Visiting My Grandma

My Grandmother, Constance Byrne, is beginning to get more and more frail. At the beginning of December the folks at the senior center where she lives, Saint Joseph's Villa, didn't think she'd live much longer. So, I went to visit her a week before Christmas. She was born in 1912 and is 96 years old. I wasn't sure how I'd feel when I first saw her this time because it has been about 2 years since I've seen her and I know she would be close to death. Yet when I got there it was so wonderful to see her that all my fears went away.

That doesn't mean it wasn't a very intense and difficult time, because it was. It was hard to see Grandma having so many difficulties. At the same time, it was very peaceful in a deep way and very satisfying. She's the same woman that I've always loved and it was a gift to be able to spend time with her. I believe she knew I was there several times because she would stroke my hand or play with it, like she used to do. The radio in the corner of the room was playing classical music on about full volume and there was furniture from Grandma's house in her room that made the room feel homey. I feel that I was able to say good by to Grandma.

Sledding for Christmas

Our biggest present this year was the snow for Christmas, because we got to go sledding four days in a row. It was not all fabulous, of course, since the snow was the reason we couldn't go to relatives for the holidays. But there was a silver lining. You loved and adored sledding. When the snow melted this week, we had to hide the sled because every time you saw it you wanted to go out sledding.

Isbre earned her dog treats all last week by pulling you around in the sled, including going to and from the hill and trips up the hill so we could sled back down. She loved the snow, of course.

I taught you how to eat snow and ice when you're thirsty.

We started out on a driveway in the neighborhood and then, later in the week, moved on to a long hill in Noble Woods Park.

At first we put you in the sled on your own. After 2 small crashes, you didn't want that anymore so one of us would go down with you. Then, after several bumpy rides with Mom you decided that you would only ride with Dad (although you'd run down after me when I'd sled down and then enjoy the ride back up with Isbre pulling you in the sled). I actually caught air twice, and have the hormongous bruises to prove it. It was thrilling. I think I enjoyed the sledding more than you did, if that's possible.

Christmas day was super layed back. We didn't have a tree since we were going to be away for the holidays, and by the time it was clear we wouldn't be heading out the roads were to slick to get a tree. We made and decorated sugar cookies and had a really lazy day.

The Other Language

You have started talking in complete sentences and paragraphs, although almost none of the words are understandable. The inflection and tone are right and it sounds like words, just in some foreign language. I wonder if you'll continue to talk in long sentences and slowly more of the words will become understandable, like sounds morphing into a language. When you need to be understood, though, you usually stick to short one-or-two-word sentences.

I think your slide is your favorite toy. You drag it all over the living room and kitchen. You slide down it all during the day. You send your dolls down it. You send your other toys down it. I like to think of it as research into the coefficient of friction for various surfaces. Just today you held Gina (a new doll) as you went down the slide, just like your Dad and I slide with you.

Since you learned how to turn on the water in our bath tub, Dad unscrewed the faucet handles to keep you from filling up the tub. Ever since then you point to the faucet stubs and tell us "broken", sometimes adding that Dad broke it. Now that you can open door and cabinets, and we have put child-proofing on them, you try them and then announce that the door is "stuck". True in a way.

Snow Days

Robert had 2 weeks of vacation left this year, so we were going to go to see his family for a week and then my Mom for a week. It was all planned and set up. I had my packing list written. We had a car video player for you for the ride.

Then the snow came. 4 days of snow. Almost a foot, with freezing rain on top of it. Winter storm warnings and chain requirements (and highway closures) from here to Salt Lake. 9 hours would have been bad enough, but at 20 mph the trip would take 27 hours of driving, assuming we didn't get stuck somewhere. The upshot of this - we're spending the holidays at home.

We've been sledding 3 times so far, and you adore it. At first we were putting you in the sled on your own, but after you tipped over twice (nothing terrible, the hill was short and not that steep, but the down side of your beautiful full lips is that they tend to hit the ground first so you did get a split lip) you wanted to go down but not on your own, so your dad or I go down with you.

We have Isbre pull the sled with you in it to the hill (one in the neighborhood and one in Noble Woods Park) and then sometimes we have her pull you up the hill.

Yesterday we went to REI and got you heavy socks, boots, and heavy mittens. I'd already gotten you long underwear and a fleece top from there and the cutest snow suit and fleece pants from the Pass It On Sale. You are now totally set for the weather.

And the Doors Open!

Guess who just learned how to open the doors in the house? Yes, you! You've been playing with them for ages, but today is the first day you could actually open them. You opened your first door at 7pm tonight, and by 8 you had spent about an hour opening and closing all the doors you could find. Thank goodness you can't reach the deadbolts! As each day goes by, a little more of our control goes with it.

