DADDY

Mary is now making her third sign: DADDY!

I will have it known that Chris didn't really want me trying to teach her the sign for DADDY because it looks kind of silly (kind of like making the "3-D loser" sign on one's forehead, for those who know what I'm talking about). This morning at breakfast, Chris was trying to get Mary to say "da-da" and instead she slowly and deliberately signed DADDY. She used her fist instead of her five-hand, so I manipulated her hand to show her the right way. Then she slowly and deliberately signed it the correct way! She's done it several more times today.

I will also have it be known that Chris was overjoyed and I believe I saw a glisten of happy moistness in his eyes. But perhaps there was just an allergen in the air . . .

John is increasingly excited about sign language because he gets to be the big brother who teaches it to Mary. He has even at times asked me at random to look up a particular sign for him online! I can hardly believe I'm talking to a child two years nine months old at times.

And speaking of language, John loves the new alphabet mat. We spent some more time together in the school room today while Mary napped. We laid on the mat and John asked me what all the various letters were. We'd talk about each one. (Mama: "That is a Q. See, it looks like an O, but it has a little tail. That's how you know it is a Q.") Often he'd grab two letters (like P and R) and say somberly, "See, Mama, these two are similar." Each letter has a different rough texture, which he likes to run over with his fingertips (very Montessori of him!), and then he'd say, "Here, Mama, do you want to feel it?"

I'm eager to buy or make some Montessori sandpaper letters to introduce soon. I think John would really enjoy them.