3V1010.2

3V1010.02 Singing (10/26/80) Peggy’s favorite song is “The fox went out on a chilly night.” This is her first song, (in the sense of having parts well enough known for her to begin singing). Her original version interleaved two lines, “The fox went out on a chilly night” and “town-o, town-o…(repeated a variable number of …

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3V1006.1

3V1006.01 “When Mimi was my age, Christina was my age too” (10/22/80) I judge this an amazing statement for a child of Peggy’s age. Christina is a coeval of Miriam’s who rides to and from gymnastics in a car pool. Christina is of significantly slighter frame than Miriam. It is possible that Peggy imagined Christina …

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3V1004.1

3V1004.01 Role Reversal: reading to others (10/20/80) Bringing some wood inside, I nearly tripped over Scurry at the porch door. Continuing on, I came close to Peggy also, who censured me “Don’t step on me, Daddy. Don’t step on Scurry. She’s a good kid, too.” Scurry is Peggy’s most accessible playmate (and the only controllable …

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3V1001.1

3V1001.01 Letter names: beyond those important as people symbols (10/17/80) I gave Peggy the small coffee table for her use as a desk, put her puzzles there and a pile of paper from which she takes pieces to scribble on. She did so today. When first drawing, she would bring me her papers and ask …

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3V0995.1

3V0995.01 Excuses and implausible threats (10/11/80) Peggy begins now to more frequently offer excuses (as her siblings do all too often) and even makes threats. She sometimes neglects to empty her potty into the toilet after shitting. I urged her to do so today. as she sat on the floor, playing with a bare foot. …

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3V0981.2

3V0981.02 Talking about places: complexity of Peggy’s interpretive situation (9/29/80) Miriam recorded this dialogue about Peggy’s new toy Bunny: Peggy: I got my Bunny at the book store. Miriam: No. You got it at the Hole in the Wall. Peggy: Where the book shop ? Miriam: Near the Hole in the Wall. Peggy: I thought …

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3V0981.1

3V0981.01 Meta-linguistic knowledge: “I can’t read words” (9/29/80) Peggy clambered onto my bed where I lay reading — then got down to get a Tintin to read to me. She said, after propping it open and most unhappily, “I can’t read words.” I comforted her, “You have to learn how to do that sweety. It’s …

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3V0977.1

3V0977.01 Reading words to Peggy: unintended instruction Peggy has been lately enjoying Richard Scary’s “Best Word Book Ever.” She brought it to me today and asked me to read her the words (in a general sense) “Read these words?” I read the title, etc. then began to read the labels accompanying objects on the cover. …

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3V0971.1

3V0971.01 In my lap: repertoire of three character scripts (9/19/80) I have tried to dissuade Peggy from reading all the time. So more lately, she has climbed into my lap with friends, the small bear, the pink panther, “Aroot” her elephant, and the horse Miriam received when she was in the hospital. The animals have …

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3V0961.1

3V0961.01 An old joke, naturally arising – the “wrong feet”: (9/9/80) Peggy was putting on her shoes for herself. As she began to put one on, I said, “Peggy, you’re putting your shoes on the wrong feet.” She came back with the classic remark, “These are my feet.”

3V0949.2

3V0949.02 five page-long list of books read to Peg in March: should be inserted at 3/4 date Date Reader Action Book 3/4 Miriam read Little Black, a pony 3/4 Miriam look Know Your Scotch Terrier 3/4 Gretchen read Little Black 3/4 Gretchen look Know your Scotch Terrier 3/5 Gretchen read Winnie the Pooh (half story …

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3V0949.1

3V0949.01 Roles involving three people: (correcting me about Gretchen) (8/28/80) I no longer recall the detail of this incident. What is important is development of the role-expansion theme from two to three characters. Note that Peggy only has trouble with the third person possessive pronouns (and adjective also). She has trouble — as will be …

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3V0942.2

3V0942.02 Counting letters: social context of alphabet learning (8/21/80) So Peggy names her playing with them — and she frequently asks some one to do that with her. She apparently has in mind companionship alone and precious little else. Since the only thing she does with letters are: 1. identify individuals; 2. scatter them around; …

