L.O.V.E.

There are moments (or days) when dealing with a toddler makes me want to grip the side of the table while frustration smoke blows out of my ears. They can be moody, whiny, irrational & bossy. (But then again, all those words can describe myself, so I'm not sure my point is that great.) But it can get very frustrating trying to figure out how to control, how to improve, how to handle better, etc... While I know that I have to take the frustrating moments & learn from them (or just completely wipe them from my memory), 20 years from now, those are not the moments I want to remember. I want to remember all of those great moments. Those moments that made me laugh so hard I cried & those moments that made my heart skip a beat because I just could have never imagined that I could love something so much. I want to remember all of the moments & things I L.O.V.E.D. Things like....

I love to hear him laugh at 1 part of his Curious George DVD of episodes. I never really thought that Jake understood television. I just figured he was really just staring blankly at the screen listening to the sound. We've noticed though, that in one particular episode ("George Takes a Job" to be exact), George & a kitten fall into a pot of pasta. Jake dies laughing each time at that part. He has never laughed out loud at any other thing on TV, but he laughs hysterically at that part. It is the funniest little laugh.

I love when I walk into a room & he says "Hey Mommy" & runs up to give me a hug.

I love to hear him say "thank you mommy".

I love to listen to him talk to his bedtime friends in the morning when he wakes up. He is very good about just laying in his bed jabbering away. I'm pretty sure that he, hippo, George, piggy & puppy are solving all of the world's problems.

I love to catch him reading books while sitting on the potty. (I'd love it even more if he used the potty as an actual potty & not as a recliner.) Some books he just jabbers away at, but his favorites, he can recite a few words from each page based off of the pictures.

I love to watch him hug his friends & cousins. (Even if 2 seconds earlier & 2 seconds afterwards they are fighting.)

I love to watch him snuggle in Robbie's lap while watching sports.

I love to have him snuggle with me period.

I love to hear him say "I did it!" And then he will say "Yes!" & do the hand motion.

I love that he calls yogurt "so good". At first I thought he was just telling me that it was so good. But then one day he came running to me saying "so good. so good." I was confused because I knew he wasn't eating anything. I asked him to show me what he wanted. He took me to the frig & pointed to the yogurt. He kept saying "so good". I held one up & asked him if he wanted a "so good"? He said yes. I guess when he eats yogurt, I've asked if it is so good. So I guess he thinks that's what it's actually called.

I love when I'm standing behind him, but can tell that he is smiling, because his cheeks are so chubby.

I love to watch him sleep when he is on his back & his arms are behind his head.

I love that he is such a funny sweet little boy that gives the best hugs & sweetest kisses.

I just love him so much. Period.