Wednesday's Wacky Words - Creating Her Own Words

On our way home from a Praise Team meeting at my church last Thursday night, Brielle asked me a question.

"What does 'leg' (she tapped her leg with an "L" to sign 'leg') and 'end' (she swiped one hand in a fist across the other to sign 'end') mean?"

My mind raced. Leg. End. What could she mean? Her toes? A pirate's stumpy leg?

I asked her how she knew that word. She told me something about the title of an episode of "Scooby Doo".

Then it hit me.

Leg-end = legend.

I couldn't help but to chuckle at her creative way to ask about a word she didn't know the sign for. She laughed along with me, not really knowing why we were laughing.

I explained that it meant an "old story" and then looked up the sign for "legend' in our sign language dictionary when we got home.

This isn't the first time she had been creative in her communication. But, this was one that really tickled my funny bone.

Wednesday's Wacky Words - What's in a Name?

Brielle with her new baby doll!

For her birthday last week, Brielle received a new baby doll. (Yes, Brielle is 17, but she still loves her doll.) Her previous doll was looking a little scary/creepy with one of her sleepy eyes always down plus missing eyelashes and paint on the lid. So, it was time for a new one!

So, how to name a doll?

With Brielle signing, it's always helpful to have a name that actually has a sign for it. Her first doll's name was "Lily" (it was looking poorly so she had to be replaced about five years ago) and her second one (the one that most recently had to be replaced) was named "Daisy". We adapted the sign for "flower" for both doll's names and just used an "L" for "Lily" and a "D" for "Daisy".

So, what's the new doll's name?

I asked my friends on Facebook for suggestions. The doll had a fish embroidered on it's little shirt, so that was the first point of inspiration. Plus, we seemed to have a flower theme going as well (Ashley's most loved doll's name was "Rosie").

Here's some of the suggestions we got:
- Ariel
- Violet
- Bella
- Dory
- Cora
- Angel
- Mona
- Bailey
- Mermaid
- Rose
- Mollie
- Nemo
- Sweeite Pie

I kinda liked "Violet" and "Angel" the best (and we could do signs easily for either one), so I gave Brielle the choice. She enthusiastically chose "Angel"! What a perfect name! And an easy sign to go along with it!

Thanks to all of my Facebook friends who made suggestions!

Wednesday's Wacky Words - Our Little Tattle Tale

Brielle is so eager to communicate. So much so that she tells ALL.

This past weekend, I went on a scrapbook retreat with friends. I left Thursday afternoon and didn't return until late Sunday afternoon.  While Brian was at work during the day, our favorite sitter, Jessie, stayed with Brielle. I heard ALL about their time together:
- Jessie has a blue and green computer (that is also very cool - in Brielle's opinion)


Jessie and Brielle
May 2012

- They chatted back and forth on Facebook even though they were in the house together
- Jessie knocked on the door Friday morning and our dog, Cooper, barked loudly
- Jessie had coffee Friday morning
- They played Wii bowling and Brielle had two strikes
- Jessie helped her fix donuts for breakfast Friday morning

Brian had two full days alone with Brielle plus two other evenings. And I heard ALL about their time together, too:
- They went to a basketball game Friday night and they saw girls play and then the boys
- She told which direction they went to get there
- There were two cops at the basketball game
- They tried to go to our favorite little pretzel shop but it had closed (and Dad said the lady must have gone home -- which she followed by telling me "oh nuts")
- They went to a "watch fit it place" (a battery store, but she didn't know the sign for "battery")


Yay! Waffle House!

- They went to Waffle House for dinner (Brielle's absolute FAVORITE place -- ha, ha) and she had two waffles 
- They saw a dead deer by the side of the road, Dad told her it probably got hit by a car and that was "so sad".
- Brielle got to "sleepover" with Dad Saturday night and it was like when I let her "sleepover" with me
- They watched old home videos at their sleepover and she wore a pretty dress in one of them (Brian told me she was probably talking about the Easter 1998 video they watched)
- She ate bar-b-que popcorn in bed (I know, sounds like a weird food, but it's not bad!)

Sleepover with Dad :)

- Our dog, Cooper, jumped up on the bed and tried to steal some popcorn from her (his favorite food is popcorn, no matter what kind - crazy dog) 

Brielle was total chatter box when I got home and I heard many funny details about her weekend (more than I shared here). What a little tattle tale! At least now, when I tell her something is a secret (especially around Christmas or birthdays), she can keep quiet. But, look out... if you don't tell her it's a secret, she's a total blabber mouth!

Wednesday's Wacky Words - Chatting (With Herself!)

Brielle wants a cell phone SO much. She even knows which kind (an iPhone) and which color case she wnts (a pink one!). Unfortunately, we have little confidence that she won't become a pest and text people too much. One reason we worry is because she has these little "chat sessions" on her iPod. She creates these long chats with people she knows.......



"Chatting" with her big sister

"Chatting" with her babysitter

 

"Chatting" with her grandma

.....and even with a people she doesn't really know!

"Chatting" with Matt
(a character on "Victorious")
 

Although this is great writing practice, it's just more evidence that she might not know "proper etiquette" for texting friends and family. So, for now, no cell phone for a few more years. :(

But, isn't that wacky the way she does it??? :)

Wednesday's Wacky Words - Myself!

In the past few weeks, as I've been working with Brielle on doing more for herself and helping more around the house, there is one word that keeps coming up again and again.

MYSELF!

She's been signing this a lot lately and I love it! Good for you, Brielle!  :)

Wednesday's Wacky Words - Interjections!

Remember that Schoolhouse Rock episode called "Interjections"? It's one of my favorite episodes and brings back a lot of childhood memories of watching Saturday morning cartoons.

 

Brielle's use of interjections is always funny. Although there are signs for  "hey", "awesome" and "wow", there are no signs for most of them, so Brielle spells them out.

Her favorites are "Y-I-K-E-S", "A-W-W" and "U-H O-H". But, one of the funniest interjections she uses is "U-G-H" which she usually follows up by smacking her forehead. Even funnier is after smacking her head, she sometimes signs "O-U-C-H".  A double interjection!

Wednesday's Wacky Words: Beds

Brielle says the darnedest things. Well, she signs the darnedest things. That's what "Wednesday's Wacky Words" is all about -- the funny way she "says" things or the funny way she tries to put signs together to communicate.

A few nights ago, after she had only been in bed a few minutes, Brielle came stumbling out of her room bleary-eyed and a bit tearful.

"My bed is grumpy," she signed to me.

"Huh?" I asked her.

"Come see," she signed to me grabbing my hand to drag me to her room.

"What is she talking about?" I thought to myself. "And what exactly is a 'grumpy bed'?"

"Look," she signed when we got to her room.

Her "grumpy bed" was disheveled, covers going every which way. She wanted me to fix her sheet, blanket and bedspread and make them nice and neat.

So THAT'S what a "grumpy bed" looks like! I guess I hate when my bed is grumpy, too.

Silly Brielle.