Mornings with Fidget

Fidget has never been one to sleep even until dawn's first light, but her morning routine has had a few changes recently, and Daddy is mostly to blame. Fidget used to start the day out with a good scream or two - mostly likely irritation that she fell asleep the night before. She has ensured that Daddy doesn't need an alarm clock anymore. Now, Fidget is actually going to bed on her own (more from Mommy on that later), and plays with the aquarium Uncle Wes and Aunt LeAnne got her all those months ago when she first wakes up. After she gets bored with the aquarium, then it's time to let a few minor complaints drift though the hall to the staff in the other room (otherwise known as Mommy & Daddy's room). At that point, Daddy is usually the one to get up and greet Fidget before the sun is even close to edging over the horizon.

The routine following Daddy (or sometimes Mommy) entering the room has changed a lot in the last few months, partly because Fidget has learned to "speak" with her signs. The morning routine now consists of Daddy being greeted with a "HiiiiiI!!!" and several signs in quick succession. The usual combination is "fish", "cat", "milk", and sometimes "stinky" when that's relevant to the situation in the crib. So, what's it all mean?

"Fish" all started back with Kd figuring out that Fidget was not crazy and did in fact know what a fish is. Daddy recalled that some well-intentioned soul at Microsoft had programmed a very realistic aquarium into a Windows screensaver, and without thinking through just how much Fidget LOVES to watch videos on the computer, showed it to her. You would think Fidget's "fish" sign is for a salmon swimming upstream to spawn with the violence of the wiggling (both hands out in front, palms together and "swim"). Sometimes Fidget's whole body "swims". So, Daddy usually has to explain during diaper time after getting out of the crib that the fish are still sleeping - because as Mommy says, God didn't intend for any living thing to be awake at that hour (especially Mommy). Then we get "fish" and "sleep" (hands under one side of the head) and a nod - so she understands - then the fish really wiggle and swim again with a hopeful look of "can't we wake them up Dad?". Maybe in a minute - first...

..."Cat" means, "I need to go pull some hair from that furry four-legged creature, maybe ride him around the living room, and give him some BIG hugs". And, "Milk" means, "I'm hungry and let's go get that sippy cup going - NOW - while I play with the cat". Fidget now helps pick out the color of her sippy cup, and just like a pirate with a gold coin, she checks the empty cup first by biting at the nipple before handing it to Daddy to fill up. Once we're all set with some milk, cat hugs and a fresh diaper, it's back to asking about waking up those darn fish again...