I'm pretty sure it wasn't a baby. A food baby, maybe.

I'm glad I no longer have to be curious about what he's thinking. And in spite of the occasional moment I might prefer he keep his thoughts to himself, I'm enjoying hearing what's going on in that head of his. Here are a few recent examples of Jacob's thoughts and reasoning.


Sometimes, Jacob acts as a teacher, and takes it upon himself to explain to me & Jeff how things are made. For example, he'll ask, "Know how plants grow?" or "Know how to make ice cream?" Sometimes he's very accurate. But he's bound to make a mistake every now and then.
Like the time he asked us, "Know where milk comes from?"
Me & Jeff: "Where?"
Jacob: "From a cow's penis."

No one can be right all the time.

As we were eating chicken wings for dinner the other night, Jacob was carefully examining the bones. He was fascinated, and at the same time, being very cautious not to eat them. He warned us to do the same.
Jacob: "Know how dis chicken is made?"
Me: "How?"
Jacob: "They get bones from people and put dem in the chicken."

And then, after another careful examination, and a moment of deep thought, he adds, "Wait...dat's not right."
He'll have to think this one through and get back to us.



Jeff and I want to raise confident kids. And so far, I think we're on the right track. When I don't tell him first, Jacob will sometimes say things like, "I did a great job with that", or, "I have good manners." And I'm always quick to agree with him.
A couple of days ago, he was performing a magic show for me with his yo-yo. After my applause and praising of his yo-yo tricks (which consisted of holding the yo-yo by its string and swinging it back & forth), he tells me:
"I'm great at things. Like...doin' magic tricks, playin' with Optimus Prime, stopping tornadoes, and fightin' bad guys."

And how does he fight bad guys? He shared his plan with me & Jeff last night. If he ever encounters a real one, this is what the unlucky bad guy has in store for him:
"If I see a bad guy, I will make them smell my feet, and they will think they are so stinky. And then I will pee on them!"

And if he's wearing his Protector of the House uniform at the time he must conquer a bad guy, well, then they'd just better run away immediately.




I remember driving with the boys last summer, and a bird dropped a little surprise on the windshield. When Jacob saw the white bird poop, he explained that it must have come from a white bird.
So, if white birds make white poop, then it stands to reason that:
"When you eat brown things, you poop."

I think that one might be my favorite.


I wonder if he comes up with these ideas on the spot, or if he thinks them through in advance. Maybe they come to him in dreams?



Sometimes he has plenty of opportunity to think while on the potty.



I just love the way this kid thinks.

Instant Pick-Me-Ups

As I was playfully chasing Jacob around the house this afternoon, I managed to slip on the corner of a rug and fall (just call me Grace). In doing so, I also managed to hurt my wrist and my toe. I sat on the floor, holding my wrist, and wincing in pain.

Both boys came over to me. And both looked concerned.

Jacob asked in a worried, upset voice, "Are you gonna cry?" (he hates when I cry.)

Then Alex put his arm around my neck, and pressed his cheek to mine.

Jacob approached me from the other side, and sat on my lap. He gave me a kiss on the cheek.
"Don't cry," he said. "We love you."

And then I saw Alex's kissy face leaning in close to me, and I got a kiss right on the lips.

How could I not feel better after that?




Two nights ago, I wasn't in the cheeriest of moods. (I blame fatigue and hormones.) I found my mood slowly improving while reading "Mommy Hugs" to Jacob at bedtime. It's really a sweet book, describing and illustrating the ways different mother animals give hugs to their babies. So after hugging Jacob several pages' worth of ways, from nuzzles, to pats, to tickles, to nibbles, and squeezes, we came to the last page that reads, "My mommy hugs me with a snuggle, like this." And every time we get to that point in the book, Jacob jumps up on my lap, throws his arms around me, and hugs me tight. It's definitely the best hug in the book. Not to mention, one of the best hugs in the world.
As I closed the book and got ready to put it away, I looked up at Jacob to find him looking at me. Completely out of the blue, and for the first time ever, he said:
"I wanna marry you, Mommy."

How can any mommy not cheer up after hearing that from her preschooler?
I smile every time I think about it. And I don't think I'll ever forget it.

I love these boys.

Easter Fun

I have so many pictures to share, I considered dividing them between two blog posts. But, since they all fall under the category of Easter, I decided against that. So, this is very much a picture post. Consider yourself warned.


At dinner the other night, Jeff asked Jacob, "Do you know why we celebrate Easter?"
Jacob: "Why?"
Jeff: "Because that's when Jesus was resurrected."
Jacob: "Oh." And after a moment of thought, as though he were really digesting this information (although he was more likely trying to figure out what 'resurrected' means), he added, "And the Easter bunny brings eggs and toys!"

Oh well. When the boys are a little older, Jeff and I will devote more time delving into the religious aspects of Easter. Presently, to the boys, it means candy, toys, and time with family. And I think that's OK for right now.


Jacob had his first egg dyeing experience of the season at school. He was excited about his blue egg.


