My mom is a sign language interpreter, so she thinks its especially cool that Caleb is picking up sign language. So this post is for her. Behold! Two more demonstrations of his increasing vocabulary. (Really, you would probably prefer these without sound again.)
Book
Baby
Also, I was making a list of the vocabulary I know he has already and here are the things that came to mind, with an effort at making them slightly chronological as far as when he began to communicate these words:
(Disclaimer: I use the terms "signed" and "spoken" loosely for our 14-month-old. Most of these signs aren't done "right" and most of the words aren't spoken "right." They are baby signs and baby words. So when I say that he says or signs these things, I mean that I usually understand what he is communicating with these words, but not necessarily that other native English speakers or native signers would.)
mama (signed/spoken)
dada (signed/spoken)
more (signed)
eat (signed)
ball (signed/spoken)
play (signed)
book (signed/spoken)
baby (signed)
Jesus (signed/spoken)
girl (signed)
again (signed)
flower (signed)
fruit (signed)
The body parts he recognizes and will usually touch when I ask him to are his head, toes, nose, ears, and belly. Sometimes his tongue or teeth. He's recently learned possession a little because he will often touch Mama's ears or nose and Daddy's ears or nose if we ask him to as well.
The animals he tries to make sounds for are cats, pigs, cows, horses, sheep, and chickens.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
October Pictures
Our boy loves to read. Lately, he's more about flipping pages than reading, but either way he loves books.
At least once a week, he gets to play with a friend. Usually more often than that, but at least once a week. This is his friend who is one month older than him. She's very sweet and gentle.
This is a gruesome picture of the munchkin banging on the keyboard with eye-balls.
Here he is with his precocious nine-month-old walking friend. We are impressed with her skills.
We still continue to take sweet sleeping pictures from time to time. Even if he's growing and talking, he's still our baby.
His ring toy works as decoration too.
Chilling and reading with my friend Laurel and her little daughter while her son is browsing the bookshelf in the background. Aren't they adorable?
Our friends Kyle and Kathleen (yes, the infamous picture-loving Kathleen) on the ferry from Jamestown. I deserve a prize, I got a picture of the girl despite her resistance. It was a very, very cold day.
Pumpkin carving with Kyle and Kathleen. Everyone (except me) hard at work.
Mine and Patrick's pumpkins. Our neighbor told me that our pumpkin looked like Michael Jackson risen from the dead. And, well, Patrick's pumpkin is what happens when you place sharp objects in the hands of an impatient man. There is a face there-- it just isn't carved. Do you see it?
Okay, family, this is what Caleb looks like when you talk to him on the phone. He's intrigued. Occasionally, there's a shy smile, but then back to focusing on this weird phone object and the voices which come through it.
Yeehaw, ride 'em, cowboy! This is to give you a taste of what's to come with Halloween (more pictures to follow). Thanks to Stacy for suggesting the Dollar Tree for a cowboy hat.
A close-up of my pumpkin. I was afraid that it wasn't scary, but Kathleen assured me that the nose made it terrifying.
More bragging about my kiddo: he tried to put the puzzle bench back together. Albeit, he was unsuccessful, but he did try.
One morning our friend came over to play in the morning. . . and they both loved the lion.Sunday, October 11, 2009
It's Official
#1. Our Apartment is More Guest-Friendly
For those of you who have come to our place and thought what a stupid set-up we had (don't worry, I've thought the same thing), you can now come over and enjoy a more spacious and pleasant atmosphere. I don't know if this is the final result because it's not amazing, but it is a big improvement. In other words, whoever is reading this should come visit us and enjoy it with us . . . and really just come hang out with me and Caleb.
Furthermore, I would like to brag that I made all the changes myself. After a get-together where I watched our furniture arrangement divide people up so that it was difficult to visit, I woke up the next morning and started moving things, including a bookcase, couch, toy chest, tacky "coffee table" (really just a plastic bin with blankets stored inside and one blanket covering the top), and an extra chair from Caleb's room. Basically, I am a female version of Hercules. And it was worth it. Voila! A new and improved living room. (I do sincerely apologize that there are no pictures, but I guess that just means you'll have to come over and see it for yourself.)
