I need someone to share my joys with now, and maybe troubles or frustrations later. We are only 2 days in and I am sooooo happy with our decision to take this on. I don't know who is going to learn more, me or the kids....It's so fun to actually see what their faces look like when they "get" something. Listening to James retell me a story he learned (one without pictures) is just amazing. Watching the "ah-ha" moments....and getting to lay on the couch with silky (yes, silky blanket is still a major part of his life) and read our first bible story about creation...hearing James say "God made the sky and called it heaven, and the sheep and the rats Mom"....And cracking up that yes indeed God made the rats but really, have you ever even seen a rat? haha....
Fun fun. I never really knew how much James really has absorbed these 4 years, but it is all coming out so clearly now and I feel so blessed to be providing this for him. I have no idea what each day will bring, but that is also fun. Yesterday we got an earlier start and things did not go so well. After we waited a few hours for James to get some energy out, he breezed through our activities for the day. So today, we started later and had such a great time! Like Mama, James is not a morning person. And we get to save an activity for Daddy to teach at bedtime, which is even better! Daddy gets in on school too! Love it, so much!
So on the agenda for the fall (once school here starts), we have storytime at the Library, preschool gym, homeschool ice skating, hockey and potentially karate for some discipline training.....but for now we are diving into our school curriculum early to start next summer early....and to get an idea of how well this will work! Stay tuned for the ups and downs of homeschool pre-k!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
A killer among us...well, just me.
Jolee Ruth....good golly if I survive her toddler years, it will in fact make headline news. 13 months old tomorrow, but I feel as if I've known her all my life. 19 pounds of energy that storms through the house creating major chaos. How can such a tiny, beautiful, blonde bundle of love make me want to run outside clutching my chest hoping someone drives by and takes me away? HAHAHA....that was a fake laugh. I am afraid of her. She might, just might, actually kill me one day.
It could be her incredibly sharp fingernails that grow long overnight slashing my face, or her super(tiny)human clenching fists ripping apart my neck, or she might bash her head into my face one too many times. She really is going to kill me. And I really am afraid of her. ;)
If this is already happening at 12 months and 30 days, what the heck am I going to do at age 2? Age 12? and seriously, How could I ever make it out of age 16? I don't think I can. I would chalk it up to her being "aggressive" if it happened to anyone else. But at a park with a bunch of other tots, she will lovingly hold onto and rub my leg. She will hold her hands up and say "Mama, puh" (up)...she won't dare touch any other child...She occassionally pushes her back into James, and once or twice has struck Jarrod, but Me? Come on, it's a daily thing...I get smacked, squeezed, pinched, and even laughed at, every single darn day.
I should have just asked the Dr. to put her back in when she came out screaming (with a cord wrapped twice around her neck)...how did she even get a scream out? If I didn't ask then, I most surely should have asked as the TWO nurses tried to pry her tiny little hand off her cord. I saw that death grip then...Should have known.
My Mom laughs when I call her saying "Mom, this girl is going to kill me." She thinks it hilarious when I walk out of the room and she hears Jolee scream for me. "Ma! Ma!"...She thinks it's cute. I was a raging lunatic of a baby, but I loved my Mother. I would scream for her because I always had to be near her....so in that sense, Jolee is definitely "her mother's child"...but I think her intentions are a BIT different.
And I wonder how cute my Mom will think it is when she sees me on a clip on the news laying on the floor with a phone in my hand and Jolee standing over my lifeless body? Cute Mom?
I will win this battle one day though....When some handsome young gentleman comes to us asking for her hand in marriage, I will be the first to say "Of course you can marry my daughter", all the while thinking, "Now I'll watch for that clip of YOU on the news buddy."
It could be her incredibly sharp fingernails that grow long overnight slashing my face, or her super(tiny)human clenching fists ripping apart my neck, or she might bash her head into my face one too many times. She really is going to kill me. And I really am afraid of her. ;)
If this is already happening at 12 months and 30 days, what the heck am I going to do at age 2? Age 12? and seriously, How could I ever make it out of age 16? I don't think I can. I would chalk it up to her being "aggressive" if it happened to anyone else. But at a park with a bunch of other tots, she will lovingly hold onto and rub my leg. She will hold her hands up and say "Mama, puh" (up)...she won't dare touch any other child...She occassionally pushes her back into James, and once or twice has struck Jarrod, but Me? Come on, it's a daily thing...I get smacked, squeezed, pinched, and even laughed at, every single darn day.
I should have just asked the Dr. to put her back in when she came out screaming (with a cord wrapped twice around her neck)...how did she even get a scream out? If I didn't ask then, I most surely should have asked as the TWO nurses tried to pry her tiny little hand off her cord. I saw that death grip then...Should have known.
