« April 2005 | Main | June 2005 »
May 25, 2005
oh, thank you, Gus
Gus and I had a dream situation today. He walked over to the vacuum and kept pointing at it.
"Do you want to vacuum?" I asked.
Gus nodded.
I uncoiled the cord, and plugged it in.
"1...2....3!" I counted and Gus watched intently. As I turned on the vacuum, Gus squealed with delight.
I don't need no stinkin' organizational schedule. Gus will totally keep me on track.
Gus amazed me again today with his growing command of language.
Gus was sitting on my lap as we colored with big, chunky crayons on big drawing paper. I had drawn a plane with round windows. I asked him, "What is that?" as I pointed to the airplane.
Gus says, "CIRCLE."
!
He is John's son.
We've been playing the piano the past couple of nights together, me the three songs I remember from playing growing up, Gus... some kind of beautiful something. Regardless, I'm so glad I have my piano at home now. Thanks, Mom!
Posted by janna at 11:56 PM | Comments (0)
May 17, 2005
The power of PLEASE
Simple sentences.
MORE PLEASE
expressed while signing and speaking at the same time.
Do you have any idea how cute that is? Gus could be asking for a pound of sugar and I just might consider giving it to him, simply because he asked so nicely and so cutely.
Another example of cuteness:
While in the car on the way home, I took Gustav's shoes off, and then he pulled his socks off. When we came inside and John put him down on the kitchen floor, Gus turned around and signed 'COLD' while saying BRRRR!
Another example?
Gus has a really cute way of expressing his anger and frustration (is that okay for me to think that it's cute?). If we take something away from him, or tell him no, Gus slaps both of his legs, scowl on his face, and he growls out a deep 'HRRRRRRRRRR'. This all happens simultaneously, and usually more than once. Sometimes we ask him what's wrong, other times we try to ignore it because we don't want to make a big deal about it. The hardest part is knowing the best way to respond, but we most certainly know that laughing does not fly. Gus is understandably sensitive enough to feel even more frustrated when we laugh. I don't really feel like making him feel silly, since some day his expression of frustration, or expression of anything, will be exactly what we want to encourage, not discourage. I've met 14-year-old boys who barely talk, I'm going to try my best to encourage him to keep it up, whatever the message.
Gus signing AGAIN to John while in Milwaukee...John was running and pushing Gus around in circles, fun fun!
Posted by janna at 09:15 PM | Comments (0)
Car trip
Posted by janna at 12:04 AM | Comments (0)
May 12, 2005
Joy
Gustav's favorite thing right now is to be outside. John has started a new habit of taking Gus for a walk up and down the sidewalks of our block. He is unhappy when we bring him inside when he is not yet ready. He's able to practice some of his new signs...flower, bird, cold (brrrrr!)...
Gus is walking all over the place with ease. He's signing and talking interchangably, using whatever he can to get his point across. When I ask Gus to put his socks in the laundry basket, or to throw something away, he does (will this last?). He still gets angry when something messes up, but we're trying to let him know that sometimes you get frustrated, but slapping your own legs or your own cheeks only hurts you and doesn't necessarily communicate to us what you're frustrated about. It's funny, after I ask him why he's frustrated, he usually has an answer, even if I don't understand it. I hope that continues (the whole parent asking a question, Gus gives an answer).
Posted by janna at 10:24 PM | Comments (0)
May 11, 2005
Sharing
Posted by janna at 09:20 PM | Comments (0)
May 09, 2005
Happy Mother's Day to:
Janice
Grammy Shirley
Mom
and me!
Thanks to Grammy Shirley for having Janice, and to Janice for having beautiful John, thanks to my Mom for 'keeping warm' that cold, heatless blizzard of a day in February of 1974, and thanks to John for Gus, our beautiful boy.
John really surprised me this weekend. I was suspicious starting last Tuesday, when I walked up to him at work and he instantly closed his computer. Then Thursday he came home and told me that I didn't need to clean, that he would clean up for me on Friday since he was working from home. Okay...???
After that comment, I thought maybe he was having someone coming to clean the house.
I came home to a small gift on the buffet. When I opened it, I was confused... it was a memory card for a digital camera that I did not have. His note told me to go in another room. There I found a digital SLR... in other words, a digital camera that would allow me to do manual adjustments and the ability to use crazy lenses. I've been wanting this kind of camera for about a year, especially with Babydays and just general frustration with my little camera.
Yippeee!
You can take pictures like the ones above and like this:
On Friday I was a little obsessed with playing with all the settings:
Posted by janna at 08:22 PM | Comments (0)
May 02, 2005
Things you should and shouldn't do
You should:
Visit Santa Monica and stay in a hotel where you can see the beach while eating breakfast.
You should NOT:
Fly Southwest Airlines OUT of LA. Fly in if you must, but never, ever, ever fly out. Don't do it. Or... do it, but expect to wait in a three block line just to check your bag in (no exaggeration). We got to the airport at 10:50 and JUST made our flight at 1. No no no no no. The flight itself was fine, on time, lovely employees, but no.
You should:
Eat as much seafood as possible when by the sea.
You should NOT:
Take your child to a restaurant at 6pm California time and expect him to simply fall asleep in your arms. It won't happen. He will want to eat guacamole and you will give it to him and he will throw it up. And he will want to eat it again and you will somehow think, ok, I'll give it to you again, and then he will throw up on you again. Granted, it was a little throw up, but with those two throw ups that ups the count to FOUR throw ups ever in your son's little short life. Don't forget that causing throw up instantly makes you, the mama, the magnet. Yes, I've now been thrown up on four times.
You should:
Take a very long walk along the beach with no care for time nor distance. Be sure to wear sunscreen or else you'll get a red neck like John. Folks, I am living proof that sunscreen works. Trust me.
You should not:
Rent a car when going to Santa Monica. It's best to ditch that idea, get someone to pick you up and drop you off and walk everywhere inbetween.
You should:
Celebrate Gordon and Patti's wedding (yeah!) all weekend long.
You should not:
Put sunscreen on your son's hands so that he can, in turn, rub his eyes and, in turn fill his eyes with said stinging material. Bad.
Baby Pearl!
There are never lemons and avocados at the farmer's market in Oak Park.
Posted by janna at 11:06 PM | Comments (0)
Just when you think he's a lefty...
...he puts the fork in his right hand.
Tonight Gus ate his dinner by himself.
With a fork.
Spaghetti and broccoli.
Okay, so it went everywhere, but that's what Zeppo is for.
It was beautiful. Five bites with his left hand, and I'm thinking, "He's a total lefty!" Just then he switches to his right. I tried to give him a couple of bites, but he refused. I love it.
Posted by janna at 09:56 PM | Comments (0)