Rules of a Ruler

This week Aidan and I explored how to use a 12 inch ruler. I cut up strips of paper in various lengths and had her measure them.

Then we measured all sorts of things around the house.

She grasped the concept quite easily but kept saying "pounds" instead of "inches."
LOL

*Next time I plan to have a matching game set up where she must match the number of inches to the strip of paper.

Park Playdate

We actually made a playdate this week! Everyone met up at the park.

Don't you just love the static?

Potty Update

Potty training is going great. At first... I was having some trouble because she didn't seem to care whether she used her potty, a Pull Up, or the floor... but then McMama had the great idea to give her a "never-get-to-have" So, I bought a bag of dum dums and it took off from there.

Ainsley never has accidents in the house. Most days... she runs around the house in her underwear. (She can pull those up and down but pants make it more of an issue.) Right now... she is still using Pull Ups for sleeping and being in public. Unfortunately, I haven't had much success in public but to be honest... I haven't really tried either. I've been lazy. it's easier to not worry about it when we're shopping.

Bad Mommy!

Wonderful Weather

Yesterday was a gorgeous day and we spent a wonderful morning playing outside and getting dirty.

The playhouse even got some use

Love It!

One thing I think is very important is for my girls to use and be comfortable with computers. Besides the fact that computers are part of our daily lives.. they offer great opportunities for learning and having fun. The Internet has so many cool websites with neat games (educational and just-for-funs). Aidan can now use it BY HERSELF! I ran across a toddler website www.kneebouncers.com. It is the easiest way to teach a kid to use a mouse. Yesterday, I showed Aidan the site and very soon she was using the mouse like a pro. (okay...maybe a little slower) So, we then went to Starfall.com (our favorite website but until now I've always had to manipulate the mouse while she sits on my lap) and while I was busy... she figured out how to double click and drag and how to go into other files on my desktop. LOL

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?

This means that for those special occasions when I want Miss Thing out of my hair and I want her to "do school"... I can sit her down in front of the computer... AND NOT HAVE TO DO IT WITH HER.... !!!!

One more thing she can do independently!

WHOO HOO!

And of course it means she can now do things like online coloring books and fun stuff like that... as well as surf through files she doesn't belong in.

He He

Just Kidding!

FireGirl to the Rescue!

Lately, Aidan has really been "into" firemen and their trucks. Every single day she tells me that she's going to be a "firegirl" when she grows up. She is also going to "rescue people out of fires and find them new homes and be a hero" (her words not mine) I really have no clue where she came up with all this... I'm thinking she might have watched something on t.v. while hanging with the N.C. cousins but I dunno. Anyway, Uncle Andrew (John's youngest brother and Conner's Daddy) is a fireman. For a while now she's been talking of Uncle Andrew showing her "his" truck. Well, Conner's birthday party was a great opportunity. They actually live right across the street from the station and Andrew was on duty.

So, Uncle Andrew kindly took her across the street

It scared the mess out of her! She has never liked loud things and the truck is huge to her.

John jumped in and helped calm her down.

and then put her on top of the truck where she waved to everyone

She was extremely excited about it all in spite of being afraid (although you'd have to know her well to know that). Yesterday she decided she wanted to draw Uncle Andrew a picture to say thank you for letting her see the truck. At first she thought he might "come in his firetruck to pick up (her) picture" but I convinced her mailing it to him would be fun too.

Isn't it AWESOME?

I'm so proud of her.. not because she drew such a cool picture but because it was all her idea to say thank you. I think my Aidan is turning into one cool kid.

Being Girls

The girls dressed themselves
Ainsley chose a shirt... and that's it
Aidan chose a sundress and sweat pants
They then sneaked into the barrettes and "did their hair"



Styling!

Week 5

Vocabulary:
look he one there red

Find all five words in a book of your choice
Play memory using your words
Wksht: "red" "look" "one"

Writing:
write all vocab. words twice

Phonics:

Decoding Sentences: He said to look for the red pad. I see one! There it is!

Wksht: "_ad"

Play Bingo with _ad words
Use sight word cards

Explore: using an exclamation mark

Hop on Pop: read pages 16-24
Explode the Code: finish lesson 1 and start lesson 2
Alpha Phonics: review lesson 8&9
Readers: Bob books 5 & 6 and "Big Egg"

Math:
Learn about measuring with a ruler

Wksht: "0-10 matching"
Wksht: "buttons"
Wksht: "7-10 counting"

Emphasis: read together

See Saw

With my trips to N.C. and with other things going on in my life... school keeps getting left undone. This week will be week 5 but really only the 4th week of actual work. Half of me feels mildly panicky about it and then the other half asks "what in the world are you worrying about?"

I am too easily influenced by things that I read. One day, I may find a website where it is nothing but parents and teachers who encourage early learning and tell stories of their brilliant and thriving kids and how they were rotting away without a focus. The next day, I'll find a website with facts and figures and adamant postings about letting kids be kids and not schooling them until they're 6 or even 8. I keep swaying side to side to whatever side sounds convincing at the moment.

