Celia is growing and changing so fast you can almost see it happening minute by minute. She's very curious about the world, absorbing new information all the time. We've been trying to teach her "Baby Sign", which is a set of simple hand gestures to help her communicate while she figures out how to speak. It apparently reduces children's frustration as they move from infant into toddler, allowing them to express their needs without just yelling/crying/throwing a tantrum.
This evening we were in the back yard and she was watching the different birds flying around (and hopping around). We have robins, mourning doves, grackles, and the occasional cardinal and goldfinch. The sign for "bird" is simply flapping your arms like a bird, so I've been doing that every time we see a bird in the yard or in a book. She looks at me when I do the sign, so I know she's making the connection, but so far the only signs she's done herself are "bye-bye" (waving,) "so-big" (arms over head), and occasionally "more" (touching index fingers together or clapping while in her high-chair). So we'll see if the signing helps her--for some kids it takes a while before they start using the signs. It's fun for me to do anyway!
I mentioned that Lael is in D.C. She is there for a conference on Human Rights law, and she was able to go thanks to a fellowship she was awarded. Her work for Legal Aid continues to be rewarding and challenging, and balancing the demands of the job with the demands of parenting is no easy task.
My own work has been busy bordering on frantic the past few weeks, and I too am struggling to find a balance between being a contractor and being a dad. I'm still staying home with Celia on Mondays and Fridays, and I really enjoy those days we have together. Even if she winds up going to Home Depot or a job site with me, we still find time to stop at a park, visit with friends, or just play in the house or out in the back yard.
I was in an all-dad's Early Childhood Family Education class this year with about 20 other mostly full-time stay-at-home dads. It was a great experience and I've learned a lot from the other guys (many of whom have kids a little older than Celia). Our group will continue to get together this summer for "play dates" at a local park, and I plan on being part of the class again when the school year starts next fall.
Anyway, here is some footage of Celia's first birthday--
Opening Presents
Cake! Cake! Cake!
As you can tell from the video above, Celia loves eating. It doesn't really seem to matter what the food is--it's all about getting it from her hand to her mouth. In this next video, Lael has given her a spoon to see what happens.....
