Don't just take my word for it! (a series)

As I looked through the big stack of daily reports that I've saved over the past seven months, I first thought that I'm borderline hoarder and may need to look into a program ... but then, as I started to read through the words that gave me a glimpse into the girls' time while we are away, I was SO happy that I've kept them.  These are Anna's notes from the summer into early winter and you'll see the recurring theme around her love of song and all things singing related.  She sang loud and proud in the Turtle classroom, figuratively and literally starting to find her voice.  She's still a shy child, but will speak up and stand her ground when she needs to, and wins the heart of every single one of her teachers.  I'm constantly stopped in the hall and told how sweet, kind and polite she is to everyone that interacts with her on any level.  My heart beams with pride when I hear that we may just be doing something right as a parent.  I'm also amazed at how far she's come verbally, not necessarily in her vocabulary (although that's grown), but her sentence structures are much more advanced than the 3-4 word descriptors she was using back in June.

6/25/13: Anna enjoyed gym time today as we did our egg experiment.  She clapped and giggled over every egg dropped, whether it cracked or not. 

6/27/13:  Anna enjoyed dancing today.  She would march around to the music and then go the carpet and say “look we’re spinning!” over and over again.

7/3/13:  Anna loved pretending to make food and eat it while outside in the house with her teacher and friends.  She said “here Miss Hanna, yummy food!”

7/8/13:  Anna loved purses today.  Any small toy she found she would do her best to shove it into her overflowing purse.

7/9/13:  Anna had such a great day! She loved watching our homemade volcano erupt.  When it was all done she said “the lava’s in the ‘cano!!”

7/10/13:  Anna was so funny outside during water day.  She and Audrey would run through the sprinkler to get to the house, just screaming and laughing, then hide from the water, trying not to get wet – doing this over and over.

7/12/13:  Anna might be a softball player the way she slides!  Outside Anna loves running with friends and then all of the sudden she will drop to the ground on purpose like a softball slide to home plate!

7/19/13:  Anna really enjoyed the magic show today.  Her eyes lit up and she had a huge smile.  She clapped and tried to inch closer. (A BIG for you given that she generally hates strangers, especially those dressed up)

7/22/13:  Anna is so cute when she wants a turn at something.  She runs up yelling, “Anna’s turn, Anna’s turn, please!” : )

7/23/13: Anna loves playing games with her teachers.  Like pretending she is “gone” when she hides behind her teacher or under a blanket.  She laughs to hard when you say “Where did Anna go?  I don’t see her!!”

7/29/13:  Anna loved running with her friends today.  She would tell them “Hey, let’s go run, run, go!”

7/30/13:  Anna enjoyed playing “follow me” with her teachers and friends.  Anna liked it so much she had to be right in the front by Miss Hannah doing all the moves.  When a friend got close, she said “no, ME!” (Anna LOVED Miss Hannah!)

7/31/13:  Anna said “what’s that, what’s that?” every time she came across bugs outside.  Her eye lit up with excitement and she was determined to get an answer from her teachers.

8/1/13:  Anna was so cute as she put on a bandana and the lady bug outfit.  She said “pretty” as she pointed to herself and she liked it so much she had to keep it on for lunch, nap and outside time.  (She was wearing this on the playground when I arrived to pick her up that day)

8/2/13:  Anna loves singing our “jumping” song.  She will patiently wait until we call her name and then she stands up and says “Anna’s turn!!!”  So funny!

8/8/13:  Anna loved exploring her pockets today.  Anna put flowers in her pockets, then would push her hands as far as she could and started dancing and spinning.  So cute!

8/13/13:  Anna was so cute at snack time today; she started singing “twinkle twinkle” and then clapped for herself when she was done.  (Sounds about right!  We got a nightly performance from Anna during this phase!)

8/14/13: Anna enjoys running outside.  She’d run up to a friend or teacher and say “run run!” then take of chasing of being chased, and laughing so hard.  (Anna’s ALL TIME favorite game of summer 2013)

8/15/13: Anna enjoyed the petting zoo today!  She made sure to pet as many farm animals as she could!

8/19/13:  Anna was a singing machine today!  ¾ of the day she did nothing but sing with her teachers, with her friends, and by herself.  Twinkle twinkle was the song sung the most : )

8/21/13:  Anna was being so funny at naptime today.  She thought it was the funniest thing to close her eyes and pretend she was sleeping then all of the sudden, jump up with wide eyes and say “boo!”  (I love how sweet they are – clearly this was a disruption, ha)

8/22/13:  Anna loved being in the tree house outside and just singing “twinkle twinkle” so loud with her friends.

8/26/13:  During art, Anna got super excited when she heard the ABC song come on the CD.  She said “oh, ABCs!” and then started singing loudly.

