Signs, Signs, Everywhere Are Signs

Hello, everyone,
If we didn't see you at Thanksgiving, I hope we'll see you at one of Darrin's parties. Invites are in the mail! :-) Whether you bring a gift or not is unimportant; I just hope we get to see everyone. That's gift enough. But if you did want an idea, we do have a liddle list for the Liddle Bear at Amazon.com. In addition to asking what Darrin might like, people have also been asking what Mommy and Daddy might like, so here are some links to our perpetual wish lists. We certainly don't expect gifts--this has been an especially tight year for so many people, ourselves included--but I did want to post these lists for those who have asked.

Darrin's: http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/23SLN3TE2ZOV7/102-3160338-3671361
Mommy's: http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/1OP4F4KH4V19M/102-3160338-3671361
Daddy's: http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/1GI9PY9GPJFRW/102-3160338-3671361

I do have a small bit of news to tell you. As you may or may not know, I have been encouraging Darrin to use some kind of sign language to help him express what he needs or wants. For the most part, the only sign he has actually used is his own version of a sign for "food," which has meant anything from actual food to milk to his pacifier, just that he wanted something in his mouth. The American Sign Language official sign for "food" (or "eat" I think) is to hold an imaginary something between your thumb and fingers (a closed "pickle claw" position, if you will) and repeatedly put it to your mouth. Darrin's sign was both hands clasped together repeatedly brought up to his mouth. I'm trying to learn new signs all the time, but as with any second language, vocabulary is something that grows slowly, not suddenly. I have continued to use whatever signs I do know for Darrin's benefit, hoping he would eventually pick up on them. For that matter, I try to use Spanish words too, whenever I know them. It's never too early to start kids on a second or third language. In fact, the earlier they start, the more fluent they are likely to become. Adults learn a second language much differently than children, and retention isn't as great.

Anyway, back to signing...Darrin learned a sign! He made his first "real" sign yesterday, the sign for "fan." Darrin has always been fascinated by the ceiling fans. Lately, he's begun pointing his finger at anything and everything, and the fans are a favorite. When he points, he usually makes some sort of verbalization, whether it's a grunt or a "mmm" sound, but his vocabulary is so very limited right now, I imagine it must be frustrating for him to not be able to voice exactly what he wants or sees. This is why sign language is so great for babies who are just learning to speak. It is a way for them to get ideas across while their mouths and tongues are still not fully cooperative. So, I have been showing him the sign for "fan." You point your finger straight up (and he has been pointing anyway, so this part was easy I suppose), and then you twirl it around and around, like you are following the motion of one of the fan blades. When he's interested in a fan, I've been saying the word and showing him the sign, and also making the sign with his hand for him. Now, anytime he sees the fan and points, and I ask him, "Oh, do you see the fan?" he will twirl his little hand around and around all on his own!

You can just tell he's so very happy to be able to say something specific all by himself. He wants to communicate so much. I will keep working with him and expanding my own signing vocabulary too. Most signs are too complex or use too specific a finger position, but maybe he can handle other simple signs, like "cat" (grab and pull whiskers outward from your cheek) or "diaper" (two fingers of each hand act like they're closing diaper clasps at your waist). Actually, I always figured "milk" would be his first sign (both hands alternate squeezing downward to milk a cow), since I've been doing that one the longest and most often. I guess he just loves those fans too much! Anyway, it's time for me to go now--the Liddle Bear is up from his nap and it's time for a little something, for both of us--I've got a rumbly in my tumbly too!

TTFN!
MommyFaerie

Clarity

I just need to get a few things off my chest today, so here goes.

Yes, I have removed a few entries from my weblog. And yes, I will be re-writing and re-posting the part that told of a young girl's struggle with sexual abuse. I promised Betty I would have her story here, and I will.

I did not edit my journal because I was in any way required or obligated to do so. These posts of mine were not illegal, and they did not infringe on anyone else's rights. Removing the posts was a personal favor to someone I love, simply because I love them. Although I carefully worded the posts to the best of my abilities, someone I love took offense at them. I don't fully understand why, and I don't feel guilty of any misdeeds for having posted what I did. However, I love this person, and although it was not my intention to hurt this person's feelings, that was one of the outcomes. Therefore, I voluntarily removed my posts. I apologize not for speaking my mind, but for the inadvertent outcome of hurt feelings.

If you, dear reader, had read the story while it was on this blog, and would still like to offer advice for the family, please post a comment to this entry. I will NOT field any questions, though, about the true identities of the persons involved. If I'd had legal permission to disclose that information, I would not have changed the names in the first place. So just don't ask.

It is a HUGE favor to ask, wanting someone to censor themselves for your own peace of mind. I never realized how strongly I felt on the issue until now. I feel a wave of indignance rise inside me at the very thought of censorship. Sure, if it's libel, that's a problem (and illegal), but if you change the names to protect everyone involved? Then, no one has the right to demand that you censor yourself. No one. I am only expressing here how strongly I feel about the matter to illustrate with crystal clarity just how very much I love this person.

