25 Random Things

I recently did one of those 25 Random Things About Me lists on Facebook. Then I got thinking that I bet I could come up with similar lists for Jack and Ryker. So here goes:

Jackson:
1. His middle name is Manning, which is Chuck's middle name and the first name of Jack's grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather.
2. His first name is supposed to be a J for Jamie, A for And, C for Chuck, then son - like he's Jamie And Chuck's Son. We added the K for ease of spelling and so he didn't get beat up on the playground.
3. Jackson was also part of the name of the school my mom taught in for forever (Jackson Park). His maternal great-grandfather is also named Jack.
4. EVERYONE thought he was going to be a boy, even though we didn't find out the sex while I was pregnant.
5. The nurse practitioner at our OB's office swore he'd be a boy and also promised that I wouldn't have a c-section. One for two.
6. When he was not talking yet he made up a sign for "waffle" which was him waving his hand back and forth in the air - the motion we made as we waved his waffle in the air to cool it off before giving it to him.
7. He's gone to Chrysalis since he was 3 months old.
8. He never really got the hang of rolling over.
9. He used to HATE to have things on his hands or face and insisted we wipe them off several times each meal.
10. The only time I ever attempted to give him tofu, I put it on his tray and turned around for a few seconds, then turned back to find that he had smeared it all over his head.
11. He's obsessed with safety.
12. A new one I learned this week - he goes under the stairs of the loft at daycare when he needs to collect himself.
13. He has a tiny bald spot on the crown of his head from where they put a monitor on him in utero. And Momma and Dadda are still mad at the nurse for that.
14. He has been to a caucus, to vote in a primary, and to a rally with Al Franken and Bill Clinton.
15. He thinks apricots are "special treats."
16. For several months he wouldn't drink out of anything but a Pooh Bear sippy cup.
17. He's had Twinkle Turtle in his room every night since he was born. Or maybe we got it a few months after he was born - but regardless he's had it a long time.
18. I breastfed him at least once a day for 15 months. Then one day in StL at Gaga and Papa's house I was nursing him and he sat up after about 1 minute - signed for milk and pointed at the kitchen. That was the end.
19. He hates to eat cheese unless it's in something.
20. He wants to drive construction trucks or be a policeman when he grows up. He also wants to be a daddy.
21. He's STILL obsessed with the Muffin Man.
22. He used to sleep 12-13 hours a night and have two 2 hour naps.
23. He now hates to sleep. Especially without us.
24. He's been to two Cardinal baseball games, countless Carleton football and basketball games, lots of Mommy's basketball games, and one rodeo.
25. He tells Chuck that he will "love him forever" every night. Occasionally he'll say it to other people too, but mostly Chuck.

Ryker:
1. He was a scheduled c-section, but we didn't get to pick the date. Instead, we got a call telling us when he would be born.
2. We also got a reminder call the night before the surgery - "This is a message for Jamie. Jamie, this is Southdale Hospital calling to remind you that you're scheduled for a Cesarean section tomorrow morning at 9am. Please arrive at 7:30am and don't eat or drink anything after midnight."
3. He was at the rally with Al Franken and Bill Clinton too.
4. He still has his stork bites on the back of his neck.
5. He's named after his uncle - "Ry" for the beginning of Ryan, "k" for the middle of Michael and "er" for the end of Mueller.
6. His middle name is Kelly, after Grandmommy.
7. He has recently gained the nickname "Wookiee" after the sound he makes that sounds exactly like Chewbacca, or this weird guy I found on YouTube.
8. He loves beer bottles.
9. He gets an overbite when he's tired.
10. He cries when people yell "Wow!" or "Oooohh!" loudly. Parades and opening presents are a nightmare.
11. They made us bring him in multiple times to measure his head because it was so big.
12. He used to love to stare at our vertical blinds.
13. He is ticklish in his armpits, on his collarbones, and on his inner thighs.
14. He has super long hair in the front and a bald patch in the back.
15. Jack really wanted to name him Isaac (Jack was given a baby doll at the hospital and named HIM Isaac instead.)
16. I was obsessed with jalapeno poppers while I was pregnant with him.
17. He was one of 4 babies born in my department at work within 8 months of each other - and we all had the same supervisor.
18. He hates to be confined - quickly learned to hate his car seat, swing, exersaucer, socks, etc.
19. He's only eaten 3 foods in his life so far (aside from milk) - rice cereal, bananas and peas.
20. He cracks up every time Jack throws a tantrum.
21. If he had been a girl he would have been named either Keely or Kate.
22. He has a mural of "Oh the Places You'll Go" in his room, painted by an old family friend.
23. He's the epitome of a recycled-paraphernalia-kid, wearing clothes and playing with toys that were first Siena's, then Jack's, then Elliot's and now his. He even has carpet made from recycled soda bottles.
24. He's bigger than Jack was at the same age. I've had to learn to bathe a chubby baby - making sure to clean in all of his little folds.
25. There has been a lot of debate about who he will look like. Right after he was born we all thought he was exactly like Jack, then about a day or two later we weren't so sure. He had red hair for awhile, now it's brown again. My mom has pictures of both of them as babies up in her hallway and I have a hard time figuring out which is which.