Ellie's writing

I've been meaning to update about the girls' development. Both of them are growing and changing so much these days that it's time to record it! Last night and this morning, Ellie worked on something in my notebook that got me kick-started on this new series of posts: she wrote a little story!

Much to my surprise, Ellie hasn't been inclined to read and write much up to this point. While we don't doubt her ability one bit, we haven't put much pressure on for a few reasons. Ellie is so perfectionist that she hates to demonstrate a skill until it is mastered (not particularly good when it comes to reading but...). If pushed, she may abandon the skill entirely to avoid this. We don't want her to feel a strong aversion to reading or writing. Although most of her peers are reading now (Montessori gets 'em early), we recognize that this is still quite a young age for reading and it isn't necessary that we push it yet. Her school also insists on cursive, and we suspect she might find that too hard though she wouldn't dare going against a rule and writing in print instead. All that being said, I was thrilled when she took possession of a notebook on my desk and produced this:

Ellie went to

a shop and

got cookies and

the cookies had

Smarties and the cookies

had sprinkles and

everyone got one

cookie. One day Ellie

was driving and

Ellie was getting cookies

and Stephanie got

one cookie. Papa went

on holiday and when

he comes back he got

us a birthday

cake it was baby's

birthday cake.

Stephanie and Ellie

and Mama and Papa

was going

to Bali at Bali

we had lots of fun

and saw monkeys

and got cookies and

the cookies had Smarties

and had sprinkles

and the sprinkles

and Smarties were

chocolate.

Did you notice a cookie theme here? Guess what we're baking today.