#2. I am Not The Only Awkward Person in the World
Really, I seriously stress about all of the awkward things I do. Every night, Patrick has to listen to all the stupid things I said that I shouldn't have said or that came out wrong and seemed to imply things that I don't actually believe. Poor man. When I get into this state of mind, I start to notice all the really stupid things I've said and then I start to feel really socially awkward and then I start to act even more awkward until I really, truly am an awkward person. It's a vicious cycle. Patrick assures me that no one else thinks what I think they think I said, or even if they do they aren't thinking about it any more. The most recent argument he's made to settle down my over-stressed brain was that everyone is awkward and says stupid things. Awkwardness is human. Two awkward situations came up very soon after my conversation with him, and I realized, he's right: Awkwardness happens. It's life. Get over it. Happily, I have not been as stressed since then, and happily for him he hasn't had to listen to the boring list of dumb things I said. That's not to say that I won't ever stress about these things anymore, but it is somewhat reassuring to realize I'm not alone.
#3. One of the Coolest People in the World is Coming to Visit Me
I've been thinking a lot about this visitor and what an awesome person she is and I just wanted to share it with my long list of faithful fans. This woman came into town for my birth, she flew me to San Francisco to spend a week with her early in high school, she spent three weeks with me in Turkey when my grandfather invited me to travel with the two of them, she hiked the Grand Canyon with us and my parents when we were engaged, she was one of five of my extended family members who came into town for my wedding (all of whom were valued because they made the effort to celebrate with us even though they couldn't actually attend the wedding), she came to town for my college graduation, and now she's coming to visit us here for a few days even though it's all the way across the country. Besides that, she was always someone my mom held up to me as a role model when I was a kid because she was very successful and did adventurous things and lived in exotic places like Hong Kong, Thailand, France, and Australia. Even when she lived far away from us (as in all the way across the world) and had a lot going on with work, she always made my brothers and I feel like she cared about us. Ah hem, this person is my fantastic and wonderful Aunt Jennifer. In sum, I wish everybody could have such cool people in their lives as I have in mine.
For those of you who have come to our place and thought what a stupid set-up we had (don't worry, I've thought the same thing), you can now come over and enjoy a more spacious and pleasant atmosphere. I don't know if this is the final result because it's not amazing, but it is a big improvement. In other words, whoever is reading this should come visit us and enjoy it with us . . . and really just come hang out with me and Caleb.
Furthermore, I would like to brag that I made all the changes myself. After a get-together where I watched our furniture arrangement divide people up so that it was difficult to visit, I woke up the next morning and started moving things, including a bookcase, couch, toy chest, tacky "coffee table" (really just a plastic bin with blankets stored inside and one blanket covering the top), and an extra chair from Caleb's room. Basically, I am a female version of Hercules. And it was worth it. Voila! A new and improved living room. (I do sincerely apologize that there are no pictures, but I guess that just means you'll have to come over and see it for yourself.)
#2. I am Not The Only Awkward Person in the World
Really, I seriously stress about all of the awkward things I do. Every night, Patrick has to listen to all the stupid things I said that I shouldn't have said or that came out wrong and seemed to imply things that I don't actually believe. Poor man. When I get into this state of mind, I start to notice all the really stupid things I've said and then I start to feel really socially awkward and then I start to act even more awkward until I really, truly am an awkward person. It's a vicious cycle. Patrick assures me that no one else thinks what I think they think I said, or even if they do they aren't thinking about it any more. The most recent argument he's made to settle down my over-stressed brain was that everyone is awkward and says stupid things. Awkwardness is human. Two awkward situations came up very soon after my conversation with him, and I realized, he's right: Awkwardness happens. It's life. Get over it. Happily, I have not been as stressed since then, and happily for him he hasn't had to listen to the boring list of dumb things I said. That's not to say that I won't ever stress about these things anymore, but it is somewhat reassuring to realize I'm not alone.
