Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Saturday, September 18, 2010

$ 6 months old! $

Our sweet little JuJu Bug is 6 months old! Time flies when you're having fun!

Happy 6 Months, Julianna Hope!
The very best 6 months of our lives!


Here she was just 6 months ago:




And yesterday...


Monday, September 13, 2010

we are busy!

School is back in full swing. I have been so incredibly busy! I'm enjoying being back at work now because Julianna is doing great at daycare! She's started to take 2 hour long naps there so she's in a good mood when I pick her up in the afternoon. Balancing work, baby, husband, and home is a challenge. But I just have to remember, if it's worth doing, it's worth doing well!


This past weekend was especially busy for us. My friend Laura and her long time boyfriend, Drew got married on Saturday evening. Julianna went to her Maw Maw's house for her very first sleepover. I think she enjoyed herself there! :)


The wedding was beautiful. It was on top of the Kress building at the Kress Terrace in downtown Greensboro. Sunday was also a busy day. I helped decorate the church for the church's 3rd birthday celebration, enjoyed the service, greeted for the 2nd service, birthday party for Nathan, and then a baby shower for Jennifer and Ben (a couple at church).


It was a busy but great weekend!







Monday, September 6, 2010

labor day weekend

This weekend we have been in South Carolina visiting Josh's dad and stepmom. Dustin, Shandi, and Dylan have also been here to visit as well. We celebrated Ashley's 25th birthday-- which is today. Happy Birthday, Ashley! We also got to see her fiance, Derrick, and his new ABC store, Captain Jack's Liquors.

Julianna slept in the bed with me for the first time since she was 2 weeks old. She snuggled right up with me. It was sweetest feeling waking up to her cute little cheeks rubbing against my face! I adore her!
Enjoy the pictures from our trip:






Thursday, September 2, 2010

Guest Blog Post: How to Teach a Baby Sign Language

Enjoy this fabulous guest post about baby sign language:

How To Teach A Baby Sign Language

Baby sign language is easy to learn – all it takes is lots of repetition and patience. With a little bit of know-how, you can start teaching your baby to sign today.

When To Start Signing
The sooner you start signing with your baby the sooner she will communicate her needs back to you. You can start teaching Baby Sign Language at any time – even from birth. If you have an older baby or toddler you can still begin to teach her to sign at any time. Even if your child has already started to say a few simple words you may find that learning to sign helps her with her communication and frustration.

How To Start Teaching Baby Sign Language
To start, pick a few simple signs, such as Mommy, Daddy, and Milk, and then concentrate on using these signs over and over with your baby. Repetition is key, as is choosing signs which are interesting to your baby. Use the sign and say the word clearly each time you come into contact with the object – for Milk, you would sign before, after and during feeding, saying and signing Milk. With older babies you can use flash cards to help if the object of the sign is not present.

When Will My Baby Start Signing Back?
Be patient when you are teaching Baby Sign Language and don’t expect your baby to start signing immediately. You should encourage all her efforts, even if you don’t recognize the sign she is trying to make! Most babies over the age of six months need about two months of exposure to and repetition of a sign before they begin to use it. So if you start signing with your baby when she is seven months old, she will most likely be using one of your favorite signs by the age of nine months. Remember, all babies learn at their own pace.

Develop Their Signing Vocabulary
When your baby has mastered her first few signs you can introduce new ones. It’s a good idea to stick to groups of similar ideas or objects when introducing something new, for example food signs, colors, or animals. Remember to keep it fun and repeat, repeat, repeat each sign. Encourage your baby’s efforts. Only introduce a few new signs at a time, and continue with each for around two months.

Do I Need To Go To A Baby Sign Language Class?
This all depends on your personal preference and where you live. If you have a class nearby and you enjoy it, then classes are a great way to learn and make friends. Good Baby Signing classes follow the advice above – making learning fun, repeating signs and building a base of simple signs before moving on to new ones. If you can’t find a class don’t worry as there are stacks of resources online for you to use at home. Have fun, repeat and encourage – these are your steps to success.

Post written by Misty Weaver Chief Editor, Baby Sign Language
http://www.babysignlanguage.com/