Ainsley at 2 1/2!

Dear Ainsley,

If I didn't know how old you were (and you weren't itty bitty and spoke in an itty bitty voice) I'd swear you should already be turning 3. The last six months have been a stressful time for our family but you have continued to blossom and somehow... seem to be untouched by all the stress. With this blossoming you changed from the baby of the house to an independent, funny, opinionated, talkative, imaginative, sensitive, loving, little girl.

You have the vocabulary and sentence structure of a much older kid. You not only speak in complete sentences but in whole paragraphs. Times that I treasure most with you is when you and I are alone and we discuss things. You tell me all sorts of thoughts you've been having during the day. You have BIG ideas about how to do this or what would be fun or how we can make that. You make a lot of observations about people and their behavior which just "tickles me happy" because of your insightfullness. I'm trying hard to find times where you and I can just talk. I instinctively feel that I will need to keep the communications line open with you or else you'll pull too far away. I'm also still struggling with finding times to just be with you and only you.

Ainsley... you are one independent girl! Although you still shadow Aidan's footsteps... you step off her trail to blaze trails all your own. You play independently. Often we'll go looking for you and find you nicely sitting on the floor with your toys... enacting whatever play that's going on in your head. You love putting on clothes and running to your mirror to see if you look "beautiful" or "fancy" or "pretty." Your favorite toys are the dollhouse, barbies, any people-type toys, cars & trucks, and dinosaurs. (You've mostly lost interest in balls so they've lost the #1 toy title. ) I love the voices you make all the characters use. Watching you play brings me and McMama a lot of joy.

At this time you're 33 inches tall, approx. 25 pounds, and you're wearing 3t clothes and size 5 shoes. You most definitely are potty-trained, most definitely left-handed dominant but still ambidextrous, you're making a great effort at being less messy... especially with eating, you are extremely creative with art projects, and you try hard to be self-sufficient (a big girl).

You pick up and do chores now without a problem but are still quick to "let" Aidan do the greater share. Whining is still an issue but we're working on it. Your temperament is generally loving, happy, and sensitive but you're a master manipulator of people to get what you want. You play people naturally. Readily, you will defend yourself. In fact, you and Aidan are prone to fighting because you won't let her get her way all the time. You also are really loud and have rediscovered the joy of shrieking. (errr!!) Crocodile tears are still found frequently on you face as you do get your feelings hurt easily but you are...wonderfully... easy to calm.

Ainsley, there is no question about how bright you are. Not only is your understanding of situations complete but you're "quick witted." I really look forward to the zingers I know you'll be throwing when you're older. You know a lot of sight words from Meet the Sight Words and you've started sounding out simple cvc words. As of yet you do not show much interest in reading but I haven't tried with you. I believe that once "school" starts in August and you see Aidan doing work... you'll want to do so as well. Presently, I'm looking up fun things for you to do to learn. Like your sister... I'll be letting you lead until I feel you're ready for official schooling.

Something I must note..... you're kindof scary! Not in a BAD way but in a "you talk about seeing things and waking in the night screaming for us to get you out of the room because "they" wont leave you alone...keeping your eyes fixed on one empty-air spot and asking us if we see it" kindof way. Yeah, that way. We're not exactly surprised. Children in our family have been known to see... uh... things. But... still... I would wish you just had my "instincts" instead of... other things...

Ainsley, you are still my love bug... my snuggle baby... but you're snuggling less and less because you have to always be doing. One of the reasons why I treasure those talk times is because they only happen when you're still and that is quite rare! Always, your brain is engaged and active and always are you seeking something to do. Only recently have you learned to truly sit still for story time... and even then that's not always... jumping on the couch just seems "funner" sometimes.

But Little Bit... I get that.

(wearing the same shirt in her 2 year letter)

Friendly Visits

Today I drove the girls up to visit my friend, Meredith, and her family. I've always enjoyed being around her family so it was a pleasant day. The girls behaved wonderfully except for a period when they had a bit of a sugar high... but it was a lovely time. I realized I needed to come visit more often. The last time they had seen us... I was pregnant with Ainsley and I should have no excuse because they only live an hour away.

