For the larger set of pictures, click here.
December 30, 2013
Madelyn's First Birthday Party
Madelyn's first birthday party was yesterday. We had our immediate families and a small group of friends over to celebrate with a BBQ chicken lunch. Elsie enjoyed helping Madelyn open the presents. Madelyn is a camera ham.
December 22, 2013
Phonemic Awareness!
Elsie showed her first sign of phonemic awareness today. Driving home from Christmas cookie-ing at a friend's house, we were having one of our usual in-the-car conversations: red lights and green lights. After pointing out a red light, she said (knowing well the answer), "what's a green light say?" To which I replied, "a green light says... gobble, gobble!" In her "mom you're silly" voice she said, "nooooooo." Then, with a more serious, teachery tone said, "but it starts with gobble, gobble."
I used to wonder how potty training would go. What signs of readiness would she show... What system would we use to encourage using the potty... Would she like going on a big-kid potty or would she refuse... but we followed her signs, came up with a system, and figured out potty training.
Like potty training, I think about how learning to read will go. At her age, I (we) do not at all focus on teaching her how to read. However, I do do small things, hoping she will pick up on words... and eventually their sounds. For instance I often use my finger to follow along in the book as I read to her, not always. So today, even though her thoughts were a little backwards, I was surprised when she vocalized that "go" and "gobble" start with the same sound. For all I know, she thinks about this often but does not show any signs of recognizing sounds and their coordinating letters.
Elsie has never been advanced in her verbal skills or vocabulary, so I am sure she is doing something many other kids her age do also; however, it was a proud mommy moment!
(Now, I am wondering, should I focus more on sounds and letters if she is showing readiness and interest? But like potty training, I am not going to "worry" about it and just see what happens.)
Merry Christmas to all, and to all, good reading!
I used to wonder how potty training would go. What signs of readiness would she show... What system would we use to encourage using the potty... Would she like going on a big-kid potty or would she refuse... but we followed her signs, came up with a system, and figured out potty training.
Like potty training, I think about how learning to read will go. At her age, I (we) do not at all focus on teaching her how to read. However, I do do small things, hoping she will pick up on words... and eventually their sounds. For instance I often use my finger to follow along in the book as I read to her, not always. So today, even though her thoughts were a little backwards, I was surprised when she vocalized that "go" and "gobble" start with the same sound. For all I know, she thinks about this often but does not show any signs of recognizing sounds and their coordinating letters.
Elsie has never been advanced in her verbal skills or vocabulary, so I am sure she is doing something many other kids her age do also; however, it was a proud mommy moment!
(Now, I am wondering, should I focus more on sounds and letters if she is showing readiness and interest? But like potty training, I am not going to "worry" about it and just see what happens.)
Merry Christmas to all, and to all, good reading!
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