Storytime

Storytime is an important event in our house. As I've mentioned before it is the perfect time for Nyah to stall before bed or throw a fit because storytime was cut short or taken away due to, well stalling. I thought I would take a moment to highlight some of Nyah's current book obsessions, which we read twice a day, and sometimes more, just depending on how lucky I get. If you ever wonder what I think, well I don't think, I just hear the catchy tune of the Dr. Seuss stories in my head all day.

Big A little a

What begins with A?

Aunt Annie's alligator....A...a..A

Big B little b

What begins with B?

Barber

baby

bubbles 

and a 

bumblebee

and my favorite

Big M little m

Many mumbling mice

are making

midnight music

in the moonlight...

mighty nice

Nyah's is really fixated on Disney's Nursery Rhymes and Fairytales. As I was reading this book to her the other night, from memory of course,  I was surprised to realize that she too has the book memorized. I then tested her with some of her other storytime addictions, Dr. Seuss's ABC, and Ten Apples Up On Top, and she definitely knows them all. Im not sure why I thought she didn't have the stories memorized, I mean we've only read them a million times. I am so proud of her ease in picking up the stories and I am so glad she is actually listening, though it is now impossible to skip pages when feeling extra tired. One of my favorite things about being a parent is the feeling of surprise and pride felt when watching the progress of a child, realizing the hard work has paid off. The feeling is mighty nice.

Here is a little video of her reciting nursery rhymes. She can talk, I promise, but I think her mind moves a little too quick and her mouth can't quite keep up and she just ends up talking too fast. I have no clue where her tendency to talk fast came from.

Lets be honest, the girl can recite a pretty fierce Jack Be Nimble.

Routines

Routines are Nyah's life. She loves them and thrives off of them as any child her age does. She has most of our daily tasks down to a science. Starting with waking, getting dressed, getting juice and pleading for cartoons. The rest of the day is one big routine. Her nighttime routine is getting longer by the day. After dinner and bath the stalling begins. She first begins by stalling to pick out her stories, followed by potty, brushing teeth, taking clothes off, taking hair down, songs, one more song, scratching and kisses and more kisses. (This is the quick version mind you). 

When I did pushed her to pick her book the other night as she was standing in front of her bookshelf for way too long she told me, "Mommy, I'm thinking". I don't know what she had to think about, she picks the same books every. single. night. 

She has recently added a new dimension to her morning routine which is kind of comical and a little time consuming. When the time comes to fix her hair, she consistently requests, "I want my braids". I have to really strategize a plan before hand if there is no time for braids and a ponytail will have to do. Breaking routine is scary. I think she must get a lot of positive reinforcement for her braids when we are out or she is at school because she loves braids and insists on braids. Every morning. 

Different cultures obviously have different styles and the culture in St. Croix, which I love so much, values braids and fixed hair for their children. Girls and boys get their hair braided pretty much as soon as their hair is long enough. It sometimes seems the tightness of the braids or hairdo is directly related to how much you love your child. I learned this soon after I moved here and Nyah would come home from the babysitter, who was from down island, with her hair greased and in tight braids/rubber bands. Women on island constantly make suggestions of how I can fix both Nyah and Elsa's hair because I so often leave their hair down and natural because they have the most beautiful hair I have ever seen. I hope they always love it.    

So needless to say, I am thankful I know how to braid, especially when my daughter requires me to step up my hair game and get with her routine. Funny how things learned in life come back to be useful, even simple ones like braiding hair.

Off to school this morning.