Jackson's two-year-old-ness continues to bring me to my knees each day but I am enjoying him so much at the same time. It's the best of times and the hardest of times. One of the frustrating things about this stage is that I know how much he understands now and how capable he is of doing what I tell him to do. It's like he has a big flash of brilliance but then the next minute he acts completely unreasonable. The other morning I asked him if he wanted cereal or toast for breakfast. He wanted Apple Jacks* and I happily began pouring it in a bowl for him. All the while he stood beside me and descended into hysterics, saying, "I want cereal (cersh)!" I kept telling him I was making it for him - and he could see it with his own eyes - but he just wouldn't be reasoned with. I was totally amazed. That same day he completely refused to sit on the potty at all.
On the other hand, Jackson has been extra loving with me lately and I have been eating it up. He has been a daddy's boy since about 18 months but I am reaping a very sweet harvest at the moment.
We had been preparing to tell Jackson about the baby for a couple of months. We regularly looked through the photo album of when he was a newborn and I showed him pictures of my round tummy so he could somehow comprehend that he had been in there before he was born. When we were around Kay and her family, we always talked about how Aunt Kay Kay is going to have a baby and Jayk is going to have a little brother. So on Tuesday night we were finally ready to explain that mommy has a baby in her tummy. I wasn't sure how much he understood, but the next night I asked him if he knew what was in mommy's tummy and he said, "A baby." We have had a lot of fun talking to him about it. (But not too much since it is so far away.)
"Jackson, is the baby a boy or a girl?"
"Boy."
"No, buddy, the baby is a girl!"
"Boy. Boy!"
"The baby is a girl like Ella is a girl, and like Ava is a girl."
Smiles bashfully. "Oh!"
He doesn't understand yet that daddy doesn't also have a baby in his tummy. We really laugh about that but it is not going to be so funny when he asks someone else if they have a baby in their tummy.
I think the baby is the reason behind Jackson's renewed affection for me. Hey, I'll take it. It's been a while since I was the favorite. He has wanted to play with my hair and sit close to me on the couch. We've been rocking in the glider every night before bed and singing songs, which hasn't been our habit for a while. (Tonight we sang the "Boo Boo Song" and the "Go Away Snake Song." So much for the Sunday school songs.) I think this new wave of affection goes both ways. When I realized I wasn't going to have another little boy, it made me want to take in the one I have as much as possible.
I'm not sure how this story will come across as I write it, but I want to keep it in my heart forever. Last night we went to get some dinner at Pappasito's (which was being powered by a generator, by the way). I had been feeling like a slob so I decided to get a little dolled up. I even wore some big red dangly earrings. I normally don't wear dangly earrings because I don't particularly want them ripped out of my ears by my child. It had either been quite a while since Jackson had seen me look like that, or else he was totally mesmerized by the earrings, because he looked at me so sweetly. He grinned really big and just gazed at my face with so much affection in his eyes. My heart melted. There was nothing left of it. I got a similar reaction from his daddy, which made me feel really good. Pregnant Girl can use all the encouragement she can get from her boys.
My favorite time of day is when we pray with Jackson before he goes to sleep. We always ask him what he wants to talk to God about and he says the funniest things. For a while he wanted to pray about going on the potty, but this week he has wanted to talk to God about his cars and monster trucks. Even though when he prays, he basically just repeats after Curtis or me, it is still the sweetest thing in the world to hear. Half the time I have to peek just so I can see his little hands folded. It slays me. I just love him so much. Maybe the Father sees and feels something similar when we pray. The Holy Spirit says, "Repeat after me...Dear Jesus, I love you..."
*FYI: Our son loves Apple Jacks cereal and he calls it Apple Jackson. That's because when we realized he would say "Apple Jacks" completely clearly, we tried to use it to make him say his name correctly instead of shortening it to "Tachi."
"Jackson. Say 'Jackson.'"
"Tachi!"
"Say 'Apple Jackson.'"
"Apple Jackson."
It totally works! Tachi is the unfortunate byproduct of me calling him Jacksie, which is not a nickname I mean to call him or that I like to admit to calling him - it just comes out of my mouth. I know it's awful. I'm so ashamed.
