Reading with Nanny in Backyard

IJune 2013.

Print Recognition

In the last year, Daniel has started to call out familiar words.  I think this is a key example of him understanding print concepts about communication.  He is starting to pick out letters in each word and to know the word when its out of context, of even in a different font.

HyVee - He loves that we buy so many generic products from this store!  HyVee is one of his favorite places to visit.
Baking Soda - this is the second thing he recognized, and I didn't realize how many Arm and Hammer products we have in our home!  This logo surprised me the most because it happened so quickly from when we were baking and then doing laundry using baking soda that he could transfer between the two contexts.

Aunt Jemima - He really surprised some people in the pancake aisle when he read this logo!
Bass Pro
John Deere
Dr Pepper - which he calls DP, just like I do.

Early Literacy

Daniel and I read each day, and I work on many print concepts like location of title, directionality of print, and that letters make up words and words make up a story.  I notice him tracing along the text from left to write, saying his version of the ABCs.   I also notice him proclaiming, "De End!" when he completes most stories.

I have started to work on orthographics  (the representation of the sounds of a language by written or printed symbols) with him.  For instance, reading the book Dazzling Diggers we point out the D and say, D. Digger. D. Dddddd. Digger. DDDDDigger.

Today when we were reading before naptime, he selected the Little Golden Book Picture Dictionary.  We were on the T page, which is a favorite because it has a truck, tractor, train, and tiger.  We made the ttttt sound before identifying each image.  Then we moved to the R page.  Daniel said, "TTT-rabbit."  I giggled because it was unexpected.   He continued to do this as we moved to other pages, "Tttt-bed.  Ttt-cat."

I really love teaching reading to this kid!

Current Daniel Past times

Bathing.  He knows the word bath and gets very excited about bathing just as soon as he has finished dinner.  He points to the bath and runs into the bathroom.  He spends much of his time filling up bottles and cups and transferring water from one container to another.  He really likes the nesting cups we have that have different hole patterns on the bottom and enjoys watching the water run out of them.


Library - We attend a story time for new walkers at the library once a week.  He really enjoys walking around in the library, pointing to the art and clocks, and then trying to get to the play center.  He enjoys the story times less.  I think the other children are distracting.  He likes when there are stories, finger plays, and songs, but he gets too distracted by the other kids anytime puppets are involved or there is a sing and dance time with a CD.  He points to the exit and tries to leave!  He spends a lot of time playing at the library's toddler kitchen and doing their puzzles.  We do not often read at the library because there are too many fun things to see that we don't have have home (lots of books at home!).


Drumming- Daniel makes most objects into drums.  We have several old formula cans and oatmeal canisters that he uses. He lines up various sizes and plays on them with a plastic mallet and a wooden chopstick.  He enjoys making different pitches of sound, but has only mastered one volume - LOUD.  He also keeps a constant beat and does not deviate into erratic rhythms or songs.


TV - Lately, Daniel has slept through Curious George at 7 AM, so he doesn't have that show to delight him.  We usually watch an episode of Sesame Street every day, usually from DVD and from the 70s.  He enjoys the muppets and the number cartoons. I think he pays attention for about 15 minutes at a time, then does something else, then comes back to it.  He also enjoys Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, but since we don't have cable, he can only watch if we get it on DVD or he is at my parents' house.  He really enjoys dancing to the Hot Dog Dance at the end of the show.


Nesting Cubes - He started to play with six boxes that we got as a Christmas gag gift (all wrapped inside another with a present in the very last box).  He likes putting them inside each other, stacking them, taking lids off and on, and putting objects inside the boxes and then trying to find them.  This holds his attention for a VERY long time.


Reading - Usually we read four times a day, but Daniel sometimes goes to get books on his own and reads them to himself.  He especially likes to read books to himself that have animals (cute, furry ones like kittens or monkeys) inside.  He brings us books that he wants to read, and he helps us pick out three books for before bed time and naps.  He often wants to start his day, even before diaper change and breakfast, by reading books.


Laughing - He makes himself laugh by tickling his belly.  He laughs when other people laugh.  He laughs at stuffed animals.  He laughs at the TV.  He laughs so often.  We sometimes encourage the laughter with tickles and silly games, and he LOVES this.  He loves chase games, sneak up on another person games, and wrestling games that are ticklish in nature.  


Pretty much, his other hobbies of sleeping, pointing, dancing and singing, and jabbering, eating and looking for snacks, watching the washing machine, and playing with my hair fixing accessories are the same as in the last three months.

New Trick.

Daniel has started to select the books he wants to read next. He dives down off our laps and sorts through a bin of books.

 He loves this book - Each Peach Pear Plum - and so his parents have it memorized easily.

46 Weeks

 To My Moody 10.8 Month Old.

It was an emotional roller coaster this week!  Happy, sad, desperate,  silly, furious, confused, and joyful.  I think you may have inherited a touch more of my genes than your even-keeled father!

You displayed your first signs of jealousy this week.  Our friend Julia brought her newborn daughter Juni over for a visit.  I held off holding her for a long time, though it was difficult, because I knew you'd want to sit in my lap and poke at her.  I haven't taught you to be gentle yet.  While I admired her tiny features and delicate skin, you grunted at me and clamored at my legs.  You wanted me!  Later when your father fed the baby and you bounced for his attention and made a high pitched hum noise to voice your confusion.  You wanted to drink that bottle, too!  You took Juni's pacifiers, her bottle, and tried to get into her car seat to play with her toys.   I bet you would be relieved to know that you are not going to be a big brother any time soon.

