5 joys to look forward to

1. Reading to Nicholas and Celia chapter books/longer length books at night in their beds. Just snuggling together and reading a chapter a night. I was reading books with them the other day and I can often say, "Go get "insert title" " and they know the books by title and will bring them over to read. The other day I was getting ready to read "Frog's Lunch" and Celia made the circular motion on her belly and said "mmmmm". It was so cool to see because at the end of the book Frog rubs his belly and says 'mmmmm good lunch". An early form of 'retelling' a story. I love seeing those amazing skills blossom.

2. Watching them learn to ride their bikes this summer when it is nice out. I think we will save their Christmas and birthday gift money towards tricycles this year. We'll just wait and buy them when the weather improves. However, if a good deal comes about we could have them practice in our basement until spring.

3. Having date times with them individually. This is something we could start even now where we can take turns taking them out with one parent and having special 1:1 time. N&C really like being together, but I do think time where a parent can devote all their attention to them is important. I'm excited to do this more and more as they get older. Of course, lets hope Jason and I get 'date time' together too, ha ha.

4. Watching their creative skills bloom. I see so much growth in their drawing lately. There are such interesting stages in the development of a child's art. Nicholas is very very visual. He is already purposely drawing a squiggle and naming it as a snake. This week he has been working on making a circle and putting dots in there for eyes and calling it someone like "Papa" or "mommy/Daddy". I would consider him beginning to enter the early pre-schematic stage. Celia is really showing some improvement too. She remains in the scribble stage, but has begun to try to label her scribbles as items. I am a very visual person and have always enjoyed art.
Here are some links to helpful websites on this area:
Developmental stages in children's art
Children's Art

5. Listening to their verbal skills grow. In the last 2 weeks Celia has made improvements by leaps and bounds. She is saying more 2-word sentences without prompting from me and attempting words without me asking her to. I LOVE the abstract thinking of little kids. Young children can take things so literal and see new meaning in words. Those moments and silly combinations and words they come up with are so funny. I look forward to those moments. :)

Examples from kindergartners that I remember:
"my heart is beeping so hard" (from a girl who had just run across the playground)

a little boy borrowed a book from the classroom library which was titled "Draw the Titanic". He took it literally (he could read) and drew each stage of the titanic right in the book. His mom said he felt so awful about it when she brought it to his attention that he wrote this note:

I Axddentlie drad inside the
book
I hope you dont get mad
but it side
Draw the Titanic
Im. Verre Sorry fea
drawing In it
Do not Tel eveibuudy
And Dont tel Mrs CKloth (the principal)

Form Luke 11106

* I will upload the actual letter tomorrow.