8/28/13:  Anna was a little parrot today.  For most of the day she was right next to her teacher, trying to sneak up on her, and then repeating everything Miss Hannah said.

9/25/13:  Anna enjoyed exploring all the pictures on our all today.  Every time we pointed to her picture, she would yell “that’s Anna!” and clap.  (they sent home the cutest pictures of the kids in this class – I loved seeing her day on film!)

10/2/13: Anna loved playing with the babies today.  She was patting two babies at one time and said “Ahhhh, babies are sleeping.  Help me pat Miss Hannah.”

10/3/13: Anna liked exploring the kitchen center today.  “Mac n cheese” is what she made the most.  “Yum yum, eat it!” she kept telling Miss Hannah.

10/10/13:  Anna was glad to see her friend Audrey today!  As soon as Audrey walked in, Anna ran to her and yelled “Audrey, you are back and not sick!”

10/11/13:  Anna liked playing on the slide on the playground.  When Anna got to the top, she’d yell “Audrey come with me!” and they went down right next to each other. 

10/14/13:  Anna had a huge interest in a squished spider outside today.  Anna kept telling all her friends to “come look spider” as she kept stepping on it over and over.

10/15/13:  Anna is a big fan of chasing her teacher around with a dinosaur!  She cracks up as she funs after her teaching saying “I get you!”

10/16/13:  Anna liked taking the bells and shaking them with her friends and singing jingle bells.

10/30/13:  Anna liked exploring the Halloween spiders.  She would take one and say “it’s going to get you!” and then laugh.

10/31/13:  Anna loved dancing with Audrey to Halloween music today.  They were so cute, both dressed as Minnie Mouse!

11/6/13:  Anna was excited when she found a caterpillar outside today.  She picked it right up, laughing, and then went and showed it to all of her friends.  (Thank goodness you didn’t stand around stomping on this one!)

11/7/13:  Anna loves to dance and it’s so cute to watch her bust a move.  As soon as music comes on, Anna is the first to dance and will yell “come on everyone, let’s dance!!”

11/8/13:  Anna was all about doing things herself today.  Every few minutes when her nose would start to run, she’d say “I need a tissue.  I do it myself.  Because I said so!”  Very funny.

11/11/13:  Anna enjoyed showing her friends how to do yoga on the mat today.  “No, like this” or “Do this one” she would tell her friends as they followed.  (Hilarious – a natural leader emerges!)

11/12/13:  Anna did a GREAT job on the balance beam today with no help and used both feet. Super job!!  (She had been working on this for a while and would get nervous if other children were around you – we were very proud!)

11/14/13:  Anna and her friend have cute imaginations!  Anna and Audrey took turns laying on the bean bag and patting each other to sleep.  Very sweet!

11/15/13:  (end of class note) Anna has been a blast to have in the Turtle room and she has grown so much since she moved over.  Anna has many words and she uses them all the time, which is great.  She talks to her friends and her teachers about everything, always asking “what are you doing?” or “why?”  Anna loves to sing!  Singing has to be one her favorite things to do!  Anna makes sure to sing loud and proud, and it’s very cute.  Anna is very smart and will do even better as she moves on up.

11/18/13:  Anna loved the little clementine pieces over the apple slices in science today.  It was a clear winner.  She’s a great addition to our room, welcome!  (First day in the manatee classroom!)

12/6/13:  Anna loved giving high-5s to Santa when he visited today.  (Apparently she circled him for quite a while and then deemed him high-5 worthy, but went nowhere near sitting on his lap)

12/18/13:  Anna was so pleased with herself when she figured out how to make shadow puppets with the battery candles today.

12/19/13:  Anna was a MESS after lunch!  She must have thoroughly enjoyed every bite – Yumm!!  (Mac n cheese day … you better believe she enjoyed it!)

12/20/13:  Anna loved playing outside today.  She was so happy, she started singing “up on the housetop.”

1/6/14:  Anna had some of the cutest sound effects today while playing with play dough.  (This was also your first day in underwear all day!!)

1/8/14:  Anna was very patient waiting for her popcorn treat!  She didn’t want to come get it and waited for Miss Lisa to bring it to her. (She loves Miss Lisa!!  And, LOVED watching the Polar Express at school this day – we heard about it all evening)

1/10/14:  Anna loves to sing the words to “twinkle twinkle” – she’s a little musician!

1/13/14:  Anna loved doing the silly finger play with Miss Liz!  She was so wide-eyed and cute as we all learned it in special enrichment.

1/16/14: Anna loved building with the snap blocks on the carpet today.  She gathered up all the purple ones to use those first : )

1/17/14:  Anna was a food stylist at lunch today.  She rearranged all of the applesauce on her plate to a different slot very tediously.  It was interesting to observe : )

You read the previous installments by clicking here and here.