Officially a toddler
Baby E walked all the way across the family room today, all by herself. She's wobbly (I guess that's why they call it toddling), but she's walking; really walking. She's been able to do it for a while, and would walk up to 10 steps at a time if there was strong motivation. But until yesterday and today she hadn't really had the desire to just launch herself out across a wide open space and start walking.
She's not really a baby any more. She's truly a toddler.
Should I start calling her Toddler E? That just doesn't quite have the same ring to it.
Besides, she's still my baby who likes to fall asleep in the SPOC (simple piece of cloth) wrap on my chest.
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Today we went to a local thrift store that sells clothing by the pound and things like books very inexpensively. We were just looking for a couple of books, but when I walked past the clothing bins the distinctive stripes of a Hanna Andersson playdress leaped out at me. Digging through the bin I found 5 Hanna Andersson dresses in excellent condition, three of them playdresses, in AJ's and M&M's sizes. I found quite a few cute Gymboree, Gap and other name-brand items in really good condition, too.
Apparently someone with a kid about the age of my older girls had donated a bunch of really nice clothes, and the employee was just sorting them out of the donation bin into the pay-by-the-pound bins as we came in. I'm really excited about that. Getting those clothes really helped our back-to-school wardrobe, and it's hard to beat 95 cents a pound!
I'm thinking I'll go back tomorrow to quickly look and see if the leggings that match the dresses showed up farther down in the bin.
Mostly this weekend I'm working on getting ready for school to start.
AJ's lesson plans are mostly laid out for me in the BJU Beginnings K-5 program, but I have to add Bible and Math and we are supplementing with some extra science, history and reading since she is so far above her grade level in reading and comprehension. We'll do some beginning Spanish, too.
M&M's planning is a bit more difficult. I am using Before 5 in a Row as a sort of leaping-off point, and we'll do Bible and Spanish together. But Before 5 in a Row is more a list of ideas than a curriculum, so I have to figure out how we're going to use that and some other resources, and essentially come up with my own agenda and lesson plans.
I don't want to be too structured, and both AJ and M&M seemed to do fine with unschooling last year. But at the same time, M&M is desperately wanting to "do school" and is constantly asking to do workbooks and projects. She'll want to do what AJ is doing, so I need to come up with things to keep her busy while AJ and I are doing the K-5 work.
I'm having second thoughts, too, about the K-5 curriculum. At least the beginning part seems to be right at M&M's level, although AJ would enjoy it too. I could just have the two of them do it together, but I don't really want to put the girls in the same grade for everything. And if I had M&M do K-5 now, when she's 4, what would she do next year or the last part of this year when AJ is in first grade?
Anyway, that's what I'm up to this weekend. I'm excited about starting school once I get over this hump of planning and preparation. DH and I agreed that we're going to set aside several hours at least one evening a week for me to focus on preparation for the next week's lessons. That will give me a chance to look over the lessons, gather needed supplies, etc.
Right now I'm trying to sketch out a general overview for the whole year (or at least the first semester--we'll see how far I get) and do in-depth preparation and supply-gathering for at least the first couple of weeks.
We're going to start out studying Genesis 1, learning a bit about the planets and solar system, and doing some math and phonics review. I plan to work in lots of hands-on art projects and other activities, and make sure we all do some active play or exercise every day.
By the way, I did end up returning the Chicco stroller I had bought. It seemed flimsy, and Baby E didn't like it. She was uncomfortable with the recline and just really disliked sitting in it. She's much happier in the twin stroller or something with a front bar that's more comfortable and allows her a little more wriggle room.
I took stock of the strollers I had and wrote up a summary of each one and what it needed in order to be usable. One was missing a hood, another was missing a basket, etc. Then I found someone selling a cheap Peg Perego stroller almost exactly like the old Peg I had. I bought it and am going to see if I can combine the good parts of the two strollers in order to make one good stroller out of them. That should be fun.
DH and I have been making a lot of progress on organizing our schedule and working on the house. DH has been decluttering and vacuuming in preparation for steam-cleaning the carpets, and I've been getting clothes laundered, organized, and pared down. It's encouraging to see some progress with that.
