You are looking at pigtails designed and done by Aria! She has recently learned how to do her own ponytails. I have a feeling we have many hours in front of the mirror ahead of us. Thank goodness we have separate bathrooms!
Showing posts with label Growing Up. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Growing Up. Show all posts
6.30.2014
Hairstyles
You are looking at pigtails designed and done by Aria! She has recently learned how to do her own ponytails. I have a feeling we have many hours in front of the mirror ahead of us. Thank goodness we have separate bathrooms!
5.27.2014
From First to Last
This preschool year sure went fast!
The lilac bush is bigger. The child is bigger. The hair is longer. The brain is fuller. The confidence is greater. The friendships are deeper.
People say it all the time, but man they sure do grow up fast. Above she was 3 and now she is 4. Above she was cautious about leaving mom and now she loves to spread her wings. Her creativity has magnified and her excitement for school is brimming. Wow! What a difference a school year makes!
The lilac bush is bigger. The child is bigger. The hair is longer. The brain is fuller. The confidence is greater. The friendships are deeper.
People say it all the time, but man they sure do grow up fast. Above she was 3 and now she is 4. Above she was cautious about leaving mom and now she loves to spread her wings. Her creativity has magnified and her excitement for school is brimming. Wow! What a difference a school year makes!
5.26.2014
Children's Museum
One of the perks of being a stay at home mom is doing random fun days with Aria. I'm so glad we can just pick up and go to the Children's Museum for a fun outing, just the two of us. I think we skipped rest time on the day we went and just explored. I didn't bring my big camera so I could play and have fun with Aria. But I did have to snap a few shots with my phone.
The first time we went to this museum, Aria was just over one year old. I remember her doing these very same things, but on a whole different level. It is crazy how fast she grows up! I am thankful for the time to make memories and learn and grow together. There is nothing better than being her Mom!
The first time we went to this museum, Aria was just over one year old. I remember her doing these very same things, but on a whole different level. It is crazy how fast she grows up! I am thankful for the time to make memories and learn and grow together. There is nothing better than being her Mom!
Braids
I think I am finally getting the hang of this french braid thing! Aria's hair is so long, so it is easier. But, two braids is the easiest because of her goofy part in the back. And, she finally likes having them, too!
4.21.2014
3.31.2014
Our Little Hitchhiker
I find it to be kind of a strange name, yet it fits. We purchased a "Hitchhiker" from a friend last fall and have been excited for warmer weather to try it out. Yesterday was just the day. Warm weather. Weekend. Grandma and Papa here for the day.
It is a little wobbly and it takes some getting used to and some confidence, but our little trip around the block was a success. I see some really fun family bike rides in our future!
It is a little wobbly and it takes some getting used to and some confidence, but our little trip around the block was a success. I see some really fun family bike rides in our future!
3.11.2014
More Questions
I posted a few months ago about Aria's endless questions. Well, they haven't stopped. We still get plenty of, "what's Augie saying?" and "what does (insert an unknown word here) mean?" But lately, they have also got more serious.
Mom, how does a baby come out of the mommy's tummy?
Um.....God made a special way for the baby to come out.
Yeah, but how?
I explained about a special place in the mommy's bottom for the baby to come out. And then she said,
"Is it the same place where we go potty?"
No. (Oy!)
Mom, where does our pee and poop come from? Why is it yellow if I drink red Gatorade?
What does 'I love you' mean?
Who is going to die first in our family?
When will I get (certain body parts)?
Phew! And they always come at the most random times. Sometimes it makes sense, like the question about pee and poop while she was going to the bathroom, but other times they are clear out of the blue. And she really wants to know. She is curious about how things work and what words mean. The night she asked me what 'I love you' means, she really wanted to know what love was. I think. Or maybe she wanted to know why I love her. I guess I'm not really sure.
It is hard, but I love that she asks. And I'm glad that she asks me. I hope I get to be her person to come to for answers for a very long time. Sometimes I don't know. And I tell her that. I don't make things up. I also tell her the truth, in four year old language. Of course I'm not going to get into great anatomy details with her, but I'm also not going to make something up with cutesy words or an inaccurate description. I think it is important that I am honest with her because if she catches me in a lie at some point, I am going to lose her trust.
This is all a sign of the growing up we have been experiencing in our house. We have moved past the infant and toddler stages of life. She is an impressionable little girl whose mind is curious and whose heart is vulnerable. What a job God has given us as parents to help her through these steps of growing up! In my opinion, it is the best job in the world.
Mom, how does a baby come out of the mommy's tummy?
Um.....God made a special way for the baby to come out.
Yeah, but how?
I explained about a special place in the mommy's bottom for the baby to come out. And then she said,
"Is it the same place where we go potty?"
No. (Oy!)
Mom, where does our pee and poop come from? Why is it yellow if I drink red Gatorade?
What does 'I love you' mean?
Who is going to die first in our family?
When will I get (certain body parts)?
Phew! And they always come at the most random times. Sometimes it makes sense, like the question about pee and poop while she was going to the bathroom, but other times they are clear out of the blue. And she really wants to know. She is curious about how things work and what words mean. The night she asked me what 'I love you' means, she really wanted to know what love was. I think. Or maybe she wanted to know why I love her. I guess I'm not really sure.
It is hard, but I love that she asks. And I'm glad that she asks me. I hope I get to be her person to come to for answers for a very long time. Sometimes I don't know. And I tell her that. I don't make things up. I also tell her the truth, in four year old language. Of course I'm not going to get into great anatomy details with her, but I'm also not going to make something up with cutesy words or an inaccurate description. I think it is important that I am honest with her because if she catches me in a lie at some point, I am going to lose her trust.
This is all a sign of the growing up we have been experiencing in our house. We have moved past the infant and toddler stages of life. She is an impressionable little girl whose mind is curious and whose heart is vulnerable. What a job God has given us as parents to help her through these steps of growing up! In my opinion, it is the best job in the world.
2.28.2014
Bob Books
Aria has really enjoyed her new found ability to read. She is still in the beginning stages and we still follow our "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons" book, but we also have found some books she can read on her own. They are called Bob Books for Beginning Readers and we have almost the whole first set checked out from the library. Aria is able to sound out and read every word in the books and they are silly stories that make her laugh. It is a win win situation! The only difficult part is getting her to read for someone other than me. We have finally accomplished reading to Daddy, but whenever we suggest doing it for anyone else, no way. Aria doesn't like a big deal made about herself, which is a good thing, but it is hard to convince her to do something when she knows people will cheer or be excited for her after she does it. I finally convinced her to let me record her reading a Bob Book. This is not the first time she read the book, so we are in danger of some memorization, but it had been several days since she read the book.
I do try to be calm in my praising, but man it is so fun to hear her read! I love her sense of accomplishment and the window of opportunity it opens for her to enjoy books even more. She and I definitely have the same reader's gene, so I know we will be enjoying books together for a long time!
I do try to be calm in my praising, but man it is so fun to hear her read! I love her sense of accomplishment and the window of opportunity it opens for her to enjoy books even more. She and I definitely have the same reader's gene, so I know we will be enjoying books together for a long time!
Kid Spelling
Kid spellings really are the greatest and we had our first ever experience on Justin's valentine. Originally, Aria only wanted to cut out a heart and color it for Justin. I asked her to at least write her name on it and for some reason, probably to not do what I said, she wanted to write I love you instead. (Mwahahaha! What she doesn't know is I really wanted her to write that anyway.)
She wrote the I just fine. Then she asked for help with love. I told her to sound it out. She worked hard at figuring out the sounds. Finally, she knows the word you because it is one of our word wall words. This was the result:
Could there be anything cuter? A valentine completely made by Aria. She cut out the heart. She colored the other side and she wrote I Luv YOu all by herself! She was definitely quite proud to do the work herself! There is definitely a big advantage to letting kids take charge of their learning. I am so excited to be in this stage!
She wrote the I just fine. Then she asked for help with love. I told her to sound it out. She worked hard at figuring out the sounds. Finally, she knows the word you because it is one of our word wall words. This was the result:
Could there be anything cuter? A valentine completely made by Aria. She cut out the heart. She colored the other side and she wrote I Luv YOu all by herself! She was definitely quite proud to do the work herself! There is definitely a big advantage to letting kids take charge of their learning. I am so excited to be in this stage!
2.27.2014
Aria's Birthday BOW-tique
I thought it might be difficult for Aria to figure out what to do for her birthday party, but in early January we just happened to see some Minnie and Daisy decorations at Wal-Mart and she said, "We could have a Minnie and Daisy party!" I was thrilled that it was not princesses so we went with it! Aria has a Minnie and Daisy game on her Leap Pad where she gets to design bows for a surprise party for Minnie, so she was all about designing bows at her party. And having a Minnie Mouse cake. That was after we had a hard time deciding between cupcakes and regular cake and if she wanted Daisy on it, too. Big decisions for a 4 year old.
She was very sure of her guest list, though. Her three friends and their families. She wanted to make sure the siblings and the mommies were included. She hesitated at first with the daddies, but once she realized we were having the party on a Saturday and the daddies would not be at work, she wanted them to come. :)
There was a pin the bow on Minnie game with the party decorations at Wal-Mart that she wanted to play besides doing the bow decorating. She also determined that maybe Caleb wouldn't want to make a bow, so she wanted him to make a hat. Such a thoughtful girl. To my great surprise, her lunch menu changed a few days before the party. All along she said we were having her favorite, mac and cheese, but all of a sudden she switched to pizza, carrots, and grapes. It was so fun to watch her plan things out.
