baby signs

So, I've always been sort of indifferent about baby sign language. I suppose I thought it was a lot of work, a huge commitment, etc... Well, lately I've been having trouble with Finley when she is "all done" eating. She starts throwing food on the floor and grabbing for the spoon. Basically, things get messy fast. I started thinking how nice it would be if she had a better (cleaner) way of saying all done. I pulled out a book we have on baby signs and brushed up on the signs that interested me (all done, eat, water, more, and book). Book is kind of random, but we read tons of books and the lazy part of me thinks it would be so nice to sign "book" and off she crawls to get us a book. I started signing these words this weekend, and it really wasn't that difficult. This morning when I said and signed the word book she crawled to the book shelf and started pulling out books (we're not quite to the fetching stage). I thought maybe it was a fluke. Surely she couldn't know what it means already? I tried it two other times throughout the day and each time she crawled off to look at a book. That can't be denied. 3 for 3 means she really gets it. I'm sure it will be quite a while before she is signing back at us, but I am just amazed at how quickly she is grasping it all. Of course I think that my daughter is brilliant, but sometimes I underestimate how much she is capable of. She is one smart cookie.

baby signs

So, I've always been sort of indifferent about baby sign language. I suppose I thought it was a lot of work, a huge commitment, etc... Well, lately I've been having trouble with Finley when she is "all done" eating. She starts throwing food on the floor and grabbing for the spoon. Basically, things get messy fast. I started thinking how nice it would be if she had a better (cleaner) way of saying all done. I pulled out a book we have on baby signs and brushed up on the signs that interested me (all done, eat, water, more, and book). Book is kind of random, but we read tons of books and the lazy part of me thinks it would be so nice to sign "book" and off she crawls to get us a book. I started signing these words this weekend, and it really wasn't that difficult. This morning when I said and signed the word book she crawled to the book shelf and started pulling out books (we're not quite to the fetching stage). I thought maybe it was a fluke. Surely she couldn't know what it means already? I tried it two other times throughout the day and each time she crawled off to look at a book. That can't be denied. 3 for 3 means she really gets it. I'm sure it will be quite a while before she is signing back at us, but I am just amazed at how quickly she is grasping it all. Of course I think that my daughter is brilliant, but sometimes I underestimate how much she is capable of. She is one smart cookie.

baby signs

So, I've always been sort of indifferent about baby sign language. I suppose I thought it was a lot of work, a huge commitment, etc... Well, lately I've been having trouble with Finley when she is "all done" eating. She starts throwing food on the floor and grabbing for the spoon. Basically, things get messy fast. I started thinking how nice it would be if she had a better (cleaner) way of saying all done. I pulled out a book we have on baby signs and brushed up on the signs that interested me (all done, eat, water, more, and book). Book is kind of random, but we read tons of books and the lazy part of me thinks it would be so nice to sign "book" and off she crawls to get us a book. I started signing these words this weekend, and it really wasn't that difficult. This morning when I said and signed the word book she crawled to the book shelf and started pulling out books (we're not quite to the fetching stage). I thought maybe it was a fluke. Surely she couldn't know what it means already? I tried it two other times throughout the day and each time she crawled off to look at a book. That can't be denied. 3 for 3 means she really gets it. I'm sure it will be quite a while before she is signing back at us, but I am just amazed at how quickly she is grasping it all. Of course I think that my daughter is brilliant, but sometimes I underestimate how much she is capable of. She is one smart cookie.

the aquarium

On Sunday we had planned on taking finley to the zoo, but after checking the weather report we decided the aquarium would be the safer alternative. While nothing beats the zoo, the aquarium offered lots of fun things for finley to look at. Some of her favorites were the octopus (my favorite), the seals, and the waterfalls. Oh, and on our way to lunch we walked by a group playing some African music. We just had to stop and listen because she loves music and dancing. Her version of dancing is sort of a sitting down pelvic thrust, just so you can visualize. Fortunately, finley had her maraca with her so she could play along, too. I probably should have put out a tip jar, because she really stole the show. One of the dancers came over and told me how great it is that we're getting her into rhythm and instruments. Truth be told, the only reason Finley has gotten into instruments is because we had them in the preschool and more often than not we listen to super cheesy baby praise music. But heck, I'm not one to turn down a parenting compliment.

