To begin, he became a BIG BROTHER this past Fall...and is really starting to get the hang of it...meaning- he is STARTING to understand that there are other people in the world besides Jacob Brayden, like maybe Emerson Marie, and he is STARTING to be okay with that. He loves his Baby Sister so much. He loves to take care of her, kiss her, make her smile and laugh, help feed and burp her, and bathe her. He is also beginning to understand that there are consequences when we act certain ways. Jacob has been learning alot about "Time Out" lately as well as "Toy Takeaway"- if Jacob is not sitting in his chair during mealtimes, he has (1) chance to sit nicely and eat or his food is gone and he can "go to bed hungry." It sounds mean, but the kid refuses to eat anything I make unless it is chicken (cooked a certain way), some turkey, and hamburgers (but it is without the bun and we need to call it "sausage" because he LOVES breakfast sausage), and vegetables are tough- luckily, he will eat peas (suprise!), corn, sweet potatoes, but anything else HAS to be in baby food and then he will eat it (carrots or green beans- will not eat them whole)- however I can give him his veggies, I will. If he is playing around in his chair (it has already flipped over on him with him in it because he was playing around) he loses a "toy"- preferably "Jesse" or "Woody" from Toy Story (his favorites).
He is learning to play more on his own and still does not like it. Otherwise, if this is not enforced, television becomes a huge part of the day, and I refuse to allow that. We have been doing more to get out of the house and "play/learn." Spanish classes are still a regular part of his week (every Thursday since October). We just recently enrolled in a "Preschool Readiness" Class- it is 45-minutes a week and teaches the kids to be away from their parents with other kids and teachers. The first day was rough. He walked in just fine. 10-minutes later, he realized I was gone, and was hysterical the remaining 35-minutes. The 2nd week was a little better, he cried only for 10-minutes. The 3rd week was an improvement, yet in a different way- he still cried for most of the class, yet this time, he did try to interact with the other kids. We are taking baby steps as we prepare him for PreSchool this Fall. Jacob will be entering St.Mark's Day School in Barrington Hills...Potty Training is a requirement....something else we are working on SLOWLY. I take full responsibility for this. Jacob is ready. He gets it. My consistency is the problem...I am working on "sleep training" another kid right now too.) The goal is by this Summer (July) to be all set.
Jacob's favorite things are anything "Toy Story." He absolutely loves all of the characters and remembers all of the lines, it is so funny because he repeats the funniest things..."You are Not a Toy" - as he said to one of his classmates in Spanish class (I would have been proud if it was in Spanish). His lines are countless and make me laugh everyday. He is the funniest kid I have ever met. He speaks so clearly. He even knows Spanish so well. He is getting more comfortable with his ABCs and is starting to dress and undress himself. These past 6-months, Jacob graduated to a "Big Boy" bed and has been doing great. He is also into reading to himself (because he has memorized the books)...and I will listen/watch him on the monitor as he does so while in his bed...so cute. He is such a boy. He is loud and wild. He climbs on anything and anyone...his favorite "assistant" lately (besides me) has been one of his many stools- where I will find him in the pantry sneaking snacks). He also practices doing flips, somersaults, etc...he is so "stir crazy." He loves other kids and totally wants to be in charge. We were at the park the other day and the next day as well, and Jake found ways to pick fights with "Bigger Boys." He is looking just to play, and does not realize that picking on a bigger kid is not such a good idea...I just don't want him to learn the hard way so I do tend to get more involved. Little Boy has just been a blast. If we ever need a smile, all we do is hang with Jacob, and we walk away laughing. I cannot believe this baby is 1/2 way past his 2nd year...already.
Jacob also had his 1st trip to the emergency room these past 6-months, right before Emme was born, he was really sick with a fever and a bad cough (sounded like the whooping cough)- he woke up one night coughing hysterically and throwing up, we had no idea what to do because it lasted so long, we called the doctor, and he said to go to the ER. Jake was fine, just really sick. I LOVE that we live across the street from a hospital! This boy is growing up before our eyes. Wow- we will have alot to say in another 6-months.
Happy 2.5 years my 1st Born Beauty, we love you, "cowboy!"
