June is apparently a fast month.

Sorry, devoted Jack watchers, for the lack of updates this month. Simply shameful of me. To my credit, it's been a busy month. A particularly busy past two weeks, with the end of school, Jen visiting, alumni weekend, Dad and Ana visiting... We are off to NY tomorrow for a quick trip and then I will have some breathing room for a week! But, by then it will be July so tonight is the night for a quick update.

Before backtracking to catch everyone up on the missing chunk of June, there are several important Jack developments to note. Today he has begun to use 3-5 word sentences. Today, snap, just like that. Not that you can understand every word of the 3-5, and not like there is any grammar per se. But all of a sudden his speech patterns are distinctly different. Gone are the one. word. sentences. Now, a line like "whaihdat?" (What is that) or "dack get it self" is likely to come tumbling out of his mouth. Remarkable.
Today he has also switched from calling me mama to calling me momeeee. Emphasis on the eeeee. It's a little bittersweet. My new name is adorable coming out of his mouth (what wouldn't be???) but it somehow drieves home in a very poignant way just how quickly he is growing up. That sweet baby-inflected "MAma," emphasis on the MA, said with so much love... I think I will miss it.

Here, for an additional update, is a copy of a recent post on BZ, responding to a topic on "new tasks our little one's are doing...":

I feel like all of a sudden Jack can do SO much more for himself...
What we are NOT doing right now: Potty training, or independent dressing. No interest in either.

What he IS doing:
He can count 1-10, and recognize numbers 1,2,3,4,5, 8, and 10
He can recognize most colors and can name pink, yellow, red, blue, and green.
He can recognize most shapes and name heart, diamond, star, oval, and "moon."
He can recognize the letters A, S, T, O, P and H.
It's so crazy to watch him learn this kind of thing because we haven't really sat down and "taught" him any of this-- he just picks it up!
He is also feeding himself with utensils really well, drinking from a cup with no lid, and he loves to help make PBJ sandwiches-- spreading PB and trying to cut it!
He also loves to help with everything. He's great at mopping the floor (we do this on our hands and knees with a cloth and a squirt bottle of soap-- he will squirt the soap for me anywhere I point and then mop it up.) Actually he loves to clean up ANy mess. He also loves to help with the compost-- "dump!"
He is great at going and getting things for us when we ask-- IF he's in the mood.
And, he is starting to use 3-4 word sentences sometimes. I asked him what he got at the store today: "A pink baloon."
Oh, and its not really a task, but he currently calls the dog "tuna". It's apparently how he says "corydon". I find it absolutely hilarious.

Stay tuned, patient blog-watchers. More updates and pictures to be posted soon...