Baby Girl update

Well last week I babbled on about Little One I figured it was Baby Girls turn.

My Baby Girl still talks like a toddler, yet she understands so much.  Hard gs, most initial consonants, some D's and final consonants seem beyond her.

We do spend plenty of time suggesting the proper way to talk, and have finally convinced her to put a hard C in front of most words that would begin that way (I.E. /K/ up, for cup)  But so far no luck getting her to 'blend' the two together.

We also taught her to make a hard /G/ sound but only if she puts her finger in her mouth to hold her tongue down.  Quite funny looking actually!  Once she can make the sound without the finger, we hope to move on to putting it in words.  Which is how we taught her the /K/ sound.

None of this is in any formal lesson plan, just when she talks we pick one word to try and redo.  Less if she is tired.  I am mostly sure she will figure it out eventually.

This does present a slight hiccup for us though, most of the other kids were well on their way to reading by now. We don't mind the wait, but she does.  She has been asking me to teach her to read for months now.  I have shown her how to blend, but if she can't blend words she is speaking, like 'cat', how on earth is she going to read?  I am not sure how to help her faster, maybe flash cards with just pictures so she can practice speaking?

She does still like to join in the quiet working time each morning, not with much attention span, but still she is sitting for decent stretches, pestering me.  We do some playdough or the salt box or sorting, but she was still asking for a 'book'.

I finally broke down and ordered a 'math' workbook from Nana, we went with Singapore Kindergarten, I figured we would move quite slowly and let her have a book like her big brothers and sister.  I grabbed the activity book as well, between the two we can stretch it for a year or finish faster, whatever seems her speed.

So far the books have focused on 'same/different' and a little color work.  All well within her skill set, though I do the precision cutting, and have to help make sure she is inside the lines.

Plus I have to be around to read directions and interpret her work.  One day it has a 'draw something the same color as'.  She carefully looked around the room to spot a yellow giraffe on a fridge magnet, then drew a yellow scribble.  Close enough for me.

When we finish following the directions I get her some scraps to practice she does a great job for her age.  Sometimes I let her glue the pieces down others we just recycle the scraps.

Now I am sure I could have found plenty of the same info online in printable format, but my printer is being very finicky lately, and I have a lot of trouble getting it to print more than one or two things each day between re-cleaning and clearing paper jams.  We use the printer a great deal for the scouts, and coupons, so I have about had it with the thing.  Plus life is so much easier when a book is all bound in a book.  Which is why we often get the history books in paperback even though we could read online or print.

I used her 'wall chart' fun to find out which colors and letters and number she knows. Surprisingly few numbers, just 1, and 2.  All the colors are good, and most shapes, though it is hard to tell an 'etanle' (rectangle) from a 'tanle' (triangle).

With the list I know better what sort of fun to 'make up' in her notebook.  I sometimes draw shapes for her to count, or letters to name, or even connect the capital to lower case.

I was a little surprised to find she knows way more letter sounds (about 20) than letter names (12 or so).

Baby girl also spends plenty of time in less academic looking pursuits.  From stacking cans, to putting dishes away, to playing with Duplos, she is fairly constantly engaged in mischief of one form or another.  She loves talking to her little sister, who in turn finds her great entertainment.  Her big brothers and sister have to be in the mood to find her entertaining.

Sit-down-work could never fill a proper day for a little kid.  But hearing stories of yet another painted blob, or cup of 'ho E' (Hot Tea) made for Momma just don't entertain me much.