As of this week...

Clark has started communicating more than ever. He consistently signs for things like milk and juice and water and food. And typically he'll try to say the words too. Here's a list of his verbal accomplishments:

bye, bye (and he waves)
knock, knock (this is cute because he actually knocks on doors when he says it)
Daddy
David (Dah-weed, yeah, that one is pretty funny)
truck (twuck)
toy
milk (mi)
juice (jew)
ball (bah)
bath (ba)
thanks (taintz)
night, night (neye, neye)
no
cow
duck (duh)
car (caw)
choo, choo (too, too)
ee, ei, ooh (as in, Old MacDonald's song)
my (as in, everything is MINE)
water (wa, wa)
ma, ma (for me, although this week he started saying "Kim!!! Kim!!! KIM!!!" and we're not sure if he's calling me or just imitating Jose...)
He's figuring out that I don't let him get away with much. A couple days ago when I gave him a lecture about throwing his food off his high chair for the millionth time, he looked at me intently as I was talking and then after I was done, he thought for a minute and then signed "I'm sorry," completely of his own volition. Okay, and check out that smile at the camera! PROGRESS!

The greatest is that he just started squinting his eyes and folding his hands momentarily for nighttime prayers. He's done it twice now and it just makes my heart full.


He asserted his independence on Sunday by refusing to wear his new shoes to church, so I held him down, and Jose put them on. His other shoes are too little for him, so it was that or go barefoot. But we gave him fruit snacks and told him what a big boy he was and he finally stopped screaming after a good 15 minutes of high pitched wailing. Then, miracle of miracles, he brought me his sandals yesterday so we could put them on and go for a walk...only with socks on though...





He also cut two molars on the top in the back and the rest of his gums look like they are about to explode. The poor kid has been teething since he was born and only has half of the necessary teeth. Hopefully the next few months will prove to be fruitful, toothwise. But overall, he's a different kid. He is happier than he has ever been. He cries only for a few minutes when going to sleep and he is WAY more cuddly. He'll actually put his arms around my neck and hold on tight...especially when I'm trying to pry him off to put him in bed! :) It's just so fun when I pat his little back and he pats me back. He loves to give Jose kisses at bedtime. He's a little more reluctant about it with me, bummer! He loves to hear me tell stories and sing to him. And he is tough! He got three shots today and both nurses commented to me about how little he cried and how tough he is; and it's true. He bangs himself up pretty good some days (you can still see one of the bruises on his forehead in these pictures), but he rarely cries about it. Just gets up, dusts himself off and keeps on running, mostly in little circles...it's very funny.