Alaina's signs and belly pictures

I've wanted to put together an album of baby signs with the other kids, but never got around to it. But this time, I'm finally doing it. So here are some of the signs Alaina uses that I was able to get pictures of:

"Please" (says "eeeese")

"Thank you" (says "tee-too")

"Water" (says "moe-moe" ) The ASL sign for water is three fingers up making a "W" tapping next to the mouth, palm forward. Since I took this picture, Alaina has modified her version to three fingers up tapping her cheek with her palm facing backward. It's so interesting to me how the signs change as kids try to copy just right.

"Cracker" (says "cckka-cckka" with something like a French accent--the "c" sound is kind of garbled in the back of her throat)

"Banana" or "Bread" (she just kind of flops her hands back and forth for both of these words, but when I guess the right one, she rocks back and forth and laughs or nods her head "yes")

"Cheese"

"Food" (says "foo")

"Shoes" (she uses this sign for both socks and shoes even though the signs I use with her aren't even remotely similar)

"More"

"Potty" She usually gets that thumb tucked into her fist more like the ASL sign. She's been doing GREAT about signing to me when she needs to go (pee OR poop!!!). She's even signing BEFORE she goes! But, alas, she won't actually go in the potty. She just wants to tell me about it. But we're getting closer! Yay!

She uses lots of other signs that I don't have pictures of yet, but I'll keep working on it. Raelin used a lot of signs also, but she'd drop them once she could say the word. So the set of signs she was using at any given time was smaller than Alaina's because Alaina uses ALL of her signs ALL the time! She really seems to enjoy trying new signs and seeing me recognize what she wants to talk about!

And here's my huge belly:

I have several friends that are due around the same time as me and they are all TINY! What is the secret, girls? Please share! (Shauna, Briana, Karly...?) I was huge with Alaina too and I was working out regularly, so it must just be how my body carries these days. But it sure does make moving around difficult. I was trying to work on building a bassinet for the baby, but I had to give up! Any of you that know me well know that that's hard for me. It's not uncommon to see me out in my yard wielding a chain saw, so to be foiled by a router-and-hammer project is rather frustrating. Sometimes I think I'd prefer the rib kicking from Raelin's pregnancy. Though I'm sure if I had that, I'd still be complaining about it, wouldn't I. Ah, well, at least it's mostly in the belly and not spreading all over my body (yet). All in all, this has been my best pregnancy and I have fewer complaints and a lot more excitement. It's really mostly just heartburn that's killing me (and I've tried everything!). The belly-in-the-way impediment has only started being a problem in the last two weeks or so and it's just kind of annoying.

And here's a cute hairdo I did for Raelin the other day. She wanted a star in her hair. It turned out really pretty!
When the bangs dried and came down on her forehead, the front looked better than in this picture, but her smiley little face is the point here. She was so happy! I love seeing her happy.