I would not have done this for just anyone. You mean that much to me. I love you.

Love,
MommyFaerie

Life With an Infant

If it is neatly stacked, it will be knocked over.
If it is where it belongs, it will be moved.
If it is clean, it will be dirtied.
If it is dirty, it will get even dirtier.
If it is delicate, it will be broken.
If it is organized and alphabetized, it will be rearranged.
If you desperately need to know where something is, it will undoubtedly be lost...
or flushed down the toilet. ("bye-bye!" he'll squeal, with a happily waving arm)

An infant is entropy personified.
But somehow, I can't imagine life without him. :-)

Just a Quick Note

Well, we're back from a week-long trip visiting family in Deep East Texas, and it was a productive trip! Darrin and Mommy were picked up on Sunday by Grammy and Grandaddy, and stayed for a whole week of visiting, etc. On Friday, with God's guidance, Grandaddy's intuition and time spent calling dealerships, and a lot of time spent on the road (we drove to Lufkin), we did it! We found Mommy a new car! Yayyyyy! Really, I suppose it's Darrin's car, as whoever is caring for him will be the one who needs it. It's a super-cute Kia Sportage, and it's juuuust right for Mommy. :-) Thank you, Mom and Dad, for all your help. We couldn't have found/gotten this car without you! Momy and Darrin drove home Sunday in it, and yesterday we went to show it off to Grandpa Hartmann and great-grandma, Mimi... and, let's face it, anyone else who was even remotely interested. ;-)

A new car is not the only bit of good news this past week though. Monday morning, Darrin was out on the porch with Grammy and Grandaddy, and he was WALKING!!!! He took 2-3 steps several times, and when I went out and he "walked" toward me, he took a whole 5 steps! Go Darrin! We've been continuing to work with him and he continues to take a few steps at a time, as well as stand with no support for short periods, as he has been doing for a few weeks. He seems to be a little too impatient at the moment, preferring to get close enough for someone to catch him and then launching himself into our arms, rather than taking the time to make little determined steps the entire distance. I know he will get the hang of it soon though. We're so proud!

Another thing to note is that he is beginning to talk! In the last couple of weeks, his Daddy and I have been noticing that he makes certain noises that seem to mean certain things, but we just haven't been sure. For instance, he said "da-da" when Daddy was getting ready to leave, and we wanted to believe it was a "real" word but we weren't positive because he says dadadadadada a lot lately. During our visit to Jasper, he said other things, and since we've been home, he consistenly says dadada when Daddy's around, so it's pretty obvious he's saying these words with meaning, not just as random noises. He says Dah or d-g- (indistinct vowel sounds, like a schwa) for "dog" and eee for "bee" and duh and da for "duck" and "quack." He also seems to say ayyy (think the Fonz) for "hey" or "hi."

His gestures, too, have been developing. Thanks to Grammy's encouragement, he now never tires of making his "silly face," where he scrunches up his eyes and nose and lips to make a face like he just tasted something awful. He delights in making the face at us, and seeing us make it back at him. Also, since a week or two before our trip, Darrin has been waving his arm when we say "bye-bye" to someone, and during the visit, he even started saying "by-by-by-by-by" or "ba-ba-ba-ba-ba" for "bye-bye." He seems awfully proud of his accomplishments, and we've been lavishing him with praise and hugs and encouragement, because we're awfully proud of him too.

I know this post is kind of "everywhere," but I wanted to make sure I got it all down before I forgot it! Some other things to note are:

Darrin can now stack his Rock-a-Stack ring stacking toy all by himself. He doesn't do the rings in the correct order if left to his own devices, but he loves to put the rings on one at a time and take them off, over and over again. If Mommy hands him the rings one at a time, he can get every one of them on in order, and then he's so happy and proud of himself. His smile is SO adorable! I just melt. :-)

He tried milk (cow's milk, that is) this past weekend, though he didn't seem too impressed. Mommy decided to let Grammy give it a try since he's gone down to just two nursings per day--morning and night. Yesterday (Monday), Mommy tried again to give him some milk in a cup, and this time it seemed like he couldn't get enough of it. He was slurping, grabbing the glass to raise it up himself, and, of course, blowing bubbles! He also had another important new food during our trip, and again this morning for breakfast: eggs. He's had egg yolks before, but it is recommended that babies don't get egg whites until they're a year old. The same goes for cow's milk. However, he is about eleven months now, and he has had exactly zero food allergies/intolerances so far, so we decided to let him try. We have, of course, been keeping a close watch on him for reactions, but there have been none so far.

And, for all our relatives out there, our plans this Thanksgiving are to come to Grandma and Grandpa Nugent's place for dinner (arrive around 11, eat around noon, as it is every year). If we didn't get to see you this past visit for some reason--you were busy/sick (get better Aunt D!), we were busy, we failed to call (I'm SO sorry if we did), or you didn't call back (what happened B?)--hopefully we will see you at Thanksgiving.
Love and hugs to you all,
MommyFaerie