Jake at Two and a Half

It's been a tough week for Jake. After a summer of non-stop fun and activity with his siblings, the first day of school hit hard on Monday.

By 8:05 am our house was nothing like the bustling place he had become accustomed to. Playtime lasted about an hour before he started pleading with me, "Pick up Ryan? Pick up Dit-da (sister)?" Poor guy.

Fortunately Jake's half-birthday is here. We plan to celebrate with our traditional half birthday doughnuts, and try to take his mind off the fact that a quiet house starts all over again next week.

In celebration of Jake turning 2 1/2, here are a few Jake-isms that bring smiles to our faces every day.

Being around seven year olds all the time, he has picked up some funny language.  He loves to exclaim "Oh Jeez!" or "Hole Cow!" (holy cow) in amazement. "Cool!" and "Awe-fum!" (awesome) are often heard as well as "See-rosly?" (Seriously? My two year old says "seriously"?)

Another benefit of being the youngest is getting to experience things at a much earlier age than older siblings. Lucie and Ryan got to watch "Star Wars" for the first time this summer, at age 7 1/2. Jake, at age 2, was right there next to them enjoying the show. He didn't quite get everything (understandably) and spent the entire movie pointing at Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader asking, "Who dat guy? Who dat guy? What he say? What he say?" Oh how relaxed we have become in our parenting with kid #3.

Jake continues to love trash trucks and playing "Ball Hit!" (baseball) with whoever will pitch to him. Other things that get him excited are the swimsuit spinner in the pool locker room and the baggage carousel at the airport. When we arrived home from a recent trip, I think the entire baggage claim area heard him exclaim in joy "Hole Cow!" when he saw his bag coming around.

We sure love our Boo around here. For a such a little guy, he has made a tremendous impact on our lives.

We all strive to make him happy and hear a coveted, "Me Yike Dat!" come out of his mouth. Life is so much sweeter with our Jakey in it. Welcome to the second half of the two's little buddy !

Two Years Old: Jake

Our little Jake is not so little any more... two years old! The past year has been a running, climbing, babbling and singing blast of development and growth. Here are a few highlights of the Boo at two.

It's only fitting to start with this -- Jake absolutely adores trash trucks. Anyone who has spent time around the little guy may even say that they rule his world. His favorite day of the week is trash day at home, followed closely by trash day at the park, and trash day in the neighborhood across from our playgroup.

He loves to watch the garbage trucks lumber down the street picking up cans with a mighty "BUHM!" ("boom" in Jake speak) and loading trash into their "hoppa". We're actually considering taking Jake on a trip to the dump for his birthday, as we can't imagine a better appreciated gift.

Due to his love of trash trucks, one of the first phrases spoken regularly by Jake was "tra-truck" followed by "buhm!" Of course, he'll always say this when he sees a truck, but sometimes he'll just use it in general conversation. Dinner may go like this:

Daddy: "How was your day, Jake?"

Jake: "Tra-truck, buhm!!"

Daddy: "Oh, so you saw a trash truck?"

Jake: "Ya! Tra-truck, buhm!"

He's a riot.

Beyond trash trucks, Jake is a big fan of Sesame Street, and more specifically Elmo. He loves reading his Elmo books, spotting Elmo on packaging at the grocery store, and snuggling with his stuffed Elmo. He enjoys most everything about Sesame Street, with a second favorite friend being "Yo-ver" (Grover). Like any modern toddler, he has also discovered that Elmo's World can be found through YouTube, and likes to cry out, "Elmo! Elmo!" anytime he spots the iPad.

Jake is happiest when he is surrounded by his family, especially "Dit-da" ("sister" for Lucie) and "Ra-ra" (Ryan). He's always just a little bit sad on Monday mornings when they have to return to school after a weekend together, and sadly cries out their names throughout the morning. Curiously, he calls us "Dadden" and "Mahm".

Unlike most of his contemporaries, Jake's best buddies are  elementary school aged. He loves spending time with Ryan and Lucie's friends, and has developed a special affinity for their buddy Oscar, or "Ah-ta". He gets so excited when the older crew of kids show an interest in him at the park, and will gladly follow them around like a puppy dog if they'll go up and down the slide or play football or baseball with him.

Of the many wonderful traits we see developing in Jake, one of our favorites is his happy, easy-going attitude. As a third child, it only seems fitting, though Jake goes above and beyond to be cheerful and flexible. He's just a great little kid to be around.

We all feel so fortunate to have Jake in our lives -- it's hard to imagine our family ever existing without him! Happy birthday to our Jake. Hope you enjoy your "tra-truck" birthday cake, little guy.

It's Good to Be Seven: Lucie

Our Lucie turned seven today at 5:04 pm. We watched the clock switch over together, with a hug and a kiss in the beautiful late summer sun. Today was a special day of birthday treats in 1st grade, well wishes from friends on the playground, and overflowing ice cream sundaes for dessert. We feted Lucie in grand form, because it's not every day a girl turns seven.

How fortunate we are to have our sweet Lucie B. in our lives. She makes us laugh, points out the beauty in the world, asks the most insightful questions, and brings us great joy with her incredible zest for life. Lucie teaches us something every single day.