I love being a teacher. I'm good at it. If ever I had a "calling" it would be to teach. (well... with the exception of photography and being a Mother) Aidan is a dream of a student. Sometimes, of course, she isn't interested in school but most of the time she's eager. I still worry about if what we're doing is right though. I wonder how eager she'd be if it was as constant as I was planning it to be. I wonder how eager she'll be at the age of 6... when she's been doing school for 3 years already. I know that what we do and most importantly how we do it is not overly stressful. School so far is fun and spontaneous. I make a plan for the week and it all gets done in tiny little increments. We've never sat down at any specific time (although I had planned to do so). We don't work for two hours. Randomly, either Aidan asks to do it or I ask and she says yes. I don't push... much. But...oh... I still worry.

and then...

I still worry about what if it's not enough. I know quite well that Aidan is capable of much more. Am I shortchanging her because I don't make things more challenging? Is her brain slowly dying in important places because we haven't started collecting and learning about leaves? LOL! Seriously though... I do think things like that. Sometimes I feel like her brain is starving and I'm keeping it alive on a diet of bread crumbs.

but then again...

I see her (like at this very moment) playing nicely... planning and building train tracks... howling in unison with her sister... being silly and full of joy and I think... she's doing okay... she's a great kid...quite worrying

Ah to be ME! Are all Mothers this insane?

In reality, I know that it boils down to MY kids and who THEY are and what THEY need. As their Mother it is my job and my job only to decide what is best for them. I know that kids are different and what is best for one will probably not be best for the other. I know also, that parents tend to go a little crazy about what they believe is the "right" thing to do. So, of course, what they say/write will be adamant and decisive. I'm only influenced because I see both sides.

Being a Piscean is quite bothersome. I'm left and I'm right. The middle-ground, for me, is sometimes hard to find.

Baby Conner turns 1

Where's My Baby?

Until now, everything I planned out for my life has occurred on MY schedule. When Ainsley turned two I was planning on being 6-8 months pregnant. I definitely wanted no more than 2.5 years between them.

Things just aren't working out.

I have now miscarried three times in a row. (5 weeks, 6 weeks, and 8 weeks) It could be something as "easy" as my hormones are off... which would be great except then I'm guilty of causing the miscarriages. I finally went to the Doctor yesterday and she informed me that if that's the case and I had gone into her office sooner... they might have saved the pregnancy.

Wow!

That was hard to swallow.

Researching on the Internet is not... perhaps.. the best thing to do always. My research told me most Doctors would not do anything until you'd had three. So I was "waiting and seeing."

Stupid Stupid Stupid

Is it wrong for me to grieve for a ball of cells?

Valentine Day 2010

Most of Valentine's Day this year was spent traveling the roads. The girls and I didn't get home until dinner time. John surprised us all with flowers, presents, candy and a steak dinner.

What he left for the girls!
Isn't he the sweetest girl Daddy?

The next day, he made cupcakes with the girls and handed me my share...


I do so love John.

One of the best thing about John is that he is a great Daddy... He always remembers to make days just as special to the girls as he does to me. I like to imagine them grown and how they'll look back at all the special touches he did to show them he loved them. One of my very favorite thing he does is that every night he turns down their beds and straightens their blankets and pillows and stuffed animals so that the bed will be more inviting. I LOVE that! They are so lucky to have him!

First Snow Ever

This week we were in N.C. It snowed about 3 or 4 inches. I have not seen this much snow in many years... my girls have never seen it. Aidan especially enjoyed it. Ainsley ... ehh... she liked the sledding part but everything else... not so much. I'm glad that their first time was with their cousins... it made it more enjoyable and memorable.
I only wish John didn't have to miss it.


Our gang

Dressed and ready to go out!

Much of the time Ainsley was whining.

Holding on to help walk

Sledding with Cousin Russell

I couldn't get her to stop eating it

There's a happy face!

Aidan walked around throwing snowballs at everyone... mostly everyone just kept ignoring her
... she didn't seem to care.

Since before we left to go to N.C... Aidan was excited over the prospect of making "snow angels like on t.v."

Our SnowMan

A Happy 28th!

So what did my Husband, father of two, want for his birthday?

The Transformers 25th Anniversary collection

Happy Birthday DEAR!

Enjoy your cartoons!

Pictures: Wk 4

Aidan did ALL of her worksheets this week. That was basically all she wanted to do.

The Pom Poms are a hit with Ainsley

Math Puzzles

Clean Up Time

But I AM picking up Mommy!!

1st Book!!!!!

Aidan read her first actual book today! So far she's finished Bob readers and I See Sam type books but not an actual "real" book. Of course, it's just a simple Step into Reading 1 book but I'm proud and so is she. I've made her a poster where whenever she reads a "real" book... she can put a sticker on it and after she gets 10 stickers... she can go to the dollar store and pick out a prize. No, she doesn't really need to be bribed but its fun and an extra incentive.

