So I've been using some sign language with Camden since he was about six months old. At first, he just kinda stared at me like I was crazy. When he was about nine months old he finally figured out the sign for "more" and trust me, when it comes to Cheerios, he has that one down like a champ.
He's recently added "dog" to his list since I do the sign for it every time I try to explain that he can't play in Millie's water bowl because that belongs to the "dog" (pat leg repeatedly). On rare occasion he'll say please and we're now working a little more diligently on thank you.
We've been using ASL signs but now we have a new one from the CMF sign language dictionary. This is the sign for "oh my gosh I love to eat food"... enjoy!
Excited About Eating from Mandy Jo on Vimeo.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Friday, February 6, 2009
What's New With the Foster's???
A million things... I am so overwhelmed with it all I don't even know where to start!!!
Let's see... I know I posted some info about Christmas a while back with the promise of some pictures. I'll do one better and give you a couple of videos to watch:
These are of our Christmas here in Dallas which we actually celebrated on January 1st.
Camden's First Christmas Gift from Mandy Jo on Vimeo.
Playing with Christmas Gift from Mandy Jo on Vimeo.
Camden really loves this zoo - and because he presses the button over and over and over again, the songs will forever be stuck in my head. I know the day is coming when Ryan arrives home after a long day at work to find me curled up in the fetal position, rocking back and forth singing "animals, animals, animals from places near and far...they make their home right in the zoo, where each one is a star!" I need to find out if they make medication specifically to alleviate the pain of Fisher Price jingles.
Things settled down after the holidays for about...oh, 2 hours...and then the packing, sorting, cleaning began for the move into our new house. We closed mid-January and then I spent a week or so painting almost every room in the new place (jmf, I needed you desperately!) I did have a lot of help - friends offering to watch Camden so I could work, guys from Sunday School that helped move box after box after box, and one super-friend who came over and helped with the painting for about 10 hours.
This is Jennifer - aka super painter - up in the niches in the foyer... Thank goodness she came over, I never really was a fan of heights.
Indulge me for a moment and let me say thanks to those that helped - I'd still be at it if it weren't for all of your help.
When it was time to take all the painter's tape off, it somehow attacked Camden and got stuck to his leg. A good mom would have run to his aid and helped him crawl away from it... I ran to get the camera and laughed my butt off instead...
Once I had most everything done, we "officially" moved in. That's when the cardboard boxes starting mating and multiplying. I swear...every time I got one emptied, I'd turn around and there'd be three more in its place!
Luckily, my mom had already planned a trip out here before we really knew any of this would be going on, and she was here for eight days of glorious unpacking bliss. Back in the day when family would visit we'd go to local attractions - the zoo, a baseball game, Mt. Rushmore, etc. - but now the entertainment lives at our house so we don't have to go anywhere! Mom was content to sit on the floor and listen to the Fisher Price jingles so I had lots and lots of time to unpack. I even decided to tackle painting the dining room red... which I am still working on everyday for 1-2 hours (i.e. during nap time). I figure it'll get done eventually, right? Besides...if I don't have it done by the end of the month, my mother-in-law is coming for a visit and she's even more into Fisher Price jingles than my mom is!
Here's a picture of the new place. When we get things done on the inside, I'll post a few more - no one wants to see my half painted dining room. :o)
So that's about all that's been going on with us. Ryan's busy with work but loving (just about) every minute of it, I'm staying busy keeping up with a kid that can crawl about 40 mph, and Millie's staying busy trying to avoid said kid getting ahold of her tail. All in all...life as usual. :o)
Let's see... I know I posted some info about Christmas a while back with the promise of some pictures. I'll do one better and give you a couple of videos to watch:
These are of our Christmas here in Dallas which we actually celebrated on January 1st.
Camden's First Christmas Gift from Mandy Jo on Vimeo.
Playing with Christmas Gift from Mandy Jo on Vimeo.
Camden really loves this zoo - and because he presses the button over and over and over again, the songs will forever be stuck in my head. I know the day is coming when Ryan arrives home after a long day at work to find me curled up in the fetal position, rocking back and forth singing "animals, animals, animals from places near and far...they make their home right in the zoo, where each one is a star!" I need to find out if they make medication specifically to alleviate the pain of Fisher Price jingles.
Things settled down after the holidays for about...oh, 2 hours...and then the packing, sorting, cleaning began for the move into our new house. We closed mid-January and then I spent a week or so painting almost every room in the new place (jmf, I needed you desperately!) I did have a lot of help - friends offering to watch Camden so I could work, guys from Sunday School that helped move box after box after box, and one super-friend who came over and helped with the painting for about 10 hours.
This is Jennifer - aka super painter - up in the niches in the foyer... Thank goodness she came over, I never really was a fan of heights.
