Thursday, March 9, 2017

Blame It On The Baby....

Hey!!  It's been a while!!  We'll just blame it on the baby.  There's no point in saying we are busy; I think it's just assumed now.  And we are.  I am actually multi-tasking as we speak:  attending a webinar on parenting gifted children, and writing this blog post!  Although, to be honest, it's more because I cannot just sit and focus on the webinar, I HAVE to have something to do in order to be able to pay full attention.  Kinda backwards-sounding, I know.  But here I am!

The end of January brought our first time at the Great Wolf Lodge, and we got a great rate through connection with a homeschool group.  Even though it wasn't crowded much, we barely saw the other homeschoolers at all, kind of a bummer.  But our friends that we booked next to hung out with us in the evenings, so that was super fun.  We are absolutely planning a return trip soon!


About to get off the bus and go into the Lodge.... we are excited, can you tell?


Cuteness!  We ate at the $4.95 per 2 people breakfast place, of course.  


Wheeee

Hey, look, there's Mom, trying not to get her phone wet...


The obstacle course that kept them busy for HOURS


Shelby found something fun to do


Everyone loves a Lazy River


Self-explanatory


Over the course of most of the winter, we repainted the boys' room and the homeschool room.  Which meant a whole lot of packing up, switching around, unpacking back, re-configuring.  All good, of course.  We made space for some hooks in the boys' room that could be used for a swing, a trapeze, or RJ's little "Cozy Corner" as he calls it.  


A nice place to calm down

It snowed.  A little bit.  Not a lot.  Enough for the kids to have fun.  And for me to have to go up to the attic and dig out 5 snowsuits and 8 pairs of boots (for figuring out current sizes).  Hats, scarves, gloves, etc.  Which then came in all nice and muddy because we only got a wee bit of snow, which quickly melted under the heat of 4 bodies, and became mud.  Oh, so fun!!


Shelby wants to know why she can't go out and play


Do not let this snowball fool you, it is pretty much made up of ALL of the snow we got that time!


We played indoors and out, LEGOS are allowed in the boys' room only, away from Shelby's hands and mouth.  Riley and RJ are building their skills to match their bigs.  


It's always a train car bottom with train wheels, and at least 2 motors.  This one got some wings so it can fly as well.  Boy, is he proud!


Big and little


A haircut and some pink!


We eat and eat and eat.


Valentine's day cookies and decorating!  I can't wait to hand this off completely to Indigo; it just ain't really my thang.


Wearing pants backwards; only the cool kids do it.


OUTSIDE!  This child bangs at the back door ALL DAY LONG. 


I finally hunkered down and took everything out of the homeschool cabinets and closet.  Totally reorganized.  Ahhh.  I can breathe!  And I found a lot of good stuff! 


They dug a hole.  Everyone wants to know why.  Well, just because.  


Roger has been working hard to get us one working piano.  It sort of meant bringing in a 2nd piano, deciding which one was better to fix, which was the new one.  But, it's working!  And they are learning, so fast!  Someone is playing something every day, it's beautiful.  It started with me knowing chopsticks and Heart & Soul... and they quickly overtook and surpassed me in ability, especially our musical lady, Indigo.  


This thing turned 11 months.  It's walking all over the place and continuing to get into trouble.  


And it's still winding up in my bed by morning.  But, I can't say that I really mind.  It's cute, warm and snuggly.  I'll take it!



Saturday, January 14, 2017

One Joyful Baby

Baby Shelby is 9 months!!


We really don't know what we ever did without her.  She is well-named and truly a Joy!


Here's what Shelby can do now (before I forget!):


Sippy cup long since mastered!  We prefer getting water from regular cups, though.



Going up steps, check!  Going down, working on it.  


Observing the many, many (many) needles coming off the tree from a place where she can't eat them.... check.


"Helping" with Christmas decorations...


Pretending to be our best present... yeah, that didn't go so well... 


Learning by Osmosis still...


Eating messy... 


Crashing on the couch.... 


Being a Joy.... 


Being a Homeschool Helper... 


Bundling up for the cold... 


Opening our Christmas Stocking... 


Getting a Christmas Fever... and then popping a New Year's Day Tooth!


Helping with laundry...


Riding wild animals... 


Doing "So Big!" 


Standing up without holding on, pulling while standing, standing up from sitting without using hands


Shelby's first step was to Daddy, sometime before Christmas.  I meant to write it down... but... well, we know it was before Christmas!!    She can also wave by opening and closing fingers now, and her babbling is changing into actual, meaningful words.  She puts her hands together to sign for "more" while eating, nods "yes" when asked if she wants a drink, and says, "Mom" when trying to say "more."  It's without a doubt paired with the attempt at signing and mimicking our teaching for "more."  We have been using baby signs for "eat" and "more" since birth.  She can throw a ball, pretty darn impressively for her age, and loves to throw a ball back and forth with someone.  Just 3 days ago, she said, "ball" for the first time.  She apparently knows she's low on the sibling hierarchy, and fights for her rights.  She growls, charges at and tries to gum (now it's a bite) anyone who takes something away or gets in her way.  If completely thwarted, she throws herself backwards in protest.  She is so fast at grabbing things off the floor to eat. and with this many people in the house, there's always many things available.  Oh, well, build that immune system, right?  She loves taking things out of bins and baskets and now can put them back.  She created a game of sorts, where she points a finger at someone, and they make noise, dance around silly, or sing a song.  Oh, they give her so much power!  When told, "No" for something, she stops, but makes protesting noises, and sometimes turns around to take a whack at you.  And no, she doesn't discriminate parent or sibling!  And then of course, she tries it again.  She loves to climb up and over things.  Human sitting legs and basic toys are good for this.  Tables and things are not.  She is still learning how to drop her legs first to get off a couch, bed or chair, headfirst hurts a bit.  Shelby takes 2 naps, one starting around 10am and the other around 2:30pm.  Bedtime is variable, as it is in a family our size with events and concerts and things to do.  Overall baby Shelby is an exhausting little explorer who keeps us on our toes every day!  

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

New homeschool blog post....

In case you're not cool enough to get notifications on both of my blogs....


I've updated our Homeschool Blog.