Just Jack

So in case you haven't noticed, there haven't been any posts with just Jack lately. I guess it's partly that whole second child thing. Life was pretty much rolling along for Sophie when Jack made his appearance, and while we do enjoy some one on one time when she's at pre-school, he hasn't done as many scheduled activities as she did at his age, mostly because of the logistics of Sophie's increasingly busy life.

That's not to say that Jack doesn't have a good life. He loves to tag along with Sophie and while he has a few of his own little guy friends, the majority of his friendships and playdates revolve around Sophie's friends. Thankfully, all of these families have gradually been expanding since Jack was born, so there are a wide variety of ages involved, and Jack is never without someone to taunt or be taunted by!

I'm a little sad that Jack will start pre-school in the fall. Don't get me wrong, I'm also relieved that I will finally get some time to be on my own, which is a rarity these days. This will be a good step for him AND me, but I just can't believe that he's already past the age that Sophie was when he was born. He's almost too big for me to rock in his rocking chair but never to0 big for a sweet cuddle. One of my favorite times of the day is when he wakes up early and will hang out with me and Eric in our bed. It's a nice time for us to give him our full attention before the day gets into full swing.

Jack is clearly ready for some school action. Every day when we drop Sophie at school, he insists on going into her classroom instead of driving through the very convenient carpool line. So most of the time, as hurried as I always am, I oblige him for a few minutes in her class. He loves her teachers and knows the names of all her classmates. His favorite thing besides the train table are the cymbals in the music section of the room. After a few good cymbal clashes, I can usually scoop him up to head out, and can also be assured that Sophie and her friends are wide awake and ready to learn.

We are really enjoying this age. Eric and I were talking recently about the fact that when Sophie was at this same age, we were most likely too tired and overwhelmed by our newborn that we may not have relished it as much. So I am really trying hard to soak him up right now. I often catch myself just smiling at him and cracking up at his hillarious stunts.

Despite the popular opinion that Sophie would end up talking for him since they are so close in age, and since she's always been a talker, he gives her a run for her money. Lately what I hear most often is her telling him to stop repeating himself. He's very intense with everything he does, which is sometimes not a good mix with Sophie's more tender and sensitive side. And despite his cuteness, he sure does have some moments :). It has been quite an adventure to figure out the best way to deal with his strong personality and we consider it a work in progress.

Unlike his sister, Jack is not too fond of structured meals. He'd much prefer to graze all day. On a daily basis, he'll return to a mushy bowl of cereal that's been sitting for at least an hour and finish if off, only when he's good and ready. This morning as I was racing around the kitchen doing my usual breakfast duty, I looked over to see him with this clever tower. He couldn't have been more thrilled with himself. I love it when small moments like that can bring smiles to your face that last all day.