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Saturday, February 28, 2009

What the three-year-olds are really into these days

Goodness gracious, thank you SO MUCH for all the well-wishes and votes on the Scholastic award (voting thru Mar 13) -- your comments made me blush and grin. Now I guess I'll get my butt in gear and finish writing that "Talking about adoption is hard" post since it was the clear winner.

In the meantime, here's a little peek at what really floats the girls' boats these days.  

Colors: They're still lovin' the pink and yellow. Ro's grungy pink MaryJanes and Ree's beloved-but-soiled yellow polka-dot shoes (seen below) have been worn half to death and aren't going to last much longer. I'm keeping my eyes open for some spring/summer replacements and so far am considering Polliwalks, which seem a touch more durable than the suede and cloth shoes they're destroying as I type. DSC01515m This pic was snapped just after skating lessons today. The girls have some pretty wicked helmet hair, but that neat orange wall at the mall practically begged me to dig out the purse camera.

Mini Math: The girls have discovered how much fun it is to add and subtract and they just love figuring out little math problems. I found a cheapo math book at the drugstore and they're having a ball with it. So far they can add and subtract small numbers (they're digitally challenged, aka limited to the number of fingers they have, haha). They can count to 12 (they think they can go higher than that, but trust me, after 12 it's just numeral slaughter). They recognize written numbers up to about 10, and can follow simple verbal directions like "circle eight things on this page" or "count how many hippos there are, then draw a line from the hippos to that number." Cool! DSC01491  

Counting Syllables: This is a quirky one, but it amuses us, and that's the important thing, right? Heh. A few weeks ago I flippantly said "Hey girls, do you know how many syllables are in the word watermelon?" Then I sounded the word out slowly while counting on my fingers and said "four!" Well that's all it took, now they think it's the bestest game ever to count how many syllables are in a word or how many syllables are in the words of a book title or whatever. Ro is always right, by the way, and Ree is right when she feels like it. (She'll sometimes give me a little sideways smirk and go all Texan on us drawing out the last syllable and counting it for a few beats.) Cuties.

 

Playing Together: This one hasn't changed since the day we met them. They're best friends and like nothing more than running, jumping, imagining, and pretending together. They're zanily creative and also blissfully rough with each other. You make the call on this pic: is Ree trying to help her sister or shove her off the table? Such a fine line...

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 Climbing: When I end up in the hospital with heart failure, no one will even ask why, right? These daredevils have loved climbing from day one, and have never met a climbing wall, ladder, or piece of playground equipment that's too high for them. I'm going to take them to a real climbing wall next week -- one with ropes and whatnot -- and see if they can finally get some satisfaction. I secretly want to see if they have any limits (while they're safe), but even as I type this, I know what's going to happen. They'll be at the top in seconds and I'll have to beg and bribe to get them down.


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Singing: Ro and Ree have the loudest voices of any children I've met. Our family and friends will probably wincingly attest to that. Add that to their, uh, interesting vocal styles (think wailing cats) and it's a wonder the neighbors haven't called the police on us yet. We are working on turning down the volume, I promise. But last night, Ro and Ree put on multiple pairs of pajamas, snuck outside, stomped through mudpuddles, climbed the slide so they were closer to the sky, and "sang" Twinkle Twinkle Little Star at the tops of their voices. (In their defense, it was such a clear night that the stars were AMAZING.)

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Well I'm sure I'm forgetting to mention a whole rash of favorite things, but those are the ones that spring to mind right now. Three years old is really, really fun. Can't wait to see what they do at three and a half!

26 comments:

  1. What a fun update. Love the playing in the mud in jams story.

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  2. Anonymous2/28/2009

    We think that they are such characters. The antics Ro and Ree come up with are hilarious.

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  3. Id love to see the numbers slaughter lol can you take a movie :)

    And ps. they seem ready to be put into gymnastic, they will undaredevil them there :)

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  4. Anonymous2/28/2009

    Counting syllables is very important skills for reading. Keep up the great work! Or play!

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  5. Hi.

