Smarty Pants

Dave has been out of town for over a week now and Annalise is expanding her repertoire of talents to reward him with when he gets home. She received the 'Your Baby Can Read' set from Grandpa Raychek for Christmas and after watching the first video twice (TWICE!) she found the accompanying book in the box (that I hadn't even gotten out for her yet) and turned to the page where it said the words 'Arms Up' with a picture of a little girl with her arms in the air AND PUT HER OWN ARMS UP! As I began to mightily freak out at her astounding genius, she turned to the next page where it said 'Wave' and had a picture of a little girl with an open hand held up and she STARTED WAVING! As I began shrieking to her that Mommy was going to die from having such a wonderful smart gorgeous genius in the family, she turned to the next page where it said 'Clap' and had a picture of a baby with his hands together and she began WILDLY CLAPPING HER OWN HANDS! As you might imagine, I had to work hard not to hyperventilate or pass out and anyway, I am excited to see all she can learn from this program. You might call me One. Satisfied. Customer. I didn't even think she was paying attention when I had the video on for her but apparently she was.

When she hears the Eensy Weensy Spider Song she has started doing the hand moves for when he goes up the spout (also learned from her new program). We have one other video she will tolerate watching for small amounts of time. The second I put it on I run away and try to get things done around the house, so I had no idea what she was watching until one day she ran to me after it finished and covered her eyes with her hands and happily shouted, 'Pee-Boo!' (peek-a-boo). I had to go back and watch it so see if that was where she learned it and it was! There is a song called Peek-a-Boo Choo Choo in it and she loves it. This week she put it all together and now says "Pee-Boo Choo Choo!"

Also in the last week, she learned to say 'quiche' (one of her favorites) and 'chicken' (she likes that too) and 'bite' to ask for one of whatever I'm having. She was eating some salmon very slowly and playing around with it so I very excitedly told her, "Good girl!" when a bite actually reached her mouth (she will eat nothing if it is not fed TO herself BY herself, off of a fork. Even Cheerios, which (who knew?) can indeed be eaten off a fork.) She loved that I said it to her and began stuffing her mouth with salmon bites so I would say it over and over. Then she took over. "Good girl!' she repeated, forking more salmon in til her cheeks puffed out. After each bite she cheered herself again and again, "Good girl! Good girl!"