Watch Her Grow...

This Week's Focus: Language and Emotional Intelligence

  Interactions with Materials

• As I've discussed previously, Q-ball loves to push her umbrella stroller.  She now pretty much never rides in it- just pushes it around our small neighborhood as I walk next to her.  As we don't have sidewalks, this provides an excellent learning opprotunity for walking safely in the road...and a really big opprotunity for Mama to strengthen her patient muscles.  
• About two weeks ago, we gave Q-ball her dinner knife (part of a set of small silverware) for the first time.  She was very excited and quickly started to attempt to use it while carefully observing Mama and Daddy.  She now asks for a knife at most mealtimes.
• We have a small boombox set up in Q-ball's area, and she loves asking for us to turn on the music so she can dance along.  I'm surprised it's taken so long, but she is now working to figure out the buttons for herself- hopefully she'll be able to start and stop the music on her own soon.

We attended the stock show again this year- look how much she's grown by comparing these pictures to those from last year!

Interactions with Others 

• I think she is starting to try to initiate play with other children her age.  Of course, her social skills still need a bit of work.  At this point, she just runs up to other toddlers and then a short distance away and then toward them again, and repeat a few times.  A little like a dog trying to get your attention.  She hasn't had much success yet, but I'm sure she'll figure it out.
• She does have some guts in social situation.  The other day at the park, while I was sitting a short distance away, an older boy (around 8 or 9) was trying to kick her off of the swing.  Q-ball stood up, but held on to the swing and just said, "no, no, no," while pointing him to the slides.  He continued to try until he saw me watching.  Why don't kids pick on people their own size?

Critical Thinking

• Q-ball has loved stacking blocks and other shapes in the past, but this week she worked to expand her skills and stack plates and bowls during her snack time. 
  

Interactions with Life 

• Potty-learning success continued.  We've had only one daytime accident all week- even while out and about.  And, Q-ball completely surprised me on Tuesday by sitting on the potty and even pooping!  More glorious potty details to come in an upcoming post dedicated to early potty learning.

We are linking up with Vibrant Wanderings!  Check out what the other kiddos are up to!