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(no subject)
Jun. 18th, 2008 06:30 pmYesterday, Nico alternated putting blueberries in his mouth and then putting them in my mouth. Fortunately, I like blueberries.
Today, much more exciting, Nico stuck a spoon in the bowl of cottage cheese and then put it in my mouth. This was messy. Fortunately, I like cottage cheese. Using spoons to eat himself is a big goal over the next 6 months. I feel like we made a big step today.
He's also learned where his armpit is (thanks to Laura Jean), and where his belly is. Most endearingly, if you hold out your finger and ask, "where's your nose?", he'll lean forward and "beep" it against your finger.
Bubble bath is next.
It's been a nice afternoon.
Today, much more exciting, Nico stuck a spoon in the bowl of cottage cheese and then put it in my mouth. This was messy. Fortunately, I like cottage cheese. Using spoons to eat himself is a big goal over the next 6 months. I feel like we made a big step today.
He's also learned where his armpit is (thanks to Laura Jean), and where his belly is. Most endearingly, if you hold out your finger and ask, "where's your nose?", he'll lean forward and "beep" it against your finger.
Bubble bath is next.
It's been a nice afternoon.
99 songs I know
Jun. 15th, 2008 02:47 pmHere's a list of 99 or so songs I know. I have other lists of songs I used to know. And still other lists of songs I used to know but don't really want to know. And still other lists of songs I never knew but would like to. And there's a huge batch of pub songs I've not bothered to list. But here's 99 songs I know.
What did I leave out that I should remember?
What should I learn?
( Read more... )
What did I leave out that I should remember?
What should I learn?
( Read more... )
Really good article
Jun. 14th, 2008 08:02 pmThis is what a failed revolution looks like. (Re: SCOTUS' recent decision).
We're here!
Jun. 5th, 2008 07:42 amPlans changed and we left a little early and made it to Minneapolis at 1:00 this morning. Nico got up at 6:30, which is a little late for him, and his papa is grateful.
Home-north is a nice place to be.
Home-north is a nice place to be.
Words matter
Jun. 2nd, 2008 07:51 amThis is a good article. I am seeing more and more public writing by people who actually understand Islam (far better than I), and it pleases me.
Fill in the blank!
Jun. 1st, 2008 12:54 pmReadings - The Self: From Antiquity to You.
- St. Augustine - Confessions
- Abelard and Heloise - Letters
- ______________________________???
- Ralph Ellison - The Invisible Man
- John McCain/Barak Obama - their autobiographies
The other great thing that Nico is doing lately that I forgot to write about in this post is "reading." He loves it when we read to him (and as I write this he's actually chewing on the corner of a book, but we'll overlook that). At night I take a book, usually Goodnight Moon, get his attention, then deliberately walk across the room and sit away from him. With a big grin on his face, he crawls over to me, crawls onto my lap, and we read. He's more and more tolerant of me using his hands to point out things, though his own self-initiated pointing has yet to materialize. He does turn the pages.
For some reason the "Goodnight nobody goodnight mush" page is his favorite. He grabs the book, holds it up, and usually giggles.
But even better, he's "reading" on his own. He takes a book, lays on the floor, and turns the pages in order. Sure, sometimes the book is upside-down, but it's still reading.
Ok, gotta go before he actually eats "Little Gorilla."
For some reason the "Goodnight nobody goodnight mush" page is his favorite. He grabs the book, holds it up, and usually giggles.
But even better, he's "reading" on his own. He takes a book, lays on the floor, and turns the pages in order. Sure, sometimes the book is upside-down, but it's still reading.
Ok, gotta go before he actually eats "Little Gorilla."
(no subject)
May. 31st, 2008 05:44 pmAlice Huffman, Clinton superdelegate, just delivered a great speech in support of the 50% reduction plan (after having the 100% approval plan) rejected. She said, "The world's not perfect, but it's good," then asked for party unity, told off the shouters in the crowd ("conduct yourselves like proper men and women") and basically just ended the Florida standoff (previously negotiated in fact).
Impressive woman. I know nothing about her.
Impressive woman. I know nothing about her.
(no subject)
May. 31st, 2008 05:39 pmAssuming that which seems likely to happen does happen (i.e. Obama has enough delegate by then), he plans to have a huge rally at the Xcel in St. Paul on Tuesday. I love the idea of Obama starting his official election campaign in the site of the Repug convention.
I still think the Democrats should have held their convention in New Orleans, not Denver, but whatever.
I still think the Democrats should have held their convention in New Orleans, not Denver, but whatever.
My child's chromosomes.
May. 30th, 2008 06:39 pmThe other day Shannon and I took Nico downtown; or, put another way, Nico and I took his mother to work a few hours early. We stopped at the farmer's market in Daley plaza. We eyeballed an Asian-American "festival" (mostly a set of tents with standard, if tasty, fare). We walked over to the downtown Macy's (the original Marshall Field's) and went up to the FAO Schwartz that they have inside and had Nico play with the goblins (stupidly expensive), the giant dragon, unicorn, and other fanciful beasts (thousands of dollars each, but really neat!), and the more affordable plush toys. It was a nice morning. We bought him a plush Kabbalah amulet protection toy because it was on sale (apparently everyone else thinks its a little weird too, but we liked them, and so did the boy).
On the corner of one downtown street, a woman approached us and said, "Hi!" Shannon and I both tensed a little - random street accosting in the middle of the day usually mean someone is going to try and sell you something. We didn't recognize her. She seems aggressive, or perhaps overly familiar. She uttered the magic words, quickly, "I have a son with Down Syndrome."
