Bee-otch

So the time has come that Zach has learned one of many words he shouldn't say.  Don't ask me why I thought those little ears wouldn't hear me, but as I'm telling Adam about our experience of having Zach's pictures made and about the lady (Bee-otch, not just plain B*tch) that was taking the pics...Zach decides to listen for once and then repeats the word over and over again.  Then it got interesting.  He started putting it together in a sentence and laughing, as in, "Daddy, you are a Bee-otch!  hahaha!"  hmmm. 

I know as parents first of all I shouldn't have said that word, but second - we shouldn't laugh when he says things like that, but man was it funny.  In my mind, I wasn't thinking about what he was saying, but how he said it.  It was one of the clearest words he's ever said.  On top of that, he used it in a few different sentences and was able to get the sentences correct.  Examples: "You are a bee-otch.", "My Mama said you were a bee-otch." and my personal favorite, "Why are you being a bee-otch?" 

All this from a kid that has been going to speech therapy to help him pronounce words correctly...it seems to be working better than I'd originally thought. 

So far we've put a lid on the word and he knows he isn't supposed to say it again, but you never know when he'll decide to put it to good use in the future.  I'm thinking Walmart or Christmas will be the place he'll decide to use his new word.  Always keeping it interesting at the Leggett Family Christmas! 

Obviously, Zach is doing quite well these days and I couldn't be happier about that.  He helped me make our first ever gingerbread house - you tell me how you think it turned out.

It was pretty until the roof wouldn't stay on since someone kept eating all the icing.

He goes back to Duke on Monday, December 20 for a six month check up.  He'll have lab work, urine tests and a physical.  We've been given a wonderful gift this year - we're far enough out from treatment Zach doesn't have to get a scan this time and doesn't go back to Duke until June 2011.  Merry Christmas to me! 

We're also going to plan on taking toys to Duke that day to make the most of our trip.  The toys Zach's Toy Chest donates are the only toys the Valvano Day Hospital receives.  I am hoping to keep their toy chest stocked again this year.  We'll see! 

Thanks for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers - I truly believe they have gotten us where we are now and will continue to help us in the future.  Merry Christmas!