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3V0941.1

3V0941.01 “I taller him”: words and intonations (8/20/80) Peggy plays with the Fisher Price dolls, directing them and speaking for them. Peggy used the comparative appropriately in speaking for “Daddy” but more than that as well. She put on a very deep gruff voice — of the same sort she uses to boss about the …

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3V0940.1

3V0940.01 GSB : letters as symbols for people: “This say Mommy, Scurry, Daddy” ( 8/19/80) We have a key ring about the house from the Guilford Savings Bank. Peggy brought it to me today and explained to me, “This says Mommy, Scurry, Daddy.” She has been told that this first letter begins the name Gretchen, …

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3V0924.2

3V0924.02 Watching Videotapes: single letters as name symbols (8/3/80) Last night Gretchen and I reviewed four videotapes (weeks 26, 52, 78, and 104). Peggy was in and out during this two hours of viewing (she was alternately watching an hour long Disney show on the basement TV). One question of interest to me was what …

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3V0916.1

3V0916.01 Commitment to an interpretation: [go pick the lady grass.](7/26/80) Miriam has been given the job of picking grass out of the driveway and she resists it mightily. I recently scolded her and told her to go pick out every blade of grass at the turn (the grass had slowed drainage and caused some flooding). …

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3V0908.1

3V0908.01 A swimming pool: caution at first encounter(7/18/80) We visited this day my cousin’s house in Cherry Hill. Her son, Matthew, a week older than Peggy, nearly drowned in their swimming pool about a week before our visit. We were all very sensitive to the event. Peggy had never seen a swimming pool before and …

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3V0899.1

3V0899.01 Toilet training: a first success (7/9/80) Peggy had a wet diaper and asked me to take it off. “Take off diaper… don’t hug me…take this off…. I have to do something.” She took her little toilet, set it in the middle of the room, pissed in it, and emptied the pot into the regular …

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3V0893.1

3V0893.01 Excuses: [No. I’m keeping my ears warm.] (7/3/80) Miriam returned from Boston with a hat I bought her, like the one I bought Robby the week before. The hats are too large for the children unless adjusted to their minimum size. While Peggy ran around with her head submerged in Miriam’s hat (which Robby …

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3V0876.1

3V0876.01 More role articulation: (toilet training) (6/26/80) Peggy has been much engaged with toilet training (mainly from social pressure plus a little direct instruction). For example, when I called home from Boston last week, she was so proud of herself she explained having taken off her coat and dress and that she had pissed in …

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3V0865.1

3V0865.01 Counting with Mimi: alternate counting game (6/5/80) Miriam announced a game she and Peggy have been playing – a game of alternate counting. Miriam and Peg count alternately: M1, P2, M3, P4, M5, P6, M7, P7, M8, P9, M10, P11, M12, P12 6/8 note: Peg fast count from 4-11 by herself in the other …

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3V0862.2

3V0862.02 Beginning reading: reading from Puppies book (6/2/80) reconstructed from a journal entry of 6/2/80 ) When Peggy offered to read to me (“Daddy, I read you”), I joined her on the floor. Her specific reconstruction of three pages via pictures were these: TERRIERS: “Once a morning, puppy want a dig a hole (this reflects …

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3V0862.1

3V0862.01 Roots of reading (6/2/80) Peggy has started reading to us. It began last night when I came to bed and found Peggy reading a Tintin book to herself. She offered to read to me, open[ed] to the first page and began: “once a morning, a ship (was) in the water…” then closed the book …

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3V0852.2

3V0852.02 More imitation: (Bob with cast on leg, using Rob’s boot) (5/23/80) Peggy was playing with one of Miriam’s old cowboy boots. She put it on one foot and stumped around remarking, “I have cow boot. I have a cast on my leg.” [bob had broken his foot on Good Friday, and has had a …