Turning Two

Dear Ainsley,

There is something special about turning 2. One minute...you're still the baby with baby ways and a baby voice and then... the next minute... you're a little person with a sense on humor and things to say. The last few weeks I've seen such a change in you. I cannot help but wonder how much is you and how much it's my perception of you... but Ainsley... you seem so much more grown up!

Speaking of sense of humor... yours is quite developed. I sense within you a smart-ass in the making. For example...during one of our trips to N.C... you had placed Bunny behind yourself to hide her... and then asked me to find it on the floor... and after I've searched for it.. twisting all over the place... you... with a big grin on your face.. produced it from behind... "It's right here!" you shouted. You definitely seem to be showing signs of having my ticklish sense of humor.

Of course... you show signs of having a lot of my qualities. You really are a Mini Me you know.

Ainsley, you are such a Snuggle Bunny... I love it because your sister isn't that overly touchy. You have always been a "touch baby." When you were a newborn in the hospital... I literally had to hold your arms over your chest and breathe on you face... like a Mama cat does to a kitten... for you to stay calm. I love the snuggles and the hugs and the nosey noseys. I love it when you climb in my lap to ask me to make you a baby burrito (where I wrap you in a blanket and rock you).

You just went to your 2 year visit. You weight 23 pounds and are 31 inches tall. You still wear size 4 shoes... yes... baby shoes... although I think you may switch to size 5 in a few months! Whoo Hoo!

You are also still bowlegged and pigeon toed.

That temper of yours that I have mentioned in the past ... really doesn't exist anymore. You are sensitive and can cry easily... still with those giant crocodile tears... but you're easy to calm down... and you easily will correct a bad behavior and apologize. Generally, your temperament is sunny and happy.

You still have issues with doing chores...like cleaning up... but as long as I literally tell you every move to make (pick up those dolls... put them in the box... put the puzzle pieces on the table ) you do fine with minimum fuss. Though, of course, you'll happily let Aidan clean everything up while you pretend to be busy if we let you. Recently, to help with that... I've made it a policy that if you aren't helping then you must do it all... no matter how big the mess is. Hopefully that will help spur you to pull your weight.

I'm trying to get you to ride the tricycle but you seem to prefer to let us do the pushing. Unfortunately, you are too much like me in that if someone else is willing to do the work... you don't mind stepping aside and letting them. You're not very "driven" yet to do things.

You can speak in sentences now. For awhile you were capable of it but only did it around a chosen few. (mostly Me and McMama) You play the baby around people... especially...*cough*... Daddy. It is only recently that he's heard you use your sentences. I cannot blame you for playing baby though... you get a lot of attention that way... because you're cute... and you get away with things more often... and because when you do speak a whole sentence in that tiny voice of yours ... you get a big reaction. The funny thing is that because you're ... so small?... so young?...my baby?... I still find myself taken aback when you use full sentences. A part of me is as surprised as if the cat started speaking to me... which doesn't make logical sense because I know you can... but that's how it is.

Just yesterday... I started showing you Meet the Letters. Honestly, you know more of the sounds the letters make then the letters themselves. I'm also somewhat experimenting to see how you learn and if videos work for you. I'm thinking you might be more of a hands-on learner... but we'll see.

I feel guilty about you a lot. You've never gotten the amount of attention Aidan has... the amount of one-on-one play she has. I feel this slights you. Therefore, lately I've been making a very conscience effort to spend time with just you. Admittedly though, I'm still not doing enough for my satisfaction.

I started trying to potty train you and then stopped for awhile. Yesterday, I started it again. I think you quite capable of doing it but I haven't been consistent and I admit... I haven't felt like messing with it. But! You're doing well today. Apparently, if you are rewarded with a "sucker" after going... you'll go without a fuss. We'll have to see how this goes as well.

You love to peek under things... through things... over things... and yell out "I SEEE YOOUU!."

Your favorite toy is still a ball but you also like Barbies, Snap and Style dolls, Little Ponies, Potato Head, and Baby dolls.

You politely tell me "No Thank You" ...whether I'm asking if you need to stand with your nose on the wall or if I ask you if you want some water. It makes me smile. It's adorable.

You carry a favorite Winnie-the-Pooh blanket around and always ask to have the "blanket on"... so we then must wrap it around your shoulders like a cape.

You giggle a lot.

You parrot things all day long... especially something Aidan says. It annoys Aidan somewhat and she'll yell at you "stop copying me!"

You're working on learning your colors and counting.

Barney is still the only thing you'll watch consistently and all the way through. I like to watch you watching it... you're so engrossed with it and often I'll find a small smile playing about your lips.

Ainsley... sometimes I look at you and my heart hurts from all the love ... all the emotions I feel towards you. You're my little sunshine.... my Little Bit.