Jacky Boy

Wow, it's amazing how quickly things change! Just three weeks ago I did last months update on Jack. I talked about how he was picking up some new words here and there but not using them consistently. Well, just after that post he spent a couple weeks in a language explosion. It was so fun! He seemed to be learning one or two new words a day. I would say he pretty much has a word, sign, or noise for most of the things that are important to him. He still only talks when he wants to though. And don't expect to understand him. You'd need a dictionary and a discerning eye to decipher his language.

For example,
car: a shaking fist, or "cuh-cuh", or "beep beep"
is oh so similar to-
oscar the otter: a shaking fist, or "ah-cuh"

Then these four are awfully similar-
shoes: pound two fists together, or a "zshh" sound
again (do it again): pound one fist against a partially opened hand
ball: pound one fist against a partially opened hand or "bah"
more: pound two fists together or clap both hands

And then there's
water: a fist tapping his mouth, or "bawa"
and
eat: a fist tapping his mouth

See the confusion?

Some others are:
cereal: a pointed finger sliding either in front of or behind his neck
banana: one pointer finger "peeling" the other pointer finger, or "nanana"
dog: hit belly with open hand
book: open hands like reading a book, or "buh"
dad: "dada" or tapping fist against head or cheek
train: "choo choo"
outside (wants to go): "buh-bye"
cat: swipes fingers across face or "mow"
hat: taps the top of his head with his hand

There. You're ready to babysit, right?

And some of my faves:
He learned to say "beep beep" from the many times he's pushed the emergency button on our car remote.
He picked up a washcloth that had dropped from the laundry and called it an "all done" because of how every time he's all done at this high chair he gets wiped off with a washcloth.
He's started to say, "ow" and for some reason picked up on saying "pee pee" when he sees the toilet. He'll even make you let him sit on it.

He's also starting to pick up on what we're saying a lot more. One day Jane and I were roaring like the beast (from Beauty and the Beast of course) and Jack ran and got his stuffed lion and came in roaring. Another day I asked Jane if she thought she needed a jacket. Before I knew it Jack had gone to his room, gotten his jacket, and was handing it to me.

Now, I wish with all my heart I had pictures to illustrate one of my favorite things that Jack has started doing. He has started making funny faces that are indeed, FUNNY. I can't even describe them but they are so adorable. You can usually get him going on a streak of them just by throwing him one funny face to begin. It always puts me in a good mood.

Jack is PICKY. He's picky AND he can't eat soy or dairy. So he really eats the same things day in and day out. Everyone needs at least one picky child. If you don't have one, you probably think you've done something "right" or the parent of the picky eater has done something "wrong." Well, if that describes you, I hope you are blessed with a picky child some day. For fun I made a list of the things that Jack will actually eat:

You typical child-friendly snacks: Cheerios, bunny graham crackers

Then, for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner your options are:
*cooked oatmeal or hot quinoa cereal with peanut butter mixed in
*cold cereal like granola
*applesauce mixed with mashed egg yolk and canned pumpkin
*pancakes or homemade muffins

SOMETIMES, you can get lucky with these items:
*toast with peanut butter
*diced avocado
*broccoli
*sweet potato

And then, thank heavens, he will eat pretty much all fruits. So, he eats a lot of them.

Well, that covers it! Any healthy food you can think of that isn't on that list means I've tried it (repeatedly and still trying) and he won't eat it! Chicken? Peas? Pasta? Beans? Rolls? Eggs? Potatoes? Beef? Sandwiches? Corn? Rice? No, no, nope. Add the fact that he drinks rice milk with no fat and no protein and I don't know if either of us will survive this! I'm just hoping that now that I've posted this he'll go through a "food explosion" and start eating 1 or 2 new foods each day!

Ok, on to the fun stuff:

Check out Jack's buzz cut. Oops.