My Little Genius

I am amazed at how Yanna learns so quickly! She has at least one surprise for me each day - One or two more words added to her vocabulary, new dance moves, new song... But what really amazes me is that she already knows how to count 1 to 20 and say her A to Z at exactly 16 months!

I have underestimated her intelligence! Just a short history - at 15 months, she only knows the number 10. Then 2 weeks after, she knows numbers 9 and 10. After 3 days, she started counting 1 to 10 but with some few misses here and there. Another 3 days and she can count backwards from 10 to 1! Then 2 days after, it was A to Z! Amazing!

Here's a video of her counting backwards :)

I thought that was already the best she's got. Hubby and I were joking her grandma that she can already count to 20. Oh my! Little did we know that she already can! One day after she turned 16 months, I was jumping with joy when she suddenly counted to 20 plus she recited A to Z with ease!

What have we done to help her learn these things at an early age?

1- Make learning fun! When Yanna was still a baby, we make it a point to let her listen to us counting. We count her toes, fingers repetitively. When she was starting to walk, we count her steps and the stairs. We count anything that we think fancies her interest. For the alphabet, we point at letters from posters, books, even the taxi's plate number painted at the taxi door.

2- Read! Read! Read! We bought her books with numbers and the alphabet, and even flash cards. It is a good thing that she really loves reading so we had no problem in this area.

3- Try educational videos. I know there are lots of psychologists saying that letting your kids watch tv or videos is not good. I say it's okay as long as you keep it in moderation and you ensure that what they're watching has good content. Yanna has been watching Brainy Baby Left Brain under our supervision since she was 3 months old. It's important to watch it with them and talk to them about what you're watching to help them learn better. I repeat the words and numbers from the video and saw that Yanna liked watching me say it rather than look at the screen. Some Elmo videos of the alphabet wuth catchy tunes also worked for her.

Baby Yanna concentrating on Brainy Baby

4- Repetition is key! I sometimes find it boring to read the same books and watch the same videos over and over again but what the heck, Yanna loves it! Little did I know that she was actually learning from those repetitions.

So moms and dads, although you feel like punching yourselves for hearing the same songs or reading the same books for the nth time, resist the urge and do your kids a favor. I'm sure your kid will surprise you one of these days!

Now time to count with Yanna again :) Will upload a video of her counting 1 to 20 as soon as I get a good shot of it :)

Mommy May

Inspirational Quotes on Marriage

My hubby & I are not perfect. I am not ashamed to admit that we do have low periods in our marriage from time to time. Miscommunication, insensitivity, feeling smarter than the other --- these are some of the reasons for our arguments. I don't know if there is a psychological explanation to this but sometimes I think it's because we're both the eldest child in our own families. I guess we're both too proud to admit our mistakes sometimes and we're used to being the "boss" to our siblings.

They say there is no perfect marriage. There will always be growing pains and by being married, you both need to get better at it and discover how to overcome some obstacles of life. I admit that there are times when I wonder if I married the right man, if I would be happier now if I remained single.

Emotions sometimes get the best of me but I know that after a couple of hours, I will again feel fine and realize that yes, I married the right man and I'm going to stick with him forever! Just like what I promised God on that very beautiful Tuesday, two years ago.

I hope you too are keeping your promises to God. If you're feeling a little blue, please read below some quotes that I found. Hoping that whatever it is bugging you today, love will find its way to make you happy again. 😊

In marriage, each partner is to be an encourager rather than a critic, a forgiver rather than a collector of hurts, an enabler rather than a reformer.
-- H. Norman Wright and Gary J. Oliver

People think they have to find their soulmate to have a good marriage. You're not going to "find" your soulmate. Anyone you meet already has soulmates. Their mother. Their father. Their lifelong friends. You get married, and after 20 years of loving,bearing and raising children, meeting challenges - then you'll have "created" your soulmate.
-- Diane Sollee

The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.
-- Theodore Hesburgh

What counts in making a happy marriage is not so much how compatible you are, but how you deal with incompatibility.
-- Leo Tolstoy

A good marriage is the union of two good forgivers.
-- Ruth Bell Graham


Mommy May