Watch Her Grow...

This Week's Focus: Language and Critical Thinking
 I am removing the "Interactions with Space" section for the foreseeable future as Q-ball is now quite mobile.  Her growth areas now appear to be more cognitive than physical, so I will begin to make note of these changes this week.

Interactions with Materials

Hopefully she is always this adventurous of an eater! I think she really wanted to have the fish's eye!

• The walking wagon is still a favorite.  Now she is more focused on opening the top (it lifts on a hinge) and filling it with what I see as random, found objects.  But, here is one of the areas that I see her critical thinking or planning demonstrated. These objects certainly aren't random for her- she'll be on one side of the room with the wagon, and then her face will light up as she runs to retrieve whatever object she's thought of. 
• The Learning Tower is now one of her favorite reading spots.  She has figured out how to climb up and down the tower on her own, so she often will climb up, rest a book on the counter, and read. 
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Interactions with Others

• Q-ball hasn't been overly friendly with people this week.  Strangers (or people she sees only on occasion...) have been greeted with tears and screams.  But, she eventually kinda warms up to them- as long as they don't get very close.
• In settings with other babies and toddlers, she venturing out a little more, but certainly can strong arm any kid trying to "share" the toy she's using.

Critical Thinking

• I have been mentioning Q-ball's increasing ability to sign.  Now, she is starting to put together two-word phrases with signs (diaper change, more milk/banana/water.)  
• When we are out and about, I can see that she is making connections in her knowledge and working with signs to try to ask me to confirm or deny her ideas. We spent a long time at the fish counter this week while she worked to sign fish and figure out why the fish on ice looked a little different than those in her books.  (And we watched the lobsters, of course!)
• Another interesting connection, while eating ground beef (she's really been eating her meat!) she made the sign for "poop."  As someone who doesn't eat beef, I agree with the visual similarities, but we probably need to fix this before we start random snacking...

Interactions with Life 

• Sleep, as usual, has been tough.  The past few weeks, she'll awake for 2-3 hours in the middle of the night. I think she's just thinking too much to sleep, but that doesn't make it easier!  The past few nights haven't had any extended wakings, but she has wanted Mama to come and check on her every hour or two.

This post is linked up with Melissa from Vibrant Wanderings. Check out the links to see what other fantastic kiddos are up to!
 
To see the rational and purpose for the Watch Her Grow series, please check out this post!