Jackson: Three Years Old

I am in absolute disbelief that Jackson is three. When did this happen? Why did no one warn me that I would blink and he would no longer be a baby? He has the most incredible imagination, has grown leaps and bounds in his development, and is as salty as he is sweet. Doing life with this guy is one of the greatest blessings I have ever had.

The greatest change in Jackson this past year has, without question, been in his speech and social skills. Last fall, he qualified for speech therapy, only having a handful of words and not interacting much with other children. He tested in the bottom fifth percentile, and qualified across the board for some interventions with early childhood education.

Fast forward to now. He is speaking in full, complex sentences. He comes home every day and recounts his day to me, telling me what he ate, who he played with, and lights up every afternoon at daycare dying to tell me about a frog, a bug, or a bunny he saw in the yard that day. He loves to play and interact with other children. His older cousin has quickly become his new favorite person, and they spend nearly every weekend together playing and swimming outside. He is thoughtful, inquisitive, and always looking to learn something new. He can always catch you in a lie, and has the sweetest giggle when you act funny and will say 'mommy, you're so silly!'

He went from the 5th percentile last year to testing in the 80-90th percentile for development this year. When I saw those reports, I felt more pride than I have in my entire life. Not because of how he measures up to other kids his age, but because I know he broke through all of those barriers that were limiting him. He is the happiest, funniest little boy, and he is constantly making us smile.

He is still tall, and we will find out in a week or so where he currently sits on the charts. He seems to have slowed down at least a bit, but has definitely had a recent growth spurt again. He did not gain any weight for what seemed to be almost a year (hello picky eater!) but has now put on a few pounds this summer, and with that I am guessing some height, as well. He is wearing 4T clothing, and is starting to ease into some 5T pajamas, which always seem to run a bit small. He is in a size 9 shoe, and growing fast!

Potty training has been..an experience. We had the support of our wonderful daycare provider who was willing to assist in the process, and he is essentially 'day trained' at this point. We only do diapers at bedtime, and have a few accidents throughout the week still. We are working hard to get him fully trained, but he is taking his sweet time and at this point we will take what we can get!

Jackson LOVES to play. His favorite characters right now are minions, but he still love snowmen. He loves to stack piles of blankets or pillows to 'build' snowmen, and anytime he has play-doh or crayons, they are the first thing he wants to create. Recently, he has started to really get into using his toys to play make believe. He is always bringing me a little toy figurine and asking me to play with him. He does, of course, tell me who I am and what I should be doing. ;-)

He loves to sing, and will always request The Wheels On The Bus. He knows all of his colors, and can count into the teens. He works on applying his numbers in counting objects, but almost always ends up telling me he has three of something, no matter what the quantity actually is. He can sing the months of the year and the days of the week, and always goes into a high falsetto when he gets to 'Friday, Saturday'. The amount he has learned truly blows me away.

Jackson and Lincoln are brothers, through and through. They can get under each other's skin like you would not believe, and then I will turn around and catch them playing a quiet game together so perfectly. The both know how to push the other's buttons, and I really cannot say that one is more guilty than the other in regards to who picks the fights. We have our hands full with this little duo, that's for sure! Even still, Jackson is always willing to hold Lincoln's hand and lead him, and I know he is going to continue to grow in his role as a big brother.

Jackson, you are a ray of sunshine and the life of the party. You put a smile on the face of everyone that you meet. Your happiness is contagious, and your giggle will melt the heart of anyone who hears it. You test us, and are becoming more and more independent by the day, but still ask us, every single day, to lay with you and snuggle before bed. You give the best kisses and hugs, and you can light up the room just by walking in. We love you beyond words, Jackson Thomas. Happy birthday, sweet boy!

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Lincoln: One Year Old

I absolutely cannot believe it. Tomorrow, our sweet baby boy turns one! I am starting to sound like a broken record, but this has, without a doubt, been the fastest year of my life. I cannot pinpoint exactly when he stopped being a baby and became a toddler. I was most likely blinking. Regardless, he has become so much fun lately, and is into all of the naughty things. I just love this age; it is a lot of work, but it is that magical stage where baby still has that innocence (of course don't get me wrong, he can definitely be naughty!) but also is developing the best little personality. This month has been a fun one-I just love watching him grow!

Romper // Shoes c/o

Age: 12 months

Height: 32 inches. 99th percentile. I honestly think he and Jackson have the EXACT same stats for their one year mark!

Weight: 27 pounds. 99th percentile. He is wearing size 18-24 month clothing, size 4 diapers, and size 4 shoes but is inching towards size 5!

Milestones: He has really started to communicate and mimic us this month! He has officially said his first word, and it is....mama. He has been babbling for months, but mama is definitely his first intentional word. He usually says it when he is sleepy and will crawl at me wanting to be held. It is music to my ears!

He also still loves to wave bye bye, and also shakes his head 'no no' whenever we tell him to stop doing something. Which is pretty much all of the time-he is into everything! He will stop what he is doing when he hears the words no no, and shake his little head back and forth. It is SO CUTE. He has also started pointing at things, and I don't know why, but it just melts my heart. I still just find myself so amazed of how he is already big enough to be aware of the world around him! We are working a bit on signing, and he has started to mimic 'all done', so I am hoping we are able to teach him please and more soon.

