New Car Smell

It's amazing how differently you can communicate with your children when you have the appropriate strategies and tools. So quickly do I want to dictate play, take a passive role, or try to speak for my kids. At tonight's Hanen class (which I'm loving) we evaluated how to play with our kids to maximize their communication. The SLPs running the class are so great and are teaching me quite a bit. It's sometimes hard to sit and wait for your kid to initiate communication, but when you learn how to get it from them it is so rewarding. I'm almost positive he tried to say "milk." There was mmmmm coming from him as I approached him with the bottle. I knew not to give it to him right away to promote him asking for it. It worked. He really reached for it, saying "muh muh." In learning how to play appropriately with Pup, I am seeing just how much he knows- something I think I was missing before. He really is communicating better than I thought. It's also taught me how to find opportunities to give him new vocabulary. It's also taught me to let AJ lead more when I play him. Often times I want to be director. I realize there is no right way to play Candyland now.

This weekend was very busy. We got a new car. Thank goodness as Husband's truck was on it's last legs. I have yet to take a pic of it but I'll try to remember tomorrow. It's a Nissan Versa. A little smaller than I'm use to driving, but the smell...........Love the smell of new car! We were literally at the dealer for hours with a short break as AJ had a birthday party to attend. It was a sprinkler, swim in the bouncy house kind of a party.

Of course the pinata broke right before it was his turn, but he wasn't too disappointed. What I don't understand is how parents could fill the pinata with jawbreakers when all the guests are 3 and 4. Needless to say, I had to hide the bag of candy. He's not quite ready for those yet.

We got a good interest rate as we financed it through our credit union instead of the dealer. Our insurance didn't go up much more, either. But not having a car payment in about 5 years it'll be a bit harder financially. I need to put Husband on a budget. He's the shopper in this family.

Today I took the kids to my mother's house so AJ could plant pumpkin seeds. He did the same last year so I believe it's now technically a tradition! My mother has a little plot of garden space on the side of her house. She's worked the once hard, non growing soil into something that can grow all kinds of vegetables. She has corn, huge zucchini....It's really impressive. She also has veggies growing out of plastic tubs all over her yard as it's mostly cement. In October she has a full fledged pumpkin patch and we will go over there, pick one, and paint them. Last year she bought some pumpkins from the market just to make it look more plentiful.