Videos

I have taken no pictures in over a week but did manage to get a few videos in the last couple of days. We are just staying busy and, honestly, it's annoying to try to get a good picture of him when he insists on taking his own picture instead. As you can see in the last video, he loves to watch himself on camera and every time I get it out we have to spend forever "watching Jay"...and then whatever moment I intended to get on camera has passed. But you are able to see him doing random things and talking about his adventures.

As far as updates go:

- He is almost fully potty trained. I say almost because, while he knows that he has to use the potty, he will decide every other day or so that he is tired of having to run to the potty and just pee where ever he is. It is so intentional now that I am starting to scold him for it. I no longer believe he is "having accidents" so when he tries to use that card I nip it in the bud quickly. He is great at poopy though. No "accidents" since the first week and he even uses the big potty now which is great since I received no enjoyment out of cleaning his little potty all of the time. He still fully expects a prize every time he uses the potty and I have got to figure out a way to stop that, unless I want a mouth full of cavities to deal with by next month. He doesn't even ask for a prize he just starts telling me what color he wants. I am hoping that when we "run out" of candy he will let me move to stickers without a lot of drama.

- New favorite phrases: "that's dangerous". I'm not sure he actually gets what this really means but he knows that when Wes and I say it, things are serious. He tells me all of the time that certain things are "dangerous", mainly those things that I am trying to get from him...my cookware, my make-up, Jake's brush, the plants, etc. He says, "don't touch mama, that's dangerous."
"I'm okay!"  This is yells back at me when I walk outside after he's been playing for a while in the yard. I have asked him a few times from the porch if he's ok so I guess he thinks that is what he says when he doesn't want to be disturbed. It has a tone with it, like "I'm okay! (don't come down here, leave me alone)" so I, of course, become very suspicious of his activity. Usually I just come back inside though...I figure I'm not going to pass up a little more quiet time in the house...even if means I will have a very messy boy when he's done.
"Doggy is crying...he needs a nap"  This he started a few days ago. He decided "doggie" was his baby and walks around with it in his blanket all day. He tells me throughout the day that "doggie's crying" and when I ask why he responds with, "he needs a nap."  This is my automatic response when he starts his dramatic spiral before nap time so I guess I shouldn't be surprised. It is very cute, though, to see him acting like a caregiver, maybe he will end up being a good babysitter after all.

- I started work this week. I am teaching two days a week again until the end of November which works out great with the baby's arrival. Jay started school back as well and is having a ball, as usual. He was disappointed yesterday when I told him we weren't going to school that day. And he is using the potty most of the time there as well, as he makes sure to tell me every day when I pick him up. Wednesday they painted faces and he had a snake painted all over his face, from his cheek, across the forehead, and down the nose. He was so proud. And we had to keep it on for church that night also, so I had to explain why in the world my 2 year old looked like a gang member to everyone we saw. In the bath tub that night he absolutely fell apart when I washed it off. I tried to get a picture but he wasn't cooperating.

- Wes is taking vacation starting Tues and we are taking Jay to Myrtle Beach for about a week. I will be sure to get a lot of pics. This is the first vacation we have taken Jay on (other than short weekend trips) so we are really excited. It only took 2 1/2 years for him to get "mature" enough to appreciate going on trips and stay somewhat content throughout the activities. Before this point we immediately started talking to our parents about keeping Jay when a vacation came up but the last trip we took was so lonely without him. So that was my sign that he is old enough to make the trip fun rather than drive us insane by the end of it...at least I hope so. :)

-Either way, Wes is in desperate need of a vacation. His schedule has been brutal since June, I am pretty sure I can count his days off on one hand. And his call nights have been pretty harsh too, several times he has been up most of the night only to see patients all day long afterward. I told him, partly in jest, the other day that his personality has changed in the last few months. I think he is close to his breaking point (and I'm sure he would agree) so this break couldn't be at a better time. Then, Sept through Dec will be much better as far as his daily schedule and he will have about half of the call he's had lately. The next bad rotation will be Jan and Feb, which isn't cool since I will have a 2 week old and a hyper toddler at home, not to mention the cold winter, constantly crying newborn, and sleepless nights. So Jay won't be able to play outside and I will have to keep the baby isolated for a month or so. With that said, any of you who would be interested in visiting us during those months are welcomed with open arms...Jay will probably start calling all of you to come rescue him from the dungeon that used to be a world all his own if you don't!  :)  I will have him in preschool 3 mornings a week so maybe we will survive...seriously, all visitors (aka babysitters) welcome!!! 

- Pregnancy update: I am now 22 weeks and it is amazing how tired I have been this go around. I felt great during my 2nd trimester with Jay but I guess a spoiled toddler can wear a pregnant lady down quicker than I thought! Other than the lack of endurance, shortness of breath, and general fatigue, things are going well. He is moving and kicking a lot, all day it seems. We are really starting to get attached to "Eli" for  his first name so unless I hear something else soon that is probably going to be his name. I have done some research on the name and it seems like a good one. "Eli" means God is my Lord, famous Eli's include Eli Manning and Eli Roth, both successful...and good looking (yes, that is important...shallow as it may be. :)) Well, Eli Whitney wasn't good looking but that was back in the 1800's so I guess that doesn't count, right??  80% of Eli's like their name and less than 10% were bullied because of their names. It is not mispronounced or misspelled often so all in all, I think it is a good one. I say all of this with a humorous undertone....but it was fun to "research" the name anyway. :)

I think that's all for now. Enjoy the videos!