Sign of the Times

Blake has started signing! I can't believe my baby has begun to really communicate. But the gears are clicking and the wheels are turning and you can just see it happening - it is amazing! When the big boys were about 10 months we started signing with them too, and it was a wonderful experience. They were able to communicate their needs without frustration and we had a lot of fun with it too. We use Signing Smart, and I highly recommend it. The big boys still remember some of their signs, and still love to watch their signing DVD. I think they will have a lot of fun helping us to teach Blake how to sign.

So he can use two signs so far: "light" and "more." He knows "milk" too, but hasn't actually used the sign yet. He definitely recognizes it, though. He's so smart! Don't believe me? Here he is signing light:

It's not perfect, but it's his way of doing it. And I love it.

Bite o' Toe

My mom loves to play a game with her grandkids where she has them give her a "bite o' toe." And of course they all love it. Now Blake is at an age where he understands it and plays along, and it is too cute. Observe:

Mamaw says, "Gimme a bite 'o toe!"

Blake lifts his foot up in response. Mamaw bites the toes.

He also loves to play along with Peek-a-boo, Patty Cake, Horsey...and he mimics us sometimes (dadada, mamama, etc.). His brain is really starting to make connections. That makes me proud. And sad.

Double Vision

Josh and George have pink eye. Josh contracted it yesterday (Happy Thanksgiving!). It came on fast and furious - I had no idea goop could accumulate so fast in an eyeball! Eww. We promptly got the special drops and began using them last night. And we launched an all-out assault against the potential spreading of this nasty virus. We are washing hands every 5 seconds, it seems (and those little hands are chapped - so now we're trying to manage that problem as well), trying to disinfect as we go, and really trying to make sure nobody touches anyone else's face or hands or stuff. It is not easy.

And this morning, George's left eye appeared to have a sty on it. And later on, the other eye started getting a bit of goop.

Now with regards to administering the drops, I have to use two totally different approaches. With Joshua, I have to tell him that he cannot have any more drops right now, but that he will get more another time (he begs for them). With George, we have to cajole, plead, bribe, threaten and finally hold him down by force (which it takes both of us to do) to get one drop in. And he freaks out the whole time. So it ends up being a process that takes a very long time.

God knew which kid would be able to handle a broken leg and all that that entailed. We call Josh our "good little patient." George on the other hand? Not so much.

Monday Musings

Blake said his first word today. And not just any word, either. The word was "agog." Isn't he a genius?! I learned that word in vocabulary class in high school, so when he said it I of course had this mental dialogue going on: He just said his first word! What a brilliant baby. Most adults probably don't know that word. And so on. He even used it in the proper context! Okay, so he really didn't mean for it to be a real word, but it was still too cute.

For those of you who are not familiar with this term, please allow me to enlighten you - compliments of Webster's Dictionary online:

Main Entry:
agog
Pronunciation:
\ə-ˈgäg\
Function:
adjective
Etymology:
Middle French en gogues in mirth
Date:
1559
: full of intense interest or excitement : eager [kids agog over new toys]

Now here's the other part of this scenario. Yesterday we witnessed him pull up for the first time (it was not actually THE first time, as he fell out of his crib a couple of days before that, indicating he did in fact possess that ability prior to our knowledge of it - but that is another post). He was trying to get into a box of toys that I was getting ready to take down to the basement. He got onto his hands and knees, reached up and grabbed the box with one hand, then steadied himself and grabbed with the other, then scooched up with his little knees until he was close enough to balance well and then he stood up! It was a bittersweet moment. I am so not ready for him to be standing/walking! He's moving too fast. It's all slipping away, this sweet babyhood of his.

So. Back to the brilliant baby story. Tonight (as he was refusing to sleep and since the vultures were in bed), we played on the floor for a while. And he was just so happy to be given some freedom to roam (this kid is dying to get MOVING) - that's when he said "agog." So you can imagine my amusement and delight (word nerd that I am - and hey! that rhymed!) with the whole thing. I guess it's the kind of story that perhaps only English teachers can truly appreciate (and if any of you readers are English teachers, please overlook my grammar missteps - this is blogspeak here, not research paper worthy writing, obviously). Mrs. English would be so proud. Yes, my English/Vocab teacher's name was Mrs. English. How utterly apropo (another word learned in her class).

So what if he followed it up with "gagagagagaga." He has learned a new skill. AND said a new word (even if only in Mommy's mind). And about these things, I am agog.