Watch Her Grow...

This Week's Focus: Language

She's loved pushing her shape sorting shapes around with a front loader.

  Interactions with Materials

• In this section, I typically fail to mention materials that we work with outside- which is a rather gaping hole as I try to ensure we get some time outdoors everyday.  At the park, Q-ball loves the swings- she have me push her on the swing forever while she stares at all of the other children. At her age, staring is not yet rude, just educational, so I figured she's getting lots of learning in.  She also loves swinging from and climbing monkey bars and riding the horses that rock.
• Also outside, she loves pushing around an umbrella stroller that we have for her.  While I can't stand the lack of mobility that thing has, she loves taking it over curbs and saying, "bump...bump....bump.."
• Back inside, we've continued reading lots of books, playing with bubbles, and stacking blocks (not to mention throwing and knocking them down...)

Interactions with Others 

• Q-ball is clearly becoming increasingly cognizant of emotions.  At home, we work to explaining the emotions she is likely feeling to her, and I always try to tell her how I'm feeling. While she is staring at others at the park, she's clearly registering their feelings, and when we are driving home, she'll tell me, "baby happy...baby happy..." or say, "baby" and then start crying or yelling to indicate sad or mad.
• She seems to respond to the power of persuasion.  While I've mentioned here on several occasions that she is often very timid around other children and adults, I've noticed that if I tell her we are going to meet "friends" she is excited about the trip and seeks out her "friends" with which to play once we arrive.  Today she spent a playgroup playing with a "friend" she'd only met a few times before- even accepting his hugs! 

Critical Thinking 

• Q-ball's love of music has been mentioned previously, but this week we were shocked when all of a sudden she started doing the hand motions for some of her favorite songs from storytime!  While she loves storytime, she rarely jumps up with the other kids to dance or do hand motions- I didn't even know she was watching them.  But, I guess she was actually picking up everything!

Interactions with Life 

• Q-ball has clearly passed the 50 word limit that I discussed in this post. She is picking up new words and phrases everyday- I certainly have to work to keep up as she hasn't perfected her pronunciation yet. When Daddy comes home from work, she'll often use her new words with him, and I'll have to serve as the translator.  

Finally, I haven't posted a Science Friday is quite some time.  One reason is that I'm short on topics!  I didn't think it was possible, but when I do think of a question and I try to research, it seems to go nowhere.  So, if you, dear reader, have any questions that you've always wanted researched or wonder about something you see in your child, let me know, and I can try to do the work for you! We are linking up with Vibrant Wanderings!  Check out what the other kiddos are up to!