I don't even know where to start. This girl is learning and exploring so much, it's hard enough to try to keep up with her -- when am I supposed to find time to blog about it?! But fear not, intrepid explorers, she's going to bed with mom tonight and I'm going to steal a few minutes for writing. (Which means I'm not planning for school, grading, playing my guitar or bass, practicing Aikido, planning Aikido classes, gardening, or reading (gasp!) for pleasure.)
One of the biggest moments for me recently was about a month ago at Good Earth Farms, where we have a seedling CSA. We'd stopped by to pick up our first tray of frost resistant plants and had a great time exploring while we were there. At one point, Esme was a little tired and was in my arms, with her head on my shoulder. I'm busy talking to the folks that run the place about gardening and music when I hear, over my shoulder, Esme clearly say, "N - E - S - H - O - B - E, F - A - R - M, S - T - A - N - D. What does that say?"
I turned around and realized that, on their red barn, they have written in white letters 'Neshobe Farm Stand'. (The Neshobe River runs through town. Esme's eventual school is Neshobe Elementary School.) Somehow, this little 3-and-a-half year old is recognizing letters out of context.
She's also listening closely when we try to teach her that "an-uhn-uh" is actually pronounced 'another' (which she worked at to reach "an-uhd-er," so there's that), and she doesn't actually need her toy binoculars to watch the birds (and squirrels) at the bird feeders outside our kitchen window. Perhaps not listening so closely when we try to teach her to only water the plants (not the driveway, or the house, or the garage) and that Daddy is not always a climbing apparatus.
She's entering the arena of imaginative play, whether with her imaginary friend, Flower (who has an amazing capacity to be large or small, here or there, whatever the situation requires); her stuffed animals (which require medical attention at an alarming rate, or at least they did the first few months after Esme got her doctor's kit -- does that mean she's got a limited attention span or that she's an amazing physician?); her kitchen (which sometimes requires one to promise to finish cooking the food in order to get her to go to bed); or with her imitation of so many of the daily activities that happen around our house (and you should see the girl fold clothes -- you never thought of doing it that way, I guarantee you).
She captures hearts wherever she goes, especially at the Brandon Free Public Library and the local bookstore, Book & Leaf. We go to the library at least once a week, for books, movies, and music. It seems she never fails to step up to the counter at some point and engage one of the three librarians. At the book store (where both my books are on the local author shelf!), she bounces back and forth between her parents and seeking out the woman who runs the store. (Yes, they sell coffee and tea and some incredible cookies. We rarely leave without at least three items, whether they be literary, gustatory, or coffee-y.
She continues to 'play' instruments, though I must admit to being a bit worried when she came over to the door really upset one day with my guitar in her hands. She had perhaps knocked it down trying to get to the window? Mostly she strums or pounds, but her whistling is developing past a single note and her capacity to sing a melody (whether or not she kept the words from the original song) astounds me.
And now my writing time has expired for the evening so I'm throwing a few photos your way to make up for the past few months of no contact. There are so many more stories to share. Until next time.
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| Esme with the first section of her strawberry garden. |
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| Love and kisses to all! |
I don't even know where to start. This girl is learning and exploring so much, it's hard enough to try to keep up with her -- when am I supposed to find time to blog about it?! But fear not, intrepid explorers, she's going to bed with mom tonight and I'm going to steal a few minutes for writing. (Which means I'm not planning for school, grading, playing my guitar or bass, practicing Aikido, planning Aikido classes, gardening, or reading (gasp!) for pleasure.)
One of the biggest moments for me recently was about a month ago at Good Earth Farms, where we have a seedling CSA. We'd stopped by to pick up our first tray of frost resistant plants and had a great time exploring while we were there. At one point, Esme was a little tired and was in my arms, with her head on my shoulder. I'm busy talking to the folks that run the place about gardening and music when I hear, over my shoulder, Esme clearly say, "N - E - S - H - O - B - E, F - A - R - M, S - T - A - N - D. What does that say?"
She's entering the arena of imaginative play, whether with her imaginary friend, Flower (who has an amazing capacity to be large or small, here or there, whatever the situation requires); her stuffed animals (which require medical attention at an alarming rate, or at least they did the first few months after Esme got her doctor's kit -- does that mean she's got a limited attention span or that she's an amazing physician?); her kitchen (which sometimes requires one to promise to finish cooking the food in order to get her to go to bed); or with her imitation of so many of the daily activities that happen around our house (and you should see the girl fold clothes -- you never thought of doing it that way, I guarantee you). 
She continues to 'play' instruments, though I must admit to being a bit worried when she came over to the door really upset one day with my guitar in her hands. She had perhaps knocked it down trying to get to the window? Mostly she strums or pounds, but her whistling is developing past a single note and her capacity to sing a melody (whether or not she kept the words from the original song) astounds me. 
And now my writing time has expired for the evening so I'm throwing a few photos your way to make up for the past few months of no contact. There are so many more stories to share. Until next time.
