Archive for October, 2007
For 18 months I have been worried about my daughter. She seemed completely incapable of being interested in books. She would run from the room when I read to her brother, she would shake her head violently when I sat down to read to her and it just didn’t look good. Being a voracious reader myself, I don’t know how to relate to someone in the house who doesn’t read, like, um….my husband? That, plus I also said I would never married someone unless they were also a musician, but it seems to be working despite lacking those two major components.
The Bug has suddenly developed a passion for reading. A passion. She runs to me at full speed (I spend most of my day sitting on the floor) with a book in her hand screaming as loudly as she can - have I ever talked about how noisy The Bug is? She’s just a really loud kid. So screaming is just out of control loud. She is so excited about books that she spends a good part of her day screaming about them. When I’m not reading to her, she flips through them herself and points at things she recognizes, particularly bugs. Again, she does this with a great amount of noise.
So, I’ve got my wish of a tiny reader, however it came with a great deal of cacophony.
And….the pirate lapbook is finished. As soon as I figure out how to put photos on my blog, I’ll have them here for you to see!
Enjoying the noisy journey, Amanda
October 18th, 2007
Yesterday we took advantage of the holiday and went for a nice long walk in one of our local parks. It was a beautiful day, but a bit too hot - in October, imagine! The park’s path runs along the Humber River. We stopped to watch some fly fishermen and Fuss wanted to hop right into the water to help them. We walked a bit further where there is a tiny waterfall. Here the fish make valient attempt to swim upstream. We sat for about 10 mintues, during which time, about 4 of them succeeded, to great cheers from the crowd gathered to watch.
Then, last night as we were all getting ready for bed, I heard water just pouring down. I said to Colin that I was so surpised that it had started raining since I had just been outside and it didn’t seem about to rain. I walked to the back door to have a look, because really it had to be just coming down, but the sound beconed me from the basement! I went a couple of steps and saw water pouring from one of the lights recessed into the ceiling! Similar to the salmon’s waterfall.
We put a bucket underneath, turned off the water at the main and went to bed - hoping for the best. We seemed to make it through the night and the plumber arrived promptly at 9am. He worked until 3! 3!!! Amazing. And spendy. He was here so long, I even served him lunch.
So, Colin’s holiday was full of fun things to do, none of which we actually did. Today took the cake, though. His last day of holidays spent with a plumber.
Luckily he was a very friendly plumber since Fuss had tonnes of questions and advice.
Enjoying the (now dry) journey, Amanda
October 17th, 2007
I’ve just finished cleaning up from Thanksgiving dinner. We always have lots of family and I love seeing my chidren interact with their relatives. We get so mired in the everyday that it’s really nice to step back and see the big picture. There are more people than just me, for my children to learn from.
My cousin is in the military, so he didn’t make it home, but Fuss really loves talking to him about aeroplanes, my cousin’s passion, and all things ’soldier’. My other cousin is a musician, so he now gets out my guitar and plays for a bit. He plays electric at home, so his mother loves to hear him play not quite so loudly. Fuss thinks he’s cool.
Uncle Donny is into motorcycles - so is Fuss, so there is a lot of conversation going on there!
My brother and his wife didn’t make it, and Fuss was so incredibly disappointed. He had a slight meltdown as he watched his father take the places away and rearrange the table. We’ll have to have them over in the next few weeks to make up for it.
So, as much as it’s a day for cooking and cleaning for me, it’s an evening to relax and watch Fuss learn from those around us. Oh, and to watch The Bug EAT!
Enjoying the journey, Amanda
October 8th, 2007
So, I totally fell flat on my face, figuratively late this week. Perhaps it was the lack of caffeine (and yes, I know about all the negatives of the stuff), but Thursday I was hardly even able to read to the kids. They ended up spending most of Wednesday and Thursday running around the house doing their own thing. I would read on occasion, but I just couldn’t deal with them much. ~sigh~ I so wanted to finish that darn pirate lapbook!
Dad is on holidays (it started today), so I’m hoping to get some time with Fuss to finish up a couple of things. We had music today, so Fuss went off to his class and then Dad offered to take the Bug to her class so that I could have a few minutes to myself! Wow! So, I luckily had my book with me. I pulled that out and actually got a few pages read. Close to the end of the class, Bug figured she’d had enough time without ‘MA-MA’, so out she came. Dad stayed in the class until the end - very funny.