( Read more... )
Mostly, lately, everything with Nico is very exciting. He's working very hard at communicating - sounds, hand signals, expressions, and so forth. At the end of lunch on Sunday I brought a banana over towards him and he said "blah-da-da-da-blah-la-la-la-BA-NA-NA!" And then he devoured it with great glee. Did he say banana? Sure! But he hasn't said it since. He's signing "play," "eat" shaking his head "no," and so much more. He puts cups into cups into cups, and will put just about anything "on top" of something else if asked. Receptive language continues to shine. He's standing easily, cruising well (walking while holding onto a table, bath edge, couch, etc.), and trying to figure out balance. All of these stages may take awhile to progress to the next phase, but movement is fun and we have no schedule.
On the corner of one downtown street, a woman approached us and said, "Hi!" Shannon and I both tensed a little - random street accosting in the middle of the day usually mean someone is going to try and sell you something. We didn't recognize her. She seems aggressive, or perhaps overly familiar. She uttered the magic words, quickly, "I have a son with Down Syndrome."
( Read more... )
Mostly, lately, everything with Nico is very exciting. He's working very hard at communicating - sounds, hand signals, expressions, and so forth. At the end of lunch on Sunday I brought a banana over towards him and he said "blah-da-da-da-blah-la-la-la-BA-NA-NA!" And then he devoured it with great glee. Did he say banana? Sure! But he hasn't said it since. He's signing "play," "eat" shaking his head "no," and so much more. He puts cups into cups into cups, and will put just about anything "on top" of something else if asked. Receptive language continues to shine. He's standing easily, cruising well (walking while holding onto a table, bath edge, couch, etc.), and trying to figure out balance. All of these stages may take awhile to progress to the next phase, but movement is fun and we have no schedule.
(no subject)
May. 20th, 2008 05:33 pmNico just stacked things on other things, and put cups in other cups.
It's a good day.
It's a good day.
Nico Videos
May. 19th, 2008 03:27 pmI have quite a lot to say about Nico but have lacked the energy to write it up lately. He's extraordinary, cruising all around, and clearly working on standing. I have some hopes that it'll be there by the end of the summer, but try hard not to set mileposts.
Anyway, here are two videos, to entertain and delight. I'll get some of him cruising (walking while holding onto things, like the edge of the couch) soon. The first uses a little piano thing Kurt gave us. The second is edited, badly, from three clips.
( Read more... )
Anyway, here are two videos, to entertain and delight. I'll get some of him cruising (walking while holding onto things, like the edge of the couch) soon. The first uses a little piano thing Kurt gave us. The second is edited, badly, from three clips.
( Read more... )
(no subject)
May. 8th, 2008 04:40 pmAlthough I had my doubts, it turns out that on the train you CAN get up and walk around.
And they have big seats.
And food at a reasonable price (compared to airlines).
AND POWER OUTLETS!
And it costs $43 round trip from Chicago to Kalamazoo, which is approximately $300 less than flying, and about 40$ less than driving.
And they have big seats.
And food at a reasonable price (compared to airlines).
AND POWER OUTLETS!
And it costs $43 round trip from Chicago to Kalamazoo, which is approximately $300 less than flying, and about 40$ less than driving.
(no subject)
Apr. 28th, 2008 06:42 pmI am assuming everyone else knew that the T. E. Lawrence who wrote Crusader Castles is also known as "Lawrence of Arabia?" Or did someone forget to tell me!
(no subject)
Apr. 27th, 2008 04:49 pmToday is all about Steve Earle. I'll play'em for the Minnesota folks in June.
He calls himself, "The loudest strummer in folk music."
He calls himself, "The loudest strummer in folk music."
The next time I have to teach a class will be on Tuesday, September 2, 2008. It'll be a busy day. I'll have come back from Europe the night before, we'll be jetlagged, and there's no way we'll have unpacked. And yet, off I'll go to Dominican and teach three classes on my swank new Tuesday-Thursday teaching schedule. Shannon will probably have a class that night.
This semester was five-days a week, and annoyingly in the middle of the day all days. What that means is that every day was a class-prep. day and it was hard to get other work done. But it's behind me now. I have some exams and papers to grade coming in next week, but the semester is over!
It's a nice morning. Shannon is sleeping in (she's had to shoulder most of the childcare this week, as I've been sick and overwhelmed with end-of-semester duties). Nico is eating blueberries. It's sort of chilly in a nice spring way.
This semester was five-days a week, and annoyingly in the middle of the day all days. What that means is that every day was a class-prep. day and it was hard to get other work done. But it's behind me now. I have some exams and papers to grade coming in next week, but the semester is over!
It's a nice morning. Shannon is sleeping in (she's had to shoulder most of the childcare this week, as I've been sick and overwhelmed with end-of-semester duties). Nico is eating blueberries. It's sort of chilly in a nice spring way.
(no subject)
Apr. 23rd, 2008 04:29 pmMy darling boy is taking a late afternoon nap for the second day in a row. He, like his papa, has been battling a cold for over a week now. He's also (unlike his papa) grown two new teeth on top (6 now! 2 on the bottom), cruised for the first time, and otherwise been a stellar little person.
We were on such a nice schedule though. One big nap mid-day. Asleep for the night by 7.
I tried to get him up after a little 45 minute nap. He opened his eyes. I picked him up. He put his head on my shoulder and began to snore. I gave up.
I bet 9:00 bedtime tonight.
At least the semester is almost done. I wouldn't have survived this spring without his nice 6:00-7:30 bedtimes. It's how I got my work done.
We were on such a nice schedule though. One big nap mid-day. Asleep for the night by 7.
I tried to get him up after a little 45 minute nap. He opened his eyes. I picked him up. He put his head on my shoulder and began to snore. I gave up.
I bet 9:00 bedtime tonight.
At least the semester is almost done. I wouldn't have survived this spring without his nice 6:00-7:30 bedtimes. It's how I got my work done.