My Mom laughs when I call her saying "Mom, this girl is going to kill me." She thinks it hilarious when I walk out of the room and she hears Jolee scream for me. "Ma! Ma!"...She thinks it's cute. I was a raging lunatic of a baby, but I loved my Mother. I would scream for her because I always had to be near her....so in that sense, Jolee is definitely "her mother's child"...but I think her intentions are a BIT different.
And I wonder how cute my Mom will think it is when she sees me on a clip on the news laying on the floor with a phone in my hand and Jolee standing over my lifeless body? Cute Mom?
I will win this battle one day though....When some handsome young gentleman comes to us asking for her hand in marriage, I will be the first to say "Of course you can marry my daughter", all the while thinking, "Now I'll watch for that clip of YOU on the news buddy."
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Rocking in my chair....
I just spent the last hour looking at pictures of my babies. Not pictures from this month, or even this year...but Jolee's birth, James' third birthday, my pregnancies...and I remember it all. I remember my feelings while pregnant with James...I was clueless. I was elated....I really had no idea how amazing motherhood could be....and then seeing pictures from Jolee's birth...I remember EVERY single night of my pregnancy praying I'd meet my baby one day. I remember rocking in the rocking chair I used with James, begging God for this baby....and running outside late one night in Georgia, begging for her life....I remember holding James in that very same rocker after we said goodbye to Jack, and sitting in that chair alone having no words for Jesus after I said goodbye to Baby Hope....ah, that sweet sweet rocking chair. It's as if it has become a part of me....Over the past 5 years I have spent many sweet moments in that chair....it's been spit up on, probably pooped on ;), reupholstered (thankfully), and loved...I sang "Old McDonald" to James in it when I rocked him to sleep for 2 years. I read pregnancy magazines and "What to Expect" books there. I read "Pregnancy after loss" there. I read countless psalms there as well....I have no idea why I even thought of my chair tonight....but for now, this pretty red rocking chair with the Ladybug blanket on it is used for me and my girl. My little blonde ladybug...My little tiny miracle girl....Every night, and every nap, of every day, we sing Amazing Grace...it's the only song she'll fall asleep to...She puts her hand in the air while I sing...just like she does in church on Sunday mornings...and now in my chair....the words come easy...
Thank you Jesus ;)
Thank you Jesus ;)
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Letting some things go....
Summer camp only worked for 1 day. I cried the second and third day as I had to chase James down as he ran to my car. I did the best I could but he stayed with me those days....I am learning to embrace James' quirks and understand that I too was a quirky kiddo. There may/may not be something else to it but we are embracing our children and doing with them, what makes THEM happy. We may be dealing with a little something else by way of social/emotional things but James is James and I love that about him. :)
This summer I am going to take a little time away from hectic things...less time running to "events" or organized things and spending a bit more time watching my half dressed kids drip popsicles on themselves on my porches. Because really, when you look back on your childhood, do you remember the number of times Mommy took you to this or that, or do you remember Mommy on the porch with you? Do you remember that you sat quietly in a circle listening to stories at the library or do you remember Mommy making shadow animals on the wall and telling you about "Going on a bear hunt"...Every night James says "Mommy, we going on a bear hunt?" as I read to him in bed...He never says, "Mommy are we going to storytime tomorrow?"....Ah, my sweet boy :)
This summer I am going to take a little time away from hectic things...less time running to "events" or organized things and spending a bit more time watching my half dressed kids drip popsicles on themselves on my porches. Because really, when you look back on your childhood, do you remember the number of times Mommy took you to this or that, or do you remember Mommy on the porch with you? Do you remember that you sat quietly in a circle listening to stories at the library or do you remember Mommy making shadow animals on the wall and telling you about "Going on a bear hunt"...Every night James says "Mommy, we going on a bear hunt?" as I read to him in bed...He never says, "Mommy are we going to storytime tomorrow?"....Ah, my sweet boy :)
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Bullet points are annoying...
- It's hot. Vermonters need AC. It feels like we are sandwiched in between a few mountains and the heat just suffocates us. It is like 75-80 degrees that I am talking about.
- I need to get a grip and embrace the fact that it is warm for 2 months out of 12.
- I'm still sweating in my non-ait conditioned house.
- We joined a new church that is amazing! James loves the kids program/nursery and we love the people we are meeting.
- Jolee hates the kids program...ok, well she hates being away from Mama.
- Mama is going to work the nursery in 2 weeks to help her get adjusted! ;)
- Our pastor and youth pastor baptized 7 people today....3 adults and 4 teens.
- Baptism's are beautiful and bring tears to my eyes.
- I was baptized in a lake when I was 14 and remember it, and the way I felt like it were yesterday.
