Nature, According to Charlotte

Charlotte asks me, "What do birds eat?" 

I tell her "seeds & bugs." 

She looks at me, one eyebrow raised. "You mean insects?"

I snort a little bit. "Yes, insects." 

"But insects are GROSS!" 

"Well, humans don't usually eat them." 

She thinks for a moment and shrugs her shoulders, "maybe birds don't think insects are gross." 

Natalie's Army Crawling!

It seems like Natalie went from being a very calm, content-to-lay-there-and-play-in-one-place baby to a full-blown mobile infant in a matter of days. Because that's exactly what's happened.

My sister spent about 10 days with us over Christmas. When she got here, Natalie was rolling both ways, and just barely inching towards toys. A few days into her visit, she was scooting a foot or two  towards the tree. By the time she left, Natalie was "crawling" all around her area in the living room.

I put Natalie down on her kick piano play mat after dinner the other night while I went into the kitchen for a couple of minutes. When I looked back to check on her, she was nowhere in sight! I found her in the play room, at least 6 feet away from her starting point. She was so proud of herself for finding her way into the Land of Toys!

My house looks like a day care or toy store!

It never ceases to amaze me just how quickly these little ones grow and change! Natalie is right at that adorable baby stage where she's getting into everything, loving reading, singing, toys, giggling, cooing, etc etc etc. I'm trying my best to savor every last baby moment!! 

Even in just the couple of days she's been scooting longer distances, she's already challenging herself to more difficult obstacles. Getting into another room, getting under the coffee table, pulling on her toy box, and this morning, crawling under the dolly high chair! Things are about to get interesting around here, folks! :o)

It's Geometry!

Charlotte got this clock puzzle for Christmas and we love it! I like these kinds of toys that are not only learning tools, but they teach a variety of different concepts. She can learn number recognition, number order, counting by 5s, shapes, colors, time-telling skills... great gift for any toddler!

She's already got her colors down, names digits 1-9, and knows most 'standard' shapes, so we went straight for the more uncommon shapes - rhombus, octagon, trapezoid, pentagon, etc. Next we'll work on putting numbers in order, then counting past "eleventeen" (the number after fourteen, of course). :o)

New Tradition

I saw an idea on Pinterest ages ago where you wrap 24 books and let the kids open one each night of December leading up to Christmas. I have tons of Christmas/winter books from teaching, as well as getting them as gifts. After a quick count - I had more than enough! So I wrapped them up!

Charlotte had a ball opening a book each night, and since we had packed away all of the Christmas-themed books at the end of the season last year, they were all "brand new" to her! They all led up to The Night Before Christmas after midnight mass on the 24th. We were rushing off to bed as the clock struck 12, so I didn't get a picture of the girls on Ben's lap as he read from his grandfather's book. I'll have to remember next year.

Charlotte with the milk & cookies she left for Santa - pile of books under the tree

Charlotte's favorite book came as no surprise. She loves the Duck & Goose series and was so excited to open Duck & Goose It's Time for Christmas.

A Snowgoose?!

Showing Natalie which other Duck & Goose books they have

A couple of days ago, I was holding Natalie on the couch when I heard Charlotte start to "read" the book all by herself! I got Ben's attention and we listened to our little girl READ. Yes, the book has been heard before. Yes, it has repetitive phrasing. Yes, she uses the pictures for cues. But that's emergent READING, folks!!!

She read it again today before we packed up the Christmas books again until next year, and she allowed me to record her. This is one proud mama! :o)