Proof the girls are growing up

Julia has been working so hard on reading.  She has some Level 1 "ready to read" books that she can now read!  She is so excited about this accomplishment and I am, too!  She is working so, so hard - sounding out the words and remembering her sight words that cannot be sounded out.  I don't really remember learning to read and didn't realize how much work it is to learn to read.  Julia is putting in the time and effort willingly and the fruits of her labors are paying off.  I'm so proud of her!  

Emma continues to get good reports from school.  Last week she had her PT note sent home saying that she had her BEST PT session at school ever!  She was working in the gait trainer and took a total of 8 steps without too much prompting from the PT which hasn't happened at school before.  Horray Emma!  The same day she had a message sent home that she had a "time out" at school.  I asked Emma about it and she laughed.  Stinker!  

 

Her time out was for 1 minute and it was after three warnings to attend and give her input at her turn during circle time.  Emma has a wonderful way about looking through adults to focus only on observing other children.  She does this pretty much everywhere, not only at school.  Her time out was that she was taken out of circle time for 1 minute and she couldn't see the other children for that 1 minute.  I've given my permission for the staff at school to do this after they have given Emma several warnings and on the condition that they tell me each time they use a time out.  They don't want to use time outs with Emma but have tried lots and lots of things to try and get Emma to become more of a participant and less of an observer during school activities.  She was given a 1 minute time out and once she was brought back to the circle she participated in all the activities happily.  She picked colors, numbers, responded yes/no to questions smiling the whole time.  I'm so happy she participated!  I hope she doesn't need more time outs to continue her participation ;-) but my experience has shown that Emma learns quickly and I've only ever had to do a couple of time outs at home and she changes her behavior.  She has that in common with Julia.

Julia loves to give Emma kisses and Emma loves to get them!

It is so much harder giving Emma consequences to her actions than it was/is with Julia.  But I know that we are not doing her any favors by letting her continue to skate by on certain things when she is capable and able to participate.  

Emma decided to give Julia a kiss.  An unexpected and beautiful moment!