hello monday

Our weekend was good to us.  

*Five Guys and french fries for dinner

*Jake babysat so I could chat it up with some dear friends

*Stayed out way too late

*a 2 hour nap

*took a walk around in the cold but sunny weather

*ate some Chinese food and fortune cookies 

*made my own studded gold collar (more on that later)

*watched Cowboys and Aliens on netflix

*and grabbed our favorite dessert from The Sweet Tooth Fairy

I think I am ready to start this week.

Certainly with a full belly.

walk this way

music by Mother Mother "Bright Idea"

ASL wins again

Oh man.  If I could show this video to every person in the world I would.  These two boys were adopted by an American family from China.  Travis on the left is 3 years old and Deaf, and Tian on the right is 2 years old with partial hearing.  When they came home they had zero language skills.  6 months later both boys can communicate beyond just expressing basic needs, and "have more words than [the parents] can count".  This video shows how beneficial and just right sign language is for Deaf children.  It's accessible--they have eyes to see it and hands to use it.  In this clip they're not just using bare basic sign, they are relating to the book, correcting each other's sign, and making real world connections.  To be able to do all that they must know the language on a deeper level.  (in just 6 months??)  Perfect proof that sign is the best choice for Deaf children and another point, look how smart they are!  I don't know any other 3 year old helping a sibling "say" frog correctly.  To read more about their story check our the family's blog called "Signs of Life: The Brownie Chronicles".  I just became a recent follower and supporter.  Oh, and don't forget to watch the clip!

a letter

We've hit double digits-- 10 months. Wha what?? (only 2 more months you'll be 1. yikes!)  Let's list off all that month 10 has brought us:

You love cars.  You make car sounds when you push them around on the floor.  In fact, you make car sounds if anything can slide around on the floor (one being my belt...)  Your dad showed you how cars can drive everywhere, for example your body. so you like to drive cars up to the top of your head down to your bum.  And then you test it out on me.  I think you are more drawn to trucks and construction tractors as your favorite books are "Trucks" and "Things That Move".  But, just a hunch.

We got you a push walker and you love it!  Our poor little laundry basket was getting pushed everywhere.  And that is what we do all day-- walk around, climb furniture, cruise around the coffee table and couch, climb the stairs, and try to touch every electrical thing in the house.  What is with that electrical obsession anyway?  You find every socket and just have to touch it.  Or you want remotes, wires, phones, and the laptop.  I am constantly doing the "move all electronics" dance.  It's exhausting, but I keep telling myself that it burns calories.

Technology may be your thing, but your most favorite thing of all is playing chase with your dad.  And it starts right when you wake up till he leaves for work, then starts right back up again when he comes home till you go to bed.  You have a certain squeal to signal you're ready and then you're both off wrestling, laughing, tickling, and escaping.  It makes your dad smile, and pretty excited to see his boy after work.  Who wouldn't?

You are such a social baby-- at church you will search for anyone looking at you and then expect to be entertained.  This means laughing to get people to look up, or banging on the chair to get their attention.  We've learned to sit in the back.

The number of teeth has increased to a total of 6: 4 on top and 2 on bottom.  You no longer look like a vampire.  Even though it was pretty hilarious every time you smiled.  And all this teeth is helping you chew new food like meat! Oh your dad is pretty proud about that.  We've tried lots of fun things like rice, noodles, and even pizza crust.

My most favorite thing is how red your hair is getting.  (Your Great Grandma Milne finally got a red-headed grand child!) I don't know how long it will last but I hope it stays a while.  It totally fits you.  And you've got beautiful big blue eyes with long blonde eye lashes.  Oh excuse me, handsome.  Silly me, you're growing up now and I shouldn't be using baby talk like "cute" and "beautiful".  You are getting to be such a boy and I certainly didn't teach you any of that.  It's all you.  Love you handsome,

-Mom

challenge accepted

Have you heard about the January a Day Photo Challenge?

Well it's the cool thing to do in January when there isn't any snow to play in.

I joined in the fun on instagram and here are my days 1-15:

1. Me  2. Breakfast  3. Something I adore

4.  Letterbox  5. Something I wore  6. What makes me smile (how Jake ends his texts)

7.  Favorite (M's favorite toy)  8. My sky  9. Routine (snuggles. always.)

10. Childhood  11. Where I sleep 12. Close up (iphone case) 

13.  In my bag (the interpreting bag)  14. Currently Reading  15. My happiness

Can't wait to finish out the rest of the month.
Today is someone you love.
Now who could that be?

my mama said

Thinking we'd be in the unemployment situation for a while, we sold Jake's jeep.  That leaves us to one car which goes with Jake to work everyday.  That leaves me stuck inside a two bedroom little cottage with a 9 month old in the middle of winter...we get bored.  Don't get me wrong, we do plenty in a day like playing cars, rolling the soccer ball back and forth, crawl around with Daisy, fill the sink up with water, read books, bang on pans, eat, sing songs, etc. etc. but that gets old by the middle of the week.  Luckily, my parents live close so they come to get us for a little change of scenery.  Yesterday, as I was hanging out at my mom's, we found her old sketch pad.  She is an artist, and growing up, most of all the artwork in our house was from my mom's hand.  (Don't ask me how that wasn't passed down to me).  Super talented that woman.  And I found one of those talents from her high school notebook.  And she has a little sense of humor too...

I had to take a picture because Myer is the fish on the left, and I'm the fish on the right.  Oh dear Mama, you said it.

reception crashers

Saturday night we went to a reception for one of my dear friends from high school.  And we've stayed friends since then. (Honestly, I was hoping she would become a sister-in-law one day...such a schemer!)  Anyway, we chatted with good friends and ate yummy food.  My personal favorite was the hot chocolate bar.  Divine.

And I also had two stellar dates: Jake and M.  Can't complain when I have two handsome boys by my side.  Not to mention that Myer is looking more like Jake everyday.  Double the fun!

p.s. thanks for all your phone calls, texts, and comments about Jake's new job!  We are so excited for another adventure!