Indulge me for a moment and let me say thanks to those that helped - I'd still be at it if it weren't for all of your help.
When it was time to take all the painter's tape off, it somehow attacked Camden and got stuck to his leg. A good mom would have run to his aid and helped him crawl away from it... I ran to get the camera and laughed my butt off instead...
Once I had most everything done, we "officially" moved in. That's when the cardboard boxes starting mating and multiplying. I swear...every time I got one emptied, I'd turn around and there'd be three more in its place!
Luckily, my mom had already planned a trip out here before we really knew any of this would be going on, and she was here for eight days of glorious unpacking bliss. Back in the day when family would visit we'd go to local attractions - the zoo, a baseball game, Mt. Rushmore, etc. - but now the entertainment lives at our house so we don't have to go anywhere! Mom was content to sit on the floor and listen to the Fisher Price jingles so I had lots and lots of time to unpack. I even decided to tackle painting the dining room red... which I am still working on everyday for 1-2 hours (i.e. during nap time). I figure it'll get done eventually, right? Besides...if I don't have it done by the end of the month, my mother-in-law is coming for a visit and she's even more into Fisher Price jingles than my mom is!
Here's a picture of the new place. When we get things done on the inside, I'll post a few more - no one wants to see my half painted dining room. :o)
So that's about all that's been going on with us. Ryan's busy with work but loving (just about) every minute of it, I'm staying busy keeping up with a kid that can crawl about 40 mph, and Millie's staying busy trying to avoid said kid getting ahold of her tail. All in all...life as usual. :o)
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
1000 Apologies
I have soooo many things to tell you about - videos to post, pictures to share, stories to tell - the list goes on and on...
Unfortunately, we won't have Internet at our new house until February 5th so I can't write all that I have to share until then. I'm only able to send this quick message b/c my mom is in town and can keep Camden out of Millie's water bowl long enough for me to send this!
I promise, as soon as they connect me with the outside world, I will send all my updates on my crawling, Cheerio eating, pulling up and trying to walk adorable child...until then, 1000 apologies for the lack of info.
Unfortunately, we won't have Internet at our new house until February 5th so I can't write all that I have to share until then. I'm only able to send this quick message b/c my mom is in town and can keep Camden out of Millie's water bowl long enough for me to send this!
I promise, as soon as they connect me with the outside world, I will send all my updates on my crawling, Cheerio eating, pulling up and trying to walk adorable child...until then, 1000 apologies for the lack of info.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Just FYI
Because the grandparents and other "extended family" are always curious, here are Camden's vitals from his 9 month check up today.
Length - 29 3/4 inches (90th percentile)
Weight - 22 pounds, 13 ounces (75th-90th percentile)
Head Circumference - 18 cm (50th percentile)
So despite thighs that feel like a "stress ball" when you squeeze them - thanks, Oma :o) - he really is right on for his weight. And the pediatrician has assured me that between now and 20-24 months, his height will shoot up and his weight will only increase slightly. That is, of course, unless I give in and give him "more" every time he grins and me and signs it. At some point, he's going to have to learn the sign for "all done" too!!! :o)
Length - 29 3/4 inches (90th percentile)
Weight - 22 pounds, 13 ounces (75th-90th percentile)
Head Circumference - 18 cm (50th percentile)
So despite thighs that feel like a "stress ball" when you squeeze them - thanks, Oma :o) - he really is right on for his weight. And the pediatrician has assured me that between now and 20-24 months, his height will shoot up and his weight will only increase slightly. That is, of course, unless I give in and give him "more" every time he grins and me and signs it. At some point, he's going to have to learn the sign for "all done" too!!! :o)
Friday, January 2, 2009
Ch-ch-changes
Time to face the strain...ch-ch-changes. So much has happened and changed since my last post I don't even know where to begin. I guess Julie Andrews said it best...let's start at the beginning, a very good place to start...
Camden and I flew to NC on the 14th for an extra week of grandparent lovin' before Ryan joined us on the 21st and we got busy with the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Camden's first Christmas was great - he loves ripping paper so he's a natural born pro at unwrapping gifts - and still far more interested in the paper once the gift is unwrapped. We sat him in the middle of the mountain of gift wrap after we were done opening presents at Oma and Papa's house and you'd have thought he was a kid in a candy store - he was soooo excited. Even though I suggested his grandparents just wrap empty boxes (yeah, right) we still had five boxes that had to be shipped back to TX after the festivities were over. From blocks to books to toys that will play various songs to get stuck in my head...it looked like Toys R Us had thrown up in the living room floor at Granna's house.
