Well, not a strong rhythm, but a relaxed one. We wake up. I get on the computer until 8:30 or so. It isn't strict computer time as I am making breakfast and caring for Liam and baby. Now, 1.5 hours in the morning on the computer IS a lot. I have no excuses other than I love reading about stuff.
Liam doesn't always nap now, so after lunch I have instituted a "quiet time". Basically I go through the motions of tucking him in, but before I shut the door, I tell him he doesn't have to sleep and can play if he wants. This helps, because I really like the 7pm to 7am sleeping time for him, but I still need a break during the day. After an hour or so I open the door. If he is asleep. I try to wake him, but sometimes he sleeps a bit longer. Half the time he is still awake.
The baby doesn't have a set pattern. He is a very sweet baby. He has a lot more body control than Liam did at his age. He just seems more wiry and stronger. Liam was always big and clunky and had trouble building the neck muscles to lift that head.
I love this softly falling rain. Love love love it! I want to go to Cider days or whatever it is down on Walnut street, but I am not sure I want to brave the rain. Why does it always rain on Cider days? We went there a few years ago when I was pregnant with Liam. I just walked in a daze, slightly nauseated. Then we went home and ordered quikdine sushi. Ah those quiet weekends when the older kids were at their dad's and the younger ones had yet to emerge.
I hear Gabe grunting. His eyes are closed, but he will likely wake soon.
Caleb played for an hour, and then asked to watch "Mighty Machines". It's a pretty cool show for little boys. This episode they are visiting a sawmill and it shows all the machinery used. Liam LOVES the big machine trucks. He is a boy's boy. Except when he sneaks into his sister's room and states, "I need to put my makeup on."
Caleb's been depressed again. I made an appointment with the younger boys pediatrician. I don't know if meds would help, but I can't afford therapy, and can't just stand back and watch him be miserable. I wish he would listen to some of the advice we give him regarding how to talk to people. Even with family, he is inappropriate. He will walk into the room and instead of saying, "Hi, what's up?" he will say, "You all should just go away." Well, I am not a social queen, but I know that isn't a great way to connect to people. Sigh.
The strange thing, he thinks he is dumb, but when I do his work with him, he is quite capable. I don't understand where he got this idea from. He may not LIKE doing work, but he is definitely capable in his schoolwork. He is struggling in ART class. He says he doesn't know why, but in reality, he just isn't telling me. I mean he is either doing the work or he isn't. If he is doing it "wrong" then surely he is getting feedback. I guess I could ask the teacher. I am so afraid of being one of those pushy, reactive parents, that I probably don't get involved enough. I still feel insecure with teachers. They treat me like I am .... uneducated and lowerclass. I can't help that my older kids don't care about appearances. Maybe I should have forced the issue but I just wanted to let them be who they wanted to be. Is that wrong? What else are they basing this on. That they are getting free lunch? Or maybe this is just my own imagination, because I hate when people act like they know more than me? In regards to how my kids stack up with other, they probably do. I mean they can easily compare them with the other students. BUT...when Taryn was in 5th grade and I was teaching, her teacher asked the kids what their parents did. Taryn said I was a teacher, and she insists her teacher argued with her that I wasn't. I guess that makes me feel bad.
Anyway, getting off subject..I don't know what the subject was. I am enjoying being home. You know with student loans supplementing Karl's income, it isn't half bad. If only he made 10K more. Then we'd feel pretty comfortable. But what could he do? He doesn't like sales. He folds under high stress. Hmmm.
Enjoy this fantastic, gray morning. We deserve the delight after this killer summer.
Love,
Jill
Liam doesn't always nap now, so after lunch I have instituted a "quiet time". Basically I go through the motions of tucking him in, but before I shut the door, I tell him he doesn't have to sleep and can play if he wants. This helps, because I really like the 7pm to 7am sleeping time for him, but I still need a break during the day. After an hour or so I open the door. If he is asleep. I try to wake him, but sometimes he sleeps a bit longer. Half the time he is still awake.
The baby doesn't have a set pattern. He is a very sweet baby. He has a lot more body control than Liam did at his age. He just seems more wiry and stronger. Liam was always big and clunky and had trouble building the neck muscles to lift that head.
I love this softly falling rain. Love love love it! I want to go to Cider days or whatever it is down on Walnut street, but I am not sure I want to brave the rain. Why does it always rain on Cider days? We went there a few years ago when I was pregnant with Liam. I just walked in a daze, slightly nauseated. Then we went home and ordered quikdine sushi. Ah those quiet weekends when the older kids were at their dad's and the younger ones had yet to emerge.
I hear Gabe grunting. His eyes are closed, but he will likely wake soon.
Caleb played for an hour, and then asked to watch "Mighty Machines". It's a pretty cool show for little boys. This episode they are visiting a sawmill and it shows all the machinery used. Liam LOVES the big machine trucks. He is a boy's boy. Except when he sneaks into his sister's room and states, "I need to put my makeup on."
Caleb's been depressed again. I made an appointment with the younger boys pediatrician. I don't know if meds would help, but I can't afford therapy, and can't just stand back and watch him be miserable. I wish he would listen to some of the advice we give him regarding how to talk to people. Even with family, he is inappropriate. He will walk into the room and instead of saying, "Hi, what's up?" he will say, "You all should just go away." Well, I am not a social queen, but I know that isn't a great way to connect to people. Sigh.
The strange thing, he thinks he is dumb, but when I do his work with him, he is quite capable. I don't understand where he got this idea from. He may not LIKE doing work, but he is definitely capable in his schoolwork. He is struggling in ART class. He says he doesn't know why, but in reality, he just isn't telling me. I mean he is either doing the work or he isn't. If he is doing it "wrong" then surely he is getting feedback. I guess I could ask the teacher. I am so afraid of being one of those pushy, reactive parents, that I probably don't get involved enough. I still feel insecure with teachers. They treat me like I am .... uneducated and lowerclass. I can't help that my older kids don't care about appearances. Maybe I should have forced the issue but I just wanted to let them be who they wanted to be. Is that wrong? What else are they basing this on. That they are getting free lunch? Or maybe this is just my own imagination, because I hate when people act like they know more than me? In regards to how my kids stack up with other, they probably do. I mean they can easily compare them with the other students. BUT...when Taryn was in 5th grade and I was teaching, her teacher asked the kids what their parents did. Taryn said I was a teacher, and she insists her teacher argued with her that I wasn't. I guess that makes me feel bad.
Anyway, getting off subject..I don't know what the subject was. I am enjoying being home. You know with student loans supplementing Karl's income, it isn't half bad. If only he made 10K more. Then we'd feel pretty comfortable. But what could he do? He doesn't like sales. He folds under high stress. Hmmm.
Enjoy this fantastic, gray morning. We deserve the delight after this killer summer.
Love,
Jill
I guess it is inaccurate to say Karl folds under high stress since he works on the phone as a customer service rep. That's pretty stressful, I am sure. But he does have to take a mental health day (he comes home sick) every month or two. That hurt him last month when he applied for a new position within the company. They said he had too many days off. I still think he should try teaching, he is kind and sensitive, and the hours would work for him, but how would he squeeze in student teaching with working full-time? I don't know.
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