K'NEX Rocks!

Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share Photos

Cat, Bat, Tree, Dog, Dig

Those were all words he spelled by himself tonight. All correct except tree (I had to explain about using two 'e's when there is a long 'e' sound)

I picked the boy up from daycare today and he promptly told me that he was going to make me two more valentines. Now I have THREE :)

Of course I told him I LOVE to have words on my valentines.

I suddenly realized that writing will be the key to Declan learning to read. Is that normal? What do you know about that Mel?

I also found out tonight that he can count to 42. I'm sure he could have made it to 49, but he lost interest at 42.

I think now that he is playing video games, I'm working harder than ever to have some quality time that involves learning.

Also I scored big at the Goodwill. For 8, yes only 8 dollars, I found a Leap Frog Leapster with TEN, (10!!) games. Woo Hoo. Okay, so the Leapster was defective, but great score on 200.00 worth of games! Our Ebay Leapster came yesterday and he LOVES it. Very cool educational games. I love that he is excited to practice drawing with his Draw and Write game. He also loves the Letter Factory and Word Factory among others. They include the full movies plus games. I can't say enough good things about Leap Frog's products!

Lastly, I came across an interesting article in Time magazine this week:

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1580395,00.html

So, those of you who responded to my earlier post regarding my project, I'm on the right track:) Also I think some of you missed the point of that post. I do not wish to be a better house keeper, I just want to totally except who I am because I know it's not going to change. It is also interesting to note that I was telling my Mom about that particular post a couple of days ago. She chuckled and said "You don't have problem excepting who you are, you have been able to do that since you were 5. You just want your Mother to except who you are." Very insightful comment for both of us. I must say that my relationship with my mother has grown a lot since moving back :)

So Proud (both of us)

He drew and then carefully cut out the hearts on his own. He then wrote our names: Mom, Grannie & Poppa. All perfect from a phonetic stand point. I was so proud that I kind of "tricked" him into writing. He loved it and was VERY proud himself!

This was the first time he attempted to spell words. Exciting around here this evening!!

The Question

Can you ever appreciate your kids enough? Maybe I mean "enjoy" them enough? They grow up sooo fast. Cliche, I know.



I just feel fortunate to have had so much time with Declan while he was young, yet it still went by so quickly. I just don't want to have any regret when he's grown and gone. I want to enjoy every moment and it's so hard because life gets in the way. I can't believe he is almost FIVE!

Kelly Pickler

"What is that? I love it Mom, don't change the channel."

That was my son this evening. I was checking out Rosie's (yes, THAT Rosie) latest movie on her blog. The movie was accompanied by Kelly Picker's latest song. Declan made me play it over and over and over again.

It was a little heart breaking to watch her sing it on The View last week. Can't even imagine what it's like. Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diiNjhp3DWs

"I SUPER love Math!"

I know some of you are worried that I'm letting my son's brain turn to mush with the Nintendo, so I thought I'd share some of our other activities / routines.

Last night when I pulled out the Math Book. Declan got sooo excited and proclaimed "I SUPER love math!" We have started working on math daily and he thinks it is sooo fun. Well, really he hates the writing part (having to write his answers), but he loves working the problems. He totally gets simple addition and subtraction and patterns. I think it's time to work on understanding the whole ten base concept.

Notice the stars at the top? He gets soooo excited when I give him stars on his papers. I told him this was worth THREE stars because he did it so quickly all by himself. He will often quickly give me the answers and then it's a struggle to get him to WRITE the answers on the paper.

Another new routine, inspired by a favorite book "Diary of a Worm" is nightly journaling. He loves it too. He also loves to read his past journals. It has turned out to be a great way of seeing his point of view on things and documenting his day.

Lastly, in hopes of working on his attitude among other things, I've started a daily sticker chart. It's interesting how easily he'll give up a reward for things like getting dressed. He hates getting himself dressed!

Still leaning towards no Kindergarten next year. I want to avoid academic pressure until it's absolutely necessary. He will not attempt to read, but loves books and being read to. Clearly he has issues with writing...

They Look Like Green Piggies...with an AXE!

Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share Photos


This game is not just ANY Star Wars game - it's LEGO Star Wars (very cute).