While we were home Camden watched his cousin Jay (who's 20 days older) very intently trying to figure out how he was getting those knees and arms to work in sync to get across the room on his own. He didn't qui
te get the hang of it until we got back to Texas, but he did figure out how to go from being on his belly to sitting up all by himself while we were enjoying our 4 hour layover in Chicago. The layover was scheduled so we knew what we were getting into on the journey home...in fact, all of our flights, luggage arrival, package shipping, etc. was on time and uneventful going and coming. Camden especially got into looking out the window on the flight back to Texas from Chicago. He sat like this for a good 15-20 minutes - relief was felt by Ryan and me both...along with every other person on the plane.
Since we've been back our days have been filled with more boxes...not for shipping gifts though. These boxes are for moving. Yep, that's right, we're moving...again. We have purchased a home here in Dallas and will be moving in just a week. We're excited to be in "our own space" again and Millie is ecstatic about having a backyard again.
Because of all this packing and moving, I just haven't had time to sort through and upload the Christmas photos or edit the amazingly cute video we took of Jay and Camden in the bath, but I promise I will get to that as soon as I can and have that on here for you to see.
For the time being, we hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and we pray God's blessings for you in the year ahead.
Camden and I flew to NC on the 14th for an extra week of grandparent lovin' before Ryan joined us on the 21st and we got busy with the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Camden's first Christmas was great - he loves ripping paper so he's a natural born pro at unwrapping gifts - and still far more interested in the paper once the gift is unwrapped. We sat him in the middle of the mountain of gift wrap after we were done opening presents at Oma and Papa's house and you'd have thought he was a kid in a candy store - he was soooo excited. Even though I suggested his grandparents just wrap empty boxes (yeah, right) we still had five boxes that had to be shipped back to TX after the festivities were over. From blocks to books to toys that will play various songs to get stuck in my head...it looked like Toys R Us had thrown up in the living room floor at Granna's house.
While we were home Camden watched his cousin Jay (who's 20 days older) very intently trying to figure out how he was getting those knees and arms to work in sync to get across the room on his own. He didn't qui
te get the hang of it until we got back to Texas, but he did figure out how to go from being on his belly to sitting up all by himself while we were enjoying our 4 hour layover in Chicago. The layover was scheduled so we knew what we were getting into on the journey home...in fact, all of our flights, luggage arrival, package shipping, etc. was on time and uneventful going and coming. Camden especially got into looking out the window on the flight back to Texas from Chicago. He sat like this for a good 15-20 minutes - relief was felt by Ryan and me both...along with every other person on the plane.Since we've been back our days have been filled with more boxes...not for shipping gifts though. These boxes are for moving. Yep, that's right, we're moving...again. We have purchased a home here in Dallas and will be moving in just a week. We're excited to be in "our own space" again and Millie is ecstatic about having a backyard again.
Because of all this packing and moving, I just haven't had time to sort through and upload the Christmas photos or edit the amazingly cute video we took of Jay and Camden in the bath, but I promise I will get to that as soon as I can and have that on here for you to see.
For the time being, we hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and we pray God's blessings for you in the year ahead.
Friday, December 5, 2008
I learned something today...
I learn something new about being a mommy just about every day. Today I learned that if your child is on an antibiotic that makes him have diarrhea, no matter how much he wants to, the jumperoo is just not a good idea. Combine poop that is quick and abundant in its arrival with all of that jumping in the harness...it doesn't matter how quickly you react, that stuff is everywhere in a matter of seconds. Just thought I'd let you know what I did this afternoon. :o)
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Family Traditions
First, I have to say thanks to Ryan for that sweet post on 11/25. I am eternally grateful to have the opportunity to stay home with Camden and I so appreciate his willingness to work hard and to make those little sacrifices to give me the chance to do so. Having come from a job where I had formal observations on a semi-regular basis, it's been a change for me to be in a "job" where I may not know the results of my performance for many, many years. Hearing from him that I am "at or above expectations" was very gratifying...so thanks.
Thanks for indulging me...now, for my post.
Every family has their holiday traditions. You know, those things that you have to do during the holidays. For my family growing up, it was White Christmas. Every Christmas Eve we would all sit down and watch the movie together - reciting many of the lines as the movie played and of course, my parents would always sing the "Mandy" song to me and Maria and I would always sing the "Sister" song - it just wasn't Christmas until we had seen it.
When it comes to being sentimental, I am not a "things" person. Perhaps it comes from living in an apartment where space is a highly valued commodity, but I am not into tchotchkes, I don't really collect things, I read magazines and newspapers ASAP so I can get the clutter out of my house (that I come by honestly from my Granny Wagoner) and I don't need a trinket from every place I travel to remind me that I went there...that's just how I am.
