3 Years Old

Jacob turned 3 on August 1st and I feel like he grew up overnight!  We had his birthday party the weekend before at the Glazer Children's Museum in downtown Tampa.  It was a crowded day at the museum but we had our own room to play for a few hours and enjoyed spending time with close friends and family.  Grandma and Grandad came for the weekend and Uncle Scott, Aunt Mo and Jason were in Orlando on vacation and came over for the day.  On Jacob's actual birthday we left for a much needed family vacation. (I'll do another post with pictures out week in Edisto later.)  We celebrated Jacob's birthday along the way with little presents to keep him busy on the car ride and a picnic lunch.   He wanted an ice cream cone with no ice cream for his birthday treat so after dinner that night we all went to the ice cream shop in the golf cart and Jacob got 3 ("because he's 3 years old") ice cream cones with no ice cream.  The people at the ice cream shop were quite entertained by his request.  

1st "Build-A-Bear":  A dog he named Deuce dressed in a Gator football uniform.

Family photo at dinner on on the beach with Grandma and Grandad

Birthday party room with a view of downtown Tampa

Birthday cupcakes

Playing with Grandad at his party

Aunt Megan came too :-)

Not too sure about blowing out his candle; Genevieve came to help.

Ice cream cones for the birthday treat

Museum fun with Grandad

Cousins at the museum

Birthday treats . . . Jacob's perfect combo

Cousin Jason

3!

Best buddies!  10 days apart :-)

Cousins

Sneaking a cupcake in the tunnels . . . his first ever.  No icing and he didn't want anyone to know he was trying it.  He liked it

Tunnel fun

Trying to convince them to blow out the candle

Birthday balloon

Sunset on the beach

Present time

I took him to the doctor for his 3 year check up and as we already knew he is a healthy growing boy.
Height: 40.75 inches (98th percentile); I think this might be a little stretch because of a wiggly kid :-), my measurement is 39.5 inches.
Weight: 37lbs (91st percentile)

Enjoy the pictures from the party and Jacob's 3rd birthday.  The rest of the post is mostly just for us to be able to look back and remember all of the little details about Jacob at 3 years old.

Jacob likes:
-playing at home
-time with Mommy and Daddy
-music(all music, any music, singing and instruments)
-books
-animals
-trains
-Bailey
-cooking in his kitchen
-"working"
-Disney

Jacob likes to eat:
-berries
-carrots
-cauliflower
-noodles
-pancakes, plain with no butter or syrup
-cinnamon (plain), cinnamon scones, cinnamon pancakes
-edamame
-broccoli
-peaches
-plums
-extra sharp white cheddar cheese
-plain yogurt
-watermelon
-steel cut oatmeal
-tomates
-peppers
-corn
-salmon
-rainbow trout
-cheese grits
-plain bagels
-milk
-water
-ice cream cones(cake cones)


Jacob doesn't like to eat:
-everything not listed above!. . . but in particular . . .
-meat
-sauces
-desserts
-bananas
-all cheese that's not extra sharp white cheddar
-juice

Jacob is a very busy 3 year old who rarely stops talking and never stops moving (even when he's sleeping).  He is cuddly and observant and curious.  He doesn't like to be told no, and likes to spend lots of times at home playing with Mommy, Daddy and Bailey.  His vocabulary shocks us daily and continues to grow.  He doesn't forget ANYTHING!  He's strong willed and sensitive and loves to know what is going on all the times. He's interested in his family and how everyone is related and where they are.  He can identify some letters and most numbers 0-10.  His imagination is growing exponentially.  He is shy around big groups and new people and doesn't like being in the spotlight around anyone outside of the house.  He knows how old he is and that his birthday is August 1st.  He loves having "shows" singing songs and playing his instruments and being a helper to anyone he can.  He tells us he works at USF (where is school is) and he always has "work" to do at home.   He is excellent at playing "I Spy", he's recently interested in tennis and he likes to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Daniel Tiger.  He is very opinionated about food and the clothes he wears (usually "exercise" pants and a t-shirt).  He is afraid of the shower, doesn't like loud noises and asks "who" "what" "where" "when" and "why" questions non-stop.  He keeps us on our toes and makes us laugh daily!

He's 3!

Birthday bagel

Birthday lunch picnic on vacation

Enjoying some presents

His new bike

Birthday "ice cream" with Great Grandad Jack

 

Happy 3rd Birthday Jacob Henry!