The party was a great day of celebrating Aria. Thankfully she was feeling better than she was on her actual birthday. She also has some really great friends who loved celebrating with her and gave her very nice presents! The only issue was my lack of camera battery in both cameras. Seriously, how did I miss that? I was still able to get some good pictures and video with charging in between photo opportunities. We didn't quite catch the happy birthday song on video, but that is okay. The one other small glitch was with Aria's new bed. She was very excited to show her friends, but she wasn't quite sure what to think when they wanted to climb into it and go down the slide. We finally talked through it enough that she let them enjoy the slide. It is amazing how many people fit into one little girl's bedroom. :)
Here is what we did capture...
Making the bows and hat took a lot of adult supervision, but I think everybody had fun! For the bows I bought some black headbands and some bow ties from the Party Store. I cut off the elastic for the bow tie and glued the bow to the headband. It worked quite well and was pretty easy!
There is a boy in her bed!! And he even wrote "I Love You" on the card he gave her. He also once mentioned he was going to marry her. Hmmmmmm. Good thing we know his parents!
Personal space is not something that is understood by preschoolers, especially when birthday presents are involved.
I might have to do a separate post of my Minnie cake creation.
I am very thankful for these cute kids and their awesome families! It was a special day for Aria because of them!
She was very sure of her guest list, though. Her three friends and their families. She wanted to make sure the siblings and the mommies were included. She hesitated at first with the daddies, but once she realized we were having the party on a Saturday and the daddies would not be at work, she wanted them to come. :)
There was a pin the bow on Minnie game with the party decorations at Wal-Mart that she wanted to play besides doing the bow decorating. She also determined that maybe Caleb wouldn't want to make a bow, so she wanted him to make a hat. Such a thoughtful girl. To my great surprise, her lunch menu changed a few days before the party. All along she said we were having her favorite, mac and cheese, but all of a sudden she switched to pizza, carrots, and grapes. It was so fun to watch her plan things out.
The party was a great day of celebrating Aria. Thankfully she was feeling better than she was on her actual birthday. She also has some really great friends who loved celebrating with her and gave her very nice presents! The only issue was my lack of camera battery in both cameras. Seriously, how did I miss that? I was still able to get some good pictures and video with charging in between photo opportunities. We didn't quite catch the happy birthday song on video, but that is okay. The one other small glitch was with Aria's new bed. She was very excited to show her friends, but she wasn't quite sure what to think when they wanted to climb into it and go down the slide. We finally talked through it enough that she let them enjoy the slide. It is amazing how many people fit into one little girl's bedroom. :)
Here is what we did capture...
Making the bows and hat took a lot of adult supervision, but I think everybody had fun! For the bows I bought some black headbands and some bow ties from the Party Store. I cut off the elastic for the bow tie and glued the bow to the headband. It worked quite well and was pretty easy!
There is a boy in her bed!! And he even wrote "I Love You" on the card he gave her. He also once mentioned he was going to marry her. Hmmmmmm. Good thing we know his parents!
Personal space is not something that is understood by preschoolers, especially when birthday presents are involved.
I might have to do a separate post of my Minnie cake creation.
I am very thankful for these cute kids and their awesome families! It was a special day for Aria because of them!
2.25.2014
Aria's 4th Birthday
So I am almost a month late, but here is a barrage of fun from Aria's birthday!
These three pictures are from the day before her birthday when we made cake pops for her to take to preschool. We had a blast, they tasted great, and they looked decent enough.
We always open presents first thing in the morning. I didn't feel the need to post a picture of every present opened. If I had to pick which present was her favorite, it would be a close call between the Minnie Mouse dress and the Frozen book with cd.
They are kind of hard to see, but the clip on earrings were a pretty big hit, too. You can also see in her eyes here how much she was not feeling well.
After going to preschool, Justin surprised her at lunch (where she chose for us all to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches) and said he wasn't going back to work in the afternoon. We told her we thought we could go to the Children's Museum. But, she didn't want to go there because "it would take to long to drive there in the car." I guess 35 minutes isn't worth a fun place to play. So, she chose to go to the Science Center. We had a good time and still had time for her to get a much needed afternoon snooze.
Red Robin is still her restaurant of choice, but it wasn't as clear cut this year. At first I thought we would be going to Pancheros. Then, during the afternoon of her birthday she said she wanted to go to the Noodle place (Company), but eventually landed back at Red Robin. I guess their mac and cheese is the best. Don't you love her chocolate smile?
A fun grandparent present!
