Back to school

So the reason for less postings lately is because of the reintroduction of school in our routine.
I think we've started our third week now? Can't remember. Anyways, yes, it's going pretty well. Got a few wrinkles to iron out, but overall, pretty smooth. (Phil has too many shirts for me to iron, can you tell?)

Jennifer has a new friend. She likes to babble to him. She sometimes holds on to him, but doesn't know how she did it, or how to let go.


Daniel is such a blabber box now. It's a lot of fun!


And he's still a bit of a baby too. ;)


Melanie, it IS winter now, have you noticed? Well, she's wearing long sleeves, so that's something!


Check out the shelves the kids put together and stocked. So cheerful. Makes my own organizing look bland by comparison.


The car was driven up on the hoist to get repaired by Nathan the mechanic.


A hammer Nathan! To fix a car? Maybe you better go get some tutoring from Grandpa!


Matthew loves to pose. I would too if I was as cute as he is. ;) Unfortunately, he rarely does poses that aren't goofy, so not many make the blog.


Here comes Daniel to see what is taking me so long downstairs.
"What doin Mommy?"


Melanie loves jumping and climbing on furniture. She's very pleased to be allowed to do it downstairs on our junk. She'd love a trampoline.


What a big fun play room we have downstairs!


Jennifer in her favorite sleeping position. She fits so wonderfully there, and isn't too heavy yet. I babysat in our church nursery this past Sunday, and there were two other babies, a couple weeks older and a couple weeks younger than Jennifer. They both were so strange to hold. So uncomfortable compared to my little girl!


Jennifer is now too distracted by the camera to smile a full out smile very easily. It's a lot of work to catch one now!

Waiting

We are keeping busy. There are lots of important things to do and learn while waiting for a baby.

"Mommy, what is this?
What does is it do?
Look at this one Mommy!"

School has been out for a month (in our house anyways) and will likely stay closed while the teacher takes maternity leave. :p We have been doing a little maintenance of things learned, but in a fashion that requires as little effort as possible on my part. ;)

I like how he uses two pencils to write. One is for writing, one is for erasing. Because you wouldn't want to use one for both.

As for the baby--it is very comfy where it is, and likely to stay in for some time yet. That's the analysis my midwife gave me at my weekly appointment.

Farm

Feeling very scholarly, I decided to take a day off of school (It is summer after all!) and host a field trip at a farm that I've stopped by before. They usually host school field trips actually, so they have just enough animals around so you can see each one.

The favorite animal was the kitty of course. The pig pen had a sign saying "I bite" so now the kids (being a safe distance away) are pretending to be biting pigs. :p

And the tractor was the most fun (not so scary and unpredictable as the farm animals), though they decided to pretend it was a garbage truck 'cause it had a nice place to stand and ride on the side. (Why did we go to the farm again??)

Giggle fits

I brought out the magnet letters, hoping the kids might have some educational fun without realizing it. Once again, my expectations are set much too high! I try to get them started, only to have Nathan and Melanie trying hard to sound out "bum". Nathan had "bam" and the mistake just got their goats.
"It needs a "U"" says I.
(Nathan makes "baum".)
"What does it say now, Mom?
"Baum."
Nathan and Melanie:
"GIGGLE GIGGLE!"

In an attempt to divert them, I spell another body part, "hand."
That isn't exciting enough.
So I show how I can change the word with one letter.
"Now what does it spell?" I ask.
(I end up sounding it out for them.)
"Handy."

Thinking this is a fun game, they decide to try it.
"Handy." Says Nathan, calmly.
"Randy." Says he, again.
"I can make "handy" into "randy"!"
"Then you'll need an "r"" says I.

"Now what does it say?" asks Nathan.
"Sound it out." I say. (Education! think I! He's learning!)
After a while, I have to help him sound it out properly-as in, read it for him.

"Hnrdy!" giggles Nathan.
"Hnrdy!" giggles Melanie.

(Mommy Roze sighs deeply and gets back to her work.)

And what do you know, they eventually get there!

Notice how enthralled Melanie is!
Nothing like a big brother to help you in your silliness!

"Look Mom, we did it!"
"Now it says Randy!"

Kids update

This is Nathan.
(In case you can't remember his name, since it's been so long.)

He started homeschool kindergarten this year. He loves it sometimes.

This is Melanie.

She's very pleased to be a student this year too, most of the time.

This is Matthew.

He's very happy(most of the time) to not be a student, and to have ALL his time to himself.

This is Daniel

He took his first (3) steps last week at the park. And has done no more since then. He'll try again when we're not looking.

Seriously

Homeschooling has officially begun in our home. Since we got back from our holidays sometime we began. I thought having a bit more structure might help with some of the severe behaviour problems that have blown up since the kids are no longer spoiled rotten and have realized that they do indeed have another sibling, and must split their mother 4 ways now, and in 4 disproportionate ways at that. Now that January is almost over, the kids seem to have settled down to their former more manageable level of (dis)obedience. When I tuck myself in at nights my throat no longer feels strained from yelling, and my adrenaline is not pumping madly from poor anger management and self control. Time has settled the kids, no thanks to thoughtful interventions.

My reading stack is a little big, and I'm rather behind...but some of it is pleasure reading, and a lot of it only neads to be read a snippet at a time. So maybe I'll manage.

Just to break any (dis)illusions you may have about me homeschooling:
I plan to spend not more than a half hour with Nathan per day, Mon-Fri
All days start with some Bible stuff (currently Schoolland book above) and singing
Reading lessons will begin next month since Nathan appears (to my untrained eye) to be ready
Matthew and Melanie join a bit of it, and Melanie gets her own "lesson" as sitting practice mostly
I have no idea where I'm going with this homeschooling business
Philip is the resource/motivator/goal setter/monitor

Wish me luck on this new venture. ;)