- I am so happy we have found a church home.
- We are finally making friends and our days are really busy! James is having a ball!
- He heads to half day summer camp tomorrow and I am about to puke.
- I worry about him getting lost, drowning, child molesters, giant bugs biting him, someone making fun of him, and even crazier stuff.
- I am so glad we are homeschoolers and I don't have to almost puke every school year.
- Our homeschool things arrived and I was going to start this summer but our summer filled up so fall it is!
- Jolee is running. Not walking...It's beyond crazy how fast she is. She is actually a better, faster, walker than James was even though he was earlier. She walks in shoes like she has been doing it for years, instead of just a month!
- She says "Mama" "Dada" "Baba" and "DAH" for James....She actually stands at the gate and yells "DAH!" until he comes and talks to her!
- Pork's shock collar is the best 200 bucks we've ever spent. He goes from barking loud to instant peaceful silence each morning and remains quiet for the entire day.
- Our garden is absolutely hilarious! It is growing like mad and we can't eat enough salad to save our lettuce. We are resorting to giving it away! I can't wait to plant more next year!
- Vermont birds are fat. We fill our feeder in the evening and it is gone by morning...I don't even get to see the darn things eat!
- Stevie the Beavie, actually a woodchuck, has 2 fat friends/family members.
- Woodchucks do not eat goldfish crackers, nor do they move when you throw the fish at them.
- Peta would not appreciate the above statement.
- We have a busy summer planned with trips to MD and WA and possibly Canada.
- We bought a new Yukon and it could fit 4 more people than we have in this house in it.
- We better start working to fill it.
- Gas will most assuredly hit 4 bucks a gallon now that we bought that thing!
- I rarely blog anymore because my kids tire me out! I don't even have time to shower some days and I'd much rather read more interesting blogs than writing in my own....I'm quite boring huh?
;)
- I need to get a grip and embrace the fact that it is warm for 2 months out of 12.
- I'm still sweating in my non-ait conditioned house.
- We joined a new church that is amazing! James loves the kids program/nursery and we love the people we are meeting.
- Jolee hates the kids program...ok, well she hates being away from Mama.
- Mama is going to work the nursery in 2 weeks to help her get adjusted! ;)
- Our pastor and youth pastor baptized 7 people today....3 adults and 4 teens.
- Baptism's are beautiful and bring tears to my eyes.
- I was baptized in a lake when I was 14 and remember it, and the way I felt like it were yesterday.
- I am so happy we have found a church home.
- We are finally making friends and our days are really busy! James is having a ball!
- He heads to half day summer camp tomorrow and I am about to puke.
- I worry about him getting lost, drowning, child molesters, giant bugs biting him, someone making fun of him, and even crazier stuff.
- I am so glad we are homeschoolers and I don't have to almost puke every school year.
- Our homeschool things arrived and I was going to start this summer but our summer filled up so fall it is!
- Jolee is running. Not walking...It's beyond crazy how fast she is. She is actually a better, faster, walker than James was even though he was earlier. She walks in shoes like she has been doing it for years, instead of just a month!
- She says "Mama" "Dada" "Baba" and "DAH" for James....She actually stands at the gate and yells "DAH!" until he comes and talks to her!
- Pork's shock collar is the best 200 bucks we've ever spent. He goes from barking loud to instant peaceful silence each morning and remains quiet for the entire day.
- Our garden is absolutely hilarious! It is growing like mad and we can't eat enough salad to save our lettuce. We are resorting to giving it away! I can't wait to plant more next year!
- Vermont birds are fat. We fill our feeder in the evening and it is gone by morning...I don't even get to see the darn things eat!
- Stevie the Beavie, actually a woodchuck, has 2 fat friends/family members.
- Woodchucks do not eat goldfish crackers, nor do they move when you throw the fish at them.
- Peta would not appreciate the above statement.
- We have a busy summer planned with trips to MD and WA and possibly Canada.
- We bought a new Yukon and it could fit 4 more people than we have in this house in it.
- We better start working to fill it.
- Gas will most assuredly hit 4 bucks a gallon now that we bought that thing!
- I rarely blog anymore because my kids tire me out! I don't even have time to shower some days and I'd much rather read more interesting blogs than writing in my own....I'm quite boring huh?
;)
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Finally!
I really am a bad blogger. It is only going to get worse as the kids get older, J heads back to sea tour, etc etc.... I really try to keep a log somewhere of the kids/our happenings but I get so tied up! Lately it has been keeping the floors somewhat clean, getting our homeschooling curriculums together, and gardening to name a few! I cannot believe how busy I am with 2 kids! And I want more? Ah, crazy!
