So we are really trying to work on very simple and elementary phonics. I have to keep reminding myself that I don't expect much out of him until he is at least six and that there are ALOT of letters in the alphabet to remember, as well as the upper and lower case versions. I find myself struggling with the part of me that say, letters, shmetters he will be ready when he is ready, he is not even five. Then the other part of me is saying he should know them all by now, upper and lower, and should have phonics well started within his concept grasp. I know I need to listen to him before anything else, and the nagging parts of me last of all. I guess I have a fear that if he isn't 'up to par' it is because I am doing a shotty job homeschooling him. I do understand that a lot of his learning is going to fall under my responsibility, but more of that is up to him. I can only give him everything he needs and then it is up to him. The next 6 months look to be very busy with a possible move and everything else, we need to just let him learn as he has. I have been finding ways to make a letter or two a day that he is struggling with into games we can incorparate into our day. I live for the small triumphs, I know what lies within those are the footsteps to big revelations. We have been doing some math more and bless his sweet heart, he really seems to like it. Just yet another difference between my son and I. Did ANY of my DNA osmosis it's way into him at all?

Do you know what you get when you tell a kid after he asks you where we are going and you say, "crazy"? A child that jumps up and replies with much enthusiasim, " that's great, I'm dressed, lets go!"

Did you know that Easton has words, within his head, that are coming into and out of his mouth? We must all stop and listen to this, it is very important.

I was so proud of E today! He wanted to have more waffles for breakfast. He had already had one and wanted to make two more. I said no you can only have one more. He responded with, " no mom I don't want two!" I asked him if he didn't want two then why did he have two in his hand. He then told me that he wanted to have three totally, he had already had one and these two would make three, not two, that is why he wanted two more. He is really getting the hang of this math thing all on his own!

To 'Sum' It All up...

So Easton wanted to give his addition workbook a try today. We have never done 'formal' math so I was curious as to how he would respond. Page one was pictures of objects in groups and you had to write in the box how many whatevers there were and he did great! I know he can spot out numbers pretty well but not well enough to recall them and write them out. I propped up his dry erase board of numbers and letters and such so he could look at all the numbers 1-20. He would could out the objects, look for the number on the board and write it down in the box. He loved it, I loved seeing him think like that, it was the first time I saw him think 'scholasticly' I guess you could say. The next page was addition with pictures only. He LOVED it and needed no help from me, just praise and affirmation. When he got it right and was almost as proud as I was he would run around high five'ing everyone. Then I thought to get out the tramp. What ever the sum was the number of times he could jump. He did so good! I can't wait for what we see in the coming months! I don't think it will be hard for him to be better than me in math at all!

More Letters

So today when we had to power out for two hours right before we were about to leave ( we got stuck with the fact the garage door would not open) I thought I would try to gauge just how many letters he really knows or doesn't know. Going through his handwritting without tears book in my VERY untrained observing he knows A,B, C, F, E, I, T, C, O, Q, G, S, D, V, X, Z. With slight coaching he knew J, P, and K. He needs more work wiht L, H<,T, U, R, N, M, W, Y. I think he knows T and N he was just being lazy at that point. My amazing and wonderful neighbor got e this wax colored sticks for Christmas and they could not be any more perfect to help him with letters and fine motor and all kinds of sensory goodness. We worked them for the first time today and he loved them, as well as Junah and I. I also noticed that the Alphabet song is getting more clear and he is getting close to seeing how it is the letters in order and not a bunch of sounds put together to a tune.

Great website

I found this amazing website that a friend posted about Charlotte Mason that I adore! I wish I could just go out and get all books for year one. What I love so much about her ideas is that they are so old fashioned, that she loves linking past to present, the strong nature influence, the challenge of it. The whole thing is just so amazing. The fact that she doesn't advice in real schooling to start until six reminds me of how I feel deep down and quiets the little competitive voice in me that is not good to listen to. You know which one. Even though I am very happy with where we are, I feel that slight pinch every so often when I hear kids his age reading or counting or something ' age appropriate'. But then again how many of those kids know all the Apollo astronauts, rockets, or even some rocket science. Or about all the song birds and where they fly and there songs? Or about the water cycle and tornados and weather? It is all relative. I can't believe my baby is going to be five in a few monthes and that he no longer my baby, or my toddler, or even pre schooler, he is a grade school age soon. My sweet little Pootie...