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Oh I love hearing little ones learn to talk! Our daughter said "Apple" "Bapple". Her big brother (3 years older) would give her Speech Therapy in the backseat of the car.
He would say: Can you say "A?" Sister: "A"
Brother: Can you say "Pull?"
Sister: "Pull"
Brother: Say "Apple"
Sister (quite proudly): "Bapple!"
It was so funny! He taught her how to say so many other things. LOVED listening to those conversations! The joy of having a big brother! Your sweet baby girl is truly
blessed!
They are now 18 and 21 and 500 miles away at the same college.
You're killing me (in a totally good way) with all the sweet talk of new babies. My sister-in-law is in labor RIGHT NOW with their first baby (a girl!), and I just wrote a big, long sappy post filled with nostalgia. Then I checked Bloglines & saw this. I'm just positively on pins and needles.
Sweet post - love Jackson's reaction to the earrings & his dolled-up Mama!
Actually, I LOVE Jacksie; I think it's totally sweet. But I totally understand that the nicknames just come out of your mouth sometimes; that has always been true for me,too. When my oldest was a newborn and we brought her home, I started calling her "Muffin" all the time. (Her name is Kristina.) I couldn't help it, though, "Muffin" is just what came out. She has always had that nickname, and it has it's own nicknames now, like "Muff," and "Muffy." Wierd!
What a sweet post, Amanda. Enjoy this time with Jackson or should I say Tachi? Somehow, I'll never look at a bowl of Apple Jacks the same again.
Much love,
~Cheryl
I LOVE reading about your experiences as a boy mommy! As the mom of a baby boy, I look forward to moments like what you describe.
And I totally understand the earring thing! Everytime I wear a pair of dangly earrings, baby boy immediately reaches for and yanks on them after I pick him up!!!
I know what you mean about it just coming out of your mouth...Cassie has always just been Cassie for some reason. Emmy has always been June Bug...don't know why, blame that one on her Dad. A neice Sarah Beth is Gert. A nephew Tyler is T-Bird. His sister Katelyn, Katie Bug. I guess it might have all started when my Dad nicknamed me Sis and my sister Flash. Who cares...they are all signs of endearment. We need a picture of the red earrings. :)
You are such a great mom, Amanda! I am sure he can be a handful at times, but your hard work is creating an amazing little boy. :)
I think most toddlers end up with at least one word that makes NO SENSE to people outside of the family.
When Natalie was little and starting to talk, she called her beloved pacifier her "wajz." We have no idea where she got that. But it was fixed in her little mind.
Us: "Natalie, say apple."
Natalie: "Appoh."
Us: "Say Mommy."
Natalie: "Ma-ma."
Us: "Say pacifier."
Natalie: "Wajz."
And of course, we all ended up calling it a wajz.
Oh I could just squeeze that little Jackson! :)
Began buying pink yesterday. I'm sorry. I just can't help it. You do not know what you have unleashed in me! I'm having to pray for some major restraint.
Hilarious. When he quits saying "Tachi" I guarantee you'll try to get him to say it again. The end of the era will be bittersweet. My middle daughter, Tait, called my oldest daughter "Sissy" for a long time. Then one day, she changed it to "Sissy Emma" (her name is Mary Emma). The about a month later, she called her "Mary Emma" and hasn't looked back. The era was over. But I totally tried for WEEKS to get her to say "Sissy Emma" again. It's fun to watch them grow up and become friends (rather than a big sister and her baby sister) but I'd give my left arm to be able to rock them as newborns again.
Squeeze Jackson extra tight during these times that he's letting you!
What a sweet post! I got my boy last instead of first and I do know what you mean. A boy's love of his mama is too precious. It'll be interesting to see how Jackson reacts to the baby when she's born. My oldest was a great big sis and there was 3 1/2 years between them. One day out of nowhere....she bit the baby (about 2 months old) on the nose....hard! Up until that point I thought that Lacey had no negitive reaction to Summer coming into the picture. Lacey was also potty trained early and easy....but started peeing the bed at night after Summer came along...I was mortified. Funny and precious memories now but not at the time. Wish I'd have relaxed and enjoyed and laughed more!
