Sunday, October 31, 2010

While putting pajamas on a Halloween-candy-sugared-up "Cinderella" Sophia...

...she pretends to be already asleep and rolls over on the floor.

Me: Oh Sophie's asleep!
Sophie: I'm dead.
Me: Oh no!
Sophie: A mean Cinderella got me dead.
Me: A mean Cinderella?
Sophie: Mm hm. I'm an ACORN!!
A chocolate ACORN!!
And you are my muddah...okay? I'm da baby acorn...(makes little "ee ee" baby...acorn? noises) and you are my muddah.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

reading with Sophie

Sophie has always loved books. Since she was very little, she would sneak off to her bedroom and sit in the corner behind her door, quietly "reading" amidst the pile of books freshly pulled from her shelf. The first time I found her there, my heart melted. I hope her love for reading is a part of Sophie's life forever.
Over the last few months, she's really developed her storytelling skills. She picks up book after book, "reading" out loud. Her plots are always different and surprising...and so fun to hear (if you are lucky enough to hear one...she usually reads quite softly). Sometimes her version of the story includes quotes from the text, and sometimes the story is similar to the author's version, but usually she just makes it up fresh each time. Every once in a while she invites us to listen, and we might hear something like this...
"O-tay. You weddy? I'll weed dis one to you. It's about...ummm....a littow duck....otay. you weddy? ....Once upon a time, day was a litto duck....enn...he said, "Hi Momma...I wanna doe swing, otay?" Enn da Momma said, "NO. You tant!" enn he cwide and cwide...enn his Momma said..."otay. You CAN!" It's otay. Don't cwy! You tan! Yo Momma said you TAN! Dee END."

Last night, after we finished Sleeping Beauty (for the 8th night in a row) she wanted to read Scuffy the Tugboat to me in bed. This time, the "story" turned into a teaching moment...

Sophie: "Otay Momma. Way da tugboat?"
Me: (pointing to the tuboat)
Sophie: "Good. Way da guys?"
Me: (pointing to the guys in the picture)
Sophie: "Good. Way da twees?"
Me: (pointing to the trees)
Sophie: "Good Momma! Good girl! Way da houses?..."