Ear Troubles & Potty Training

Last week was very tiring. Isaac has been battling ear infections for two months now, and last week was the worst it's been. I picked him up from preschool early on Monday to take him to the ENT, and he did not go back the rest of the week. He had yet another ear infection (this one, the fifth), and he ran a fever through Friday.

Finally, Dr. Feldman sent me to the hospital so he could get an antibiotic shot. Let me tell you, that was not fun. The first time, I nearly cried myself. Isaac had to get two more shots after that, one on Friday and the other on Saturday. By the third time, he knew exactly what was going to happen and he didn't like it. The nurses gave him some stickers, and we took him to get some ice cream for being such a "big boy."

We've also made the decision to have tubes put in his ears, next week. I'm hoping beyond hope that this will take care of the ear infections. I'm ready for him to be well, and for me to not have to miss so much work!

Potty training is going much better now. Isaac is using the potty at least four times a day now, sometimes five or six. Most of the time, he tells us that he has to go too. The potty chart with the stickers has been a great motivator. I'm really proud of him.

Potty Training

I started potty training with Isaac a couple weeks ago. So far, it's hit and miss. Sometimes he tells me he has to go, but most of the time he doesn't. I started getting a little more serious about it this week. I've tried to be more consistent about the times that I take him, and I've also started using a potty chart. Each time he uses the potty, we add a sticker to the chart. He really likes that, especially the part where he gets to pick out which sticker to use.

Isaac isn't doing as well with it at preschool though. He's been more resistant and sometimes even cried when they've tried to put him on the toilet. They say it's normal for kids to take longer to get used to going at school, because they're more comfortable at home. I told them I'm not in any rush, so they can take a break from it if it's making him that upset.

Isaac can count to ten now, without any help. He's also identifying his colors more consistently too. He can recognize red, green, blue, yellow, orange, and purple. He's also saying please without prompting now, and he'll say yes ma'am when I remind him. I'm glad he's learning good manners this early. My hope is that it'll just be a natural part of his speech, since we've taught him this young.

School is still keeping me extremely busy. After next week, we have fall break. I can't wait!

Update

It's been three weeks since my last post, so it's definitely time to ressurect the blog. There have been a couple major changes since my last entry. One, Isaac has started preschool. He's going to a church preschool that's only five minutes from my work, which is really nice. He started out last week, and so far he seems to enjoy it there.

At first, he cried when it was time for me to drop him off. Each day, the crying lessened. This week, he hasn't cried at all. He definitely notices when I'm leaving, but he doesn't freak out about it. When I pick him up in the afternoons, he seems happy with whatever he's doing at the time. It usually takes a minute for him to even notice I'm there, but once he does, his face lights up as he says, "Mommy! Mommy!" and then gives me a hug. That's the best part of my day, every day.

Another major change is that Wes has turned in his resignation from the pastorate. The demands of church, work, and home have all increased and become difficult to juggle. He announced his resignation on August 30th and offered to stay for a maximum of two months. The bylaws call for 30 days notice, but he offered one more month if they needed it. They'll meet this Sunday to decide.

School has been keeping me busy. There are so many facets to my job, that it becomes all consuming just by itself. FCA has also been keeping me busy, as we've been meeting biweekly. This Saturday, we're taking the kids to a football game. I'm looking forward to it, and the students are too.

Isaac is growing in leaps and bounds. He can feed himself with little to no help. He knows the whole alphabet and can count to five. He knows many shapes, colors, animals, etc. He's also learning how to write. Earlier this week, as he was scribbling on the paper, he was also calling out letters. I guess in his mind, he was trying to write them. He's also very tall. When he stands up, he comes up to my hip. People tell me all the time that pretty soon, he's going to be too big for me to hold or that he'll be holding me. I believe it!

Update

It feels like it's been ages since I last posted. I went over a week without the Internet, and since then things have been very busy. It's definitely time to resurrect the blog.

We've all gotten settled into our new routine now that school has started back. It took a few weeks, but keeping all the balls in the air is much easier now.

Isaac is learning in leaps and bounds now. Currently, he knows 18 letters of the alphabet, a few colors, and some basic shapes. He's even learned how to count to three.

So right now, we're just plugging along as usual. Work, home, and chuch are all going well. Life is good.