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3V0846.2

3V0846.02 Directed speech: Peggy in multiple roles and reading (5/17/80) Peggy found the other day a toy candy dispenser with a rabbit head on top. Today she sat on the floor, playing with it and reading the Britannica ‘Thinking’ book. She asked the rabbit: Peggy: Wanta read it to me rabbit ? Rabbit: That’s a …

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3V0836.1

3V0836.01 Imitation of role: (bob in chair, chasing away kids) (5/7/80) Peggy was sitting in Bob’s big recliner, reading. When Miriam came along, Peggy said to her, “Go away, Mimi… I trying to work.” At about the same period or slightly later, she chased Robby out of that same chair, telling him to leave because …

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3V0829.1

3V0829.01 Counting; conventional now to six (4/30/80) Robby and I discussed Peggy’s counting and he informs me she counts now beyond four, to six, quite conventionally. He has waked and heard her counting in her crib “one, two, three, four, five, six, nine, ten” This is further evidence of the influence of hide and seek.

3V0827.1

3V0827.01 Reading: naming and describing (4/28/80) When Peggy reads pictures, she primarily identifies, i.e. names the characters. Thus in Richard Scary’s books, she might exclaim, “There’s lowly worm.” Encountering some rarer figure, she asks “Who’s that?” Beyond naming, Peggy has begun to go on to interpretation of the pictures, describing what the character is doing.

3V0825.1

3V0825.01 Words and pictures: [Peggy read pictures. Daddy read words.] (4/26/80) Peggy has taken a fancy to an old issue of National Geographic (she looks through it for the “ladies”). she brings it over to my chair, climbs in my lap, and asks (expects, commands) to be read to. Sometimes I ask her to read, …

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3V0824.2

3V0824.02 Hide and seek (4/25/80) Miriam and Peggy play “hide and seek” — and Peggy’s imitation is prominent. The place she picks to hide is always where Miriam hid immediately before. Counting has resurfaced as an issue in this context. Peggy hides her head and counts (1, 2, 3, 4…) then runs to find Miriam. …

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3V0819.2

3V0819.02 She-teddy (4/20/80) Gender is not a forward distinction for Peggy yet. She played with her Teddy bear, saying, “Teddy tired…(lays it down)… He’s a good girl.”

3V0811.4

3V0811.04 Surprising syngnosticity (4/12/80) Peggy’s toy elephant she names “Arroot.” Miriam received as a birthday present a pig hand-puppet which Peggy very much admires. She asked the name and Miriam called it “Alfred,” since which Peggy has been chasing and pestering her for “My arroot.” The resolution a half hour later: Peggy came in the …

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3V0792.1

3V0792.01 Context appropriate verbal accompaniment: remembered rhyme (3/24/80) Sitting with Peggy on my lap, I became aware that she was babbling to herself. As I listened, I realized she was reciting an appropriate jingle… something like “Go horsie… go town… take-a Peggy…all fall in.” Gretchen

3V0781.1

3V0781.01 “Peggy Lawler” – what symbols mean to her (3/13/80) Ever since Miriam’s gift of the Grover Book (wherein she wrote PEGGY LAWLER on the inside cover to show ownership), Peggy has interpreted any group of letters as meaning “Peggy Lawler.” She distinguishes (more or less) between four things: letters, seen as individuals; pictures in …

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3V0774.1

3V0774.01 Jokes as communication protocols (3/6/80) Miriam has been telling (surely in Peggy’s hearing) a knock-knock : M : Knock knock. V : Who’s there ? M : Tim. V : Tim who ? M : Tim – ber ! At supper this evening, Peggy said : P : knock knock. B : Who’s there …

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3V0771.2

3V0771.02 Scurry and cookies Peggy all too often shares her food with the dog, sometimes on purpose, sometimes not so. Today she took some cookies from a little easter basket made by Miriam and carried them over to Scurry. she then said (and repeated 3 more times) “Scurry eat some.” Here Gretchen censured Peggy, telling …

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3V0769.4

3V0769.04 Contrast: reading Cat in the Hat (3/1/80) I read this to Peggy for the first time today. It was very difficult to keep her interested in any specific page long enough for me to read aloud the relatively extensive text on each page. Realizing early that this was a problem, I decided to see …

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3V0764.1

3V0764.01 Many Lawlers: extended family (2/25/80) going through the catalog again: P: “Peggy Lawler… Mimi Lawler…Tree Lawler…” G: “Tree Lawler?” P: “Out there (gesturing).” Gretchen.

