Counting Down to Baby Cinco

We are 39 days out from Baby Cinco's due date (that's what we are calling the baby, for lack of a better cutesy in utero baby name, since this will be our fifth baby).  When we were expecting Chaucer, I had the idea of making a paper chain to help the kids visualize the number of days left and as a fun way to mark the days until the newest addition to our family.  The five days remaining on Chaucer's chain have been lovingly pasted into his baby book.

I thought it would be fun to do again.  I printed the dates (only for the last 40 days, and the chain is still ridiculously long) and my girls colored each link.  Every day one of the children can tear off a date and we can watch the chain dwindle as we inch (second by second it seems at this point) closer to meeting our baby.

In addition to making the chain, I've organized my home birth supplies into baskets.  Have I mentioned I'm having a home birth?  Chaucer was born at home and so will Baby Cinco.  It's the right decision for our family and that's all I'm going to say about it for today.  My midwife may (and probably will and that's okay) rearrange my stash, but for now, here's my collection of stuff for my birth.  Well...almost all of it.  My birth tub isn't in the picture.  [Note to me:  Inflate that thing to make sure it still holds air before going into labor!]

Tricky Sings Her Favorite Song

The Chain by Ingrid Michaelson

Homeschooling Tricky

I made letters from water bottle tops, laminated circles with letters written in to spell out words with an accompanying picture, and set Tricky to work.

This is a better look at what I've done:




This is Tricky in action:

Housekeeping

This morning, I asked the kids to make their beds. I really only expect my 6 and 4 year olds to perform this task. So, imagine my surprise when I saw this - my little Tricky (2 years old) made her bed [by herself]!!!

"Mommy, Don't I Look Silly?"

Those were Tricky's words when I was reaching to get her out of the car once we were at church this morning. Yes, she looked very silly. Why? During our drive, she had managed to get into my diaper bag, into my lipstick pouch, and smear 5 various pink and brown shades on her face (and dress, incidentally).

Homeschooling... Daddy-style

I started off our homeschooling day the way I usually do... by reading and discussing a bit of science as we eat breakfast. The routine schedule diverged shortly thereafter...

Casey had a deck of cards at the table and Richard took an interest. Right after finishing breakfast - but before I could get into the activity portion of our science lesson - Richard decided to teach Casey and Will how to play poker. I'm not sure exactly which poker game and, no, they were not gambling. I decided to let him have this moment with the kids; besides, they seemed to be learning something.

While they were playing cards, I was taken over by the need to do ALL of the laundry. So, as the day progressed, Richard and the kids went from playing poker to doing an experiment Casey devised. She asked, during lunch, if she could do an experiment to see how quickly ice melts. Richard ran with it. They had a glass with one cube, a glass with 3 cubes, a glass with one cube in cold tap water, a glass with 3 cubes and cold tap, a glass with one cube and hot tap, and a glass with one cube and boiling water. They observed and recorded the melting times.


By the way, I was still sorting, washing, drying, hanging, and folding laundry. Tired from doing laundry, Tricky and I took a nap together (I fell asleep before she did, but I was awakened by sweet little kisses all over my face). We slept for about 2 hours.

During our nap, I found out later, Richard, Casey, and Will had tea while Richard read some of Aesop's Fables.


Richard's homeschooling day with the kids the progressed to teaching them how to play Chess. Finally, they ended the day by painting - a pirate ship for Will and a picture frame for Casey.

Oh! At some point during the day, Richard must have explained to Casey what affidavits are, because this [see picture below] was on the dining room table when I got up from my nap. If you look closely, it says, "My Affidavits Book!" Can you tell her parents are lawyers?

Young Motherhood

As I was cooking dinner last night, my little Tricky was playing nearby. She had taken four random pillows from around the house and placed them on the floor with a doll on top (face down, by the way). One was covered with my dishcloth, one with a wash cloth, and two with small blankets which Tricky had asked to borrow - no, she did not ask for my dishcloth, but that's okay. At one point when I glanced over, she was sitting among the four babies patting their backs in turn. Sweet, I thought.

A few minutes later, I heard some huffing and puffing. Tricky was standing away from her dolls, arms crossed, with a VERY angry look on her face. "What's wrong, Trick?" (Yes, although my other two children are not called by their online moniker, Tricky is.)

