Moot Thoughts & Musings

Ellis's signing has really taken off. It's so fun to watch. He can communicate so much about his world. Like "Remember when all those bugs were crawling on my window shade?" which he says by walking by his window and signing "bug," which looks like backwards "bird" on his nose.

Last week I gave him a few raspberries and signed "berry." He started signing "berry" back, so we had this little game of signing "berry, please" every time he wanted one. And then I'd stick a raspberry on his finger, like in Amelie. (I'm trying to get him to label his food; he walks around signing "eat" all day. *sigh* I'm toast when he's a teenager with his appetite.) So today I was giving him little chicken bits for lunch, which he usually likes, but then he started flinging them. Then he stopped, looked at me, and signed "berry." I didn't have any, so I couldn't give him any. He wouldn't eat anything else and kept signing "berry." It was so cute. A little strawberry yogurt with strawberry chunks appeased him for a little bit, but finally he just got down.

When I went to my produce shop this afternoon, I got him a little carton of raspberries. He was very excited about that. Then during his bath tonight, he just started signing "berry" and "eat" over and over. He pointed towards the kitchen. I kept trying to tell him that dinner was "finished," but he would not be swayed. So I got the carton and gave him a couple of berries. When he saw them he squealed with delight and sat down in his bath and ate berries right then and there. First, I just think it's so awesome that my 15 month old kid can tell me not only that he wants to eat, but what he wants to eat. Second, I think it's hilarious that all of a sudden he's on this berry kick; has an idea about what he likes and how to ask for it. Third, it could be worse, right? like cookies? It's moments like these that make me stand in astoundment that some parents don't sign with their deaf children. Yea, I know communication decisions are personal to each family, and I don't want to judge someone, because there may be factors I can't relate to or don't know about. But, dude, my kid has LANGUAGE!

A couple other of my favorite new signs are "rainbow." I put one of useless crystal candlestick wedding present things in the window that the evening sun streams through. It makes great rainbows on the wall. Now whenever Ellis sees light reflection anywhere, he signs "rainbow." "Bug," as mentioned earlier, is all a fun one. We seem to be getting a lot of this one kind in particular crawling around. I think it's seasonal. They seem to be abating with the cold. They're harmless and provide a lot of amusement for E.

Recently, he's started signing "book," and ever since has been more interested in looking at books. He'll just pull a couple off the shelf and drag them around and sit down and look at them. Yea, he fits right in around here. I'm glad that he can label things he sees in books, too, like "dog" or "cow." He knows a lot of farm animals.

He's doing "Daddy" properly now, with the 5-handshape and thumb tapping forhead. Still no "mommy." It's so sweet, though. Chris has been working a lot lately, and sometimes Ellis will just start signing Daddy and looking towards the door as if to say, "Hey, where's Daddy?"

Tonight I taught him "Kiss." We had a lot of fun with that. He thought it was hilarious.

In other Ellis's firsts, which I guess this post is turning into, he actually fell asleep in the stroller for the first time. Must've been the 12 block walk down Walnut Street. I'd think walking around the city would be too visually stimulating, but I guess he was just that tired.

Ellis and his buddy Joshua yesterday on the way home from playing.

Why am I so tired? I stay up all night and work on my thesis, and in the morning I have this scalliwag to keep up with. Don't you love his Mardi Gras beads? He seems to have discovered our stash somewhere.