Morning

Luke is struggling to get past a summer cold and has coughing fits in the early morning hours. He's sleeping a little later to make up for this lost time, and this morning I actually picked him up and rocked him while he dozed in my arms. I woke him up gently and after he rubbed his eyes and looked around, he pointed at the bookshelves and said "buh" (book).

Communication with a small person isn't the easiest thing in the world, mostly because they don't have logic or a sense of sequence. He's able to communicate with us pretty effectively between signing and speaking, particularly that all important "ee" (eat), and now that he's got a few signs down pat I'm actively teaching him more. The violent rubbing of his chest for anything he wants (to say 'Please' in sign language you rub your chest in a circular motion with your right hand. Luke amps up the energy by using BOTH hands.) is now followed by signing 'Thank You' (Luke's version of this looks like he's performing a war whoop).

On a trip to Home Depot, he sat in his car seat and exclaimed for the entire 15 minute ride "Cah! Cah! Cah!" (Car). He has a new found interest in books, and will pick them up and bring them to us so we can sit and read, and when we ask him to point out the ball or the dog he does so immediately and happily.

When you don't have kids, this progression from immobile lump to involved person seems to be a given. But as a parent, everything you worry about - from genetic defects to disease to all the bumps and bruises, you know nothing is a given.