Jackson's Three Year Check Up

I can tell the holidays are fast approaching because I feel more behind than ever.  I've been busy with the usual Christmas activities of shopping, wrapping, baking, but we have also had our play groups, Tom's Christmas party, and doctor and dentist appointments to schedule into the already hectic season.  So of course I'm behind on getting this posted.  Today's post is all about Jackson. 


Last Monday (December 13), Jackson had his first appointment with our new pediatrician for his three year well child appointment.  He did really good overall, but as any typical three year old and boy, he didn't always want to cooperate.  The nurse checked the usual - weight, height, and blood pressure   - and then he experienced his first eye and hearing exams.  For the eye exam, he was supposed to tell the nurse when he saw an apple, a house, and an umbrella on each line of the eye chart.  He started out really good, but then started to make a little game out of it, saying to the nurse, "What's that one again?" or "Hmm... I'm not sure..." and this was right after he had completed a series of them at the same size just seconds before.  Go figure!  Then with the hearing test, she put headphones on him and asked him to raise his hand each time he heard a beep.  He understood the directions but he wasn't raising his hand at all.  You could tell that he heard them though.  Then he started to tell the nurse that the beeps sounded like different things... like a truck or a bird... but he wouldn't raise his hand.   Then he was getting bored with the whole thing and wouldn't say or do anything.  Though I was a little frustrated that he wouldn't cooperate for the test, the nurse said he did great and that he was like the typical three year old boy for the test.  Thank goodness!!  So Dr. Kastner examined him after that and she said he is growing just great and that he is in line with where he should be for his age.  She gave me some pointers on potty training since that is our next hurdle to overcome... and he has been pretty adamant that he is going to continue to use diapers any time I have brought up the topic.  So hopefully after the holidays, we'll really tackle that.  But I think we have turned a corner with the potty training just in the last week and it has really been all on Jackson's initiation.  He has been telling Tom that he has to poop and wants to use the potty.  He runs in then just pees and doesn't want to continue.  But today he told me, so we ran in and he only peed.  Then ten minutes later, he told me again.  We went back in the bathroom and he really did it - he pooped!  I was so proud of him!  Sorry to give the details there... but this was a huge milestone and I had to at least document it for myself!  Way to go Jackson using the big boy potty!!  Let's hope this continues!


So here were his stats from the appointment:
Height: 38 inches (66th percentile)
Weight: 33 1/2 lbs. (70th percentile)


I'm so proud of the little boy he is becoming!  Here are some of the other things Jackson is really enjoying these days:

• Playing with Legos (the big boy ones - not Duplos anymore for this kid) and he loves them!
• Loves reading books - you can read a book to him once and then he will "read" it back to you (retells the tail based on the pictures and what words he remembers you saying.  He just got his first issue of "High Five" which is a Highlights magazine and he loves it.  Thanks Grandma for the subscription!
• Loves, loves, loves cars, trucks, tractors, motorcycles, diggers, airplanes, trains (anything that moves)
• Starting to dress himself - though he gets frustrated and needs some help.  But he's getting there.
• Christmas and Santa.  Him and Morgan both love to point out the different figures in the Nativity scene and each day he wants to help with our two Advent calendars counting down to Christmas.  Plus when he is naughty, just the mention of Santa skipping our house because of his behavior puts a stop to his naughtiness.
• Movies.  He discovered the Christmas classics of "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer" and "Frosty the Snowman" plus some new movies he got from his birthday that are about Thomas the Tank Engine at Christmas time.  I think he has recounted those stories back to Tom and I probably fifty times.  And he doesn't seem to miss one detail of the stories.  "And then Daddy, Frosty and the girl were sledding down the hill on Frosty's tummy. And the bad guy was chasing them.  And then Daddy, Frosty melted in that shed with the red poinsettia flowers.  But then, Daddy..."  He goes on and on!  So cute!
• "Playing a game" as he calls it.  Which it is usually a game that he makes up that is a cross between football and baseball.  He has to have on a "number" shirt which means he is on a team.  If he doesn't have on a shirt with numbers he can't play his game.  Then he says, "Momma, you're on my team.  Watch me throw the ball.  Then say 'Go! Go! Get it! Get it!'.  Then I'll chase it and throw it again. Okay, Momma?"  Pretty cute!  But I think he gets annoyed with me since I don't stick with the game as long as he would like me to.

Our Jackson - What a boy!

Say CHEESE!



The last four pictures are courtesy of our friend Melissa who took them at our play date at the Delafield Play Gallery. Jackson loved this place! (Morgan too!)