Category: family news

Liam 18 month update

This is about a month late, but I think it’s better late than never to get this up!

On our drive to the coast a couple of weeks ago, we brainstormed all of the words Liam knows and some of the skills he has up to this point. He amazes us at how fast he learns and picks up on the little things we do. He’s a joy to have around and we’re enjoying him each more every day, especially the days he gets to come to the studio with us. We hope you enjoy the accomplishments of little Liam!

Verbal Words:
up-down = on/off, up/down, in/out
milka milk = milk
momma
dadda
babee
num a nums = yummy food
duck a duck = motorcycle
yallow = yellow
bus (He usually says, “Yallow bus,” as a phrase)
Ma = Maggie
Maa (drawn out /a/)= Max
yep
ow = ouchie
/b/a or /p/a = pacifer (It’s sorta a sound between /b/ and /p/.)
Papa = Grandpa
dadow = Shadow (G’pa & G’ma Fast’s dog)
airplane
apple = banana or any fruit really
a da = all done (usually voiced with the sign)
aya = water
poo-poo
pee-pee
bike
bye-bye
hellow
fishie
book
pul = pool
nano nano= no
Nel = Janel and Breann
Uncle
Aeya = Aaron
de ta = Greta
hair
at = hat
hot
hot dog
dap = Thank you (Voiced with the sign.)
bubble
purple – He knows the word but hasn’t connected it to the color yet.
hand
shoes
feet
no = nose
mou = mouth
eyes
blue
cow
duck

A couple phrases we’ve noticed:
“Uncle Aeya”
“More please”

Signs:
thank you
mom
dad
bird
duck
please
more
milk
dog
all done
cat
water
change (as in his diaper)

Things Liam can do (some of which he really enjoys doing):
-help take pictures
-follows simple 1 or 2 step directions
-identifies features on self and others: mouth, eyes, ears, hand, nose, arm, teeth
-get his swim diaper if he knows we’re going swimming
-read (He loves to read by himself or with an adult!)
-play with Maggie and all over Maggie
-bubbles
-puzzles
-points to nose in response to, “Where is Liam?”
-“Me!”
-blows on food when it’s hot
-will put his face in the water in the swimming pool

At the moment, he’s learning so many new words each day we can’t tell what they are. We’ll get some current pictures of him up soon! Be on the lookout for some simple videos as well!

Greta’s First Birthday Party

This was last weekend.  Enjoy the photos, and happy birthday Greta!

Names we won’t use with our next child

When we tell people we’re execting a child, they ask a few questions:

1) Are you going to find out the child’s gender? and 2) Do you have any names picked out?

Here are our answers: 1) We’re not sure yet and 2) Not really.

While we don’t have any names picked out, we DO have a list of names we won’t be using.  Here’s our list, but feel free to leave a few of your own “please don’t use that name” names.

  • Aiden
  • Braden
  • Caden
  • Jaden
  • Hayden
  • Faden
  • Any variant of those previous names
  • Hector (Lisa doesn’t want me to use this one)
  • Liam
  • Andrew
  • Lisa
  • Greta (already taken)
  • Rachel
  • Jonathan
  • Mopsy
  • Flopsy
  • Cottontail
  • Gage
  • Donatello
  • Poindexter

Liam’s 18-month pictures!

[simpleflickr set=”72157605797382243″ /]

Liam’s tests are negative

Our doctor’s appointment went well this afternoon. We found out the results of the Cystic Fibrosis test + blood work that was done on Monday at Children’s Hospital. The CF test came back negative, which we are thankful for. The blood work was in the normal range, so the doctor wasn’t worried about that either. It is now concluded that Liam is just small and gains weight slowly. I think he has his daddy to thank for that! Liam has gained 7 ounces since last week, so we are thrilled about that. We’ll keep offering yummy food and anticipate him being a healthy little toddler. Thank you for your love, support, and prayers through these last few weeks. We appreciate you!

Liam’s sickness and the power of social networking

Two interesting parts of my life coincided this week: illness and online social networking.

