They Grow Up Way Too Fast

I simply don't know if there'd be any entertainment in this house if it weren't for our little Jackson. Oh, my, he's so funny. He's truly got the gift of gab already, and we don't even know what he's saying. He does, though. He just jabbers and gestures and giggles like he's telling a story. And I'm sure he is; I just wish I could speak his language. It's soooo cute. He is starting to say more words now, too. He can say mama, dada, baby, nana (that's what we're calling my mom), apple, bubbles, ball, uh-oh, bye-bye, and a few others. One of our favorite things to do is I'll say "one" and he says "tyu--ree" (that's two and three mixed together, I think). Then I say "four" and he holds out his hand with all five fingers extended and YELLS "yiiiiiiiiiiibe" (for five). It's so funny.

The other day I was talking to him and telling him that we ought to go tickle Daddy and he laughs and then gets serious all of a sudden and says, "Ball?" I took it that he wanted to play with his ball, so we went and got it. That was so funny.

We visited a Japanese garden the other day. It just thrilled him to get to feed the carp that were in the pond there. We bought some of the fish food from the dispenser and let him throw it into the pond. He would just squeal when he saw the fish come up to eat HIS food. Ha. It was great, although he was making me nervous by getting way too close to the edge of that pond. I was able to keep hold of him well enough so that he didn't fall in, though.

Sometimes I can't wait until we can actually have a conversation with him--a real one, you know, and sometimes I know it'll happen all too soon and hope that day never does come. Ahhh, it's truly amazing being a mommy. I love it.

I do know that he understands a great deal of what we tell him, though. Yesterday his babysitter told me that he wasn't sharing with the other little boy she keeps. I had a very stern talk with him last night about being nice to Parker and sharing the toys, and today Linda (the babysitter) told me she didn't know what we did, but he was 100 times better. This time is was Parker that was being ornery. Amazing, isn't it? I mean, I have 11th graders who act like they don't understand my directions sometimes, but my 22-month-old son understands a lecture on sharing. It just befuddles me.

Well, I better get to bed. Terry and Shaye Ammons are coming to visit this weekend. They'll be here tomorrow. We're taking them to see the Amish country here and maybe go to Laura Ingalls Wilders's house in Mansfield, MO, (where she and Almanzo lived shortly after having Rose until they died--it's only about 35 minutes from here), and then we're going to Branson to shop and stuff. Should be lots of fun; we haven't seen them in a while.

Take care, all. Good night.