Five Things Friday 5.29.09 - Guest Blogger

As mentioned in my previous post, my nephew Blake is spending the week with us. Since he is an avid babynoahc blog reader, I thought it would be a good idea to have him write his very own post about his visit. So, here are five things from Blake.

Hi! I'm Blake. Here are five things that I enjoyed doing while I was in Miami.

1. Dean and I went to see Night at the Museum at the IMAX. After, we went to an arcade where we rode on a 30-foot game that flings you up than makes you freefall. It was awesome!

2. A funny story about Noah. While we were in the car, Noah was mad, so Sarah played his favorite song, and he made the most adorable smile ever. Here is the video.... and the picture! The picture is sort of bad because I took it with my cell phone.

3. With Sarah's help, I obtained my body bugg goal and lost 11 pounds. I lost 4 while in Miami. Sarah and I worked out in the gym, swam lamps at the pool, and ran up and down her stairs. It was not fun!

4. After 5 days with Noah, he FINALLY let me hold him without trying to kick me, fight me, hit me, get away from me, etc. Even though it doesn't look like it, he is really happy that I am holding him. But, seriously, after this time, he was much happier around me.

5. Sarah and I tagged team a chicken spaghetti Ma Ma Ellen style. I cooked and cut the chicken and veggies. Sarah boiled the noodles and started the sauce. And, then I finished it off. It was delicious. Noah ate it two days in a row.

The Science Museum

We have a very fun guest visiting us in Miami. Noah's oldest cousin Blake. He flew all by himself and is staying all week. We were trying to figure out what we wanted to do on Monday, and Dean suggested the Miami Science Museum.

Dean: : "I hear they have a megladon exhibit."

Blake: "Really? Cool."

Me: "Um... sure, but what's a megladon?"

Blake/Dean: (eyerolling)

Apparently, it's a giant shark. I mean a really giant shark. Feel free to google it, but according to Blake, it can grow up to 60-feet tall. Don't worry it became extinct about 2 million years ago.

There were a ton of cool exhibits at the museum. Blake got fingerprinted and found out his fingerprint type is a mostly arch with a composite mixed for his thumb and ring finger.

Noah's favorite part of the museum was the light wall.

Blake got into the action too.

Here is a mirror illusion that Blake and I just couldn't seem to get right, but it turned out to be a pretty cool picture anyway.

Five Things Friday 5.22.09

I've noticed my post count for May is a little low. So, in an effort to beef it up and get back in the blogging habit, I introduce "Five Things Friday."

1. Last night when I was putting Noah down, he wanted more milk. I knew this because he shoved his empty sippy cup at me. I asked him, "Noah, do you want more?" Not only did he clearly articulate the word "more," he also perfectly signed it, and then made the sign for "drink." I had kind of given up on signing "more," and have been using "want" more. So, it has been at least a couple weeks since I've used it consistently. So, obviously, he's been holding out on me.

2. I love our speech therapist, and I can only hope that when we move back to Texas, we can find someone as great as her. Noah sees Mrs. S three times a week for an hour, and I tease her that Noah and I see her more than we see Daddy. She works at an elementary school, and there is a huge play area covered with mulch where we wait for her. Noah always come into her room holding at least one stick. Today, she pulled out a toy for Noah, and when she opened the box, there was one of Noah's sticks inside. She said that she knows she will find these from time to time after we are gone, and think of and miss Noah. So sweet.

3. Noah was in desperate need of a haircut this week, and I finally took him on Wednesday. I figured since it was summer, and he will be two in a few weeks, that it was about time I let them use the clippers. He looks like such a big boy with his short haircut. I mean I know it grows but, every time he gets a cut, it just kills me.

4. As mentioned, Noah was such a sweet boy on our househunting trip to Texas. He did however have trouble going down at night. I blame it on him being overtired and in a new place. On the first night, we got in really late, and I didn't want to wake him, so we put him in bed with us. Noah has never slept with us, and this time very well may be the first and only time. A king sized bed has never seemed so small. The second night, he was having none of his pack n play, and he kept trying to climb out. I told him no and assumed he'd listen. He didn't and the next thing I heard was a boom. He had climbed out and fallen on the floor. I laid in the bed next to him while I put him back in the pack n play repeatedly telling him "no, no," and "time for sleep." He finally got the point and went to sleep. He woke up in the morning waging his finger at me, and saying "no, no." I am not sure who I am most proud of... Noah for being such a good listener or me for my successful disciplinary skills. All I know is that climbing out of the pack n play just leads to climbing out of the crib, and I am so not ready for that.

5. And a non-Noah related thing, I flushed my bodybugg down the toilet. Dean told me I shouldn't tell people since it reflects poorly on my reflexes and quick thinking skills, but all you mom's know that giving birth causes those skills to decline anyway. So, yes, I flushed my bodybugg down the toilet... on accident, and I didn't even try to reach for it. Before I knew it it went all the way down the drown. And, I had to fork over the money to buy a new one, because seriously, this thing is keeping me honest and on my weight loss goals. It is really weight loss for dummies, and I highly recommend it. You may have seen it on The Biggest Loser.  You wear it on your arm, and it's small enough to go down the drown.  Humph.  