While there... the girls "played" the piano and I started thinking hard about when I might get them lessons. I decided a while ago that part of their homeschooling will be music lessons... starting them out with a required year of piano. I don't want to wait too late but I don't wish to do it too early so I've been going back and forth with when to start them. I've always thought Ainsley was the more musically inclined out of the two but Aidan somewhat surprised me because as she sat there ... she started picking out notes and chords that sounded fairly nice together. So perhaps both girls will be suited for it... but for different reasons. (Ainsley because she's musically inclined and Aidan because she's a serious perfectionist)

What I do know, however, is that I really enjoyed seeing both girls sitting in front of a piano and I sincerely wish I had one in our house.

Car Wash

Our cars were way past due for a wash so we put on our bathing suits and went to it.

Aidan worked hard and seriously.

Ainsley mostly played in the bubbles but I caught her helping a few times.

(I mostly took pictures!)

....and Again

Meet: KODAK

I rescued a young raccoon from the highway. He'd been crossing the road with his Mother and siblings but got hit by a car. When John and I drove by... he was crawling around and dragging his hind end. I made John stop and turn around. It became quite a scene with other passersbys and two cop cars with their lights flashing. Everyone said to leave it alone and the officer would "take care of it" but I saw that only it's back hip/leg was hurt and I saw a scared, young animal and I didn't see the point in trying not to help it when it's injury might not be life-threatening. So, John went home, grabbed a cat carrier and we brought it home.

I named him Kodak.

At first we weren't sure if Kodak would live but after a few days passed I started thinking he had a chance. If he had horrible internal bleeding... wouldn't he have died already? Also, he started interacting with me, eating well, and moving around a bit. I spent hours and hours emailing and internet-searching and calling people trying to locate a rehabilatator. To my horror... I learned that raccoons in this area are thought to be vermin and are exterminated and those who would have helped them were so tied up in red tape because they're a rabies vector species that they couldn't help him. It made me mad. I'm aware of the rabies risk. Believe it or not... I never touched one hair on Kodak. I wanted to... but didn't. We interacted by a dowel stick. I learned that he liked marshmallows and bananas and only likes watermelon a little bit. He preferred the cat food to the dog food but didn't like it wet. I saw how intelligent he was first hand. I even went to Walmart and bought him a few baby toys so that he wouldn't be bored.

I got really excited when I talked with a lady who was going to take him. But then she never called me back when supposed to.

Finally, when Kodak was actually standing on his legs and acting amazingly well.... HOW HARDY THESE CREATURES ARE!!!... I finally found him a new home.

Yup!

No sad story here!

Kodak went to a raccoon sanctuary...
...found but only 1 hour away
(and I had spoken with people in Wisconsin and Virginia!)

Within days they declared him healthy and recovered enough to be released.

LIVE LONG KODAK!!

What Aidan is Reading

Our Week

Math

I put up Singapore math a while ago and have been letting Aidan do "fun" math. She's been working on grouping and adding and subtracting by using different methods such as a number line, a hundred board, popsicle sticks, etc. This week we were running through the first of the abacus activities (Right Start). I do not intend to hold off on Singapore for long but I decided that I didn't want Aidan to just know her math facts... but to understand why. I want the girls to know all sorts of different ways to come up with answers so that they truly understand the relationships between the numbers. This week was really fun because she's starting to automatically understand before I even explain anything. Also, I've discovered Aidan LOVES word problems. We've been playing
"let's make up a word problem" all week.
"If there are three buses in a parking lot..."

Reading/ Phonics

Aidan has been going through her stack of library books as well as reading a lot of her own. She's definitely reading on a 2nd grade level at this point. She also worked a little in her E.T.C book.

Ainsley started sounding out cvc words this week. She has only done it a few times as she is only on occasion interested in doing so... but I made these cute little cards for her. They're double sided. She carries them in her little tin box and pulls them out and practices when she wants. I plan to make more and color-code them based on what vowel sounds are used. She also started working through the first Bob book. I must admit I'm proud of her and curious as to how quickly she'll progress.

Play- Based Learning

We're starting to drown in puzzles and I'm starting to beg Aidan to play with something else!! She moved onto the 300-350 piece ones and spends most of her day putting different ones together.

For Ainsley...I've been putting trays together with Montessori type activities...

