OH MY GOD.

[conuly]

Listen to this. You have to. This is important.

A few weeks ago, while taking out books from the library, Evangeline lamented the fact that we couldn't take out *all* the books she wanted. And I told her that as soon as she could write her name, when she was three, we'd get her her very own library card instead of making her share with her sister. (Instead, they can both share with *me*, right? Right?)

And I figured that we wouldn't make a big deal about it, and that when she actually turns three in a month we'd put in a little bit of serious effort, and by 3.5 she'd be able to scrawl something approximately like her name, right? So over the past few weeks I've mentioned it maybe, like, five times and shown her how to write her name, with the reminder that writing her name = getting a library card. No pressure though because she's not even three yet, there's no *rush*. If she brought it up, I'd help her - but she never did.

Today, I felt a bit out of it, so I mostly sat and read while Evangeline worked with playdough and then took out some crayons and paper to draw. And as I was sitting in the opposite corner of the room reading, Evangeline suddenly interrupted her chatter to say "And when I write my name, I can get a library card, right?"

Well, I know a cue when I hear one, so I said "That's right, sweetie" and went over to help her write her name.

Except she'd already written it. An E, a V, and a line that was clearly the start of her A. With suitable spaces between the letters, and very neat. I wasn't sure she'd done it herself until I asked her to finish up the A and she carefully made another E for me (A and E do sound alike, that's not a worry). EVE. (For sure I'm not trying to teach her Evangeline...!)

SHE WROTE HER OWN NAME DOWN. WITHOUT SEEING IT TO COPY OR HAVING ME RECITE THE LETTERS OR HOLD HER HAND. I DID NOT EVEN KNOW UNTIL IT WAS OVER WITH.

This is big. It was legible, even. I wasn't looking at this and trying to guess what she meant. I knew what she meant, because I could read it.

What the hell are we going to do with this child? She isn't even three yet!

Comments

[lizziey.livejournal.com]

Connie, you were reading by that age, its not that huge. Genetics. :-p


Also, Seth's was doing that not long after he turned two. :-p

But yay Eva!!

[conuly]

I was reading like six months later. And I certainly wasn't writing - well, you've seen my handwriting, you know...!

[lizziey.livejournal.com]

Oh, I thought you were reading at 2.5! I know I was able to read FitA at 4 (I've heard it far too many times from proud family members), so maybe I started at 2 then? I have no idea, LOL.

And I think you knew HOW to write, but didn't. You = stubborn. Haha.

[conuly]

No, at three, or even at like 3 and a half.

FitA?

[lizziey.livejournal.com]

Flowers in the Attic. :-p

[conuly]

That explains why you're warped as fuck :P

[lizziey.livejournal.com]

But...I thought I got this way from spending so much time with you!

[conuly]

You're killing me over here. Do you know that? My head is about to flop off my body I'm laughing so hard. From me! HA! I laugh at that concept! HA HA!

By the way, my mom is dying to know and your journal doesn't say - Seth? School? Email her, I'm tired of "You keep in touch with Lizziey, is he in school yet?" all the time.

[lizziey.livejournal.com]

Theres a Hell of a lot my journal doesnt say right now, but yes, hes in school. Hes in class One, which is the class for kids already doing basic math, reading, and writing. And they're talking about changing him to the 'Plus' class for kids who are in between a K and 1st grade level, and seeing how he does there, and if he's still storming through by Christmas, putting him in 1st grade. Hes having a rough time right now because things are too 'boring' he says. My child, 100% lol.

Topher, btw, is in speech therapy 3 days a week, OT 2 days a week, and PT for all 5 days. His autism is pretty severe. :( He was supposed to start head start for spec. needs kids but he's SO delayed that the teacher and i decided that he'd do better in a one on one setting. But!!! He knows all his letters, and if you say a word, he can point to it in a group of words. But he's at a 14 month vocal ability, except for echoing or scripting. He's also getting glasses soon, and we're waiting for an appointment with an audiologist, because his 'simple' hearing test with his speech therapist came back with a 'refer' result.

Annika will be getting her foot cast to right her ankle deformity pretty soon as well.

[brownkitty.livejournal.com]

Well, obviously you're going to see about getting her a library card.

And you're NOT going to make her feel like a freak. Not not NOT.

[conuly]

That's a given, both of them. I ran around going "OMGLOOKATTHIS!" for 20 minutes, but that's about it :)

[ginmar.livejournal.com]

Dude, read to her all you can, and give her all the books you can. I was reading Time Magazine at six or seven. Reading saved my life. Hell, reading made life worth living. Reading leads to writing.

[conuly]

We do that. (Actually, right now I do a lot of having her "read" to me instead. Same difference, except I get to sneak a nap because afterwards she tucks me in and spends 20 minutes solicitously hugging me, fetching dolls, tucking me in again... it's blissful.

[ginmar.livejournal.com]

Sounds like it. Go for it. She's going to have to be in accelerated classes, it sounds like.

[feebeeglee.livejournal.com]

Good stuff!

From a fellow early-reader

[ksol1460.livejournal.com]

Mazeltov, Eva. When you get your library card, look for a book called Rufus M by Eleanor Estes. Read the first chapter, or have your Mama read it to you. You'll see why.

