We have spent a lot of time outside lately and we have done some sidewalk drawing. Usually Tom scribbles some and then asks me to draw things for him like different shapes, animals (his favorite being crabs) and boats, cars, trains and airplanes of course. I was pretty surprised when I asked him if he wanted to draw something and he started drawing really good looking circles. Then must be practicing at school. He was so excited about it. Here his is celebrating his circle.
The boys got to go to their first Vashon Sporstman's Club Fishing Derby. Tom didn't catch a fish but he had a lot of fun messing around with the pole and looking at other people catching fish. I think Eric spent more time holding the pole then Tom did though. So I am not sure who struck out catching a fish :) But we were using a little spiderman pole we got from Grannies. Good first attempt boys. Better luck next time.
I went to see Monique and get me hair cut. And she gave Jake his first hair cut. His hair was getting down into his eyes. And the back which started with what looked like cute curls turned into cowlicks. I guess Eric has them as well. So we thought it was time for a hair cut. It's funny because Tom at this age barely had a couple hairs on his head.
I has kind of been a Mother's Day tradition now in recent years to go to the zoo. My parents and my bother Wes and his girlfriend Emily also came with us. Tom really had a great time like always. The coolest thing we saw was the polar bear playing with his ball. We watched him for probably 15 minutes just playing around. I was amazed when he put his front paws on the ball and pushed and it shot him straight up out of the water. It was really fun to watch.
We had a great day at the zoo and went home and played in the back yard and had some seafood that we picked up at the waterfront on our way home. It was a great day to spend with my boys.
He is really getting a little personality. He makes sure to let you know when he doesn't want a diaper change, or to put his brace on, or go to bed, or get into his car seat, or if you have food that he wants. He even throws a fit if he sees one of our phones or the baby monitor with the light on. You either have to let him play with it or hide it.
But he is communicating more now too. He still only days mama and dada. But I have been hearing a lot of babbling. And it sounds like he is saying "This?" and "That?" like Tom used to ask what things are. It seems like he might know how to sign cereal, and we have been trying to do more. But most of the time he just bangs on the high chair tray until you give him more food. He is such a demanding little boy while eating. If I don't keep something on his tray to keep him busy he will grab the spoon and fling food at me. So I make funny faces at him to distract him just like I did with Tom. And Jake loves to make funny faces back at me. Here are some of his funny high chair faces. Then sometimes he will be sitting next to me and start making faces at me asking for me to make faces at him. It is very cute.
Things are getting a little easier in the high chair now that Jake finally started eating cut up foods. We had been trying him on banana and he just kept throwing it up. So I gave him a little bit bigger piece and he finally figured it out. No he eats all kinds of little cut up things and seems to has very little trouble with it. It is so nice to be able to just set food on the tray and get to eat my own dinner.
Jake is growing fast, but seems a little bit smaller than Tom. But unlike Tom we are going to have to get him a haircut soon. Tom was still bald at 11 months. Jake's hair is almost in his eyes already.
He is a little behind Tom on the walking though. I think he just needs some confidence. I catch him standing unsupported every now and then. But when I try to get him to walk on his own he won't let go of my hands or just immediately goes to the floor. He won't try to walk forward. Sometimes he will kind of lean forward at something. But when you hold on to his hands he is practically running. And he has now started acting like a little cling on. I will be walking by him and he will grab on to my leg and ride across the room while grabbing on to the back of my pant legs.
He is also doing the push toys already. I just help him steer it when he needs the help. It can be a bit like bumper cars at times though as Tom like to join in and get overly excited. Otherwise he can just cruise on his own. We have also started some of the ride on toys and he really likes that.
I think he is most excited at the getting outside without being confined to a stroller. Now that things have dried out a little more he can crawl around in the grass which he finds fascinating. Unfortunately he still wants to put everything in his mouth so they have only been short moments of crawling around. He also is mesmerized by bubbles. He did get to go in the swing for the first time and totally loved it. He even got to ride around in one of the Jeeps with Tom.
Only a month away until he turns one. I can't believe how much faster the second child grows up. It blows right by in a whirlwind.
