Jackson - 21 Months

Jackson - You are entering your last month as an only child. Although we have been bad about blogging, over this past month your personality has really started to develop. We will blame our lack of posting to the fact that we have been showering you with attention and affection. Plus, you're keeping us plenty busy.

This has been a big month for you. You're now in a new classroom at school where they're giving you much more challenging work and lessons. You can count to ten in Spanish suddenly and you told us all the colors of the Sesame Street characters, which is interesting because you aren't exactly inundated with TV time at all. (When we do watch TV with you, it's 50% of the time Wheel of Fortune, 40% of the time the Wheel of Fortune Wii game, and 10% of the time Wipeout, so we should be asking you to tell us which color the $300 wedge is or which color the balls on Wipeout are. Irregardless, somehow, you've picked up on who Big Bird, Cookie Monster, and Elmo are and it can't be from TV, unless our day care gets very lazy between 10 and 2.) Going to the next room up meant having to leave Ms. Lalita behind, who you still lovingly refer to as Ita. We thought it would be worse for you, being as you actually started a few mornings by calling for Ita earlier this month, but having your other teacher Ms. Tiffany in your new room makes things better. You also are getting to share class time with your old friends since the snuggler room Sophia and Blakey. Seeing you explore your new room with your new friends has been great for us but it also reminds us how quickly you're growing up.

The other night, you had a big milestone, but we missed it. Apparently watching your potty-trained friends has encouraged you to pursue bowel control, so when Grandma Stockman and Stephen were here the other night, you decided to just use your potty. You sat on your tiny potty and did what you were supposed to do, which apparently amazed you thoroughly. Grandma sweetly asked us if we would like her to preserve your product so we could see what you had done, but we decided this was nothing we needed to see. (In truth, I've seen plenty of feces from you. Plenty.) Still, this was a big step for you and we look forward to really tackling potty training in about a month or so.

Grandma Stockman and Uncle Stephen still delight you, and Stephen's name always seems to be on your mind. You repeat it constantly. They've pulled some babysitting duties so we can work some nights at school, like when we voiced our concerns about HISD's suggestions for the Magnet Program or when your mommy gave a speech to a thousand prospective students and parents at an open house she spent months planning. Your other Grandma and Granddad baby-sat tonight so we could run some errands and have a little date, and your face lit up when you saw them arrive at day care today. You love discussing your extended family and you certainly love your time with them. We love having so many so close, and we're well aware how blessed we are to have such a loving family.

You also love music. Singing it, dancing to it, creating it with loud toys on the coffee table, whatever it takes, you want to be surrounded by music. We've started adapting some songs to reinforce lessons from school and you love to sing along. We also pair music up with things you don't enjoy to keep you happy. I wonder if you'll always want to brush your teeth when you here the song about the dog named B-I-N-G-O. I also wonder if "Golden Slumbers" by the Beatles will always put you to sleep. I've sung that one to you for about a year now, and hearing you sing back "Sleep pretty darling, do not cry" to me is a high point to my life. I've also been teaching you some of the songs I've written and you really enjoy the "Penny Is a Big Pig" song. (Wait until you hear him sing it, Penny!) Your excitement about the hand motions and truck sounds in the truck driver song make me think I have a hit on my hands, but knowing it's right now just for you is a very nice feeling.

But, of course, your real love is just dancing to any music. Your indestructible MP3 player from Christmas gets you clapping your hands and stomping your feet to show how you're happy and you know it, but it's Beastie Boys or Daft Punk that really gets you going.

Grandma and Uncle Stephen seem to be doing their part to get you ready for some raves later on in life. The flash light was another awesome present for you that you love so much. Lights still fascinate you too, and your uncle has gotten you plenty of little lights to keep you happy.

You're also fascinated with Elmo. Beyond knowing his color, you know that you're supposed to worship him. You feed him your dinner, you sleep next to him, and you call out to him when you can't find him. It's cute, but a little weird because it came out of nowhere. I keep trying to get you more obsessed with my obsessions, which has resulted in you knowing Smurfs say "la la la" and one of your Marvel toys is named Dr. Strange, but nothing holds the top toy spot like Elmo. Here you are on the night you used Elmo's feet to bring food to your mouth.

You now say "I love you" to us and the puppies, which makes any tantrum easier to handle. You also like to run up and give hugs and kisses. Never stop, please.

You do love to get yourself in trouble. You still smack the dogs or get too rough with your broom or throw your food or drop to the floor and scream if something does not go your way. You sit in time out (without Elmo to ensure you understand it's a punishment) and go right back to being naughty. We'll get to the point where you understand punishments and rules, but some days it's difficult to keep our patience. How we'll be in a month or so when Annyong arrives might make us have less patience, just as a warning.

You still love books, buses, baths, and beans. Here's a nice pre-bath, post-beans pic.

You start every day with a book being read and you finish each night with a book. You can recite so much of the If You Give a Pig a Pancake book that it amazes us, and you remember stories from months ago. You love to pick up mommy and daddy books to read those, but we're going to keep you to nice happy books for right now.

That's an awesome Smurf shirt you're wearing, by the way. Annyong has a matching one.

You love vehicles, especially buses and planes, but bikes seem to be more interesting now. You and Daddy toured the neighborhood and you seemed to enjoy the bike much more now than you did six months ago. But as neat as the bike ride was, the highpoint was when you saw a plane and yelled at it.

I could go on and on tonight, but I'll leave it at this - you are very loved, little Jackson. Twenty-one months has gone by so quickly, and watching you become a little person is so amazing. We know you'll be an excellent big brother in about a month.