Backseat Traffic Cop

Whenever we are in the car, Sam and I are so lucky to have our very own traffic cop on board, sitting right in the back seat. Jaden definitely keeps us in line and makes sure we are following the rules of the road at all times. Who needs red light cameras when you've got a three-year-old making sure you stop on red; and he's got tickets ready to hand out, if necessary. Here's some of what we hear from our little backseat traffic cop:

"Mom, the light is red up there. You should start to slow down."

J: "Dad, did you see that red light that you just passed?"
S: "It was a yellow light that turned red."
J: "But yellow means that you are supposed to slow down."

"Why are all the cars not going and the light is green?" (Then I had to explain that it just takes everybody just a minute to move their foot from the brake to the gas to get going again....geez.)

"Are we going too fast?... Are we going too slow?... Are we going the right fast?"

"Are those cars speeding? I think the police are going to give them a ticket. But not us because we're not going too fast, right mom?"

"Are we going the right way? I think we are supposed to go the other way."

"Why is everybody going so slow?... Why are we stopping?" (FYI: construction)

"Mom, there are two red lights up there, so we will have to stop two times."

"Don't go until the light turns to green."

"What number does that sign say about how fast we can go?" (He's always keeping an eye on speed limit signs).

By the way it sounds, you'd think we've had several run-ins with the law! But I assure you, we have not. And I hope our little backseat traffic cop continues to keep us safe on the road!

Funny (and Adorable) Thoughts and Sayings of a Three-Year-Old

Jaden is the funniest little guy I know! He continuoulsy keeps us laughing, thinking, talking, and falling more and more in love with him! He is so much fun to be around and I wish I could record everything he says every single day. Here are a few of his latest...

While sitting behind me in the car and kicking my seat...
"I'm putting my shoes on your chair for you not fall, mom."

While Sam was away for work in Florida, Jaden talked to him on the phone and said, "I want you to bring me a toy and Elijah a big toy for he not choke."

Jaden's cousin Aubrey is five weeks older than Elijah and because she is a little bigger than Elijah and got her first tooth before Elijah did, Jaden seems to see her as closer to his age. One day, he said, "Aubrey has teeth like me, not Elijah. Elijah's little and Aubrey is big like me."

After I picked him up from the babysitter one day, Jaden said...

"I played football with Connor and Addison and Taylor at Mommy Maru's today."
It was a very cold day outside, so I asked, "Inside or outside?"
Jaden said, "Inside...it was just an invisible football."

"When I grow up, I want to be in the band and play real instruments."

Jaden: "Daddy needs to make good choices."
Me: "Why, what did daddy do?"
Jaden: "He told me, 'Jaden, no!'"

Jaden continues to have numerous future careers planned out...
"Look at all those tractors. They're getting ready to drive to the farm to get salad for us to eat. I want to be a farmer when I grow up and ride a horse."

Jaden: "Mommy, Papa's your dad?"
Me: "Yes..."
Jaden: "I like your dad."

I accidently cut my finger with a knife. Jaden said, "Mom, you're supposed to cut food, not your finger, honey."

We went to one of Jaden's little friend's birthday parties. The treat bag was full of homemade cookies. I didn't realize what was in the bag before we left or I would have asked about peanuts. Needless to say, Jaden tore into the bag as soon as we got in the car and started eating a cookie on the way home. He instantly started acting a bit funny, which made me think "PEANUTS!!" Sure enough, there were peanut butter chips in the cookies. I immediately gave him Benadryl and he fell asleep. When he woke up, he said, "Remember I ate a cookie and got peanut butter in my mouth and then I sleeped and now the peanut butter is gone."

"I'm going to give G-Pop a kiss and then he will feel all better."

While Jaden was playing one day, he announced, "Mom, I don't want to go to time out..." I was confused and wondered if I had said something to make him think he was in trouble. I said, "Why would you be going to time out? You're the best!" Then he said, "Okay, good...then I'm sorry I went to the bathroom in my underwear. Can you change them..."

During story time, Sam playfully layed his head down on Jaden. Jaden said, "This is not a pillow...I'm just a boy."

When Jaden had an accident in his Spiderman underwear..."Spiderman just had a drink."

While in the bathtub practicing naming body parts, I asked Jaden to wash his ankles...
Jaden: "What's that?"
I showed him.
Jaden:"I think I have those too!" Then he found both and was so excited, "I have two!"