Oh, and the best thing that happened this week was that we found a babysitter that I think will be a good fit for our family. She answered the ad I put in the homeschool newsletter, and it turned out that we know her family.
She seems to really like the kids, they like her, she wasn't too rattled by Baby E's crying the last little while before we got home, and she has family members with severe food allergies, including allergies to milk and corn. It makes me feel so much better leaving Baby E with someone who understands and is experienced in dealing with food allergies, especially one as difficult and complicated as corn.
She's not really a baby any more. She's truly a toddler.
Should I start calling her Toddler E? That just doesn't quite have the same ring to it.
Besides, she's still my baby who likes to fall asleep in the SPOC (simple piece of cloth) wrap on my chest.
#######################
Today we went to a local thrift store that sells clothing by the pound and things like books very inexpensively. We were just looking for a couple of books, but when I walked past the clothing bins the distinctive stripes of a Hanna Andersson playdress leaped out at me. Digging through the bin I found 5 Hanna Andersson dresses in excellent condition, three of them playdresses, in AJ's and M&M's sizes. I found quite a few cute Gymboree, Gap and other name-brand items in really good condition, too.
Apparently someone with a kid about the age of my older girls had donated a bunch of really nice clothes, and the employee was just sorting them out of the donation bin into the pay-by-the-pound bins as we came in. I'm really excited about that. Getting those clothes really helped our back-to-school wardrobe, and it's hard to beat 95 cents a pound!
I'm thinking I'll go back tomorrow to quickly look and see if the leggings that match the dresses showed up farther down in the bin.
Mostly this weekend I'm working on getting ready for school to start.
AJ's lesson plans are mostly laid out for me in the BJU Beginnings K-5 program, but I have to add Bible and Math and we are supplementing with some extra science, history and reading since she is so far above her grade level in reading and comprehension. We'll do some beginning Spanish, too.
M&M's planning is a bit more difficult. I am using Before 5 in a Row as a sort of leaping-off point, and we'll do Bible and Spanish together. But Before 5 in a Row is more a list of ideas than a curriculum, so I have to figure out how we're going to use that and some other resources, and essentially come up with my own agenda and lesson plans.
I don't want to be too structured, and both AJ and M&M seemed to do fine with unschooling last year. But at the same time, M&M is desperately wanting to "do school" and is constantly asking to do workbooks and projects. She'll want to do what AJ is doing, so I need to come up with things to keep her busy while AJ and I are doing the K-5 work.
I'm having second thoughts, too, about the K-5 curriculum. At least the beginning part seems to be right at M&M's level, although AJ would enjoy it too. I could just have the two of them do it together, but I don't really want to put the girls in the same grade for everything. And if I had M&M do K-5 now, when she's 4, what would she do next year or the last part of this year when AJ is in first grade?
Anyway, that's what I'm up to this weekend. I'm excited about starting school once I get over this hump of planning and preparation. DH and I agreed that we're going to set aside several hours at least one evening a week for me to focus on preparation for the next week's lessons. That will give me a chance to look over the lessons, gather needed supplies, etc.
Right now I'm trying to sketch out a general overview for the whole year (or at least the first semester--we'll see how far I get) and do in-depth preparation and supply-gathering for at least the first couple of weeks.
We're going to start out studying Genesis 1, learning a bit about the planets and solar system, and doing some math and phonics review. I plan to work in lots of hands-on art projects and other activities, and make sure we all do some active play or exercise every day.
By the way, I did end up returning the Chicco stroller I had bought. It seemed flimsy, and Baby E didn't like it. She was uncomfortable with the recline and just really disliked sitting in it. She's much happier in the twin stroller or something with a front bar that's more comfortable and allows her a little more wriggle room.
I took stock of the strollers I had and wrote up a summary of each one and what it needed in order to be usable. One was missing a hood, another was missing a basket, etc. Then I found someone selling a cheap Peg Perego stroller almost exactly like the old Peg I had. I bought it and am going to see if I can combine the good parts of the two strollers in order to make one good stroller out of them. That should be fun.
DH and I have been making a lot of progress on organizing our schedule and working on the house. DH has been decluttering and vacuuming in preparation for steam-cleaning the carpets, and I've been getting clothes laundered, organized, and pared down. It's encouraging to see some progress with that.
