Sorry for the lack of posts this past week or two. We were visiting my brother and I didn’t particularly want to write while we were away – nor did I want to advertise that we weren’t home. But of course, my brain is still recovering – and Glow Worm thinks we’re on the East Coast still so he’s been waking up at or before 6am every day. It does help that he at least sleeps around 9pm.
Anyhow, as per my usual when I know I should post but am too mentally hogtied to say anything of particular meaning, here are my random brain firings for your consumption. Try not to be too excited. I wouldn’t want to disappoint.
1) I often buy used clothes for the kids in bigger sizes and then I store them and totally forget about them until sometimes it is too late to actually wear. The other day, I finally went through them (as well as the clothes my friends hand down to me) and discovered a few clothes that I can sneak in right before the end of summer. I’m annoyed with myself, but relieved that we live in California so the kids can still get a few months out of shorts and T-shirts.
I used to upkeep a spreadsheet of all the clothes and sizes, but after years of getting hand me downs, buying, and sorting, it is just too overwhelming.
2) Starting to potty train Glow Worm and it’s amazing to me how even though it’s my third time doing so, I still have no idea what I’m doing. Mostly, I just have him wander around the house without pants or underwear and let the chips (ahem) fall where they may. Even after just one day, he figured out to go to the potty when he had to pee. Of course, I ruined it all by having him be in a diaper all day yesterday because we were out and about and I’m not crazy.
This would work out better if he weren’t so mean to his penis. It’s wince-inducing to see the way he grabs and pulls on it. I mean, for crying out loud, there’s BLOOD. Leave the baby penis alone, please! I want future grandbabies.
3) Went to the CA Academy of Sciences yesterday with all three kids, Fleur and GuavaRama, and their respective kids. So much fun. Although, I am reminded why I don’t go there more often. The drive is brutal (1.5 hours each way) and the parking is expensive. (I refuse to park farther away where the parking is free and cart three kids with me. I hate bringing strollers and I’m not carrying any of the kids for that walk. I’m not brave like Fleur.)
However, even though Cookie Monster threw an epic tantrum during the ride to the Academy because it took so long and then refused to go into the Academy. Full on screaming and crying and pushing and it was epic. I was pissed. Somehow I managed to convince him to enter and wouldn’t you know it, within five minutes, he was off and running with his friends, excitedly looking at bugs and frogs and plants. Then, in the afternoon, even though he kept saying he wanted to go home, he would of course be sidetracked by his friends and delay our leaving by another ten minutes.
All in all, a fantastic time. I didn’t get a first day of school picture like all my friends, but we did get a field trip!
4) Glow Worm just pointed to his penis area and said, “Ball?”
5) My latest assignment from Dr. T has me carving out and scheduling just thirty minutes a day to do things that I want to get done. You know, that pathetic list I have elucidated before of actually paying random medical bills, cleaning the toilet, folding laundry, whatever. It’s been helpful.
6) I got a lot of reading done last week and I’m immensely pleased. I don’t care that they were stupid romance novels or really old fantasy that I’m kind of “meh” about. Still got to read.
7) Somehow, when I started on this homeschooling journey (and quite frankly, I haven’t really officially started yet), I didn’t realize how the problem would be that there are just TOO MANY AWESOME CLASSES out there from which to choose. The problem isn’t so much how I can fill a day for Cookie Monster, but how to limit his activities. Because somehow, I have packed his schedule with so many fun things to do that between Gamera and his activities, Glow Worm and I will be living in the car.
On top of that, I also have other stuff I want to teach him, and with my emphasis on not having more than three hours of instruction a day, (I can only achieve this if I discount the classes as instruction), I have no time left!
Hapa Papa complained that I wasn’t even going to be homeschooling Cookie Monster since I am shuttling him off to so many other activities. My thought though is that we’d be doing most of these activities anyway if Cookie Monster were in traditional schooling – so we would have even less time to be with him.
8) Still trying to figure out how to manage a To-Do List. I really hate To-Do List apps. I far prefer paper planners. But I hate having to re-write daily tasks. Seems dumb to me. I also don’t want to spend money because I’m cheap and am worried I won’t use a planner I spent a lot of money on. Currently, I’m using a tiny, free spiral notebook I got from a conference.
9) Speaking of conferences, just booked my plane tickets and hotel room to attend Type-A Parent in Atlanta. YAY!
Alright. Brain officially depleted of semi-coherence. Have a great day!
