party pics and well check...

i am woefully behind on the blog...between getting ready for jack's party, and both of the kids getting sick, time has just gotten away from me.

jack went in for his three year check up, and i am happy to report his iron levels are back to normal! what a relief because i was really starting to get concerned, considering some of his other vitamin levels are twice what they should be! his weight/height put him in the 75%, which is about what i expected. although i have to admit i thought he was kinda short, but i guess i was wrong!

he really likes his dr., and he always cracks her up when we go. he continually impresses her with his language, to which she always asks him if he ready for college! he's making mike and i look really good;)

on another note, we had a little birthday party for him. the theme was pirates, and i think judging by the pictures, he had a fun time! we were lucky to have a nice day weather-wise...

behold: the pinata!
it didn't take long for the kids to get into it!

pretty madison:)
who by the way, can certainly hold her own with the boys and had the best swings at the pinata!

digging for "buried treasure"

"i'm wearing big boys, ya know"

for those who have not spent any time with jack recently, you would be surprised to find that he is quite possibly the most talkative three year old i know. seriously, he will talk to just about anybody...in fact, the title of this post was what spurred this topic as this was the conversation he had with the checkout guy at whole foods yesterday!? he then proceeded to tell the guy that when he was done potty training he was going to use his money to buy a car (not a real one, obviously)!

this brings me to the aforementioned potty training, and the lack of motivation on jack's part. i decided that i had put it off long enough, and this past week we went for it...how is it going you might ask? well, let's put it this way...by 9:30 a.m. this morning we have already had one pee and poop accident. y'all would get a real kick out of the fact that mike nearly gagged and i had to take over the poop one;) this might all be too much information for anyone, so i'll get back to our "car" incentive...we decided to give jack money for his piggy bank each time he went successfully on the potty, and we told him that when he was completely potty trained he could take his money and buy something with it as his reward. sounds pretty good to me, but it unfortunately is not working. his issue is not that he can't go on the potty, his issue is that you cannot tell jack to do something if he doesn't want to, and well he's too busy to stop playing and would rather just go in his pants-oy!? perhaps said "car" incentive will work better when he's sixteen;) for the record, this was the part of parenting that i have been dreading and it is living up to its horrible reputation...we might never leave the house again for fear there will be an accident!

anywho...here are some pictures of a certain hard to photograph crazy kid:)

Guest Blog: Happy 3rd birthday, little man!

Dear Jack,

It is so hard for your mommy and I to get over the fact that three years ago today we welcomed you into the world. You have brought us so much happiness, and challenged us in so many ways, we cannot begin to tell you how great the past three years have been. However, let me give it a shot...

Top 10 reasons you are cool/we love you:
1. You have a better vocabulary than many of my co-workers.
2. You just want to hang around with us, nothing more, nothing less.
3. Your eyelashes. Period.
4. You are a great big brother -- always willing to help us with Daley, and always offering her your affection. (editorial note: please stop smothering her; she's fragile).
5. Vampire Weekend is your favorite band, which is pretty "hip" considering you are three.
6. You like to take Uncle Timmy to Uncommon Grounds to "check out the chicks...I mean the REAL ladies, Tim(s)."
7. You are a renaissance man (or "Homo Universalis" in Latin) -- you love classical music, art, and are a chiacchierone.
8. Your predictability. Every morning all you need to start the day is the "hat trick" -- a little snack, a little drink, and a show.
9. You are a man in a little boy's body...wise beyond your years.
10. You and I are going to make great golf partners.

Here are a few pics from today:

on the eve of your third birthday...

jack,

i am astounded by the fact that yet another year has passed so quickly. there just aren't enough hours in the day to spend with you, and as i sit here i realize that this will always be the case. as you get older i am sure that time will fly by even more quickly, and before i or you know it you will be off on your own, but for now you are still my little guy and i secretly hope you will stay this way for a long, long time.

i know someday you'll look back at this (at least i hope you will), and you will tell me that i am such a sap, but you and your sister truly are my world. there are so many things about you i wish i could catch in a jar and save for later...like the way you often come up and give me an unsolicited hug or i love you, the look on your face when you're truly amazed and in awe, the smile you give your sister and your excitement to run up and see her the moment she wakes up, your decisiveness which could easily be mistaken for stubbornness but you're certain of what it is you want and rarely waiver, and last but certainly not least your love of cars...someday you'll figure out that a simple matchbox car isn't the best thing since sliced bread, but for now it is and it makes you so happy.

tomorrow morning at 5:09 a.m. you will be three years old, and it still seems like just yesterday we were bringing you home...

i love you to the moon and back buddy.

love always,
mommy

vintage jack: