Inventive Spelling

This morning, Lydia asked us to write some things down for her. In an effort to encourage her literacy (and because honestly, when Robin needs to be out the door in ten minutes, Holden's eating, and Lydia still needs her hair brushed, sitting down to write together wasn't so much an option), we said that she should try writing on her own and then could tell us what it said. She protested initially, but eventually sat down to write. She came up with this: 

When asked what it said, she said it was, in order from top to bottom, the words to "Away in a Manger," "Some Nights" (by Fun.), and "Call Me Maybe."  She then used her writing to stand on the table and perform each song. (Yes, my almost-four-year-old knows the words to "Some Nights" and "Call Me Maybe." If you have never heard a preschooler sing pop music, you are seriously missing out.) On the learning side of things, this was the first time Lydia has used letters to make words. In the past, she has used scribbles and dashes. I love that Lydia is in this new stage of print awareness!