You are at your best and happiest when you're doing something useful. You love to help me empty the dishwasher and you live for washing the dishes with me. I've started giving you plates, silverware, napkins, and glasses and having you set the table and you love it! You keep coming back to me and asking for more, more. Tonight I let you put some of the serving dishes out and you adored it.

Play Gone Wrong

I thought I had a great idea. We would take you and Lauren to OOTW pizza where you could play all evening. You LOVE to play there so much that I thought you wouldn't mind us leaving. Well, there was a small miscalculation there. You loved going there and you loved playing with all of us when your Dad and I were there. But, when I told you we were leaving and kissed you good bye you began to pout. Then you went over to Lauren and pushed her until she was several feet from us, then came back to us. Good natured Lauren came back over to us, and you pushed her several feet away again. Your Dad and I just stood there and laughed because it was so funny.

We stayed for a few more minutes and I ran around with you and Lauren until I thought you were occupied, then we left. Everything went well for an hour and half, then we got a call from Lauren that you are crying and that you've just thrown up. So, we hopped in the car and head back to get you. On the way there Lauren called again and had Dad talk to you to calm you down a little. He kept saying "It's Dada, we'll be there in a few minutes. Are you okay? Have you been playing?". When we get there 5 minutes later your eyes are red and your face is blotchy from crying. We calmed you down and then Dad took you down the slides a few times and you didn't want to leave then, which meant you were feeling much better. I'm really glad you've attached so well to Dad and I, but I'm sorry it's hard on you sometimes.

Up and Down the Slides

Tonight you and I (Dad's too sick) went to Out of This World Pizza to play because you hadn't had a chance to blow off steam all day. I lost count of how many times we went down the big slides - 10 maybe, and we went downthe blow-up slides (you went down both, I couldn't get up the tall one :-( and played in the little house. I had a lot of fun, and the only way I got you to go home was to tell that we were going to go see Dad and Puppy. You like me to play with you now, and I usually let you lead. I have a lot of fun with it. It's like playing with the friends I did (when I was very young) and didn't have when I was a kid. I'm sure you're no bossier than they were :)

The Arranger

When we watch a video at night (usually one of your Baby Einstein ones) you place us very specifically on the couch and try to get Isbre to join us. Then you spend most of your time bouncing from one person to the other to the floor, up on the coffee table, with occaisional trips to the dinner table or up near the TV. Except when the "Wheels of the Bus" song comes on. Then you jump up so you can really do the hand and body motions to the song. Your right arm makes big circles for the wheels going round-and-round, you put your whole body into the peek-a-boo for the doors going open-and-shut, you bounce from a crouch for the passengers on the bus going bumpity-bump, your arm moves back and forth in front of you for the wipers going swish-swish-swish, your hand opens and closes for the dog going bark-bark-bark. You're a lot of fun to watch.

We're all sick now - your Dad was saying he had a superior immune system, but it could only fight the two of us off for so long. Our colds have lasted too long so we took you to the pediatrician today and she diagnosed a sinus infection, with antibiotics. I have an appointment tomorrow and I'm sure I'll have the same thing. I didn't worry too much about the length of time the cold lasted because you and I had the same symptoms, I mean, how likely was it that we both got something extra out of these germs. Not impossible, obviously. Now there are three cranky people in the house of sickness. It's amazing we're getting along as well as we are.

You have gone from being completely uninterested in books to wanting to be read to all the time. Usually the books you like are interactive (lift the flap) without a lot of words where you can identify most of what's on the pages. You will continue to bring over books to be read until your Dad or I wear out, and then you'll beg for "Just one more". It's one of the few times you'll sit on our lap for more than a second or two.

It's funny, you want to be a cuddly child, but you just can't do it. You hug and kiss and sit on our laps, but it only lasts a second or two and then you're on to something else. The will and desire are there, but you have a spring in your butt that causes you to jump up after the briefest interaction. I think you're going to be a goer and a doer. And an arranger.

Still Sick (Cough, Hack)

You and I are just on the tail end of our colds, and Robert is just starting it. You sound like a small Darth Vader when you're sleeping because your nose is still a little plugged up. I'm sure I sound like a bigger version. And you're Dad will be sounding the same in about a week.

Night before last I went into your room at 1 am because you were crying and not going back to sleep. I lay down with you on your bed and eventually we both went to sleep. In the morning I woke up and didn't want to wake you but I was uncomfortable so eventually I started moving, trying to be quiet and careful. When I was sitting up, I looked for you in the mound of covers on the bed and, after a few moments, figured out you weren't in them. I tore into our room and there you were, in our bed, under our covers, snoozing away happily and sounding like a mini Darth Vader. Arghhhh. Robert said you'd been there since about 3am. And I was scrunched up in a pretzel on your bed during that time. Normally I don't leave the door to your room open when I go in but I did that night. NEVER again.

