Jack's Turn

Jack Edward Robert Burton AKA: Superman, Spiderman, Batman with the Glove Hook, Spongebob, Peter Pan, Buzz Lightyear, Arrow Man, Water Man, Hades, Shang

(Do you sometimes wonder if all I do with my children is watch movies? I don't. Promise. Jack is like a sponge. If he sees something once it's in him and playing pretend is his favorite... although I do admit that our movie watching increases in the winter.... grrr.... winter...)

Four things happening in the life of our Resident Super-Hero:

#1 Jack is learning how to read. Every afternoon when Aly goes down for a nap Jack and I head to the kitchen table for reading lessons. I am teaching him out of a book I found called "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons." It's so cool. I wasn't going to post about it because it's a different way of teaching kids how to read and even though the method makes total perfect sense to me I wanted to see how it went before I said anything. Today we did lesson #30 and he read the following story "the fast way," and only had to sound out 2 words:

"This is a cat. The cat can run. Mud is on the cat."

He also read these words "the fast way," (meaning he could just look and read without sounding out each letter):

and, sand, land, little, fill, lot, lid, sick, lick, seed, run, fin, sun, mud, it, not, nut, feet

I know that the method is really neat, but I also just think Jack is really a quick kid. He LOVES to learn and it just amazes me what he can do after just a little instruction. At first he was motivated to do this because I made a chart that he got to put stickers on and I let him choose a reading lesson treat. Those tools lost their magic pretty quickly, but all I have to say is "Jack... we're learning a new sound today!" And he comes running in yelling "What letter is it? What sound? Show me!"

I'm so proud of his progress. His smarts amaze me daily, and I can't wait to see where life takes my smart boy.

#2 Jack loves to make people laugh. He'll do anything to get you to do it. The picture above is of him and Owen (my friend Autumn's baby). He gets so excited when he knows Owen is coming. He'll start telling me all the things he is going to do to make Owen laugh. Owen is a tender baby and loud sounds (like my huge obnoxious laugh) terrify him, but for some reason Jack is the exception to the rule. He is mesmerized by him. I love to watch the two of them interact.

#3 Perhaps my favorite thing that Jack is doing right now is a certain song that he is singing. We sing it in the car. He sings it on the potty. He sings it at night in his bed when he should be sleeping, he sings it in the other rooms when we have guests over (but I KNOW he secretly hopes they are listening)

Okay this is going to be long but I must do it.

Jack's version of "I'll make a man out of you." from Disney's Mulan:

(the actual lyrics if different are in the parentheses... also he kind of sings out of order but I'll just let you know the part he was going for even if it's in the wrong spot)

Let's get down to business. To defeat da (the) Huns.

Did me send me dodders when I ask for Sons?

(did they send me daughters when I asked for sons?)

You're a spineless, kale, prophetic lot and you haben't godda clue

(You're a spineless, pale, pathetic lot and you haven't got a clue)

How could I'll make a man outta you?

(How could I make a man out of you?)

Tranquil as a forest, but I'm fire within

Once you find your center you are sure to win

You're the grage of war... so pack up! Go home you're through!

(You're not suited for the rage of war, so pack up, go home you're through)

Mister, I'll make a man outta you!

Be a man!

You be swift as the coursing ribber as!

(You must be swift as the coursing river)

With all the force of a great typhoon!

With alda strenf of a raging fire

(with all the strength of a raging fire)

Curious as the dark side of DA MOON!

(Mysterious as the dark side of the moon!)

Then he repeats the chorus. He sings it as manly as possible I assure you. Pretty darn cute.

#4 Jacks imagination makes him gullable. Let me give you an example: We have an apartment above us and at night we can hear them walking around. I have reassured Jack many times that they are just our neighbors and that they are nice people. Well the other night he heard them and said to me in a kind of scared voice "That's just our neighbors. Their nice." I saw an opportunity... an EVIL opportunity... but I just couldn't resist. (What?!? I NEVER do stuff like this EVER! It was a one time thing I swear.)

His sweet trusting face looked up at me for some kind of reassurance that what he just said was true and I said "Nope. It's a monster up there." "No it's not mom! It's just our neighbors!" He protested as he pulled the corners of his mouth down a bit and out to the side...eyes widening.... "Yep Jack. It's a MONSTER. He has a green body... with black feet... and red yucky hands... and yellow teeth like knives..." "Like KNIVES?!?" He said leaning closer to me eyes still getting bigger... he was buying it and I could see it etched on every part of his face... "And he waits until little boys go to bed... and THEN... HE... GETS YA!" at which point in the story he screamed "No!" and hit me in the face.

It was totally instinctual and of course he was not in trouble at ALL. I started laughing and laughing and it took him a confused second but then he laughed with me. I kept repeating "Mommy is SO MEAN Jack... it was just a joke... I was teasing you... it really IS our nice neighbors up there... you don't have to be scared!"

He let it go but right before bed he told me "Well... it IS a monster up there... but he's a NICE monster... but he does have yucky hands... and yucky teeth... but... I don't have yucky teeth... but he's nice...and he's nice... but he IS a monster."

I finally convinced him in the end that I was joking, but it took some doing. The kid has an imagination that just won't quit.

Jack is silly, smart, eager to please, and incredibly strong willed. We love our Jack. He keeps life interesting to say the very least.