We had been offering her various rewards for months, if she would only give it a shot, but she was never interested. About a week ago she suddenly decided she was ready, and for the next several days, as she repeated her feat, Mommy and Daddy were paying up on all the promises and bribes that had been made previously. Madeline got ice cream at night three days in a row, and after the first five days we were off to the pet store to buy her very first goldfish (see picture below).
Otherwise we've had a fun month. Madeline and I have been making the most of our days together since preschool let out for the summer. She'll be attending a few sessions of summer camp, but otherwise it's her and me on the weekdays for much of the summer. As we play she's blowing me away with her skills in counting, the alphabet and puzzle-assembling. For example, she picked up one of her calendar magnets and read the letters to me quickly and flawlessly - "O-C-T-O-B-E-R. Daddy, what does that spell?" She can count objects in a line up to 12.
And I am frequently struck how caring and perceptive she is. We certainly don't try to perpetuate any gender stereotypes around her, but she is definitely a little girl in that regard. She is very nurturing and empathetic - to her parents, to her dolls and even to her classmates at preschool.
And I think she's finally found her first major interest - space. Suddenly she loves everything that has to do with outer space, and we and her babysitter have been doing what we can to facilitate her knowledge. She has many library books on the subject, and she can name all the planets and recite characteristics of each one. She's learning about the solar system and galaxies, planets and moons. But she's not going overboard - her career choice at this point is to be the "space master," or the person that teaches other people how to go into space. She doesn't quite have the desire to become an astronaut herself. After all, it's pretty dark out there.
Here are some pictures from the month:
Madeline helped Mommy with some planting in our yard. She loves helping with chores around the house, particularly when it involves digging in the dirt.
Madeline got a chance to steer the pride of Deltaville, the buyboat F.D. Crockett, (with the help of her Papa) during a relaxing cruise on the river.
What would summer afternoons be without a sprinkler in the backyard?
And what's the fun of a sprinkler in the backyard if you don't sit on it at some point?
One one of our weekday outings, Madeline and I attended a kids art class at the Virginia Museum of Fine Art. Madeline got to learn about the artistic process, see real art in the museum, and even make some of her own.
Madeline enjoys feeding bread to the geese and ducks that wander up to the porch at her great-grandparents' home.
Lots of fathers and Madeline got together on Fathers Day to celebrate four generations.
As I mentioned above, one of Madeline's rewards for her potty prowess was her very own goldfish. The one pictured here did not actually survive the first 24 hours, but we got a new one that has been thriving for the week since we brought him home. Madeline chose the name Brian.
Madeline has been upping her game in the swimming pool, fearlessly jumping off the side to whoever is waiting below, and even floating all by herself for the very first time. 