Bragging alert...

Momma is seriously proud over here...so don't read on if you don't want to read some shameless bragging. :) That's the nice thing about a blog...I can brag without worrying that it sounds like an implied insult. As if by publicly noticing that my child is doing something new I am also publicly noticing that your child is NOT. -sigh-

So...what to brag about? Where do I begin...

Last night, sign language "clicked" with Michael. I did sign language for Andrew at about a year, because he was getting so angry and whiny at the dinner table. I taught him to sign "more", "all-done", "milk", "eat", and "please" and "thank you". It worked so incredibly well...he was much less frustrated. Loved it. So I did it again with Lily...starting a little earlier than a year. She didn't learn quite as many signs..."more" was never needed (have I mentioned she doesn't like to eat?) and when I started to teach her "thank you", she started saying it instead...so sign language was shelved.

I started doing the signs for more and all done with Mikey at about 9 months. Usually he just laughed at me, like I was a clown doing a dinner show for him. A few weeks ago, he started waving bye bye, and then at the kitchen table, everything became a wave. When I would sign "all-done", he would wave at me. "more" was the same thing. Like he understood that he was communicating with me, but he just couldn't figure out the signs. Last night...it clicked. I asked him if he wanted more and did the sign. He pushed his hands together in a baby version. I clapped and cheered and congratulated him. He BEAMED. So we did it again and again. He also did the all done sign...again in a baby version...but still a distinct sign.

This morning, he was eating scrambled egg, and when his tray was empty, he would clearly do the "more" sign. And the COOLEST thing is when I would give him more, he was so so so happy. Like he was thinking, "Finally! I'm getting through to them!" So so so proud of him. Smart baby!


What else? Oh! How could I forget! Andrew is reading! Really reading. We checked out some beginner reading books at the library this week and he is READING them. Now, I know that every child learns to read...it is not that unique or special. But I love reading so much, that I think it is doubly exciting to me to watch my child grasp this concept. Now HE can do it. I just about jump up and down every time he figures out a word. And the newest thing is that he doesn't get frustrated when he has trouble with a word...just keeps plugging away at it. This is a HUGE step for Andrew. So proud of him!


Oh! And Andrew still shows his math skills in strange ways. We were playing a computer game together. You run a farm and have to sell eggs, cheese, etc. to earn money. So our goal for one board was to earn $10,000. Our bank read $7,400. We sent our truck to the city to sell our products...it was carrying $3,500 worth of goods. Andrew watches the truck drive away with the number on it, and he says, "YES! When it gets back we'll have reached our goal!" I glanced at him with shock and said, "How do YOU know?" And he says quite confidently, "Those two numbers together are more than $10,000." Pretty cool...So proud of him!


Lily is walking down steps by herself! I know, I know...this is a skill for like 18 month olds. But let's keep in mind that she didn't even walk until 17 months AND she is still way ahead of Andrew. So proud of her!

Lily was playing with a coveted toy at playgroup last Friday. Another boy wanted it, and Lily was quite upset. I told her she could have it a few more minutes and then it was Tommy's turn. She listened for my timer and then calmly gave it to him. So proud! And at the drug store this week, she fingered all the gum/candy at the check-out line without taking anything out...and then left without a fight. And she has been walking in the grocery store and parking lots...never runs away and always listens. So so so proud of her. She can be a spaz...but she has such potential!

Okay. That's all I can think of right now. Tomorrow I'll think of something funny to write. ;)