two years in

See how much nicer this is with a photo actually IN the post?

Ok, so we're up to Jacob's 2nd birthday (this photo is his 2 year portrait). We continued with Gymboree classes and playground visits and his insistance on only working on one piece of equiptment a day actually served him very well physically -- he caught up to where he should be with his obvious gross motor skills.

Jacob was basically a happy child. As long as things were going his way (which, due to our schedule that took into account every possible upsetting factor for him, was the usual case), life was good and he was enjoying it. We were vaguely worried about the impending birth of his baby brother. We were unsure how the baby's crying would affect him (since he really seemed bothered by loud noises, especially unexpected ones that he wasn't prepared for). I bought him a wooden dollhouse with many intricate pieces that I knew would keep him occupied for hours on end, hoping that would buy me time to deal with a newborn's needs, and set it aside until after the birth. We moved our spare full sized bed next to our queen in our bedroom to create a larger sleeping space, so that he wouldn't have to share his spot in our family bed with his brother. We were constantly amused by everyone asking us what he thought about getting a new brother -- silly people, how would a 2 year old understand that sort of thing? (Not realizing it was only OUR 2 year old that couldn't understand something like that, or really anything conceptual and not right in front of him.) We arranged for my mother to stay in the hospital with me and the new baby (they wouldn't let me co-sleep with him unless there was another adult in the room) while The Map Man handled Jacob duty at home and transported him for visits.

The storm clouds were gathering, but for the moment it was still sunny.

So our lives went on as usual, and we were an obliviously happy family of three. Until the spring of 2003, when Zoo Boy arrived and the rug was pulled out from under Jacob.