Happy First Birthday, Rebekah!

Rebekah is one year old today. I just looked at the clock, and it is 10:55am -- exactly4 minutes before Rebekah was born one year ago. I'm glad it's this year and not last. =)

It is pretty amazing to look back and see all of the things Rebekah has learned in the past year. The first year of life is definitely jam-packed with growing and learning. A year ago Rebekah could do nothing but passively lay in my arms. Now she's all over the place, and I can hardly keep her in my arms when I want to!

We aren't having a party for her today. Since today is Wednesday (church), and it's the first day of 2nd Quarter classes at BSSI, AND we just got back from our trip, we'll wait until early next week and have a little party with her Waldock grandparents then.

Meanwhile, I'll list some of the things Rebekah has been learning in the last month. It almost seems like something just "clicked" in that little brain of hers a few weeks ago, and now she's picking up on SO many things. Most of these things she learned when we were on our trip, although some she picked up just before.
Signing "please"

- Says "please, thank-you, all done, love you," and "more" in sign language

- Understands the signs for "no, eat, and drink" but doesn't do them yet.

- Says "shoes -- ooze" "thank you -- day-doo," "boo," and "ask -- as"

- The word "ask" almost always accompanies the sign for "please." The only thing we can figure is that we had been saying "how do you ask?" to get her to make the sign for "please." She must have picked up on the word "ask," and now says it whenever she is signing "please."

- When she wants to have a story read to her (which is often), she'll pick a book, bring it over to one of us, make the sign for "please," say "ask," and hand us the book.

- Makes the sounds for dog, tiger (bear and lion have the same sound as tiger), monkey, elephant, and cow

- Blows kisses and rasberries (she'll blow a rasberry on her hand, and then blow it to you)

- Gives kisses and zrbtts (rasberries) on command and to almost anyone who asks -- before it was always on her terms.

- Puts her hand to her ear (like a cell phone) anytime someone says "hello."

- Turns around to slide off a couch or bed on her stomach feet-first -- instead of head first! She doesn't do this all the time, but she is learning, thankfully.

We'll have pictures of Rebekah's experiences on the trip posted soon.