Isn't it funny how much bigger kids look when you move them up a size in clothing? I am in the process of moving Nathan to size 5 and Justin to size 2T and they look so much taller and older now.
Nathan is turning five next week, and it is gradually dawning on me that I need to be doing a little more planning for him too. I know what I'll be using for reading and math and he will be participating as much as he is able in our Classically Catholic Memory work, and a part of me is content to leave it there. I know he'll listen to the read alouds and get lots of good tag-along exposure to the older kids' work... but five is such a special time too - still a little guy wanting to cuddle up and listen to stories but yet starting down the road to big kid skills like reading and writing. It seems like a neat opportunity to plan at least a little bit of something beyond the practical, something a little special just for him. And he's the type who loves one on one attention too, so it would really warm his little heart. I'm thinking something along the lines of a special read aloud, just for him, I'm just not quite sure what I want to do.
Today is our last day of school. We're going out for frozen yogurt after dinner to celebrate. Overall I'm pretty pleased with the year, especially considering the rough first trimester I had. The kids are looking forward to a little more free time, especially Emma. She loves to putter and futz with this and that, and she's looking forward to being able to do that without her checklist hanging over her head.
We are going to see
Much Ado About Nothing in a park in Roseville tomorrow night. My mother-in-law will watch the younger two, and Matt and I will take the older two. I'm really looking forward to it! Coincidentally, it is the Shakespeare play we were studying in the second part of the year, so the kids are very familiar with it. It is supposed to be 109 degrees in Roseville tomorrow, but the park is supposed to be very shady and the play doesn't start until 7 pm. I'm hoping we won't roast!
When your midwife or OB/GYN asks you to fill out a form recording everything you ate for three days, do you do it? (Do OB/GYNs even do this??) I decided not to bother in my last pregnancy, and I'm thinking I won't bother with this one. It drives me nuts - not that I'm embarrassed about what I eat, but my very literal brain can't take the part that instructs you to be very specific about quantities. I drive myself crazy with, "oh, was that a half cup of yogurt or less? Was that a 1/3 of cup of granola, or more? etc. etc. etc." I really don't want to measure everything, I have a hard enough time keeping up with the dishes already.
This morning I took the boys down to a flat spot on our private road so they could practice their bike riding. Cycling is an activity that really highlights the differences in my children's personalities. I have one who is a complete speed demon and one who travels slightly faster than a snail, so he can "stay safe". One who is very cautious and careful and one who will aim towards people so he can swerve away at the last minute. And yes, the speed demon drives the cautious one completely to distraction!
Justin is getting to that age where he will occasionally pitch a huge fit if things don't go the way he wants. It is interesting to watch it happen, now that I'm on my fourth iteration of this. It is still unpleasant, but experience has made it a lot easier. Today he was completely determined to walk down the road with me, and when I wouldn't go as far as he wanted... oh my! Thankfully, it doesn't happen very often, and there are a lot of fun developments too. He's talking a lot more, he is starting to want to have people read him stories, and he absolutely loves to draw. If anyone is sitting at the table, he will be there with a box of crayons and a piece of paper so he can, "draw! draw!" He also likes to have people draw for him, both of which remind me a lot of Emma.
