Vacationing in Ann Arbor.

A little over a year ago you might remember that we came home one day to find our ceiling leaking.  Even if you don't remember, we do, and the paint and drywall damage to our ceiling was a daily reminder that just would not let us forget.  So finally, with thoughts of trying to join the already flooded housing market this spring weighing on our minds, we got around to doing something about this eyesore.  We'd been toying with the idea of attempting to do the work ourselves, but that plan lasted all of the five minutes it took Jon to get the instructions for such an undertaking from a skillful friend in our choir who does this stuff for a living...and then we hired him.  So instead of spending several days bumbling our way through an extremely intricate process we spent the whole of last week, and a bit more, on what felt like a mini-vacation, staying in Cortney's childhood home thanks to the good graces of her parents (who were also staying there, as they do all of the time since they happen to live there).  We think it's safe to say that we all enjoyed the time.  Jon and Cortney certainly enjoyed being so much closer to all of their day to day activities and needs, and Calvin clearly capitalized on the constant doting attentions of his grandparents.  We moved back home today (to a much cleaner and brighter ceiling) feeling like we'd just been on a week-long vacation, and having the laundry to prove it.

More pictures - in the February 2008 album. 

This is us today.

Yes, we know it's actually February, but Calvin's letter set only came with one of each letter, and it was easier to come up with a make-shift "A" than a make-shift "R" for February.  Creativity can be so stifling.

(nobody's supposed to notice that we couldn't find the "8" either). 

Indoor Activities

Entering into the deep months of winter we knew we were going to have our work cut out for us:  wintering with an infant is one thing, but being stuck inside all winter with a toddler?  We wouldn't wish it on anyone.  Cortney is increasingly thankful that we had the foresight to sign up for an abundance of activities this season, and with dance class on Tuesdays, library class on Wednesdays, and music class on Thursdays, the monotony of the season has been greatly livened.  Still, with the mild January that we've had, rather than having snow for sledding, we have rain to keep us inside all the other four days of the week so we've had to be creative when it comes to activities in order to keep the whole household entertained.  Calvin does pretty well building with his blocks, playing his musical instruments, or "reading" the pictures in his books, but we find ourselves needing stimulation as well, and Calvin is our usual project.  So far this winter Calvin has learned how to hold his pencil correctly, how to set the table (we shared the fruits of that labor with you yesterday), and how to play high vs. low notes, white vs. black keys, and loud vs. (more importantly) soft on the piano.  And we have whiled away what would have otherwise been many a boring hour by drying the bathroom after water play time in hopes that this will bring back thoughts of warm days at the pool or beach.  It's not working, so instead we find ourselves hoping that April is a lot closer than it looks.

More pictures in the Jan 19-31 album. 

Chores

As you can see, Calvin has begun helping us with the nightly chore of setting the table.

 

Let the conversation begin.

A child's first words are a coveted moment, that turning point when the family's video library stops resembling a collection of Rudolph Valentino clips and enters the era of talkies.  And as with all childhood milestones, those first forays into speech are often surrounded by controversy.  In our case the incessant, pressure creating queries started coming before the first year was even up, and only increased in frequency thereafter:  Is he talking?  Has he started talking yet?  Isn't he talking yet?  Nevermind the fact that he started walking three months earlier than the norm, or the fact that he was communicating with over 30 appropriate hand signs with an efficiency that probably surpassed anything early speech could have provided.  In fact, as time passed the most inappropriately forward of people at church felt it their responsibility to ask such questions as "do you think teaching sign was a bad idea?" and our all time favorite, "are you worried about autism?"  No.  Our wonderful pediatrician was very encouraging.  His son, he told us, did not say a word until he was upwards of two years old.  So we settled in for the long wait, and were greatly surprised, therefore, when in October, Calvin suddenly started repeating animal sounds.  He could moo, quack, woof, meow, and even sound like a siren. 

December, 2007
And then during the gap between Christmas and New Years we were delighted by a sudden flourish of new words.  Like a ship taking on water, Calvin's vocabulary increased exponentially right before our eyes.  He mimicked every word he heard and quickly tucked it away in his mind's dictionary, and this trend has continued.  And after what had seemed like an excruciating wait under the caring yet disparaging eyes of our church community, I'm sure you can imagine our vexation when, just the other day, we were told "he is such a good talker for a boy his age!  You must be so proud!"  Yes, in fact, we are.

January, 2008