S.T.O.P

This is a pretty selfish blog site. I honestly don’t write blogs because people read them. If that was the case, I would be pretty disappointed because only 2 or 3 people read my blogs. Plus, I am a blog reader and so I readily realize that mine is lacking in photo quality and writing. I blog because I want to remember. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that life passes too quickly and human memory is weak. I want to treasure Jairus growing up. So really, this is just a public journal.

Anyway – tonight’s blog is really something that I want to remember. It isn’t very unique, cute or funny. Sorry Mom.

Right now I just want to remember that “Stop” is the first word that Jairus can “read.” Now I know that “reading” is actually hard to identify. But, stop is the first word he has been able to identify on his own and in multiple situations. He has noticed it on stop signs for quite awhile. But a couple times in the last week and again just this afternoon, we have been behind a school bus on our drive home from school. On three different occasions, without being prompted by me because I was just in my own little world driving home, Jairus said “the bus says Stop.” Sure enough, on the back door is the word "stop." Not in a red octagon either. But what really convinced me that Jairus can “read” or sight recognize the word “stop” was last night walking into Chick-fil-a. We had to cross the end of the drive-thru lane to enter the restaurant. Joe was carrying Jairus to save us time. As soon as we got on the sidewalk Jairus pointed back down and said “that says ‘stop.’” Yes sir, painted in yellow on the lane is the word “stop.” I promise, we had never pointed that out to Jairus before. Both Joe and I were impressed. So, in my mind and now forever in my memory (thanks to this blog) Jairus’ first reading word is “stop.”

Now, Jairus can of course recognize his own name and has been able to do so for a long time. He started spelling his own name last summer (09). I didn’t think that really counted as a first word. Just for the record. :)