You love the "Wheels on the Bus" song, even more now that you know how to do some of the hand motions to it. You ask for "La la" when you want a song from us, and "La la bus" when you want the Bus song, and even that has shortened to "La bus". Your Dad says it must be a French bus, ha ha. I added on a verse about "The Dad on the bus" that has the Dad saying "Don't touch that" all over town, and a scolding finger goes with it. You love that, and now ask for "La bus dada". Robert then added a verse where "The Mother on the bus says 'that's okay'" all over town with a shoulder shrug. You can see the two warring parental philosophies right there.

I have since added verses for Dad about making waffles, laughing like a pirate, and tickling. For Mom, we have "Put that back", shhhhhhh baby, and who's my pretty child.

Two Month Old Pictures

My ballet dancer in training.

"What trouble can I get into now?!"

Daddy's girl, helping make breakfast. (Your favorite is waffles, and you ask for them every day. Sometimes twice a day.)

You like to carry your baby on their back, like I carry you. I now use a scarf to tie her on.

I like this picture because somehow it says "American Gothic" to me. I also like the obvious size comparison between you and your Dad's foot, which is bigger and longer than your thigh.

This hat, from Grandma Byrne from her trip to Ireland, says "The leprechans made me cute", looks really cute on you. And, I adore your smile. Dad was standing behind me and doing things to make you laugh, which is how I got such a good picture.

The Heavy and the Rain

Last weeks word was "Heavy". Everything was heavy. Now you've settled into using it on anything heavy or difficult. Moving the chair is "heavy". Carrying the milk carton is "heavy".

This weeks word is "Rain". Not too odd when you look at our climate, I suppose. On any given day you can say "Rain" and be right several times during the day. Yesterday you made the connection that rain meant water. I'm still not sure if you know it means "water from the sky" or if any water will do. But, everytime you look out the window it's "rainy".

Your rain boots are your favorite shoes, although they're not my favorite. You love them because you can put them on by yourself. I dislike them because they come of at anything more than smooth pavement, and especially when I am carrying you. After letting you wear them one day when we went to meet Dad on the way home from work, and picking them up a thousand times or more, they don't get to take trips with you. You do look pretty adorable, though, when you stomp around in them. You look a bit like Farmer Jane out to work in the fields.

I See Stars

Tonight, for the first time, you looked up and said "stars", then you looked again and said "more stars". I've showed them to you twice, and you have some on the ceiling in your room, and you can recognize them in books, but I've never seen you recognize them in the sky before. You are so smart!

We went shopping tonight to look for the next step up in child proofing for the cupboards, since you now know how to get into the ones that you need to put your finger into a small opening in the cupboard and push down. We go several new ones that you need to press a button while opening the oval that fit over the knobs on the cupboard doors. I give them 6 months, but it's enough time for me to move out all the really nasty stuff we have under the sinks.

Pictures from a rainy hike

Baby Proof?

The baby proofing of the cupboards and drawers worked for a year, but their time is up. You can now open one of the "baby proof" cupboards, and since they're all baby proofed the same way, the others are only a matter of time. The one you are getting into has the dog treats, and since you love to feed the dog treats I see you over there all the time now. Since Isbre has gotten into that cupboard when it wasn't closed fully and eaten enough treats to make herself sick, this is a problem.

You and Isbre have started playing together for a few minutes at a time, and I love it because you are both so high energy. And you love playing with Isbre. You shepherd her into your room when it's nap time (you've started shepherding your Dad and I as well, by getting behind us and giving little pushes) and look for her first thing in the morning. When she goes to Shroeder's for doggy day care, you ask about her during the day and love to go with one of us to get her.

You and I are in the last stages (knock on wood) of a cold that Robert hasn't caught (It's good to have someone well in the house to take care of the rest of us). We're coughing and sounding horrible, but feeling better. Just in time for thanksgiving :-)

Super Stuffy Nose

Poor baby, you have a really stuffed up nose today. Yesterday it was drippy, but today it was so stuffed up that you were lisping like a person with a bad cold.

I feel like your Dad and I are creating the narrative for your life right now. Or, more correctly, we're helping you create it. You will say a word and then a sign of some sort, and it's really a full sentence that he and I will say for you.