I'm sorry to say the egg did not survive past that same afternoon. It sustained a serious fracture status post fall from a little boy's hands.

In the days leading up to Easter, the boys were able to enjoy Easter egg hunts and more egg dyeing with a couple of their favorite kids: their cousins, Daniel and Lainey, of course.






No peeking while the eggs are being hidden.



"Hmm, that's strange. I could have sworn that while I was peeking, I saw an egg get hidden in this very bush."


"OK, I found these eggs. Now what?"


"Ooohhhh, I find the eggs and then put them in here. Okay. Now I see how this works."


Group shot with Grandmom.



On Easter Sunday, we planned to spend the day at Grandmom's and Granddad's lake house. But first, the boys had to figure out where the Easter Bunny hid their baskets. Both needed a little bit of help.

Finally, success!


Naturally, I couldn't resist buying the Spiderman basket. (Pay no attention to the boxes in the corner. One day, I will unpack our china.)


Jacob was thrilled with his new Power Ranger action figures. And I know for a fact that the Easter Bunny was so excited to give them to him, she almost couldn't wait until Sunday morning.



"Hey, cool, it's a baseball AND an egg!"


"Um, HELLO, how awesome are these Spiderman eggs?!"


His Nan first introduced him to the joys of chewing gum. And now, every time Jacob sees her, "Do you have gum?" is always one of the first things out of his mouth. Imagine his excitement to find his very own pack of gum inside the basket.

He does well with gum, very rarely swallowing it (and when he does, he thinks it's an impressive feat), and until today, has managed to successfully dispose of it in the trash when he is done. Today, however, I guess he decided to conduct a scientific experiment to discover what transformation gum undergoes after it is chewed for precisely 30 minutes, then placed on top of the ice cream in the freezer.
Too bad Mommy pulled the plug on that experiment. Mommies just don't appreciate science.

And, surely you remember his love for "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial"? He was happy to find that in his basket as well.


The Elmo (or, as Alex calls him, "Mo") Easter basket was right beside the Spiderman one on the shelf. It was also begging to be bought. I have a feeling these baskets will be out in our house year round, since they're also perfect for carrying cars and other assorted toys from room to room.

"There seems to be something inside this egg..."


"I never knew a football could also be an egg! This day keeps getting better & better!"


Alex was definitely most excited about the candy in his basket. Since Easter Sunday, we have played with the toys and read the book that were also included, but that morning, the candy was all he could focus on.

"This is amazing. I could open my own candy shop."


"CANDY!!!!!"


"Cheeeeeeeeeeese!"


And this time, slightly more subdued.



Time to head to the lake to visit Grandmom, Granddad, and Nani.
We were pleasantly surprised to find that the Easter Bunny dropped off a few gifts at their house as well, including coloring books, candy,


and swords. We only have 1 of these foam swords at our house, which means when fighting each other, the boys always look for another item to use as a 2nd weapon. It will be nice to have another foam sword now instead of having to snatch toy golf clubs and brooms out of little boys' hands during battles. Obviously the one with the plastic weapon has a slight advantage.



Alex is so well trained in fencing, he is able to hold the sword by the actual blade.
"Who shall I conquer next?"


I was conquered next with both swords at once.


Even Nani was beaten by the foam swords. We put a stop to it quickly, though, since she was without a weapon to defend herself. So, the boys decided to love on Nani instead.



Battle time is over. Now we can move on to playing with cars


and preparing dinner and dessert! Jacob loves helping Grandmom in the kitchen and kept referring to himself as "The Chef".


When Alex realized he was missing out on valuable brother & Grandmom time, as well as an opportunity to be close to food, he was quick to provide assistance as well.


Painting rolls with butter is fun.


After the rolls were set aside, it was time to prepare apple cinnamon pinwheels. Grandmom was kind enough to act as a mere Assistant Chef, and let Jacob take the lead. Alex saw chunks of food within arm's reach, and made the most of it. His mouth is full of apple in almost every picture.


Don't be shy with that sugar.


Alex got his own bowl of apples to enjoy while he watched the Head Chef add the cinnamon.


"Voila! My work here is done."


Chef Jacob's & Assistant Chef Grandmom's finished product. Ready to go in the oven.


While Alex was napping, I was allowed to get some rest while Grandmom entertained Jacob (thank you, Grandmom!). They blew bubbles, went fishing, and per Jacob's request, walked to the neighborhood golf course where Jeff & Granddad were playing.
Since Jacob looked tired after the first half of their trek, Grandmom carried him the whole way back. I don't know how she did it. And even knowing how exhausting it must have been, I still made her stand there while I ran in to grab my camera. I'm so mean.


After a delicious dinner, we could hang out and spend time together.

Dancing to his own music with some very impressive arm moves and upper body twists.


"Thank you for watching me dance, Granddad."


Jacob realizing that Granddad needed a little affection from him too.


Grandmom's turn to receive one of Alex's famous kisses.


I love this one.



I hope everyone had a Happy Easter! We certainly did!