Fourth of July

We had a fun fourth. We spent the day outside; Aimee washed the cars and I worked on trying to clean out the sprinkler lines that got some kind of debris in them. Sam had fun getting wet with the hose and trying to help me. It was a mildly hot day so the mist from Aimee spraying the cars actually felt kinda good.

We did some fireworks with Sam at 7 before he went to bed, then got him up at 10 and did some more. He was a little disoriented when we got him up for the later ones, but soon got pretty excited to see all the fireworks in the relative dark, in the street outside out house. We had bought a package of fireworks from Costco with a variety of sizes of fountains. We did a lot of the smaller ones before he went to bed and all the rest, which included the biggest fountains at night.



Here are the empties and the final pics from the night before we went inside:

It was a lot of fun and I am glad we got him up for the nighttime show. He really seemed to like it despite signing "loud" repeatedly for the "illegal" fireworks that the people at the end of the street were firing off. We will definitely be doing this in the future, especially since Sam went down to sleep afterword without much of a problem. We did have to help him calm down a little from the excitement but it didn't take long and was expected, so easily managed.

Here are some pics of the "good", yet illegal, fireworks that were being shot off down the street from us.

Bed, now.

In putting Sam to bed the last couple nights, he has evidently been really tired or not really interested in the books we have been reading for the nighttime ritual. It probably helped that it was kinda late last night when we got home from shopping at Costco and Fred Meyer, so Sam got a later dinner and to bed about half hour later than normal. I started reading his books, only two when it is that late, and he signed "bed" to me. This is a new sign he has started to do when we prompt him for it, and I have been pointing to his bed at night when I do the sign so he evidently got the idea that was his bed and he wanted to get in it now.

So when he did it the second time and pointed to his crib, I knew he meant business. I stopped reading, had him turn out the light, thinking I would still get some cuddle time in the rocker, but NO, he signed bed and pointed toward his crib again. I got up and he did lay his head down while I tried to rock him like normal while standing up just a little bit before laying him down, but when I guess I didn't lay him down fast enough. He picked his head up off my shoulder and signed bed again and pointed at his crib again. So I said, that is fine said his final goodnight prayer and set him down, said goodnight and left the room. There was not another sound come out of that room and he went right to sleep.

It is great to see him come to understand when he is tired and all he has to do it ask to go to bed when he wants. Tonight I actually got in one book, which he showed interest in, but that was all and he did the same thing tonight. I didn't fuddle around this time and said his little prayer and left... again without a peep and he went right to sleep. Amazing. We will have to see how long this lasts... hopefully potty training will go just as easy when he figures out what we mean when we sign potty when he is evidently straining.

Sam started signing

Well, Sam started signing a couple words yesterday. When Aimee was feeding him last night, she brought him a piece of bread and signed bread to him. He made what looked like an attempt to make the same sign, like clapping, which he uses for "more" right now, but sliding the hands by each other. The actual sign is swiping your right hand on the outside of your left hand, so it was very close.

On another sign, Sam has always identified what the bath sign is; he really likes his bath and all we have to do is give him the sign and he is headed back to the bathroom. It seems at times we can't get his clothes off and the bath filled quick enough. (aside: Maybe we should get it ready before giving him the sign it is ready.) So when Aimee went to give him a bath last night, he was getting undressed and did an open handed bath sign; rubbing hands alternating up and down on his chest. The real sign is with closed fists, but it was very clear this was what he was signing cuz when Aimee would say the word he would make the sign.