Let's hear it for the Boy!!

Before

So, it's official.  Andrew has given up his pacifier..... with some gentle pushing.  I have to admit that he used it much longer than the other two and I had NO desire to take it away.  I knew it was going to be hard.  I knew he would fuss and whine and cry and I honestly wasn't sure I could handle it.  I have felt more than a little overwhelmed lately so thrusting myself into the pit of paci withdrawal was not on my top 10 list of things to try that week! 

  Hannah only took hers until she was about 5 months old and gave it up on her own after a cold prevented her from being able to suck and breathe at the same time!!  She never wanted it back. Okay, that was EASY.  

  Ethan was much more attached to his "pootie" (don't ask..... his dad called it that once and it stuck) and he could usually be found with one in his mouth and one in each hand.  But he, like his sister,  decided on his own at around 18 months that he was done.  And so he was.  EASY

Andrew, oh Andrew.  So far, in my experience with Andrew I have come to realize that he doesn't do "easy".   He is extremely stubborn, persistent, and doesn't take "no" for an answer.  So why should I assume this would be any different?   

A couple of months age he began chewing holes in the pacifiers and Kris told him that after all of the paci's in the house were gone we were not buying anymore.  Andrew didn't really react to this declaration, as I'm quite sure he had no idea what his Dad was telling him. But I, on the other hand, was fuh-reakin' out on the inside.  I had already tried asking Andrew if we could throw his paci's away or give them to a baby that needed them and he was NOT down with that.  If he didn't know where one was at all times he would whimper like a little puppy so I had a pretty good idea what I was in for when that last paci got lost, chewed up or left somewhere.  NO. THANK. YOU.

But, last week my little boy did something that I have been waiting for him to do for well over a year.  He talked.  I mean more than his usual 10 word vacabulary.  He was repeating every word he heard and was asking for things by name.  It was music to my ears and it was then that I realized that it was time.   I wanted us to be able to go somewhere without having to hunt for a paci before we could leave the house.  I was sick of having to pick paci's up off of the floor at the grocery store and out from under the table at restaurants.  I was tired of being a slave to a pacifier!  

So, last Thursday morning I pumped myself up for what torture was to come. I had it all planned out in my head.  Every time he put one down I would secretly come right behind him and pick it up and put it in a secret location the cabinet.  Eventually, putting away the last pacifier.  So, I set my plan into motion.  By noon I had put away 7, yes SEVEN, pacifiers.  By 1:oo the last paci had been put away ..... and he definitely noticed.  He was looking under things, in things and around thing in hopes of finding a straggler.  I was scared because it was nearing time to go pick up Hannah and Ethan and car rides equalled paci time for Andrew.  I was dreading 3:00!  But it came anyway and to my surprise he was fine.  He took his juice with him and eventually fell asleep!!  Afternoon came and went with only a couple of whimpers and a brief rummage through the trashcan in a desperate search for a paci.  He kept coming to me pointing at his mouth (his way of asking for one) and I told him that I didn't know where any were and he would walk off.  At bedtime he looked a little anxious so I layed on the floor next to his bed and he was out within 2 minutes. Every day since has been a breeze.  He has completely stopped asking and looking for one.  It has been wonderful and feels so feeing to be able to go places without "it"  I love seeing Andrew's whole face and seeing his little mouth move when he says all of his new words!  And I have to admit, it was EASY!!!

After

¿Usted habla español?

Do you all remember my post back in January about Andrew's speech.... or lack there of? Well, as it turns out he can speak..... SPANISH!! I know, I know, the kid won't even speak English so who on earth would believe that he could speak Spanish?  I know I certainly couldn't... until I had him repeat it several times.  See,  we have this rather obnoxious maraca that sings numbers and colors in either English or Spanish to some really great mariachi sounding music.  It got flipped to "spanish" a couple of weeks ago and after hearing it so often I had the song in my head.   You know the one,  "uno", bum badumpump, "dos" ,bum badumpump, "tres", bum badumpump, "quatro"......and so on, and on.....and on.  So, it's in my head and unconciously I sang "uno", to which Andrew responded "dos".  Huh?  So I said "dos" and he responded "tres" (although a little harder to understand that "dos") He did this all the way to "quatro".   We repeated this sequence several times and he responded the same each time so I determined that it wasn't a coincidence.  Okay, what's going on?

 I have been working my tail off to teach this kid how to count in English (heck, I have been working my tail off to get him to say anything) and he learns to count in SPANISH from a flippin' MARACA!  After feeling a little inadequate I decided that I was just ecstatic that he is, indeed, talking.  In the last week he has said so many new words and is repeating EVERYTHING!  This is a huge accomplishment.  It had been over 18 months since we had heard Andrew utter a new word so this week it has been sort of like hearing his first words all over again.  It is wonderful!  Especially after the news we received a couple of weeks ago.  The Speech Therapist that evaluated Andrew let us know that our insurance had denied therapy for him because his delay is not due to injury or illness.   To say that I was devastated is an understatement.  After the shock and helplessness wore off I immediately began looking at other options for him, but it appears that there is not a lot that can be done for him elsewhere until he is 3 (although I am still holding out hope as I wait to hear back from the school district).  So we have been waiting.  In the meantime he has had a language explosion!  Praise the Lord.  I am so thrilled to talk with my little man, even if it is in Spanish!!

Swing me, Daddy!!!

  So, after a lot of nagging, Kris finally put Andrew's swing up in the front yard.  I had a feeling that Andrew would like it but I had no idea it would be this much!  

  Andrew and Kris have developed a cute little routine.  Everyday when Kris gets home from work he asks Andrew if he wants to go check the mail.  Andrew stops whatever he is doing and runs to the front door.  It has now become so routine that Kris doesn't even have to ask him to go anymore.  In fact,  the other day I had Andrew in the bathtub when Kris came home.  Well, faster than I could realize what was happening, Andrew was out of the tub running naked and dripping wet to the front door to check the mail!  So back to the story;  after they check the mail Andrew runs up to the flower bed near the front door and sits on the pavers and taps on the spot next to him so Kris will sit beside him.  They sit for a couple of minutes then come in the house...... sometimes willingly, sometimes not. 

  Well, since the swings arrival the trips to the mailbox have taken a detour to the swing.  As soon as the door is opened rather than heading to get the mail, Andrew makes a b-line for the swing.  So they swing.  I can usually hear Andrew laughing all the way in the house.  In true Andrew fashion he prefers to go high and fast, all the while squealing in enjoyment!  If the swing slows too much he will instruct Kris "more, more".  After a while in the swing they get the mail.  Then, Andrew runs to the flower bed and has Kris sit next to him.  They sit for a couple of minutes then come in the house...... sometimes willingly, sometimes not.

Swing Install:

Kris fulfilling one of his fatherly duties -  risking his life in attempts to make a certain toddler happy!

Andrew's first time in the swing.

Wordless Wednesday!

Kinda gives "riding Bareback" a whole new meaning don't you think??