Signing ... finally!

We have struggled with signing with Payton. She has had pretty much zero interest, although I know she understands some of the signs that I sign to her (the basics). I have got her to sign a few times, but nothing that ever lasted or that she initiated. Today during speech therapy, a whole new Payton joined us. I was signing to her and her totally mimicked every sign I did!! Her therapist about fell on the floor because it was totally out of nowhere. Some of the signs she mimicked were more, eat, all done, night night, please, ball, bath, stars, milk ... I'm trying to think of what else. She knows eat, more, all done and night night without prompting. The fact that she says all done and ball makes her signing them useless, but I'm excited nonetheless. Now I need to find a sign language class!

Devious Little Guy

When we first moved Mason out of his crib, we put a TV in his room thinking that would be a stellar way to get him to stay in his big boy bed. Ding ding ding, we have created a monster. He he obsessed with the TV. He knows that there is no TV for naptime (which is a rarity around here anymore), but he historically has been allowed to watch one episode of a movie before bedtime. That, of course, has spiraled into way more than one episode.

Yesterday Mason was very, very naughty. He was sassy, not listening ... just not being good at all. We had planned to take him to the aquatic center to let him swim while Payton attended her Special Olympics class, but we told him he could not go because he was being so naughty. I later asked him if he knew why we didn't go swimming, and he somberly answered, "Yes mommy, because I was naughty."

Well, apparently that was no lesson learned. He continued to be naughty throughout the day, so I told him no TV before bed. He cried and threw a fit. He was SO exhausted that I sat by his bed and talked to him about being a good boy and listening in an effort to distract him. I left the room, thinking he really would just fall asleep. Moments later I heard a few thuds from downstairs and came up to find him watching TV in his room. He had gotten up and turned it on. I turned it off and unplugged it. He cried again and I left the room. I never heard him again so I assumed he had fallen asleep.

About two hours later, Kyle and I went upstairs to bed, only to find a glow under Mason's closed bedroom door and a LOCKED door knob. That little stinker locked his door and turned his TV on again. We got a key to the knob and broke in, only to find him sound asleep with his TV playing.

This morning I asked him why he locked his door last night, and he said (with a mischievous little laugh), "I locked you out so I could watch TV!" OMG since when is he old enough to understand things like this?!

Shay's Baby Shower

Today, I hosted a baby shower for my sister-in-law, Shay. She is due late April/early May (they aren't really sure) and she is having a boy!

Playing games ... this picture is of Shay, my mother-in-law and I ...

The favors I made in honor of Shay's LOVE of chocolate chip cookies
(well, my mother-in-law did the baking, I made the labels) ...

Personalized note cards I had made for everyone ...

The fabulous cake that my sister made ...

I also made a "well wishes ring" for Shay and Jeremy. There were lots of friends and family who live far away and could not come to the shower. So I sent them all note cards to write well wishes to Shay, Jeremy and Baby J. Everyone sent their cards back to me and I attached them to a silver ring with ribbon. Here is a picture of the final product ...

Wink wink

Somewhere along the recent road, Mason has learned about winking. It took a couple days for him to master closing just one eye, but he has got it down. He is so funny ... he will walk past you, stop, wink and then keep walking. Wink wink.

Follow up to T&A

Yesterday we had an appointment with Payton's ENT for follow up to her T&A surgery. My concerns have been clarified ... she does not have a submucous cleft palate. She does, however, have a bifid uvula. In light of that, the surgeon palpated the palate, but did not feel any evidence of a cleft. Despite this, she was very conservative in removing the adenoids, basically acting as though she did have a cleft, even though she does not. I feel comfortable with this. We have not noticed her speech turning nasal since surgery, so it seems that all is well. Who would have known there could be such issues?!