Super Strides in His Seventeenth Month!

This 17th month of Liam's life has been INCREDIBLE.  Never before has he made such incredible strides, both literally (with him now walking) and figuratively (with him learning and wanting to learn so much).

Every day, he asks me the names of things by pointing to objects and waiting until I say the object's name.  He is learning to speak by naming objects with their beginning sounds.  He continues to use the adult potty, although he still uses diapers, too.  He now genuflects (at least with a little bow) when we walk past the center aisle at mass.  And yesterday during Adoration, he actually slid off my lap in order to KNEEL on the floor before the Blessed Sacrament!  His progress is amazing!

Every night before bed, I am excitedly making new picture cards for our Liam Lessons Library.  Michael just told me that I can go out and buy a laminating machine for our home!  And, every night before bed, I plan one simple lesson for Liam.  I write it down in a special little book, so that I can remember the date and reflect on how he did with it.  For most days, we just focus on an educational goal.  But there's also room for behavior lessons, which are equally important.

This morning, I was planning to teach Liam his first color, and I figured that we'd start with blue.  I chose blue instead of the popular first (red) since I am a carrier for a color-blind gene (affecting males only), and we're not sure yet if Liam can see reds and greens.  My maternal grandfather couldn't, so I wondered.

But, as I was preparing steel cut oatmeal this morning for both of us, Liam was already doing the thinking.  Unprompted and unbeknownst to me, he was gathering up a collection of red toys and putting them all together on the couch.  In the pile was his beloved stuffed Elmo, a red firetruck, and a red plastic lid from a toy container.

I walked into the living room and gasped.   "Liam, you know the color red!"  I exclaimed with amazement.  And then I ran to the Liam Lessons Library to retrieve the red card, where I held it beside each item of his collection and celebrated that each contained that beautiful hue.

Can you believe it?  Thank you, Jesus, for blessing Liam with a growing, beautiful brain!

This Monday we begin a "Mommy and Me"-style swim class at our local recreation center.  This weekend I'd better shave my legs and find his swimming trunks!  Here's to keeping safe and fostering a love of the water!