"The sun is too shiny. I think it's chasing us."

"Pigs like to roll in mud. I don't because I'm a boy, not a pig."

While passing the exercise equipment at Wal-Mart, Jaden announced, "You need to exercise, mom."

While we were on the way to the airport to pick up daddy from working in Florida...
"I like my daddy all the days. But I do not like my daddy when he goes away. I only like him when he stays."

Every single day since we put our Christmas lights up, until long after we took them down, Jaden loved being out in the evenings just for the excitement of driving back home to see if our lights were one. Every time we got about a block away from our house, he would cover his eyes and say, "I'm gonna close my eyes and you say if the lights are on!"

As Jaden was looking at a picture of my cousins and I from years ago, he was naming each one of us. Then he asked, "How did you guys get in this picture?"

After getting all dressed up for a party, Jaden asked, "Do I look cute?"

My cousin's husband is in the Marine's and Jaden knows that "Helicopter Beto" works with helicopters (actually, he thinks he flies them)...
"Helicopter Beto wears a suit so he can fly a helicopter by himself." Then I explained that Beto works on and fixes the helicopters. Jaden said, "I can fix them now too because I'm three!"

One of Jaden's friends gave him a toy airplane for his birthday. Jaden was so excited to play with it and was very protective of it...
"I don't want this airplane to be broken." Then, as he "read" the writing on the airplane, he said, "This airplane says it is not for stepping on. It's for being careful. And it's not for putting on the kitchen floor."

Jaden: "If I poop in my underwear, will you put me under the rest?"
Me: Very confused..."Will I put you under what???"
Jaden: "Well, sometimes police officers put people under the rest."

Jaden loves his Nana and Papa's dog, Sasha and frequently reminds me that we don't have a dog at our house. One day he asked...
"Mom, can we use Sasha?"
Me: "Use Sasha for what?"
Jaden: "For our house?"

While holding a new helicopter that Nana gave him...
"I told my friend Taylor that my grandma gave this to me."

While in the car, Jaden was giggling about the noises that Elijah was making. I told Jaden that Elijah was blowing raspberries. Jaden said, "No, I think they're strawberries."

One morning, i woke up with hugely frizzy hair. Jaden said, "Your hair looks like a lion when you're sleeping, mommy...I like lions."

While eating some Cheerios, Jaden found two that were stuck together. He asked why they were stuck, then answered his own question...
"Oh I know - they want to be friends."

The Coughing Cop

Sam and I both caught a nasty stomach bug, on the same day! It was completely miserable. That morning, Sam toughed it out and got the boys ready to go to the babysitter, while I lay in bed, nauseous and miserable. He tried to keep Jaden out of our room, for fear that he would catch something, but Jaden was very concerned and insisted on checking on me. So, as I tried to sleep, I hear a little voice say, "Mommy, you're sick?" I opened my eyes to see Jaden's little face about two inches away from mine (so much for no germs). I barely had the energy to answer. I said, "uh-huh." The rest of our conversation went something like this:

Jaden: "What's wrong, mommy?"
Me: "My tummy is sick."
Jaden: "Why you're sick, mommy?"
Me: "Because I caught a yucky germ."
Jaden: Sounding highly disappointed in me, "Mommm, you really need to remember to cover (your mouth) with your elbow." And after demonstrating how to do it, just in case I had forgotten since the last time he "taught" me, he said, "And daddy needs to, too."

So, according to our little coughing cop, you MUST cover your mouth, with your elbow, of course, whether you are the one doing the coughing or not!

More Funny Thoughs and Sayings of a Two (and 3/4) Year Old

I absolutely love hearing the new things that Jaden says. Every day, there is something new! I am constantly amazed at the things he comes up with and all that he knows.

While eating a bowl of blueberries...
"Here's five blueberries for you, mom."
"Wait, I want one." (takes the bowl back)
"Okay, here you go mom," (hands me empty bowl).
"I ate them all."

While riding in the car one night...
"I not can't see mommy and daddy. I just need one light on."

After mommy tried (and was unsuccessful) at opening a container...
"How you open this, Beto?"
Uncle Beto opened it.
"That's how you do it, mom."

Teaching me how to do the UT Longhorns sign:
"You just put your two fingers like this, and say 'Hook 'em'."

While waiting for daddy to finish getting his hair cut, I was looking at a Glamour magazine. On the front cover was a picture of Gwen Stefani wearing a winter sweater...
"That book is cold, mom?"

