New Accomplishments This Summer

Since kindergarten starts tomorrow and it is such a big deal, I started thinking about all the other things we did this summer that were a big deal. I didn't realize it at the time, but we've had a summer of many accomplishments around here!



Hannah:

Reading short books: This was the biggest thing on my to-do list since she was so clearly ready. Now the only issue is that she memorizes any book you give her after reading it once so that means we keep having to find new books to practice.

Counting to 100: This was actually accomplished during her PreK but she didn't do it perfectly every time until about halfway through the summer. She can also count by 10s.

Coloring Inside The Lines: She has loved to color for several years now but suddenly made great strides to coloring fully and inside the lines.

Tying shoes (in progress): She wanted something she could get treats for while Hailey was getting treats for potty training. This seemed like a good choice and she almost has it down without help.

Riding bike without training wheels (in progress): She asked about this a few times in the spring and after it stopped being blazing hot this summer (pretty much just last week), we started practicing. She is getting there!

Swimming without floaties (in progress): She asked multiple times and she is pretty good at doggy paddling and swimming underwater. It will probably take another summer to be good enough to swim at the deep end without floaties and an adult within arm's reach, but she is doing really well. We also found out about winter options for swim classes, which might fit into our schedule easier than the summer classes.

Memorizing address and phone number (in progress): Let's face it, adults have a hard time with our phone number because it basically just repeats 2 numbers over and over again in varying orders. She has our town and state down and can often tell you our street name as well. The house numbers are tripping her up a bit.



Hailey:

Sleeping in a toddler bed: This was accomplished at the beginning of the summer after many tries. One day she just decided she wanted to do it and that was that; she never slept in her crib again. She has also started saying some of the words along with her books, meaning she is memorizing them. She says "amen" at the end of our prayers at bedtime.

Potty trained: She was about 27 months when this happened (I think Hannah was 28 months when she trained, so not too different). I was going to wait until she told me she wanted to wear underwear like her sister did but then I began to think about how different their personalities are so I decided to just start putting her on the potty, realizing that may work better with her personality. It did. It took about 2 weeks for her to get it down and then another week for pooping on the potty but she is now trained with just an occasional accident here or there. She still sleeps in diapers at nap and bedtime, although she often wakes up dry from naps.

Riding a trike and scooter: This was just discovered because she tried it. I didn't teach it to her - I think she probably picked it up from watching sis.

Speaking in larger sentences: She has always been a girl of few words. I think her motto has been: why say a full sentence when one word gets my point across? (Although in fairness to her, Hannah rarely stops talking long enough for Hailey to say more than one word.) Recently though she has been speaking more. She no longer just says "outside" now she says "go outside please." She says "I" "me" and "mine" a lot now too. I wouldn't say we are to full sentences yet, and half her words are still best understood by me or Hannah, but she is making great strides and talks a lot more.

Naming colors, counting, and ABCs (in progress): Right now everything is blue, with the occasional yellow or purple thrown in, but she does seem to understand that things have colors. She can count to 3 and knows she is 2, but she sometimes says numbers and letters in the sing-songy voice I use, even though she is not saying the correct words.



Both:

First sleep-over, non-family: They got to spend the night with Bryn, Shay, and Liam and then those three got to spend the night here. What fun (for kids and for parents!)!