Trip to the Zoo

We often go to the zoo, since we have an annual pass, but we don't often take many pictures. This past week we went with some friends and did whip out the cameras! Our little toddlers have been growing up together and it is so much fun!

Left to right: Etta, Gregory and Lici. This is Etta's wagon and she was kind enough to share it - good thing Greg is still small or he wouldn't have fit in the middle!

From 2008 09 16

Nurse that toddler - any time, any place!

From 2008 09 16

The newest exhibit is a butterfly house, which was so cool! The most beautiful butterflies and moths everywhere you looked!

From 2008 09 16

From 2008 09 16

Whoa, one flew right in front of us - see it on the left! Still loving the babywearing!

From 2008 09 16

In the aquarium - I was trying to get him to do his fishy mouth impression - he did it for a second, but he was really pretty distracted in the awesome shark tunnel.


I do have to tell you, I had a bunch of awesome pics and videos that accidentally got erased a few days ago - I was nauseous over it! I am working on replacing the videos since they were of things he does a lot, like his signs. We are headed to Minneapolis this weekend so there will no doubt be many great photo ops!

Last but not least, the developmental news. We went in for Greg's 15 month check up yesterday. He weighed 19 lbs 4 oz, which was a gain of about 3 lbs in 3 months - pretty good! He was a generous 28 inches tall, up only a half inch (if that.) So that puts him just barely under the curve for weight and pretty far under for height - I guess he takes after my side of the family in that dept! He might catch up later, but there's nothing wrong with being short! I bought him some footie pajamas since we've had a couple of cool nights, and they are 12-18 month size - they fit him totally fine except his feet only make it about down to the knees! Oh well!!! Also it seems I have forgotten to mention it, but you may have noticed the absence of the binki in the photos for a while now - thats because he gave it up! We have been binki-free for a couple of months now - what happened was that we actually lost them all, and then I realized we hadn't used it in a day or two so we just decided to see if we could survive without. Lo and behold, it was no problem at all! Since then, I have actually found them again and even offered one back to him to see what he'd do, and he played with it a little and then threw it on the floor. I have to say, I am so relieved we got that over with so easily - I was afraid I'd be bribing him to give it up before he went to kindergarten!

The Story of Stuff

I know this blog is supposed to be about Gregory. And this is not directly about him, but really, if you think about it, it is. Its about what I want to teach him and about what kind of world he will inherit.



So go! The Story of Stuff

More About Baby Sign Language

Well I want to try to get some videos of Gregory doing his signs, but in the meantime, check out these promos for the new Baby Signing Time series - I am posting them as part of a contest to win a set of DVDs and CDs. Grandma Bonnie actually gave us a few episodes of the original Signing Time on VHS, and we are really enjoying them - it would be awesome to have the whole set that is especially designed for babies!

Some of you may know that Gregory's Grandma Bonnie is a deaf educator. She grew up signing with her deaf grandparents, so sign has been a family language for a few generations now. Not only is it convenient and fun to teach Greg, I also feel like I am giving him a little piece of his family history. And there is actually more and more research coming out showing that sign can help hearing children improve their language skills and learning aptitude, so there are just so many good reasons to keep on signing!! Gregory has already reduced his whining a whole lot, and is so happy when he signs to me and gets the results he wants, and he only knows a few signs! I can't wait to keep teaching him more and more and find out what he has to say!

Maybe a little something about the Boy!

Well, time has flown by and I haven't posted at all about Gregory in ages! Heck, this blog is supposed to be about him! Sorry! There are many new developments you will be delighted with, as we are. My sister Claire was here for the first 3 weeks of August, and my other sister Audrey was with us for the remainder of the month. What a blessing they both were, helping us out so that I could work on BOLD. I could not have done it without them, and we had a lot of fun and I think Greg really enjoyed spending the time with his Aunties.


We got a new toy - a rather big toy - from a friend who didn't use it anymore...a ball pit! Gregory loves it, but it is a little hard to keep Lucy from destroying the balls...as you'll see, Greg isn't much help in that department. So we only take it out on occasionally, which actually helps keep up the fun value.




Greg has really come a long way in motor and language skills. He figured out how to do some of the baby signs we have been trying, and once he figured it out, he has been picking them up like gangbusters. He learns a new sign every day or two. He also tries to say the word that goes with it sometimes, and he can get the beginning sounds a lot of the time. He is learning the names of things and pointing a lot more too. It is so much fun to see how he shows us that he knows what we are talking about. He's a smart kid, if I do say so myself!

From 2008 08 27

Also he doubled his number of teeth in the last round of teething, so can now eat basically anything he wants... it really opens up the culinary world for him and he is eating like a grown man - and has the belly to show for it!

From 2008 08 27

From 2008 08 27

From 2008 08 27

A couple of other cute things he's been doing are "talking" on the phone and playing around with sitting on the potty seat. We are not potty learning in earnest yet, but he has shown some interest in pretending, and we have successfully caught a couple of number twos in there, which is always good.

From 2008 08 27

From 2008 08 27

From 2008 08 27

We have also been going for walks every morning with our friends, and we often stop at the playground afterwards. Greg has discovered the joy of playing in the sand, and also loves to go down the slide. Its been really good for me and Lucy too - its good to start the day off with some fresh air, sunshine and activity, and it seems to be helping Lucy with her loneliness as well...since Giggles has been gone, the poor girl has been pretty whiny and mopey...to be expected I guess.

From 2008 08 27

From 2008 08 27

From 2008 08 27

One less cute thing he has learned is how to turn the tv on and off...that does get old pretty quick, but we are glad he is clever.

From 2008 08 27

OK, I promise I will be updating you more frequently now that the busiest part of BOLD is over... 3 more shows to go: Norfolk tomorrow, Grand Island on the 14th, and Lincoln on the 24th. Please pray for a good turn out for us!!