10 Year Reunion Pictures

10 Year Reunion & Being Away Overnight

A couple weeks ago, I attended my ten year high school reunion. It was great to reconnect with old friends. It was also a big step for me to allow Isaac to spend the night away from home. The reunion started at 7:00, and Isaac's bedtime is between 8:00 and 8:30, so I didn't have much choice. I dropped him off at Wes's mom's house in the afternoon and picked him up the next morning before church. He did very well while he was there. He wasn't fussy, and he enjoyed playing with Grandma, Granddaddy, and Uncle Doug.

I could hardly wait to go pick him up. I wasn't too worried about him spending the night, because he's been around Wes's parents enough to be comfortable with them. And they've been around him enough to know his routine and how I normally do things. What I didn't expect was how much I would miss him while he was gone.

I actually woke up at 4 A.M. after having a nightmare that something terrible had happened to him at his sitter's house which required being rushed to the ER. That's when it hit me that he wasn't in his crib for me to go look at to see that he was ok in the middle of the night. I also started worrying that he would be scared when he woke up and we weren't there. Wes woke up briefly around 5 A.M., and I was still up.

Wes looked at me, surprised, and I said, "I miss Isaac." Wes was really sweet about listening to me and comforting me. Thirty minutes later, Wes had gone back to sleep, but I was still up. As hard as I tried, I never did get back to sleep! So by the time I arrived at Wes's parents house at 9:00, I was very ready to see him. Isaac was having a grand ole time - walking around the house in his pajamas, playing with his toys.

Then the next weekend, Isaac spent the night away from us again. This time, he stayed with my mom so Wes and I could go to a wedding reception. It started at 6:00 in Savannah, so again we didn't have much choice but to let him stay overnight. He did very well over there too. The next morning, he was definitely happy to see me, but I could tell he felt at home there too.

Now, he can't leave me overnight again for a little while!

Disney World

We arrived home from Disney World last Sunday, a week ago. It was our first real break together as a family in five months, so much needed. It was a five hour drive, but it took seven hours on the way down and six on the way up. Isaac used to enjoy car rides, but not anymore. Those days are long gone. Oh, how I miss the days of him falling asleep in the car or being occupied by a toy for an extended amount of time.

Thankfully, my parents let us use their timeshare for the week, which saved a great deal of money. We saved on the hotel, but also on meals since I was able to cook two out of three meals every day. Also, Disney gives a discount if you go to more than one park, which was nice. As a result, we were able to take Isaac to five different theme parks.


Isaac was worn out by the end of every day:

He also loved going swimming in the kiddie pool downstairs.

We visited three water parks: Wet 'n' Wild, Typhoon Lagoon, and Blizzard Beach. Each one was fun, but Typhoon Lagoon was definitely our favorite. By the end of the week, we were pros at going to a water park. Lather up with sunscreen at the hotel. Buy a ticket, find a spot to park the stroller/cooler, and then enjoy the day. While Isaac took his nap in his stroller, Wes and I took turns riding different things.

We also went to Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. Magic Kingdom was great, because Isaac was able to ride on our lap on all but maybe one ride. I figured he might get fussy from the heat and all the noise around him, but I never guessed that he would cry because he was having so much fun! The ride would come to an end, and Isaac would either say, "More" or "'Gain" (Again). We'd get off the ride, and he'd cry because he wanted another turn. Finally, after lunchtime, he understood how the whole thing is supposed to work.

Isaac also had fun meeting Mickey Mouse, one of the few Disney characters he actually knows. He would see Mickey on the signs and say, "Mou! Mou!" (Mouse). And he did the same thing when he saw him live. He wasn't scared of him at all. Instead, he smiled and laughed with him.

Animal Kingdom was short-lived, since we waited until Sunday to do that. By the time we got through the baggage check and bought our tickets, it was already close to 10:00. We went through all of Asia and Africa and scanned a few other things, but that was it. It was nice though, looking at all of the animals. Isaac surprised me by saying tiger and deer. I'd been trying to teach him those words, but that was the first time I heard him actually say them (and without any prompting). Before we left, we ate some very yummy African food, and then we made a beeline for the car so we could head home.