"I think my friends liked my new shirt."

"Some boys say bad words...not me."

"I really want a Barbie, mom."

After noticing a motorcyclist driving one day...
"I want a big motorcycle when I get big...and a helmet. Not like that boy's. That's too little."

"The moon's down! It's wake-up time!"

While eating M&M's...
"These have numbers on them."

When the Taylor Swift song "You Belong to Me" came on the radio...
"I don't like that song, 'I Wear T-Shirts.'"

While Sam and I were talking...
"Excuse me, mommy...Lijah's sleeping."

"Mommy Maru said we need to cough on our elbow."

After Papa coughed and covered with his hand...
"Papa, you need to cough like this (demonstrated coughing and covering with his elbow), not like this (demonstrated coughing and covering with his hand)."

While driving over Trans Mountain, on the way back to Las Cruces from El Paso...
Jaden: "Let's be careful, mom. Are we going too fast?"
Me: "No"
Jaden: "Are we going too slow?"
Me: "Nope"
Jaden: "That would be bad...." "Then what are we going?"
Me: "We are going just right!"

"Bear bear is at home waiting for me to go to bed and read two stories."

While eating strawberries...
Jaden: "Mmmmm strawberry."
"Say strawberry with me, mom."
Me and Jaden: "Strawberry."
Jaden: "See, we all said it!"

We couldn't wait to hear Christmas music on the radio and when we first turned it on, "Santa Baby" was playing. Jaden carefully listened to the words, and said, "That girl said Santa baby. Babies only crawl, not walk. Santa can walk. He's a big boy, not a baby."

Me: "What should we eat for dinner, Jaden? Any suggestions?"
Jaden: "Yea, we could eat gestions."

Bedtime Chat

As a preschool teacher, I can see firsthand the huge difference it makes when parents simply have conversations with their children. Sam and I love talking to Jaden and Elijah and do it very often. We ask questions, tell stories, role play, and sing songs regularly! Tonight while tucking Jaden into bed (and while waiting for daddy to bring up a cup of water), I asked Jaden several questions just for fun, to see what kind of answers he would give. They are cute:

1. What is your favorite food to eat?
"Pizza."

2. What is your favorite color?
"Blue. No, I like red."

3. What is your favorite animal?
"I like the dinosaur with lots of colors, like that one (pointing to a painting of dinosaurs that his Uncle Jeremy made him with his name on it). That one says Jaden."

4. How old are you?
"Two."

5. What is your name?
"Jaden Cordova."

6. When is your birthday?
"Jan-ary eighteen."

7. What do you like to drink?
"Juice and water."

8. What place do you like to go to?
"I want to go to the Shamu show again!"

9. Who do you like to give hugs to?
"Grandma and Nana and all the Papa's."

10. Who are your friends?
"Taylor and Whitney and Cody Joe and Caleb and Gueda and Nando and Stephie and Connor..."

11. Who do you like to play with?
"Mommy and daddy."

12. What clothes do you like to wear?
"My Spiderman shirt."

13. What toy do you like to play with?
"Ummm... my jets."

14. Do you like to help mommy and daddy?
"Yea, I can clean my playroom and put Lijah's diaper in the trash."

When I Grow Up

After reading Jaden a cute little book called, "When I Grow Up" by Mercer Mayer we had a nice talk about the kind of job he could have when he gets bigger. I talked about what mommy does; what daddy does; what nana and papa do; what papa Sam does...and EVERYONE else that he inquired about.... Then we talked about many other careers that people have and what they do, like a doctor, a firefighter, a farmer, a zookeeper, a chef, and on and on as his interest continued. I was thrilled about the amount of enthusiasm and curiosity he was already showing towards his future at the young age of two! Then I went ahead and asked the big question, "Jaden, what do you want to be when you get bigger?"

And his answer was... (click here to find out)

More Funny (and sometimes interesting) Thoughts and Sayings of a Two-Year-Old

As usual, Jaden is always on the move, always full of energy, and never allows for a dull moment. I wish I could record the things he says each and every day. He is so funny and thoughful, and is never without questions! Here's some of his latest:

"Does waterlemon have peanuts?" (translation: "watermelon")

After getting a brand new pair of tennis shoes, Jaden's sitting in the backseat admiring them, and asks, "Are these Sketchers, mom?"

"Santa's beard is soft, like a puppy."

While driving in the car one night, Jaden notices the moon outside and says, "The moon is following us!"