I have been out of the country for over a month now and just got back. Tammie told me you were having a girl and I jumped up and down with joy. Oh, praise God, now Beth will have a grandgirl to shop with. It is the most amazing thing ever. Boys are really great but they have no appreciation for shoes and purses. Joy to you and yours!!!!
Jacksie is not that awful of a nickname-- I use it all of the time on my Jackson :) I'm sure you are a beautiful preggo and wish I could have been eating papasitos with you...cs is lacking in the mexican food dept.
I loved reading this post. What a sweet time with your son.
Jackson will be a great BIG brother. My oldest son was a great big brother. He loved on his little brother. There is nothing sweeter than listening to them pray. A vivid memory for me was when my youngest was sick and my oldest,who was 2 years old asked if he could pray for his little brother.
Enjoy your Sunday!
He is just the sweetest thing!
Such a sweet post Amanda!
ugh! I'm in the 2-ness with my middle child. I'd forgotten about it and it's frustrating; but my now 4 year old bears the marks of diligence and I praise God alone for that because I was a mess with my first!!! Anyway, just want to share you are not alone and I'll pray for you all!
I love these stories Amanda!!! They are oh so precious. To me there is nothing sweeter than to hear those darling little voices talking to God...and then sneaking that little glimpse of sweetness with head bowed, eyes closed, and big fat hands folded! :)
Enjoy that boy of yours. You'll find yourself getting more and more sentimental the closer you get to baby girl coming.
Hugs,
Fran
I'm slain by him myself. And I was looking at his mommy in the Luby's Cafeteria line today and thought she was one of the most stunning young women I'd ever seen in my life. And with a baby bump. A baby bump with a baby girl tucked in it. Be still my heart.
Earlier this week I was thinking that "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" sums up day-to-day life with my almost two-and-a-half year old son, as well.
My son also is SO impatient sometimes. I am literally pouring his juice while he sings his meltdown chorus: "my juice, my juice, MY JUUUUUUICE!!!!" How can he not see that I am pouring. the. juice?
I've taken to very calmly and deliberately narrating my steps and completely ignoring his sense of urgency. "Now I am putting the lid back on the juice container..." It helps keep me sane, even if it has no effect on his level of patience.
But, like your son, ours has become so much more affectionate lately. Sigh. :) It makes me so happy. So it really is the best of times, almost all of the time. You know, when it isn't the worst of times.
PS I love "Jacksie!"
Amanda, you are so funny - "I'm so ashamed." You slay me!
I. Loved. This. Post.
I'm so glad you got dolled up and your boys made you feel beautiful. I am sure you looked it!
And Jackson cracks me up.
What precious memories. I love it that Jackson and his dad looked at you with such love on their faces!
Our son, Nathan, will be 12 in 3 weeks. When he was little I started calling him "Na-tey" (like your "Jacksie". He's now taller than I am, and way bigger, and his dad recently informed me that I needed to stop calling him that! I'm trying... but it's hard... so I only say it when we're at home, alone, with no friends around. :-)
So funny! Our granddaughter will be three years old next month. She is having a baby brother in November. The other day when I was keeping her she came over and patted my stomach and asked, "Is that a baby brother?" ha ha I laughed and said, "No, it's just fat!" Guess I need to do some toning up! ha
Hope all goes well with your pregnancy.
Marilyn
"Maybe the Father sees and feels something similar when we pray. The Holy Spirit says, "Repeat after me...Dear Jesus, I love you..."
Oh my goodness! What a precious picture! I am sitting here with tears!
Oh cherish those stories! Just precious!
Amanda, you are beautiful! Inside and out!
Emmy : )
Jacksie is a cute nickname for the little guy! When my nephew Cole was a little baby someone started calling him "Coley Frijole" which morphed into "Coley Bean". I tend to call him Coley. And will sometimes use that goofy name Coley Bean! Kensley and Isaac are so new that they don't have nicknames yet and Evan has never acquired a nickname (could be due to the shortness of his name).
Enjoy the cuddle time with your little guy because when baby girl comes it will not happen as much.
