A year of pre-kindergarten for my 2nd child

This year, my daughter Vivie is 4.5 and we are calling her a pre-kindergartner. She has expressed some interest in learning how to read and having some one-on-one learning time with me.

She is invited to join us for any and all read-alouds, hands-on projects, and the sort, but she isn't required. I will require her to join us and listen in on the habits/character and Bible lessons.

• Phonics: All About Reading pre-reading. This level (on its way to me) will include some hands-on activities and I suspect some will help improve fine-motor skills while we're at it.
• A scissors skills activity book and others of that nature for fine-motor work
• Letter formation practice with a chalkboard slate and paper as desired
• Math: Mathematical Reasoning pre-k (since I already have it) as I'm not quite ready to start RightStart A with her. Is she ready? Yeah, probably. She has picked up a bit from listening in on Johnny's math. But I'm not.
• My Father's World preschool activity cards and associated toys (I purchased an earlier version of this set awhile back). Also, being more deliberate with pulling our our assortment of educational toys and games.
• Read-alouds on her level. She will sometimes listen in on a chapter book, but most of the time she is solidly in the picture book camp (and I am 100% cool with that!). What's interesting to me is that while she doesn't like to listen to longer read-alouds when read by me, she loves listening to audio books. 
• Speech articulation: There are a few sounds she has trouble making properly, and it is causing her a little bit of embarrassment. She has expressed she would like me to work with her on it, and I found a resource that I think will work well: Super Star Speech. I did the initial assessment with her and found that some of her articulation problems are age-appropriate and some are not. I'm already seeing improvement and at this time I don't think we will need outside intervention (though I am open to that if it comes down to it).

I chose All About Reading pre-reading for Viv because after reminding myself of the pace of AAR level 1, I just don't think she is ready for that. The earlier level will meet her more of where she's at, and I think it will provide a firm foundation for her. I am not of the opinion that a 4-year-old needs to learn how to read, even if they are starting to sound out words on their own. Be little!

While it seems pricey to me, having something all laid out and prepared for me is worth it, as I have more money than free time at this point in my life.

Jumping back in time for a minute and reflecting on 2 years ago when Johnny was this age, I was roughly doing the same sort of things with him. Baby #3 was born in September 2 years ago though, so we were very low-key for the entire fall semester.

(See Tentative Plans for Fall 2013 and more specifics in preschool 2013)