3V0755.2

3V0755.02 Many Lawlers (2/16/80) Riding in the car, Peggy spoke to herself up in her car seat. “Peggy Lawler. Mimi Lawler. Robby Lawler. Mommy Lawler. Daddy Lawler.”

3V0733.1

3V0733.01 [chin hurts] Variation anchor, abetted by questioning. (1/25/80) Peggy somehow hurt herself, and when asked what was the matter, replied, ‘Chin hurts.’ A few days previously, as I was changing her diaper, I became aware that she was talking away. P : ‘…neck….hurt (or hurts, I could not notice)…’ G : ‘Your neck hurts, …

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3V0731.1

3V0731.01 At the Childrens’ Museum (1/23/89) Peggy and the rest of us came to Boston for her birthday. My reasons for proposing this trip were that I though she would enjoy the infant’s castle at the children’s museum, to introduce her to the Kuehnle’s, and to introduce her to Logo. We all went to the …

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3V0728.1

3V0728.01 [Robby…lookit] vocative + verb example (plus others) (1/20/80) Another example of a vocative-verb to element structure. Peggy, just now, (1/29/80) came out with another, more directly comparable to ‘Mimi…did-it’), she carried a book to Robby and said ‘Robby, do-it.’

3V0720.2

3V0720.02 [joke… knock-knock]: verbally formulated classification based on a single exemplar. 1/12/80) We all sat at table this evening. Either Gretchen and I teased and all of us laughed, Peggy too. I believe I asked her what she laughs about (the joke was one she could not comprehend). Peggy responded, “joke…” and then continued “knock-knock.” …

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3V0718.2

3V0718.02 Tirades: reappearance as singing (cf. P103-105); talking to Scurry. (1/10/80) Failing earlier to capture Peggy’s tirades mechanically, I’ve been delighted to find this behavior re-emerge. The most striking example appeared as Peggy led Scurry around the house on the leash. She spent considerable time yammering at Scurry as she took her on this inside …

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3V0718.1

3V0718.01 Who’s there ? (Original notes on homely binding and lonely discovery) (1/10/80) Peggy’s use of the knock-knock joke script has been monolithic — ie. she would not respond in the victim’s role, nor would she continue in any way no matter what response her victim made. This morning, when I brought some coffee to …

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3V0706.2

3V0706.02 Puppy in Boston: default location of “gone” animate things (12/29/79) Over the past several weeks, Peggy has often given evidence of distinguishing between the sound of a bark and the word as the name of the sound. One of the puzzles Peggy received for Christmas was a five piece Puppy puzzle. Peggy came crawling …

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3V0703.1

3V0703.01 [Mimi…mad…Mimi…fall down] Expressed speculation. (12/26/79) Miriam has been playing with her old set of infant size legos which we gave Peggy for a Christmas present. She has tried through much of the day to construct a mobile dog (dragon?) and failed with amazing consistency. Lately cries of “awg !!” have been coming down from …

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3V0683.2

3V0683.02 Kicking and hurt feelings. (12/6/79 and earlier) Peggy’s control over her supports, her legs, has been of apparent and considerable interest to her, I recall her joy at being able to jump with both feet when first she could and, most recently (12/20 ff.), her tapping with one foot to music while standing [this …

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3V0647.1

3V0647.01 Baby becomes a toddler on getting shoes. (10/27/79 & 11/1/79) Peggy just got her first pair of shoes (blue sneakers) and appears very pleased. I remarked to her that she is a big girl now and had her very own shoes, so she would not have to use other peoples’, and Peggy in reply …

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