The biggest change I’ve seen in you over the past few months is your speech.  You’ve become a real chatterbox!

Repeat a sentence?  No problem!

I’m sexy and I know it.

Fill the void with endless chatter throughout the day?  Yes, just ask your Mom!

This is my phone.

It’s so interesting observing little kids your age and Madigan’s age, together.  You’re two + four months old and Madigan is 19 months old.  At these tender ages, there isn’t much, if any,  interaction.  You’re aware of others around you, but the social skills aren’t developed  to communicate directly or play together.

The other day you were visiting Grammy and me – all 13 of us together for Sunday dinner.  You were sitting with Grammy on the sofa, playing with the iPad.  Madigan came over, reached for the iPad and yanked it away.

Let us just say that you were not pleased!

Grammy took the iPad back.  That’s when you said:

That baby is a bad boy!

I love it!  That’s a great example of your verbal prowess, your ability to express yourself, even in times of personal crisis.

A lot more words are coming soon from you Sir Jack as you fit the verbal puzzle pieces together.

Look out world!

Your Mom and you were alone – mid morning – your sisters and brothers were at school.

She needed to get the beds made upstairs, so she stole a glance.  All was well, you were quietly playing with your cars & trucks on the family room rug.  Your favorite pastime.  Away she went.

A few minutes later, she came down the stairs and there you were, seated at the kitchen island… surrounded by muffins!

In her absence, evidently assaulted by severe hunger pangs, you had decided to open the box of mini muffins still on the counter from breakfast.  You took a plate and then went about surgically removing the wrappers to “at least eight muffins” as later reported by your Mom, the only witness to the deed.

Then you took at least one bite out of each muffin.

The best part?  When you were through, the carton that previously contained the goodies was thoughtfully placed by you into the recyclables bin.  You were hungry, yes, but you also revealed an already-developed sustainability conscience!

Here’s what you looked like when she came down:

YOU ARE BEAMING!

Look at your face – you are so pleased with your ability to independently shape your own destiny, satisfy a craving and at the same time care about the planet.

There’s no stopping you Jack.  You will go far … this “get it done” entrepreneurial spirit will serve you well all the days of your life.  Don’t wait for others to shape your destiny, make it happen on your own!

You are talking up a storm, Master Jack!

You’ll say, or try to repeat, just about anything.

Recent words I caught included:

Beebah (banana)

doggie

kitty

monkey

gibby (Grammy)

gobble gobble

ho ho ho

merry christmas

cookies

Beatles!

You’re only two years old, but you sure know how to trick or treat, or as you say it:

twick or tweet

Last year you very happily zipped about on your Daddy’s shoulder/backpack as he brought your siblings around the new neighborhood you had moved in days before.  I remember how you grinned from ear to ear the whole time.

This year was no different… you were eager and boldly confident, as your costume character T-Rex would be.

Molly’s pre-school visited Dover City Hall and you joined the festivities. Grammy and I were lucky to be with you and your Mom to see the whole thing play out.

First there was song-singing on the outside steps.   Molly positioned herself in the upper right section of the steps.  Then you decided to leave your Mommy’s side and join her class… you just wanted to be there!  But you didn’t sit with Molly, you sat in the front row.  With kids you didn’t even know.

No fear, no hesitation.

It was funny watching you try to sit down… your oversized T-Rex tail wasn’t bending very well. You’d try to sit down, then would bounce back up, looking around as if there was an invisible obstruction in your way.  As if to say:

I know how to sit down. I’ve done it a hundred times before. What’s getting in the way? This is very weird.

You then joined Molly & your Mom walking through the aisles of City Hall where employees handed out treats.  Everyone thought your costume was so cute. It was, and so were you.

Happy Halloween fearless, fun Jack!

I can’t believe you’re two years old today, or as you put it when asked how old you are…

“Teeee-uuuu”

So what is Jack Clickman all about these days from the Papa perspective? Here’s a list of my favorite things…

a friendly smile, almost every minute of every day (except for the occasional and very rare ticked off moment… more on this later)

a very easy going nature, taking it all in stride, very calm disposition

a force of nature, nothing stops you, nothing gets in your way physically… you haven’t changed since you started walking… obstacles on the floor? Walk over them!

a passion for cars and trucks including “Weee-youuu” police cars and emergency vehicles. More on this in a moment…

someone who has increasingly adopted a wide range of new words, the latest of which is “twick or tweat.”

someone who likes to be in the thick of things, vs. on the sidelines

an appreciation for food (runs in the family), especially cookies, which can be any kind of dessert item from cakes and brownies to actual cookies. Yesterday at Emma’s soccer game we walked over to the snack food stand and I promised to buy you “cookies” which turned into hostess mini blueberry muffins.  When we got back, you told Grammy I had bought you “cookies.”

That’s just a little taste of who you are these days!

Last Sunday when we were all in the rec room after eating dinner, you found the bag filled with matchbox cars & trucks.  EXCITED is one word that comes to mind!

You sat next to me on the sofa, took them out, one by one, and studied each carefully.  The yellow Lightning McQueen with white eyes took your fancy, but you appreciated them all.

When it was time for you to head home, your Dad started picking up, and the bag of cars was headed in the toy bucket.  That’s when you threw what was unquestionably a very legitimate tantrum!  You bolted for the corner, wailed and cried… so upset about this turn of events.

I told you, “Take the bag of cars home with you Jack,” handing it over.  Tears & Tantrums stopped immediately.  Order had been restored.  You were your normal happy self again.

Buckled into your car seat, I said goodbye to you and your siblings, as I do every Sunday night. There you were, holding the bag of cars with your left hand while the yellow Lightning McQueen was clutched in your right.

Classic Jack.

Happy birthday big boy. I love you lots.