Learning Letters

I am amazed at Sipsey's natural interest in learning her letters and their sounds and wanting to be able to "write." I'm sure most kids her age are going through this right now, but she's my first, so I have nothing to compare to. I was sad to take her out of school in Birmingham because I knew she wouldn't be getting the instruction during our transition to a new state that she would be getting at school everyday. I try to work with her as much as I can in everyday situations (reading books, finding letters on street signs, etc) without too much pressure. But the show "Super Why!" on PBS is our new favorite and is responsible for teaching her most of the letters and sounds that she knows. She used to be a Nick, Jr. junkie, but she hasn't requested Dora or Diego in weeks. She now sits in front of the TV with her Magna-Doodle to draw each letter that the Super Readers learn about. She also likes to help me makes grocery lists and to do lists. I will tell her what we need and she will "write" it all down for me. She makes her mama and daddy proud!

Are we the only people under 75 who still have tube televisions?

Summer Gym

We are lucky enough to have two dance studios in our small town. One offers "Summer Gym" where the kids learn stretches, cartwheels, headstands, and lots of other fun things. It's not real gymnastics with balance beams, trampolines, and foam pits, but it'll do for now! Sipsey started last week and we can't wait to go back. It was adorable to watch (through the window in the lobby) the little girls follow directions and to listen to what they had to say. The instructors did the "wheelbarrow" with each girl and asked them what vegetable she wanted to put in her wheelbarrow. I really didn't think Sipsey knew a vegetable (she's more of a fruit girl) but she chose okra! Ben was so proud. Cooking and eating fried okra is one of their favorite things to do together! Not that you could tell that Sipsey could eat her weight in fried okra. Look at those skinny (and bruised) legs!

Hello Summer!

Well I guess with the extreme temperatures we have been having lately, we can say that summer has officially started in the South! To get some relief from the heat, one of Ben's coworkers invited us to swim in his parents' pool on Saturday in a neighboring city. We really did not plan on staying long because the few times we have been in the pool with Sipsey, we had to hold her the entire time. She has apparently gained some confidence since then and swam unassisted in her Puddle Jumper the whole time! If you do not have one of these for your child, I strongly recommend them. I learned about them last year through blog friends (who are also in-real-life friends). Sipsey is pretty timid around the water (we have been swimming with her no more than 5 times) and she tends to go face first in the water in swimmies or float face up in a life jacket. This was the case last year anyway. Puddle Jumpers are US Coast Guard Approved Life Jackets, so they work in the boat too. The weight limit is 30-50 lbs but Sipsey doesn't quite weigh 30 lbs yet so I'm sure it is fine for other lightweights! She starts swimming lessons this afternoon. I can't wait to see how that goes!

It was tough for her to slow down enough to smile for the camera.

She darted all over the pool that day and slept like a rock that night!