Tripp's FIRST WORD!!! (in sign language!)

So, we've been working and working and working on the sign language thing.  And I think he's finally getting it.  He's always paid very close attention to everything we do, but lately he's just been a little more interested.

For awhile now, Papa has been pushing him around the house in literally anything he can find on wheels... my grandma's walker, her Hoveround (yes.), and the computer chair... well he LOVES it.  Anything moving- he loves.  Well when you stop pushing him, he kind of just looks up at you and starts shaking his body like, "Um, hello... keep moving!"  So we kept saying, "Do you want 'more'?" and doing the sign.  Well he GOT IT!  And now we've created a monster!! haha.

So Grammy and Papa got him a car.  It's kinda perfect because his feet don't drag and we can push him- and he fits in it perfect.  And when he's in it, if you ask him if he wants to get out... he shakes his head "no."  And then starts his "more" sign.  The way he does it is so cute because he can't do it with his fingertips, of course, because they are raw.  So he does it with one fist and one open hand.  But trust me- he knows exactly what it means!

OH, and he definitely can say "Mommy," too!!  He won't do it often... but if he's in the right mood, you can get him to do it.  Except the "Mommy" sign is pretty darn close to a LOT of other signs... Who thought of these things???  Don't they know Mommy should have it's own- VERY distinct sign??  O well, we are working on all kinds of signs every day now.  And he's taking more and more in.  He's our little miracle baby- I swear.

As far as "how is he doing?"... well there's no other way to put it than- he has good days and he has bad days.  I never know what kind of day it will be.  A new day always brings a new challenge- mentally or physically.  The mornings are still extremely rough for him.  It takes him a few hours to before he can actually sit up and play or sometimes even open his eyes.  He is in a lot of pain in the morning- even with his pain medicine (which is just ibuprofen).  His face is looking a little bit rough these days.  I'm not sure if it's the heat or what.  But he's getting new blisters on his face and head... and the ones already there- I'm starting to think they have no intentions of healing.  But we will see.  He likes to pick at his sores now- which is a nightmare.  But poor baby- they must be so aggravating and so painful to him.

Bath time is still the worst for him.  He DREADS it.  (Me too.)  When you sit him on the table, he immediately knows and doesn't stop crying until you lay him back on the table naked.  He almost gets to the point where he makes himself sick from crying.  It's painful to watch- and the more times you watch... it NEVER gets easier.

So, he still has his ups and downs.  Last week he was running fever and his sores started looking really bad.  So I took it upon myself to stop the new medicine he was on and go back up on the steroids.  I was worried about starting something new when he was doing so well... and once again- I should've followed my "Mommy intuition."  He had some fluid in his ears, so I'm hoping that was what was causing the fever.  That or his teeth.  We didn't do wound cultures, because there was so certain sore that looked infected-  they just all-around looked junky.  So I'm hoping maybe it was just a little viral infection and that now it's passed.

But check this kid out-  he brings so much joy into my life.  What in the world would I do without him??

More...

Muscles with Daddy



3 Little Monkeys.



Relaxin' in my new car.  I've got them right where I want them now.

Cheese!!

Eating his vegetables.

Signing "More"

Tummy time is getting a little more tolerable!

Could you smile like that with all those bo-bos??... I know I couldn't!!

Oh, and don't miss Tripp's tournament post below:) 

Love,