"Santa is not helping me get my babies 'sleep!" she exclaimed, all the while frowning and standing with her arms crossed. She even added a stomp of her foot for emphasis.

I thought I was going to fall laughing right into our dinner. Not only is my youngest in some sort of relationship with Santa Claus, but he wouldn't even help her with the children!

Music Festival

Casey performed in her first music festival this morning. In a festival for the National Federation of Music Clubs, Casey's piano teacher entered her (and quite a number of her other students) in the piano segment of the festival.

I find the word "festival" a bit amusing. By festival, the NFMC means that you go (alone) into a room with a single judge and play (or sing, if that's your talent) two pieces for the judge. One of the songs is a required piece by the NFMC and the other is chosen by the student. Both pieces must be memorized.

When it was Casey's turn, her piano teacher ushered her into the room, sat her at the piano, then left. We eagerly listened right outside the door. (Picture two grown women grinning from ear to ear with heads almost pressed against the door.) Perfect! I've never heard Casey play those two pieces so well! When she came out, everyone in the hallway clapped fer her - and I gave her a big hug! I was such a proud mommy.

We had to wait a few minutes to find out her score: SUPERIOR!!! I think that means she'll get a trophy!

After several months of practicing, one recital, and one festival... Casey's happy that she doesn't have to play "Cookies" and "Dragon's Lair" any longer!

Tricky's 2nd Birthday

My little Tricky turned 2 yesterday. Unfortunately, we received some very sad news about her grandfather so festivities were absent. I'm hopeful that we may celebrate her passage into little-girlhood within the next couple of days.

Until then... Happy Birthday little one!!!

November 9, 2008

O Merciful Father, whose face the angels of thy little ones do always behold in heaven; Grant us stedfastly to believe that this thy child hath been taken into the safe keeping of thine eternal love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
~Book of Common Prayer, Prayer at Burial of a Child, p. 340

A Good Night by Frances Quarles (excerpt)

Close now thine eyes and rest secure; Thy soul is safe enough, thy body sure; He that loves thee, He that keeps And guards thee, never slumbers, never sleeps.

Trick or Treat!!!

Darth Vader, Princess Leia, and Queen Amidala - our Star Wars theme Halloween:

Earning a Square

About 2 months ago, I implemented this plan for my 5 year old (the 3 year old doesn't get this benefit, yet)...

She earns squares - I use the ones I bought from Rainbow Resources to use with Saxon Math. The way she earns the squares is as follows:

1 square for staying on green during home school (I have one green, one yellow and one red card on the wall - if she refuses to do work or does something along those lines, I give her a warning then start pulling cards if she doesn't behave - more about that in a minute).

1 square for completing daily chores

1 square for practicing piano

So, she has the potential to earn 21 squares a week; plus, on Saturdays, if she's been good all week, she gets an extra 3 squares for a grand total of 24 squares a week.

She can also have squares withheld or taken away. Withheld, if she doesn't do the above. Taken away, as an alternative to other disciplinary measures - DH and I are learning that taking away her squares has a profound effect to the extent that most of the time, we can threaten a square and she'll correct.

She can also have squares taken away or withheld if she has her green, yellow or red card pulled during hs. If I pull the green card, no square for hs that day. If I pull the yellow card, she has to give me one of the squares she's already earned. If I pull the red card, she has to give me 3 more squares.

She can accumulate the squares to "purchase" things or privileges. For purchases, if she redeems 15 squares, she can get a school supply item (she loves supplies) that costs $3 or less. For 25 squares, a book or school supply $5 or less. For 40 squares, a book $8 or less. For 50 squares, a book $10 or less. For 70 squares, a DVD or book costing $20 or less. We're still coming up with a plan for privileges - right now, she can pretty much do things as they come along without redeeming squares. BTW, all of the purchases are made with mommy or daddy approval.

She just saved up 70 squares to get a DVD - Matilda. She's so proud!

I like this method because I don't think I could take money away that she may have earned as an allowance, but I like the tangible nature of what she's earning. She can see it, save it, hear it (when she shakes the container she keeps them in), count it, and turn them in once she earns enough to get what she wants.