2 1/2 Years Old!

Jack has logged another 1/2 of a year!  It's amazing how much has changed since he turned two!  His vocabulary alone is impressive!  I looked back at the two-year update and he was just starting to string together a few words at a time.  Now the kid speaks in complete (and often grammatically correct!) sentences!  He's pretty good about remembering to say thank you and often says please without being reminded, but now we're working on stepping up his manners a la "may I please have some milk."  He's catching on, and it sounds so much better than "I want some milk."

Jack's favorite hobbies right now are basketball, baseball and of course, playing choo choos, which, by the way, are now called trains (but it's pronounced "toins").  We hung the basketball hoop he received for Christmas in his toy room and he loves it!  He gathers all his basketballs, shoots one after another and gets so excited when he makes a basket!  Baseball has been a favorite for awhile, but now instead of the tee, he wants to be pitched to.  Specifically, he asks one of us to be the "pitcher man" while he is the "batter man."  Love it!  Last week he hit two home runs while Jason was pitching to him (for those familiar with our house, he was standing in his toy room and hit the ball OVER the kitchen wall and into the dining room....TWICE!!).  We were impressed!

Goofy guy!!

He's still loving the train table he got for Christmas too and loves to put together the tracks after they fall down.  He's becoming much more independent in this play and doesn't need us sitting by his side the whole time he's playing anymore.

Another new thing: riding his tricycle everywhere!  Time to go brush his teeth?  Better ride his bike from the living room to the bathroom.  Putting his shoes away in his room?  Put those puppies in his "trunk" and drive them in there.  EVERYwhere!  Which brings me to another important skill Jack has developed: Master Staller. He has gotten so creative in ways to stall when it's time to do something he doesn't want to, especially at bedtime.  A key examples telling us he doesn't want to go potty then waiting until we've gone through the whole routine (teeth, turn music on, turn light off, close door, get in bed), then decides he wants to go potty.  Of course we can't tell him no.  Another one: requesting a drink of water after he's in bed.  Of course we oblige, but if you bring him ice water, he wants no ice; if you bring just tap water, he wants ice.  Oh boy.  We've learned that to ease transitions for Jack (when it's time to leave, go to bed, or eat) we set a timer on our phone.  He knows when the timer goes off, it's time to do whatever activity.  It seems to be working - he just needs some warning!

Our big guy's imagination has really been blooming too.  He loves to pretend!  A favorite is on the weekends when he rides his bike to run errands for us (into the other room and back): "I go to gas station and get Daddy's coffee," or "I go to Mia & Lily's house," or "Mommy I go get you a Diet Coke."  So cute.

Jack is a pretty good eater.  I wouldn't say he's the most adventurous toddler on earth, but he likes many foods.  Some nights he needs constant reminding to take bites of his dinner and even some assistance, but other nights he'll eat everything on his plate without much nagging.  He's recently developed more of a sweet tooth and likes most desserts; he used to not really eat chocolate - I'm not surprised he came around on that one - who doesn't like chocolate??

Daddy taught him to spray whipped cream directly into his mouth

The big shot is loving school!  He's always talking about his friends at school, especially Grier and Cooper.  Drop offs have gotten easier and easier, and now after I play with him for a few minutes, he likes to escort me to the door and "push me out," which is apparently a thing they do (I've seen other kids doing it to their parents too).  I'll take that over tears any day!  He comes with me to drop Charlie off at his classroom but rarely comes in with me, preferring to stand out in the hallway and watch through the window instead.  Silly guy.

Speaking of Charlie, Jack LOVES his baby brother!  He's always kissing him and playing with him.  We discovered the other day that Charlie laughs when he hears Jack laugh, which Jack loves.  He's now taken to fake laughing to see if he can get a response from Charlie.  Of course he gets pretty disappointed when Charlie doesn't react the way he wants!

He loves to climb into Charlie's exersaucer

 We weighed Jack this weekend and think he weighs about 35.5 pounds.  He's making his way into size 4T clothing and wears a size 6 diaper, which, by the way, is the largest size they make I think.  Time to get that boy on the potty!  He has started going on the potty in the morning and before bed, but other than that, he doesn't have a ton of interest.

We had the Ashers and Lades over for dinner Saturday night and Jack had fun laying with his friends Addison and Reghan.  Here they are being silly.  Jack and Addi got excited when the Little Einsteins came on, and decided to get up and dance to the theme song.  Too cute!!

I had to share this photo and video.  Jack and Grandpa built a snowman last Tuesday when we got a couple inches of snow.  Then Jack was apparently begging to destroy it with his favorite baseball bat, which he calls "my cool bat."  Luckily, Grandma and Grandpa held him off until I got there to pick the boys up, so I got to witness it (and take this video).

Jack, Grandpa and Frost

And destroying Frosty with his "cool bat"