Another Day

Yesterday you scared the **** out of me. I was driving back from Mud Puddles, a toy store, where we'd just missed the music hour because we got lost, and you were in the back seat eating a cheese sandwich and drinking milk. When I look back in the mirror, you were completely motionless with your wide eyes staring straight ahead. You are never still, so I had no idea what was going on. I was afraid you had had some sort of attack. Then, you slowly slumped to one side and your eyes closed. You were asleep. You fell asleep with your eyes open!

Yesterday we almost died laughing. You had hidden the zuchini I had on the counter...

Words words words

You try to copy most of the words we say, and you're getting closer and closer.

I never realized how many "hard" sounds English has until I heard you learning to speak it. Many of the sounds are gutteral and in the back of the throat.

You will go to sleep on your own when we have other people watch you, but not when we're here. Last night Lauren baby-sat, and you fell asleep with her on the couch before dinner (before 6:30) watching Baby Einstein. You NEVER do that with us, even if it's late. You fell asleep at Pat and Bill's for naps, once on Bill's lap, and you fell asleep on the floor at noon when Greg was watching you. Are you like me when I have a cold and you just want to sleep through things you don't want or understand. By now you should find Dad and I pretty boring and just being around us should put you to sleep. But, no, we need to give you a bottle and rock you and read you a story and then hold your hand. You never just GO to sleep.

We took you to a "Day of the Dead" celebration at Urban Grind coffee house. It was very well done and we made macaroni skeletons and ate skull cookies and listened to a great entertainer sing songs and tell stories. Maybe next year we'll make cookies for Day of the Dead and hand them out at church or around the neighborhood.

You love the Baby Einstein DVD and want to have them on all the time. They hold your interest for a long time, although sometimes you like to get up and do things while they're on. Since they're basically classical music with pictures I don't mind having them on. I don't want you to watch them all day, though, because I don't want a couch potato.

Mama Mama Mama mamamamamama......

I loved it when you first learned to say Mama, and loved it even more when you used it and meant me. Oh my gosh, it was wonderful. You knew I was special and you had a name for me. That's a very exciting moment.

Now, you use that word incessently. All The Time. And if I don't respond right away, it just gets louder and louder. Usually you want to point something out to me, and because you still don't have that many words I have to look at what you're pointing at or signing. Whew, it can be exhausting.

You really like the video "Once Upon a Potty", especially the song at the end. You watch it over and over, and it's the only thing besides the "Your Personal Penguin" video that I've seen you sit still for. You take your potty chair over to the TV, and the matching "Once Upon a Potty" book and watch. You will watch it 3 or 4 times in a row and not get tired of it. I have the "Now I'm Going To the Potty" song stuck in my head and it will not leave. I'm not sure it will help when it comes time to potty train you, but it can't hurt.

In fact, you're in watching the video now which is giving me time to write this entry.

You have started to appeal decisions you don't like to the other parent. Which isn't very effective when we're both there for the whole discussion. If I say "No, no more crackers before dinner" you will look at Daddy and ask him. If Daddy says "No toys while you're eating", you'll look at me and "ask" me (point and say "Mommy" until I look up and give an answer). That seems to be an inborn skill, because I can't think where you would have picked it up.

Other than the videos, you still don't like playing on your own much. Last night your Dad and I tried to get you to play with your toys while we finished our dinner, and you couldn't do it. You would stand in the middle of your toys and bawl. You would go sit in your time-out spot and look at us and sniffle. But you don't like sitting in your high-chair while we finish eating, either. Sigh. I guess it gives us something to work on.

You're sleeping in your bed all night for the last few weeks, which is a blessing! Whew! It makes everything else easier. Daddy puts you to bed with a bottle, tooth-brushing and a story and stays in the room until you go to sleep.

And, last Friday, you didn't wake up when we came home from a movie and Lauren Burgess was baby-sitting you. It was a first and we were thrilled. Seriously thrilled. Cartwheel thrilled.

Our Kitty Died

Last Saturday our cat, Tesla, died. It was tremendously sudden; we had no idea there was a problem until he started yowling and couldn't use his back feet. We took him to Dove Lewis Animal Hospital and they said he had a stroke and he would simply have more of them and the best thing to do was to have him put to sleep. We cried and sat with him while they gave him the drug.

We burried him in the back yard in the south west corner, where he loved to sit and survey his territory (the green space) when we had a post there. This week we ate fish all week in his honor.

Words, Words, Words

I was going to list all the new words you've picked up, but the list would be too long and changes hourly! You basically pick up many of the words we say, and they're sounding more and more like English. It's as though an alian language is slowly morphing into English.

Is She a Banshee, or Just Posessed?