Quick prayer request: My sister in law, Helena, will have to spend her first 48hours alone with the 2 boys this week. Her mom is going home and my brother has to work (48hour shift on Tues, Wed, be home Thurs morning: he's a firefigther)for the first time since Isaac has been born (he's 1week). Please pray for her to get through it without Evan or Isaac having total meldowns!
Ah! Sweet, sweet moments! Mmmm mmmm, good stuff. :)
Amanda,
What precious stories are recorded on your blog! I'm so glad that you write them when they happen so you can remember them forever. Just precious!
And I say...keep soaking up that Mommy and Jackson time! Sounds like he is smitten with you right now:)
Oh Amanda... I can do you one better on a name you call your child that is not their name and that you are not particularly proud of calling them.
My eldest daughter, Brittany, who is now 18 was born in 1989. Her father and I had a bit of a squabble over names... My first choice totally unacceptable to him and his first choice way more than unacceptable to me. So... I asked if we could name her Callie after my grandmother with the middle name Anne. He said "absolutely not" on the name Callie. But Anne was okay. So we ended up naming her Brittany Anne... or so I assumed. Her last name is Polish (Slavic) starts with a T and has 11 letters that should end in a schevsky pronunciation, but ends in a zew(ZOO)ski pronunciation instead due to the Texas connection. Imagine her issues in Kindergarten - I've suffered much over that choice. (It was not unusual to call the school the first week of school and hear, "Oh, we were just practicing how to say your daughter's name."
Anyway... I'm digressing. The day she was born her father was on the phone with his mother telling her all about her firstborn grandchild. Whe he told her that we were naming her "Brittany Anne" he asked, "Can we spell her middle name A-N-N like my mom's middle name?" I said, in my drug induced inhibition - "Absolutely not. If we can't name her after my grandma you cannot name her after your mom."
A few days later when they came in to fill out birth certificate information he filled it out spelling her name A-N-N. I was livid when I got the certificate in the mail. LIVID. Angry is not a good word, cause apparently the effects carried longer into the future than anyone anticipated.
Sometime while she was very small I began calling her "Brittany Anna." As a matter of fact when she was 12 or 13 years old I overheard her on the phone telling someone, "...mine is Anna..."
I interrupted her, "Honey, what are you talking about?"
She said, "Oh, so-and-so said her middle name was ______________ and so I told her mine is Anna."
I felt a huge rush of blood go to my face as I confessed, "That is not your middle name."
She said, growing a bit frustrated, "Yes it is. That is what you always call me."
I then had to tell her the whole ugly story about how I refused to call her Ann because of the name feud at her birth.
I, needless to say, began to use her REAL middle name more with her, but she says she knows she is in trouble when she hears me say, "Brittany Anna!" Which is not nearly as often as it used to be.
Sorry to be so long, but your story just stirred up this story about my girl. Amazing what time may steal but a good read brings back to you.
There's another name story for her little sister, but I will save it for my own blog! ;o)
Blessings on this sweet time in your motherhood.
Amanda,
I really enjoyed reading this. I am glad you have a way to record moments like these and then share them with others!:) I am glad your man and little man are showin' you some affection:) Momma's do a lot for their man and their kids. What Jackson wants to pray about made me giggle:)Cherish it all Little Momma:) God has granted you some sweet moments. Your stories make me smile:)
Proverbs 31:28-31 (AMP:)
Todd calls these years the most fun and the most frustrating at the same time. I'm convinced they often have no idea why they throw a fit, their internal clock is just telling them it's about time for one.
But they are still so sweet too! I remember the day Jadon called me a princess. My heart still melts when I remember that.
Loved the prayer story...that'll surely melt a heart!
What a cute story! yes, we'll all hold our breath that he doesn't ask a man or worse a non-pregnant woman if they have a baby in their belly!
When he goes back and forth on what he wants or will do, chalk it up to being two!
Take care,
Julie
Oh this is precious precious time. I would sit and rock Jordan for EVER every night (he was 3), from the time I found out I was pregnant with his sister, to the time he could hardly lay up against me my belly was so big. I'd hold him and pray for him, and this baby, and their relationship together (I had lots of sibling rivalry with my sister and did NOT want that for my two). I'd hold him and wonder how my heart could grow big enough - without bursting - to love another child like I loved him. God is SO GOOD how He builds a mama's heart to just grow and grow and grow.
