I was beginning to feel like Joey wasn't hardly talking at all and
something was wrong. He was only saying a few things over and over,
like car and uh-oh were his favorites. He didn't have the vocabulary a
lot of the other kids seem to.

Joey all of a sudden this month has caught on
with signing AND talking and he's saying so many new words a day, I
can not remember them all. I used to write them on the calendar but I
can't anymore. It's like he hit 18 months and it clicked.

It's so cool - he's like a totally new kid. We are also teaching him
please and thank you too and he does it so well. I figured gotta start
early!

AND thank goodness for signing! When I first started he knew nothing
for the longest time. He only knew a few signs up until last month.
Now he's picked it up so quickly and what he doesn't say, he signs.
AND if he tries to say something, and signs it too, then we know what
he wants because some of his words aren't that clear yet.

His newest words that I can remember:
Please (signs)
Thank you (both - signs and says)
Tractor (says)
Turtle (says)
he has an abc video and says a lot of the letters as they say them like I, Y....
Cheese (both)
Sasha (says - cat's name)
Also says Alex and TyTy - other cats in the house
Helper (says)
says outside
says momma and dadda
says and signs: Train (says choochoo)
says car
signs eat and drink (does not say them yet)
Said and signs Water
says Ball
signs More
signs Bird
signs and says Dog
says Cat
signs Fish
signs Shoes
signs bath
Hungry
says and signs apple
signs Cookie
says and signs Banana
signs Cheese
signs Cracker
signs and says Ice cream
signs Candy
says and signs Hot
said and signs red
said and signs blue
said truck
Carrot
signs Corn
signs Beans
signs Potato
signs Lettuce
signs Grapes
signs Pear
says uh-oh (all the time!)
says splash
says bubble
signs movie

This is my first child and watching him grow has been so rewarding so far!!

1am - I hear Joey coughing. Then he started to cry. We went in his room to find he puked all over himself and the bed. So I changed the bed, Joe changed Joey, who was so tired and was screaming his head off. I took his temp and it was over 101. I rocked him and then put him back to bed.

He woke up early this morning but I was able to rock him back to sleep. Work called me and pissed me off. They called me because they didn't think my co-worker knew his job - which he did. So I told him, you need to call back my co-worker. Leave me out of this. People!! This was at 6am!

So anyhow...Joey's temp went up and down today. I think he was up a total of only 3 hours until 3pm when I called the doctor for an appt. He was doing an evaluation, while Joey was crying, because he hates the doctor, when the doctor said - do you see that rash? I looked and his whole body had this rash, that came out when he cried. They pricked his finger to do a blood test, and his finger bled like crazy! He would not let me put the gauze on it or a bandaid so he got blood on my favorite jeans (part of being a mom I suppose!)....

I tried to work from home today and got a big assignment finally finished - whew!

After we got home from the Dr's office he took a nap. Then I took a nap - I was tired today. He woke up screaming. I ran for motrin. He did not want us to hold him and just tossed and turned on the floor. Poor kid. He finally calmed down when I walked him around the room and then we took him for a walk. Then we went out for ice cream - yum....

I think I went crazy today. I edged out our lawn BY HAND. What was I thinking!?

Found this on the internet. Looked like fun. Feel free to c0mment and post your own answers!

IF YOU COULD BUILD A SECOND HOUSE, WHERE?
In the country!

WHAT'S YOUR FAV ARTICLE OF CLOTHING?
underwear. It's weird without it LOL

WHAT TIME DO YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING?
When I need to get to work - 5:45am. Otherwise I try to sleep in.

FAV KITCHEN APPLIANCE?
Dishwasher or kitchenaid mixer

IF YOU COULD PLAY AN INSTRUMENT?
Piano

SUV OR SPORTS CAR?
Sports car - Corvette convertible

DO YOU BELIEVE IN AN AFTERLIFE?
I am not sure but I want to believe there is something better after this life.

FAV CHILDREN'S BOOK?
Brown bear Brown bear what do you see by Eric Carle

FAV SEASON?
Spring

IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE SUPER POWER?
Healing

TATTOO?
No way

ONE PERSON IN YOUR PAST THAT YOU WISH YOU COULD TALK TO?
My mother's parents

IN THE TRUNK OF YOUR CAR?
Not much

SUSHI OR HAMBURGER?
Hamburger

WHAT KIND OF CAR DO YOU DRIVE?
Honda Odyssey Mini van

ON VACATION, WHERE WOULD YOU GO?
Caribbean

MORNING PERSON OR NIGHT OWL?
Morning person

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOURSELF?
Never thought about it... I don't know!

Yesterday was a much needed day off for me. Joey and I hung around the house and did nothing...Ok well he played and I cleaned. Our house needed a deep cleaning - sheets, mopped floors, vaccuumed, dishes, laundry - you name it! So it felt good to get that done.

