Baby Sign language

I am such a believer now in baby sign. It is Amazing! I started signing with him when Bryce was very young and stopped because I received no indicators from him that he cared at all what I was doing. Out of the blue, he signed "more" while eating dinner at my mom's. I was so proud and immediately started signing to him again.

I say I am believer now because I've had countless moments where he was communicated to me with sign when he was too upset to talk or didn't know how to vocalize what he needed. Here is the moment that sold me. Bryce just learned the sign "night night" and one morning before heading into work I asked if he was tired and he signed on his own to me, "night night" I reacted quickly to see if he understood what he said or said it because I asked him.

After I picked him up to carry him to bed he started clapping on the way upstairs. He signed it again as I put him down. He went to sleep right away without a peep. I closed the door and couldn't believe what had just happened. He didn't reach the point of fussy and crying and didn't have to settle himself down to sleep. He did it for his nap with Ann and for bed that night too. It isn't always that easy to make him sleep, don't let me fool you! But wins are worth mentioning!

Now at almost 16 months, he craves signs and mixes them with vocal words too. I need to catch him signing on a video but for now, here is a list of signs he knows that I can remember.

more
milk
food
drink
all done
cat
dog
diaper change
cookie
bird
airplane
night night
bunny
yes
bath
thank you
please

If we don't know a sign and he looks like he is asking what something is, we'll make it up along with vocally tell him what it is.

Some people and books argue that teaching a baby sign will delay their vocal speaking. I have to disagree. Bryce chats and says lots of words and says more every week. Here are a few of his favorites:

grape
juice
cheese
dog
bird
goat
car
go
you

He also shakes his head yes and no. Oh great!

I didn't think prior to teaching him to sign is teaching a younger baby to talk back. We'll be jogging, shopping, in line, anywhere really and he'll be in his stroller signing "all done" meaning he wants out of his stroller. Doesn't quite work every time Mr to get what you want!

Turning 1

Bryce's birthday party was on the one hot, warm and sunny Saturday in all of June. We totally lucked out. We had a bbq, cold drinks, cupcakes, friends and family. Bryce is one loved and lucky kid. He received an awesome island blow up pool that we were even able to blow up at the party for the kids to enjoy since it was so warm out.

I think everyone's favorite part about a one year old's birthday party is the cake. Well, if you remember in earlier posts I talked about Bryce's baby group and how he was the cupcake thief. I knew this kid would destroy a whole cake on his own so I was prepared to take it away which I had to do. I gave him blueberries and milk in place of the cake. There was no moment though that he thought he should smear frosting all over himself or dump the cake. He was too busy eating it. After he finished, he got washed down in the sink.

Some 1 year old facts about Bryce:

• Bryce wasn't a walker at his party just yet. He was a furious and fast crawler and a master of walking with the security of holding a hand.
• His first word after mama and dada was dog. He pronounces it "dooog"
• I stopped nursing Bryce at 1 year old. I was preparing for a battle, a hard ween. He was so demanding and turned into an aggressive nurser so I was convinced this was going to be a painful process. Nope! I was happily wrong. Over the course of about a week and half I weened him and he went straight to sippy cups, no bottles. One less habit to break! I'm proud of myself for accomplishing one whole year of nursing.

3 months later... that is all I remember about his major milestones, how sad! My mind is so consumed with how he is right now. That is another post on the list.



I was emotional about my sweet baby boy turning one. I wasn't as emotional as I expected. I was more excited for him, happy to see him developing and showing off new skills, thankful for the joy he brings in our life. My emotional moment came to me at 12:18 on June 3rd. I can remember it as clear as day. I was sitting in front of Bryce feeding him applesauce in his high chair. I happened to glance at my phone and it was 12:18. It hit me. I shed a couple tears and gave Bryce a huge hug and kiss while he fended me off and demanded more applesauce. He had no time for my sappiness when that bowl was still half full! My labor was such a great experience and a memory I will always cherish and I just couldn't believe that a year passed already when the doctor tossed Bryce on my chest and that very first thought ran through my head of, "oh my gosh he is heavy!" I had no idea how much I loved him already.

The big one!

There is a lot to document at a one year birthday party! I have so many wonderful pictures thanks to the help of Whitney A. Moore. I had no idea she would come prepared to snap away! I thought I'd share some of the pictures from his party decorations.

Highchair decorations, check!

What kid doesn't love balloons?!

Crafty Miss Jesse Fox added this delight!

I already have a theme in progress for year #2! Can't wait! Well, it doesn't have to hurry he is already such a big boy.

New Tradition

It's nice to hear you ask me when I'll update my blog next. Thank you for reading! Yes, it has been a while since I've posted so hopefully over a few posts and Bryce's nap I'll get myself caught up and on my way to publishing this into his baby book. Here goes!

I think the fun part of having a family is continuing your own childhood traditions or starting new ones. For Bryce's birthday, I made his decorations and had a little too much fun doing it. Besides the cake. I don' know why I always think it looks so easy when clearly it is not. Sometimes my craftiness gets the best of me. I needed a place to test out how big to make things, how many, all of that. I decided to try Bryce's bedroom door. It looked so cute I didn't take it down! A new tradition was born. He loved going into his room under a flag of colors streamed across the entry and his big ol' chunky baby face smiling back at him in a party hat as he entered. He'd point at it while saying, "oooooooh!!!" or try and grab it with a smile. I left it up until his party, I needed it!



I orginally decided every year for his birthday I would continue to decorate his door. Now that halloween is around the corner I couldn't resist decorating his door again. Yes, I started decorating a little early but that's ok Bryce doesn't know any different! I think this still needs something, maybe one of those big *friendly* skeleton cut outs to wave at him or even pumpkins.