Jackson Quarterly

I put this in a draft on Sept. 26... And meant to log onto the computer to update pictures and everything. That will happen... "Soon". It's busy with two little boys who don't nap at the same time and who are super curious about your computer when you have it out. So I will at least update what Jack's been up to lately. 

6/27-9/26

6/27 picked me flowers for the first time- not just showing me flowers, but giving them to me. At Christie Frye's dad's house. 

6/28 found his first tick. It was behind his left ear in his hairline. Matt plucked it out with tweezers and poor Jackson cried from the pain of picking out the head of the tick. He calmed down enough for lunch, though.

6/28-7/4 vacation to California to visit Grammie and GrandPops. Jackson loved playing with Baily and started to learn to swim. He would stand on the bottom step in the pool so that the water was up to his neck, would let us hold him so he was on his back in the water, worked on kicking his feet and moving his arms while laying on his tummy on our arms in the water, went under water a couple times, and jumped off the edge of the pool into our arms. He made such great strides and really loved swimming! He walked almost the entire time we were at the San Diego zoo. He climbed in the stroller after lunch and fell asleep as we finished our time with the pandas. He knew Grammie and GrandPops by name and asked for them after we left. While he mostly peed in his pull-ups, he did poop on the potty more than half the time! Slept in the bunk beds every night and only came out in the morning when Daniel woke up! He would crawl into bed with me then until he was ready to wake up. Not sure if he was just overly tired since each day was busy or if he is getting used to sleeping in a big boy bed. He seemed to do fine in the same room as Daniel too.

7/5 I am so impressed with how conversational Jackson is becoming. I had begun to worry about this as his younger friends (still 2) have unique conversations and Jackson usually quotes his movies or books. Jackson has begun saying things like "it's working" when a toy that had been broken is fixed, "baby laughing",  "I lika tomatoes!", and "no hafta poopy". He says so much more that I can't remember. 

Has begun saying the sounds letters make when he sees them. When playing with his wooden blocks he goes "R. Errrrr. E. Ehhhhh." I'm not sure if he is picking up on this from Super Why or Sesame Street, but whatever it is I'm thankful for it! 

When we pray he remembers the order our typical prayer goes. If I forget part he says the part I forgot before we can move on. He hasn't said a prayer all on his own yet, but I am thankful he is beginning to understand how praying works. When he is fussing before dinner or bed he typically will calm down, fold his hands, and be quiet when I tell him we need to pray to Jesus. 

Has exasperated sighs when we tell him no. Rolls his eyes. Definitely has been picking up on my habits! 

7/7 according to Jackson we had "quesa pizzas!" For dinner. We actually had quesadillas 

Such a good little helper. He is getting much better about listening to directions like "turn around", "under the table", or "look on the floor". He brings me my phone, tissues, snacks, baby wipes when asked. He gets a big grin when he's helping and I always make sure to praise him when he helps.

7/16 I had been showing him how to wipe himself on the potty the past couple days and let him try it on his own. He did a great job! He is almost completely potty trained! This week he also told me he had to go potty 3x while we had a play date and then didn't have an accident when we were grocery shopping. 

Overall is much more communicative, but of all the words he learns and we can't understand, "Dean Hornscrabble" is clear. He sure likes "Monsters" and "Another Monsters". 

7/21 went to the Nashville zoo with friends and Jackson's favorite animal was the crocodile and the fish in the tank! Of course, an animal I dislike!

Sooooo into "buttons". Any toy that has buttons he claims as his. He collects them and carries them everywhere: iPad, old broken game controller, old smart phone, game boy, brother's toy remote control. 

August marks Jackson finally going to sleep on his own in his own bed and staying put (mostly) through the entire night! This is such a major milestone for he and I and our co sleeping history! I miss him next to me and do love his snuggles in the morning when he crawls up next to me, but I am so thankful he has learned to sleep on his own.

8/6 Jack lasted all of PWOC in undies with no accidents! They took him to the potty but he never went. When we got home he went potty and still didn't have accidents! 

I was painting my nails red and Jackson saw the swatches of red on my hand from where I fixed mistakes. He said "Ouchie! Are you ok, mama?" 

8/10 At church apparently Jack was biting other kids. His teachers were surprised because he has never done anything like that before. BUT he did go potty on the potty and didn't have any accidents! He got some pee on his clothes while he was going potty though, so he needed new clothes, but I count it as a win! 

Jumped in front of Daddy with his hands as claws in front of him and went "rawr!" We asked if he was doing the Watternoose jump and growl (from monsters Inc) and he said "no. La la la a lion!" He has only recently started telling us what he thinks or is doing that doesn't involve quotes from his shows. 

