Us Lately

Badger loves to read.  His latest "list" includes Jason and the Golden Fleece, the Wind in the Willows, and Mossflower (from Redwall).  I don't know how he does it, but he is reading all of these right now.   Well not at the exact same time, ha ha, but within the week ya know?  

Hen and I.  Hen and I. Oh how I love my little Hen.  So happy. Or so Mad.  But whatever it is you can be sure he will let you know about it.  Good for him, I say. :)
Hen has started "reading".  He sits for a long while with a stack of books, turning the pages and looking at the words and pictures intently.
Cricket's latest drawing.  This is really large.  It's hard to tell in the picture, but I think it is at least 2 feet by 3 feet.  Pirates and Islands and a Giant Squid.  As I'm typing this he is working on a picture of a blue ringed octopus. :)
Hen playing piano.  He loves loves loves the piano!  To him it is a full contact sport. (see he's playing with his toes)
We've been doing lots of math lately, which Badger seems to enjoy.  The table is by the window in our main room now and the sunlight just comes right in.  It's soooo nice.  
Owl discovered that he likes dot to dots.  In fact he likes playing "school" and sitting one on one with me and "learning" something in a book.  It is funny to me how much he likes it and how much it is not learning at all. LOL.  He hardly ever remembers the "learning" part, but LOVES the talking one on one, the quiet voices, the sitting with pen and paper.  Perhaps it's even a bit about doing what the bigger boys are doing.  Whatever the reason for him asking to do it, I am game.  I love spending time with him.  Although, I do have a feeling that "learning" for him is going to be much more hands on.  (where Badger is definitely a natural book learner. i mean that is what he chooses to do) It's strange to even talk about learning as something seperate from life, but perhaps that is another post...
The sunshine is just glorious these past few days and this pub table is the place to be if you have to be indoors.  We are still healing after our bout with the flu.  I have had practically no voice at all since Sunday.  It's been a struggle, but I've learned that I perhaps rely on my voice too much in my parenting.  Talking is overrated sometimes ya know?  It's been good to relearn how to "go to" the person you are talking to and look them in the eye.  Sometimes, because there is so much going on here all the time, I can get into the habit of just kinda hollering across the way at whoever needs a word.  That sounds awful, and I don't think it is as bad as it sounds, but in any case it's nice to be reminded of other ways to communicate to the ones you love.  I hope to remember this as my voice heals, (it's going to get better soon right? ) and keep in practice of this more mindful way to communicate. 

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