We came home after running a couple of errands and picking up sandwiches at the organic butcher. The kids fell asleep in the car, so we added a small glass of wine to each lunch and had a picnic in the front yard so we could be near the car in case the kids woke up, which they did - right as we were finishing up. It was so nice just to have that short time together.
I feel more energized just having an extra set of hands on a weekday. Oh, and a Starbucks to start the day….
Enjoying the journey, Amanda
October 5th, 2007
Ah! Again, Bug got up long before Fuss and we sat downstairs and she let me read to her for over an hour. My heart felt so good!!! Then the rest of the day she wandered around with a book in her hand, pointing at things to ask what they were. Yay!!! Fuss and I finished the Magic Treehouse Pirate Research book. I skipped the chapter on weapons since he said he was afraid of it. It was rather intimidating.
Once Bug went down for her nap, Fuss and I played the Wildcraft game for the first time. It’s actually a long game and he loved it! He played the whole thing with me and then sat and played with the the game parts all by himself for, oh, an hour? It is quite a lovely game!
Then…..I was washing dishes, glanced out the window over the sink and there was a cottontail in the middle of the backyard! I almost fell over. I grabbed Fuss and took him to the large slider so that he could have a good look. I then ran out with some carrots - no cabbage or other leafy greens in the house, darn! - and he let me get quite close. Something eventually spooked him and he hopped away quickly, but it was amazing! I hope we see him again. Just wonderful!
After that, I read Fuss the rabbit section of Handbook of Nature Study by Comstock, and then he sat with the book for about 45 minutes! He loves that book. Which is great, since I struggle with nature study.
Fuss and Bug had doctor’s appointments this afternoon, which often makes me nervous since she usually challenges me about my non-vaccinated children. I knew she would get on my case about homeschooling Fuss. However, she was really supportive and just mentioned vaccination in passing (in the ‘are we vaccinating today?’). She even mentioned being impressed with Fuss’s verbal skills. Wow. I had no reason to be nervous all day!
Enjoying the journey, Amanda
October 3rd, 2007
I got an e-mail today from a woman I met in a baby gym class when Fuss was very small. She had twins at home and an older daughter who was in school. I lost track of her when the gym class ended. We exchanged a couple of e-mails, but it went no further.
I just got an e-mail from her today saying that she ran into a homeschooling friend of mine at the museum today. Funny thing is that she signed off her e-mail by saying ‘hope to see you at some homeschooling events’. I was so excited!! I would have been thrilled to just get an update, how are you sort of e-mail, but one that she is also homeschooling!! Too much! I’ve e-mailed her back because I would like more details and am anxiously awaiting her response. I can imagine there would be challenges homeschooling twins, but some aspects would be easier. She also has an older daughter. I look forward to catching up with her.
On a ‘discovery cottage’ homeschooling note, we use a nature curriuculumthat I just love. (This is only the second month, so I’ll keep you posted.) This week is about kindness to animals which is very needed around here. There is a story about St. Francis that is to be included in circle time. I always turn away from any religious aspects, but this curriculum is not religous and where it might seem so, it’s simple to change it to suit our family. I do have a soft spot for St. Francis, so I included the story. For some (surprising) reason, Fuss is finding it very grounding. He sits silently while I read it (this story is in 4 parts which is perfect as Daddy is home on Friday), and is really responding. We have a squirrel who thinks we are his family. He sit on the windowsill or the door frame and waits for us. He follows us to our car and sits there while we get in. I wonder if he was a pet who was released once he ate a couch leg or some such thing.
Fuss is inclined to chase the squirrel while screaming at the top of his lung, which drives me nuts. Well, we started the story of St. Francis on Monday and today he just walked out to the car with the squirrel. Once we started to back out of the driveway, he said ‘oh, mum - isn’t he just so cute’? Ah….progress.
I should add quickly - we are considered suburban, on the very edge of a major metropolis, so a friendly squirrel is not overly common.
On a separate note, Fuss found a pile of coins while routing around somewhere in the house. He brought them to me and we made an impromptu math lesson out of it. He got to keep the coins he identified properly. Then we added the coins he ‘won’ in various way. It was fun and he feels rich with his 26c.
Bug has developed some new words. ‘Bowl’ and ‘cat’ to be specific. Unfortunately, everyone is now ‘cat’. Oh well.
Enjoying the journey, Amanda
October 2nd, 2007