1,2,3..

We are trying to work with E and his numbers. He knows how to count pretty well with the normal 11,12, 13 flubs but reconizing them is much harder for him. Just trying to write a 2 took 20 min with no avail, so we stopped. I don't want to stress any of us out about it.

WEATHER!

So it looks like nick finally got his wish, SNOW! Be it is just flurries and looking like a heavy frost it is snow so him and the boys are stoked!!! E is really getting the weather cycle down and we are going to be doing some experiments in the next few weeks to demonstrate it more for him. I found some awesome books at Barnes and Noble yesterday, I am going to have to get up there with a big notebook and no kids one afternoon!
So with all the excitement of this dusting I got out the microscope to show he all the differences in each snowflake. You have to move fast but it is so cool. I think my five dollar yard sale tasco is going to get alot of work in this year. Junah loves to look in it as well as the rest of us!

Books and Pencils

I was reminded to today of one of my favorite smells as a kid I have not smelled in a very long time. Pencil dust. As I was showing E how to use his pencil sharpener it hit me and it was like I was back in Mrs. Madays class, and every classroom after. That clean crisp lead and wood smell. I never knew I could find such warmth in it. It is almost like it was a foreshadowing of what these years and experiences that are going to bring for all of us. Smell is such a powerful sense, likely my favorite. I hope that E looks back as fondly as I can on what the smell of a simple pencil can bring!
Although I still feel that we are unschooling, relaxed learning, natural learners or what ever you want to call it, I am sifting through different things that we are going to do to learn the magic of english phonics and reading. He in the past month or so is showing more interest in letters, though nowhere NEAR knowing all of them. I would say he knows MAYBE 12 letters and what they say but somedays he seems to want to lend more effort than others and I jump on those while the getting is good. Numbers and letters both are going to be learned this year I feel.
I am BEYOND blessed with an amazing friend here, as well as an aunt and friends afar that are all beyond inspiring and helpful to us, Easton has a best friend that is about a year and change older than himself and the two of them together is the best! His mother has quickly become a wonderful friend as well as we travel down similar paths with boys facing very similar challenges. Wise beyond her years and a wonderful resource of aid and commradery in this journey. I love hearing her input and having her around.
Today we went to Mardel's to get some workbook. E loves them, they do them alot in therapy so when they had some of the same ones he was very enthusiastic about sharing them with me as well so I found them on sale which was awesome. Added to the ones that Laurn picked up for me at Target ( they always have good school stuff this time of year in the dollar section!) and I feel that we have a good little stash to choose from. I am also loving the posters. I can't believe how much I LOVE going to these stores! I never thought I would be this way but I embrace and enjoy it! Since E is HUGE into stormchaseing right now we got another poster on 'stormnados' and another on the clouds and the water cycle. We are going to all attend the NWS storm spotter class in the next few monthes to become official weather spotters! He is beyond excited! I am anxious for storm season this year now that we have a stormchaser on our hands! He is going to want to chase every storm we find!

NEW YEAR, NEW ATTEMPT AT THIS!!

It is that time of year again where we feel the need to revamp our lives, like it is the last day we are going to live. I would like to think I look at everyday with the enthusiasm and gusto that over takes us at New Years. But I guess I don't since LAST years goal of keeping up with this went to pot so alas here I am again, with the same challenge, same gusto, same bat time. Maybe knowing that this really is the year that Easton is really going to be getting more involved in the learning. I always let him lead the way but I have come to the reality that I don't have a toddler and baby anymore, that time as elluded me into a mother of two young boys. Junah is going to be very much apart of the learning process this year, a much more active participant in our day to day learning. It is so unique the difference I see in the two of them. Both have so much to offer not just themselves, but myself and each other.
As with tradition, I asked E what is on the years agenda and the list he gave me is awesome and exciting. I look greatly forward to this journey with my boys this year! Here is the list and away we go!!!