Signs of Life : The Brownie Chronicles

After three weeks at TSD, it's amazing to see the new language development in both boys!  We can tell they are chatting all day with their teachers and peers.  I will actively work on capturing a video of their conversations next week.  In the meantime, here are a few changes we've noticed: Travis: - adding "want" to his requests - Normally, he would point at something, such as his red Power Ranger mask, and sign, "POWER-RANGER MASK, RED."  Often, he'll add a fussy face or sound to his request.  Now, more often than not, he signs, "POWER-RANGER MASK, WANT!" - saying "mine" instead of using first person for everything - Where he's always pointed at items, then signed, "TRAVIS" to mean, "That's mine," he is now signing, "RED MASK, MINE." - putting together longer sentences - As I had blogged earlier this week, Travis is putting together 3-ASL-sign sentences, which is equivalent to a 5-8...

Today, the boys completed their first two weeks of pre-k and preschool at TSD.  Aside from Tian still being a little unhappy when we drop him off, they really like school! Tian enters the elementary building. Travis checks out his classroom. This morning, my younger daughter and I dropped off the boys.  When we arrived at the school, Travis was eager to don his backpack and get into the hallway.  I stayed with a clingy Tian while my daughter stayed with Travis in the hallway.  Travis hung his backpack on the hanger, then proceeded to empty the backpack of its contents. Mackenzie tried to get him to stop, but Travis was adamant.  He finally reached his red notebook, sat it aside, and began refilling his pack with its items.  When his sister tried to hand him the red notebook, he told her, "no."  He zipped up his backpack, hung it on its hook, then took his red notebook and deposited it in a small box at the front of his classroom...exactly wh...

My older three kids plus their cousin, D! Have I mentioned how much we love Austin?  Well, we do!  We adore this house.  Of all 3 homes we've owned, this is by far my favorite!  While I did really enjoy our location and pool in Highland Village, this house is arranged better and is easier to maintain.  In our 15 years of marriage and ownership of 3 homes, we've learned that extensive landscaping is beautiful, but also costly and a ton of work!  We have a few pretty shrubs and plants in the front yard.  There are two trees in the back, but otherwise, it's just a grassy backyard, which means easy maintenance.  Of course, we have the fabulous team at The Austin Lawn Service taking care of our mowing and trimming, so the amount of work we have to do in the yard is minimal. We had hoped for a one-story home, but with the layout of this house, we don't mind two stories at all.  The stairs lead to an open "balcony" hallway that looks down to ...

Ken and I have enjoyed aspects of each city in which we have lived.  In Oklahoma, we had some of our best friends; in Las Vegas, we enjoyed the mountains, dry climate, and church family; in North Dallas, we met some wonderful homeschooling and neighborhood families.  However, being a Deaf/hearing couple presents challenges when it comes to socializing with the general population.   In most cities, I would get plugged in with a women's bible study group, a homeschooling group, and either AWANA or Scouts.  I might work in the nursery or run the soundboard at church, so I would quickly get to know a lot of people.  In these settings, 99.9% of the friends I made were hearing people who didn't know ASL.   Language certainly presents itself as a barrier.  It was easy for me to visit with other ladies on a deep level, but not so easy to connect our families.  (We love with all our heart a lot of hearing friends who do not sign.  Just making sure...