It seems like I blinked, and my summer is over. I've thoroughly enjoyed it. Isaac has learned so much - from reading books and doing things around the house, but also from taking him to so many different places. I can't keep up with all the words he knows now. He's learned many animals and the sounds they make, shapes, colors, a few letters, types of transportation, and on and on.

We were playing together in his nursery earlier this week, roughhousing a little bit. I was just laughing and having the best time with him, and then it hit me. This is our last week together. I cradled him in my arms for a few seconds and told him, "Isaac, this is our last week together for a little while. Mommy has to go back to work next week." He looked so sad. I think he understood. But now with the furlough, I have two more days before I have to go back. I'm not thrilled with the concept of furloughing teachers, but I am happy to have a job. And I'm also planning to make the most of it with Isaac and Wes.

Back from PA

Isaac and I arrived home on Sunday afternoon. We had the best time while we were gone. The last time I had been to Pennsylvania was in 2000. I was able to see most of my family and some of my friends while I was in town. I knew I missed everyone, but I just didn't realize how much until I saw them all again. It was great to catch up with old friends and family.

Isaac did very well on his first plane ride. After he ate lunch, he enjoyed looking out the window, reading books, and playing with the suitcase full of toys that I brought for him.

On Tuesday, my former karate instructor, Sensei Joe, picked us up from the airport. We stayed with him, his wife Cindy, and their daughter Beth that night.

Beth really enjoyed having a new playmate.

My parents decided to drive up to PA, so I met up with them on Wednesday afternoon at Uncle Steve and Aunt Christine's house. Then on Thursday, we went into the city (NYC) for the day. First we drove to Princeton, NJ, and then took the train the rest of the way. I tried my best to occupy him, but Isaac didn't enjoy the train ride so much.

After we arrived in NY, we met up with my friend Bruce, and he showed us how to get to the Museum of Natural History.

We spent about four hours in the museum looking at many of the exhibits.





From there, we walked to Central Park, where we decided to go on a horse carriage ride.




It was raining when we first got to NY, but the rain subsided by the time we left the museum. Unfortunately, by the end of the ride, it came back. So we made our way back to Penn Station, where we grabbed a quick bite to eat and then the next train home.

Friday was a much welcomed day of relaxation. We spent most of our time sitting around catching up with one another. My cousin Eddie drove in from NY with his two kids, Courtney and Christopher, on Wednesday. Aunt Marlene flew in from Kansas on Thursday, and Jean Ann (Eddie's wife) took the train to PA on Friday. Isaac had fun getting acquainted with everyone.

Courtney took a real liking to Isaac, and vice versa.

Amber, a friend of mine, also stopped by with her two girls that afternoon.

Saturday, the 4th, was the big family reunion. My cousin Allison came in from Philly, and the rest of my dad's sisters and their husbands came in from NY. Here's a picture of the whole family, or at least everyone who was there.

The next one is a shot of all of the (living) brothers and sisters, from oldest to youngest. (L-R: Aunt Barbara, Aunt Marlene, Aunt Joanie, Aunt Titi, Uncle Steve, and my dad)

My dad is the youngest of seven, so it was like Isaac had four more grandmas that day. Below, he's with Aunt Barbara, the eldest of the siblings. Doesn't she look great for 70?

Aunt Marlene, the second oldest, enjoyed taking Isaac off my hands on more than one occasion.

This next photo is of me and my sister with our cousins that we grew up with, Allison and Steven.

And my friend Jacque also stopped by for a visit that night.


Although I had a great time while I was gone, it is nice to be home. For a little while, anyway. Next week, Wes and I are taking Isaac to Disney World. At the grand age of 16 months, Isaac has become quite the world traveller!

One Week Away

In just one week, Isaac and I will be leaving for Pennsylvania. We're going for five days to see my dad's side of the family. This will be the first time that I've seen any of them since I got married seven years ago. I'm really looking forward to the trip.

I'll be staying with friends for a couple nights, and then staying with family the rest of the time. On Saturday, July 4th, Uncle Steve is going to host a big party at his house. What makes this trip even more special is that all of my dad's brothers and sisters will be there. My aunts from New York will be coming, and even Aunt Marlene (who lives in Kansas) is flying in for this. A few of my cousins will be there too. Basically, it's going to be a family reunion.

