We've had a wonderful extended weekend. Spring is already turning to Summer before our eyes, and with barely a moment spare to pay it the proper attention.
We are getting along well right now, and pleasantly busy, and out of doors enough to meet our needs. Bar one afternoon of fed-up-ness resulting from a certain grown up girl not wanting to follow instructions like "stay where we can see you" and "you must pass on this important message to your mummy", I am feeling pretty un-shouty. I am shaking myself a bit this week though and reminding myself of what is age-appropriate and that there are so many more helpful responses than shaming. *sigh* I'm blaming the long month of illness. ;)
Oh! This little pixie creature! She has started reading. It just utterly shocked me when she started, I mean, this time it is SO unexpected. She could barely recognise a handful of letters, and yet she sat down with me this week and started reading a book to me. She did amazingly! (Even though she still struggles to differentiate b/d/p/q and t/f!) I do love it when I get a nice self-directed-learning surprise like that. I was totally happy for Morgan to be a later reader, especially since early reading was such a mixed blessing to Jenna. Yet here we are. A little five year old confident beginner reader.
Martin and I have decided we must be amongst the most culturally out of touch people in the country. On Friday night we decided to just up and take the kids out for a meal - on a Friday night, without booking tables, in town, yes. We had to walk a bit to find a restaurant with a table! Anyhow, when we came out, there were some fair ground rides lit up on the market place.
Morgan's face was priceless.
And then, really, the rest of my weekend was (bar a trips to swimming ad library), spent making magic and colour in my kitchen. I still have a LOT of yarn to dye and orders to finish, but I'm very proud of the pretty colours we made over the weekend, almost everything went very much to plan. :)
Meanwhile, the children made their own magic, as children do.
On Saturday morning, Jenna got through all of the things I planned to last her all week. I can't decide if this is telling me to lay off planning helpful educational suggestions and see what she does next, or whether that means the planning is really doing something for her and I should do some more and see where that leads. To and fro, back and forth, planning, no planning, Waldorf, unschooling. Well, without repeating myself too much, I don't know what's best, but I do know she's happy and healthy and curious and learning a lot however we do it.
What a busy, full, bright few days.
And this latest pixie baby? She has started Baby Led Weaning at five months old, in spite of my *huge* misgivings about allowing her to take food so soon.
She was very determined about it, so now I am letting her play with some vegetable sticks and bits of fruit. I think on the whole I have to swallow down my panic and my ideals and stop fighting her!
She was very determined about it, so now I am letting her play with some vegetable sticks and bits of fruit. I think on the whole I have to swallow down my panic and my ideals and stop fighting her!
Oh my gosh C has grown so much, just look at him, his face has matured so much!
ReplyDeleteHehe, Rye BLW'd at 5 and half months, although I think it was around 7 months before he started actually eating... some of the photos I got during that period tho are my favourite, so cute. Hehehe.
And I know what you mean i.e. learning. I'm really taken with the classical education books and Rye seems to be soaking it up. I think I'm going to give up the labels and just accept his learning journey is going to be very eclectic.
Yes! :)
DeleteLovely photos :-)
ReplyDeleteAw, thankyou. Rainbow weeks are very good for the soul. ;)
DeleteOh, how funny. Miri has just started swiping my food too!
ReplyDeleteWhat's a mama to do? It's causing me little palpitations lol, but I can't keep taking it off her when she cries so heartbreakingly to be allowed!
DeleteI *love* Morgan's awed face :)
ReplyDeleteR sort of baby-led weaned himself at 5 months as well. When they launch themselves desperately at the table and eating becomes a challenge, I think they're telling you clearly that it's time.
Curiously after being initially so enthusiastic, he actually didn't eat much in quantity at all and existed on about 95% breastmilk until he was 22 months old. The health visitors LOVED that. Sigh.
Amy (foreversomeday)
charlie blw at 5 months too and rather scarily was eating tonnes! Nate at 21 months still eats hardly anything! They are so different and it can be hard to trust them to show us the way!
ReplyDeleteI'm finding the education thing tricky atm too - Charlie is really interested in learning things but it stresses me out because she is craving that extra bit of academic stimulation, but she is still so young! Its not helped by people keep saying academics at a young age is a bad thing! I am trying to remember that I always said I would follow her lead though!
I'm loving your colourful week! I sooo need to teach myself to knit or crochet as I love the beautiful yarns!