At not quite two (21 months,) Josie is cracking codes left and right. She knows her basic (no puce or chartreuse yet) colors and recognizes letters (all of them) and numbers (1-11) and counts to eleven. She doesn't say the alphabet yet, but she does recite Ba, ba, black sheep - all four lines of it. She recognizes some words, usually when accompanied by pictures. (This is something I do whenever she lets me use her markers. And this is something I did to entertain my older son -- who was reading by sounding out words when he was two and a half. Justin, provided with an older brother and cousin, didn't need my entertainment and was slower to get interested in reading.)
but I was surprised when she read every word on this page below. A page I'd written for her last week. So either she's reading or she has a really good memory. Or both, And she will tell you that J-O-S-I-E spells Josie.
And she likes to play games. At the table, when she's done, she'll lean back and say Good night. Then I'll lean back and close my eyes. Wake up! she'll say and giggle with delight when my eyes pop open. This can go on. And on. And on. Oh, the power of telling big people what to do. Sit down! Get up! Get apple! Meema eat apple peel! Read Ants Go Marching!
It's so amazing to remember back when she was just learning to roll over . . .or lift her head. . . She's on her way!