The End and the Beginning

Wow today marks the end of 2009 and the beginning of 2010.
The end of the previous decade and the beginning of the new.

I certainly hope I've not taken for granted all that I've been blessed with this decade. Shelter, food, employment, friendship, relationships, monkeypants those all come to mind.

for the next decade, I get to see my child grow, by the end of the decade he'll be riding bikes around the block, sleep overs and hopefully girls will still be gross to him. By the end of the decade. I hope to have done the best I could always as a Dad to him, and as a partner to Diana. I'm not gonna make any resolutions. Just abide by the good news, and strive to do my best everyday for the next 3650 days. I made a video recently looking back at 2009,  many of you have seen it on Facebook but perhaps not all.


I wish each and everyone of my readers and blogger friends the most blessed and happy New Decade...

Joey

So you think you can sign?

So you swear your kid is a prodigy, 6 month old and the little monkey is babbling that sounds like a goose with a mouthful of peanut butter..

I'm excited to see how Hayden turns out in his early language development. You see when we talk with him, 95 Percent of the time (I forget occasionally) we use both American Sign Language (ASL) and spoken english,  We react to his babbling and/or hand movements accordingly.

I can say at 6+ month I'm positive he understands quiet a bit of what we're saying, and when he babbles he's holding out his arms and fingers moving as if signing (so cute!)

ASL and Babies, is so fascinating to me not only because of my own obvious "UNBIASED" opinion (hello I'm Deaf) Teaching ASL to babies blossomed into mainstream in about 2001 with the book Baby Sign and at the time I worked in a bookstore. Weekly I would have customers come in and ask me to show them where to find the subject. I often would reply back in English and ASL, much to their surprise...

Parents. I have seen the positives, there are no negitives, teach your babies the basics of ASL (milk, mama dada, etc) and the benefits are endless!

Merry Christmas,

Being a new Dad has it perks, the first year especially is so exciting going through all the holidays. Hayden was born in June so it means at thanksgiving he was nearly five month old. new Christmas, he's 6 month, the perfect time if you ask me. Every time we pass our christmas tree his eyes are just filled with wonder and fasciniation.

It's a blessing to see him grow and his world expand through it all. We're also lucky to have so much family with us this holidays (most of the time). Christmas with my family has always been a big hoopla. I love it still and so happy with the ornaments that Diana and I created..

Today will be a bit nuts. Tomorrow more so, but remember the true meanings behind Christmas, first and most importantly the celebration of Jesus Christ's birth. Hope for peace on earth, and family together.

Every so often we consider those who struggle, how often do you go to a mall and you see Santa with a child on his lap? Have you ever considered if a child was Deaf, how would this child ask Santa what they wanted for Christmas?  That's why I love these people in this video soo much.. I'm introducing a new segment

PERSON OF THE MONTH

Keith Wann (CODA)

  Keith Wann Congradulations you are my very first POTM for Decemember, through your unselfishness and committment to the needs and rights of our children !

you can learn more about Keith Wann here
http://www.keithwann.com/

Merry Christmas everyone!

Parenting

During the course of this blog, as I shape and mold the topics I want to write about. One clear topic that clearly has formed in my head is parenting. I know I may be new on the whole subject being the proud Papa of a 6 month old. So I will not go in depth about it or in any way criticize people's parenting skills. I certainly would not want to be on the other end of criticism. To start off this topic. I feel it is best to pay homage to the parents who have created who I am today. I grew up in a small town, values were the norm and my parents were excellent with them. My dad worked for UPS until his retirement. He currently still works part time as a van driver for a hospital. my Mom a former secretary and eventual housewife/craftaholic was active in our special needs system. Hell in my opinion she pretty much built the special needs system from the ground up. I still think my greatest advocate and teacher of advocacy is my mother.

My dad taught me that hard work, even if its not always what you want to do is vital, his bosses rode him constantly how to do this and that in terms of efficiency. Though he always took the time to properly care for his customers and often and christmas we "reaped" the rewards in form of gift baskets and cookies.

By far the single greatest value my parents taught us? On most given nights we will all come home from our respective whereabouts and sit around the dinner table and enjoy a meal that my mom would cook. We would have real conversations and they would listen and occasionally dispense with advice, warranted or not.
I feel today we have a lack of "Listening", We as families need to sit around a table for 30 minutes enjoy a meal and just listen. I know we don't live in a Brady bunch era, hell even the Simpson sat around the table from time to time. Perhaps if we started to act more like the Simpson our children will start opening themselves up. I hope that when I'm in my retirement and Diana and I enjoy visiting our children and grandchildren they will have absorbed the same values that my parents have passed on to me.

                                                                                                      Sedona Arizona 2009
For my parents who I love with all my heart
Thank you!

Teamwork

Woke up at 6 am this morning, 10 minutes ahead of the game (e.g.) Hayden. I'm getting good at this. While I still have my middle of the nite moments where I stumble out of bed, Hayden is the second best thing to happen to me. The first? why his mother of course!

Ah Diana, with you as someone said recently "we make a good team" even though you may be rooting for the Diamondbacks and I my beloved Soxs. For all those "middle of the nite stub my toe on the bed mutter a few choice word happenings" We always took turns there after allowing us some precious sleep to maintain our sanity. We do make a good team.

Now for further proof in concept. have you ever tried to change a diaper while simultaneously suctioning out the slimy contents of a child's runny nose? Teamwork! Have you ever, at Walmart loaded all the groceries while keeping the screeching monkey entertained longer enough to make it to the car without the stares of parents who think we must be torturing the kid? Chalk one up for teamwork!

Not that Hayden by any means is difficult. Time and time again we've been told "He's such an easy baby!, Oh he's so good always smiling". Our secret? Teamwork! We don't let him sit around
Long enough to get into his own devious self. Truth be told we love our little monkey pants with all our hearts. We put our collective efforts into making sure he's fed, happy and healthy. We make sure we as parents, our own needs and wants are met too.A date nite out or be it some time with my homeboys are a local brewpub or a ladies nite for her. These are all important parts of parenting that I feel is all to often overlooked. Thank you Dr Bill Cosby for showing me some of your secrets.

Now when the Red Sox and the Diamondbacks play each other in the world serious, Diana and I will figure it out then ;)

First

Well, Once again another piece of technology I have assimiated. Another thing to take me away from my priorities? Perhaps, but I promise to post in moderation. Consider this first post my letter of intent.

To Whom It may concern:

1. I promise not to bore you with ill-conceived postings
2. I promise not to rant or rave, though I can be opinionated in my own rights
   
3. I promise only really stinking cute pictures of Hayden will be posted!
4. I promise to post often to appease my follows but not so much it takes away from my family

That being said, Future posts shall Abide by those commandments