On little victories...

It has been another busy week since I last posted.  I'll try not to bore you all with too many details.  ;) 

Colt and I got to take a day last week and visit my sweet grandparents in Rome.  Not only that, we got to see my aunt Annette and uncle Kelly.  We got to have lunch and they got to spend some time with Colt.  He put on quite a show (as usual) and got to play outside for a little while with my grandfather.  I call him "Papa."  Colt has gotten quite good at making the "P" sound and has been whispering "Papa" ever since we left.  Papa let Colt get in his truck and sit in the driver's seat.  This is Colt's favorite thing to do and every single day (a few times a day!) he says "Papa" and signs "drive" and pretends like he is honking the horn.  He is still excited about it almost a week later!  I love that side of my family so much and don't get to see them nearly enough.  I hope we can do better about getting to see them!  I dread driving for very long alone with Colt, but the portable DVD player we invested in made the trip quite pleasant. :) 

Snuggling with Papa (and the fake banana!)

Colt and Papa a few months ago. :) 

The blanket Papa made for Colt (I think I have shared this before.) Now you have a face with the name of the person who made it. :)

 



This weekend we got in some family time and it was really nice.  We had dinner with my dad and Judy on Friday and got in a trip to Stockdale's.  I had never been and I loved it!  It's kind of like Tractor Supply, but way better.  Colt "sweet talked" his grandparents into buying him this really neat Melissa and Doug puzzle and he loves it.  He mastered it quickly and has played with it every chance he's gotten since. 

Saturday was a nice day that ended in Colt going to a baseball game with his aunt Amie, uncle Randy, and cousins Tanner and Tucker.  He had a great time and was good even with no nap (so they say!) and Ryan and I got to work on the new house.  We finished painting our master bedroom and Colt's bedroom.  We are going to put white beadboard around the bottom half of Colt's room and I think it'll look very cute.  I'll post pictures when it's finished.  We started painting some furniture that was given to us.  This is my first furniture painting experience, so I'll do a blog on the before and after with that eventually.  I hope to anyway.  ;)  I am anxious to get in the new house, just to be back in Flintstone.  I won't lie though, I am going to miss our neighborhood.  We have incredible neighbors. 

Sunday was church day.  Ryan and I worked in the nursery and it's always an exciting experience.  Ha!  Nothing makes me more thankful for Colt's temperament than working the nursery.  Whew.  Other people's kids are exhausting.  ;)  We did have a sweet visitor though!  My friend's little boy, Gabe, was there and he was great.  It was the first time we had met him and he and Colt bonded over some goldfish crackers. 

Colt did most of the eating.  ;)

 



After church, we went out to the Chop House (our favorite!) to celebrate my Pawpaw's 82nd birthday.  My aunt Diane was in town from Atlanta and it's always a great time when we see her.  We are so blessed to still have Pawpaw around, especially in such great health.  He still likes to hunt and do his own yard work.  He's a great shopper (don't tell him I said so!) and loves his cars.  I am so proud of him and proud to call him my grandfather.  He's truly special. :)

One of my favorite Colt and Pawpaw pictures. :)

Now.  Yesterday, we had our first sign language class.  My Smart Hands, it is called.  We are doing the accelerated 4 week class and it lasted a lot longer than I expected.  I was thinking it would be an hour and a half (that's what we discussed) and it was over 2 1/2.  By the end, I was mentally exhausted.  However, I really liked it and think it will be great for us to use.  We mostly went over family terms this week, and I am not sure how many of them we'll really use.  BUT we did learn some fun signs, like the signs for "yay!" "play" "tree" "happy" and "grumpy."  Colt loves the sign for "grumpy," it makes him laugh.  Ha.  :) We learned signs to a couple of songs too, so I am excited to practice that with Colt at home.  He was a bit distracted in her home, because all of the toys were new to him.  We don't get to go next week, but we'll go in two weeks. 

I do finally have some good news to share.  This week Colt has continued to try to say "blue" but he has also said "bye-bye" a few times.  Thursday night, we were at my parents' house and he said "Bye-bye" plain as day!  He has said it a couple of times since, but none quite as good as that first time.  Yesterday morning, we were eating breakfast getting ready to go to signing class and he held up his thumb and said "boo boo!"  He had a splinter!  He is trying so hard to communicate and it's obviously working!  We've still got a long way to go, BUT we are moving forward and that is enough for me.  We'll get by on little victories...

"This time I'll be sailing
No more bailing boats for me
I'll be out here on the sea
Just my confidence and me
And I'll be awful sometimes
Weakened to my knees
But I'll learn to get by
On the little victories

This time I'll have no fear
I'll be standing strong and tall
Turn my back towards them all
And I'll be awful sometimes
Weakened to my knees
But I'll learn to get by
On the little victories..."
-Matt Nathanson