A Billion and One Stories

about Jack.

If you have a spare couple of hours go ahead and read.

You'll laugh... you'll cry... you'll wonder why I don't just blog on a regular basis...

Such is life.

Better Late than Never is my Credo.

What He Currently Wants to Be When He Grows Up:

A Shark Wrestler

A Sweet Story:

At the conclusion of FHE I bore my testimony. Corey bore his, and was mid-word announcing the closing hymn when Jack interrupted.

"I have some closing excuses."

We gave him the floor:

"I know that Jesus can help us. Even though we don't know it... He can bless us. I know that Heavenly Father chooses if our baby is a boy or a girl. In the name of Jesus Christ amen."

So heartfelt. So sweet. So adorable.

Looking forward to more "closing excuses," in the years to come.

A Frequently Used Excuse as to Why Some or All of His Lunch Came Home Un-Eaten:

"there's really not much time..."

The First Words Out of His Mouth on September 17th, 2010:

"Mom! I'm FIVE-AND-A-HALF Today!!!!"

What He Said While Messing up Tying His Shoes with the Purpose of Making Me and Corey Laugh:

"Oh Tartar Sauce!"

Amazing Things He Can Do:

Count to 1 Million - good golly does that boy love to count!

(he can actually count to ... oh ... I think the highest I have actually heard is 127 or somewhere around there, but he claims on a regular basis that he can count to 1,000 or even 1,000,000. He can count to 1,000 by hundreds, but it wasn't until I finally counted to 443 out loud one afternoon - no I did not make it all the way to 1,000... I said the words completely like "one hundred and one," not just "one-oh-one," and therefore it took an incredibly long time- ANYWAY, it wasn't until I demonstrated that I think he fully understood the concept)

Whistle - taught by his expert whistling Dad. He can do little "oooo, oooo" sounds while he whistles which makes him sound just like a train! It's super impressive and he loves to remind me that he can do something I can't do. But, benevolent boy that he is, he also likes to try and teach me. I am a horrible student. Under his patient tutelage I have yet to produce a single sound.

Pop Wheelies on His Scooter

Tie His Own Shoes - Wherein while watching him learn we got to actually see him have to try hard to learn a new skill.... get frustrated and such. It was a new experience. Things just come easy to Jack. Always have.

Speak in Sign Language - For about a two week time period Jack was obsessed with sign language and somehow got it into his mind that Corey was fluent. "Dad how do you say peanut butter in sign language?" etc. etc. etc. We each taught him a few actual signs, and had fun making up a few of our own. He was so darn funny. During the sacrament each week Jack will always make me laugh by repeating this one particularly hilarious one. His little hands... his giddy face... I tell ya... that Jack is one funny kid!

"Dive," at the swimming pool - notice the quotations.

Throw a Football Fast, Hard, Far and with Amazing Accuracy - No quotations needed. Seriously, it's amazing. He can be very, very far away... how far away would you say Corey?... and it will spiral right to our hands each and every time so fast and hard that it scares girly-little-me. I just shake my head and laugh. It's so unbelievable, and so funny to see his little body be able to produce such advanced results. We seriously wonder what sport he will land on, he's such a natural at most of them.

Who Jack Looks Up To The Most:

Dad.

Dad, Dad, Dad.

One day he showed me a trick he could do with a water bottle proclaiming it to be "Just like Dad!."

I asked "Jack do you think your Dad is so cool?"

his answer "Yeah. Dad and Me are the coolest in our family."

me: "Hey! What about me?!? I'm cool!"

Jack: "Weeeellllll..."

Something He Does that Reminds Me of My Mom:

Eat an entire tomato as if it was an apple.

Something He's Proud of:

Winning the races in his PE class. "Mom. I wanted to win... and I won. I was the very fastest!"

Oh I know exactly what his face must have looked like when the teacher counted down. Even explaining it to me he was so intense.

He usually races one of his friends at least once during "first recess."

Something I'm Proud of:

The way he's holding to his standards at school regardless of what the other kids do. I said to another mom this morning "Jack is just going to have to get used to the fact that he is different from the other kids from the get-go." and guess what? He's doing great! I hear stories from the room mom, I get snippets of it from his stories, and I just love and appreciate his obedient and sweet spirit. He truly does try so hard to be good and to please his parents.

His Favorite Things at School:

His Friends- Ethan P, Aden, and Owen. (all highly approved by Mom and Dad- sweet, good, fun kids)

PE - by far his favorite subject.

The Jungle Jim- the "Baby Crab," is getting fancier, he is climbing and swinging higher, and it's an ever renewing challenge and source of fun.

His 5th Grade Reading Buddy- Ryan

Earning more Super Star Slips - His latest came home with a note that said he was the only one to say "Thank You," when the teacher passed out the snack.

Learning things like The Hokey Pokey, and little sayings like "Criss-Cross-Apple-Sauce."

Playing Instruments in Music Class - He was so excited to tell us that he got to play the Xylophone!

The Principle - He's completely star-struck. We hear about every tinsy-tiny encounter. One rainy morning I got to see a little interaction when the principle told him that he like his rain slicker. Fu-u-unny! And so cute!

A Story that is both Sad and Sweet:

One Friday afternoon (remember how I have mentioned before that by the end of the week he's pretty darn emotional? This is one of those stories)...

So one Friday afternoon with a great sense of urgency Jack told me about a permission slip in his back-pack related to a Roller Skating section they were going to do in PE. He couldn't tell me strongly enough how important it was that I fill it out and send it back.

His voice got husky and I could hear him fighting the tears as he asked me "Do you know what happens to the kids who don't bring their slip back? They have to just sit on the stage and watch... while the other kids do the skating."

I gave him a big huge hug and reassured him that I would take care of it. I even pulled the slip out and showed him that I knew where I needed to write his name, what boxes I needed to check etc. in order to calm his worried mind. Then I said "And then we will put it in an envelope with some money and send it back to the teacher in your back pack."

This statement incited the sweetest most appreciative look on Jack's face. He almost started crying again when he said "It costs money?!? Mom. Thank you!" and came and gave me another tight, tight hug.

Melt my heart.

Words Corey and I would Use to Describe Our 5 A Half Year Old Jack:

Cool, Sassy, Smart, Funny, Emotional, Independent, A Leader, Competitive, Athletic, Affectionate, Kind, Passionate, Friendly, and All-Around-Lovable!

** If you read this post in it's entirety you get 10 whole points!**