#3. One of the Coolest People in the World is Coming to Visit Me
I've been thinking a lot about this visitor and what an awesome person she is and I just wanted to share it with my long list of faithful fans. This woman came into town for my birth, she flew me to San Francisco to spend a week with her early in high school, she spent three weeks with me in Turkey when my grandfather invited me to travel with the two of them, she hiked the Grand Canyon with us and my parents when we were engaged, she was one of five of my extended family members who came into town for my wedding (all of whom were valued because they made the effort to celebrate with us even though they couldn't actually attend the wedding), she came to town for my college graduation, and now she's coming to visit us here for a few days even though it's all the way across the country. Besides that, she was always someone my mom held up to me as a role model when I was a kid because she was very successful and did adventurous things and lived in exotic places like Hong Kong, Thailand, France, and Australia. Even when she lived far away from us (as in all the way across the world) and had a lot going on with work, she always made my brothers and I feel like she cared about us. Ah hem, this person is my fantastic and wonderful Aunt Jennifer. In sum, I wish everybody could have such cool people in their lives as I have in mine.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Why Can't Raising Children Pay For Itself?
You remember the scripture where God tells Adam that now that he ate the fruit of the tree of life, he's going to have to labor "by the sweat of thy brow"? Understandable. Work is an important element of life; now that we have it, we know that. Maybe not all of us--after all, Tevye dreams of having the easy life. But those of us with a little moderation can have the perspective to realize that, yeah, I'll take meaningful work over bumming around all day.
But, hey, I have a kid and he makes me sweat (at least as much as anybody sitting at a computer in an air conditioned office and often more). I'm working by the sweat of my brow and my pockets are still empty. Heck, if I didn't have a spouse in law school meriting a fellowship and loans up the wazoo, my fridge would be empty too. Many other mothers and potential mothers I know either are working while raising kids or are planning on working while having kids. Most everyone in a position like ours could really use the money, but many people choose to do both because they prefer it. People like that make me feel lazy because in reality what I want to spend most of my time doing is raising a passel of children. (Yes, that's right. I did just say "passel.")
In my ideal world, children would come with their own health insurance and there'd be an hourly wage for mothers per chore and per child. A friend of mine at church is working as a nanny for two kids. I can't help thinking, "She's doing my ideal job--in fact, my actual and current job (minus #2 kid)--but she's getting paid to do it." Of course, I realize there isn't anyone to pay me, and I realize that part of the benefit of being a parent is the sacrifice without monetary rewards. But I don't need the money as reward so much as I could really use it for, um, groceries or rent. Okay, I admit, a new Sunday skirt just might come out of this imaginary wage, but considering that my most recent acquisition in the skirt department is a few years old (not counting the clothes my mom got me for while I was pregnant), I hardly think that could qualify as a "reward," per se.
Realistically, I know that women who are raising kids and working are taking on more work than I am, but realistically the idea of me doing it gives me a migraine -- and I don't even get migraines. Partially, this is my own long-established bias that homes with stay-at-home moms who like staying-at-home are healthier and more ideal (with the caveat that mothers must socialize outside their families for this to be the case). Partially, this might be laziness, but I've never really thought of myself as lazy. I've always tried to do my work well. Perhaps that's the real issue. I am pretty sure that spreading myself so thinly would stretch me too taut to do a great job of being a mother, which, as I said, is really the only job I care about right now. I mean, as it is, I'm a live-in housekeeper of sorts and a full-time babysitter of sorts -- those are two pretty demanding jobs on their own. Sometimes I feel like that spreads me thin enough.
Admittedly, wanting to be exclusively a full-time mom is not a politically correct desire. (I read some article by a lady saying that women who choose to stay at home are deluded and stupid and ruining the world for every other woman -- the idiot's version of feminism.) And I know it really isn't how everybody else feels. But I suspect that everybody who has kids (even if they want to work outside the home) would be delighted if they could make some money doing it. But, as that isn't going to happen anytime soon, we'll just have to be a little creative with our saving techniques and possibly with our money-making devices. Ah, if only I were the Mary Kay or Lia Sophia type. But, alas, as anyone who knows me knows, I'm simply not. Something else incredibly flexible is just gonna have to present itself . . . oh, wait, anybody want to pay me for this novel-like blog entry? That's pretty much the next best thing. Let me just get my bank account information, so you can transfer the funds . . .
