Monday, October 24, 2011

What I Loved About Last Week (6th Ed.)

1. Second Son's sixth tooth came in. I was hoping we'd get a break from the grumpiness but he's still chewing on his hands constantly so perhaps more are on the way. Baby teeth are adorable, aren't they?

2. I just love second grade. First Son is a much more diligent, focused child than last year. We don't always finish everything I plan for the day, but we usually do and often with very little whining, once we get started. He even cheerfully told his grandma he couldn't come outside to play because he wasn't done with his lessons yet. (We did finish early so he could play outside with everyone else.)

3. First Son reading along on my Kindle as we've started A First Book in American History. I have a free version downloaded on PDF on my laptop in which the brief definitions of some of the words appear at the end of the chapter. In the Kindle edition, they appear just after the word defined. First Son will often interrupt to interject the definition. This behavior may be frustrating before we finish the book, but now I love it because it shows he's paying attention even when it seems to me that he's not even looking at the Kindle. (As a side note, I'm tying his narrations for this book and the chapters are a bit difficult for him to narrate very well. He did like how the sailors wanted to throw Columbus overboard, though.)

4. Pumpkin patch field trip - everyone should have one every year. Second Son picked a baby pumpkin, but rolled it off the trailer before we made it back to the van. He didn't seem to mind too much.

A very messy Second Son after his cookie snack

The kids and the pumpkins

Second Son and his pumpkin

5. After our faith formation class this week, which only meets once a month, two other moms and I chatted for over an hour while our children played in the wet grass and on the playground. The children were wet and muddy before we left, but it was a beautiful fall day and I loved watching them play and talking with my friends.

6. Watching Second Son walk around outside. He loves to walk and walk and walk. He's fascinated by the borders between sidewalk and grass. He'll often step on and off the sidewalk over and over again.

7. Second Son also loves the slide. He doesn't understand why it ends or why he has to be lifted to the top or has to climb the stairs to the top. He just wants to slide down and down and down. His laugh is wonderful.

8. Parties! A housewarming for Second Son's godparents who have moved near-by and a birthday party for a sweet little girl who has a new baby sister I was able to hold for a while.

9. Second Son's scratched up face. Well, I suppose I don't really love that he fell on his face and got all scratched up (especially as I had been intending to take some 15 month pictures), but I do love how the bumps, bruises and scratches of toddlers speak to their increasing independence and forays into the world beyond Mama's reach.

What did you love about your week?