Some Things that Make Zoya Special

Zoya is special, no doubt about it. Her little personality is really developing and I love watching it! There are so many things that make Zoya special, but here are a few:

1. She makes up very accurate signs for familiar people in her life based on their attributes. She picks up on little things others don't notice about some people. For example, she points to her head and says "Bub" for my brother (who is bald) hehe. She points to her mouth for Aunt Jennifer who is always chewing gum. Her sign for her physical therapist is snapping her fingers because she always dances with her. Her sign for Grandpa P. is pointing to her upper lip because he has a mustache. Her sign for one of her doctors is touching her ear because that doctor always has a pen behind her ear. For her speech therapist, she pats her chest and says "mah" because her speech therapist is always trying to get her to say "me," "mine," or "my." I get so excited when she "names" friends and family with their very own special sign. I think she's so creative!

2. Zoya notices every little subtle difference or change about people. For example, I parted my hair a little further over than usual one day and had some wispy pieces in my face...immediately Zoya reached up and played with them giggling and then brushing them out of my face. If I have my hair in a pony tail, Zoya pulls her hair back and smiles. The minute I take out my contacts and put my glasses on she signs "glasses." If I paint my toenails she notices. If I wear a new necklace or earrings she notices.

3. Zoya appreciates little routines that we don't really notice are actually routines.  I have really sensitive eyes so most of the time when driving I wear sunglasses. When we get in the car, if I don't put my sunglasses on (because its really cloudy or something) Zoya reminds me by signing "glasses." When I put them on she signs "thank you." When Shawn gets home from work he always takes off his tie and lays it on the back of the couch. If he doesn't take it off right away she signs for him to take it off and she puts it on the back of the couch herself! When I get out of the shower Zoya remembers to hand me my towel and then goes toward my bottle of lotion because she knows that's the first thing I do after I shower. Every night at dinner we close the kitchen curtains, if we forget Zoya signs "close." She also pushes them open in the morning if we forget. When we get in the car if the radio is turned off she signs "music" because we seriously canNOT be in the car without music!  Every time the music stops and the radio ads start and nobody else notices the music has stopped, Zoya insists we turn the station to one that is playing music....and she signs thank you.

4. Zoya ALWAYS remembers to feed the dog...she knows when she eats breakfast and dinner, the dog should get fed too. I'm pretty sure Mya appreciates not being forgotten about anymore :)

5. She watches everyone so closely and observes every single thing in her surroundings. She can take in 10 different things going on at one time. She is so aware of everything around her. She points out things I forget to notice, like the flowers in Subway today and the pretty paintings on the walls in doctor's offices. She notices people walking dogs through the car window. She doesn't miss anyone who is bald, chewing gum, or who has glasses. She points out tiny piles of snow when it seems all but that one little pile has melted. Talk about stopping to smell the roses...this girl takes it all in!

This girl LOVES cleaning!!!

(When I took the duster away from her, she found Shawn's hat and started using THAT to dust! ha!)

Zoya loves this little game she plays with Daddy....she asks him to put her on his back, Shawn pretends he can't get her high enough and bounces her all around, then she wants to get down, then do it all over again!

This is how she asks to get on his shoulders...by pointing at his back...

Then Shawn says, "you want to get on my back?" And she giggles like this and says "yah-yah-yah"

Success!!! Oh so funny!

Zoya's first sip of some bubbly "pop" as we call it here in the Northeast!

"Uuummm, what the heck was that?....My nose feels funny"

"OHmyGOSH what IS that stuff? The bubbles make me feel so funny!"