I can tell you will treasure every second of that rocking. You'll look back on it in 7 years (like me) and remember it soooo fondly.
God bless you!!
I totally call my son who is named Jackson, Jacksie! He is nine now and recently started asking me not to call him that! :( I never intended to call him anything other than Jackson or Jacks. His middle name is Zion, so I have started calling him JZ instead of Jacksie...it is a little more palatable for him!
I will never look at Apple Jacks again without thinking about Apple Jackson!
Tachi's gonna love having a sister! Wonder what he'll call her?
Blessings on this incredibly happy time in your life!
Jan
My cousin Amy Beth is a very smart lady. When she was 9 months old she was already talking. She recognized her name also. However, one time I wrote her name " Amy" and she said "A my" I guess I had to much spacing between the "a" and "m".
But she also had a cute nickname for her pacifer. "piece of fire". We think she got the name from our Granddaddy when he was working with the fire in the fire place. Kids can be so cute.
This was the sweetest post! The mental picture of him playing with your hair and being so sweet is perfectly precious! I'm so excited for your new addition and can't wait to see all the joys that little girl will bring to you Curtis, and Tachi! :)
That is beautiful! What a memory you have. Enjoy these times with your little one.
I love hearing your stories about your boy. I also had a boy first and my girl second. Timmy loves looking at Jackson's picture whenever I am reading your blog. Your stories are so sweet and remind me to cherish every minute. I have been noticing that my baby girl who is 15 months is not going to be a baby much longer. They are such a blessing. Thanks for sharing the story about the breakdown over the cereal too. Sometimes I forget that my boy isn't the only child who has the ability to be extremely unreasonable at times.
How funny!
I'll remember that, as we are having a "Jackson" grandchild due in Jan. If he has trouble with his name,we'll call him Apple Jack.
He'll come by it naturally because as a child my son proudly announced one day, as we were driving by McDonalds........"hey, it's not BICDonalds, it's MCDONALDS."
We'd been correcting him for ages but he had to be able to READ before he finally got the name correct. lol
Stumbled upon your blog...I have a little boy named Graham. I call him Graham-y. What am I thinking? Don't I know that makes him sound like a little old lady in a rocker?!
To get our older one ready for the new baby, we made a paper chain and tore a loop off every night to count down to the baby. He helped make it which he loved. And we started about 50 days out. It worked so well that we did it again when we were expecting our third child. It was so cute seeing our 5 and 2 year olds tear a loop off and dance around singing, "One day closer to Baby Nate!" Fun times!
I think Jacksie is kinda cute.... I call Audrey, "Aud" sometimes and it drives Andy crazy because is sounds like "odd." Terms of endearment will be what they will be.... Love ya!
We've just made a cross-country move on the tail of a new baby. Our son, just a few months older than Jackson, was pretty excited Mack the Truck was going to take his trains to CA. The whole drive out here, he looked for Mack on the interstate. When he realized we were in CA (after a week), he said, "Well, then where ARE my trains?" Each night he prayed that his trains would come to the house (we were looking for one to rent). Our things were delivered last week and the following morning he thanked God for his "trains to come to the house"- totally umprompted. Melts my heart. It's things like that I have to remember when he's in B.O.Y. mode and I'm starting to twitch... Congratulations on your baby girl- we have 2 and they're wonderful! As an older friend says to me, blessings on your head and heart!
"Maybe the Father sees and feels something similar when we pray. The Holy Spirit says, "Repeat after me...Dear Jesus, I love you...""...beautiful.
talk about unfortunate nicknames...Hunt was Bubba and Bookie and Booken (I have no idea)and still is Hunty sometimes. Cierra is Cewa (because she couldn't pronounce her name until just recently) and Ceec (because CC is too long right?) and Ryland has become Boo Boo and Ry Ry. what is wrong with me sister?????????
That is so cute! Congratulations on the baby girl news, Amanda!! So exciting. I have boy, girl, boy... I love having boy then girl becuase the girl is more mature so they almost seem the same age and play so well together!
Congrats!!!
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