Banshee night with sleeping arrangements

tries saying everything after we do

says mommy and daddy like a game of Marco Polo

likes to lie against, sit on, and kick isbre, and tease her with food. squeals with glee when isbre chases her when she has food

is afraid of planes after the air show, but we're all pretending to be planes when they go overhead so we're hoping this goes away soon because we have a LOT of planes here

Ow! is her favorite word now. She points to a scratch on me or on her, or sometimes just a piece of dirt and says ow

Dad carries her on his shoulders and she loves it, expecially when he runs

she grins like mad when she runs down the sidewalk. i think she's been for her 1.5 years to run and jump and swing

swings on bars with her feet up

not sure about fountains

timeouts have begun with centered breathing

Hot! is another favorite word

Careful is a favorite sign, and she knows when to use it, even on cats

Likes to hang out with me and eat an apple

You've started to put two words (signs) together. You tell me that birds are eating or squirrels are eating. At first I thought you were just telling me you wanted to eat, like you always want to eat. But then you kept pointing at the bird feeder or the squirrel feeder. Wow, I finally got it.

Today was a pretty typical day. We all get up at 6:00 or 6:30 because you come into our room and wake us up, usually by crawling on us. I have my coffee and you have some of Dad's oatmeal and yogurt. Then we put the harness on Isbre and hook her to the cart Dad made (one of the most interesting looking contraptions on the road!) and walk Dad to work. You point out the planes in the sky and the play structures and the cars and bikes on the way in. You start out with your hat on but drop it into the cart pretty soon, and you've started taking off your sweater as well. I don't know if you get warm or are just tired of clothing - I think you'd go naked most of the day if you could.

We met two other Moms at Magnolia park where there are two play structures - one for little kids and one for bigger ones - and a fountain for kids to play in. You played on the two play structures, mostly by swinging on the bars. You're still learning to move out of the way when you have squated on the stairs and someone else wants to get past, so we're working on that. You spent an hour going up and down stairs and swinging on bars (often with your feet off the ground).

Then we came home and I gave you a bottle of milk in the rocking chair at about 11:30 and you fell asleep (and I did too for a few minutes). You slept for about an hour and then came to get me. (An hour isn't long enough, but you've started sleeping that little the last few days. It means you're really cranky in the afternoon and evening.) You tried to sit in Isbre's kennel with her and close the door on the two of you. I needed to keep pulling you out of the kennel and you won't listen or pay attention to anything else when you're with Isbre. It's like she's your older sister. You pester her to death, but love to be around her. And she treats you a lot like a younger sister. She barely puts up with you most of the time.

You had tortilla with melted cheese for lunch, and I tried putting you in a chair with a pillow on it and that worked well. It's about time to get you a booster seat.

We played with your crayons for awhile. You can draw on any paper not in books, so you've started to scribble on the paper, pointing out the horses and babies in the pictures.

I made brownies and let you lick the spoon and then you pestered the dog some more when she was licking out the bowl. Again, I caught you in her kennel, playing on the bowl with the spoon while Isbre, captive, watched, careful of the moving spoon.

We picked up your toys and then we went to meet Dad on his way back from work. You want down from the ergo pack when you see him, and you go running to him. It's very sweet, and then Dad carries you home except for the periods you want to walk. We stop at the sheep field and Dad picks two apples for you to give the two brown sheep in the field. They see us coming and come to the fence to greet us, and I don't know what we'll do when the apples are all gone and you still want to feed the sheep :-) Isbre goes crazy trying to herd the sheep and they totally ignore her because they have grown up with her barking at them and they know she's harmless. Isbre eats grass around the sheep to show she is one of them.

We got home and Dad and I worked on getting my worms to move from finished compost to new food sludge. You spent the time truly trying our patience by trying to get into the worm bin, trying to dig in the worm poop, flinging worm poop around on a stick, and screaming every time we wouldn't let you do one of those things (remember what I said about you being cranky with a short nap).

We had dinner and you tried all of it (rice, tuna fillet, corn and soy beans, and even spinach), but were rubbing your eyes with tiredness halfway through the meal. You had nectarine for desert, I put you in pajamas and after 5 minutes you asked for more to eat. I asked if you wanted milk, and you said yes. That's the sign that you're ready for bed. You got a little piece of brownie, then I fed you your bottle until you weren't interested any more. You make the tooth-brushing sign and we brush your teeth and you spit into the sink when we're done (you've been practicing spitting around the house this week - fortunately you don't have much saliva behind it). I read you two stories twice and tell you good night. You make sad noises for a few minutes until Dad goes in and tells you its time for sleep. Then you fall asleep. Creating the energy to do it all again tomorrow.

I Wanna Play Play Play

Sometimes I wonder how much you understand of what I say, even though I say it anyway. Sometimes I find out.

