And the river rises....

The rain just keeps coming and coming and coming. This fall has been a great deal different from last for us. We had very little rain last fall/winter until the last couple of months but this year it has arrived early and with a vengeance. We received 4.85 inches of rain in just 4 days and there is more on the way tonight. The Rogue River (the one we live on) rose 9.4 feet and the flood level is 10 (if I have the numbers correct). Needless to say, the bottom third of our backyard was under water and we thought it may move up to the next third. Many a full size tree floated by the house heading toward the ocean. It was quite amazing actually. The river receeded overnight to almost its normal level but is likely to rise again but hopefully not as much. Mom just to give you a reference, Robin and Al's firepit was completely submerged and their irrigation hose is headed out to sea as well.

Michael is doing great!!! He is becoming more agile with his walking and basic balance. He is still prone to lead with his head when he falls and has many a bruise on his face but he is taking it all in "stride". As with all boys, he loves to run naked through the house after his bath or any chance he gets.

 

Buns of steel, I tell you!!!

 

Michael is also starting to work on his verbal skills and his sign language skills. He uses sign language for some of his most basic needs - milk, water, more, help, all done and thank you. For some reason he prefers to sign "cat" than say the word or sound it would make. Some of his words are ball, gurl (girl), tacktur (tractor), gog (dog), daa daa (Daddy - still NO Mommy or any version there of), aw dunn (all done along with the sign). The list is increasing almost daily. He is also working on his counting skills. We count to 10 and he gets some of the numbers himself and is so proud of himself when he reaches 10.

 

 

We hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving. We spent 3 days camping at our friends, Ron and Joyce, house along with Ron's dad, Joyce's son's family and our friends Virginia and Dave. We had a great time and Michael enjoyed all of the animals - chickens, horses (or "Neigh" as he calls them), dogs, and kittens.

 

 

 

It might be time for us to consider getting a dog

 

 

Dressed in someone's clothes to take a wagon ride. Really, I don't know who's clothes they are.