I can't believe all the words Joey is saying now and the signs he is signing!!!! I used to write them on his calendar but I think he's saying about 10 + new ones a day and I can't remember them all!!
Some of his new ones - Hot, Sasha (cat name), bean, blue, red, corn, carrot, please, thank you, cheese and I think I told you about turtle and tractor. I'm sure there is more I'm forgetting! It so amazes me that he is picking it up so suddenly! I just can't believe it. It's like I can hold a conversation with him now!

Today was my day back to work. Very busy. Lori and I went out for Coney and it was soo good. I was good though, got a doggy bag and brought some back for Joe. We took Joey on a walk tonight. We got around our HUGE block and noticed, oh crap - no shoes. He kicked them off AGAIN! So back around the block to find them and we found them. What a stinker! No more shoes in his stroller!

I should retire early tonight. I'm tired! At least the house is clean! LOL

Well last night I went to bed at 3am. Yeah, it was a little crazy for me, esp when I knew Joey would be up in a few hours.

At 7:30am Joey wakes up. I do not want to get up. Joe complains 'I took care of him all day yesterday, it's your turn'. Mind you I went to bed at 3am (my fault...). So I get Joey, he's soaking wet with urine that went through his overnight yet again. I change him, put on new shorts and rock him. Believe it or not, he goes back to bed. Oh thank God. I go back to bed. Joey cries, OMG it can't be so soon. I wake up - OMG it's after 9:30. I planned to be at my mother's house by 10:30 so I could meet Neal by 11. Oh gosh...It takes me over a 1/2 hour to get there and no one is up yet. Frantic call to Neal... Left a voicemail. Can I meet you a bit later or can Joe drop me off and you can drop me off back at my parents house. He got back to me, sure, have Joe drop me off and he'd take me back. Phew! He also said to take my time. So I got ready, took a shower, Joe and Joey got ready and we were out the door.

Panara Bread here I come! I met Neal at Panara and we talked like old buds. We joked around about certain things and had a good time.

My mother actually came to pick me up. We were on our way to go shopping at the outlet mall - to Coldwater Creek. She got me a $150 gift certificate there for Christmas. When we got there, I tried on everything I liked, walked out with over $300 in clothing and felt like I finally had a professional wardrobe!

The ride home we took backroads because the highway was awful and had fun navigating the country.

When we got to my parents house I went outside to take some photos. Joey was sleeping and Joe was watching a movie. Later we ate dinner. When Joey woke up he went from an air conditioned room to a non-air conditioned room and signed hot over and over. It was funny.

Tonight I read Joey a book. He mimiced almost all of the animal noises I did out of the book. He also said and signed red and blue when he was in the tub. The way he is picking up language now is amazing!

Joe went to bed early not feeling well. I don't work tomorrow - yahoo!

Today we went to the zoo to met a girl from my babies group who has a son that is 8 days older than Joey. Robin and her son PJ came with her dh Paul and his daughter Jessica. We had a fantastic time. I did not think Joey would care for the zoo for long and he would get bored and tired of sitting in the stroller. I was so wrong. He loved the zoo, loved people watching and love everything. He loved the zebras, camel and giraffe the best. He saw the zebra and started to moo like a cow. At least he got the colors right! We were there from about 11am until 2 and made sure Joey had a drink at all times and something to eat.

On the way home he looked awful, like limp and all. When we got home I took him out of the car seat and he was burning up. I took his temp and it was 102. I was like, what the heck. Then I told Joe, we need to get him in a cool bathtub. I took his temp again, 103. Oh man. He hated the cool water, was not happy at all. So we took him out, gave him motrin and sent him downstairs with Joe where it's cooler. We then brought him back upstairs to sleep. We all slept for about an hour when Joey woke up feeling great. His temp was still 101. We think it was heat stroke though he was mostly in the shade and it wasn't as hot as it has been outside. I think just being outside for 3 hours did it.

I got ready to go to Melissa's to scrapbook. I got everything together and Joey was acting fine, running around like nothing was wrong. Once at Melissa's, we are just chatting it up. We missed each other's company! Joe calls, Joey ate a huge dinner and then puked it all up! Joey's temp is back up to 103. Can he give more motrin? Yes and give him another cool bath. He does this and then he calls back later. Joey's doing better, sleeping now.

Melissa and I scrapbook. I crank out 4 cards and 5 pages! I was scrapping like, what the hell if it sucks, at least it's done attitude and got pages out every 1/2 hour and I liked them all! I love scrapping without stress. I went home at 1am and now it's 2am! :)

Hopefully tomorrow is better. I'm having lunch with my gay friend from HS! :)