Arah in December 2012

Oh dear Arah, how do I say it, you never cease to amaze mama.  Here is what you've been up to these days:

 

 

• I've been working the alphabets sounds and shapes with you using the sand-paper letters.  a few days ago, I randomly checked and you knew sounds of e, v, and o.  but today, you knew not only the name of all 26 letters and words starting with them, which you knew since you were just 2, but also proceeded to make sounds of at least 14 letters that we checked at bed time: j, t, o, k, f, a, p, c, e, w, b, s, m, and r.  I'm sure there are more you know but I had to call it the end to get to the rest of our routine since daddy is out of country and keep things under control :)

• You also have started spelling 4 letter simple words like crab, hand.
• You are exploring teens board tool these days.  You count beads of ten in a pack and add single beads to make teen numbers.  Your teacher said this activity is usually done in the 3rd grade but you and some of your older classmates already are starting on it.  I am so proud of your love of enumeration and Math!  I think the question for me now is not going to be will she be able to do it, rather will I be able to keep up with doing it? and would there be enough for her to do?

• You're exploring the world map and are relating to different cultural ethnicity including Native Americans. 
• You love I-spy game.

• We're also working on telling the time with your new book.  At first, telling the long and short hands apart was such a power struggle for us as you insisted that at 10 O'clock the long handle should be on ten not 12. Now all you ask these days is 'mommy lets read the time book" or "what time is it mommy?"  

• Most of the past tense starts with 'yesterday' for you even for 2 days ago or last week.  you use 'ed' to make past tense verbs for most verbs even irregular ones like ' yesterday the air-o-plane fly-ed'.   but considering you speak both Persian and English mostly the same rate that's quite an achievement! 

• We went to a religious service for holidays and there kids were coming to mic to recite religious verses before adults.  They had rehearsed in a special program for months.  Suddenly you wanted to join them and come to the mic so sing!  Our hearts dropped thinking you'd probably go ahead with an 'old MacDonald had a farm' song or such but you actually began to sing most of a correct verse/sureh in Arabic just like the rest of the kids.  You had apparently listened to other kids while singing and learned your way through quickly.  We couldn't be more shocked and proud.  Now only if you could sing the new Christmas carols with your older classmates in the school party tomorrow. 
• You're starting to exhibit more copy-cat behaviors from everyone especially from other friends some of which I am not fond of. Like," A... said you don't want to say oh my God, you want to say oh my goodness." I explain to you that it is OK to say God and remember him and aid from him in our daily routines. I wish 2013 be the year we all use a little bit more God in our every day life.
• You insist that we put more Christmas lights on top of our house beside the ones you already begged us to put on the porch, so we can make sure Santa can see our house and fills our stockings!  You also know now that Santa gives gifts only to those who are clean, brush their teeth and are nice to their parents!

• Since you've been most the above, you're getting an early Christmas gift for Ice skating classes this winter.   It will be something to look forward to in this cold season.  I can't wait to see you put on those tiny ice skates and dance your way down on the ice ring like a ballerina my sweet angel.  Merry Christmas to you dear.   with Love your mama