Multimedia
August 30, 2007
Okay, now that I think we've got everything working with the new design, and now that my designer is off to Ecuador, thus fleeing the country and my emails, let me see if I can completely blow it the fuck up by posting a video window that will probably be too wide for the margins. Come on, it'll be fun!
It seems like people are still questioning the proper pronunciation of "Amalah." AIM-a-la. Like how you pronounce Amy? AIM-ee? Oh, whatever, here's me having a conversation with my dog about it.
AIM-a-la from amalah and Vimeo.
I probably should have enunciated Ceiba's name a little better too, now that I think about it. Her name is SAY-bah. Again, whatever, I don't even correct our vet anymore.
Just be happy I didn't name my kid D'Artagnaienalyah or something. Because you know it was on our short list.
Speaking of Noah, hey! Remember that time we qualified for free speech therapy? Our first session is on Tuesday morning.
He's made some progress in the past few weeks, although nothing to suggest that a true language explosion is right around the corner -- he's still gaining language right in step with a five- or six-month delay, but progress is progress, and I'm extremely confident that he's going to respond really well to the therapy. Plus, it's like free babysitting. I plan to paint my toenails.
We scored a gigantic set of Signing Time DVDs this week. My expectations were...not very high, since I've been faithfully signing (More! Milk! Eat! All done! Cookie! Cracker! WTF!) with Noah for over a month now and he's shown the same level of interest as back when I tried the infant signing with him. Which to say, zero. Mom, you're so lame.
But we started watching them about two days ago, and Noah...well, he likes them, but he likes pretty much everything on the glowing teevee box, especially since we've drastically limited his intake of Dora and Blue.
Well, let's not get CRAZY here. We do need to be good playdate hosts, now.
He wanders in and out of the room, which is fine, since I prefer that to the enthralled, slack-jawed video stare (see, uh, above), but I doubted he was actually taking any of the signs in, especially since he continued to pointedly ignore my clumsy attempts to sign along.
This morning he finished his milk and cereal and then, without a moment's hesitation, he said "eat" for the very first time while making the sign for "more."
Uh. Holy crap.
Baby Einstein? You just got PWN3D.
I'm clapping in sign language for Noah!!
And, boy does he make my ovaries hurt. SO freaking cute!
Yay! That's fantastic news!
Way to go Noah!
Woot!
Rock on, little buddy!
I'm sitting here thrilled! For someone else's kid! Who I have never met!
The internet is so weird. Slash awesome.
Way to go, Noah.
Way to go Noah!
PS We have those surfer jammies, too!
My 4-year old son is the same way when it comes to teeeeeveeeee (STILL - guess who does not contemplate going to a movie theatre until he enters college). He will watch it for a while and start wandering away looking for something more engaging.
He is starting to get interested in computer games, though. Be afraid.
Go Noah! Man, he is so frickin' cute. Love the 'Signing Time' videos.
Yay, Noah! He's practically bilingual.
Amy, the small glimpse of your living room reminded me of something I've been hoping you'd do for awhile...Would you consider giving us a full tour of your house now that you have swanky new hardwood floors? I've had house envy since you moved and with the new floors...drool. I get almost inappropriately excited about dark and shiny hardwood floors.
I love the Signing Time videos.
I am a big dork.
Signing Time is amazing. It made such a difference for us. I can't say enough good things about it.
Congrats. Yay Noah!
Go Noah!
Thank you for the evidence that I'm not the only one who converses with dogs :-)
WOO-HOO, Noah!!! Dude! You signed and said a new word that went with it! You ROCK!
You were right about the video... clicking into your links keeps the video embedded on the screen... :-)
Noah is so awesome.
Woohoo! Go Noah! That's just so freakin awesome and I'm proud of him in my weird internet stranger way. And GAWD could he be any cuter?!
Second, (in complete opposite order to the entry, of course) I confess that even though I know that it's Aim-alah...I still say Ahm-alah...I think mostly because that's how I first thought of it and it's hard to relearn like three years worth of habit :-P
I clearly heard Noah in the background calling out, "Saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay, bitches!"
That is awesome! I'm telling you, Signing Time is an absolute God Send!
I need to learn the sign for WTF ASAP.
Do I spy Sweetney offspring in that adorable photo??
You and I have the same TV. I hope you didn't get screwed at Circuit City buying it.
Just me then?
I think Noah's going to blow us all away. Just look at him. So special.
And, uh...Yay!! The little cherry is back!
i just ran upstairs (at work) to tell my best friend (who reads, but never comments) "OMG, NOAH SAID EAT."
sometimes i wonder if you think it's weird, that so many people you'll probably never meet are so taken with your child. but then i think...what could be wrong about having more love in the world?
and, noah?
is loved.
but you know that already.
Congrats, Amy! That's great about the Signing Times videos. We have the "My Baby Can Talk" series and he loved them. We have to go in for his speech evaluation and it's not until Sept. 25. Fingers crossed for free therapy where they come to our house!
That is wonderful...we have been rooting for him. and you.
