Update on new skills...

8/08

7/08

6/08

5/08

4/08

3/08

2/08

1/08

Makes up his own jokes, which really crack up Aidan.

Loves soup. Will eat three bowls at a time.

Always helping in the kitchen. Cracks eggs, pours things, likes to mix too.

Passed Dad's ability on Star Wars Lego - complete saga.

Very good at making new friends.

12/07

Interested in drawing, though gets frustrated if the look is not how he intended. Loves praise for pictures and putting things on the fridge. Wants to save EVERYTHING from school.

11/07

Reading simple sentences without blatant pictures clues.

Very interested in competitive board games. Connect Four - look out!

Can make his own peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

10/07

Reading words like Mom, Dad, like, love, baby, come, the, & and

Counting by 2s,5s, & 10s

9/07

Wiz at Monopoly Jr.

Sounding out letters.

Able to count to 200

8/07

Impressed Aunt with his outstanding math skills making change with Monopoly Jr.

Loves to take pictures with the digital camera,

Likes to share new information learned at camp and treats Aidan like one of the "little kids". He's made the transition into thinking of himself as a big kid. Starts kindergarten in Sept.

7/07

Is sounding out letters. We have word sight flashcards that he likes to play with in 5 minute intervals. He will "read" the word when I sound it out for him. He's memorized some of them.

Likes to jump into the pool with his lifejacket on, but is scared to remove it without a death grip on an adult in the water.

Loves to jump on everything. Beds and couches are fairgame.

Can set up the Xbox and start up his LEGO Star Wars game unassisted once it has been plugged in.

6/07

Graduated Preschool

Helps out at home by emptying silverware from dishwasher. He also cuts coupons out for me with his special scissors.

Wants to plant everything. Eats a peach, wants to plant the pit. Has an apple, wants to put the seeds in the ground.

Playing soccer with the Rec team.

5/07

Turned 5 with terrific sport themed party. Loved making the piñata best.

Identifying letter sounds. Suddenly has strong interest in Electric Company and Between the Lions.

Riding his scooter more confidently.

Very helpful in the garden. Interested in planting seedlings.

4/07

Can write name very legibly in upper and lower case. Earns special necklace at school.

Plays soccer in the rec league and really loves it.

Picks out his own clothes and can hang them up too.

Making the transition into wanting to be big, meaning he often scolds his brother.

3/07

Loves jumping all of a sudden

Working on riding bike without assistance

Given the choice would play computer puzzle games all day long. Knows how to upload trial games from gamehouse.com

2/07

Helping out around the house by handing mom laundry to fold, putting things away in the drawers and emptying the silverware from the dishwasher.

Has memorized a list of shapes, colors, and numbers in a sequence.

Can write own name and Aidan's legibly without assistance.

1/07

Started writing letters on own.

Pro at Star Wars Lego 2

Able to unbuckle seat.

12/06

Can open car door on own, get into seat and buckle in except for one buckle.

Very into building blocks, tinker toys and large legos. Makes structures then lines up all his cars near it.

Helps himself to snacks.

Likes to do connect by numbers.

11/06

Gets completely dressed in pjs and clothes on own beginning with picking them out.

Opens the car door on own.

This is a little sick - can turn on TV and start the Xbox without help. Even knows where cords should go on TV.

Learning Spanish at school  - can count to 10!

10/06

Loving my new school. Even learning some Spanish there.

Very interested in how numbers are read. Want to know what 5 and 0 mean on the street sign.

Used "what the hell" correctly while playing a video game. Yeah, we then talked about good words....

9/06

Still mastering his big bike.

Working out the alphabet understanding the sounds and where all the letters go.

Told me that "Aidan and I have brown skin and you have pink"

This week his favorite color is green and red. Still likes spaceships. Decided he will be a knight for Halloween.

8/06

Went into public stall alone and handled everything. Needed help reaching the sink after.

Like to run very fast especially if you watch him.

Can climb up the side of the play structure at our park and step over to the platform without someone spotting.

7/06

Starting to get very interested in Star Wars due to exposure to light sabers.

