Our growing boys

It seems like every few weeks I have one of those "press pause" moments where I wish I could just pause their little lives and hold on to the sweet stage they are in and savor every moment. Life goes by too quickly, especially lately with all our moves, transitions, and busier schedules. I don't want to look back and realize I've missed a year of my kids lives. So, I'm trying to savor them and take time to enjoy them each in their own unique persons as best I can. Before I know it, they'll be full-blown kids and no longer my "babies" or "little boys" anymore. I know I'll love those stages too, but it's hard to imagine loving them more than I do now.

 Jackson (3 years old!?!) is our entertainer. We've all known that from early on, but his love for being around other people and having a good time is growing! He does have  his limits and enjoys to be left alone to play by himself a little everyday (usually when Hudson wants to play most), but most of the time he wants to be where the action is and bring some more action to the table. He loves to play any instrument he can, or if he doesn't have one, he pretends he does. He also loves to sing and dance which always makes his mamma smile from the inside and laugh out loud. (You can see a recent drum/singing solo in a recent blog). He also loves any and all modes of transportation, including construction trucks and knows the names of specific machines I've never heard of before. (I'm catching on slowly). He is enjoying Vancouver mostly because of all the public transit we have to utilize and all the people we get to interact with. We live on the 27th floor of a condo building and he and Hudson love to play with their trunks in the window seal and watch the real ones go by below them.

Jackson is rambunctious but has a very sweet personality too (I pray he always does :) ) Just the other day I was holding him at some store and he was cuddling me and playing with my ponytail saying, "Your hair is so bewiful...bootiful...Hey! I can't say boo-tiwful!" He can also be surprisingly sweet to his brother, esp. when Hudson gets hurt. He'll say "aw Hudson! Are you ok big guy?"

Reading to his little brother. He has a few books memorized.

Drum solo!

The birthday boy eating his lemon-poppy seed muffin, as requested! 

Birthday lunch at Old McDonald's as Jackson calls it!

 Hudson (18 months-wow!) has always been much more quiet and laid-back, but he's showing to have a VERY strong will as he grows. He is so good natured, that it comes as a surprise when he throws a huge melt-down over not getting what he wants. He's the "quiet mischievous"one and so darn cute it's hard to get on to him! He plays that up for sure by laughing and smiling as you are trying to discipline him. He still isn't talking very much (just has a handful of words only we understand); but he is still an effective communicator. He uses his babble, pointing, and whining to get most everything he needs. Or he just gets it himself. :) He loves big brother and tries to play with him or steal his toys (as every little brother should) every chance he can. They are slowly learning to share and Jackson is starting to try to "teach" him things. He says he'll teach Hudson how to use the potty when we move to S. Asia! I am all for that! Diapers are expensive there! Hudson pretty much loves everything Jackson does. While he has his own unique dance moves that I'm convinced are strait from his dad's (and nana's) genes, he loves music, dancing,  cars/trucks/trains, and destroying big brother's towers. He loves to "read" now and his two favorites are Bugland (finding Bitsie Bee in all the pop-out doors) and Good Night Moon. He opens and shuts all the doors and says "Noooo" over and over until he finds her at the end of the book. His favorite part in Good Night Moon is when "the quiet old lady whispers 'hush'!" He also giggles at the 3 bears sitting in chairs for some reason! He's so precious, esp. when he's proud of himself!

Whispering "hush"

Peek-a-Boo!

Being mischievous as ever (his reaction is to mommy telling him to put her book down!)