My baby is not a baby anymore she’s a big toddler ready for kindergarten with exceptional communicational skills both in Hungarian and English.

First of all, her personality is very different from my elder. She is very open with people in general, smiley and friendly. She likes people, mainly kids (babies) who she pats, hugs and kisses at the playground or wherever we are. She’s gentle and affectionate.

As for her language abilities, she has no problem whatsoever to change between the 2 languages and uses them very creatively:

She loves tractors and one of her favourite sons is Tractors by Blippi. One evening we were having dinner and she was singing to herself eating buckwheat: – Oh, buckwheat oh buckwheat there’s so much buckwheat (sic)

Another funny example of her fantastic acquisition of the language:

– Mommy don’t turn the page I’m look-at-ing it.

She herself asks for being in English. Most of the time she just states:

–We’re in English, Mommy.

And of course, I take every opportunity to change into our minority language happily.
Apart from her sweet personality traits she’s got a dark side. We just call her a destroyer. She takes great pleasure in ruining, taking apart, tearing almost everything. I hope this will go with the age.

In her 3rd year we were very lucky with native nannies, which meant a lot concerning her English. We had 3 of them: N, from London, who stayed with us for almost a whole year and had great connection with both of my girls.

For the summer we had a Canadian nanny, C., who came to us only for 2 months but they hit it off almost immediately and had great fun.

The the Australian J, turned up towards the end of the year, who is still with us for a little more while.

All the nannies were really chatty to L, and they quickly learned what she wanted to play:

• with N., she mainly played trains, play dough and Mr Potato Head or rode the motorbike to the playground and slid

  

• with C, she liked sliding on our sofa and played in the tunnel

  

• with J, they’ve been reading books a lot and played with the toy kitchen, plus Lego when Little L joined in E.’s playtime

Another important person in her English language development in B, my best friend who could spend more time with the girls towards the end of the year. We had day trips, like visiting the Tropicarium together as well as sleepovers.

Another important impact was Daddy’s business/educational trip to America, when he was away for 3 weeks and I was alone with the girls. 80-90% of time we were in English. It was the most natural thing to do, and the girls’ brain was rewired. They behaved and talked like perfectly native speakers of English. Little L benefitted from this period a lot and I felt great about it as at the beginning of January she was supposed to start kindergarten, which is only in Hungarian. This was her final push and reinforcement of the importance of English in her life.

It is more difficult to make arts and crafts or other educational games with her as she can’t sit still (which is perfectly normal at her age but I’m used to E.’s attitude who is really calm, peaceful and very focused). So, I usually concentrated on activities that involve a lot of moving around or splashing in water etc.

 

She also helps around the house but she loses interest very quickly. She follows whatever her Big Sister does or wherever she goes.

 

We still take part in Helen Doron Early English sessions. L. finished Baby’s Best Start and started It’s a Baby Dragon course. She got a little more reserved at the lessons but she enjoys them all the same.

All these different exposures improved her English to a great extent. She’s got no problem understanding and replying in English. Mixing the languages happens very rarely, only if a word doesn’t come to her mind, and when she realises she used Hungarian in her English sentence she chuckles. An amusing example: Little L wants to crawl under the bed: – Mommy, I can’t put my “fej” in.

Favourite topics: cars, construction vehicles

Favourite toys: cars, playdough

Favourite activities: sliding, riding a motorbike, jumping in puddles, hugging

Favourite food: pasta, meat soup

Favourite colours: red and blue

Favourite books: Fox’s socks by Julia Donaldson, Pip and Posy by Axel Sheffler, Goldilocks and the three bears

Favourite cartoons: Paw Patrol, Top Wing, Gyerekdalok és mondókák

Favourite songs: Tractros by Blippi, Hídló végén

Happy birthday, my sweetest Baby!