It has been a lot of fun watching Misha lately. He has started to pick things up which we have been working on forever. He is progressing simultaneously in fine and gross motor skills, as well as his speech.

• Misha has developed enough muscle mass that he has started climbing. He crawls up and down the couches, beds, and chairs. At the park, he has started climbing the chain ladders other climbing bits. Of course, most of the time I am standing behind him guiding or helping. But he is doing it and has the courage to try. And that is something.
• After months and months of working with him, he started to sign "Mama" and "Papa" with his fingers extended. He is finally trying to sign "juice". Signing Time is doing wonders with his signs. He has picked up "wind", "leaf", "silly", etc.
  
• He is still trying new words/sounds verbally. One of the people from Kids on the Move was here today and said to try to give him motivation and reinforcement to says words and sounds. He tries sometimes, but still falls back on "up" or laughs when he thinks its too hard.

School is out and that will give Ira more time with the kids...until Kolya is born. She has grand plans for a summer learning program with them...all in Russian, of course. We'll see how things go with a newborn in the house....which will be any time now. Dr. Glenn says Kolya has engaged (lowered), and Ira is at 2cm and 60% effaced. I expect a panicked call at work.