Here Comes Q-ball!

  With the holidays quickly approaching, we will be headed to visit family soon.  Of course, grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles- everyone- is excited to see Q-ball.  To prepare everyone for our visit, I wanted give everyone a Q-ball primer.  Her are her current favorite things and habits right now...

Q-ball is coming to town!  You'd better watch out!

1. Q-ball loves talking.  Once she starts telling you a story, you can expect to listen to it for quite awhile.  Start practicing your charade skills now.
2. Q-ball loves to eat.  (when we are not fighting yet another stomach virus.)  She can do an especially impressive job of eating ham, eggs, bananas, blueberries, etc, etc.
3. Q-ball likes you to sing to her on demand.  She will say "de-da-de-da" and expect you to immediately sing the song in her head.  I suggest trying them in this order: "I Can Sing a Rainbow," "Wheels on the Bus," and, seasonally, "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer."
4. Q-ball will probably follow you to the bathroom.  If not, she'll at least talk about the fact that you went to the bathroom for the rest of the day.
5. Q-ball is potentially a future track star.  If she takes off running to check out a really cool thing, a quick walk will likely not close the gap.  Get your running shoes ready.

We look forward to seeing family soon!

Check out what other kiddos are doing as the holidays approach at Vibrant Wanderings!

Watch Her Grow...

This Week's Focus: Language and Holiday Cheer

 
Interactions with Materials

• We are, of course, still very interested in Christmas everything.  Books, music, decorations...
• Her great grandmother gave her a nativity scene, and she has loved manipulating all of the people and pieces.  She seems especially interested in making connections between her books and the physical pieces.  
• Yesterday we went skating for the first time.  She loved it!  Music, lights, and skates!  We used the over-the-shoe type, and they worked better than I could have imagined.

Interactions with Others 

• Yesterday was one of our first public tantrum(s).  We met some new friends at a play area with a super, super cool car to sit in.  (The thing didn't even have a steering wheel, for goodness sake!) Q-ball did not like when other people sat in the car.  It made her very, very mad.  But, after this happened for the third time, and we again talked about feeling angry and alternative activities, she calmed down and seemed to understand (for that moment) that the pain would eventually pass.
• One person that Q-ball does seem open to meeting is Santa.  Yesterday we attended an event where she was able to talk to Santa multiple times, and she happily walked up to him shake his hand.

Critical Thinking 

• Her sense of humor creeps out throughout the day, which I certainly consider a sign of deeper thought. She is especially interested in mimicking other people.  A few nights ago she demonstrated to Daddy how Mama takes very deep breaths throughout the day.  

Interactions with Life 

• We are having potty success every day this week- typically in the mornings and nights, as we are out and about during the day.  She is very excited that she is finally able to use toilet paper and flush!
• The time has come.  This week, Q-ball started saying "no."  Specifically, "no, no, no," typically accompanied by head shaking.

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

The Pictures!

So, here are some pictures that I know that my faithful "readers" have been missing...

She moved these snowmen between two different flat surfaces for about 20 minutes- she just couldn't decide which looked best.

Other kids made gingerbread houses.  Q-ball ate.

Watch Her Grow...

This Week's Focus: Language and Holiday Cheer

 Blah! I'm having issues with uploading images right now!  I hope to send some out tomorrow!
 
Interactions with Materials

• Q-ball is totally ready for this holiday season. I was quick on the uptake for this holiday after failures with Halloween and Thanksgiving and got our Christmas books from the library in the last week of November.  After seeing Christmas trees, Santa Claus, baby Jesus, donkeys, and snowmen in all of her books, Q-ball's favorite materials right now are definitely seasonal.  She's really excited that she now recognizes everything that we see out and about.
• Another seasonal fav- Christmas lights. We recently went to our local Christmas tree lighting.  She was very excited. As I've said here before, it's really amazing to see everything through a child's eyes. On the drive home, we were able to go by more lights (we are rarely out after dark, so we had to make the best of it!)  Now, she sits in her carseat when we are driving and makes the "more" sign, asking to see more lights.  (Sadly, it's during the day...)
• And, I'll include music as a material here.  We've certainly been able to make the most of musical appreciation this holiday season.  Q-ball now recognizes several Christmas songs.  By far, The Little Drummer Boy is her favorite, and she is constantly asking to hear "MMMMMMM!" Family might remember that I really dislike this song, so I've really been demonstrating unconditional love by listening to it several times and hour.  Q-ball can also do a pretty sweet version of Mariah Carey's high notes in All I Want for Christmas Is You!

Interactions with Others 

• This week we continued shaking hands with people that were new to us, but she is starting to seek more interaction, especially with those her own size.  At recent trips to the zoo and park, she was eager to point out sights to other visiting kids.  It's fun to see what social cues she uses to get others' attention and then to re-direct it.

Critical Thinking 

• I think we are in another language explosion here. (Perhaps this explains her (my?) difficulty going to sleep.)   
• I know also have to remember that Q-ball remembers everything I say.  Sometimes when she really starts talking (and she really, really can talk a lot!), I'll say, "Let's remember to try to tell Daddy when he gets home," to have one second of quiet.  She'll say "doh!" (her version of yes), and when Daddy comes home hours later, she immediately runs to him and tells him the story.

Interactions with Life 

• I'm working on involving her in more practical life activities.  This week she started feeding dinner to the cats.  She's very excited about it and now expects to do it every night.

Question for the day: I know that I need more guidance as far as introducing new materials and activities following Dr. Montessori's philosophy.  I know lots of you out there can help!  How much do you demonstrate? How much do you assist? Is a child asking for assistance indicative that the material is above her current abilities?  

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