Nyla is reading!

Nyla is really reading lately.  We've been reading isolated words on flashcards for a while now, but she's actually starting to put it all together, sound out words without help, and read whole books all on her own.  We bought some beginning reader books (~20 pages), and she's already read the first twelve.

Cute kids

And they're both smiling!

Lately, Celia has taken to putting on Nyla's dance outfits and calling herself a "dancerina".

Girls in the snow

Well, it's getting warmer here in Kentucky, and I'm not sure it's going to snow any more. So, I thought I'd post the only picture we took this year of the girls playing in the snow (CORRECTION: Wyndee informs me that she took additional pictures of the girls playing in the snow):

Not a snowy winter by any stretch of the imagination, but the girls did get to play in the snow a few times.

Science

Nyla, Celia, and I did two science experiments last night.  In the first one, we tried to mix a spoonful of baking soda and a 1/2 cup of vinegar in a Ziploc bag, then seal the bag.  As the two substances mix, they give off carbon dioxide, which -- in principle -- causes the bag to swell and then explode.  Unfortunately, the off-brand of plastic bags we buy are apparently not airtight, so all it did was swell and then make gas-escaping noises.

In our second experiment, we touched a balloon to a candle flame; it exploded immediately.  We then filled a balloon with water instead, and you could put it in the fire without any problems (because the water absorbs the heat).  I even used the balloon to smother the flame.

Nyla: Now that's what I call a science experiment!

Celia has an identity crisis

Celia and I were in the hallway, where there is a picture of Nyla and a picture of Celia hung next to each other:

Me (pointing to picture of Nyla): Who's that?
Celia: Nyla!
Me (pointing to picture of Celia): Who's that?
Celia: Batgirl!

The play-acting has gotten too real for her....

A visit from Flat Jared.

Here are some pictures of his trip. We have a whole story to go with it but here is a preview. I hope Jared enjoys the story when he reads it.

Celia's sayings

Lately, I really enjoy this little ritual Celia and I have together. While holding her, I'll put my hand on her and say, "Celia little." Then she'll put her hand on me and say, "Daddy big." It's very endearing.

Celia is getting more advanced in her playing and vocabulary. Yesterday she was playing with her stuffed Winnie-the-Pooh and saying "Where honeypot?"

Wyndee made some delicious brownies yesterday. Celia spotted Wyndee eating one, and said, "some," pointing at her plate. Wyndee gave her a small one, which Celia ate immediately. Then Celia pointed at her plate and said "big some."