You were cranky/needy/cry-y all afternoon after your nap. Finally I decided what we needed was some time out of the house, so we would walk up to the play structure in the development near us (well, okay, I would walk and you would ride in the Ergo pack). I told you that we would go play, and you repeated 'play' in sign. Then I got interested in an on-line article about Jack Abramhoff for a few minutes. You cried and asked to go, and I said in a minute. Then you came back to me holding one of my shoes. It took me a minute to understand that you were telling me to put it on so we could get going. Then I took another look at you and saw that you had put on your sandals all by yourself and were REALLY ready to go. You understood not just what play was, but that we were going to leave the house and needed our shoes on. It made me laugh (and be impressed - it's the first time you've put your shoes on by yourself) and I scanned the rest of the article, put my shoes on and we left. It always surprises me when I see how much you know and understand after only 18 months on this planet.

We continued with our tradition of feeding the sheep across the street an apple each from the tree in their field on our way home. You LOVE this. Really LOVE this. You drop each apple through the fence and then watch as the sheep eat their little treasures. It still boggles my mind sometimes that we live so near sheep and cows, that herons fly into the fields and streams on our walk, that we often see ducks and nutria (like muskrats) and even saw a family of nutria yesterday (4 kids and mom and dad) with dad standing watch on a hill and the family near a small gully, and yet we live so close to stores and restaurants and Robert's work. I really enjoy that.

A Daddy Weekend

Robert asked me what I wanted to do for Labor Day weekend (3 days) and I told him I wanted 3 days at home to get things done that I couldn't do with interruptions every 5 minutes. So, he agreed to be the baby guy over the weekend. It was all good. You got used to your dad and got to spend some real long quality time with him, and I got a break from being the one always on call. I didn't get that much done, but I rested and played a lot. Dad made you a sandbox in the driveway out of a plastic half-wine-barrel and you played in there with your garden tools while he worked on projects in the garage. It was the perfect system (you even fell asleep for your nap in there once) except that the sides of the barrel are too high for you to get into on your own, so Dad had to put you in and take you out (many, many, many times).

On Monday night we compared notes on taking care of kids full time. We both agreed that it's exhausting in an odd way. It's not really physically exhausting or mentally exhausting, but kind of emotionally exhausting. And it's more so with both you and Isbre. You both want, or need, all the time. And there's only one source.

You are saying new words every day. Every day there will be an hour or two where you will copy everything we say, trying out all the words yourself. So far only a few words like hi and bye would be understandable to anyone but your parents, but it's coming. It's pretty funny to think that at 15 months you weren't saying anything and I was starting to worry. The pediatrician said if you weren't speaking at 18 months, we'd take you to a specialist for testing. And at 17 months, you decided it was time to talk.

Right On Time

It's funny the way you seem to be right on time with all your milestones. For instance, at almost exactly one year decided your white blanket was what you needed for sleep and when you were upset. Now you have begun saying words, and it started at almost exactly 17 months. And now that you've started saying words you practice all the time. You copy what we say for a lot of words and you're getting pretty good at it. And, at 18 months, you want baby dolls and want to put them to sleep and hold them and feed them. At Good Will, I tried to get you interested in trucks and purses and books, but you would not let go of the baby doll. In the store, you put her to sleep on a set of drawers and carried her around upside down through the store. When I was holding you, you kept putting the doll into the car seat in the cart ahead of us. I couldn't make you stop, even though the little 5 year old with the cart kept (loudly) pointing it out. Fortunately her mother and grandmother thought it was cute. They talking in Spanish, but I got the gist from their expressions.

You still have times where you babble and look at me like I should be understanding what you're saying. Sometimes I can guess and sometimes I can't.

It's funny to be so attached to such a little being.

Fine Mexican Dining

My student from the ESL class, Sergio, had invited me and my family to come and have Mexican food at his house. He is from the state of Chuahua in Mexico and is very proud of the food from there, and rightly so I found out last night. Sergio and his wife, Yolanda, made us two types of chili rellenos (one with cheese from Chuahua), one with meat), soup made from white dried corn, and quesadilla's made from a special type of cheese they make in Chuahua from the whey left over from making other cheese. We also had 4 different types of salsa.

The meal was amazing. It was delicious. I was sooooo full.

And Sergio showed me right way to drink tequila, with lime and salt. Now I can fit right in down in South America :-)

You were a bit of a hellion, running around and grabbing anything that looked breakable. I ran around after you for part of the time, taking all the cute ceramic sculptures out of your hands and putting them on high tables you couldn't reach. You had a few small tantrums, kicking and screaming and making it hard for us to eat. Other than that, you were good. And you were the center of attention for part of the night, with everyone saying how beautiful you eyes and eye lashes were. Sergio did note that you were a lot like a wind-up toy, running around in circles. It's a pretty apt description. They tried to distract you with candy and playing ball and dolls with Victoria, their 8 year old daughter, but you ignored the dolls got tired of playing ball. And you wouldn't sit still and watch cartoons with her.