DOes he shove you out of the way if you step in front of the tv? cause OMIGOD do not even THINK about getting in front of Violet if Handy Manny is on...
I don't know how you keep from eating him -
Nothing cuter that a baby signing of his own accord. Way to go, Noah!
And yeah, the pronounciation of your name does come as a surprise. I always called you "Ah-mah-lah" in my head.
But, then again, look who's talking. Guy told me he fielded a telemarketer call the other day where the person was trying to pronounce my name and failing miserably. He said he asked them "Are you OK?" Joker. LOL
WWWEEEEEEeeeeee! Noah! That's great news!
He makes my ovaries ache too. He's soooo stinkin' adorable!
I always pronounced your site Ah-mah-la.. thanks for straightening my out... though, I don't know if I'll ever get it out of my head. LOL
I have watched the video 3 times and every time it sounds like Noah is repeating you at saying "Amalah".
Baby Einstein? Whatever. Noah? Rocks this blog!
That's great about the signing! It's sinking in!
I love Ceiba's poor put-upon-pet expression & doggie sigh...as if to say, "Please, lady. Just wanna nap."
Funny shirt...
http://pureboyclothes.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PBC&Product_Code=HONS06EINt&Category_Code=TDTP
My grandmother calls me Amalah.
Way to go, Noah!
yeah for Noah signing!!!
Way to go Noah! Could he BE any cuter? Really?
Do you remember Chris O'Donnell's character in "The Three Muskateers" whose name was D'Artagnan?
No? Just me? Awesome.
(That's what your "D'Artagnaienalyah" reminded me of.)
"Go home. Find a wench, raise fat babies, live a good long life." Oh, how I love Oliver Platt.
Bossy was always afraid of that striped-shirt guy from that there TV show (can you tell it's been a while since Bossy had young toddlers?)
Is it wrong that I think of Ceiba as Ceibalah? And Jason as Jasonalah? And yes, even Noah sometimes as Noalah?
Yes, it probably is. Sorry about that.
Oh fer the scrumptious cuteness. And, FWIW, speaking as a proud product of MoCo speech therapy, they do a good job, Noahlah's going to have a great time.
Oh, and the RSS-clicky-thingy scrolls under the video :-( I feel dereft of pop cultural goodness.
I love Signing Time! Uh, and I'm 33. Because he's usually watching TV over my shoulder, I tried pop-quizzing my boyfriend last night.
"What's this?!" (making the sign for "cloud").
"Uh...breasts?"
Aim-ah-lah.
got it now. I think.
duuuurrrrrrrrr, Aim, Aim, Aim. Will have to keep reminding myself.
Ceiba is easy, Rhymes with Leila, my eldest daughter's name.
Now, please tell me how to pronounce "Max"
;)
this might just be the best video ever. i love that you felt like you needed to clear the amalah air :)
Not to put too fine a point on it, but the sidebar links work just fine with the video in Firefox. The floaty problem is only in IE.
Heh.
(http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/)
(GET FIREFOX ALREADY! FREE! EASY! BETTER!)
Poor Max, forgotten again, hehe
I miss you lovely, special, signing people.
ummm, you rock. Also, I totally know someone who name their kid D'Artagnien...seriously.
Yay for the pronunciation video! Thanks! It's always been the last part that I couldn't figure out. The "aim" part was easy enough, it was the "uh" "la" part on the end that stumped me. Now, I'm up to speed. Am no longer a remedial Amalah reader.
Want Firefox (FREE! EASY! BETTER!).
But jackbooted IT thugs at work say NO NO NO! YOU MUST USE IE SO WE CAN KEEP DRAWING HUGE SALARIES AND LAUGHING AT YOU AND YOUR STUPD PETTY COMPUTING ISSUES! BWAH HA HA HA HA! PASS THE MOUNTAIN DEW, SUCKA!
Noah? Teh awesum!
I'm jealous of your playdate! There's nothing like good times with good mom friends. Some of my neighborhood girlfriends are coming over tonight and bringing nachos and margaritas because my precious little son is starting KINDERGARTEN tomorrow. It goes by soooo fast! Before you know it, Noah will be talking so much you'll wish he was quiet for just one moment!
Fun fun new site! squee!
Seriously, the second cutest Noah in the world (next to mine of course).
And yeah for EAT and MORE! I bet it will really start moving along quickly now.
Kid #1 in our house signed the heck out the place. Had hundreds of signs, seriously. she had speech issues, so it turned out to be a really good call on our part. I'd show her a sign a couple times, she do it and it was all good.
Kid #2 is 16 months and signs also. I know she has lots and lots of signs, but she won't always use them...unless I make her. She's extremely independant and tends to want things her way (understatment), so while she knows the sign for "more" she's lazy and knows she'll get what she wants if she just signs "please". If I really want her to use a sign I have to be pretty persistant in doing it and often taking her hands and making the sign w/them before I let her have whatever she wants.
The reason I'm writing you this novel is my thought that maybe Noah has foudn that he doesn't have to use his signs so much cause you get his point w/out them. If you push the issue you may find he's got a lot more of them then you'd think. Or I could be full of shite.
Yeah for EAT!!!