Stop best cat hat dad

F is writing. Letters, words and even a sentence. I think it's the most amazing thing I've ever seen. Some days she does lots of it. Some days she's not interested. It's so natural, this autonomy thing, I'm now officially a big fan!
J gave F a Leapster for Xmas and within a week her pen hold and control was loads better than it had been. The software showed her how to make letter shapes, and before we knew it she was transferring her new skills to pen and paper. The Leapster definitely has played a big part in this current step (yes, I nearly did put 'leap') forward in skill, but it isn't the whole story, as she has been interested in letters/words/sounds for a good couple of months, and had written some words, copying, before Xmas. Timing I guess. She does enjoy the Leapster though, very much.
It's just delicious to see her write, spelling out words confidently. Stacks of paper are lying around the living room, with words on in different colours, or single letters, very big, sometimes with exclamation marks. Fab.
I really love that no-one has sat her down at a table with other children or without and said 'Now we're going to draw a 'B'. Pick up your pencil and start at the top of the paper' etc. She's done it as and when she's wanted to, asked for help as and when she's needed it. And here she is, making her first moves into the domain of the word.
Other things we have done:
Seen Monster and Teeny: last week at theirs, where F didn't behave too well, in fact was a PITA in many ways, particularly on train journeys there and back. Still lovely to see everyone there though and chat like chatting fiends from chat world who hadn't had a chance to chat for a while. And stuff my face with pasta pesto and Ms MonsterTeeny's enormous mugs of sadly beanless tea. Another very positive aspect was that F did the whole afternoon out in big girl pants, involving having to pee/attempt to pee in various toilets on trains/stations etc. and did brilliantly. Another milestone...
Drawing and painting: as the pen control has improved, drawing and painting have become more rewarding and therefore more attractive activities. Space picture including comet, constellation, stars, planets; track layout designs for lego train track; imaginary mice, all sorts of subjects have been explored. She got new pens and paints for Xmas, which are getting good use.
Making: a comic with a story of a plane - she got me to write, she did pictures and told me what to put where; various paper-cutting and sticking projects; building with Lego; Marble Madness marble runs.
Music and Movement: started again today, she loves it, had Grandma Joy with us today, signed up for another term. It's a nice little group. They did tiptoeing, stomping, being ponies, various instruments were played, and they sang the Music Man song. She is not great at listening and doing what is asked, I have to say. But she hasn't learned the fabulous 'sitting quietly when told to' skills that school and nursery excel in! I think she'll cope...
Other than that, telly and films: thoroughly enjoyed watching ET with her for first time at weekend. Every time I watch it, I spend 5% more of the film blubbing than before. We all snuggled up on sofa, with our 'scary bits' duvet. She loved it. Will enjoy watching it again with her some time. She is still quite a Backyardigans fan, and her 'Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus' film is a frequent showing here too.

Xmas was largely marked by illness here, J is still off work (4 weeks), well, working at home, and on his 2nd batch of antibiotics. Hope we will all soon be completely well, I think we should be. We did all get some nice Xmas prezzies though, in fact a few more came today with my mum - including a rugmaking starter kit which I'm thrilled with. I got a great long green cardigan from J which I now live in at home. And a dozen books! Lovely.
Plenty of work here, I'm saying yes and going with it. Get those debts paid off, start having money in the bank. That's the financial plan for 2006 and it's off to a good start.
Off to my mum's with F at the weekend on train, looking forward to it and so is F. Will have to take work to do there, but will still be nice, and will see an old friend too at some point.