The Aspiring Babysitter

Sophie has a track record of being rough when Topher is near. She doesn't intend to be, but her love for his cuteness and mild jealousy over his existence combine to create aggressive hugs and kisses. She is determined to overcome this so that I will start asking her to watch him while I make dinner, since the older three each take turns with him in the afternoons. 

Yesterday morning she practiced being gentle and patient with him. She played and read and did a good job. Am I ready to let her babysit? No, no I am not. However, I'm not quite as terrified about momentarily leaving a room with both of them in it. Progress, eh?

I Spy

We enjoyed running around a friend's empty backyard today. Can you find all five kids in this picture?

Majestic Nature

Cooper worked all last week on a poem for his Language Arts class. He wrote and scrutinized and wrote and edited and wrote. Then, with a page full of poetry, he cut it down to three stanzas and turned it in. Here's his final product:

Majestic Nature

By Cooper

Heaven above the soaring peaks 

Topped with a white flaky blanket 

Pointed masses of majesty

Over a readying banquet

Of fruits and nuts, such wonderful foods

While creatures roam in Nature's house 

A brilliant band of all sorts of things

From cougars to deer to rough feathered grouse

Babbling brooks plash on rocks

While these summits hold sheep with white fleece 

And where there always is happiness

And creatures roaming with peace

I Do It Myself

We have a not-so-tall person at our house who thinks he's quite big and able to do things without help like get himself dressed and serve his own food out of the fridge.

In related news, we are now using a fridge lock.

 

Dragging to the Finish Line

I present to you Sophie, finishing her final school assignment before spring break. It was a long week to get to this point and I'm happy we made it. Both girls are on break now, hopefully the boys will join them tomorrow.

Are You Being Served?

I was prepared to serve cold cereal for dinner tonight when Bryan saved the day and cooked hot dogs instead. Topher was sitting at the table, ready to start dinner, when this conversation took place. Keep in mind, words that start with the letter l sound like they start with a w when they come out of Topher's mouth.

Topher: Are we having hot dogs for dinner?

Me: Yes we are.

Topher: I love hot dogs! (grinning, he bends his arm at a 90 degree angle and excitedly swings it in front of his chest) Diggity dog!

Then, a little later in the meal, I offered him a pickle.

Topher: I love pickles. Pickles are my favorite.

Topher has been exceptionally picky lately about what he'll eat. Maybe we just haven't been serving enough pickles and hot dogs?

The Countdown

A perk of our cyber school is that, for the first time since we moved to Pennsylvania, we have an actual spring break. For the entire week before Easter and the Monday after, we have no school. I am unreasonably excited about it.

Let me be clear, we're still staying home. We have no big plans, no fun places to go, no people to see. But, my oh my, I am looking forward to the rest from schoolwork.

Maybe it's because we're so close to the break, maybe it's because we're still adjusting to the time change, maybe it's because it's officially spring and we've got cabin fever (despite all the walks we've taken), but the first two days of this week have felt so long. Sooooo long. Getting through school for a few of the kids has required much more work from me than usual.

Just a few more days...

Close Up

Somebody learned how to take selfies on my camera. These are my favorites.

As Easy as ABC

Topher loves the alphabet. He loves singing it, he loves pointing out letters on clothing and boxes, and he really loves playing with this letter puzzle. He's learned a few letters and will stop me while I'm reading to him and point out every o and i on the page. 

Bring Your Brother to School Day