I’m notorious for trying out new internet-based services and web sites. Jott.com takes voice notes from my phone and either schedules appointments with my Google calendar or adds them to my to-do list at rememberthemilk.com. Recently, I linked my account at twitter.com with my profile on the social networking site facebook.com. When I tweet (update my current activities on Twitter in 140 characters or less), a widget on my blog updates, my account at pownce.com updates, and my facebook status updates, as well.

I used to wonder if all this interconnected geekiness held any utility. After all, most of my posts are pretty mundane, to wit:

Today I stopped wondering about the utility because of this post:

Since posting that tweet, I’ve been contacted by three different people to ask how Liam is doing. A family member wrote an e-mail because she saw the news on the blog. A friend sent a text message because he caught the news on twitter. And another friend stopped by our house because she saw my status on Facebook.

This online social network that is usually just a toy now means something; it’s extended the awareness of my friends and allowed me to share the smaller news in my life with people I care about but don’t usually get to see face-to-face. These aren’t some random online friends from a chat room somewhere; they are my real-life friends and family with whom I connect via the increasingly digital fabric of our everyday lives. I may not sit down to coffee with them every day, but we share over HTML tables instead of cafe tables and via Javascript instead of the black caffeinated stuff.

So I challenge you, Shinnfans, to live the digital life with intentionality. Take advantage of ever-easier online social tools and use the opportunity to be transparent and share from your life-stream. Whether you need to e-mail someone an encouraging note or you link with me at twitter.com and sharing your small daily news, be real, caring and Christ-like about it.

And as for Liam, I wish I could report better news. He’s a pretty sick little boy right now, and it’s hard on all of us. But I guarantee that when I have better news to report, you’ll see it in one of my data feeds!

Liam is 15 months old!

We are so proud of our little 15 month old!  I’d like to take just a moment to catalog all he is able to do.

Liam is getting more and more mobile on his two feet.  These days, he might be found walking from the kitchen into the dining room to find Maggie or his truck.  He still walks on his knees, but he’s gaining the confidence he needs to take off on two feet and walk!  Because he can’t quite reach the floor as he’s riding his truck, he will propel himself using one leg.  The other leg is tucked up under him bum on the seat of the truck.  What a sight!

He is a climber!  He tries to climb a lot of objects, but especially likes Maggie.  He likes to climb on Maggie when she’s laying down.  Usually she is pretty patient with him and will let him climb up and over her.  I’m thankful she is so good with him.

Language, Language, Language… Liam has been learning sign language since before he turned one.  We got a little discouraged because he wasn’t responding with signs as we continued to use them.  He’s using them now and we need to learn more so we can continue to build his vocabulary.  He knows: Please, Thank You, dog, more, eat, and all done.  He waves for Hi and Bye and also blows kisses.  He uses the sound /bo/ for bath and bottle.  When he signs, “Thank You,” he also makes a distinct sound.  He can say “apple” and understands a few phrases.  The chicky says /bok/.  “Put it in your mouth, Liam,” and “Put your head down,” both solicit the correct behaviors.  He understands what a truck is and will go to it if asked to.

Liam likes to do a lot of things, but here are just a few that rise to the top of his list.  He fancies the kitchen cupboard and any drawer he can get open to empty its contents.  Putting objects in containers can occupy him for quite a long time!  He is always a happy camper outside.  If he’s fussing and is brought outside, the crying stops.  It’s amazing, and I’m sure we will have a lot of fun outside this spring and summer.  He likes to play in Maggie’s bowl (water and food) and is willing to help clean up when asked.

Liam is not huge eater, but he will eat almost anything if it is combined with apples.  For example: apples and sweet potatoes, apples and pear, apples with chicken, apples with yogurt.  We will continue to find combinations!  If you’d like to pass along your apple combination, please do!

We are so amazed at how much growth happens in such a short amount of time!

Liam pictures as requested by Mare

Most of these are from this past weekend’s trip to Lodi, but a few (including the first three pictures every taken by Liam!) are also present.  Enjoy!