Reading + Writing

I think Katie is going through a developmental storm...she is learning and doing new things on a daily basis!  Makes me so excited for her, but it also makes me realize that she is a little girl - no more baby or toddler here!  She has been showing signs of wanting to learn how to read (the very first steps, of course), wants to learn more about telling time, and is writing letters - especially her name!

We have been reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar at bedtime the last couple of weeks.  Of course there are nights Katie prefers to read her library book.  Or nights where she is just too exhausted to read.  But that has been the overall winner for a while.  Well, we went to read it recently, and guess who read it!  If you guessed Katie, you guessed correct.  Now I use the term "read" loosely...she recited the book to us.  But she got every.single.word right.  The only thing she had a little confusion with was a few of the days of the week.  Brad and I were astounded!  She has done this with the last few books we have read regularly at bedtime.  Does this mean she is ready to start working on sight words?  Or reading early learner books?  Or does she just have a really good memory?  One thing is for sure - I was very impressed!  And I want to take advantage of her momentum and eagerness for books!  I bought the first two collections of BOB Books at Costco the other day and will start on those with her soon....

She also has been doing some good drawing!  On my birthday card, she drew her first "stick person"...she said that is mommy and hair on top and arms out on the side and the two circles are - yep, you guessed it...boobies - and then the big circle in the middle is my "butt" - bellybutton - and then legs!  I almost wet my pants I laughed so hard!  But it was probably my favorite thing I got this year - Katie's first real person drawing!  And I love it!

 When we went to my mom's house to celebrate, Katie said she wanted to draw her a picture too!  So she drew this person with hair and arms and legs and a bellybutton.  And the squiggle on the right is an apple.  And then she wrote "Cee" at the top for Cee Cee and then signed her name at the bottom.  Wow!

 And after too much TV was watched earlier this week, I got Katie a pen and paper out and suggested she practice writing her name.  And she loved it!  This was one of the times she did it.  And she did it all herself...she would do one letter and then spell her name to realize what was next and then write that letter.  Amazing! 

I am one proud momma...and I know I need to capitalize on her eagerness for learning and art and all that!  Art is definitely one of her favorite things to do, so drawing and coloring are always out "go-to" activity!  And she does love reading books too.  I can't wait to see all of the things she will figure out and learn over the next few months!