I'll also get to introduce Isaac to New York. My parents, sister, and I will take the train to New York on Friday and stay most of the day. I think we're going to have a great time, but I can't wait to take Isaac back to New York when he's old enough to appreciate and remember it. I plan to show him most of the things that I show my eighth graders every spring.

Meanwhile, I've really been enjoying my time at home this summer. I've taken Isaac to the Jacksonville Zoo, Tybee, and Jekyll Island. We've visited all of his grandparents, and different friends. On Thursday, he'll get to experience Splash in the Boro for the first time. And one of these days, I'll get around to taking him to Guido Gardens. Most of all, I just enjoy being around the house and going through our same routine every day. People frequently tell me that "they don't stay little for long," and that's so true. I'm cherishing every minute.

First Haircut

Yesterday, Isaac got his hair cut for the first time. He stayed with Linda so I could go to my doctor's appointment in Savannah and run some errands. One of the things I did in the afternoon was get my hair cut. Before I left, I told Sandy (my hairdresser) that I needed to make an appointment for Isaac. Things were slow, so she told me to just come by after I picked him up from Linda's house.



I called my mom on the way there just to chat, and I mentioned that I was taking him to get his hair cut. She said, "Ooh, can I come watch?" (She isn't a proud Grandma or anything... ;) ) Isaac had time to get acquainted with Sandy, and my mom pulled up about five minutes later.



Friends told me that the first haircut was more traumatic for them than their kids, but it wasn't an emotional thing for me. It was exciting to watch him move on to a new stage. With just a few snips of the scissors, he went from looking like my sweet baby boy to a little man.


This is what Isaac looked like before the haircut. You can't see the curls very well, because he, of course, didn't want to be still for very long.




I was amazed that he actually sat still long enough for Sandy to cut his hair.

Here's a picture of us after Isaac's haircut.



And here's a better shot of what his hair looks like now.

Mommy's Little Helper

Isaac has become quite the helper lately. I read in one of my books that whatever your child sees you doing around the house, he'll want to do that too. That has definitely been true for Isaac.

Last week, he started pulling out the broom and dustpan so he could "sweep" in the kitchen and living room. He also learned how to help me put clothes in the dryer. He always likes to be right up next to me when I'm doing that, so I gave him a few clothes and said, "Here, Isaac. Will you put these clothes in the dryer for Mommy?" He was very happy to oblige.

He also has different "jobs" around the house. He helps me close the car door when we get home. Then I let him push the button to close the garage door before we come in the house. At bathtime, I sing, "Clean up, clean up, everybody clean up!" and he helps me put away his toys. When it's time for bed, it's Isaac's job to turn off the light.

Whenever I can, I look for opportunities to let him do things around the house. I think it's important for him to feel like he's making a contribution. It teaches good habits, work ethic, and responsibility. Of course at 15 months old, he doesn't fully comprehend all of that. But one day he will.

I can't wait to teach Isaac how to cook. A former coworker of Wes's told him, "Whatever you do, don't let Jennifer get him to bake cookies." I said, "If he likes to eat, then he needs to know how to cook." Grandma Jandovitz was that way with my dad. She taught him how to do everything - cook, clean, laundry, sew, etc. - because she wanted him to be able to take care of himself.

And that's my goal with Isaac. I want to "work myself out a job," so that Isaac can be fully independent one day. In my home growing up, there was no "woman's work" or "men's work." There was just work, and everyone pitched in to get it done. That's how I plan to train Isaac...and my future daughter-in-law will love me for it.

"More."

Lately, I've started doing a family worship time with Isaac. Of course I've been reading him the Bible and singing Christian songs since before he was born, but I've started to make it a little more structured lately. My goal is to instill in him the importance of a daily quiet time. Too many Christians are lacking in this area. As my friend Jada likes to put it, "Good becomes the enemy of best," as they basically miss the forest for the trees. They get caught up doing so many "good" things that they forget about the best, or most important, things. On the flip side of the coin, many people mistakenly think that the only time they should worship God is on Sunday morning. They expect to get all of their spiritual nourishment in life during one hour - or maybe two, if they go to Sunday School. So my other goal is for Isaac to understand that what happens on Sunday morning is just a supplement to what's already taking place in the home.

