The Genius Page

Hollis' development:

Before age 18 months

  • Started learning letters and numbers.
  • Drew "O" and "X".
  • Scribbled over a picture to "color" it.
  • Was obsessed with ABC and Counting books -- made us read them over and over!
  • Ran around our condo complex pointing out the numbers he knew.
  • Experimented with the computer keyboard.

    Age 18 months to 2 years

  • Learned all the uppercase letters and numbers.
  • Drew a few more easy circular letters like "C" and "Q".
  • Recognized a few words on sight.
  • Learned to count to 20.
  • Asked us to draw the alphabet and numbers over and over for him in his notebooks.
  • Learned how to type on the computer keyboard and achieved mouse control.
  • Learned colors and basic shapes.

    Age 2 years to 2.5 years

  • Counted to 29.
  • Learned lowercase letters.
  • Learned how to write all the letters and numbers.
  • Started "sight reading" sentences in his books made out of words he recognized.
  • Wrote his name.
  • Spelled words using plastic play letters. The first word he spelled was "fox".

    Age 2.5 years to 3 years

  • Learned to sound out words.
  • Started writing words and "pseudo-sentences" (examples: "Cat go" "Hollis big").
  • Started making up words like "tep" and "sab" just to try out his phonics skills.
  • Counted to 100.
  • Typed sentences on the computer and learned how to put in CDROMs and open programs without assistance. (Note: We don't recommend teaching your toddler how to shut the computer down. ;-)
  • Learned to tell time.
  • Drew shapes accurately -- a triangle looked like a triangle instead of a blob.
  • Figured out patterns.
  • Started to figure out how to do mazes.
  • Finally started talking in coherent sentences!

    Age 3 years to 4 years

  • Reads on a third grade level.
  • Tries to teach his little sister letters and numbers. ;-)
  • Writes full sentences, and puts several short sentences together to descibe a picture. (Example: "This is a cat. The cat is black. I love it.")
  • Has grasped concept of higher order numbers (hundreds, thousands). Writes the numerals and says the number correctly.
  • Has learned low-number addition and subtraction.
  • Is learning how to do easy kids jigsaw puzzles.
  • Has figured out mazes.
  • Draws pictures of animals, houses, trees, etc (instead of just writing letters and numbers all the time!).
  • Learned to sing songs. I'm afraid he doesn't sing very well though, as his genes are working against him in that department. ;-)
  • Can pick out most of the fifty states on the map and knows many countries as well. (Do you know what the capital of Papua New Guinea is? Bwahahaha!)
  • Counts by twos, threes, fives, and tens.
  • Is working on Roman numerals and cursive writing.
  • Learning about the almighty dollar (counting change, etc)... can a CPA degree be far behind?

    Age 5 years

  • Creates demented board games and forces family members to play them.
  • Memorizes stats on various Red Sox players and NASCAR drivers.
  • Knows everything about the solar system.
  • Watches the Weather Channel for fun.
  • Plays adults at Wheel of Fortune and Upwords on the internet... and wins.
  • Knows nicknames and capitals for all 50 states. Doesn't think it's funny when he asks what "The Last Frontier" is and I say "Space" (the answer is Alaska BTW).
  • Adds long columns of three digit numbers.
  • Subtracts multi-digit numbers with borrowing.
  • Is learning multiplication tables.
  • Regularly writes little stories.
  • Quickly polishing off the 3rd grade comprehensive cirriculum workbook.
  • Reads smallish chapter books.
  • Depending on his mood, variously torments his sister or keeps her amused for hours.
  • Takes ballet, tap, and acro.
  • Tells knock knock jokes that make no sense whatsoever.
  • Knows more than most adults. (Please don't tell him.)

    Age 7-8 years

  • Broke the school's IQ and achievement tests. Oops! Good thing we're homeschooling.
  • Favorite subjects are algebra, geometry, chemistry, geography and geology, ancient history, and of course ASTRONOMY.
  • Memorized all the rules of the Iditarod. I only wish I was kidding.
  • Favorite topics of conversation: NASCAR, baseball, the Powerpuff Girls, the paradox of the expanding universe, the Einstein-Rosenberg Bridge.
  • Last four books read: Rugrats Chapter Book #14, A Brief History of Time, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the Reader's Digest Book of Earthquakes and Volcanos.
  • Favorite things: NASCAR, Jeff Gordon, The Red Sox, Nomar, astronomy books, chess and cribbage, directing insane pretend games with his sister, Chex Mix, Pizza, spaghetti.
  • Enjoys really bad word jokes
  • Favorite TV channels: The Weather Channel, Nick GAS (games and sports for kids), ESPN, Cartoon Network
  • Hero: Nomar Garciaparra, followed closely by Jeff Gordon and Trot Nixon.
  • Along with his sister, invented the "Butt Dance"

    Annika's development:

    Age 0-2 years

  • Held her head up at 5 days
  • Crawled at 5 months.
  • Took steps at 8 months.
  • 9 months -- found on top of kitchen table, kitchen counter, computer desk, etc...
  • Walked fulltime/ran by 10 months.
  • Climbed in and out of her highchair by herself at 10 months.
  • Climbed ladders and went down the slide by herself by 11 months.
  • 11 months -- began climbing trees and swinging from branches.
  • Sent to Smithsonian for study and declared new species of monkey

    Age 2 years

  • Accosted total strangers with hugs and kisses.
  • Learned letters and counting as well as shapes, colors, etc.
  • Threw lots of fits.
  • Developed a fondess for sparkly shoes and chocolate.
  • Learned that if she acts cute and smiles she gets what she wants even faster than when she has fits.
  • Sent to Buckingham Palace for study and declared a princess.

    Age 3 years

  • Finally started talking in sentences! Yay!
  • Finally started talking in sentences. Uh oh.
  • Learned to write letters, especially the ones in her name.
  • Counts to 20 but occasionally gets stuck on fifteen. ("Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, fifteen, fourteen, fifteen, fourteen...")
  • Enjoys dance class with "my new friend Lily"
  • Knows way too much about Windows 98 [note to self: Change OS soon]
  • Tells knock knock jokes that make no sense whatsoever.
  • Enjoys singing songs and does so incessantly.
  • Draws very well.

    Age 5 years

  • Claims she can't read, but can go to Old Navy, find the clearance section by herself, find her size and preferred color on the rack, and tell us how much her purchases cost. Hmmm.
  • Still can't read but recognizes in plain type important words such as "Powerpuff Girls," "Sale," "Disneyland," "From: Grammy," "Barbie," "Anna" (her best friend), and "Hello Kitty." How mysterious.
  • Claims she can't add "big numbers" but when given a dollar can easily pick out enough snacks at the corner store to stretch herself to the last penny but not over.
  • Picks up more German in an hour than her brother remembers after four.
  • Says she wants to be a Princess when she grows up.
  • Is not fooling anybody with the "dumb princess" routine.
  • Favorite books: Horton Hatches the Egg, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Yertle the Turtle (are we sensing a theme here), A Birthday for Frances, The Little House, anything with Powerpuff Girls or Disney characters.
  • Favorite things: The Powerpuff Girls
  • Other favorite things: Hello Kitty, Barbie, Pokemon, anything pink and/or shiny and/or fluffy.
  • Favorite movies: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, A Christmas Story, anything Disney or Pixar, The Powerpuff Girls Movie.
  • Hero: Gloria Steinem. Ha, just kidding! It's the Powerpuff Girls.
  • Along with her brother, invented the "Butt Dance."

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