Drake uses his potty! He deserves a pony.

Today was a very big day for Mr. Drake Starr. After his bath, but before his pjs, mommy noticed he was especially wriggly. She asked if he needed to go "potty" and he shook his head "yes." Mommy put him on his little potty, and, by george the kid pee'd! Mommy went nuts with praises and happy dance. Drake kinda shrugged it off as if to say, "what's the big deal?" For a few months now, we have had a potty chair out in the bathroom for Drake to sit on when he wants--usually clothed. We didn't make a big deal about it, but told him what it was. He would often sit on it while Jason or I used the big potty. I'm sure we're still a long ways from throwing out the diapers, but it was a major milestone....worthy of a pony in mommy's opinion.

The other big happening of the day is that I found out that the Animal Rescue League has an adorable painted miniature horse for adoption. The little mare was seized from a backyard in Des Moines. I all but have Jason convinced that we should adopt her for Drake. Drake and I went to visit her today and she was wonderful--very docile, smart, calm. She warmed up to Drake right away and preferred him to me or the ARL staff, it seemed. Drake fed her hay and sweet feed and she took it gently from his pudgy 1-year-old hand. That pony needs a boy and my boy needs a pony. Hooves crossed that daddy says, "yes!"

Is silence golden?

Every day Drake discovers something new in our great world and delights in it in a way only a child can. Today I took him down to the brook that runs in the trees along our back property line. He discovered many treasures including a rotten walnut shell, a smooth flat black rock that fit in his palm and a mossy stick that he held against the current in the water.
Physically, Drake has great balance and dexterity. He can run and climb as well as stack nine wooden blocks on top of each other. But, even though he is healthy, smart, sweet and funny, Jason and I can barely wait for him to start talking.
It is evident that he can hear based on his physical responses to our questions and statements. And, he knows and utilizes dozens of signs, but he only has a few words and he uses them sparingly (mom, dad, car, bath, boo). We had read that kids who sign, especially boys, often have delayed speech because they have another form of communication at their disposal. Signing, however, is supposed to put him ahead verbally in the long run. We're looking forward to knowing what our little blondie is thinking...but we suspect when he does start talking there will be times we miss our silent signer.