The Motherland
While the viewpoint in the linked article is not popular with some of the more vocal adoptive parents in the international adoption community, I think this is at least worth a read. . .
Tears of joy
Can I tell you how much I love my son? How perfect he is? Yesterday we were sitting at my computer in my home office doing a little online shopping at gilt.com (weekends are when they have their fabulous children’s sales, of course), and he started pointing at the clothes he liked, getting all excited and “talking” at the screen. So excited that he hopped atop my desk to grab the computer. My baby loves to shop online! I could weep with the knowledge that he is so very much mine. My little guy loves a bargain as much as his mommy does!
The important stuff
I have to buy a rocking chair. I cheaped out on it when I was waiting for Oscar, partly because I just didn’t think one would be all that useful, but also because I loathe those wooden gliders. I get that they’re comfortable, but they’re HIDEOUS to me. I’ve come to see their utlity, but I simply cannot get past their unattractiveness. This is leading me to buy an upholstered rocker or glider, which are surprisingly expensive. I’m looking on craigslist, since I’m chintzy and optimistic that I’ll be able to find a super buy, but I think it’s unlikely. Plus, I’d have to move it myself. In my Mini. I don’t think so.
So, I’m faced with this dilemma. Here are the only chairs I like, only a couple of which are within a range I would pay (although not happily):
This one is a decent buy (meaning I would pay the same for a regular chair that was in the living room). I could easily slipcover it to match my sofa and use it afterward. It seems pretty comfy, so I could also read to Oscar and Etta when they’re a little older.
This is a ridiculous chair, really, but I sort of love it. I don’t think it would be terribly comfortable, and I’ve sat in chairs from this manufacturer before and that was the case. They’re great for modern style, but perhaps not so much on comfort. It’s uber expensive, but on sale right now. I just don’t think I can justify it. It’s very unique, but it’s also about $300 more than the white chair.
Again, really like the style, but this one is grotesquely expensive. Just including it cause it’s pretty.
I’m more a French Country type of girl, but I do like the simple lines of this. It’s definitely on the lower range of the upholstered chairs, which keeps it in the running.
Love the look of the slipcovered, and this one isn’t too terribly much more expensive than the basic white above, which I would slipcover later. Probably would get a different fabric, but they have a great selection of choices that aren’t too girly for me.
I almost bought this one off craigslist, but it was pink and the girl still wanted $800 for it (albeit with the ottoman). Brand new and less than half the price, but PINK. I think the quality of the chair is likely to be superior, but jeesh.
That’s where I am. Anyone have a chair they’d recommend?
My birthday
A million years ago, or approximately 10 days ago, Oscar and I hightailed it to the zoo for two hours on my birthday. I had to work the rest of the day, but I wanted to spend at least a little piece of the day with him. He wouldn’t settle down for pictures of himself, but we managed to snap a few decent shots of our day…
In other news
It’s true, there are things going on in my life other than watching my number in line on the wait list grow smaller. Shocking, yet true.
Guess what’s happened. No really, guess.
Fine, Oscar has started to try to talk. I can’t say that he’s actually “talking,” since what is happening does not really sound like what you and I would consider words should sound like. He’s vocalizing, though, which is a huge step forward. He said “up, up, up” on the slide the other day and last night I got him to say “all gone” [sounds like ah gah, but that doesn't matter]. I’m going to have his hearing checked again, since what comes out of his mouth doesn’t sound quite right, and I just want to make sure he’s hearing things correctly. He’s so clearly trying at least once a day, though, which is encouraging. What’s not so encouraging is that it’s so clearly a lot of work for the little guy to get the words out. You can literally see him struggling to produce the sounds. Who knew it was so difficult to squeak words out?
We watched a baby speech DVD the other day and when he awoke the next morning, he was working on the “p” sound. He hasn’t made that sound before, so I’m pretty sure the video inspired it. I’m feeling guilty for not having sat through the entirety of the video before, but jeesh is the production value horrible. You wouldn’t believe it. What was helpful was seeing the different mouth exercises I can help him with to help him with pronunciation and generally working his mouth to facilitate speech (like facing him and saying “pa” so there’s a poof of air either hitting his little face). Can’t hurt (well, I guess it could if I didn’t brush my teeth before hand, but our oral hygiene regime here is top notch).
The difficult thing is actually getting Oscar to understand what speaking is. When I tell him to “say ball” he signs ball. He’s even making up his own signs for words we haven’t learned yet. I asked him to say movie when he was holding a DVD box and he signed “baby,” which is actually really clever. Other than our movies on the weekend, he only watches tv when he is watching signing time dvd’s, and the brand we watch has baby in the title. So, it’s become common in our house if Oscar wants tv, he signs baby. He’s pulled that over to watching movies as well. When he wants the dogs to leave him alone, he gives them Nanny Norma’s “doggies out of my kitchen” sign, which is done by pointing his right hand at them in two quick jabs with a third pointing the direction he wants them to go. There are many more that we can’t figure out, but he’s clearly trying to tell us something and we’re too slow on the uptake.
I think I’m confusing the issue, too. When I tell him to talk with his mouth, and point to my mouth, he thinks that’s a sign. So, when I now say “say dog”, he signs dog and points to his mouth. It’s getting a bit confusing. I’m hopeful that when his speech therapy starts in about two weeks, we’ll be able to figure out a game plan.
Mom’s Day Out
It’s going to happen. I’m going to take a day off work, and I’m not taking it off to spend with Oscar. It was difficult even typing that. I felt guilty. I’m still going to do it, though. Sometime in the next few weeks, I’m going to take a day to go here:
to look at this:
perhaps avail myself of this:
and maybe even this:
Just staking my claim.
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Etta’s Hats
Where I’ve Been