Oh, and the best thing that happened this week was that we found a babysitter that I think will be a good fit for our family. She answered the ad I put in the homeschool newsletter, and it turned out that we know her family.
She seems to really like the kids, they like her, she wasn't too rattled by Baby E's crying the last little while before we got home, and she has family members with severe food allergies, including allergies to milk and corn. It makes me feel so much better leaving Baby E with someone who understands and is experienced in dealing with food allergies, especially one as difficult and complicated as corn.
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Posted by purple_kangaroo at 9:45 PM[Permanent link]
9 Comments:
Wow, I thoroughly enjoyed the pictures and hearing about your homeschooling plans. I've decided to hunt for a curriculum b/c I need a little more direction after my first class of preschool!
(Don't worry about responding to all my comments/questions!)
God bless, Colleen
Those pictures are PRICELESS! Awww...
Great clothing finds! We've been really blessed with the affordability of uniforms, as well as the recipient of hand-me-downs from my boss' girls and our friend's daughter who is a year older than LMNOB - otherwise, I'd probably do the thrift store hunts too. As it is, we have more clothes than space.
If I can help you with any of the school stuff, please let me know. I have quite a large "collection" of websites that have free printable worksheets that I use all. the. time. in class, and I would more than happy to point you to them as well. I will also pass along an art project for just about any occasion, as that's my particular love. :)
Glad to hear you've some good deals lately, and that you also snagged a babysitter -- I know that takes a huge weight off of you, to know that you have someone lined up, even if you don't use them all that often.
sorry the stoller didnt' work out- but it sounds like fun taking apart and recombining them. i miss that kind of stuff here.
sounds likt things are moving right along with school, and cleaning, and babysitter blessings!
super cute pictures, and congrats to T.E. on the milestone!
Oh . . . I am so blessed to see that picture of your littlest looking so contented in her sling.
I was only taught either the standard operating procedure of baby care taught at most hospitals, or else had a little bit of Ezzo, but with my second, I sure wish I had co-slept with her, and slung her next to me. I regret not doing that . . . a whole lot. I think she needed the snuggling much more than my other two did.
Your pictures looked wonderful. Your school plans sound interesting and exciting, and I hope your children will find them to be so as well.
Isn't it great to find good bargains at the used clothing stores?
Love the pictures and the school plan. I think that you could have M&M do the pre-k stuff for normal and the K-5 stuff that AJ is doing as "Bonus" work if she wants to. That way she'll be working through it a bit more slowly and you won't be out of things for her to do.
Yay on Baby E's walking!! :-D Starting school is exciting, too.
I just stumbled across your site this weekend. Funny, but it was through my site meter - someone had done a search for cloth diapers and both you and I were on the first page.
Anyway - I took a look around, learned more about corn allergies, made egg-less banana bread (no joke - I didn't have any eggs, but wanted to make a sweet bread), and got a kick out of Baby E. My little one is just 1 week older.
And (I think this will make you chuckle) - I found myself thinking "Itty Bitty E" in my sleep last night. I must have been doing a little nocturnal brain-storming with you in mind.
Itty Bitty E!
Toodles,
a. borealis
Thanks, Colleen.
Mommyham, we have more clothes than space, too, but unfortunately many of them either don't fit, aren't in good condition or don't match. LOL.
Klee, I would love some advice on a couple of things, but I went to e-mail you and I don't seem to have your e-mail address. Maybe you could drop me a note at the link in my profile, please? Thanks.
Bridget, I think it will be fun taking the strollers apart and recombining them. I like that sort of thing.
Simplegifts3, I'm glad you liked the picture. It always makes me sad to ehar people say they wish they'd cuddled with their kids more. I feel a bit that way about my first sometimes, but mine are still young enough to cuddle lots now.
Liz, thanks for the thoughts. I ended up deciding to level up with both of them for some things.
Amy, it's so fun to see her walking non-stop all over the place, although it does make it harder to keep up with her.
A. Borealis, thanks for the comment! I will have to check out your blog soon--it sounds like we have some common interests.
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