This week, I've started using my I-Worship DVDs with Isaac. I have the same ones we use at church (because I bought the ones we use for church), and Isaac really enjoys that time. Last night, we got started a little late, because Isaac played outside with Wes and his parents. So my intention was to just play one song so I could then start the bedtime routine. When the song was over, Isaac clapped his hands and said, "More."

This melted my heart, and of course I played another song. After the second song, he clapped again and said, "More." This continued, and I ended up playing four songs. That moment was so precious to me, and I didn't mind letting him go to sleep a little later for that.

Then tonight, I decided to play my guitar instead. The same scenario played out as the night before. Isaac would clap and say, "More." Then I would play another song. Tonight, I lost track of how many songs I played for him. Finally, I did have to stop so I could give him a bath.

I can't wait until Isaac's old enough for me to show him what it means to be giving and serve others in love. These are definitely the best days of my life...

Proud Mama Moment

I'm proud of Isaac all the time, but there is one time in particular that happened recently that I want to share. This week, I picked him up from Linda's one afternoon, and she said to him, "Who are you?" He said, "I-aac" (Isaac). Then she said, "Who am I?" He said, "Inda" (Linda). So that night at VBS, I walked around with him to several people and said, "Isaac, who are you? What's your name?" Each time, he said, "I-aac," pointed at himself, and smiled so big. Everyone laughed, and you could tell that he was really proud of himself. I was too. :)

Learning So Much!

Isaac is learning so much now, and he's saying new words all the time. It's been hard to keep up with it, really. Let's see how much I can remember...

Isaac is learning about eating. He can say milk, nana (banana), juice, eat, dinner, snack, green bean, pea, turkey, chicken, drink, and thirsty. He also understands questions like, "Are you hungry?" or "Are you finished?" and what it means when I say, "Let's go wash your hands, and then you can eat."

Isaac is learning about people. He can say Linda, Matthew, baby, and Jesus. Yes, he can say Jesus. A few nights ago, I was reading to him from his ABC Baby Bible before bed. There's a different page for every letter in the alphabet, connected to a Bible story. He was so attentive that I kept reading and reading...and he listened to the whole thing! After I finished reading it to him, he started flipping the pages. He stopped on one page, pointed, and said, "Jesu" (Jesus). Wes and I looked at each other, wide-eyed. Could we be imagining things? Nope. Isaac said it two other times, very distinctly. I was truly amazed, as was Wes.

Isaac is learning about animals. He can say dog, duck, bunny, donkey, bear, and bird. One time Wes thought he heard him say horse, and another time I thought I heard him say cat, but he's not using those consistently yet though. As for the other animals he can name, he'll point to them in a picture or as he's playing with different toys around the house.

Isaac is learning about transportation. He can say truck and bus. We were walking around Mill Creek earlier this week, and the elementary school that's just across the street came into view. Isaac saw a school bus and said, "bus." Wes looked at me and said, "How does he know what a bus is?" I told him, "Because I told him when we were at church, and we saw the church bus." Whenever Isaac sees Wes's truck or other trucks driving down the road, he'll say, "Truck! Truck!" But, we're still working on getting him to say car.

Isaac is learning about clothing and going to the bathroom. He says sock and hat, although he doesn't like to wear either one. He says bath, pee pee, and poo poo. I'm also trying to teach him the word potty, because I'm actually planning to start potty training him pretty soon.

We put down some foam rubber mats in Isaac's playroom recently, with all the letters of the alphabet and numbers 1-9 on them. Wes told me yesterday that Isaac pointed to the Q and said, "Q." Today, he pointed to a random letter and said, "B." I have three days of post-planning next week, and then summer break. I'm looking forward to being at home more and teaching Isaac even more things over the next couple of months.

Back from NYC

So I'm a little behind on blogging lately. I got back from New York with my eighth grade students on Saturday just before midnight. About a week before that, I was wide open getting everything ready for the trip.

I was really...reluctant to go on the trip this time. I knew Isaac would be fine, but I had not spent much time with him in the last couple of weeks. The week before, I took my FCA group to the Day of Champions and was gone all day for that. I also had a fundraiser on Monday night, a meeting on Tuesday night, and then it was Mother's Day weekend. I saw Isaac, but not much of it was quality time with just me and him. On Friday night, we had Wes's parents and brother over. Saturday was my day to celebrate, but I spent a good bit of time getting the house in order and freezing meals. Sunday, we had church in the morning and then spent time with my family in the afternoon. The two nights before the trip, I spent a good bit of my time packing and cleaning house. But, I survived being away from Isaac, and I actually had a really good time in the process. I'd have to say that this was the best trip yet.