We are enjoying shore tour so much! I really love Vermont and am finding out that I get along best in life in quiet places like this. I don't want to move back to a big city ever. I like breathing fresh mountain air, drinking freezing cold spring water, watching our trout jump in the pond, feeding treats to neighbor dogs, saying hello to the mailman as he drives packages down my long drive to my door, meeting new friends at an amazing church, watching James run into the nursery and hate to leave, watching lettuce, tomatoes, herbs, cukes, and broccoli grow like crazy in my own garden, and just plain enjoying the peace that comes with country-esque living. I could live here, forever. Jarrod works a mile away and is home every day for lunch....I have no idea how I will ever be able to leave this place....
That said, our marriage, our family life, our parenting has never been more fulfilling then now....
I am anxious to start our homeschool journey with James when our things arrive. We have enough to get us through until about age 7 so hopefully we love it all! We won't necessarily stick to a class type routine and we also won't completely "unschool", but a mixture of a few techniques. There are so many families here in Vermont that homeschool which is even more exciting. Although I won't normally "school" in the summer, we are getting started a bit this summer for language purposes...When we do officially start (at age 6 when it is required) we will "do school" about 4 days a week (a few hours a day at most) and leave at least one day for helping Mom with errands! Very happy we have chosen this!
Our summer is going to be quite exciting with a trip to see Thomas the train in New Hampshire followed by a long vacation in Maryland. With only a week at home, we will then head to Washington state for another long vacation. Hopefully squeezing in a trip to Quebec, our kids are really in for a busy time. In just a few weeks James will also hit a summer day camp! I hope he loves it! It is only for about 3.5 hours a day and I think he will do great!
Jolee is 10 months old and walking, another early one! I really thought/hoped she'd be later but here we are again at 10 months chasing little feet! She is so proud of herself and desperately tries to keep up with James and the dogs! She is THE loudest human being I have ever heard...and I am so glad. She needs a big voice for that tiny body! She grew in my belly as fiesty as ever, came out screaming and has never quieted since. She is the sweetest little girl I have ever met! I love watching her beautiful smile as she lights up at James, and then even her clenched fists when she hears, "no no"....She is going to give us a run for our money!
Busy busy bees we are...and loving life here! We see new creatures daily here and love adapting our lives to Vermont. I am pretty proud that we can move anywhere and figure out how to make it work....although this place sure does make it easy!
We are enjoying shore tour so much! I really love Vermont and am finding out that I get along best in life in quiet places like this. I don't want to move back to a big city ever. I like breathing fresh mountain air, drinking freezing cold spring water, watching our trout jump in the pond, feeding treats to neighbor dogs, saying hello to the mailman as he drives packages down my long drive to my door, meeting new friends at an amazing church, watching James run into the nursery and hate to leave, watching lettuce, tomatoes, herbs, cukes, and broccoli grow like crazy in my own garden, and just plain enjoying the peace that comes with country-esque living. I could live here, forever. Jarrod works a mile away and is home every day for lunch....I have no idea how I will ever be able to leave this place....
That said, our marriage, our family life, our parenting has never been more fulfilling then now....
I am anxious to start our homeschool journey with James when our things arrive. We have enough to get us through until about age 7 so hopefully we love it all! We won't necessarily stick to a class type routine and we also won't completely "unschool", but a mixture of a few techniques. There are so many families here in Vermont that homeschool which is even more exciting. Although I won't normally "school" in the summer, we are getting started a bit this summer for language purposes...When we do officially start (at age 6 when it is required) we will "do school" about 4 days a week (a few hours a day at most) and leave at least one day for helping Mom with errands! Very happy we have chosen this!
Our summer is going to be quite exciting with a trip to see Thomas the train in New Hampshire followed by a long vacation in Maryland. With only a week at home, we will then head to Washington state for another long vacation. Hopefully squeezing in a trip to Quebec, our kids are really in for a busy time. In just a few weeks James will also hit a summer day camp! I hope he loves it! It is only for about 3.5 hours a day and I think he will do great!
Jolee is 10 months old and walking, another early one! I really thought/hoped she'd be later but here we are again at 10 months chasing little feet! She is so proud of herself and desperately tries to keep up with James and the dogs! She is THE loudest human being I have ever heard...and I am so glad. She needs a big voice for that tiny body! She grew in my belly as fiesty as ever, came out screaming and has never quieted since. She is the sweetest little girl I have ever met! I love watching her beautiful smile as she lights up at James, and then even her clenched fists when she hears, "no no"....She is going to give us a run for our money!
Busy busy bees we are...and loving life here! We see new creatures daily here and love adapting our lives to Vermont. I am pretty proud that we can move anywhere and figure out how to make it work....although this place sure does make it easy!
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