On the way to get bloodwork done to test for peanut allergies and Jaden says, "But I not have peanuts in my blood."

After waking up with a very puffy eye one morning, we asked Jaden what happened and he said, "A squito bit my eye and I punched him!" (complete with a demonstration of how he punched himself in the eye to kill that mosquito!).

While pointing to random cars out on the road, "I'm going to buy my daddy that car. That car is for Jaden. I'm going to buy mommy that car. And Elijah can have my little red car."

"I like tomatoes, just like my daddy."

When told that he coudn't have a cookie, "But I not want TWO cookies, I just want ONE cookie."

After getting in trouble with daddy, "I'm not daddy's friend now! I'm only mommy's friend!"

"Sasha's my buddy (Nana and Papa's dog). We not have a dog, mom! We need a puppy....to pet."

Having an ice cream one day...
Jaden: "Where's your ice cream, mommy?"
Mommy: "I threw mine away because my tummy is full."
Jaden: "Oh, not me. I'm going to eat my ice cream ALL!"

We always practice watching for cars coming before we cross the street. One day, driving on a two lane road with cars passing opposite of us, Jaden says, "Cars are coming! We need to stop!"

"Let's pat-a-cake for Elijah. What letter is that?"

Bear-Bear went missing one night before bed so I asked Jaden where he was. He said, "I was just holding him, and now he's gone."

"Let's sing 'The Wheels Go Round and Round'" (The Wheels on the Bus).

The Funny Thoughts and Sayings of a Two-Year-Old

There is never a dull moment with Jaden, which I'm sure could be said about most two-year-olds. He listens to and watches everything we say and do, whether we realize it or not. And the things that he says and does are so hilarious sometimes.

• "20 Much": It was Jaden's Papa Sam's birthday at the end of May and we were trying to get him to say that Papa Sam was "one hundred" (because we knew his grandpa would get a kick out of this). For some reason, he just never caught on. So when we quizzed him an asked, "How old is Papa Sam?" His response was "Um...20 much."
• "You Mean Stomach?": I have always massaged Jaden with lotion after his bath and now he is at an age where he wants to help and put the lotion on himself. His favorite thing to do is dunk his finger into the tub of Eucerin (which is pretty thick and takes some work to rub in) and put it on his face. He ends up leaving dollops of lotion all over his face. So one day during his massage, I tried to get him to put the lotion on his stomach instead of his face, so I said "Put it on your tummy." He casually said, "You mean stomach, mom?" Well excuse me! (he may as well have rolled his eyes while he said it)
• "I Need a Popsicle": One day at Nana and Papa's house, Jaden fell and bumped his mouth on one of their tables. It started bleeding, and he started screaming. Papa hurried to get him a popsicle to suck on to alleviate the pain and swelling. Ever since then, any time that Jaden gets hurt, even if it's a tiny scratch on his finger, he says, "I need a popsicle."
• ".com": Every Saturday morning Jaden gets to watch a little bit of TV with his daddy (I think his daddy enjoys the cartoons more than he does, which is why he made this Saturday morning TV "rule"). Jaden's (and Sam's) favorites are Barney, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and Imagination Movers. Anyway, one weekend he spent the night at Nana and Papa's house and asked to watch Barney. Nana asked him where to find Barney and Jaden said, "Barney.com." I have no idea where he got that from!
• "I Want a Tummy Ache": This one took me a little while to figure out... For Easter, Jaden got tons of eggs with a little bit of candy or crackers in each. We keep the eggs in a basket up in the pantry and he gets to have one egg every few days or so. We've still got a basket full, so he continues to get an egg whenever we or he thinks of it. One day, after finishing the jelly beans in his egg, Jaden asked to have another one. I told him no because I didn't want him to get a tummy ache. Then, just the other day, Jaden came into the kitchen holding his tummy and painfully said, "I want a tummy ache." We were getting ready to go to a party, so my first thought was that he was sick and we wouldn't be able to go. He kept repeating, "I want a tummy ache." So I picked him up and asked him if his tummy was hurting. He said, "no!" Then I was really confused, so i asked him, "You want a tummy ache?" He said, "yes." I'm wondering what on earth he is talking about, so I asked him to show me what a tummy ache was. He went to the pantry and pointed up at the basket of eggs! Then it clicked...the day that I told him I didn't want him to have a tummy ache, he thought I was calling the eggs tummy aches!