Infant Learning Lab

Here at the UW they like to do all kinds of studies (don't most colleges?) A month or two ago, Bryson got invited to participate in a study at the Infant Learning Lab at the Weisman Center. The info said it would be about hearing, vision and language learning, and I thought it sounded really interesting, so we agreed to participate.

So after we dropped Sariah off at preschool, we headed over for our appointment. The study was pretty simple. They're trying to figure out how babies learn to understand languages, break apart words from sentences, etc. So this is how it worked. Bryson and I went into a big sound proof booth. For 3 min they play 4 nonsense syllables over & over to "teach" him the "language" while 3 lights flash randomly, one in front of us, one to the right and the other to the left. Bryson sat on my lap, I had headphones on with Italian playing in my ears, probably so I couldn't influence Bryson's actions.

After the 3 min. the nonsense stopped. At this point the test started. They would flash a light to either the right or left of us, and when Bryson would look that way, they would start some of the syllables repeating. When he looked away it would stop. Then they would flash the light to the front of us, to get his attention again, and then flash the light to the right or left and see if he would look that direction to get the sound started again. They would usually go 3-5 times on either side, then switch.

Bryson was really intrigued by it. The flashing light would catch his attention, but I think the babbling syllables kept it. Once he realized that the sound would start when he looked at the light, he started anticipating the lights on the side, even before the one on the front had stopped flashing. This is usually when they would change it up on him and flash it from the other side. He was really great about seeing it and switching, then anticipating from that side the next time. I think he was kind of dissappointed when it stopped. I was also pretty intrigued, although I tried to stay neutral, and let Bryson do his thing.

The researchers were really excited by Bryson's results and praised him for doing so well. They said that some of the time the babies don't want to play along at all. They gave Bryson a book about Trucks for participating. (He had been playing with the trucks while they explained everything to me before hand, so it seemed fitting.) I told them that we'd be willing to do studies in the future. I found the whole thing pretty fascinating. They'll be sharing their results with other studies and hopefully they can use this information in the future to help kids learn. It was a well spent half an hour.

NaBloPoMo

Every year I think , hey I should really do the National Blog Posting Month, it always seems really fun, but I always remember 2 weeks in, and not on Nov. 1st.

Well today is offically Nov 2, but since I'm only a day late, I'm going to try this thing.

So consider this Nov 1st's post... Here we go!

(edit: I guess I should have explained that basically NaBloPoMo is a blog post a day for the whole month of Nov. :) )

Things Sariah likes

Daddy
Play time with Daddy
Making/eating food with Daddy
Anything that involves spending time with Daddy

Preschool
Show & Tell
Learning her Letters
Play time
Lunch Time

Swim Lessons
Using her goggles

Dance Class
Doing Tondues (points with her legs)

Tickle time

Mermaids
Watching Dora the Mermaid or The Little Mermaid
Dressing Up in her mermaid costume
Swimming like a mermaid in the bathtub

Watching video clips on the computer with Mommy
Esp. "Smell like a Monster" with Grover & the Tangled (Rapunzel) Trailers. She's very excited to see the Rapunzel movie next month. (I'm excited because maybe she'll let me grow out her hair and do fun stuff to it again.)

Mac & Cheese (she could eat it for every meal)

Playing with play doh... best $8 I've spent in awhile.

Getting to be an astronaut for Halloween & wearing her costume every day this week.

Sunbeams
Praying to Jesus to help find things
Telling us about things she learned at church

Getting things herself
eating grapes directly out of the fridge
getting her own snacks
brushing her own hair
picking out her own clothes (sometimes 4 or 5 times a day)
putting on her own shoes

Portraits by Sariah

Bryson at 9 months. Be sure to get your appointment with Sariah today, slots are filling up fast!

(Happy 9 months baby boy! 19lbs, 28 inches, crawling around & getting into trouble...)

For Aunt Jenny

Thanks Aunt Jenny for sending us these cool clothes! (Sorry I didn't get pictures up sooner! M.)

First Day of Preschool

She's so excited, Daddy gave her a blessing, dressed in new clothes... time to learn!

Eight Already!

I've got a great smile! Check out my 2 teeth!