Loving and Learning...

Shelbi started calling me "Mum" the other day. Of course, she's been saying mama for months, but now it's purely directed at me. "Mum...Mum...Mum..." it goes on for about 45 seconds straight until I give in to her request, but I love it. She is such a bright little girl, learning everyday how to do or say something new. Every morning getting ready in the bathroom, she entertains herself by taking my make-up in and out of the bag and then throwing it all on the floor. Gravity is very fascinating... Now if I could just get her to start cleaning up after herself...

Dylan has been sitting down with his brother every morning and doing schoolwork in our study room. What a huge step! He loves tracing lines and has started writing letters! All this from the boy, who just months ago, could do nothing more on a sheet of paper than draw spaghetti. I walked away, and when I returned, he had written the letter "A" all by himself at least 6 or 7 times! And Christian is reading so well it shocks me. Really, there is nothing he can't read. Which is sometimes to my disadvantage. Especially when we're looking at the guide on tv trying to decide what to watch.

"Sorry guys, Sponge Bob isn't on right now... guess we'll have to watch The Learning Channel..."

"Yes it is Mom! I see it right there! And after that it's Voltron and and Jimmy Neutron! You must have been looking in the wrong column huh..."

Hmmm, this could be bad. And spelling out loud is out now too. Bummer. Justin and I are forced to have conversations in private now, no more talking in code. But, oh how I wouldn't trade it for anything. Even on the days when we're at the grocery store, kids chasing eachother around the cart yelling, "It's my turn to put the cheese in the basket!!", I'm still glad they're at home learning and thriving with me. Yes, I'm tempted at times to slip him on the bus with the neighbor boys, headed for Almondale Elementary (Would they really notice one extra kid?) but that would mean I'd have to give up all the reading, learning, playing, and experimenting we do together everyday. So, yes, on most days the pros totally outweigh the cons. And as a friend once pointed out, it's not what they are learning at home that is so important... it's what they're not learning by being at home...