Here’s the thing: it started a few months ago when my partner’s brother bought Oscar some fridge magnets. I was too busy worry about the scratches that they would cause on our stainless steel fridge, (shameful, I know!). Oscar, however, loved them.Now, I can’t say that I was particularly happy with the man’s gift for my son.
I greased the fridge up with a little baby oil first so as to prevent any scratches (yes I know that the magnets are plastic, but still!), then Oscar and I sat down in front of the fridge whilst I showed him how cleverly the little things attract themselves to the metal of the fridge door. Oscar was intrigued. He sat there for quite some time putting the different coloured numbers on the fridge door, clapping when he had completed his little ‘task’ and then pulling them all off to start all over again.
He started grouping the colours together, then all the numbers too. He liked to put all the ‘1’s together, then group all the ‘2’s and so on. I gradually started to explain to him what all the numbers were, just casually introducing them to him. He has a set of cups numbered 1-9, and took it upon himself to put the numbers 1-9 of the fridge magnets in their corresponding cups! We then moved on to symbols, Oscar soon learned ‘plus’, ‘minus’, ‘dibided by’, (divided by), and ‘etuals’ (or equals to you and I). For his birthday in August, I bought him a huge tub of fridge magnets that included letters as well as numbers too. It was an instant hit! We spent a lot of money on his presents, yet, our little man was obsessed by a cheap tub of colourful fridge magnets!
In just over a month, Oscar has learnt to recognise the numbers, 0-10, as well as the majority of the letters of the alphabet. He now starts to read things randomly. The word ‘Micromark’ is printed on the fan in the living room, and recently Oscar began to spell it out as he stood in front of it. The sheer look of concentration was a picture as he read out: “M-i-c-r-o….”. He has a ‘Thomas the Tank Engine’ book where he has to count the balloons as they gradually disappear one-by-one, and he not only can read the numbers correctly, but he can count the balloons correctly too. He ends the book by ‘clapping’ himself whist shouting a big “Yay!”
We have all been ill this week, and Geoff, my partner has been off work too. We have stayed indoors the majority of the time, but we have had so much fun! I have a giant pilates ball, that I bounce around the flat on whilst Oscar is sat on my lap, (and why not?!?) and all sorts of mad things. However, yesterday was just magical. I was sorting out some laundry whilst Geoff was playing with Oscar and the fridge magnets. They had them sprawled out on the sofa and Geoff made various words for Oscar to spell out. First, I heard Oscar spell out, “M-u-m-m-y”, then, “D-a-d-d-y”, followed by the heartbreaker, “O-s-c-a-r”. I ran into the living room, before Oscar had finished as I was too astonished not to! My little boy spelled out his own name, as well, as spelling out Mummy and Daddy!!!!!!!!
Earlier today, whilst on TheBabywebsite forum, Oscar saw my signature on one of the posts I had made and said “Oscar”. My signature is a couple of photos of him, so I thought ‘fair enough’. Then, I remembered what he did yesterday. I sat Oscar on my lap, and asked him “Where’s Oscar?” He replied by pointing to his name and NOT the photo, and said “There’s Oscar”!!!
Can you tell how proud I am????!!!! My little boy can read his own name and he’s only 25months old!!!!!!!!!!
Sel xxx