No walking yet. I honestly thought he would walk by his first birthday, because he is so determined in everything. But, instead of using that determination to walk, he uses it to avoid walking. If I set him down to walk, he goes limp like a noodle; an outright walking refusal. If I get him going and don't let him realize what is going on, he will hold my hands and walk clear across the room. We have coaxed a solo step or two out of him, but he immediately drops to a crawl when he realizes what is going on. Stubborn boy. He cruises around the furniture all day long though. All in due time!

Sleep: When it comes to sleep, Lincoln is my favorite child ;-) Still going down at 7pm on the nose, and usually wakes up anywhere between 5-6am. He takes two naps a day, but they seem to be getting shorter. I am trying to remember when we cut down to one a day with Jackson, I have a feeling some time this summer we will make the shift.

Best Moments: Hearing him say mama. I just don't know if there is anything better than hearing your little one say that word. Spending lots of time outside with him has been great, too. A sharp contrast to last summer when he despised walks, Lincoln could now not be happier to go in the stroller and spend some time outside. While he is down to one week left at grandma's house for daycare, I have absolutely loved when I leave after dropping him off. My mom carries him outside, he gets to go 'buh-bye', and stands on the porch waving, and then watching the birds. I think one of the most magical things about children is seeing the joy in the most simple things through their eyes.

Worst Moments: Nothing sticks out this month. Aside from an occasional tantrum and trying to keep him out of trouble, this past month was a pretty good one!

Eating: He is a bottomless pit, truly! I am pretty certain that he eats more at most meals than his older brother. He loves pasta, garlic bread, blueberries, strawberries, clementines, and graham crackers. He is not a fan of deli meats, but loves rotisserie chicken and will eat hamburger. He seems to have inherited the family sweet tooth, and he about loses it when someone shares their dessert with him. We have really been able to increase the kinds of things we give him now that he has a good number of teeth to chomp with. I hope he continues to be such a good, happy eater.

Teeth: 6. There has been quite a bit of drooling happening lately, so numbers 7 and 8 will likely be here sooner than later.

Likes: Food, bath time, going for walks, climbing the stairs, crawling/chasing after his brother, sitting in his Pottery Barn chair, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, climbing on/knocking over furniture. He has started to play with cars and trains and drives them (how do all boys learn this almost immediately!?) He loves to be tickled, and playing pat-a-cake and so big with mommy. He likes to sit in the toy room with his big brother, and they are really starting to play well together!

Dislikes: When he wants to be picked up and it doesn't happen, getting out of the bathtub, not being allowed to climb on things, deli meats, when his brother screams in the car (he HATES that one).  Every month the dislike list seems to get shorter; this boy really has become such a happy, curious little guy.

Our sweet Lincoln, this year with you has been like a Sour Patch Kid. Just keeping it real. First you were sour, but now you are so, so sweet. Your daddy and I are so incredibly excited to enjoy this summer with you, and to watch you experience so many new things. You are our big cheeser, and we love you to pieces!

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A Letter To Jackson-Happy Birthday!

Jackson. My sweet, precious Jackson.

It just does not seem possible that you have been with us for two full years. And then again, life without you is something that is impossible to comprehend. You turned our world upside down in the best way. Neither me, nor your daddy, truly understood what it was to have something to live for until we had you. Every smile, every milestone, and even every naughty action are all moments we are lucky to be a part of, because it means we are a part of something with you.

You have changed so much since your brother was born. Or maybe it is just the way that we see you that has changed. You seem so much older, so big, I often find myself forgetting that you are still just a baby yourself. You love to give him kisses on his head, even though he does not like receiving those kisses one bit. Whenever you are preparing to love up on Lincoln, you start to breathe as if you are hyperventilating, and while it usually means some scolding and timeouts are coming after you disrupt your brother, it warms my heart so much to see how much you love him.

You are one tough little guy, that is for sure. You have fallen and skinned your knees, will jump into a pool and go all the way under, and have had your fair share of bumps and bruises. Nine times out of ten, you get right back up and keep going as if nothing happened. You are so risilient, and I am both proud and terrified, as literally nothing seems to scare you. I predict you might be that teenage boy driving a bit too fast, or jumping off of the highest jump at the quarry park. Your free spirit is what makes you, you, though, and I wouldn't have it any other way. 

In addition to being fearless, you are also a lover. Your bear hugs and kisses are something I can never get enough of. Anyone who knows you will likely agree that there is nothing better than when you break into your silly little run to jump into someone's arms for some lovin. You are truly a little ham, and will smile and talk to anyone who gives you attention, whether it be your grandma, a waitress, or a random lady in the grocery store. Your smile is infectious, sweet boy, and everyone who meets you is powerless to your charm. 

While a little bit of my heart breaks to watch you come to the end of your 'baby' days, there is nothing better than watching you become your own person. You are affectionate, stubborn, emotional, silly, and an absolute joy. It is hard to remember life without you, but I'm certain it had to have been dull. Nothing makes me happier than watching you play, listening to your silly jabbering, sharing my treats with you, and holding your hand during car rides. I hope you always look at me with the love you do now. There is no greater reward than watching you grow and knowing I have the best title there is in being your mama. 

I pray that you continue to grow into the charming boy I know you will be, and I pray that your daddy and I will be guided to raise you in the best way that we are able. You and your brother are the reason we work hard and strive to be the best versions of ourselves, and we hope you always know that nothing is more important or sacred to us than being the best mommy and daddy that we can be. 

'You are my Jackson, my only Jackson

You'll be my baby for all your days

You'll never know dear how much I love you

My Jackson Thomas Stang'

I love you so much my squershy boy, happy second birthday! 

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