We also had numerous discussions about birthday treats. She originally wanted cake pops for preschool, a cake that evening when her grandparents came over, and cupcakes for her party on Saturday. I didn't think we needed 3 desserts. She really does like ice cream (or sprinkles) the best, so it was an easy sell to have ice cream and cake pops for dessert on her birthday and save the Minnie Mouse cake for her party with friends.
Playing her new Dora Carnival game from her aunt!
Poor thing really was not feeling well on her birthday, but she definitely enjoyed it none the less. We ended up going to the doctor the next day and learned she just had a nasty cough. She was spoiled and loved and created memories, just like a birthday should be!
These three pictures are from the day before her birthday when we made cake pops for her to take to preschool. We had a blast, they tasted great, and they looked decent enough.
We always open presents first thing in the morning. I didn't feel the need to post a picture of every present opened. If I had to pick which present was her favorite, it would be a close call between the Minnie Mouse dress and the Frozen book with cd.
They are kind of hard to see, but the clip on earrings were a pretty big hit, too. You can also see in her eyes here how much she was not feeling well.
After going to preschool, Justin surprised her at lunch (where she chose for us all to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches) and said he wasn't going back to work in the afternoon. We told her we thought we could go to the Children's Museum. But, she didn't want to go there because "it would take to long to drive there in the car." I guess 35 minutes isn't worth a fun place to play. So, she chose to go to the Science Center. We had a good time and still had time for her to get a much needed afternoon snooze.
Red Robin is still her restaurant of choice, but it wasn't as clear cut this year. At first I thought we would be going to Pancheros. Then, during the afternoon of her birthday she said she wanted to go to the Noodle place (Company), but eventually landed back at Red Robin. I guess their mac and cheese is the best. Don't you love her chocolate smile?
A fun grandparent present!
We also had numerous discussions about birthday treats. She originally wanted cake pops for preschool, a cake that evening when her grandparents came over, and cupcakes for her party on Saturday. I didn't think we needed 3 desserts. She really does like ice cream (or sprinkles) the best, so it was an easy sell to have ice cream and cake pops for dessert on her birthday and save the Minnie Mouse cake for her party with friends.
Playing her new Dora Carnival game from her aunt!
Poor thing really was not feeling well on her birthday, but she definitely enjoyed it none the less. We ended up going to the doctor the next day and learned she just had a nasty cough. She was spoiled and loved and created memories, just like a birthday should be!
2.22.2014
Aria at 4
She's been 4 for almost a month now, but here are some details of what our girl is like these days.
She is square. Ha! She is 40.5 inches tall and she weighs about 40.5 pounds. I'm not really sure how she got so big. She can reach things all over the house that just make her seem like a regular person instead of a little girl. I do know that as much as she eats sometimes, it is no wonder she is growing so fast. She wears approximately a size 5 in her clothing. I say approximately because clothing sizes are so weird. And she is starting to grow out of her size 10 shoes.
Some of her favorite things have not changed like mac and cheese and cats and music. Yet others are constantly changing. The other day she told me red was no longer one of her favorite colors, she just likes it. Her favorites are pink and purple.....and blue....and green. I don't think she can really pick one. Other than pink and purple. Those stay at the top.
Much to my chagrin, she has developed an interest in princesses. But she also likes many other characters. Her birthday party was Minnie and Daisy, but she doesn't really stay fixated on one or two like her previous obsession with Elmo. She definitely enjoyed the Frozen movie and spends a lot of rest time listening to that book on cd.
Aria has 3 friends that she feels pretty tight with. They are three girls her same age, in her preschool, and whose parents are our good friends. I see some of my introvert in her being content with her 3 good friends. However, she has a tender heart and realizes the importance of family. When we were quizzing her about what to do for her birthday party, she didn't want to just invite her friends over, she wanted to invite their whole families. She didn't want to leave out their siblings or their parents. She was also very thoughtful in planning activities and food to make sure it was a good fit for all the kids.
Recently I did a post about her learning to read. She is continuing to progress and is able to read more and more. The other day she picked up a book and just read it to herself. It wasn't even completely out loud. She was mumbling a lot of it. It was loud enough that I could hear and know she was sounding out and reading correctly. It really blew me away. She gains more confidence the more she can do. We are still learning, but it is at a great pace for her to feel challenged and accomplished and never frustrated.
I don't know if I can say a favorite Bible story for her anymore. She picks different ones to read all the time. She was on an Elijah kick for awhile, but she really hasn't been stuck on one lately. She has really enjoyed learning memory verses that go with Seeds Family Worship songs. I like being able to apply what the verses say to our lives. We definitely have not abandoned the Zaccheus song before rest time and bedtime. That one is her definite favorite. Ironically, she rarely wants to listen to it on cd or the ipod.
