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Our Bilingual Year in Review Our Journey into Spanish Immersion began on February of this year. We're almost at the end of the year, and I can't even begin to tell you how thrilled, and excited I am about little one's bilingual progress!

During this year a lot has happened! He's been on Spanish immersion classes for two semesters (Spring and Fall), he had his first "real" Spanish immersion trip to Puerto Rico during the Summer,  I volunteered a Spanish language Summer program at his preschool summer camp, and countless Spanish home lessons have been going on in our our home. It has been a lot of hard work, but it's paying off.

Below you will read excerpts on conversations that I've had with my 5 year old that I wrote down so I wouldn't  forget. They were both highlights of my day!

On March 26th, 2013 something awesome happened. It was the start of great things that were going to happen. Right before bed time this is what happened:

Me: (In Spanish) "Dale un abrazo a tu Papi y dile buenas noches que vamos a dormir" (Give your Daddy a hug & tell him good night, we're going to bed)
--I'm looking at the TV while I'm telling him this then I turn around, and repeat myself.
Little one: "Mommy, I already did! You weren't watching!"

I'm like OMG he understands what I tell him in Spanish!!!! Score!!!!!!!!!! We're progressing, we're progressing!

Fast forward to October 13th, 2013. Little one spent the afternoon with his grandparents. When I got there we had a full fledged conversation in Spanish! Normally it’s in Spanglish, or code switching; but this time it was smooth, and effortless!!! Oh dear Lord, thank you, thank you! Teaching my child Spanish in a monolingual environment is paying off!

Little one:  "¿Quién es? (as I knocked on the door)  ¡Mamá llegaste!
Me: “Si papi ¿listo para irnos a casa?”
Little one: “No, Mami no quiero”
Me: “¿Por que no?”
Little one: “Quiero ver televisión, quiero ver Dora”
Me: “Esta bien cuando termine Dora nos vamos”
Little one: “Gracias Mamá”
---Dora ends---
Little one: “Mamá, Dora terminó. Voy a buscar mis zapatos.”
Me: “Busca tu mochila también.”
Little one: “Ok, Mamá. Vamos para casa."

Just this past month he has started reading in Spanish! Can I say, "Woot, woot!" Hahaha I can't contain my excitement.

This has been our bilingual year in review, and if you're thinking it's too late for your child click here to read our story.

Labels: bilingualism , raising a bilingual child