Here are some lessons from Lucie, our girl with eight (!) adult teeth, at age seven:

Fairies exist. Always believe in them, no matter what the kids at school say about the tooth fairy. Fairies appear at night in the garden, school yard and park, and they love it when you leave them notes. Lollipops, notes and fairy dust can sometimes be found in reply.

The best way to relax is to read a book with your Mom, Dad, Gigi, Grandma or Aunt Rach. Chapter books are especially good, like the American Girl Doll books or Rainbow Magic Fairies series.

Cotton dresses are the most comfortable clothes on earth. Who needs pants or shorts (or anything with a buckle or zipper) when you can wear a dress every single day?

When feeling low, get in the water -- the pool, the shower, a bath or jumping in waves in the ocean, any of these will do. Water is an instant perk-up, and will surely cause smiles, giggles, singing, and wild "Rock Star" dance moves in no time.

It's never too far past bedtime to plead, "Please Mom, just one more chapter?" She may not admit it, but moms always want to read more too.

A meal without bread (muffins, bagels, pita, etc.) is no meal at all. Unless it's tacos, of course.

Bits of trash or unwanted items can be reused in the most unexpected ways. A few broken pencils, a bottle cap, a bit of rope and leftover paper towel rolls can turn into a fairy house, complete with a zip-line, in no time.

Boogie boarding is the best sport on earth! Especially with your Dad on a beautiful summer day.

Caring for others can come so easily. From helping out little brother, to sticking up for a best girlfriend on the playground, being thoughtful and loyal towards those you care about is the best way to approach the day.

You are so loved, dear Lucie! Thanks for teaching us, each and every day.

It's Good to Be Seven: Ryan

Our Ryan turned seven today at 5:05pm. We happened to be watching a clock together at the exact moment he went from age six to age seven. Before heading off for a pizza dinner, followed by overflowing ice cream sundaes, we appreciated the milestone together in the warm, September sun. Because it's not every day a boy turns seven.

The older Ryan gets, the more and more difficult it is to remember our lives without our oldest boy. He is a constant source of joy, energy, amazement, and love, and teaches us something every day.

Here are some of the wonderful lessons we've learned from our front-toothless Ryan, age seven:

All the world really needs is baseball, baseball, and baseball. Meals are full of constant questions about the Phillies and Dodgers with an occasional Met (R.A. Dickey) or Brave (Chipper Jones) thrown into the mix. Need I say more?

If you can't play baseball, then dodgeball, handball, basketball, football, soccer, or pretty much any sport involving a ball, racquet or water, is an acceptable alternative.

The best way to watch NFL football on Sundays is with a Nerf football in hand, catching passes from your Dad and providing constant commentary regarding the fantasy football teams of each and every one of your extended family members.

The only section needed in the newspaper is the Sports section. For proper appreciation, poring over the stats page while dripping milk from your morning cereal is required.

Practice fairness, from the handball court to soccer field, and always support your teammates with an enthusiastic fist pump and cheer. It's called "playing with heart" (words his soccer coach used to describe his playing).

Little brothers are never too young to play tackle with, or throw balls to, but always in a safe, sweet and loving manner.

There's no such thing as two snacks a day. Snacks should come at least four to six times a day, watermelon preferred.

For optimum parental appreciation, it's nice to do things like rake the yard or clean up your toys long before you're asked to.

Last, but most definitely not least, a kind, generous spirit is the best way to approach the day.

We love you Ryan! Thanks for teaching us, each and every day.

Eighteen Months Old: Jake

Here's our Jake...eighteen months old and as lovable, smiley and fun as ever!

Jake has sprinted into toddlerhood. At age one, he was barely able to stand unassisted. Now six months later, he trots down hills to the park in his little flip-flops. The walking started practically overnight at fifteen months, steady and strong, as if he had been doing it for years. And, it hasn't stopped since.

The biggest change in the past six months is in Jake's desire to do everything, and I mean everything, his big sister and brother are doing. He used to be entertained by watching their activities, now he wants to be right in the center of everything they are doing.

This little guy can ride a scooter, eat grapes and kid-sized pieces of watermelon in single bites, walk to school, kick a soccer ball, laugh at jokes in Ryan and Lucie's TV shows, surprise us by doing somersaults on the bed, and fervently express his desire to be excused from the dinner table, just like the rest of them.

When it comes to the dinner table, he has no interest in his high chair, and prefers to be sitting on the bench at the table, smack dab between his brother and sister. He may be eighteen months old, but Jake thinks he's nearly seven.

Despite his desire to do what the big kids do, there are some things about him that are decidedly toddler-like. He loves Elmo and sings out his name when he spots him, "Emmo!". He needs one big nap every day, and is happy to take it, especially with Froggy by his side.

He loves trash trucks. He puts up a fight about being strapped into his car seat or stroller, especially it seems, when we're late for soccer practice. He has funny names for things or people, like "Daddin" for "Daddy". He is obsessed with remote controls and cell phones. He does not like putting his pajamas on at night. And, of course, he makes us smile and laugh, all day, every day.

It's hard to imagine life without our Jakey around. He is truly an integral part of our family, and we are thoroughly enjoying this adventure through toddlerhood together. Now, on to our newest family tradition at half birthdays... doughnuts!