Read in delight all your life.
Gabriel Ragland

Re: From a fellow early-reader

[conuly]

1. WHY? WHY WHY WHY?
2. Ksol, you're a guy? Huh. Did I know that? And your icon says "gabe" even, but I figured you for another female. Well, I tend to figure people as female on LJ - it's a bit skewed genderwise, isn't it?

Re: From a fellow early-reader

[ksol1460.livejournal.com]

1. You'll see when you read it!

2. Well, that'll depend on which of we "ksol"s you're talking to.

Re: From a fellow early-reader

[conuly]

2. Well, that'll depend on which of we "ksol"s you're talking to.

*thinks*

I think I knew that. Like, at one point. Well, my memory this month is clearly sucky about people.

[sayga.livejournal.com]

Awesome! That is so cool! Kira is still struggling with making her K look not like an H. I love hearing you talk about the kids. Plus, your take on kids is different, in a good way, than most other people.

[conuly]

How so is it different?

[lizziey.livejournal.com]

Connie, you were reading by that age, its not that huge. Genetics. :-p


Also, Seth's was doing that not long after he turned two. :-p

But yay Eva!!

[conuly]

I was reading like six months later. And I certainly wasn't writing - well, you've seen my handwriting, you know...!

[lizziey.livejournal.com]

Oh, I thought you were reading at 2.5! I know I was able to read FitA at 4 (I've heard it far too many times from proud family members), so maybe I started at 2 then? I have no idea, LOL.

And I think you knew HOW to write, but didn't. You = stubborn. Haha.

[conuly]

No, at three, or even at like 3 and a half.

FitA?

[lizziey.livejournal.com]

Flowers in the Attic. :-p

[conuly]

That explains why you're warped as fuck :P

[lizziey.livejournal.com]

But...I thought I got this way from spending so much time with you!

[conuly]

You're killing me over here. Do you know that? My head is about to flop off my body I'm laughing so hard. From me! HA! I laugh at that concept! HA HA!

By the way, my mom is dying to know and your journal doesn't say - Seth? School? Email her, I'm tired of "You keep in touch with Lizziey, is he in school yet?" all the time.

[lizziey.livejournal.com]

Theres a Hell of a lot my journal doesnt say right now, but yes, hes in school. Hes in class One, which is the class for kids already doing basic math, reading, and writing. And they're talking about changing him to the 'Plus' class for kids who are in between a K and 1st grade level, and seeing how he does there, and if he's still storming through by Christmas, putting him in 1st grade. Hes having a rough time right now because things are too 'boring' he says. My child, 100% lol.

Topher, btw, is in speech therapy 3 days a week, OT 2 days a week, and PT for all 5 days. His autism is pretty severe. :( He was supposed to start head start for spec. needs kids but he's SO delayed that the teacher and i decided that he'd do better in a one on one setting. But!!! He knows all his letters, and if you say a word, he can point to it in a group of words. But he's at a 14 month vocal ability, except for echoing or scripting. He's also getting glasses soon, and we're waiting for an appointment with an audiologist, because his 'simple' hearing test with his speech therapist came back with a 'refer' result.

Annika will be getting her foot cast to right her ankle deformity pretty soon as well.

[brownkitty.livejournal.com]

Well, obviously you're going to see about getting her a library card.

And you're NOT going to make her feel like a freak. Not not NOT.

[conuly]

That's a given, both of them. I ran around going "OMGLOOKATTHIS!" for 20 minutes, but that's about it :)

[ginmar.livejournal.com]

Dude, read to her all you can, and give her all the books you can. I was reading Time Magazine at six or seven. Reading saved my life. Hell, reading made life worth living. Reading leads to writing.

[conuly]

We do that. (Actually, right now I do a lot of having her "read" to me instead. Same difference, except I get to sneak a nap because afterwards she tucks me in and spends 20 minutes solicitously hugging me, fetching dolls, tucking me in again... it's blissful.

[ginmar.livejournal.com]

Sounds like it. Go for it. She's going to have to be in accelerated classes, it sounds like.

[feebeeglee.livejournal.com]

Good stuff!

From a fellow early-reader

[ksol1460.livejournal.com]

Mazeltov, Eva. When you get your library card, look for a book called Rufus M by Eleanor Estes. Read the first chapter, or have your Mama read it to you. You'll see why.

Read in delight all your life.
Gabriel Ragland

Re: From a fellow early-reader

[conuly]

1. WHY? WHY WHY WHY?
2. Ksol, you're a guy? Huh. Did I know that? And your icon says "gabe" even, but I figured you for another female. Well, I tend to figure people as female on LJ - it's a bit skewed genderwise, isn't it?

Re: From a fellow early-reader

[ksol1460.livejournal.com]

1. You'll see when you read it!

2. Well, that'll depend on which of we "ksol"s you're talking to.

Re: From a fellow early-reader

[conuly]

2. Well, that'll depend on which of we "ksol"s you're talking to.

*thinks*

I think I knew that. Like, at one point. Well, my memory this month is clearly sucky about people.

[sayga.livejournal.com]

Awesome! That is so cool! Kira is still struggling with making her K look not like an H. I love hearing you talk about the kids. Plus, your take on kids is different, in a good way, than most other people.

[conuly]

How so is it different?