Honky Tonk Badonkadonk

I usually get home a little after 6 each night. Rick gets to spend about an hour with Madison which includes dinner with Daddy. It is their special Daddy Daughter time.

Well I got home a little early the other night and look what I found them doing! I walked into the house to loud music playing and I could hear stomping. I snuck around the corner to catch them dancing like crazy to Trace Adkins.

Needless to say Rick was winded and as soon as Madison saw me she stopped to say hello. When Daddy turned the music off, she immediately said "Mooorrrre" so I grabbed the Flip and shot this short video. She wasn't as animated as she was then I came in but still having a great time nonetheless! (wait for the butt wiggle).

I had to share because when she grows up to be one of the girls on a similar video, we can all remind Rick that is was he who instilled her love of dance. :-)

(Keep in mind what was on the tv was Trace playing live, it was NOT the actual video which would be not so appropriate....although when we were watching this channel last week {one of Madison's favorite because their logo is a butterfly that comes and goes and she is fascinated by butterflies} the Pussycat dolls came on and she LOVED them. I had to change the channel!)

Help Me Help You

Madison has been talking a lot lately and she tries to say everything you say (sometimes this can be unfortunate!). It is really fun, especially when you ask her to say something hard like "Schnauzer" or "Refrigerator" . 

Lately though, she has been saying things that make me stop and think.

She has signed "help" for a long time now and before getting frustrated she will look up and sign "help" and I go over and help her with whatever she is trying to do. It's really cool because it allows her to work on something until she can't get it without me stepping in too early but also allows her to ask for help before she gets mad about not being able to do it.  

She recently added the word "Hep" when she signed "Help". It was so cute.  A few days ago I heard her say "Heppoo". I asked her "What?" and she said it again but this time signed "help" also.  I wondered why she was all of the sudden changing the way she said it with her words.

Then it dawned on me. When she says "Help" I often say "You want me to help you?". So now when she asks for help she now is saying "Help you" (instead of 'help me'). 

Which brings me to the other thing we are working on "Me" and "You".  This is much more difficult of a concept than I ever imagined until trying to teach it to a 1 year old. HAHA

Here is an example: She will ask my Mom to put a hat on and my Mom will say "You want me to wear it?".  Then the next day she will bring the hat over and give it to my Mom and point to herself and say "me, me, me.".  What she meant was "you".

(I had a coworker tell me about how her son used to call his shoes "Shoeson".  She realized she was always saying "put your shoes on", so he thought shoes were called "shoeson".  Just makes you take a step back and HEAR what you are saying to see how it is potentially being received differently than intended).

Gotta be careful with the swearing or other words we might now want her to copy.  She heard "crap" the other day and proceeded to sign "crab". It was so hilarious and slipped that one right by her, for now.

Now just don't ask me where she gets it when she grunts 'ARGGHH' (I don't know how to spell the sound, but it isn't like a Pirate!) when she gets frustrated.  I deny that it's me... :-)

Her newest word is: Roxy = more of a sound that I can't spell. She doesn't get the R or the X, more like "Ah Ee".  The first time she said it, she was in the tub. Roxy likes to come and peer over the side and we squirt a water toy and watch her drink some water. It makes Madison laugh every time. Then Roxy takes off and when Madison wants her back, she signs 'dog' (splashing as she pats her thigh underwater) and says 'doggie'.  Today she said "Ah Eee" as she patted her leg underwater. I had to think about what she was saying. Then it dawned on me, ROXY!  Too cute. She has been saying "Ooo Eee" for some time = Zoe.

What fun we are having.

Tawny tagged me

Tawny tagged me to post the 5th photo in my 5th album.  Of thousands of photos I thought it was a miracle that this one I was tagged to post DID NOT have Madison in it! This was before Madison was born.  I love this photo of Roxy and Zoe sleeping together. There was a time I thought Zoe would never accept Roxy as her sister, so this was too adorable that she shared her bed with her.

All three of my blogging buddies have been tagged so I don't have anyone else to tag. :-)

Recent Fun Photos

Madison taking all her stuffed toys one by one to Daddy. This is a daily activity.

Giving Mom the "look".

Mad and Dad pretending to have 3d glasses on for the Chuck Episode. Madison brought out the glasses and made Daddy wear a pair and then asked for her to wear a pair. (Super Bowl Sunday)

ANTM - I wanna grow up and be a wedding gown model like Tawny!

(Who but a one year old can get away with wearing print on her pants?!)

Swinging time outside with Daddy!

This one is for AlySun. I remembered her blog about this topic and when I saw her leaning over it cracked me up and I had to take a photo of it to post.  This is one problem of potty training. No more onesies, which means possible butt cracks and panties showing.

Mad consoling Dad after Super Bowl, trying to make him feel better because now Steelers have more Champion rings than the Cowboys!

Spa time equals splash time.

I can't believe how HUGE her eyes look in this shot!

Time for Swimming Lessons

We Start Swimming Lessons in March!

They are really "Drowning Prevention" lessons that teach babies as young as 6 months to 6 years swimming survival skills. For the 6 month to 12 month group, they teach them to hold their breath under water, roll onto their backs, float unassisted, rest and breathe until help arrives. They learn to do this in a swim diaper and fully clothed.

If a child is walking and over 12 months they get a bit more advanced and additionally teach them to swim with their head down and then turn over, float on their back to breathe and rest and then roll over and swim again until they reach the side, crawl out, or be rescued by an adult.

While I don't have a pool, my parent's do. I have been to BBQ parties with pools. You just never know. I read about it and thought it would be a good idea. I went online and found the National Organization "Infant Swimming Resource". (http://www.infantswim.com/) They have been around since 1966.

Just like with Baby Signs, I was skeptical that there would be such a thing in my area and just like with Baby Signs I was wrong! I found an instructor in Manteca/Patterson, contacted her late last Summer and the season had ended. I was on the wait list for 2009. She contacted me just this week and we got signed up! Even better, she is now offering classes in MODESTO! I was so very excited.

Here are the basics: The classes are 10 minutes a day, 5 days a week for 6 weeks. Wow I thought, this is intense. Fortunately the facility is indoors and just minutes from both my house and my work. My Mom will be able to take her and I will be able to occasionally go as well since our time slot is over the lunch hour.

If you are interested or know someone who might be and are in the Modesto area, the instructor is offering a discount for anyone signing up for the March session. Our instructor's name is Rebekah Emehiser and her website is: http://www.centralvalleyswim.com/ (The FAQ section is most informative).

If you are not in the Modesto area, perhaps you can find an instructor on the http://www.infantswim.com/ site.

You may have seen a video on YouTube about Miles. Here is the rest of his story and an update. http://www.infantswim.com/isr-experience/Miles.html .

I will let you know how it goes!

I know I am due to post photos and have over 200 of them on my new camera (Which I love and have signed up for a camera class to utilize it better!) but haven't gotten any downloaded, so this one from Rick's phone on Superbowl Sunday will have to do for now!

I gave in and let her be a Cowboy's fan....What can I say she loves stars and looks great in Blue. Rick had her saying "Romo" all day! I have some great shots of her and Daddy dancing to Bruce during half time.