Generalizing skills.

Joy's response to her surrounding is improving. She was walking around in the living room when I casually asked her to dance. She actually did a few leaps and swayed her body. This is something new. I repeated the same instruction after awhile and she danced again. My mom in law also asked her to dance and she did it for granny too! Joy is already responding to instructions since last year, but we usually need to go down to her eye level and tell her repeatedly until she nods her head, showing her understanding. Initially we even have to help her with the movements, such as helping her to bend down, pick up a toy and put it in the basket. Today, we were not even in front of her. She was walking around and we were sitting on the couch!

I wish I had my camera with me when I saw Joy flipping through the newspapers. She chose the children's section and appear engrossed in the pictures. She pointed to a picture of a colorful caterpillar when I asked her what she was looking at. How I wished I can find the book 'The Hungry Caterpillar'. The book might be another favourite besides her butterflies and moon books. Joy later goes to her Pecs book and made the sentence,"I want pencil" and gave to me. I gave her a red pen, and she scribbled on the newspaper. From my observation, this girl is certainly a lefty.


Everyone has been helping Joy to practice greetings. We would ask her to wave good bye, or wave to say hello. When daddy came home today, he stood outside the door and repeatedly called for Joy to help him to open the door. At the first call, Joy stopped what she was doing and waved her hand, looking at the door. I may sound like a crazy mum, but this is something that was missing last year (she is acknowledging that someone is at the door). I was so excited that I had to control myself as I wanted to see if she will open the door for daddy. A few more calls from daddy, she slowly moved to the door and tried to turn the door knob! Great!
I had to note that she has started acknowledging her surrounding since the early of this year, but we are still working on more spontaneous response.