Unfortunately, though, I still have not caught up on my sleep, and I probably won't for another week. Isaac slept until about 7:30 on Sunday morning, which was a real treat for me. (Usually, he's up around 6:00 or 6:30.) I stayed home from church so I could rest. Isaac slept for an hour in the morning, but it was late in the morning, so he didn't sleep in the afternoon. Wes got home around 1:20, but he had to leave at 3:30 for a counseling appointment he had at the church. I didn't sleep while he was there, because I had to run to the store and pick up a few things Isaac needed to go to his sitter's house the next day. I hadn't planned on going to my mom's, but I figured what the heck. I'm not going to get any rest at home. So I went over there for a few hours, and I actually did get a little nap in while they played with Isaac.

Last night I went to bed around 8 (something that is unheard of for me), and I'll go to sleep shortly after I finish this blog. I'm proctoring a test all this week, which means there is very low stress at work. So hopefully by the weekend, I'll feel like myself again.

I was only gone for a few days, but Isaac seems to have learned so much while I was gone. Before, he was walking pretty well, but he was still a little clumsy at times. Now, there's no more awkwardness. He's walking so well, that I have a feeling he'll be running soon. I've also noticed that he's trying to climb on things, and he is nonstop into everything. He seems to communicate better, and more of his personality is coming out too. So much difference, in such a short amount of time.

Now there are just seven more days of school left. There will be three days of post-planning, and then I'm done. Yay.

Spring Break

Spring break was a much needed respite from the flurry of activity from the weeks before. Isaac and I had such a great time together, and neither one of us wanted to go back to our normal routine at the end of the week.


Monday and Wednesday were spent close to home, only going out for errands and one day lunch with Wes. Tuesday and Friday were spent in Savannah. On Tuesday, we ate lunch with my mom and also did a little bit of shopping. On Friday, I took Isaac back to the doctor so he could get the next round of immunizations.


On Thursday, we ventured out a bit further, this time going to Jekyll Island. That was the best day of the break. We went to the beach for an hour in the morning, ate lunch, and then went to the beach for another hour in the afternoon. (After that, Isaac was ready for his nap, so we went home.) Isaac was so cute, playing in the sand and walking along the beach. He especially enjoyed getting his feet wet in the water and watching the waves roll in. He enjoyed it so much, in fact, that he bit my shoulder when I picked him up!







Thankfully, the biting has nearly stopped in the last couple of weeks. Occasionally, he'll still try to gently bite my arm, but he's doing it in a more playful manner now. Before, it was an act of frustration, because he wasn't ready to stop doing whatever activity he was involved in.


On Saturday, Isaac went to his very first Easter egg hunt at the church. Three of his grandmothers came to the church for this - my mom, Wes's mom, and my grandma - so he was definitely not lacking for attention that day. There was a separate section for infants and toddlers to "hunt" eggs, while the rest of the older children made a mad dash to see who could find the most eggs in their section. Isaac "found" three eggs, and he enjoyed sitting on the ground and figuring out how to open them up.


Sunday was Easter. We spent a good bit of time in church that day. There was an early bird service at 8:00, and we went to that. It was held outside, which was really nice. Whenever Isaac got too fidgety, I just walked around with him, while still being able to hear the sermon (a rarity for me anymore). Breakfast was immediately after that. Since I'm the Sunday School director, I stuck around for another hour after breakfast for that service too. Then since Isaac was doing so well, I even went to part of the regular morning worship service. At about 11:30, though, he was completely worn out, so I took him home. Not surprisingly, he napped for about two hours. It was a long morning, but a few church members offered to help me with Isaac at different points, which really lightened my load.


Sunday afternoon was fun. Wes's cousin Emily has a two year old named Jacob, and she brought him over so they could hunt Easter eggs together. This time, Isaac seemed like he'd caught on to the whole idea of finding eggs and putting them in his basket. After I showed him a couple of eggs and helped him put them in the basket, he started finding them on his own and pointing to them. He hunted real eggs that I'd dyed and decorated, so at one point he and Jacob figured out that they could crack the shells and eat them. They enjoyed doing that. I have a great video that I made using my Flip camera, but it's saved at work. Hopefully I'll remember to post it later this week.