I wish I took better notes or gathered my thoughts more before writing this post because I know there is so much more I could say. Watching Aria grow is the highlight of our days. Recently I went to a parenting class at church and the speaker really hit home how fast kids grow. Before we know it she will be off on her own. I love that I get to spend all of my time with her. I love that my most important job is to be her mom. I love that my most important mission is helping her grow in her knowledge of God. One of these days I'm going to be writing about where she is going to college and I know I will wish for a day at home to play dress up and have Barbies talk to each other and dance around the living room. So, I spend my time enjoying those things now. Our little four year old is definitely a great big blessing!
She is square. Ha! She is 40.5 inches tall and she weighs about 40.5 pounds. I'm not really sure how she got so big. She can reach things all over the house that just make her seem like a regular person instead of a little girl. I do know that as much as she eats sometimes, it is no wonder she is growing so fast. She wears approximately a size 5 in her clothing. I say approximately because clothing sizes are so weird. And she is starting to grow out of her size 10 shoes.
Some of her favorite things have not changed like mac and cheese and cats and music. Yet others are constantly changing. The other day she told me red was no longer one of her favorite colors, she just likes it. Her favorites are pink and purple.....and blue....and green. I don't think she can really pick one. Other than pink and purple. Those stay at the top.
Much to my chagrin, she has developed an interest in princesses. But she also likes many other characters. Her birthday party was Minnie and Daisy, but she doesn't really stay fixated on one or two like her previous obsession with Elmo. She definitely enjoyed the Frozen movie and spends a lot of rest time listening to that book on cd.
Aria has 3 friends that she feels pretty tight with. They are three girls her same age, in her preschool, and whose parents are our good friends. I see some of my introvert in her being content with her 3 good friends. However, she has a tender heart and realizes the importance of family. When we were quizzing her about what to do for her birthday party, she didn't want to just invite her friends over, she wanted to invite their whole families. She didn't want to leave out their siblings or their parents. She was also very thoughtful in planning activities and food to make sure it was a good fit for all the kids.
Recently I did a post about her learning to read. She is continuing to progress and is able to read more and more. The other day she picked up a book and just read it to herself. It wasn't even completely out loud. She was mumbling a lot of it. It was loud enough that I could hear and know she was sounding out and reading correctly. It really blew me away. She gains more confidence the more she can do. We are still learning, but it is at a great pace for her to feel challenged and accomplished and never frustrated.
I don't know if I can say a favorite Bible story for her anymore. She picks different ones to read all the time. She was on an Elijah kick for awhile, but she really hasn't been stuck on one lately. She has really enjoyed learning memory verses that go with Seeds Family Worship songs. I like being able to apply what the verses say to our lives. We definitely have not abandoned the Zaccheus song before rest time and bedtime. That one is her definite favorite. Ironically, she rarely wants to listen to it on cd or the ipod.
I wish I took better notes or gathered my thoughts more before writing this post because I know there is so much more I could say. Watching Aria grow is the highlight of our days. Recently I went to a parenting class at church and the speaker really hit home how fast kids grow. Before we know it she will be off on her own. I love that I get to spend all of my time with her. I love that my most important job is to be her mom. I love that my most important mission is helping her grow in her knowledge of God. One of these days I'm going to be writing about where she is going to college and I know I will wish for a day at home to play dress up and have Barbies talk to each other and dance around the living room. So, I spend my time enjoying those things now. Our little four year old is definitely a great big blessing!
1.29.2014
F-O-U-R
My dear Aria,
Today you turn four. FOUR. How did that happen? Where did the time go? I remember that day four years ago quite well. After not much sleep the night before, Daddy and I got up early on Friday, January 29th. We went into the hospital around 7:00 am and waited around a lot. We had to wait for the doctor to come, wait for him to induce my labor. And wait and wait and wait and wait for you to make your appearance in the world. I spent most of the day walking around and wondering when the whole process was going to start. Late in the afternoon the doctor decided to give me some medicine to help you come out. Once he did that it wasn't much longer. Finally at 8:43 pm, you were born. And in that minute my life changed forever.
I don't really know how much God loves me, but I know it is a lot. And when I look at you, I understand just a little bit what that means. My love for you has no conditions. It will go on forever. I see so many ways that you were made like me and yet so many ways you are different, too. God designed you to be my daughter and to help me grow closer to Him because of our relationship. And He designed me to be your mom and help you know who He is and how much He loves you.
He designed you to love Him and for that love to be evident to everyone you meet. He made you to tell the truth, to have a kind and tender heart, and to bring Him glory with all that you do. God has gifted you with a love for music and He loves it when you use that gift to praise Him. He has filled your imagination with great stories and ideas that you are constantly acting out. He has provided you with a variety of interests that range from princesses and dress up to worms and basketball. Through all of this He is showing you His presence in your life. And you can see it.
