Jack @ 2 Years Old

Two years ago yesterday, I was swollen up like an overfilled water balloon. We headed to the doctor’s office 5 weeks before my due date for a regular check up, only to be sent to the hospital (do not pass go, do not collect $200) for a 3 hour test (yuck) to see if the protein detected was a false positive. It was not and I then had to spend the night to obtain a 24 hour “specimen” (double yuck). Turns out they didn’t need to wait that long. I was into full-blown preeclampsia within just a short number of hours. Mark and I were naively discussing how we would handle it if I were to be put on bed rest and what we were going to buy at WalMart when they let us go, when the doctor came in to say “get ready, you’re going in for a C-section in 45 minutes.” There was much weeping and wailing (on my part, not Mark’s), but it had to be done…

And now he’s two years old and full of grins and giggles, fight and frustration at all he wants to do and can’t. God blessed us with such a sweet boy. We’re truly grateful.

Jack loves company, even in bed. He’s started sleeping with a stuffed animal most nights, and it’s so cute to go in after he’s asleep and see him clutching it. Usually I just hand him one and put him down, but I got curious as to whether he actually had a preference. I gathered up an armful of 4 different animals and took them over to where Jack was standing up on the changing table. I asked him which one he wanted to sleep with, the bear, rhinoceros, bunny or elephant. He surveyed the choices and looked thoughtful and then reached his arms wide and gathered all of them into his arms! I guess the more friends you can take to bed (when you’re a child), the better.

This month has been a month of firsts:

First sandbox. (an early birthday present) Initial comment was “MESSY!”, but he loves it. It’s interesting how that sand can get everywhere, even inside his diaper. That’s gotta be uncomfortable.

First fireworks. Scary. Very scary.

First movie. We went to the free movie at Easton last week- Ice Age 2. Jack did so great at standing with me in line (you have to get a ticket, even though it’s free), handing the man his ticket and riding up the escalator. He was excited at the prospect of getting popcorn and followed me right into the movie theater, up the stairs and climbed up into the chair beside me and said sighed loudly, like he hears us old people do all the time. He waited like an angel for half an hour while for the movie to start and was fine with the intro to the DVD that was playing on the screen. But… when the movie started, it was just too overwhelming, and he started to cry. I wasn’t surprised. Seeing it through his eyes, I certainly understood how it would be scary.

He’s got a great memory- we went to Polaris mall the other day and rode up and escalator. Halfway up he said, “popcorn??”

Jack is still learning to use his “inside voice”. It’s a hard lesson. He just can’t contain his excitement and has to repeat whatever he’s excited about over and over, louder and louder! EHPANE!!!! YOU HEAR IT?!!? MOCYCLE!!! PUDDING!!!! He lives his life with the caps lock on.

Check out Jack’s big adventure.