Sick again, plus some good news.

Poor Jeric.

He was sick exactly once while we lived in Utah, and it started while we were in NC for Christmas. (He also had eczema, but that doesn't really count as sick. I think it must have been from the dry climate because he hasn't had it since we moved here.)

He wasn't really sick at all this summer. But the moment it turned to fall and the weather started changing and the pollen got bad, he started getting sick! Doctor says it isn't related to allergies but I'm not so sure. (I have been allergy-sick every time he's gotten sick this fall.)

He currently has his 3rd ear infection since his birthday! He also has bronchiolitis (thankfully he tested negative for RSV) and has been fairly miserable.

I took him to the doctor yesterday and he had a nebulizer treatment that helped immensely, though he is still wheezing a good bit. He's been clingy and fussy and really sensitive about things that normally don't bother him (like tripping and falling down). But, he has actually been getting down and playing almost like normal today, so he is feeling much better. It makes me very happy.

Something else that makes me very happy: I HAVE A PIANO!! It is old and rather beat-up and rather out of tune (less than I'd expected, which is good) BUT IT PLAYS AND IT IS AT MY HOUSE AND I CAN PLAY IT WHENEVER I WANT provided the baby isn't sleeping. :D

Now I can actually practice and become decent (again). I haven't had reliable access to a piano since high school and it has really hurt my playing ability. I really regret that I didn't save a couple hundred dollars when I was a single student and a part time TA and buy a little keyboard that I could move from home to home. Hindsight is 20/20.

Homecoming

I wrote briefly last week that my brother Daniel is home from his mission. His flight arrived in the last evening on October 13. We went to the airport and met my parents, other brother, sister, and aunt and uncle there. Here are some pictures of us waiting:

Brother!

Remember my brother Daniel?

He's home!

For those of you in the area and interested, you are all invited to attend Church on Sunday, where he will be speaking. I believe there will also be an area seventy.

Where: Mt. Airy Ward building
When: Sunday October 17 -- the meeting starts at 9:30 am.

We are thrilled! He looks great and we are so proud of him and so glad to have him home.

Words, signs, and pictures

I might be forgetting a few but I'll add them if I remember.



Words Jeric knows:

• Mama and Dada -- has known these for a long time.
• Boo -- he's been saying this for a couple of months, he plays boo with his granny - and once he went up to her and said it, and it was almost like he was saying, let's play!
• Hi -- usually while waving or holding a phone (sometimes a phone or toy phone, sometimes a hairbrush or other object) up to his ear.
• Nuh-nuh-nuh -- means one of three things depending on context - no, night night, or nurse.
• Yum-yum-yum -- sounds like mum-mum-mum and is SO cute.
• Vroom -- I caught him doing this yesterday while playing with a toy car.
• Choo-choo -- sounds like "dee-dee"; when I ask him what a train says, he says this while waving his arm like he's pulling the whistle.
• We're working on animal noises. I love the Brown Bear book for this.
• He is also getting good at following some simple instructions, like give me a kiss, sit down, put that back, be soft, give me a hug, come with me.

Signs Jeric uses:

• Waving -- for a long time; sometimes he waves his are back and forth, sometimes he opens and closes his fist.
• Pointing -- started this around his birthday.
• Shaking his head back and forth -- a couple of weeks ago; he does this a lot! The other day he saw the remote control and pointed at it while shaking his head and saying nuh-nuh-nuh -- he knows he isn't supposed to have it!
• All gone/where/I don't know -- hands out with palms up; he uses this appropriately in several different contexts and sometimes modifies it to just one hand.
• We're working on drink, hat, more, and food. We're also working on identifying body parts (nose, eyes, ears, tongue, belly button -- he's done it a couple of times).

Pictures of the sweet boy:


Balancing act:



He picked up one of Jane's bottle nipples and carried it around all day, chewing on it:



Trying to get the camera from Mama:


Watching the Dance-a-lot Robot, or some such nonsense:


Talking on the phone:




Attempt #2 to get the camera:


Just cute:


Brought this to me to put it on him (it's a little small but so cute!)