You are a quick learner and you pick up on the smallest of details. You understand feelings of people in your family, your friends, and characters in stories. You know that Jesus suffered and died for you on the cross, but that He came back to life and lives through you.
It is amazing to me that the lifetime of a four-year-old can hold so much. I didn't know being a mom would be this great. I didn't know our bond would be so deep.
On this day when you turn four, I pray you know just how special you are. I pray you know you are a specific, unique, genuinely designed child of God. I pray you choose to follow Him with your whole heart and radiate His love everywhere.
I love you, Aria! Happy 4th birthday!
Today you turn four. FOUR. How did that happen? Where did the time go? I remember that day four years ago quite well. After not much sleep the night before, Daddy and I got up early on Friday, January 29th. We went into the hospital around 7:00 am and waited around a lot. We had to wait for the doctor to come, wait for him to induce my labor. And wait and wait and wait and wait for you to make your appearance in the world. I spent most of the day walking around and wondering when the whole process was going to start. Late in the afternoon the doctor decided to give me some medicine to help you come out. Once he did that it wasn't much longer. Finally at 8:43 pm, you were born. And in that minute my life changed forever.
I don't really know how much God loves me, but I know it is a lot. And when I look at you, I understand just a little bit what that means. My love for you has no conditions. It will go on forever. I see so many ways that you were made like me and yet so many ways you are different, too. God designed you to be my daughter and to help me grow closer to Him because of our relationship. And He designed me to be your mom and help you know who He is and how much He loves you.
He designed you to love Him and for that love to be evident to everyone you meet. He made you to tell the truth, to have a kind and tender heart, and to bring Him glory with all that you do. God has gifted you with a love for music and He loves it when you use that gift to praise Him. He has filled your imagination with great stories and ideas that you are constantly acting out. He has provided you with a variety of interests that range from princesses and dress up to worms and basketball. Through all of this He is showing you His presence in your life. And you can see it.
You are a quick learner and you pick up on the smallest of details. You understand feelings of people in your family, your friends, and characters in stories. You know that Jesus suffered and died for you on the cross, but that He came back to life and lives through you.
It is amazing to me that the lifetime of a four-year-old can hold so much. I didn't know being a mom would be this great. I didn't know our bond would be so deep.
On this day when you turn four, I pray you know just how special you are. I pray you know you are a specific, unique, genuinely designed child of God. I pray you choose to follow Him with your whole heart and radiate His love everywhere.
I love you, Aria! Happy 4th birthday!
1.23.2014
Teach Your Child to Read...
...in 100 Easy Lessons.
We did Lesson 27 today and we both are having SO MUCH FUN! I have been wanting to do something structured for moving along in the learning to read process with Aria for awhile now, but just didn't know what. This book was something I had heard of and when a friend was pleased with her use of it, I checked it out from the library. The first 4 or 5 lessons were iffy. Some of the parts were great, but some parts Aria was resistant to. Then all of a sudden she took off!
And now she can sound out and read many, many words. It still just blows my mind. It is so fun to watch her learn and grow AND see her excitement for learning. She has loved books since she was in utero and is feeling quite excited at the possibility of reading more on her own.
We kept the book from the library for 6 weeks and did the lessons most of the weekdays. We took a break for Christmas and picked right back up where we left off. After that I knew I could purchase it and get good use out of it.
My favorite classes in college for my Elementary Education degree were the last two I took for my Reading endorsement called Diagnostic Reading and Reading Dysfunctions. I learned a ton in those classes about how kids learn how to read. But that was 11 years ago. This book has helped me remember some things from that class and shown me things about how to teach my child. My favorite part of the book is that in the first few lessons, Aria really learned how to sound out words. I hear her sounding things out all the time now. Of course our wonderful English language has so many rules that she doesn't get things right all the time, but she is learning. I decided to incorporate a few sight words to accompany our lessons in that book and that has helped her to be able read more. She knows the words the, and, you, I, is, and a really well. She is also making progress at sounding out words in her head so that she just reads the word fast out loud.
I also love that the book incorporates so many little lessons in the way it is structured. It is incorporating comprehension by using pictures and questions to go with her word reading. She reads "stories" now and associates what she reads to a picture. It took a few lessons for her to realize she had to think about the words she was reading. We had a wonderful moment last week when she read the sentence, "the ram is sad." She read the words, only having to sound out ram and sad. She thought for a second and then exclaimed, "Mom! The ram is sad!" It was like I saw a little light bulb go on in her head. So fun!
Another piece that is fun is the handwriting. A common lesson for teachers out there is that you are able to understand something more if you write it. The book has a handwriting component, but sometimes we take it farther. Sometimes I ask her to write words like cat or ram just by sounding them out and writing down the letters. She is so proud of herself when she writes words. And her handwriting has become quite legible!
