ESK just made some big leaps in communicating today at lunch. I was so excited I had to share. First, she made the sign for milk (squeezing her fists). Then she said she wanted more applesauce, clearly making the sign (fingertips together) instead of her previous clapping. Then she actually said, "All done", or something very close to it, when I started clearing off her tray and taking her bib off! I'm sure the last one was just a fluke, but it still made me giddy to hear it.
Of course, all this is after months of trying to get her to sign. I think we started at 10 months, but not consistently. Finally, 4 months later....
Fake Outs
I'm not sure why I'm sharing this, but ESK has been totally faking us out lately. She'll smell like she has a dirty diaper, but when we open up her diaper, there's nothing there. Just gas. What's amazing is that sometimes we can smell her from across a room. Quite a set of pipes she has. Phew!
Politically Disengaging
People here in Portland are pretty politically engaged. And just so I could tell my Portland friends and neighbors that I voted, I checked yesterday to make sure I was registered. Voting in Oregon is also different because it's all done by mail-in ballot. I think I'll miss going to the voting booth, pulling that old lever and having the curtain shut behind me, but I can see why this mail-in system works better.
Anyway, despite being in the midst of a pretty exciting presidential primary race, I'm feeling pretty removed from the political process. This is not for want of trying. SK and I went to a U.S. Senate candidate's fundraiser (capable and sensible choice, but blahs-ville personality) and I'm volunteering to do the publicity for a family-focused mayoral forum. But everything I hear about politics these days just goes in one jaded ear and out the other.
As for the presidential race, I've been long tired of the jabs traded between Hils and Obama. Their stances on things are really only *this* far apart, and it makes me sick to my stomach to see so much energy and fund-raising power being wasted in a primary race. (Will there be enough left over for the Republicans?) Both candidates are very qualified, with one a bit more seasoned than the other. I get that Obama is charismatic (Yes we can!), but it bugs me that his speechwriter is practically a decade younger than me. And while I don't necessarily love Hils, it irks me to no end how people blindly bash her, sometimes largely for being a woman! For the record, I am as of yet, undecided.
Anyway, that's my not-clearly-thought-out rant for the day.
4 comments:
hehe, N gave me a fake-out this morning too. i'm usually pretty good about distnguishing his poo vs fart, but this gas was just as potent as the real thing!
wow, i'm so impressed that you are volunteering for the local elections, esp with a toddler in tow. what kind of things do you do? usually, i haven't even heard of the local candidates. i've thought about finding ways to help with the campaign here, but can't imagine what i could possibly do with N in tow. i did get five people to register to vote as dems, so i guess i did a small part. :)
i know what you mean about hillary. she's definitely made me re-think her candidacy along the way, and i would have been fine with either candidate on the ballot. but i don't know how happy i'll be if obama wins the elected votes, yet loses the nomination because of the super delegates. i think i would feel just as annoyed if the table was turned, but there is still a few more states to go in this never-ending saga of an election.
go E! can't wait to see her communicate!
i am also impressed that you volunteered to help in someone's political campaign. and, not that you mentioned this, but i'm also impressed that you are being very level-headed and open to communicating with Republicans (gasp!) in a i-won't-bite-your-head-off manner this time around. sign of maturity?
I love when babies do sign language!!! I heard about it but it's not until I saw GMK do it that I was more consistently with it. It's so cool!
It's so good that you are taking part in politics. I have no idea what's going on... I need to register to vote...
oh, yes, baby gas... is surprising they are so little but they can be deadly. hahhahahhha
yes yes.. i am rethinking everyone myself.. obamie, mccain, hil! and i give you props for your involvement in the political scene.. on so many levels.
when will i get to see esk again?
oh.. as an aside, when i see that goyard, i think of barneys and then i think of you. :)
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