Dear Jacob,

Today you are 3!  The final few days before you were born felt like an eternity and now the past 3 years feel like they've gone by in an instant.  You are such a happy, loving, curious, smart little boy!  Your imagination is growing, vocabulary is growing and your memory amazes us everyday!  You never stop talking and never stop moving(this was the case when you were in my belly too).  You love to know everything that is going on and are always "working".  You love music more and more everyday.  You're our little train conductor, animal loving, musician who always wants to include everyone in all that we do.  

This year had been full of changes.  We've gotten our money's worth of our annual zoo passes, traveled to Virginia and Oregon, moved to Tampa, started new schools, had many visitors, and enjoyed living close to Disney.  You are still the healthiest little picky eater I know (but you did try an icing-less cupcake for the first time at your birthday party).  You love Mickey and all of his friends but are terrified of the characters in person.  You don't EVER let us forget anything!  You love being the center of attention at home but are very shy around others.  You like exploring, building forts, pretending its Opposite Day, snuggling with Mommy and Daddy and you love Bailey.  You make so many people smile everyday and we love you beyond words!

Happy 3rd Birthday Jacob Henry!

Love, Mommy & Daddy

Here is a link to a 3rd birthday slideshow.  Enjoy :-). http://youtu.be/ONtI148A5Tk

Lets go look for monsters

A couple of weeks ago Jacob told me one night he wanted to go look for monsters before bed.  So we walked around the upstairs, into all of the the bedrooms looking for monsters.  As we were holding hands and walking around I asked Jacob what we should do when we see a monster and he just stopped and looked at me.  I could see his little wheels turning :-)  Then he said; "When you see a monster you have to honk at them.  Honk honk honk!"  I realized during this conversation that his perception of monsters was much different than mine.  He didn't appear to be scared of them but must have recently learned something about monsters and was trying to figure out more about them.  So, every night before bed we now go looking for monsters and if Jacob's "sees" any we honk at them.  I love his growing imagination! 

"Sitting on the beach" chalk drawing

Jacob also started a new school 3 weeks ago.  When we moved to Tampa we put him on the waiting list for the preschool on campus which we really liked.  In the meantime he started at another school which ended up not being a good fit (to say it nicely).  We have been struggling for the last 6 months to figure out what to do about his school situation knowing there was a good chance he's get into the USF school when he turned 3.  Fortunately, he got in beginning July 1st and it's been such a wonderful change!!!!!   I anticipated the transition to the new school to be a struggle but knew long term it could only be better (or at least couldn't be worse) than the school situation we were in.  Much to my surprise, Jacob loved his new school immediately!  It is so wonderful, and such a relief for Mark and I.  The first day he gave me a hug and a kiss when I dropped him off, then just started playing.  I walked out of his classroom almost in tears because he wasn't crying and clinging to me for the first time since January.  The second day he woke up in the morning and asked me if he could get dressed and go to school (again I was shocked).  The 3rd day when I went into this room in the morning he was fussy and asked if he had to go to to his old school.  When I told him no, he was going to his new school his whole demeanor changed and he was happy to get dressed and go.  Day 4 of that week he told his teachers at school that his old school made him sad but his new school makes him happy. . . and, when I picked him up and ask him about his day I asked, "Do you like your new school?"  He replied, "Yes, it's makes me so so happy.  My old school made me so sad."  So, week 1 went great.  I then started thinking maybe the honeymoon phase was going to come to an end and prepared myself for week 2.  Week 2, he again was happy to go to school,  didn't cry one morning at drop off.  On two mornings he told me "Mommy, leave, I have work to do."   We're now in week 3 and things are great.  He loves his school, doesn't whine about going every second he's not there, doesn't cry when I leave him, talks about his teachers and friends AND we get to commute together the whole way to and from "work" since he's on campus with me now.  :-)

1st day of his new school

Busy "working" one morning as soon as we got to school. He was making soup.

Our cute little railroad conductor on a family outing Friday night.

Bubbles and Tires

The show "Kids Say the Darndest Things" got it 100% right.  We never know what's going to come out of Jacob's mouth.  Sometimes it is so sweet, sometimes it's hilarious, sometimes he shocks us with what he knows, sometimes he rants and sometimes he makes absolutely no sense.  Here are a few of his most recent quotes and a few more pictures from our weekend.

"You guys are so cool Mommy and daddy, and Bubba too."

Me: Jacob, what are you doing?

J: I'm just working in the bathroom

Me: What are you doing in the bathroom?

