February 21, 2014

(click here for today's pictures)

Making Cookies!

• My Graham wakes like clockwork just about every single day before seven.  I don't know when he really wakes up but he doesn't start making noise until a few minutes before seven-which is a no-no.  He desperately wants for someone to wake up with him.  There is no way that Reagan will be the first one up (we usually have to wake her up for breakfast) and Anderson is starting to adopt her sleeping patterns.  Campbell will occasionally sleep for a long time too so that just leaves Graham with Keaton.  And he has certainly embraced waking Keaton up and getting her out of her bed.  In return for getting her up, Keaton makes him her morning playmate and they become the best of buddies at least until breakfast.
• After Robby left this morning, we started work on school.  On Fridays (on the rare days Fridays that we end up doing school), we don't do spelling or language so that is few less things that I have to do.  So my morning was fairly relaxing-I was able to drink my hot chocolate, read a bit to Keaton and Campbell, wrestle with Whitman and pick up some all while still helping the kids a bit.  
• School is going fine though I think I am getting ready for summer!  I just have so many school type things that I want to do with the kids but we don't have the time because of all of the things that we have to do.  Hopefully they will begin finishing up some things and we can start on some of our fun stuff that I want to accomplish.  Reagan has started multiplying by nines.  Anderson is still slow on some of his work but oddly enough he loves, loves doing some math fact worksheets that I found-the catch is that he has to do them in one minute.  Graham is doing well in his math too and my Campbell has learned most of her letters at school.  In about 2 weeks, we will start on the reading book with her.  
• We had our lunch...with a bit of drama.  Before lunch, I handed out everyone's list of chores and my Anderson had himself a meltdown.  Seriously, he told me he wasn't going to do any of them.  He cried, stomped his feet and growled.  I ignored him the best he could as he lamented that he had hard chores (brush teeth, empty dishwasher, clean baseboards on steps, pick up one box of toys in the toy room, clean out his valentine bag and eat a piece of candy-oh, yeah, I am a slave driver!)  I was secretly hoping that his Daddy would walk in and see him acting this way.  
• Finally, he stomped over to the dishwasher and slung it open.  By them I had had enough and stomped myself over to him and took his hand and guided him to the mudroom.  I said "sit" and left, returning with a notebook.  I quickly wrote out a few sentences for him to write and then showed him the page that he was supposed to write his apology to me.  Gracious me.  He returned in a much better mood with his sentences finished and his apology written.  
• As everyone was cleaning out their Valentine candy bag and adding that to their Halloween candy, Robby arrived home.  He was home so I could take Whitman, and only Whitman, to the doctor for his ear re-check.  I had planned on taking everyone but Robby was able to make it home so that was nice-just having one kiddo.  As I checked in at the doctor, Whitman would grin at the lady and then put his head down acting shy.  Cutest thing ever.  
• The appointment didn't go as great.  The little guy still has fluid in his ears-and a lot of it apparently.  The fluid isn't infected so that is good but a cold would quickly cause it to become infected so that is not good.  And from a speech person's view, I know that fluid is affecting his hearing-even if ever so slightly.  Martin said we could go to an ENT or wait and see.  Of course we are the wait and see type folks so hopefully, we can get through the next few cold weeks without another cold and give that fluid time to go away.  
• Back at home, the kids watched a movie while Keaton napped.  We had hoped that Whitman would nap but he didn't.  We then had our Friday nachos for supper.  Reagan was so excited about the nachos and then they begged us to let them have taco shells next week along with a menu.  Um, okay, we can do that-whatever makes them happy!
• After supper, we let the kids finish their game of laser tag that they were playing upstairs.  Not really sure how laser tag was played-it did involve almost all of their blankets from their beds and nerf guns.  When their game fell apart, we started picking up the house.
• Then everyone helped me make some cookies to enjoy as we watched Let's Make a Deal, then a bit of Shark Tank (which the kids got so excited about-we will have to add that to our repertoire) and finally some of the Olympics (we are very cultured around here!)