Thursday, June 19, 2008

Ideas are like pizza dough, made to be tossed around...

...except when the idea is making pizza sauce from canned tomato sauce. Bram and I made a pizza from scratch for dinner last night. I found the dough recipe online and I got the bright idea to make the sauce from some tomato sauce I already had on hand. The crust turned out YUMMEH. The sauce... not so much. It looks good though, right?

I added a bit of olive oil, herbs, and a tiny bit of salt. I let it simmer all damn afternoon, hoping that would bring out the flavor of the herbs more, but it was still WAY too tangy and...tomato-ish. >.<

Ah well. Bram had fun anyway. Here he is stirring the yeast.

And "taste testing".

I didn't get any pics of the dough in progress because Bram was kinda cranky at the time so I kinda forgot. But here is the finished product.

Luckily, he liked it (not quite as picky as Mommy).


Guess who's getting pizza for lunch for the next week?

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Since its been almost 9 months...

...And I have internet again, I thought I would go over what Bram has learned so far again using the World Book Curriculum Guide. The ones in green are new skills!

Size
* Understands big and little.
* Understands long and short.
* Matches shapes or objects based on size.

Colors and Shapes
* Recognizes and names primary colors.
* Recognizes circles.
* Recognizes rectangles.
* Matches shapes or objects based on shape.
* Copies shapes.

Numbers
* Counts orally through 10.
* Counts objects in one-to-one correspondence.
* Understands empty and full.
* Understands more and less.

Reading Readiness
* Remembers objects from a given picture.
* Knows what a letter is.
* Has been read to frequently.
* Has been read to daily.
* Looks at books and magazines.
* Recognizes some nursery rhymes.
* Identifies parts of the body.
* Identifies objects that have a functional use.
* Knows common farm and zoo animals.
* Pronounces own first name.
* Pronounces own last name.
* Expresses self verbally.
* Identifies other children by name
* Tells the meaning of simple words.
* Repeats a sentence of 6-8 words.
* Completes incomplete sentence with proper word.
* Has own books.
* Understands that print carries a message.
* Pretends to read.
* Uses left-to-right progression.
* Answers questions about a short story.
* Tells the meaning of words heard in story.
* Looks at pictures and tells a story.
* Identifies own first name in manuscript.
* Prints own first name.

Position and Direction
* Understands up and down.
* Understands in and out.
* Understands front and back.
* Understands over (on) and under.
* Understands top, bottom, middle.
* Understands beside and next to.
* Understands hot and cold.
* Understands fast and slow.

Time
* Understands day and night.
* Knows age and birthday.

Listening and Sequencing
* Follows simple directions.
* Listens to a short story.
* Listens carefully.
* Recognizes common sounds.
* Repeats a sequence of sounds.
* Repeats a sequence of orally given numbers.
* Retells simple stories in sequence.

Motor Skills
* Is able to run.
* Is able to walk a straight line. -Using a walker. ;)
* Is able to jump.
* Is able to hop.
* Is able to alternate feet walking down stairs.
* Is able to march.
* Is able to stand on one foot for 5-10 seconds.
* Is able to walk backwards for five feet.
* Is able to throw a ball.
* Pastes objects.
* Claps hands.
* Matches simple objects.
* Touches fingers.
* Able to button a garment.
* Builds with blocks.
* Completes simple puzzles
(5 pieces or less).
-Heh. He can do a 24 piece puzzle! :)
* Draws and colors beyond a simple scribble.
* Able to zip a zipper.
* Controls pencil and crayon well.
* Cuts simple shapes.
* Handles scissors well.
* Able to copy simple shapes.

Social-Emotional Development
* Can be away from parents or primary care givers for 2-3 hours
without being upset. -Doesn't happen here. ;)
* Takes care of toilet needs independently.
* Feels good about self.
* Is not afraid to go to school. -Not applicable!
* Cares for own belongings.
* Knows full name.
* Dresses self.
* Knows how to use handkerchief
or tissue.
* Knows own sex.
* Brushes teeth.
* Crosses residential street safely.
* Asks to go to school. -Also n/a.
* Knows parents' names.
* Knows home address.
* Knows home phone number.
* Enters into casual conversation.
* Carries a plate of food.
* Maintains self-control.
* Gets along well with other children.
* Plays with other children.
* Recognizes authority.
* Shares with others.
* Talks easily. -Assuming this means ease of speaking to others rather than how well he speaks.
* Likes teachers. -Again, n/a, but he generally likes his therapists.
* Meets visitors without shyness.
* Puts away toys.
* Able to stay on task.
* Able to work independently.
* Helps family with chores.