    Love your blog. Your girls are super cute. Our girl is from Hubei too, we traveled in Feb. 06.

    Sue : )

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  6. WOW...three is so much fun in your house!! Those pictures are a scream.....I love the shot of them singing twinkle twinkle and of course...the playground picture. My heart fluttered just looking at that picture....little dare devils:)

    Enjoy your weekend!

    Lisa

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  7. Good grief! Only three years old and already adding, and counting syllables. How do they even understand what those things mean at that tender age? Adorable, smart, sweet, and funny those girls are. They are indeed the total package.

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  8. Hey-My sister is a climbing instructor for little kids and she way just telling me that the 3-4 years old are the BEST climbers because they just love to go UP and have no fear. Unlike the poor mamas on the bottom of the rope clutching their chests.

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  9. Your girls are so cute. My two little ones love the School House Rocks series. Especially the 4.5 year old, it is amazing she can sing all of the songs. One of her favorites is "Conjuction junction, what's your function". Highly recomend it for the little ones. It sure brings back memories. Christe

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  10. They are too cute. When my girls were 3 or so, they clapped after each syllable, which seemed to make it into a music lesson as well. In your case, they could blow the tuba or climb a rung higher on the playground equipment after each syllable.

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  11. Love all the pictures and the climbing one, my heart just stopped. I get freaked when Shayna climbs things. I agree, three is so fun!

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  12. Love that last pic of them so much!

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  13. Love that orange wall and the helmet hair! Looks like the girls are having fun and getting bigger by the minute! Looking forward to seeing you guys in a week or so.

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  14. Wow, they are very good at that syllable game and it will surely help them when it comes time to read and write.

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  15. Conor found yellow puma sneakers for Cams (who is a fan of yellow) and I also found some yellow with a flower mary-janes for spring by naturino.

    I can't wait for my girls to maybe, finally, play together!

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  16. It's so cool to see what the girls are doing. Maddy is not quite that far advanced but she is coming along. Of course, we didn't get her until she was 2 so with that in mind, we think she is doing great. However, I like see what your girls are doing at about the same age since it's been so very long since I've had a three year old in the house. :0)

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  17. Your girls are doing a GREAT JOB! And I call MYSELF a teacher! Sheesh!

    Hey, with those syllable skills, you'll be writing Haiku poems by next week!!! :)

    Seriously, great job!

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  18. I LOVE the singing picture! How sweet is that! And just FYI I have worked with first graders that didn't understand the math and syllable stuff like your girls do! Good job making it so much fun!

    Congrats on being tied for first place this morning!

    -Jen-

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  19. Love the update. Been following you since your phone call from China and you always keep my spirits up that my daughter would someday have her Lauren. What a pleasure to see such a happy family and such smart girls. Linda

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  20. Anonymous3/01/2009

    I love all your posts, but this is one of my favorites. I'm thinking of C in a few years and beaming. But just wondering ... "Angelina"??? After Mrs. Brad Pitt?? Has someone been sneaking in a little time with People magazine during naps?? ;)

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  21. That was great! I love the part about getting closer to the sky. Children are truly poetic. My two turn two years old on Thursday. And not that it's not fun now, it is, it was just nice to hear you say that three is REALLY fun.

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  22. The video is so cute, I love to hear their cute voices!
    Our little one just turned three and a half!
    About the photo, I really think Ree was saving Ro.

    Have the girls entered the phase of "making stories up"? We have!

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  23. Anonymous3/01/2009

    wow! so awesometodo this at three!

    My 6 year old is just now learning this same stuff in kindergarten

    Okay they have been doing someof it since Halloween but keep up the great work

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  24. As a speech-pathologist, that syllable counting thing isn;t quirky. It's a great skill for pre-literacy! Way to go Momma...and Ro and Ree!

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  25. Anonymous3/03/2009

    Oh my gosh, I can't seem to get my little ones out of their pajamas! It works out well for me though, seeing as how I can't seem to stop buying them cute pajamas. Whenever there is a birthday or holiday you will find me on MyBabyPajamas buying presents. :)

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