Very interested in fireworks and pretend to set them off (typically a bunch of crayons put together). Makes up names for them and will tell you if asked.

Use a disposable  film camera to take pictures of things I like.

Like to 'shoot' water and have a 'waterfight' with our kid pool.

6/06

Ride my new 4 year bike up and back driveway hesitantly by myself

Have new dance moves that incorporate karate like look.

Can open very heavy front screen door.

Cook several assorted dishes out of sand and a little water. Yum.

5/06

Used "give it to her" rather than "give it to she" for the first time.

Answering the phone when the mood strikes otherwise just bringing it to Mom or Dad.

Getting his own water from the fridge with ice.

No longer in love with orange.

4/06

Still working out time concepts as in "Do the one you said later" meaning "Let's go with what you said before"

Cute one was asking to forward to a new section of the movie as in "hop over to the other part that I like"

Which brings us to a new skill, able to fast forward and rewind our cable version of cable TV on his own.

3/06

Back at school two days a week and cry when I'm dropped off. Then when I'm picked up I want to know everything Aidan and Mom did while I was away.

Riding my bike, big wheel, and scooter very well.

Climbing on everything and loving to jump off. Often try to do "Jackie Chan moves" from the "Japanese Movie".

2/06

Good at forming meatballs. Said that I knew how to do it because I listened to my angel inside.

Can hop into the tub all by myself.

Recognize almost all the letters and want signs on the road to be read to me. "What does that one say, what about that one..."

1/06

Sleeping through the night without wetting.

1111Got a bike for Christmas with training wheels and riding it like a champ.

Properly use phrases like "OK, here's the deal..."

All about GaS (games and sports network on TV) interested in "shooters"

Frequently say "you know"

Eat a whole apple (except core) no more removing the skin...

12/05

Want everything I see on TV. When something is marketed for girls I told my mom that if she has a girl baby we could buy it and give it to her to play with when she got big.

I know all about elevators and often pretend that we have one in our bathroom between the sink and the wall. (we press a tile for our floor)

I can turn the lock in the knob and lock people out of my room or the whole house.

Went to the dentist for the first time and got xrays. So now floss teeth too.

11/05

Can crack an egg to help with the cooking.

Know how to turn on the computer, click through to a game site and play by myself. (Like noggin.com best)

Using words like 'ridiculous', 'options', or telling people that 'that hurt my feelings'

10/05

Can get things out of the fridge and fill my own cup with water.

Figured out by using a chair to turn the lights on in all our rooms.

Like to make a 'spaceship' fort out of my bed.

Can write my name recognizably without help.

9/05

Able and willing to hang my Dad's, brother's or own shirts by putting them on a hanger and hanging it on the low bar in my closet.

Ride a bike!

Can get out of the tub all by myself.

Go on the potty consistently.

Asking what the written words say.

8/05

Can put on my shoes all by myself and get them on the right feet.

Good at playing Candyland. Still LOVE orange.

Can write my name with some coaching.

7/05

Can open the fridge and help myself to juice or cheese.

Using past tense of words

Telling my mom when I am being lectured that "I don't want to hear those words" or "I only love mom" The saddest one was "that nobody loves me"...

Swing on my new set all by myself.

6/05

Can put my seatbelt on alone.

Still break dancing like crazy.

Now have karate moves complete with sound effects which will be shown if you ask for a demonstration.

5/05

Dressing myself very well

Helping out by throwing things away in the garbage for people.

Making the letter E in a readable way, the other letters of my name with help.

Use big words like "I'm nervous" or "frustrated"

4/05

Able to cut with scissors.

Know how to move chair across room to light switch in my room at night.

Can sharpen pencil with pencil sharpener

3/05

Can hook up the Xbox to the TV.

Like to use dental floss on my teeth at night. (Basically suck the flavor out of the string)

Will "write" name making one line for each letter. Though can make a T very well.

2/05

Will try to spell Ethan out loud (will substitute I for A once in a while)

Learning difference between left and right.

Can count to 20 - sometimes need a hint.

Able to remove my own shoes without untying them.

1/05

Using words very well to express myself and like to ask "what's this one called Mommy?" when unsure.