In the last few months (i.e. since Camden's arrival) I have been slightly more sentimental...but only slightly. I still don't want Precious Moments figurines scattered all over the house, but I am keeping a few things to put in his scrapbook and I've decided that if it's sentimental and it can serve a purpose - not just sit around and help me earn my "professional dust collector" title - then it can stay.
Another thing I have learned about traditions is that when you have a baby, traditions have to be flexible because they have to change. Since Camden isn't really old enough to remember all of it this year, we've decided to go to NC one last time for the big day. Next year, we'll stay home and do Christmas morning and the whole Santa thing at our home and then head to NC after the holidays. While it's exciting to start thinking about what we'll do as our family traditions, it did just dawn on me that next Christmas will be the first one in my then 32 years on this earth that I have not seen White Christmas with my family on Christmas Eve. I know my parents will be flexible and that even though they'll still watch it on Christmas Eve, they'll watch it again with us when we get there. It is a little sad...but at the same time I am excited about what will be our family traditions.
One tradtition that has been ours for the last few years is Rudolph. I don't know why that choppy, clamation story has been so important to me, but if I don't see it...it's just not Christmas. And for some reason, even though I have it on DVD, I still have to see it on TV with all the commercials. Ryan found out when it was coming on a few weeks ago and it's been on the calendar as a night that he couldn't work late...he too knows the significance of this night.
So last night, we sat down as a family and started what will be one of our family traditions. We watched Rudolph together. Okay...I mostly watched Camden watch Rudolph...but still, you get the picture.
In the years ahead, I am looking forward to watching Camden perform in the children's program at church, waking up at the crack of dawn to see what Santa has brought and eating Christmas tree shaped pancakes on Christmas morning...but I don't want to hurry those things...right now, I just want to enjoy my baby's first Christmas - which can officially happen now that we've seen Rudolph. :o)
Merry Christmas to all of you and whatever it is that "makes it Christmas" for you, enjoy it. Enjoy also the time you'll have with friends and family as we celebrate what "makes it Christmas" for all of us...the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ!!!
Thanks for indulging me...now, for my post.
Every family has their holiday traditions. You know, those things that you have to do during the holidays. For my family growing up, it was White Christmas. Every Christmas Eve we would all sit down and watch the movie together - reciting many of the lines as the movie played and of course, my parents would always sing the "Mandy" song to me and Maria and I would always sing the "Sister" song - it just wasn't Christmas until we had seen it.
When it comes to being sentimental, I am not a "things" person. Perhaps it comes from living in an apartment where space is a highly valued commodity, but I am not into tchotchkes, I don't really collect things, I read magazines and newspapers ASAP so I can get the clutter out of my house (that I come by honestly from my Granny Wagoner) and I don't need a trinket from every place I travel to remind me that I went there...that's just how I am.
In the last few months (i.e. since Camden's arrival) I have been slightly more sentimental...but only slightly. I still don't want Precious Moments figurines scattered all over the house, but I am keeping a few things to put in his scrapbook and I've decided that if it's sentimental and it can serve a purpose - not just sit around and help me earn my "professional dust collector" title - then it can stay.
Another thing I have learned about traditions is that when you have a baby, traditions have to be flexible because they have to change. Since Camden isn't really old enough to remember all of it this year, we've decided to go to NC one last time for the big day. Next year, we'll stay home and do Christmas morning and the whole Santa thing at our home and then head to NC after the holidays. While it's exciting to start thinking about what we'll do as our family traditions, it did just dawn on me that next Christmas will be the first one in my then 32 years on this earth that I have not seen White Christmas with my family on Christmas Eve. I know my parents will be flexible and that even though they'll still watch it on Christmas Eve, they'll watch it again with us when we get there. It is a little sad...but at the same time I am excited about what will be our family traditions.
One tradtition that has been ours for the last few years is Rudolph. I don't know why that choppy, clamation story has been so important to me, but if I don't see it...it's just not Christmas. And for some reason, even though I have it on DVD, I still have to see it on TV with all the commercials. Ryan found out when it was coming on a few weeks ago and it's been on the calendar as a night that he couldn't work late...he too knows the significance of this night.
So last night, we sat down as a family and started what will be one of our family traditions. We watched Rudolph together. Okay...I mostly watched Camden watch Rudolph...but still, you get the picture.In the years ahead, I am looking forward to watching Camden perform in the children's program at church, waking up at the crack of dawn to see what Santa has brought and eating Christmas tree shaped pancakes on Christmas morning...but I don't want to hurry those things...right now, I just want to enjoy my baby's first Christmas - which can officially happen now that we've seen Rudolph. :o)
Merry Christmas to all of you and whatever it is that "makes it Christmas" for you, enjoy it. Enjoy also the time you'll have with friends and family as we celebrate what "makes it Christmas" for all of us...the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ!!!
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