We went over to a neighbors' house the other day to bring them some brownies that we made as a Project (Project starts with a capital P in our house - there is nothing more important). I figured out that while it was a fun activity to make brownies, when you're done making brownies, what you've got is a big pan of brownies and then the only thing to do is eat all the brownies. I decided I did not want the brownies in the house so we took them to our friends across the street.

While there, our friend found some PBS kids' programming to watch on TV to entertain The Dormouse while we talked. It was a show I know nothing about - aimed at older kids and focusing on math skills. The live action woman and the cartoon characters were all trying to solve some basic algebraic functions.

"If I need to have five balls and I know I already have two, then how many more do I need?" *writes on screen 2 + X = 5, etc., etc.*

We weren't there watching for more than ten minutes and most of that time, The Dormouse was running around pulling stuff out of drawers in their house and it seemed only half paying attention to the television. I've never seen the show before nor have we had it on in our home.

The next morning as I was getting breakfast, she was circling the kitchen and adding numbers like she'd been doing it all her life:

"Momma, two plus two is four, right?"

"That's right honey." *thinking she'd memorized it from somewhere*

"And Momma, one plus two is three."

"Honey, what are you doing?"

"I'm adding Momma."

It then became apparent that she wasn't just repeating stuff that she memorized as she started illustrating with her fingers exactly how to add. "Aaaand three plus two is one, two, three, four, five... FIVE; four plus three is one, two, three, four, five, six, seven.. SEVEN; one plus three is one, two, three, four... FOUR."

When I dropped her off at preschool that day, I asked if they had been working on any addition concepts. The teacher looked at me like I was waaaaay to anxious to fill out that college application form and said, "Um, no." Like duh, lady, we're just happy to get them to wash their hands after going to the bathroom. I, wisely I think, left out the ensuing story about her adding on her fingers. It didn't seem appropriate.

I assumed that KoH had probably taught her the concept of addition because I certainly had not, so I sent him the following email:

Did you teach The Dormouse to add?
She's been doing it all morning:
2+2=4
3+8=8
4+4=8
1+4=5
etc.

He replied:

No. I did not teach her.
If I'd taught her to add, she'd know that 3+8=11.

Smart aleck.