Jack is Back - October 17, 2011

This post is called "Jack is Back" because we didn't see much of him last week. His birthday was October 10, and Grandpa Kennedy was visiting. We steered clear so that Peter could spend as much time as possible with Jack, since he's only here once a year. It was major Jack withdrawal for Tom and I. Kevin and Karen dropped him off Saturday evening so he could spend the night. By 7 p.m., Jack was curled up on the couch, under the blanket, watching a movie with Papa. By 10, he was fast asleep until 8 a.m. the next morning. It was a very uneventful sleep-over to say the least. The only excitement was when Jack snapped a glow stick a little too hard and shook it all over the room. When I turned out the lights, I had glow stick juice all over the bed, the walls, the blinds, the carpet. It was pretty in a weird way.

Happy Birthday, Jack! October 10, 2011

My little pal turned 4 yrs. old today (at 2:30 p.m. to be precise). Karen must have told him he was born at 2:30 p.m., because he insisted he wasn't going to turn 4 until then. Lunch was at Celebrity's, but he spent the rest of the day with his mom and dad and Grandpa Peter.

Jack's Birthday Party, October 9, 2011

Today was a big day for Jack, his 4th birthday party. His birthday is tomorrow, October 10, but I think it's fitting his birthday be celebrated more than one day, he is that exceptional. Attending were two grandfathers, one great grandfather, one great grandmother, and one grandmother. Theme: Nascar. Cupcakes: white with chocolate frosting and sprinkles. Food: hamburgers/hotdogs/potato salad. These cold, hard facts don't begin to convey the joy Jack has in the simple things and how much fun he had. As he opened each package, he lingered over each and every one, expressing curiosity, interest, and thankfulness. The wonder of a small child is a beauty to behold. Cheesy? Yes, but totally true.

Jack's First Trip to the Farmer's Market

Tom and I took Jack to the Farmer's Market this morning. He and I shared a donut muffin, sitting on the curb, watching people go by. Big hits were eggplant, tiny heirloom tomatoes, and the fall gourds. Afterwards, we went into Penzi's to sniff some spices and the Culinary Center so he could show me where their fire extinguisher is stored. His interest in fire extinguishers doesn't seem to be diminishing just yet.

Glow Sticks

It seems the new hotness in Jack's world is glow sticks. You know, the little plastic goo filled tubes that glow in the dark when you "snap" them. Right now, his tent is filled with them, as is my trashcan. It's unnerving to go into the bathroom at night and see an earthly multi-colored glow coming from the trashcan.

My pal is spending the night, breaking routine to stay on Friday instead of Saturday. His Grandpa Kennedy arrives tomorrow to celebrate Jack's Birthday Week. The iPad is out (thank you, Steve Jobs) and Dr. Seuss's "Oh The Places You'll Go" is playing.

Phone Manners

Jack called me this morning to see if he could come over later. Karen is trying to teach him "phone manners" so it was funny to hear her coaching him in the background on how to be polite. I know lots of other people who need the same coaching on phone manners.

No Jack, October 5, 2011

Today was, sadly, a totally Jack-free day. He went to school, I went to work, and our paths didn't cross. My fleeting glimpse of him today was a text message from his mom, with a photo of his smiling face on the driveway in front of their house. He was madly sidewalk chalking the driveway, his face covered in dirt. Just the sight of his sunny face makes me happy.

The other Jack-related activity today was receipt of his birthday present, a child-size kitchen. This is a far cry from the pink cardboard kitchen of my day, this is a heavy blue wooden creation, complete with faux microwave. Apparently, the pre-school he attends has one and he adores it, so this was the requested gift for his birthday. I'll let Kevin put it together.

Jack, October 4, 2011

Jack blew into the house, like the mini tornado he is, right before lunch today. As usually, he had a big smile on his face and was ready for some glow stick action. Not sure how small children choose the "new hotness" of the moment, but he's been stuck on glow sticks now for a few months. His favorite car trip is to Party City to get a pack of every color, which he brings home, "snaps," then carries to bed with him. When he spends the night and his little tent is full of colored, glowing sticks, it's a wonderful sight. The boy is still not potty trained and is fast approaching his 4th birthday. I think my daughter-in-law has given up, which is probably a good thing because he will be ready when he's ready. He and Karen had stopped by to pick up the birthday party decorations I had ordered for his 4th birthday party on October 9 (his birthday is the 10th, but it's a Monday). Kevin's dad will be flying into town on October 8 and plans to stay for a week, helping around the new house. I wish I could express how much we love this little boy, and all his quirky habits and sayings. He now says stuff like, "Grandma, you're crazy, but...." or "weeeellllll, I believe that's not right, Grandma." Like having a conversation with a forty year old midget. I plan to do better about documenting what he says and does and take more pictures and videos. He will only be this age once and I hate for it to pass by with no memories. Love you, Jack!