I have some great pictures from the last few weeks and Daniel’s first birthday party… for his fifth birthday. We love him so much and we are so impressed at how much he’s learning and doing. His understanding of the English language is impressive. He loves playing the naming game. After 6 months of immersion in his first language (he did not know Bulgarian), he speaks and understands as well as a two year old. It’s amazing. And he’s learning letters and numbers and shapes and colors and things like the older boy he is too. I asked him if he had a CD for his radio. He looked at the radio and pointed at some letters on it and said, “C? D?” Ha! Smart boy. Guess we need to teach him what a CD is called. Sadly, his CD player is already breaking. I need to get a different one.
Jordan continues to improve, though he still struggles some. We are soooooo happy about this!
Let’s see, Daniel tells us what he wants – either by crying or by requesting with words. He likes to tell us what he has and name all the things he sees that he knows the words for. He is not preoccupied with food and seems content to let me feed him at mealtimes. The bald spot on the back of his head is long gone. He does get really “stuck” on things he wants that he cannot have or doesn’t know how to do and will cry and rage and not try something different until we step in and either help him or remove him from what he cannot have/do. (For example, he is not allowed in Brian’s office but he will sit at the door and bang on it and scream and thrash… until I move him to another room and distract him or put him in his bed to calm down.) He has a favorite blanket, knows how to use cords and other random things to reach those things he can’t reach. He still prefers cords and music to other activities, but understands and participates happily in other activities like throwing, stacking, filling, emptying, make believe with toys and so forth. He rocks and taps and zones out more than I’d like, but I am content with how he is doing. He is a bright, adorable, fiery, sweet, precious little boy. I think I could call him “sweet and spicy?”
Daniel can make 2-3 word sentences… usually naming things with adjectives. “Daniel’s black cord.” “Jordan sad?” “Warm soup.” “Put it on?” “Plug it in!” “Daniel’s radio.” “Mama’s cell phone.” So mostly two-word combinations, but I think I’ve noticed more 3-word combos. He still has a need for more conversational verbs, but they are a little more difficult to teach!
Without further writing… here are photos!
Daniel headed outside in his chair. This was his first time in the chair outside.
Ready to get out of the house!
Being on a hill has a learning curve…. like… he thinks it’s great fun to pick up speed and go downhill. He doesn’t know about sudden stops yet!
Ugh – it is not easy in grass! Didn’t stop Anna from giving him a ride!
Being silly and sticking out his tongue.
We all danced at the end of cleaning the kitchen together. Loud silly music was required.
It was a quick in and out, but we made it to a family dinner out!
My big girls.
Either one of these kids is too cute for words. Both together and I’m am speechless with love.
We pulled together and had a birthday for Daniel!
Ready!
Daniel’s grandparents made the drive up for a birthday dinner! Daniel refused to sit at the table, alas!
This is where he was.
Time for presents!
He remembered from Christmas! He knew exactly what he was supposed to do and was curious of what was inside.
It was a radio! We had trouble getting him to open anything else after that.
Well, it was hard to get him to open anything until I told him there were cords in the next one….
Daniel HEAVEN.
He was telling us their colors and putting them in their power blocks.
Delight.
Grandpa.
Talking about hair and boys’ haircuts.
Getting the radio working again!
All of us happy together in the play room.
Time for cake!
He understood!!!! He tried to blow them out! I blew when he did and he was indeed successful. 😀
Shirt off, towel down… and sisters there to set a good example. Daniel does not allow things into his mouth and hides from activities that involve food. I was happy he stuck around!
He even let me paint him without panicking!
He thought it was funny, but was too scared/nervous to try much touching himself.
The girls set a very good example. hahahaha (Jordan does not eat cake either)
I pointed the camera at Daniel and he stuck out his chest for me to see! Oh, he keeps me laughing.
Happy.
We wrapped up the day with some music and dancing…. snapped this shot of my parents being adorable near the end. (Most of the dancing was silly, not adorable.)
Going outside for the first time:
Outside:
Happy to have a break from the rain:
Opening gifts:
The radio!
Music together:
Precious!! Thanks for sharing!!!