Yolanda was a lot of fun to talk to, and her English is very, very good. When a friend of hers came over to eat some of the food, she translated anything that was said in Spanish so Robert and I wouldn't feel left out. I actually found it nice to hear Spanish again and to see if I could follow some of it. I really need to do another Spanish lesson with our Rosetta Stone.

Time To Talk

About 3 weeks ago you started to talk. I knew you were going to be a late starter, but hadn't started to worry. I figured that because you were such a physical child you might start speaking later, but you were doing so well at signing that I knew you were going to be fine. You were associating things with the signs and almost every day gained more understanding about what the signs meant. In fact, it's been awesome to watch you begin to understand the world around you.

Your words aren't really clear yet, they don't sound like the words as an adult would say them, but your dad and I know what you mean.

You say

1. Isbre (Isbe)
2. dog (woof woof)
3. mama
4. dada (sometimes daddy)
5. belly button (beba)
6. bubble (bubu)
7. shoe (doo)
8. more (moe)
9. bike (buk)
10. thank you (dadoo)
11. hot (ha)
12. cold (brrr)
13. blah (for yucky stuff)

You sign

1. water
2. dog
3. cat
4. play
5. milk
6. tree
7. sheep
8. baby
9. dance
10. more
11. done
12. no more
13. wait
14. please
15. thank you
16. bird
17. duck
18. horse
19. owl
20. bug
21. bee
22. tree
23. hot
24. cold
25. help
26. flower
27. smelly
28. squirrel
29. yes
30. no
31. up
32. down

Bicuspids and scabes

Your upper bicuspids are fully in and the lower ones are almost there. You've been amazingly even-tempered through these coming in, and in most babies these are the more achy ones so I'm surprised.

Weekend before last we went to the Wilson Ranch Retreat in Fossil, Oregon. Mostly we played in the yard, fed and petted the horses, and went on short hikes. Dad was motorcycling up to Hell's Canyon, but I didn't want to drive that far with you. You screamed enough on the shorter trip to Fossil (4 hrs). Not that you were bad, but after you woke up from your nap you got tired of just sitting. I had tried having you watch a toy story movie, but you weren't interested. You are so not a TV girl.

Bicuspids Are Coming

Your top front bicuspids are coming in. Right after I decided that you weren't going to get in any new teeth for a while, that you felt 8 teeth were enough for you and I could just get used to cutting up your food forever. Why go through the painful process of growing teeth when Mom is there to cut up your food for you?? It doesn't make sense.

Then, the last couple of days you have been pointing to your jaw and running your hand along the jaw line. I must admit that I am not the brightest bulb in the pack, as it took me almost a week to get the hint. "Hello!!" you were saying, "Do I need to make you a sign and hang it around my neck with an arrow that says "New Teeth Coming In Here"??!!".

More than 10 Signs

You now know a bunch of signs. You know:

• flower (these are all over)
• dog (you can spot these anywhere)
• cat
• food
• water
• cheese
• hello
• diaper change
• potty
• duck
• bird
• sheep
• quiet

The sign for quiet is what you do right after you scream. It started when we were at a poker party and you began to scream. I wanted to finish drinking my Irish coffee, so I tried desperately to shush you. You saw a lot of "QUIET!". And it always was right after you screamed.

Fabulous Baptism

Your baptism was wonderful. It was on Sunday and you acted about like I expected. You squirmed and wiggled in my arms the whole time we were up at the baptismal font. You would have thought you had a burr in your underwear. Grandma Hash stayed with you in the nursery until soon before the baptism because you could tell there something different going on and you were not going to be left on your own in there. I went to get you about 15 minutes before the sermon was finished and the baptism was to begin.

Tonight You Told Me You Wanted to Sleep!!

You are learning signs crazy fast now, like you can't wait to be understood. I showed you the sign for sleep about a week ago at nap time, and now you use it for your bed and when you just wake up. (Your version of "sleep" has your open palm under your face, like your jaw hurts.) Then, tonight, at about 8pm, you showed me the sleep sign a few times, then rubbed your eyes. I'm ecstatic.

Major Shifts

When you were one year old, almost to the day, you began to get interested in your stuffed animals and you fell in love with the baby blanket I took with me down to Guatemala in July (thank you again Tina for the blanket). You love that blanket. When you throw yourself into it you act like an addict who has finally gotten a hit. It's pure extacy. You drag it around the house and it gets yucky and still you adore it.

