Potty Learning.

April 11, 2013

When mister W was a tender almost two year old he became very interested in learning to use the potty. He refused to wear diapers. It was great! It was great until he changed his mind and decided diapers were the way to go. He's been singing that song ever since. He claims that he will wear diapers forever.

His mama, however, is having another baby and as one of my homeschooling mom friends says, "You get to the point where it's like changing a hobo." Mister W has reached hobo stage. It doesn't help that he's a big boy and that I know he is physiologically ready to learn. So... we decided that we would try to help encourage him on his way. We took him to the store to pick out his very own potty. We read lots of potty books. We tried our best to make it exciting.

So here is sweet little man. He's developed a budding interest in learning to use the potty though I am heading him off for now. He does really enjoy sitting here. :o)

Brothers

April 9, 2013

I'm constantly telling my kids that they are best friends. I'll let you know how it works out for me, but I'm going with the idea that if I keep telling them then it will happen. It's my fake it 'til you make it approach. :o) (except they really are best friends...)

We've been trying to spend time outside everyday. We're in that magical time of year between winter's cold and summer's heat. It's a fun time to work in the garden and to get out and just play. Miss L usually takes off as soon as we hit the front porch. She's got a bike that needs to be ridden and things to explore. The boys usually take a moment or two to get adjusted to the outdoors and this day I caught them sitting on the step together having a brother moment. Aren't they sweet? :o) It's like they are best friends.

Homeschool!

April 9, 2013

After our trip it was back to the grind.

Miss L started OT again once we returned and we got some GREAT ideas right away. One was to make a schedule. Miss L thrives on structure and knowing what is coming next. Transition times can be hard for her (as for any kid) and having a checklist really streamlined our day. She stopped fighting me to do schoolwork and stopped asking when it would be over, and we got a lot more done!

Another gem we found that worked well was to do work at the wall. It doesn't work to tape the paper up, because this requires her to hold her paper with her other hand (and forces her to write properly). It gives her all kinds of feedback and she concentrates more on her work. It would be impossible to do this forever but it works really well when we start to get the wiggles.

Blast from the past!

April 7, 2013

Remember these faces? We have lots of friends we don't get to see very often, either because of time or distance. These are the sort that we just pick right up where we left off when we get together again. It's hard to believe that when we met it was two little ones laying on the floor. Now five years and seven kids later (not even counting the secret tiny one that was growing in my belly!) we pretty much take up the whole couch.

We got there late but the kids didn't care. I think they played in the basement until midnight (no kidding!) and then the morning was spent in the world's most hilarious fruit ninja tournament. I so wish we lived closer. We'd be over to this house every single day. For now though, I guess those occasional trips will have to do.

Kid Moment :o)

April 5, 2013

I remember this from my childhood well. The train stops the car and as a kid it was the neatest thing to watch the train go past us. Now, as an adult, it's much less exciting, but I can forgive the train. We have trains where we live, but I can't think of a single place where they cross the road. We've got a draw bridge, which I have never once seen raised and always wanted to, but that's a whole different post. We have subway trains that we see as we get close to town, but nothing like this. SO, this was a treat. We put the car in park and miss L unbuckled to get a better view. I never thought this would be on our childhood bucket list, but I'm glad we ticked it off!

Mmmmm...

April 4, 2013

There's this gas station/tourist stop near-ish to the science museum that carries a million and a half different kinds of soda. We'd never been and had heard so much about it that we couldn't pass it up while we were nearby so we stopped in. Everyone got to pick their soda and we sat to drink them up. What a treat!

The Science Museum

April 4, 2013

Brad and I both fondly remember visiting the science museum when we were young and we decided that we should take the kids there while we were nearby. We hadn't actually done too much school while we were there so this would be extra great.

We got to see a rocket engine and pretend to be an astronaut.

 

We learned about erosion and and water systems.

 

We drove a tractor!

 

AND... we climbed this thing. I can't remember who fell, but someone did. I think it must have been mister W but it might have been miss L. Luckily, the floor was rubberized and no injuries were sustained (and that might be why it says no climbing under eight years old!).

 

What fun! We got to hang out with Grandma AND learn some stuff. Yay!