J: I'm just looking for bubbles or tires, I'll let you know if I find them.

"Daddy, go snuggle with Mommy, make her feel better." (When I had a headache)

"Mommy, you look so pretty"

Ft. DeSoto . . . Beautiful!

Beach naps are the best!

Clear water and blue skies

Happy 4th

Happy 4th of July!  We're happy to have a 3 day weekend together and have already had some fun family time!  We made star sugar cookies with red and blue sprinkles and funfetti cupcakes when Mark got home Wednesday. 

Mark surprised me with a new grill when I got home from work yesterday (for our 9th anniversary which was Wednesday).  It started pouring as soon as we were ready to use it but fortunately it fits well on our covered downstairs porch and we were able to start the holiday weekend off grilling steaks and corn while Jacob had a blast playing in the rain.

This morning we played around the house and then went to Jacob's favorite breakfast/lunch place.  He ate 2 giant pancakes!  Hopefully he takes a long nap and we can make it to the fireworks tonight.

Enjoy your Independence Day festivities!

Jacobisms

I try to keep a list of some of the best Jacobisms and recently I feel like I'm adding to that list multiple times a day.  Here are just a few recent ones:

"Mommy, be quiet, don't wake the blackberries"

This quote has to be prefaced with a little explanation.  Even so, when he said it he caught us off gaurd until we figured out what he was saying.  Mark and Jacob were home one day and watched part of Nemo.  In that movie Nemo swims out into the ocean towards a boat and his Dad says to him "Don't touch the boat Nemo."    So, Mark and Jacob were playing and Jacob told Mark "Don't touch the butt Daddy."

Nolan recently taught Jacob how to say Monkey in Spanish.  One morning when Jacob wanted to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse we asked him which one (because if he sees an episode once he NEVER forgets, therefore he picks the episode he wants).   He said "I want to watch Mickey's Coconutty Monkey, Nono is my favorite, Nolan is silly!"  He thinks its even more funny to call a monkey a "nono" instead of a "mono" so that's Jacob's spanish word for monkey.

Our conversation on the way to school this morning:
J: Mommy, when I play outside I get hot and sweaty.
Me: Yes, that is true, we live in Florida and it is hot. 
J: Mommy, the desert is hot.
Me: You are right.

Summertime

Oh to go back to the days of summer break.  Today is the first day of summer which honestly seems a bit odd living in Florida where it has been 90 for 2 months now.   Here are a few pictures of us enjoying "summertime" the past few weeks.

Last weekend was Father's Day and we had a low key celebration. Mark had a cold (which Jacob now has) so we went on to dinner Saturday at a restaurant we've been wanting to try and then took Mark our for breakfast Sunday.  Jacob is a big fan of pancakes currently( either plain or cinnamon) and so he enjoys breakfast at a local place called FirstWatch.  He will actually eat 2 entire pancakes( as big as the plate)!  Otherwise it was a low key weekend around the house.   Here's a picture of Jacob with the many wonderful fathers in our lives.  We are so fortunate for all of them: Daddy, Grandad, Pops and Grandad Jack!

Here are just a few Jacobisms to finish today's post.  I've decided it would be much better to post these in videos but they (unfortunately) are not usually caught on tape. 

- We were in the check out line at Publix last weekend and I looked outside and said "Jacob, it's starting to rain". His response, head tilted to the side, "Are you kidding me?"

-After dinner last Saturday Jacob wanted ice cream(kind of off the wall but we've since realized he likes the cones).  We needed to go to the grocery store so we told him we'd go if we could find a place after the store.  We were in a completely different part of town than where we live and didn't know where an ice cream shop was; we were also hoping he would forget about it.  We should have known better because as soon as we got in the car after the store he again told us he wanted ice cream.  When we told him we'd try to find one but we weren't sure where an ice cream shop was he replied, " The ice cream shop is on Bruce B. Downs".  And, he was right.  We were shocked but somehow he knew the name of the road that Twistee Treat is on (we've been there 2 times in 6 months) and that was the ice cream shop he wanted to go to.  It was completely out of the way on our drive home but we went and he enjoyed his vanilla ice cream cone minus the ice cream :-).

-We were Facetiming with Genevieve a few weeks ago and she had to go potty.  Amy asked Jacob if he went pee on the potty and he replied "No, I'm not potty trained yet."

-"Be safe" is also one of his common phrases.  He will come over to us and tell us what he's going to play with and then say, "Ok Mommy, be safe" and walk away.