New Book

We joined the NYC Imagination Library Initiative. NYC has partnered with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, and if you sign up, you can get a book mailed to your child every month from birth until the age of five. We signed up about two months ago and got our first book in the mail today.

Tess wanted me to read the book to her two times in a row. After that, she sat on this chair and read through it to herself two times through. I was really impressed with how much of the story she had internalized. I started videoing about half-way into the book. She had been sitting their so absorbed in her reading that I thought I should perhaps capture it on video.



I especially like how she talks about the Little Blue Engine as "not bigger yet." It's interesting to me when she memorizes lines from books verbatim, but it's also interesting to me when she understands the meaning and then applies her own vernacular for the idea.

Sleep

A couple of days ago we officially ended the mid-day nap. Tess's bedtime was creeping later and later over the last couple of months. About a week ago it became impossible to get her to sleep before 10pm. Plus, she was having trouble falling asleep at naptime. So we did away with it, and now we're all adjusting to this new long day.

It began at 5:30am this morning, as Tess woke up hungry after her longest night ever. She tried to fall asleep at 4:30, but I wouldn't let her. By dinner time, Tess looked like a sleep walker. She could barely eat she was so spacey. By 6:15, she was bathed, in her bed, and ready for a story. I read her one, and then I closed my eyes. She got three more books and "read" them to me while I fell asleep. At 6:45pm I heard her snoring and left the room.

"Teach me how to read it!"

Tess opened one of her books and yelled, "Mama, show me how to read it!"
I went over to her and said, "would you like me to read it to you?"
"No!" she replied, "I want to read it." So I waited. "Mama, teach me how to read it!"
"Well...I read it by looking at these words here. But you have to learn the letters, which show us the sounds, which show us the words. Or another way we can read it is by looking at the pictures. Do you want to read it that way? Or do you want me to read it?"
"No, mama. Teach me how to read it!"
"Can I read, Tess?"
"OK."

So I began to read, and after I said the first sentence, Tess repeated it. So I read the next phrase and waited for her to repeat that one. Then I began to read again and she pushed me away and continued on herself, making it up as she went.

Overheard

1) While on her cell phone, "...I'm losing you."

Interestingly, she will talk for the longest time on her play phone, having long conversations complete with silent spaces where the other party is talking. She makes far better imaginary conversation than she does on the real phone.

2) While reading some book from my bookshelf, "the beautiful sunshine was gazing down."

Playing with cars

Last night and this morning, Tess brought her bin full of cars into the kitchen, emptied it out on the floor, and then played happily for a long time with her toys. She makes up little stories with the cars as characters. Sometimes one of them gets yelled at. Right now she's softly saying, "mommy says it's nigh night time" as she rolls them all off the table and onto the floor.

At her babysitter's house, she likes to bring a bunch of cars over to the dollhouse and play with them there. Cars are always anthropomorphized in her play.

Things that are very hard to say with a straight face

"Tess you may NOT lick the house."

The Three Little Bears

When my Mom was visiting two weeks ago, she told Tess the story of the three little bears. A few days after she left, we found a book of the tale at the library. Tess was delighted, and has asked for several readings a day ever since. (Much to my dismay, I have to admit.) She knows a good portion of it by heart now, and will tell it when prompted.

The other night she began to cry when she was falling asleep. I came over to comfort her, and trying to distract her, I said, "once upon a time, there was a girl named..."(and here I paused trying to think of a name). I suggested, "Samantha." Tess shook her head no. "Tess?" Tess shook her head. "Thessalonica?" "No."

"What's should her name be?" I finally asked.
"Goldilocks," Tess said in a whisper.

***
When Tess tells the story, she can't remember how to describe the Mama Bear's possessions. "Middle-sized" or "Mama-sized" or "Medium-sized" just won't stick no matter how many times I say they to her. Instead, when she's asked, she says, "A little bed, a second bed, and a BIG bed."

Back in town

We were in California for 16 days at the end of August and first few days of September. We had a wonderful vacation, which I will try to document a bit later. Now we are starting our first normal week of life back in the fall routine. I will try to resume blogging. :)

As I type, Tess is absorbed in a game of farm with a new stable from her grandparents and her various assortment of small animals. She's been entertained for half and hour, fully committed to the stories in her head. I love that quality in her.