(Dear Kathleen, now that I know how much it annoys you not to have pictures, I suspect I will get a perverse pleasure out of any entry that doesn't have pictures. Isn't it nice to know I'm thinking of you?)
But, hey, I have a kid and he makes me sweat (at least as much as anybody sitting at a computer in an air conditioned office and often more). I'm working by the sweat of my brow and my pockets are still empty. Heck, if I didn't have a spouse in law school meriting a fellowship and loans up the wazoo, my fridge would be empty too. Many other mothers and potential mothers I know either are working while raising kids or are planning on working while having kids. Most everyone in a position like ours could really use the money, but many people choose to do both because they prefer it. People like that make me feel lazy because in reality what I want to spend most of my time doing is raising a passel of children. (Yes, that's right. I did just say "passel.")
In my ideal world, children would come with their own health insurance and there'd be an hourly wage for mothers per chore and per child. A friend of mine at church is working as a nanny for two kids. I can't help thinking, "She's doing my ideal job--in fact, my actual and current job (minus #2 kid)--but she's getting paid to do it." Of course, I realize there isn't anyone to pay me, and I realize that part of the benefit of being a parent is the sacrifice without monetary rewards. But I don't need the money as reward so much as I could really use it for, um, groceries or rent. Okay, I admit, a new Sunday skirt just might come out of this imaginary wage, but considering that my most recent acquisition in the skirt department is a few years old (not counting the clothes my mom got me for while I was pregnant), I hardly think that could qualify as a "reward," per se.
Realistically, I know that women who are raising kids and working are taking on more work than I am, but realistically the idea of me doing it gives me a migraine -- and I don't even get migraines. Partially, this is my own long-established bias that homes with stay-at-home moms who like staying-at-home are healthier and more ideal (with the caveat that mothers must socialize outside their families for this to be the case). Partially, this might be laziness, but I've never really thought of myself as lazy. I've always tried to do my work well. Perhaps that's the real issue. I am pretty sure that spreading myself so thinly would stretch me too taut to do a great job of being a mother, which, as I said, is really the only job I care about right now. I mean, as it is, I'm a live-in housekeeper of sorts and a full-time babysitter of sorts -- those are two pretty demanding jobs on their own. Sometimes I feel like that spreads me thin enough.
Admittedly, wanting to be exclusively a full-time mom is not a politically correct desire. (I read some article by a lady saying that women who choose to stay at home are deluded and stupid and ruining the world for every other woman -- the idiot's version of feminism.) And I know it really isn't how everybody else feels. But I suspect that everybody who has kids (even if they want to work outside the home) would be delighted if they could make some money doing it. But, as that isn't going to happen anytime soon, we'll just have to be a little creative with our saving techniques and possibly with our money-making devices. Ah, if only I were the Mary Kay or Lia Sophia type. But, alas, as anyone who knows me knows, I'm simply not. Something else incredibly flexible is just gonna have to present itself . . . oh, wait, anybody want to pay me for this novel-like blog entry? That's pretty much the next best thing. Let me just get my bank account information, so you can transfer the funds . . .
(Dear Kathleen, now that I know how much it annoys you not to have pictures, I suspect I will get a perverse pleasure out of any entry that doesn't have pictures. Isn't it nice to know I'm thinking of you?)
Friday, October 2, 2009
Mini Cinema
Dedicated to the Grandmas
(i.e. the videos will probably bore everyone else to tears and my voice in the background will probably make you want to mute it. But it's even more impressive than pictures. *Pats self on back*)
Demonstrating his sign for "ball." (It's at the very end so be patient)
One of the musical cards received for his birthday. This one from Patrick's parents.
(i.e. the videos will probably bore everyone else to tears and my voice in the background will probably make you want to mute it. But it's even more impressive than pictures. *Pats self on back*)
Demonstrating his sign for "ball." (It's at the very end so be patient)
One of the musical cards received for his birthday. This one from Patrick's parents.
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