Saturday, August 22, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
DRAWING & SIGNING
So last Monday night, right before bedtime, Benjamin and I were drawing on a little magnetic sketchpad. Well, I was drawing mostly, but he helped fill in the negative space-- this is Daddy, by the way, Nisha's made the last few posts-- and he was telling me who to draw, or identifying people as I drew them. I drew Ernie & Bert from Sesame street and he'd say "Uhnnie!" or "Buht!" We also drew and discussed Mommie and Me and Elmo and Big Bird and Muno from Yo Gabba Gabba, all kinds of folks-- but Uhnnie & Buht were definitely his favorites. Maybe because of Ernie's and Bert's easily-identified head-shapes, a football and a pineapple, respectively. Anyway, we had a blast! He loved it. Good times.
And it left an impression. As you know, we've taught Bug a few signs over the past year. Simple stuff really, just to give him some extra communication options while his vocal abilities mature. He knows "more" and "milk" and stuff like that, just from watching us use them along with the words.
But last Wednesday was a banner day for his communication skills. He made up his very own sign! Like I said, the drawing left an impression. He popped up from a nap we were sharing Wednesday afternoon and poked me in the arm. "Daddy!" he said, then proceeded to use his adorable little index finger to "draw" on the palm of his other hand. "Daddy!" he repeated, and kept making the sign. He obviously wanted to do some more drawing! This is not a sign we're taught him, he just invented it to convey a want! Genius! Needless to say, we drew some more.
And it left an impression. As you know, we've taught Bug a few signs over the past year. Simple stuff really, just to give him some extra communication options while his vocal abilities mature. He knows "more" and "milk" and stuff like that, just from watching us use them along with the words.
But last Wednesday was a banner day for his communication skills. He made up his very own sign! Like I said, the drawing left an impression. He popped up from a nap we were sharing Wednesday afternoon and poked me in the arm. "Daddy!" he said, then proceeded to use his adorable little index finger to "draw" on the palm of his other hand. "Daddy!" he repeated, and kept making the sign. He obviously wanted to do some more drawing! This is not a sign we're taught him, he just invented it to convey a want! Genius! Needless to say, we drew some more.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Father's Day and 18-Month Birthday!
Sunday we celebrated our second Father's Day with Benjamin Bug. He made a special card, with a tracing of his feet on the cover, for his daddy as well as drawing him a picture of a tree. Pics soon!
And yesterday Benjamin turned 18 months old. A year and a half. Wow. Since his Halmoni was feeling up to it we went to the mall (his first time) and he toddled around and talked, quite loudly!, for most of the trip. We took a quick rest in the center of the mall when I heard him say, "tractor" several times. Being in the mall I was thinking there was no way there was a tractor anywhere around but he insisted and I followed his eyes and there in the middle of the mall was a large riding lawn mower that was being raffled off. He walked over to it yelling tractor over and over. I was floored. He was right, it looked just like a tractor. How does he know what a tractor is?? We just got him a book a few days ago that has different vehicles in it but have only gone over it a few times. But he remembered.
And yesterday Benjamin turned 18 months old. A year and a half. Wow. Since his Halmoni was feeling up to it we went to the mall (his first time) and he toddled around and talked, quite loudly!, for most of the trip. We took a quick rest in the center of the mall when I heard him say, "tractor" several times. Being in the mall I was thinking there was no way there was a tractor anywhere around but he insisted and I followed his eyes and there in the middle of the mall was a large riding lawn mower that was being raffled off. He walked over to it yelling tractor over and over. I was floored. He was right, it looked just like a tractor. How does he know what a tractor is?? We just got him a book a few days ago that has different vehicles in it but have only gone over it a few times. But he remembered.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Walking!
Benjamin is officially walking today! Yesterday at the acupuncturist while we were waiting for Halmuni to get treatment he used her leopard print cane to toddle around. He called it his "walking stick" but it tripped him up almost as much as it did assist in his walking, especially when he insisted on holding the tip-top of the handle. But as long as he was holding it he had the confidence to move around the room. The same has been true with his Dora backpack we got him a week or two ago. It has a luggage pull handle and wheels on it and he will pick it up and walk around with it but never felt comfortable completely letting go and walking for more than a step or two on his own. But today he just started walking, freely on his own accord! I didn't tell Henry about it while he was at work because I was in denial. So when he got home he was surprised to see his little baby had turned into a walking boy in the few hours he was gone. I'm still in denial but his Uncle Billy got proof with these short videos below.
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