New Skills

Sam has been doing a lot of new things lately. I'm sure I'm forgetting many, but here are some things that come to mind:

• She can write her name legibly!  SAMMEE is her chosen spelling.  She had everything but the "s" down a while ago, but just yesterday, she got it.  She is excited about it, but I think I'm even more thrilled.  Her writing skills are coming late (for a Montessori kid) and it's been holding her back from work she could otherwise be doing, since her reading and spelling skills are so much more advanced.  This is one of the few "academic" things we actually work on at home, so it's gratifying to see her reach this milestone.


• She can open the car door if she has a curb to get her up high enough. (She's just not tall enough to have the leverage she needs, no matter how hard she pulls.)


• She can cut her own fingernails - on her left hand, at least.


• She can wash her own hair and get shampoo on most parts of it. (She's been washing her own hair forever, but she's only recently accepted the fact that she has hair directly above her ears.)


• She can use a screwdriver to screw in one of those itty bitty screws that are used on battery compartments on children's toys.  Really, if I hold the compartment closed, she can get it on tight, which is quite a skill.


• She can use a small power drill, if I help her to hold up its weight.


• She can put on her socks by herself - this was one of those things she just refused to even try for a long time.


• She can put on her own gloves and get one finger in each hole. Thank god for that one because it must be one of the worst mommy-jobs ever. In fact, I suppose she learned how because I told her I couldn't do it and she'd just have to wear her gloves like mittens.


• She can make a snowball.


• She can brush her upper, back teeth well enough that I hardly ever help her anymore.


• And, for her, the most thrilling new skill is that she can now pick up the cat.