The Lovely Twos

I think I’m going to miss Jacob’s 2-year-old self the most. Don’t get me wrong, I loved his infancy. Especially 3-4 months. Every infant milestone is such a big deal and everything is so brand new! But, since Jacob has turned 2 his personality is just so vibrant. Even though he has his “terrible two” moments, it’s so much fun to see how independent he’s becoming and how much he’s becoming himself.

Taking after his mommy he’s a bit of a late bloomer. He didn’t get his first tooth until he was 1-year and 1-month old (on Thanksgiving Day). I didn’t get my first tooth until I was 18-months. He walked at a normal age (the day of his 1^st birthday party, November 1^st) right at 1-year-old. But, he didn’t start talking (not a real flow of words anyway) until he was 2. That is about right for my side of the family and I think Joe was starting to worry he would never talk. But, almost every boy on my side of the family started talking really late. But, once they start…they never stop!! And Jacob is just the same. In fact, before he had really started putting words together, he said his first sentenced and stunned me and Joe. We were looking for a toy and Jacob said, “I got it!” Joe & I just stared at him then burst out with the typical parental pride and made him repeat it again and again. We couldn’t believe that he’d spoken his first sentence and he barely had 5 words in his vocabulary.

He had about a week off from school over Christmas and on his first day back all of his teachers asked Joe, “Did you finally plug this kid in? He has been talking non-stop today!” And he is still talking! He is now repeating every single thing you say. He called Joe “Joe” the other day, so now Joe is just Daddy in our house. Yesterday, Joe came home and told me that Miss Shelby (Jacob’s teacher) said that Jacob can recite the months of the year. What? I couldn’t believe it. So while I was giving him his bath I asked him if he wanted to say the months of the year with me and he smiled and nodded. And he said them right along with me. I couldn’t believe it. He’s learning so much, so fast.

And he is such a prankster. While walking upstairs to our apartment, he stopped and asked Joe “house?” at one of the neighbor’s doors. Joe said, “Is that our house, Jacob?” To which Jacob replied with a scrunched up face, “Nooooooooo!” That is his favorite game and he’ll play it over and over again and crack himself up.

The thing I love the most is how affectionate he is. He’s always happy to give hugs and kisses and now he likes to “tickle.” He wiggles his fingers around and says, “cickle, cickle, cickle” and goes right for your neck. He gets me laughing every time!

He’s such a happy boy. He literally wakes up smiling and laughing. I’m usually the first to get up in the house as I try to be almost ready to walk out the door before anyone else gets up. That way, I can get Jacob ready and we can all leave at the same time. Usually he wakes up while I’m doing my hair and he walks in the bathroom, sees me and starts to giggle and smile. I love it!

Every day is a new reason to smile and a new chance to give and get hugs and kisses from my boy. He’s growing so fast and it’s been in the blink of an eye. I truly love this time of growing and learning by leaps and bounds.