5 years + 4 months

Since learning how to tell time Emily has become quite the clock watcher.  She will often announce what time it is in the van about every two minutes.  She also likes watching the digital clocks in the kitchen change hours so all the numbers change at once.  She knows how many minutes it is until we have to do something and keeps track of that, too.  The other day I told her we'd do something she wanted to do in 5 minutes.  She promptly asked if we could set a timer because she's smart enough to know that when I say 5 minutes it might not be exactly 5 minutes. 

In addition to math facts, Emily really got into geography this month--specifically states and state capitals.  This was spurred on by the iPad/iPhone app "Stack the States" and me digging out my beloved wooden states puzzle from my childhood.  This puzzle used to play "The Star-Spangled Banner" when the flag piece was taken out and replaced (it was light sensitive).  As it started to die off it would randomly start playing even as if it was completely put together and stored under my dresser.  I even still have the cardboard packaging it came in with a bunch of state statistics on the back.  Anyway, Emily can now put it together without the help of the board.  She also has most of the states and corresponding state capitals memorized (she has a real gift for memorization) and loves to have you quiz her on them.  Now we just have to work on pronunciation.  Since she has done this all on her own she hasn't heard the names spoken aloud much.  This is why she calls Michigan "Magician" and Oregon "Origin".  There are some others that a pretty funny to hear her try to pronounce.  She thinks it's pretty cool that there are two state capitals with the same name as people in our family.  Can you name them?

Note: Emily has already earned 36 states in the Stack the States game.  It's a great app for only $.99.  Besides capitals, it has also taught her a lot about the relative size and location of states (bordering Mexico, Canada, lakes, etc.), state nicknames and landmarks.  We highly recommend it!

When Emily gets upset about something or things don't go her way, she says something like "My show's not going very well." or "Quit trying to run my show!"  or "Quiet, I'm trying to run my show."  I'm sure this is coming from watching Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman.  In her own words, this is Emily's explanation:

"Sometimes my show doesn't go well for 2 or 3 days.  When you talk about something I don't like to hear, I have to replace one or two imaginary friends.  We have to take up a lot of soccer practice. When my show doesn't go well I stay in my room for 2-3 hours.  I use some things that are not very cool.  For example, if you're talking about a real rhinoceros at the zoo, and I don't want to hear it, then I stay in my room for 2 hours.  Then I plan some large meetings."