TODAY
Out my window: It got coooooooold. Well, it got cold AFTER it got warm again this past week and I had to actually break some short-sleeve shirts back out for the kids after declaring victory over summer wardrobes last week. I could hear the rubermaid tubs laughing at me.
Clothing myself in: Pink sweats, college sweatshirt. I will be changing into something nicer later as we are having a guest for dinner this evening. Be amazed.
Around the house: We have accumulated a bunch of nice, educational toys over the years (wooden puzzles, lacing cards, pattern blocks, counting bears, etc. etc. etc.), and I keep them in spots that are put away but easily accessed. Even so, they don't get used/played with nearly as often as I would like....so this week I started setting a few out on the fireplace each day and switching them out each evening (thanks to the handy-dandy reminder on my phone, see Mary...) and that has worked really well. The kids have enjoyed it and it has helped encourage me to sit down and spend some time working on things with them. Win win. I've also been doing better at rotating toys from the toybox (thanks other Mary!) and that always helps too. When we play well, we fight less. All of us.
The baby: Oh my goodness, he is getting so big. Yesterday I dressed him in a size 12 mos. romper. He's not really thick but boy is he long! He is very fascinated with his hands. His legs are getting stronger, he can semi-support himself when I stand him on my lap. He is so smiley. OH I love him.
The kiddos: Gemma hit a wall with her reading lessons this week. We're about 25 lessons in and they are getting more difficult. There was frustration, tears, the works, but she didn't want to set it aside and come back to it. She reminds me so much of me. SO we suffered through the rest of that lesson, I had a good chat with a fellow mom friend (thanks Michelle!), we took a day off and then yesterday she successfully read a number of pages from Hop on Pop. We were both very pleased! I think I'll start splitting the lessons up over two days, and we will rotate between those and reading from "easy readers". I'm excited, I think she's really going to start taking off with this reading thing.
Kolbe. I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to everyone who has dropped by our house this past week to find my half naked son running around in all his glory. He is just doing so stinking well using the potty when he doesn't wear pants, that, well, he just doesn't wear pants anymore. Oh when we leave the house (like once a week, HA) I do clothe him properly. And he is doing a little better about not wetting in his underpants and telling us when he has to go (or more likely when he is going) but he by no means totally "gets it". SO he just doesn't wear pants.
In the kitchen: Chicken pizza with white sauce and tomatoes from our neighbor's garden; Italian sausage soup; chicken wraps; baked fish, veggies and either couscous or rice (had to nix that one last week); SUSHI!
Learning: Our weekly theme was PUMPKINS! Click here for some of our books and activities. The kids also had fun with these (or similar, I couldn't find the exact ones) lacing cards. Gemma colored and cut out a very huge amount of pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns throughout the course of the week.
Gemma also went to her first storytime by herself at the library. She did so well, I was really proud of her. No tears and a huge smile on her face as she skipped off with the line of 3-6 year olds, and an equally huge smile upon returning. She is super excited to go again, YAY! My little girl is sure growing up recently, and it makes me a bit sentimental. Happy, but sentimental never-the-less.
Reading: See last week. Not much new. And oh my, I think I am enjoying Little House on the Prairie every bit as much as Gemma is (and that's quite a bit)!
Bringing me joy: My spiritual director gave me a first class relic of St. Gemma Galgani (with certificate of authenticity) to give to our Gemma when she gets older. He had gotten it at some point when he was traveling in Italy and recently came across it. Aaron and I were so touched that he thought of our Gemma, what a treasure. ::: Lots of good, quality time with the kids. ::: My phone...we got new phones a little over a month ago but we didn't get data (it was twofold, expense and the fact that we --- or I, Aaron would never use it -- don't need to be that connected, more great stuff on that HERE from my friend Sarah). Well, I figured out how to download some Catholic podcasts, prayers, and the daily readings and put them on the mp3 player on my phone so I can listen to them in the kitchen while I'm cooking dinner, the kids' room while changing sheets, just anywhere around the house when I am working on mundane activities. Since the laptop is so hard to haul around (lame, I know). This really has brought me an insane amount of joy. ::: Our wonderful neighbors. We seriously have the best neighbors ever...and not just next-door. Everyone around us is just, wow. Good, good people. Our next-door neighbors in particular love our kids so much though. They are about our parents' age and she will often text me to send the kids over for a bit to do this or that. The kids love it and I can tell "Miss Jo" does too. It is really a blessing. ::: A nice friend who brought us a meal out of the blue. ::: It has been a good week.
Thinking about: I get out and about with the kids so much less now that we have three. And it really is fine, I enjoy being home. Now that winter is approaching, I am thinking about just hibernating here. Seriously, the thought of getting everyone clothed (Kolbe), socks, shoes, jackets zipped, hoods, blankets, diaper bag packed, etc. sends me into a cold sweat just thinking about it. I am soooooo not looking forward to winter.
Pictures to share:
Our three beautiful blessings. Gemma: 4yrs 9 months; Kolbe: 2yrs 9 months; Clement: 3 months.
