I've got snow pictures to fill in and several fun outings to blog about, but I just wanted to write down several snippets that I'd otherwise forget about:
1) I apparently listen to too much NPR/Slate podcasts/Economist.com audiofiles. Jack turned to me a few days ago and said, "Obama?" and made his sign for music. He was asking me to turn on news radio, which he refers to as "Obama music." Obama music is currently ranking ahead of regular music in his request list, although I can't tell if that's really his preference or is a result of his "NO!" stage starting to get into full swing. ("Obama music, Momma!" "Jack, would you like to listen to regular music instead? Norah Jones music?" "No! Obama music.") By the way, "Obama" sounds a little more like "Ohhh baba" when coming from Jack; it's very dramatically stated.
2) Jack loves to "'nuggle, 'nuggle, 'nuggle," which involves him rubbing his nose against the neck or stomach of the closest available parent and/or stuffed animal. I can't tell you how thrilled I am to get him to slow down for a few seconds to snuggle; from walking time until very recently, most of the action has involved running, not cuddling. Don't get me wrong, he still runs a lot, and definitely runs away quickly when he sees Ben or me heading toward him with the intent to take clothes on or off of him (doesn't really seem to matter which it is, just that the change in clothing status will be occurring). But when he's not pretending to tackle Waddle Waddle or making up a ball game (usually involving some sort of throwing and then running to a wall that apparently constitutes base--the rules vary greatly and are generally unclear to me for the first 15 minutes of play), then he's all cuddles and attempts to read.
3) Every morning when he wakes up, we bring Jack into our (blissfully king-sized) bed, and he always carries with him an assortment of books. If he doesn't have the one he wants, he'll turn to us very seriously, and say, "Wait, wait, wait. Wait Momma. Wait Daddy." When he's certain we won't move, he slips off the bed, goes into his room to retrieve his desired story, and comes back, saying, "Wait!" again as soon as he enters our room, just to be extra sure we won't get out of bed before he's ready.
4) Amazingly, Jack reciprocates this stillness when asked to wait. He's waited at the top of several (sometimes very tall) slides while I get positioned to catch him, a feat that occasionally takes almost a minute, or 10 eternities in toddler time. Several times I've left Jack upstairs while telling him to wait while I get a snack or drink for him downstairs, and when I come back he's still standing in exactly the same place on the other side of the baby gate. Even when he's resisting a nap (as happened for about 2 hours today, ugh!) and is inconsolable, if I leave put him in his crib temporarily and ask him to wait while I go find the precious Waddle Waddle or Goodnight Moon that's missing, he is instantly calm and stays calm until I get back. It's amazing. Who would have thought?
5) We have made it through 3 of the last 4 masses without having to go to the cry room. Bible books with lots of flaps are the most wonderful invention ever (although the Noah's Ark one is a little dangerous, being a minefield of potential animal noise-inducers for an eager little boy). Yay for Jack!
6) Speaking of "Yay for Jack!" potty training is getting a bit of a step up. We now have a song for when Jack successfully sits on, uses (one verse for each version), or flushes the potty. There are also a few variations in which other members of the family's names are inserted so that Jack learns that all grownups use the potty. And of course, every verse involves Jack saying "Yay!" at the end. So now every time a toilet flushes in our house, regardless of whether he's been a part of the act, whether he's even in fact on the same floor as the flushee, Jack lets out a completely delighted, "Yay, [person who flushed the potty]!"
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