MarshallAndFamily.com

We’ve been using some sign language with Marshall for the past few months. About a week ago he started signing back to us. He does the sign for “diaper change” and “more”. The theory is that children know how to communicate their needs (or wants!) well before they can talk. Marshall knows what he wants and if things don’t go his way, often the end result is that he screams. In this instance, you can see here in the first photo he started to get noisy, as he saw the waffle and he was hungry. 

It wasn’t enough that we were about to hand him a waffle, he wanted it 5 minutes ago. After we asked him if he wanted “more” (with signing), he signed back “more”. 

It got quiet pretty quickly after that. It’s difficult to talk or scream with a mouth full of food.

Christmas morning was dry and sunny. What a welcome relief after days of straight rain. We gathered in front of the fireplace in the living room, pulled down Marshall’s stocking and let him at it. He was quick to focus on the wooden train protruding from the top of the stocking and promptly pulled it out and started playing with it. Forget about the red envelope filled with money, he wanted the train!

Ora and I took advantage of the lack of rain and went for a short walk. I had Marshall in a backpack and we took a brisk walk to try to burn off all of the chocolate, cake, and cookies that we had been eating. Here are some photos that Ora took of Marshall and I in front of our house.

Marshall loves “talking” on the phone. Grandma gave him a great phone for Christmas and he uses it all the time. Ora had finished calling someone and was getting ready to put the phone back in the cradle when Marshall got a hold of it. He occupied himself with it for about 10 minutes, pressing all of the buttons on the key pad. Sure looks like he’s ordering a pizza doesn’t it?!

I was in the other room when I heard Ora and Marc laughing in the kitchen. Marc had picked Marshall up and placed him in his shoes. Marshall thought it was funny at first, laughing and posing for Ora who was behind the camera. Marshall kept standing there until he realized he couldn’t move and then he started to get upset. 

  Here are some photos of Ora and I with the antlers on our heads. Ora came out to visit us for a week. You’ll be seeing more of her in the photos to come.

Perhaps we should send this to the Holy Trinity’s (Gap/Old Navy/Banana Republic) parent company and ask for advertising money. I think Marshall would make a great Baby Gap model – especially wearing those antlers! Ora and I took a trip to the Supermall and they were giving everyone a pair of reindeer antlers at Old Navy. We came home with our purchases and dumped the bags on the floor. Lo and behold, Marshall pulls out the antlers and starts hamming. Time to get out the camera!

  Needless to say I was not going to wear these in the mall (there were LOTS of people walking around with these on their heads) but I sure wore them around the house because they made us laugh.

Boxes rule! They’re in plentiful supply, they entertain, and best of all, they can be anything you want them to be. Marshall used this one as a stove to “cook”. With all the time he spends in the kitchen it will be interesting to see if he has any interest in cooking later on.

Marshall loves boxes more than most of his other toys. Here he is playing around in a box. He likes being scooted around on the floor.

Mom and Jim sent us lots of treats to enjoy over the holidays. Here’s Marshall eating some yummy pumpkin bread.

Marc and Marshall were having fun ripping up a phone book Saturday afternoon. Marc would take a page that Marshall ripped out and wad it up into a ball. Then the shell game would begin. After Marshall got tired (frustrated) with that, they started offering the wad of paper to Bella. She momentarily thought it was something of interest (food?) and quickly found out that it was just crumpled paper.