Learning the rule of the road by screaming "stop" when I see a stop sign up ahead. After the car has rolled to a stop, I scream "go!"

Like to cook. The other day I said "let's make something Mommy." After she said "OK, what do you want to make." I said "something like brownies?" while I counted things off on my fingers. But I could only think of brownies.

12/04

Can remove my own shirt and put it back on again too.

Have a great ear for repeating words. Especially big ones like fantastic, magnificent and other challenges my mom dreams up.

11/04

Like to make up my gibberish own words like "pone" or "ping pone"

Can remove my pajamas and diaper all by myself displaying these skills when I was suppose to be sleeping.

Used my potty, but don't really understand I could be doing this all the time.

10/04

I can jump.

Can Lamaze breath with mom.

Try to negotiate later bedtime.

9/04

Sleeps in a big boy bed. No more crib!

Sings "Take me out to the ballgame"

Says "Yes" typically adding your name as well. "Yes, Daddy"

Very interested in reading books and playing with his baseball tee.

Says "sorry" when he walks in front of you. Sometimes adds "that's Ethan's fault"

8/04

Sings the "ABCs" when you sing along and will point to letters on things and say "ABC, like that!"

Jumps off of things

Uses lots of gibberish to fill in words to make long sentences which typical end with "that!"

Favorite food: Ice cream sandwich or real macaroni and cheese

7/04

Says "Okay" and "Alright"

Likes to say "please, thank you, and you're welcome" For example if you are tickling him and he wants you to stop he says "No, please".

Sings "Rock a Bye Baby" and "You are my Sunshine" when you sing with him

Can count up to 15

Jumps

6/04

Will tell you "I'm two" and show you two fingers.

Sings "Twinkle Twinkle little Star" and Veggie Tales theme.

5/04

Say "bless you" when someone sneezes or coughs around me. If they don't say 'thank you' I remind them.

Like to play video games and can name at least 5 different ones. Dad left me with the hockey game for a minute and I scored against the computer.

4/04

Like to 'drive drive' mom's car. Will set it up so when she starts it the wipers, turn signal, headlights, and radio go on (really loud too!)

Speak very well and will repeat request as needed with a huge smile and head shake when the guesser is right.

Like to play with play dough, finger-paints, and watercolors.

3/04

Walk up stairs holding on to the railing or someone's hand rather than crawling.

Say "pease" and "tank you" often with other words like "open pease"

Repeat any interesting words I hear.

Like to pretend, color, use clay and finger paints.

2/04

Finished with the bottle. Now just drink out of sippy cup.

Will throw myself on the floor and say "I fall" when I need a little attention.

I count to five, though like to start with the number 2

Climb up on chairs now so tables aren't safe : )

Like to 'help' my mom in the kitchen measuring things out when it's time to cook.

1/04

Like to pretend to eat food and feed my animals.

I can repeat almost any word that I'm asked to say.

Starting to talk on the phone

12/03

Say "billiards" brokenly to roll balls on the pool table at 'Pa's house.

Shake my head yes and no

Will name people when asked, but like to pretend that I have them mixed up.

I like to joke around

Good at stacking blocks too.

11/03

Talking more clearly

Like to be chased or chase someone else.

Say "Mama, Dada, Fluff (my bear),up, uh oh"

10/03

Bop head to music.

Say 'dar' for car while I point at anything with wheels.

Shake my head and say 'no'.

9/03

Will say "shhh" and put finger in front of lips.

Love to say "Oh" or "wow" when I see something neat or a new toy.

8/03

Use the expression "uh oh" correctly

Clap in time to the music

March

7/03

Say "ba ba" for bottle in a sweet voice

Running!

Sort of eating with a spoon

New dance moves include head banging and a shimmy...

6/03

Can do "high five!"

Like to put my blocks in any open container.

Push buttons and can turn on the computer.

5/03

I'M WALKING!

Like to say "ma, ma, ma" which doesn't really mean "mom"

Also say "boo" thanks to prompting from Aunt Carolyn

Grammie taught me to give soft head butts.

I play by roaring then "chasing" or "running away" from you at a fast crawl.

This site was last updated 08/08/08