My Little Smartie

I can always count of one of my kids to put me over the edge so I lose it OR bring me back with something smart, or cute, or sweet. Today Jack did something smart, and he knew it! I was sitting on the edge of my bed, folding laundry. Jack wandered in, holding his cup (he's doing great with that, BTW) and wanted to put it up on the bed. My bed is kinda high - I'll post a pic some time - so he was pushing it as high as he could and I was putting it up a little farther so it would sit upright. Then he would reach and make his little "I want" noise and I'd hand it back. We did this about 3 times and finally I started saying "you have to say mmmmmmmmmilk". Without taking his eyes off me or skipping a beat, the little stinker SIGNED "milk"! I jumped off the bed and made such a big deal out of that; he just smiled real big like he was just waiting for the right time to surprise me! He did it several times after that too.

Speaking of Jack drinking out of a cup, he's become a pro with a straw! He had a real hard time with those little bitty juice box straws at first, but now he hardly dribles at all. That doesn't mean he doesn't drool - that's a separate issue (some of us are mouth breathers), but what he drinks seems to go straight down!

I also started Christmas shopping this weekend. It's nice to get some of that out of the way. It won't be a BIG Christmas, but the kids will get a few of the things on their lists and a couple of surprises too. My phone is working and we had to get a new TV this year so I probably won't get much. Since Jack has been a part of the family, he's lost about 4 of my earrings, one from each pair of course, so maybe a new pair of earrings. If only Santa would bring me a 40 lb. weight loss - that would be my greatest gift ever!! I plan to ask my mom for some of those Brita water filters. We have a pitcher, but the filters are kind of expensive. That's one of those things it's easy to not buy when there are other things we need.

The pic for today? This is exactly 2 years ago today, at the hospital.

Such a sweet baby, and we were so heart-sick that he wasn't home. Little did I know we only had a week and a half to go!