Blogging about life in Minnesota, raising our six kids with Down syndrome while battling Breast Cancer.

Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor in the morning the devil says, "Oh shit! She's up!"

Thursday, January 13, 2011

A Major Milestone!

Angela and reading has always been a lot like mixing oil and water. She is able to read easy books (like beginning 2nd grade level) but she HATES to read. Its been so long since I've heard her read that I wondered if she really could. Yet, when we go to a restaurant and she'll read the menu with little to no help. Hmmmm

While I was on my last trip to Eastern Europe to get her brother, I ordered some books to arrive just before I got home. They're beginning chapter books, and I figured Dean would read them to her.

Umm no. Instead SHE read them to ME. Angela has discovered reading for pleasure. This is a major milestone, something I'm not even sure my adult kids have reached. Yesterday Angela came home from school and quickly disappeared. It took me about 1/2 hour to realize what was going on. I thought she went to the basement to watch TV.

No, I was very wrong. The last few days Angela has come home from school and headed to her room where she sits on her bed to read.
                            


I wish you could hear what I did. You see, this book has one line of musical notes along the bottom of one page, so Angela is convinced this is a music book, and that the words are lyrics.


She's singing her way through the book. It sounds a little like her version of "The Star Spangled Banner".

Today I had to pick her up at school for a Dr. Appointment. I mentioned this to her teacher who said that the last few weeks, when it's time for free reading, Angela is choosing books to actually read instead of going through magazines that she used to just flip through.

My girl is a reader now. I'm so happy for her!

3 comments:

Jackie said...

Way to go Angela! You Rock Girl! This is such a great milestone, love it...

NDMom said...

Oh Leah, this is too wonderful! I hope and pray Grace will get to this point too. She totally separates school and home...and thinks reading is only done in school...and we are a house of readers, so she sees it modeled all the time.

What books is Angela reading or "singing"? Do share.....

Molly said...

LOVE IT!!!!! As a LA teacher this makes me very happy.