Now, spring break seems like a distant memory. It hasn't even been two weeks, but things have really picked up at work. Only 23 more days of school left. I can't wait...

Walking, Talking, and Disciplining...Already?

Isaac is walking really well now. Every so often, he'll still reach out his hand to hold onto mine - usually when we're walking around the yard. But, he's getting much more proficient at toddling around these days.

Isaac is also talking. Last week when I was off for spring break, he said one or two new words almost every day. I've lost track of how many words he's said, but let's see if I can remember some of them.

Isaac can say Mama, Daddy, Grandma, Grandpa, Granddaddy, Doug, and girl. Isaac also says yea, no, and ma'am, but I'm still working on getting him to put yes/no and ma'am together. (I really debated about that one. My parents never taught me to say that, but I figure if he's going to live in the south, I better do it. Otherwise, people will think he's being rude.) He also says up, down, dog, uh-oh, bye-bye, thank you, and Bible. Less frequently, he says paper, book, door, bubble, bird, bear, and diaper. A few times, he even said Pooh bear. One morning, I picked him up out of his crib, and he started pointing toward his dresser saying, "Pooh bear, Pooh bear." (There was a picture of Pooh bear on the dresser.) He's also pointed at his high chair and said the same thing, which is a sign of intelligence. Some kids don't know that a sweater is still a sweater when it's moved to another room or a different color.

Isaac's receptive language has also been amazing. He can understand quite a bit. One night, we had started the bedtime routine, and he got really fussy because he still wanted to play. I started talking to him, saying, "Isaac, it's time for your bath now. Daddy's getting your bath ready. You're going to take a bath, read some stories, and then go to bed." He calmed down immediately. When I hold out my arms and say, "Do you want to come to Mommy?" he knows exactly what I mean. And I could go on.

I attribute most of this to all of the books we've read to Isaac, from the time he was in my womb until present. He is a child after my own heart, who has a voracious appetite for reading books. He will bring us books and fuss and carry on until we stop whatever we're doing to read to him. Another contributing factor is all the interaction he gets on a daily basis. I've been talking to him since he was in my womb, and I've continued to talk to him about every little thing we do around the house and when we're out and about. Plus, he is getting almost one on one attention during the day when he's at Linda's house.

I've also had to start disciplining Isaac, believe it or not. (Note: By discipline, I do not mean spanking. Discipline comes from the word disciple, and it means to teach. Spanking has its place, but will be used very, very sparingly in our home.) Isaac has started to show his pretty strong will - and I have no idea where he gets that from ;) - lately, in the form of hitting and biting. These aren't things that happen every day. I've noticed Isaac does those things when I take him away from doing something before he's ready. (And since I've realized that, I've been working on helping him transition from one activity to the next.) Last week, for example, I took him to the beach on Jekyll Island. He really enjoyed standing in the water and watching the waves roll in. When I picked him up, he bit my shoulder! So far, I've just been saying "No bite" and pulling him away from me, which seems to work. With the hitting, he does it for the same reason. Then I say, "No hit. Nice touch," and show him how to touch my face gently. He really started to "get it" by the end of the week last week. Before I could take his hand, he would start rubbing my face very gently.

Then over the weekend, he was around some people who thought hitting was funny, so now we're back to square one. But that's ok. These things are going to take time, and I'm not going to give up. I realize by talking to some very wise older mothers that everything I'm doing right now is setting the stage for how he will treat me later in life. If I let him disrespect me physically now, he'll do it with words later. And if he doesn't learn how to respect his parents, he'll never respect anyone else. I've seen that all too often in teaching.

Now, for the long-awaited one year old pictures. We had them taken on 2/27/09, and they finally came in about a week ago. We had these pictures made by Olan Mills, through Wes's parents' church. So the first picture is a shot of all of us. The second picture is Isaac's official one year old photo, which is now proudly hanging on my living room wall.


Seated, L-R: Wes, Jennifer, Isaac, & Doug; Standing: Danny, Terry




I know I'm a little biased, but...isn't he the most adorable thing you've ever seen???

Stay tuned. There's more to come soon about spring break and Isaac's very first Easter egg hunt.