Ainsley using tweezers to transfer objects into her bucket

This week was mostly a lot of random, unstructured FUN!!

10 Pounds Lost!!

10! 10! 10! 10!

Well, I've reached the 10 pound mark. I reached it a while ago but haven't moved from it in 3 or so weeks. I went to another asthma specialist (damn asthma!), one whom I really like, and am now on a LOT of medications to try to control it. Soon, I plan to start actually exercising on my treadmill. (poor treadmill... it's so neglected!) So far I've done nothing but change my portion sizes on food and lately I've started only eating one meal a day.... (No...not like that... as in during the day I literally snack every hour or so instead of having a full meal.) It works awesomely... I stay full and I start to think I've been gorging on food all day until I add up what I've eaten and then I do a happy dance!! However, I need to step things up if I wish to make my goal for my 30th!!

Our 4th

With Ainsley being sick... any plans we might have had were of course canceled. The first half of the day we lazed around feeling tired and grumpy... but then McMama spurred us to get up and celebrate. The girls colored 4th of July pictures to hang all over our back door. And then, after a quick trip to the store to get fireworks and supplies, we played outside, had a cookout, watched a movie, built a bonfire, made s'mores, and then set off small fireworks. It was nice. Ainsley didn't eat much because her stomach was sick but everyone stayed in reasonable moods.
So it turned out to be fun anyway!

Why Libraries Should Have Limits!

Aidan asked me if the library lets people check out as many books as they want. I told her yes but quickly realized my mistake.

Next library day I'm giving her a limit of 10!

Reviews

I LOVE the abacus and the activity book! Although at the moment I do not plan to buy Right Start Mathematics... Aidan is doing fine with Singapore and Ainsley is not doing math quite yet... I will say I love their approach with teaching numbers and quantities.

I'm returning the Start Up Science. It's weak. Yes, it goes through all the standard subjects from parts of a plant to the inside of a battery but each subject is only one page long and if I were to use this, I would use it only for its list of subjects where I would have to find other books and activities to really make a lesson complete. This is unnecessary as I can make my own lists.

As for Sequential Spelling... at the moment I am not using it as it's meant to be used. It's supposed to be used...of course... as a spelling program. You have the child try to write/spell each word and before you move onto the next... you correct it. Every week you have a list of up to 25 words and the words build from the last list. Well, considering Aidan is 3 and I'm not planning on starting spelling until much later... I'm using this book as great reading practice. I'm taking each 4 week period and writing the words on our wipe board.



Whenever we get around to it... I have Aidan read off the words in a logical order (ex. begin, beginner, beginning). So far it's easy and takes her but a minute or so for her to do... I think we're up to week 16... but a few of the words have given her pause. I have also noticed that showing word families such as these has made her less reluctant to tackle larger words in books. So, I'm quite pleased with it. Yes, I'm basically using it as a practice list but I do think... when Aidan is older... I'll use it the correct way. I like their approach to spelling.

I was not impressed with this. I still would like to see the other H.W.T. books but I would not recommend this level. I think the workbook and teacher's manual are... well?.. boring. They're overly simple and there is nothing in them that we parents could not make on our own. I'm sending this back with the Start up Science. Ainsley will enjoy my hand-made lessons much more than this book.

4th of July Festival

Although tomorrow is actually the 4th of July our local park held the festival today. I'm not sure we'll return next year because the prices were absolutely crazy compared to last year. We threw away 40 bucks and all the girls did was jump in some bounce houses (i.e. get clobbered by older kids) and ride a pony in a circle (for a whole minute!). It was our intention to stay until the fireworks... like last year... but Ainsley did not feel well and refused to eat dinner so we came home early. As soon as we got home Ainsley started throwing up everywhere. (I've got her parked on the couch right now and she's sleeping. ) John, later, took Aidan back to see the fireworks so that she wouldn't miss them and so they got some much-needed father-daughter time.

On Our Way!

Having FUN!

We always have to ride the ponies

Poor Baby... not feeling well

Loving the Library!

DQ

A new DQ opened.
So, of course, we had to try it out.

More Playdates

Playing in the pool with friends

&

Back to the Mall

Softplay

Inflatables

The Carousal