Flags and Other Milestones

I am not exactly sure how this happened, but HC knows the pledge of allegiance. We were out walking the other day talking about EVERYTHING we see (something I have done ever since we started going out on walks...look at the dog, bird, white car, etc), that is probably good for speech development, eh? Anyway, HC remarked about the "American flag" since we pass several on our route. So, I burst into the pledge. I assumed this was the first time she had heard the pledge (actually I think I remember saying it once before to her when we went to a furniture store that had a flag). The pledge on the walk went down without incident, we continued on, and I did not think much about it.

Yesterday HC again saw a flag and I burst into the pledge, only I paused this time. SOmetimes when I read to HC I will read a line and then pause because I know she knows the next line in the book, and it is SO cute to hear her say it. I said, "I pledge allegiance" and then I paused. Out of her lips comes "to the flag". Can you see the shocked look on my face? OK, so I continue by saying a line and letting her say a line, and at some point she says, "No, Mama do it" maybe because she can't say words like indivisible?

I am really not sure how she learned the pledge. Neither Dave nor I think she could have learned it after hearing it twice, so I am fairly sure they must recite it at her school. That makes me happy, actually. I am glad they are teaching her important things, like the pledge. When did we ever stop saying it in school anyway? I remember saying it everyday in elementary school...I suppose someone thought it was lame to make kids memorize it. I actually know it in Spanish because we said it everyday in my freshman Spanish class..."Prometo fidelidad..." I'll spare you, but I do know it.

Another thing that HC has picked up on is her directions, right and left. This is super fun because if she gets it right (while we are in the car) we give her a goldfish cracker...I know this sounds like giving a dog a treat...ah well.

In nursery today the permanent worker told me what a pleasure it was to have Annelise in her class. She always smiles, and smiles with her eyes, and she is always happy and content. That is what I was told! Yea! My sweet elf is making friends.

I know there was another funny thing I was going to say, but it has gone straight out of my head. So, here is a sweet story from today. HC was helping me cook dinner tonight (chicken peanut curry, yu-mmy!) and Annelise was feeling a bit left out. She was all into everything in the kitchen, which always reminds me that I need to get those baby locks, including the raw chicken in the trash can, which reminds me I need to get a new trash can that has a lid. In between getting into EVERYTHING, she was complaning. Then I noticed that Hadleigh was up on her big stool, helping me cook, and she was singing something, as usual, and I noticed her crawl down off the stool and go over to Annelise and give her a big hug and sing her a little song. Annelise was SO happy as HC was hugging her. I LOVE my girls!