The best part about all of this is that there is no pressure. It may seem like I am a crazy mom forcing my child to learn to read at age 3, but I am not. She enjoys doing it and asks for the lessons if I forget or if we miss a day for some reason. She is challenged appropriately and we have a lot of fun together. Plus, she is so excited for the opportunity to read words in books when we read together at other times. Learning is so totally fun! This is time spent with my girl that I will never, ever forget! What a bonding experience!
We did Lesson 27 today and we both are having SO MUCH FUN! I have been wanting to do something structured for moving along in the learning to read process with Aria for awhile now, but just didn't know what. This book was something I had heard of and when a friend was pleased with her use of it, I checked it out from the library. The first 4 or 5 lessons were iffy. Some of the parts were great, but some parts Aria was resistant to. Then all of a sudden she took off!
And now she can sound out and read many, many words. It still just blows my mind. It is so fun to watch her learn and grow AND see her excitement for learning. She has loved books since she was in utero and is feeling quite excited at the possibility of reading more on her own.
We kept the book from the library for 6 weeks and did the lessons most of the weekdays. We took a break for Christmas and picked right back up where we left off. After that I knew I could purchase it and get good use out of it.
My favorite classes in college for my Elementary Education degree were the last two I took for my Reading endorsement called Diagnostic Reading and Reading Dysfunctions. I learned a ton in those classes about how kids learn how to read. But that was 11 years ago. This book has helped me remember some things from that class and shown me things about how to teach my child. My favorite part of the book is that in the first few lessons, Aria really learned how to sound out words. I hear her sounding things out all the time now. Of course our wonderful English language has so many rules that she doesn't get things right all the time, but she is learning. I decided to incorporate a few sight words to accompany our lessons in that book and that has helped her to be able read more. She knows the words the, and, you, I, is, and a really well. She is also making progress at sounding out words in her head so that she just reads the word fast out loud.
I also love that the book incorporates so many little lessons in the way it is structured. It is incorporating comprehension by using pictures and questions to go with her word reading. She reads "stories" now and associates what she reads to a picture. It took a few lessons for her to realize she had to think about the words she was reading. We had a wonderful moment last week when she read the sentence, "the ram is sad." She read the words, only having to sound out ram and sad. She thought for a second and then exclaimed, "Mom! The ram is sad!" It was like I saw a little light bulb go on in her head. So fun!
Another piece that is fun is the handwriting. A common lesson for teachers out there is that you are able to understand something more if you write it. The book has a handwriting component, but sometimes we take it farther. Sometimes I ask her to write words like cat or ram just by sounding them out and writing down the letters. She is so proud of herself when she writes words. And her handwriting has become quite legible!
The best part about all of this is that there is no pressure. It may seem like I am a crazy mom forcing my child to learn to read at age 3, but I am not. She enjoys doing it and asks for the lessons if I forget or if we miss a day for some reason. She is challenged appropriately and we have a lot of fun together. Plus, she is so excited for the opportunity to read words in books when we read together at other times. Learning is so totally fun! This is time spent with my girl that I will never, ever forget! What a bonding experience!
12.31.2013
2013 Favorite Pictures
I am kind of a reflective person. Ok, really reflective and nostalgic. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to end the year with my 12 favorite pictures from our year. Here it goes...
This picture was taken on Aria's 3rd birthday, January 29, 2013. I am not sure why I love it so much other than her very natural smile and joy about her birthday. It also makes me laugh to think about the fish fiasco. It took us three tries and a whole lot of water testing, but we have had our beloved betta, Emily (not who you see in the picture) since March.
This was taken on February 28, 2013, Jaime's senior night at Iowa. We had so much fun watching all the games there last year. It was fun to support Jaime and foster a love for basketball and the Hawkeyes in Aria. She still says she is going to play basketball at Carver Hawkeye Arena.
This was taken on Easter Sunday. I just love how much fun Aria has with my parents and my parents have with Aria. They have such a special bond and I am so glad we get to spend every Sunday together.
This was taken on May 10 for Aria's first ever organized sport, Blast Ball. Blast Ball was an absolute blast for Aria and for Justin and I. She loved getting to hit the ball and run the bases. This picture also makes me laugh because this was picture day and we forgot. I was feeling bad about forgetting and we were late and Aria was not in the mood to have her picture taken with the group. So, at the end of the night, we went over in the grass and got this shot. I think it is way better than my $12 would have bought from the company that was there taking pictures.
This was taken on the Fourth of July with Aria's good friend, Eadie. Their friendship has really blossomed this year. When these two are together, they go off and play by themselves and it has really made me realize I now have a little girl who makes a lot of choices on her own, instead of a toddler who has everything dictated to her. I am so thankful for their friendship and for my friendship with Eadie's mom!
