A Few Firsts

Cassidy's First

Today Cassidy got glasses. She hurts herself approximately 50 times each day. For a long time I just thought she was a klutz. Then a few weeks ago I thought, huh, maybe she can't see. Sure enough, her eyes are really bad. She has a strong astigmatism in both eyes. The doctor said it is impressive that she has been able to function this long with out them. It was inevitable. Aaron has terrible eyes. He got glasses when he was five years old. My eyes are bad too. I got glasses when I was twelve. The doctor explained that with her it is purely genetic. She has had this since she was born. Many kids will start to get near sightedness around 1st or 2nd grade and that is when they start testing them in school. Luckily for her they have improved the styles since we were kids:

Whitney's First
I have been avoiding this for as long as possible. But today Whitney discovered Hannah Montana. Like an idiot, I recorded a concert that was on Disney last week - "Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus -- Best of Both Worlds." I'm afraid I have unleashed a monster.

A couple of years ago, Whitney became obsessed with Katherine McPhee. We had downloaded a few of her songs for Whitney during American Idol. She would watch and rewatch just her singing. She loved copying her dance moves and singing her songs. I was very disappointed when McPhee was out on her own and decided to be sleazy. I couldn't let Whitney listen to her anymore. Not exactly a role model. Whit recognized it too. She would always say things like "Mom, she's not very modest."

I don't know a lot about Hannah Montana. Whitney has just recently started asking me questions like "W: Is Hannah Montana bad? - Me: No - W: Then why don't you let me watch her - Me: I don't know, you've never asked. Or maybe because people are obsessed with her and have her stuff all over their rooms and clothes and backpacks and I just think that is silly. I started to think about it, we have Disney Princess stuff all over everything, what's the difference? I decided to be nice and at least let her see what she was all about. So today after she watched the entire concert she said, "Mom, I really like Hannah Montana, but I won't get a lot of her stuff, maybe just one poster in my room." From what I've seen, which isn't much, Hannah (or Miley -what is with that?), doesn't look too bad. Hopefully she can stay that way.

Grant's First
This past weekend Grant started saying his first consonant sound. "M" We can just assume he is saying Mama. Most kids start babbling when they are six months old. Grant is now 14 months old. This is a major victory for him. Starting as a newborn he never passed the newborn hearing screening in the hospital. As a baby he had problems with his soft pallet. He has had a number of tests done. He had tubes put in his ears at three months. We have tested and retested his ears. He is still not completely passing in his left ear. Mainly just high frequency sounds. The doctors seemed to just keep saying the same thing - well, he is below normal, but for now let's just wait and see. So, I decided to take them at their word and started to refuse to go to any more doctors to hear "Let's wait and see." My doctor wasn't thrilled with our decision, thought we should do more tests. But agreed to let us wait, but if by 15 months he doesn't have at least 3 words we needed to proceed forward. About a month ago I started the "Baby Signing Time" DVD with Grant and teaching him the signs. My sister-in-laws swear by them. It was amazing how fast he started picking it up. After two weeks he was signing milk. I went to put him down for a nap and he sat in his crib signing milk. I gave him a drink, he squealed and drank his milk and went to sleep. He now knows a few more signs and gets so excited when we recognize what he is saying.
I don't think we will make 3 words in the next month, but at least we have progress finally. And to hear something other than caveman talk and to be able to communicate a little is heaven sent.

Lindsey's First
I didn't want to leave her out so I thought of something. Last night she actually petted a dog. My neighbor, Amy, guided her over and helped her pet their dog. She said that she has got her to do it before at their house, but this was the first time I had seen it.