One of your favorite activities this week has been clapping your hands.  You learned to do it the previous weekend and you go on jags of clapping when you will clap and clap for several minutes, and then hours will pass and it is like you have forgotten how to do it.  Then a song will come on the radio or you will see a toy you like and you'll re-discover that you know how to clap.  You look joyous and puzzled that you actually can do it.  It is SO cute.  I wonder how many videos we will have of you clapping?

New foods - waffle, graham crackers, juice

I let you play in your baby pool this week.  You seemed excited at first, but them you hesitated. I had to lure you into it with kitchen spoons.  So you crouched in the pool and knocked two spoons together.  Then you concentrated on chewing the spoons.  Then you beat the spoons against the ground.  You never did splash the spoons or really play in the water.  Later in the week your dad discovered that you like to play with the garden hose in the pool.   You change the nozzle to different sprays and act surprised.  You try to drink from the stream of water like a water fountain. When the water gets in your eyes, you make a surprised expression and get frustrated. It is very funny.

You did play at the indoor city pool this week with your dad while I did water exercise class.  I would do my exercises and then occasionally catch the two of you out of the corner of my eye.  You would be beaming and being silly and your dad would be laughing at you.  All of the old ladies in the fitness class just mooned over you.  They couldn't believe how happy you were and how you waved at them.

I've loved your sleep patterns this week.  You play in your crib with a few toys for fifteen minutes and then you are conked out, cradling a blanket, for an hour and a half to longer than two hours.  You also slept from 8  PM (we heard you playing alone in your room an hour after you went down) until 5 AM when you were hungry for a snack and then again until 7 AM. Great job, kiddo!  I loved the consecutive sleep I got and the chance to work around the house without your cute face to distract me.  I also was able to watch A WHOLE MOVIE during one of your naps this week.  It was amazing.  I felt like a part time mom as compared to when you were a newborn and you needed SO MUCH ATTENTION.  Your naps just weren't that long back then.  Now, don't be sad and think that I prefer a slumbering Daniel to an awake Daniel.  I much prefer an awake, well rested Daniel!  You are in such a good mood when you wake from a "long enough" nap and you are fussy when you skip a nap and often cannot fall asleep properly at night.  Our house just works better with a baby who is a good napper.

You started to try to help out around the house this week.  You have been using a rag to wipe up spills on your high chair tray for a few days now, but when I started to clean the shower using a similar towel and wiping manner, you pitched in!  You wiped and wiped and looked so proud of yourself.  You have also helped me wipe up spills on the floor.  You are SO interested in the vacuum, dishwasher, and the broom.  You cannot use these things properly, but anytime one of us is cleaning with these things you come and try to help.  When we leave these things accessible to you, you explore them and work at them for a long period of time.

This week you started to indicate which book you wanted me to read to you.  Often you selected Are You My Mother? and The Best Nest.  You would pick up the book and open it in your lap.  You would also climb into my lap, carrying the book in your mouth because you needed both hands to climb up.  I think this is so neat.  On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday you did this and we read books four to six times a day instead of your normal twice a day or so.  I love that you love to read!

We had a scheduled photo shoot in Berger this weekend with your grandfather and dad at the historic home that bears your same name on its front step.  The second generation of Daniel Haids built the home in 1910, and though a Dan Haid hasn't live in it for a half century or better, it is still owned by relatives of your grandfather (more distant and someone I haven't met).  It was pretty neat to see how proud your grandpa was.  Usually he is gruff and very disinterested when it comes to being photographed, but he actually suggested this one!  I can tell that you mean a lot to him.  This three generation photo is very special to him.  It was a neat experience.

As always, I love you so much and I am delighted to be your mother.

Favorite Snack and Favorite Morning Activity.

Graham Crackers and Reading.

Which makes me wonder if we should have named him an alternate name - one that I loved - Graham Reid. It was on my short list of wonderful names, for sure. I liked that I met his dad at the university near Graham Hall and that each of us lived there during two years of our dating relationship.  And I love the name Reid and the way it sounds, as well as the homophone meaning.  We nixed Reid because of how it looked and was spelled compared to our last name of Haid.  It would be said Ride Haid or Reid Hayd, and both are wrong.

Here are cute photos of my little boy.

He is wearing one of his favorite outfits - Robeez dogs playing ball shoes, orange Grow Via diaper cover, and Old Navy shirt.  He also chose the book he is reading - The Best Nest which is about Little Owl trying to find a new home but discovering his nest is the best nest.  Its amazing to me that he actually chose all of these things for himself!

A Curious Reader with Auntie Ann

Daniel has a long attention span for a small child.  He will sit through and engage in several books in a row!

Here is our friend Ann reading him the story of Babar.

I think he is enjoying himself!

Photos of Visit with Grandmas

On Tuesday, April 6, Daniel's paternal grandmother Becky and her mother, Great Grandma Jeanette, arrived for a short stay at our home. They stayed with us because Grandma Landolt had an afternoon

doctor's appointment.  They stayed the night and then went shopping with us in the morning.

When they arrived, DHH was really tired.  So Grandma Becky put him down to nap.

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Grandma Landolt's glasses had to come off because Daniel was too interested in pulling them from her face.

They enjoyed some laughs playing on the couch. 

Somehow Daniel convinced his grandma to read his favorite book.  

He pointed to his favorite characters and turned the pages.

She is an expert reader!

He seems as amazed by this book after the 100th reading as he did the first!

Notice how he is holding the book and her hands!  He wants to turn the pages, too.

I think this orange guy might be his favorite person/thing to look at.  He likes him better than his own reflection!

Sometimes he likes to kiss the book. 

The visit was a nice break in our week, and I am sure Daniel enjoyed getting more hugs, kisses, and cuddles this week than he does normally.  He gave them love right back!  I hope he is starting to recognize his family as they visit more and more.