This is a picture from my baptism on August 7. I am so thankful that Robin had her camera posed and ready and got great shots of each stage. I love how I am being raised to new life in this picture!
This picture is from August 11 at Niagara Falls. Our vacation was filled with so many awesome memories. I could have stood and watched Niagara Falls forever. This picture was by such random chance. A guy asked us to take a picture of him and the woman he was with. He had a really nice camera, so I knew he would take a good one of us and he was happy to return the favor. I'm not sure we could have professionally staged a better shot.
As the sign says, this was Aria's first day of preschool on September 11. We have had a blast doing our preschool coop this year. Aria is certainly learning and growing and having lots of great opportunities. This whole old enough for preschool thing sure happened fast!
This was our friendly family house divided rivalry for the National League Championship series between the Dodgers and Cardinals in October. We took this picture on the night the Cardinals clinched the series and advanced to the World Series. Of course, the picture was before the game. :) We had fun cheering boys against girls!
This is from a random morning on November 8. Aria doesn't have a sibling to play with, so Augie fills the void. This time Augie got to play dress up. She is such a patient dog!
This is bright and early on Sunday, December 1. Aria got to sing in big church with her Little Praises choir that day. This is the best dressed up Christmas picture I have ever gotten of Aria. And, if you zoom close enough, you can see the largest sty that ever existed on her left eye. What a nasty experience, but it sure didn't take away any of her cute factor!
Christmas Eve. These two fill up my whole heart. I love watching them interact together. There is nothing like the bond between Daddy and daughter. I know just how special it is! This was after completing Aria's new tree house Lego set together.
This picture was taken on Aria's 3rd birthday, January 29, 2013. I am not sure why I love it so much other than her very natural smile and joy about her birthday. It also makes me laugh to think about the fish fiasco. It took us three tries and a whole lot of water testing, but we have had our beloved betta, Emily (not who you see in the picture) since March.
This was taken on February 28, 2013, Jaime's senior night at Iowa. We had so much fun watching all the games there last year. It was fun to support Jaime and foster a love for basketball and the Hawkeyes in Aria. She still says she is going to play basketball at Carver Hawkeye Arena.
This was taken on Easter Sunday. I just love how much fun Aria has with my parents and my parents have with Aria. They have such a special bond and I am so glad we get to spend every Sunday together.
This was taken on May 10 for Aria's first ever organized sport, Blast Ball. Blast Ball was an absolute blast for Aria and for Justin and I. She loved getting to hit the ball and run the bases. This picture also makes me laugh because this was picture day and we forgot. I was feeling bad about forgetting and we were late and Aria was not in the mood to have her picture taken with the group. So, at the end of the night, we went over in the grass and got this shot. I think it is way better than my $12 would have bought from the company that was there taking pictures.
This was taken on the Fourth of July with Aria's good friend, Eadie. Their friendship has really blossomed this year. When these two are together, they go off and play by themselves and it has really made me realize I now have a little girl who makes a lot of choices on her own, instead of a toddler who has everything dictated to her. I am so thankful for their friendship and for my friendship with Eadie's mom!
This is a picture from my baptism on August 7. I am so thankful that Robin had her camera posed and ready and got great shots of each stage. I love how I am being raised to new life in this picture!
This picture is from August 11 at Niagara Falls. Our vacation was filled with so many awesome memories. I could have stood and watched Niagara Falls forever. This picture was by such random chance. A guy asked us to take a picture of him and the woman he was with. He had a really nice camera, so I knew he would take a good one of us and he was happy to return the favor. I'm not sure we could have professionally staged a better shot.
As the sign says, this was Aria's first day of preschool on September 11. We have had a blast doing our preschool coop this year. Aria is certainly learning and growing and having lots of great opportunities. This whole old enough for preschool thing sure happened fast!
This was our friendly family house divided rivalry for the National League Championship series between the Dodgers and Cardinals in October. We took this picture on the night the Cardinals clinched the series and advanced to the World Series. Of course, the picture was before the game. :) We had fun cheering boys against girls!
This is from a random morning on November 8. Aria doesn't have a sibling to play with, so Augie fills the void. This time Augie got to play dress up. She is such a patient dog!
This is bright and early on Sunday, December 1. Aria got to sing in big church with her Little Praises choir that day. This is the best dressed up Christmas picture I have ever gotten of Aria. And, if you zoom close enough, you can see the largest sty that ever existed on her left eye. What a nasty experience, but it sure didn't take away any of her cute factor!
Christmas Eve. These two fill up my whole heart. I love watching them interact together. There is nothing like the bond between Daddy and daughter. I know just how special it is! This was after completing Aria's new tree house Lego set together.
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