babies brains double in size in the first year

It is really hard to keep up with all the little intracacies (sp?) of the developing Jack. It's amazing watching his brain step up a level pretty much every couple of days. Like the day that I realized he was no longer satisfied when I handed him one toy or object. He needs to have two so he can find the relationship between them-put them together, stack them, bang them together. He's making the leap and it takes me twice as long to realize he's moving on again!

He really watches kids that are just slightly older than him, especially Olu and Jack Reilly at school, and follows their lead. At daycare on Monday Olu put on a tutu so Jack and Edward did as well. When I walked in Jack was happily playing with the spiral ball slide in this tutu which he had been wearing all afternoon. (it was so cute I could hardly stand it.)

He's trying to run now and wants to walk around on the bus, not just sit still on my lap. At swimming he stands when they do "Humpty Dumpty" and jumps into the water rather than sitting and just sort of leaning into my arms; he also splashes and grabs for things under water. 

I had Jack out on the back porch of the building the other day, and he was very pleased to sit in the chair and swing his legs. He REALLY likes sitting in chairs, especially ones that are his size. The other day Sean had to stop me from buying the $5 Barbie lawnchair at the second hair store that Jack pulled out and delighted himself with sitting in.

He also knows where things are kept and goes back to those places to find the things he likes to play with. 

I mean, sure, this can easily start to sound like those annoying parents that think every flicker of the eye is a sure sign he's a genius. BUT THE REASON I'M NOT ONE OF THOSE PARENTS (ha ha) is because I recognize that all kids go through this, and I find it utterly amazing every time. When was the last time I did something in one year as significant as learn to walk??? Even a graduate degree takes a couple years at least. When was the last time I comprehended something as crucial to the universe as "when you close the door, the object is still there, and it will be there tomorrow when you come back too"?

It blows my ever loving mind and I am utterly riveted watching Jack's face as he takes some new piece of information in. Or he recalls his hair when we look at the picture of the girl's pelo marron in his Spanish/English picture book.