I’ve long known that kids are like sponges, absorbing the world around them. Two instances the past few days have confirmed that.

First, I left for Zumba last night and when I came back an hour later, Maya knew how to count one through five in Spanish–including showing us how many fingers! I tried it get her doing it on video but of course the moment the camera came out, she wasn’t having any of it! (She learns that from her daddy!)

Luis would say, “Uno,” and she’d repeat, “UNO!” and show us one finger. She did this all the way through “cinco” — and her pronunciation in Spanish wasn’t too far off! Ironically, we haven’t had as much success in English. Oh well … one thing at a time 😉

Then this morning before school, I showed Maya her new class picture which we just got and put on the fridge. I pointed at each child and she told me every single kid’s name: Tola, Leah, Cal, Everett, Clare, Owen, Brycen, Grayson (there are 12 kids). I had no idea half their names (I don’t see many kids at pick-up) and I certainly had no idea SHE knew all their names!! Her pronunciation of the names wasn’t exactly right — Brycen is “Bison,” for example, and Noah is “Noo-ah” .. but she was spot-on with every.single.kid … and a LOT of the boys are blonde and look the same, so I was especially impressed she could differentiate them! I sure as hell couldn’t have!

She is just 6 days shy of turning two, and this little sponge is soaking in so much each day that it’s hard to keep track of what she knows — especially since she can’t verbalize it all yet. She’s learning everywhere: at home, school, swimming class, when we’re out and about (shopping has turned into a color quiz — eventually, numbers!). It’s a very exciting time and I just needed to kvell for a moment. 😉