Right before we went to California you started making signs and understanding what they meant.

About 3 weeks ago you noticed the frog statues in the yard and started pointing to them. You then noticed the dancing couple statue and pointed it out. You understood that they were something different than what was around them.

About 4 weeks ago you begain pointing to the paintings of the girraffe and elephant in your room.

About 2 weeks ago you made the leap from seeing the flowers outside to the flowers on your pajamas, and made the sign for flowers.

When you were 11 months old we got you a toy truck with duplos and a doll we named Lucie that makes kissing noises and says "I love you." Today you were kissing the doll by saying "Mmmm".

How Many Dogs..?

http://goforthand.blogspot.com/2006_10_01_archive.html

Playing at Washington Square Mall

We went to Washington Square Mall for a Meet-up play date at the children's area. It is a great little area absolutely filled to bursting with Moms and kids. You ran around and climbed and watched and played for about 2 hours, and totally tired yourself out. You got a boyfriend who was holding your hand and showing you how things worked. Honestly, I didn't think it would start this early!


This is Isabel's friend, Chase.

You don't like to leave hats on, but you loved putting my on. I think it's just a tad bit too big for you.

Our Princess in her Dog Carrage

Robert has built a cart for Isbre to pull, and when Isabel came home he attached a seat for her on it. It gets us stares, comments, and in lots of pictures with camera phones.

Dirt Day

Yesterday was gorgeous here in Hillsboro, and since days like that come along as often as moments of chill-out time for a mom, we took advantage and worked out in the yard. You, of course, loved the dirt. You would live in it if you could. That and water. I was glad I put you in some heavy-duty Old Navy jeans because you got filthy, top to bottom. I remember that my favorite times as a kid were when I was covered in mud, so I let you go for it.

You have had a runny nose for about 2 weeks, and just developed a bad cough in the last couple of days, and I'm getting worried. I remember what it was like when you got bronchitus in Antigua, and this is seeming like the same type of thing. We're going to the doctor tomorrow.

California Ducks

Your "room" in the hotel. Your closet home. You would go in there to drink your milk and cuddle with your blanket.

This was the strangest goose I've seen. It was always by the same business on the creek walk, and one time it tried to bite my leg!

The walk by the man-made creek was beautiful, and walked it every day we were in California.

Here you're helping with the shopping bag, while two ducks watch and hope you'll drop some bread crumbs.

You liked to tote the camera around.

Looking super cute with a flower in your hair.

You and Dad hanging out watching TV. It's one of the few times I've seen you hold still for more than a few minutes at a time.

Spring Snow and Hail

It is April. Snow and hail do not belong on the ground. It is confusing the plants and making you wear mittens.

Anatomy of a Small Tantrum

You thought I was taking too long getting ready to go and you wanted to be held. RIGHT NOW! I was trying to explain to you that I can't hold you and put on my coat at the same time but you weren't-going-for-it. It's hard to see in the last picture because I am, obviously, still working to understand the whole shadows-in-pictures thing, but you are giving me a raspberry, showing that you're not just upset, but annoyed.

Fortunately you're cute even when you are having a tantrum. The noise can go straight to my small brain which wants to JUST MAKE IT STOP but you are still endearing.

I can feel that time-outs are in our future, and I'm dreading it. The first few days, the book says, can be hard if you have a headstrong child. Honey, you are writing the book on headstrong, with chapters on advanced crying and why you should do the opposite of what your parents ask because they must be wrong. I should be starting the training now, but I haven't gotten up the chutzpa yet.

Pictures, Playdates

All dressed up for church in the outfit her grandmother got for her. The sweater is one from when I was a baby, and I bet my Mom knitted it.

You love balloons. You can spot one from hundreds of feet away and point and wave your arms. You and your dad have a special language all your own, which is mostly raspberries. I would not have imagined that you could hold an entire conversation consisting of just spit-producing mouth noises, but I would be wrong. You two have intonations and different expressions and bonding through raspberries.

At a play date at Lorena's. From the left, Owen, Isabel, and Anika. You look like prisoners planning the great escape. At one point you climbed part way up the baby gate, so maybe you were plotting!

Somehow you talked Elena into pushing you around the house on her rider. You two must have done 6 laps, with you smiling like a maniac and Elena doing her best to keep pushing you. Lorena and I would perform a U-turn at the walls, and then off you two would go again.

This was a really cute dress I had just bought at the Pass-It-On kids used clothing sale. You look great in it, and I love clothing in denim because stains wash out.

This was a sweet Daddy-Daughter moment. I had to take the picture quickly, though, because you hardly ever hold still long enough for a good picture.

I LOVE this picture. I'm not sure what the expression on your face is, but it's full of meaning.