All in all, it was a wonderful day...great idea, Mimi! Hopefully we'll see another sunny day soon so we can make it to the zoo. Check out more pics from the day in the album.

the aquarium

On Sunday we had planned on taking finley to the zoo, but after checking the weather report we decided the aquarium would be the safer alternative. While nothing beats the zoo, the aquarium offered lots of fun things for finley to look at. Some of her favorites were the octopus (my favorite), the seals, and the waterfalls. Oh, and on our way to lunch we walked by a group playing some African music. We just had to stop and listen because she loves music and dancing. Her version of dancing is sort of a sitting down pelvic thrust, just so you can visualize. Fortunately, finley had her maraca with her so she could play along, too. I probably should have put out a tip jar, because she really stole the show. One of the dancers came over and told me how great it is that we're getting her into rhythm and instruments. Truth be told, the only reason Finley has gotten into instruments is because we had them in the preschool and more often than not we listen to super cheesy baby praise music. But heck, I'm not one to turn down a parenting compliment.

All in all, it was a wonderful day...great idea, Mimi! Hopefully we'll see another sunny day soon so we can make it to the zoo. Check out more pics from the day in the album.

the aquarium

On Sunday we had planned on taking finley to the zoo, but after checking the weather report we decided the aquarium would be the safer alternative. While nothing beats the zoo, the aquarium offered lots of fun things for finley to look at. Some of her favorites were the octopus (my favorite), the seals, and the waterfalls. Oh, and on our way to lunch we walked by a group playing some African music. We just had to stop and listen because she loves music and dancing. Her version of dancing is sort of a sitting down pelvic thrust, just so you can visualize. Fortunately, finley had her maraca with her so she could play along, too. I probably should have put out a tip jar, because she really stole the show. One of the dancers came over and told me how great it is that we're getting her into rhythm and instruments. Truth be told, the only reason Finley has gotten into instruments is because we had them in the preschool and more often than not we listen to super cheesy baby praise music. But heck, I'm not one to turn down a parenting compliment.

All in all, it was a wonderful day...great idea, Mimi! Hopefully we'll see another sunny day soon so we can make it to the zoo. Check out more pics from the day in the album.

happy two year anniversary!!!

Today is our two year anniversary. I could say that it feels like just yesterday that we got married, but that would be a lie. I always joke that it feels like we've been married for 10 years. And I don't mean that in a bad way at all, quite the opposite in fact. When I think back over the last two years it feels like we have come so far, grown up so much, gotten to know each other so much better, learned so much about our own depravity, and learned how to love more selflessly (still working on that, and probably always will be). We've gone from a young, free, dual income family of two, to a slightly older, settled, single income family of three. We've experienced the miracle of Finley's birth, the physical and emotional fatigue of meeting a newborns demanding needs, and the complete joy that we've found in loving and raising our daughter that words absolutely cannot describe. Yes, we have definitely learned a lot about our love for each other and Christ's love for us. I am incredibly lucky to have you as my husband, Brian. I look forward to conquering the years ahead with the same humor, feistiness, joy, and commitment that's gotten us to where we are. I love you, bobi bear!

happy two year anniversary!!!

Today is our two year anniversary. I could say that it feels like just yesterday that we got married, but that would be a lie. I always joke that it feels like we've been married for 10 years. And I don't mean that in a bad way at all, quite the opposite in fact. When I think back over the last two years it feels like we have come so far, grown up so much, gotten to know each other so much better, learned so much about our own depravity, and learned how to love more selflessly (still working on that, and probably always will be). We've gone from a young, free, dual income family of two, to a slightly older, settled, single income family of three. We've experienced the miracle of Finley's birth, the physical and emotional fatigue of meeting a newborns demanding needs, and the complete joy that we've found in loving and raising our daughter that words absolutely cannot describe. Yes, we have definitely learned a lot about our love for each other and Christ's love for us. I am incredibly lucky to have you as my husband, Brian. I look forward to conquering the years ahead with the same humor, feistiness, joy, and commitment that's gotten us to where we are. I love you, bobi bear!