Frequent Flyer

I had my doubts. A late night flight to Texas. Three and a half days dedicated to house hunting. Multiple times of getting in and out and in and out of his car seat. Daily naps in said car seat. One offer from my sister to watch him for the duration which I turned down. And, despite all my misgivings, Noah was so great and sweet and perfect... at times, even better than Momma and Daddy.


He is such great traveler, which I suppose he was forced into since he took his first flight at eight weeks old. I am not sure I could count the number of times he's flown. I think I started to at the beginning, but should I count a roundtrip flight as one or each leg. And, well, math has never been my strong suit. Suffice it to say, it's a lot for an almost two year old. And, since his birthday is only 11 days away (sniff), this trip marks his final flight as a lap child. We won't be flying again until after his second birthday, and I think that Noah has officially earned enough miles for his own seat.

So, our trip was a success. We found a house., and it is in the suburbs. We are so predictable. It hasn't been built yet, so we are going to be able to pick out paint and floors and cabinets. The pressure. Here is our lot. Yay!

Our new home will have all the things on our must have list. It's a one story. It has a big backyard. There are several parks within walking distance. There is a nearby Super Target, HEB, and Sonic. Did I mention it has a backyard? Of course, there are plenty other reasons, but those are some of the major points. We are so excited, and we can't wait for the move.

Let's Go Outside

Have you ever stayed at a house right on the beach? Every day you just wake up, walk outside, see the ocean, feel the sand. It's right there with no effort. I have a feeling that is how Noah felt spending the weekend in Louisiana. His sand and ocean was my parent's backyard. A grassy wonderland with a place to run and pick up sticks and be a little boy. And, about those sticks... my mom informed me that she is still finding them all over her house.

And, he's off.

Peekaboo. I see you.

My sweet boy, in desperate need of a haircut, having the best time.

Momma, do you think we can get some of this at our new house?

What He Knows

The thing with early intervention is that for a child as small as Noah whether he has some type of label or not, the therapy is the same. It isn't until the child is much older and you can understand how they learn and socialize that you can really determine what, if any, the underlying cause is. Noah has been in therapy since late January, so roughly, 3.5 months, and it is hard to believe the changes in him.

At 18 months, he babbled constantly, but said no specific words. He didn't point or mimic. He had very little receptive language and even less expressive. His eye contact was good with me, but minimal with most others. He ignored his name being called and pretty much ran circles around me.

Now, at 23 months, he babbles with inflection, expresses dislike (more often than not), wags his finger to emphasize the emphatic babbling. He signs want and all done. He listens pretty consistently to the word "no." He labels tons of things like keys, glasses, show (tv), snack, car, swing, stroller. He understands things like, "let's go," "time for bath," "put on your shoes," "wanna watch a show?" He can identify and label most animals and can make their sounds, although several of our animals go "doo doo do doo doo." He mimics mannerisms like "hmmm..." while putting his finger to his mouth. He copies some of my speech like saying "okay" (k) after almost any statement. He totally gets "ready, set, go," and he always sounds out the "g" on go like "g-g-g-go!" He can count to ten when prompted. He knows all his shapes and colors and definitely shows a preference for circles and the color red. He recognizes letters of the alphabet, A, B, C, O, S, Z. When he feels like it, he can wave goodbye, blow kisses, give high fives, follow simple commands. He is still very fast, but activities hold his attention for longer periods of time. He stills loves to hold things in his hand, but the rake has become much lower priority to sticks and bubble wands and random Mr. Potato Head pieces. You wouldn't believe the collection I have going on in my car. He can put together simple puzzles and has stopped throwing all the pieces on the ground. His actions are much more purposeful and to borrow a comment from our speech therapist, he is becoming very "put together." His eye contact is improving, and he definitely acknowledges people before he ignores them. He sings tons of songs like Old MacDonald, Oh Grizzly Bear, Here Comes the Sun, and the "la daa daa's" on Jack Johnson's Bubble Toes, my personal favorite. He still refuses to point to his nose, but he will point to other body parts like his head, toes, mouth. He is starting to get pretend play and will put just about anything up to his ear, and say "hello?" There are so many other little things that he is doing, and I feel like finally his little personality is coming out. He is so sweet, and although he is starting to throw a few tantrums, he never hits or bites or throws things. He is becoming such a big boy before my eyes, and I am so proud of him and all his hard work.

What a Mess!

For once, I am not talking about our apartment. Dean must have sensed my desperation last week, when I said, "our house is a disaster, and I need help!" A maid showed up today, and after 5.5 hours of work, our home is spotless. I am so happy. Anyone want to come visit? Now is your chance.

OK... so back to the mess. After Noah's foray into painting at OT last week, I decided to try out the finger paints at home.

Momma, isn't this where I usually eat?

Are you sure this is okay?

Eeehhh! This is so messy and fun!