More Snow!!

Snowed in for 2 days now. No School. No Work.

Declan really wasn't interested in getting back out in the snow so soon. He just enjoyed a "Mama Day" in our snuggly warm house.

Tip of the Day: Ice is slippery. Snow is slippery. Snow on top of ice is VERY slippery and dangerous. Fell twice today!

My Project

My personal project is to accept who I am as a house keeper. I have never been a great housekeeper, but as you Moms' know, it is even more challenging with a kiddo running amok.

This task of self acceptance is made more (much, much more) difficult by the fact that I live right next door to my parents. My mother is organized and very clean. She does not understand how I live the way I do. She also doesn't get that there are much, much worse housekeepers than myself. She doesn't say things very often, but I know her well enough to know that every time she comes into my house she thinks "How can my daughter live like this". I'm 38, always been lived like this...

The bottom line is that my house is messy, but not unsanitary. I do not place a high value on spending my time organizing/ cleaning my house. At the end of my life I'm sure I won't wish I'd had just a little more time to clean. I'm all about play, play, play.

Somehow, I still feel guilty that my house isn't more organized and clean. I really don't want to feel that way anymore!! As a full-time working Mom, I really don't want to devote anymore of my life to the issue. I'm much rather do math with Declan, read to him, play Star Wars, watch a movie or surf the Internet. AND I want to be completely O.K. with that (even when my Mother comes over).

I always like adding photos to my blog, so I Google "messy house" and the two photos below came back. The first would never qualify as a messy house for me (but I'm sure Nicole gets it) the second has me staring in amazement. How different we can be, how differently we define things.

Tonight

Back to Normal

Declan: "Mommy, I just love you so much and I don't know why."

Me: "Thank you sweetie."

A few minutes pass...

Declan: "Did you know that there are eight reasons that I love you? Number one: your skin is so soft. Also you buy me presents and toys and books"

Worst Mom Ever!

So, we enjoyed having Declan's buddy over. They loved the K'nex set and the Slurpee maker (3.00 at goodwill!) Declan did have a bit of an attitude issue. He can just be so bossy with regards to his tone. I'm at the point where I DO NOT let him get away with it...so he cries and whines.

Today he was angry because I wouldn't give him a treat. He cried for 10 minutes and then proclaimed I was "The Worst Mommy Ever!" Not in an angry voice but in a sad voice, which made it more tolerable. He has been telling me "You're the Best Mommy Ever!" for a year now, so I guess the pendulum did have to swing the other way at some point.

Today I subbed in High School. This particular high school is as large as a college campus (well, a Jr. College campus) A few of the usual attitudes, and I sent 3 kids to detention. One girl went unwillingly, screaming in the hallway: "You can't piss me off. I'm carrying a baby inside me!!" She was steamed. I sure feel sorry for her baby.

So I guess all and all, I haven't had the best day. Apparently I'm the worst Mommy in the world and I terrorize pregnant teenagers ;0

Update

After downloading my latest photos, I figured I could give an update. I think I've been a real homebody lately, not doing much of anything productive (including blogging). I've really been having a good time just hanging out with Declan, playing with his many toys, watching movies and just having fun. It was really painful to go back to work yesterday, but I ended up enjoying myself. I had the best 1st graders ever :)


This boy LOVES cinnamon rolls:

Never happier than with his Bionicles:
Two days of intense building and our K'nex tower is done:
Making his own O.J. for the first time. Was delicious!
Later we're going to get his "Best Friend" Solomon, who he hasn't seen in much, much too long; they're having a sleepover. Declan talks about him constantly and I feel sad for him that he's had to go so long without a playdate.

A Very Bionicle Christmas

Please excuse the fuzzy photo's my Dad was in charge of pictures this year :) Also I think my Mom's Sony camera is biting the dust. For the THIRD time...why does she keep buying Sony!!

This Boy can build!!!
Christmas loot. Yes, it is a lot of Bionicles, but that's all he likes to do. We spent the whole day building.


It's been a good Christmas. The month flew by. School started up today, but I'm avoiding going back to work for the week if I can help it. Today we're building a huge K'nex tower, photos coming.