The Amazingly Talented Mr. Jaden, A.K.A Bubba

Through the eyes of a 3 year old!
It's unbelieveable how children go from being being these little babies, only capable of a couple of words, or syllables in Mackenna's case, then to that lovely phase 'instant replay' of whatever anyone else has said to now, to what Jaden amazes us with each and every day!

In the last few months he has become better at telling stories: stories about his dreams (most likely not an actual dream, but more like what he wants to do or has done in the past), stories that start, 'member when...', stories about what he did while I was gone or Daddy was gone. The most recent 'member when' story that has blown me away was when he started talking about Auntie Krista. He said 'member when I sat in Krista's big chair and I have juice?' We had talked about being at Ann and Rick's for Christmas last year and I thought he was getting confused. Ann had a booster seat that he sat in to eat and I thought he was talking about that. I asked him and he kept saying, 'no, no, no' and would recite the whole thing again and again. The next day it dawned on me what he was talking about. After we flew in we had an hour to kill so on our way north we headed to Krista's bank to see her. They had put on a big spread for lunch, as it was Christmas Eve. Duh. Krista has huge overstuffed chairs in front of her desk. And what was the only thing he would eat/drink after the early early morning and long flight? Apple juice. This kid is a smart cookie. He remembers EVERYTHING. (except to be quiet while his sister is asleep, but I think we'll have to cut him some slack.)

Jaden has started to be very imaginative and verbal while playing. With Mackenna's crazy nap schedule, there are times when I just have to get something done, so he comes down with me and plays while I work for a while and it is so fun to overhear him as he makes up stories and dialogue. I need to start video taping!

Much like his mama, (if you can believe this) Jaden is very emotive and dare I say, expressive...bordering on dramatic! When he gets upset... he gets UPSET. He can seriously break glass. When he is happy his little 3 year old body can NOT hold it in. He has this little wiggle thing he does. He shakes his little mud butt to the left and right and then does the same thing with his head, with of course a little smirk on his face. When he is excited, look OUT. He dances, he yells like Tarzan, sorta... he doesn't really know who Tarzan is but he gets this super 'surprised' look on his face and shouts, OHHHHHHHH! When he finds out he's going to Jacob's or to Grammie and Grandpas or if Tori's coming over, the usual response is 'OH that'll be fun, fun, fun'. Never just ONE fun, never two, always three, accompanyied by the head jiggle.

Jaden is such a sweatheart. He is so loving and sooooo touchy-feely! When he is in his lovey dovey mood he will just randomly go up to his sister or Mommy or Daddy, or anyone he knows well for that matter and either say, 'I wuv you, Dadda, Mama, Kenna....etc' or '________, yo my bess fwien'. And then... two seconds later he can be screaming hysterically at the top of his lungs because there is a bubble in the milk in his cereal because, you know, bubbles in your milk are scary...which brings me to another Bubbaism. "boompa"

"Boompa" No, not Grandpa, no, not the sound a gun makes. "Boompa" is Jaden's own made up adjective that defines anything remotely scarey to him. "Boompa" is his crazy 3 yr old way of saying 'Oompa', as in the Oompa Loompas from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. If I had known over a year ago that by watching this movie while his cousins were spending the night at our house, the 'boompa's would still haunt him today, I would have chosen something else! He is afraid of anyone named Charlie, as well. The day he got his 3rd haircut, the barber, Pep, said, 'Hi Charlie' as he entered the shop (Charlie was the kid after Jaden) Oh boy. It is nothing short of a miracle that he didn't turn around and RUN as fast as his little short legs would carry him out the door. While on the big haircut chair he sat sucking on his candycane, staring at the big boy, Charlie, who was waiting his turn. I could just see the wheels going in his head.... that's Charlie...the scary oompa loompas have to be hiding somewhere... where's the scary chocolate river that they fell in... He is obsessed.

So there you have it... tangents, rambling, whatever you want to call it.