First Words & A Quiet Moment

One of the most frequently asked question, besides if Mehandis is walking, is if he is talking yet. And my answer for the past several months, is yes! Okay as a speech-language pathologist, I believe I am hyper aware of word attempts and approximations. Also, I count gestures and signs as "true words". But this is the consistent way I credit "talking" with my students as well!

So for those that are curious here is his current vocabulary:

WORDS-
kk - kitty
Ch- Chewy
da- down
in
out
du- done
mom
dad
no
hi/hello
bye
up
wawa- water
roar- lion sound
honk- goose sound
moo- cow sound
uh- uh oh

SIGNS/GESTURES:
more
milk
diamond
piggy crinkly nose
eat
yes
no
ta da
hair
done
down

And here is a precious picture of a quiet moment (which unfortunately caused him to wake up and be "not so quiet")...


Mehandis and I also adventured to Apple Hollar today, to meet my parents. They were very excited to see their grandson walking. After a buffet which filled our bellies nicely, we hit outside to check out the petting zoo. Mehandis cautiously walked on the grass, gravel and cement. He did well managing his new terrain but definitely needed to keep his focus!
Grandma and Grandpa helped keep him motivated!

Mehandis wasn't quite sure what to make of all of the animals who were poking their heads out at him.

But he kept motoring on...with minimal grass stains for mom to take care of :)

Cranky Al's, "Costumes" and Cards

This past week I was successful in being caffeine free, as part of my self-created "hydration diet", so it was appropriate to start the weekend at a coffee house. Michael's company was hosting an "End-User Show" at Cranky Al's, which is a fantastic bakery/pizza/pub/coffee place. I was able to take the day off and help out. It was a lot of fun to see it all come together and have more names put to faces for me. Michael just changed his company's name from Identity Promotions to Magellan Promotions. His new website looks awesome - http://magellanpromotions.com/ He is pictured above with one of the suppliers, Lori, whom I also enjoyed chatting with. Turns out she lives in Bolingbrook, where I grew up.

Yesterday, Michael, Mehandis and I went to Belgium (which I kept calling Berlin) to spend the day with the Kenyons. They are a family we met a year ago, at an Ethiopia "Mixer" and quickly became friends with. We were thrilled to ultimately end up in the same travel group together - last September. While in Ethiopia, we were able to share some of the most unique experiences.


Here is Aiden in one of his "action" outfits... I was told that boys don't call them costumes.
Mehandis is acting as Captain Hook, with one of the Kitchen Aid attachments he helped himself to, out of Jarusha's cabinet.

Tsehay, who is 2 months older than Mehandis, makes the sweetest tiger!
Check out who is in the driver's seat, but I think Mehandis knows she can't go far without the keys.

We all had a great time together. And I think that Jarusha and Greg are a little thankful for all of the things that Tsehay does not get into, which Mehandis could not stay out of (entertainment centers, magazines, and candle sconces).

Last Thursday was also our 9th wedding anniversary. I am very thankful that we did not have the same weather on April 10th 1999 as we did 2008. Yikes it was blustery!

Thank you Michael for the nice warm meal, cozy fire and the past nine years :)

Look who's walking!

Mehandis is learning new "tricks" all of the time. It can be both troublesome (when he learned how to open the china cabinet doors) and quite entertaining at the same time (the fact that once he got the door open he picked up a wine glass and gently placed it on the shelf below). Well, last week Michael put old school Walkman headphones on Mehandis. He loved it... even though they weren't even plugged into anything. I attribute Michael's actions to the following 2 photos. I was getting ready for my day when I looked over and saw Mehandis with this headband on. I have only worn this once myself... so was shocked to see that he had it on and even positioned correctly. I laughed so hard until Mehandis got it stuck in his curls and he began whimpering until I helped him untangle the headband from his hair.
This actually was the day of Louisville playing who-knows-who, when Mehandis and I both got dressed in Louisville colors. All in hopes of bragging rights for the Fantasy Basketball tournament I was in. I unfortunately (or Louisville I guess) lost. Ah well... next year.

Okay now onto something I can brag about... Mehandis is an official walker as of yesterday. It just clicked! He now is confident in his ambulatory state and seems to love it. Even though he has acquired a few more battle scars to get there (our daycare said it sounded like a firecracker went off when he fell face first into a table - only a bruise and small cut resulted though).

Here he is earlier today, toddling toward me.
And he keeps on going!!! Great job Mehandis :)