8/17 first day of Preschool at UMC Fellowship! He will be going M/W from 9-2. He did great! He was ready to go inside and play with no tears or hesitation. His teacher said he did great when I picked him up and he had no potty accidents all day! I think they didn't see his water cup in his backpack at lunch, so that probably aided in the no accidents. Hopefully this keeps up at preschool though! 

Matt had been in the field for a week and Jackson has asked about him multiple times. I think he misses him but is having a hard time explaining that. He has been extra fussy and very emotional. 

8/24 day 3 of preschool and still no accidents! He did have an accident at church tonight while I was in Sunday school training. I guess he was in the bathroom and refused to go in the potty and just went in the floor. But it's still progress! 

Jack said he "don't wanna go to school. No lika school". I asked his teacher if he was doing ok or if he was fighting or anything and she said he was doing great. He cried the whole walk into school and then cried on the car ride home. He's been sleeping fine so he must just be overly emotional since Daddy has been away. 

Jackson has learned so much in the first 3 weeks of preschool! He listens to his teachers better, waits his turn when he sees me coming to pick him up, still hasn't had a potty accident, and is speaking more clearly and in better thoughts/sentences. 

One day when I picked him up for preschool, his teacher said I might want to take him to the potty immediately. He had been saying he had to go but wouldn't leave the class because he was worried about missing me coming to pick him up! What a sweet boy! We went to the potty and he went! I'm so proud of him for holding it and not going on the floor of his class. 

Jack has been pushing and hitting Daniel when he bothers him. We take away toys when he does this to try to help him understand that it's not ok. Usually he doesn't hurt Daniel, but Daniel has started noticing and he winces when he's close to Jackson and he tells him "naaaa!" 

For over a month Jackson has been lying in his bed with no iPad or Mumma and fallen asleep for his nap and bedtime. Lately he's been singing to himself for a few minutes before it gets quiet. It is so adorable! Even more so because this sleeping issue has been such a long journey for us.

When Jackson gets upset he asks to pray. He likes to do his nighttime prayer so we do that and not a specific prayer for the situation. But he knows what talking to Jesus is and he knows if helps him calm down 

9/12 got Tirian kitten and Jackson loves him! He is so gentle and let's the kitten sniff his hand before petting him. He pets him gently and picks him up around the middle correctly. 

9/14 Jackson can no longer continue at his preschool because of biting. After 3 bites the child is released from enrollment. In the handbook it says "out of control" behavior, and 3 bites at age 3 isn't out of control in my mind. I'm a little annoyed that when I'm paying for this service they do not know how to handle typical toddler behavior or give them adequate time to fix their problem behaviors. I think we are going to keep Jackson home until after Christmas. We are visiting another preschool to see if he might do better in another program this week though. 

After a couple weeks of biting incidents at Sunday School, PWOC, and Awana, I think Jackson is acting out Madagascar where Alex the lion goes wild and bites Marty the zebra. His teachers say he isn't aggressive when he bites, just does it out of nowhere. I bit him hard enough for him to whimper and hopefully he understands that biting hurts. He offered me his arm to bite with a smile on his face so I think he just is playing. But now we're working on "keep your teeth to yourself" and "kissing not biting". 

Jackson says he doesn't want to go to preschool but he doesn't mind "Bible" or "cubbies". I think that says a lot about his preschool experience. We have been doing homeschool preschool and he is becoming such a good listener and likes our lessons and crafts. He just needs more time at home with Mumma. Homeschooling is still an option for real school when he's old enough, but we'll take it year by year. 

Jack is afraid of the potties with an opening in the front of the seat. I think he recognizes them as public toilets that flush really loudly. He will just hold it then have an accident or I'll have to let him pee outside in the grass. He finally went pee pee on one of those potties when we were at Ross. We immediately got him some "mouseketools" at Ross as a reward. 

Since Jack is at home full time I bought him a reward chart. It will have behaviors and chores. I have started working on him picking up all his toys before bed, putting away his clean laundry (made it a game by counting the underwear as he put them away), and we've been working on properly brushing teeth and washing hands. He does a pretty good job for a 3 yo. 

Downloaded the YouTube Kids App. It is wonderful so Jack can watch various songs that he likes without the full episodes of shows. He really likes the veggie tales theme song.

There is so much more I forget to write down as it happens. He is such a wonderful little boy and is learning so much! I love watching him form friendships and play with his brother. Having a three year old is a new journey for me and I'm learning just as he is and am so thankful to have new chances every morning to be a better mom.