Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Taking time to write...

Really? Has it been that long since I last posted? It is hard to believe that we are in September. Delton mentioned Christmas this morning. I guess preparing (budgeting!!) for that would be a good idea...but where did the time go!

Asher has made me laugh (and groan) recently.
~Asher, did you pee on the floor?
~Yes. I peed on the wall, too. I forgot I wasn't supposed to.

That conversation happened yesterday. Today...we had a little bit of progress.

~Asher, make sure you pee in the toilet.
~Okay, mom. I'll try not to pee on the wall. (Then, his voice rings out from inside the bathroom... "Whoops")

I felt like all I have done the past few days is clean up puddles from the floor. Grrrrr. The joys of a short potty-trained child.

Homeschooling and such
We started homeschooling Ezra last Monday- August 29th. I am finding that this endeavor brings me such life. Last week was also the week Colson decided that morning naps were not for him! So...I laugh as I wade through the chaos of caring for three boys in the midst of house chores, school, morning sickness and....cleaning the bathroom repeatedly. Somehow, I wouldn't give up the joy of teaching Ezra, of watching him "get it", for all the peace in the world. This feels so right for us!

I hit my first glitch this morning. I spent 30+ minutes with Ezra working on one page of math. He was learning to write the number 2, and was not getting it. He was silly...disengaged...trying to make a "wavy 2" ("that's all I can see in my mind, mom"). Even after he calmed down and applied himself, it was work. He just wasn't getting it.

Math in general is not something Ezra struggles with. He is figuring out addition all by himself, just through everyday interactions. Mom, look! Two plus two is four!

So....as I looked ahead in the math book, and saw pages and pages dedicated to learning how to write numbers, I despaired. Did we choose the wrong program? What do I do now? I couldn't see buying another program for two reasons- 1. I didn't want to spend more money  2. What if we spent the money, and another math program didn't work either?

I decided to ignore writing numbers. We are skipping the pages devoted solely to mastering the skill of writing each number. On pages that require counting, then writing the numbers...I will let Ezra count, tell me the answer, and then I will write the number in.

In a few months, I believe Ezra will be ready to learn to write his numbers. But, he isn't there right now, and I don't want to derail his math instruction because of this developmental issue. So...our first crisis is navigated!

Pregnancy
I am pregnant. According to my ultrasound, I am due April 2nd. That makes me about 10 weeks along. We are very excited....somehow we knew that, God willing, we would have another child after Colson.

Weeks 6-9 were very difficult. I dealt with almost constant nauseau and fatigue, which is normal for my pregnancies. Last week, I began to feel better, until yesterday I went strong all day. This is not normal for this part of my pregnancy~ I am usually out of commission until about 14 weeks. It feels very good to feel good. A good friend gave me her maternity clothes, so I can hardly wait until I start showing!

Boys
The rain has kept us inside for several days. The boys have not been handling the confinement well. The break in the weather allowed us to go outside for a bit today. Peace. Brotherly affection. Quiet...and lots of mud and water! As it began sprinkling we headed inside to baths, cozy clothes, and naps. Now, the house is quiet, it is raining outside, and I am ready to jump into some housework.

 Watching the rain a couple of weeks ago...Stairsteps!





 Look what I made, mom!
 This picture is soooo Asher! He was standing in a mudpuddle, in the rain, complaining that "Ezra is getting me all wet!"

Thanks for catching up with me today!

5 comments:

Dad Lehman said...

Your math adjustment is the blessing and benefit of homeschooling. Dad Lehman

Anonymous said...

I love the window into your life:) Thanks for sharing! Mom Leh

ComplainativeBastard said...

I can relate, you Know. I, too, had difficulty toilet training my Mr.McNugget. He used to pee on my duvet, which was really annoying because I specifically set one out for him to pee on. Oh well, what can ya do?
Frikki word fresh
;)

girdhar bissa said...

nice blog

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