H is for Haircut

Being a parent to a kid that is a little bit more, means lots of thinking in advance. Being a parent to a kid that is a little bit more means lots of strategic planning and staging. Being a parent to a kid that is a little bit more means less spontaneity. Being a parent to a kid that is a little bit more means that the simplest, normal-est, routine things you used to take for granted are no longer simple, normal, or routine. Like for instance, a haircut.

Our homeschool co-op starts up tomorrow and all three girls will be attending "regular" classes. As in, Princess #3, won't be in the pre-school class, she'll be in the 5-6 year old class-es. And yes, I'm freaking out. And yes, I'm praying like mad. And yes, I've been doing lots of strategic planning, like trying to convince Princess #3 that she should get her haircut, so she doesn't have to have her hair in a ponytail for cooking class. {Ponytails became banned in her world several years ago.}

I tried to get her in with Miss Stephanie, the gal that usually cuts the girls' hair, but she was booked solid. When I told Princess #3, she replied with, "then I'm not getting my hair cut." And I let it drop. Then a friend mentioned "Monkey Dooz", a salon that only cuts kids hair. I mentioned it to Princess #3 and was turned down again. So again I let it drop, but I kept on talking about how cute her hair would look up in a ponytail and how no one in her class wanted to eat her hair in the food they made in class, etc. You know, laying groundwork for Friday morning when somehow her hair was going to be scraped back into a tail. Then out of the clear blue sky yesterday she tells me that she wants to get her haircut at Monkey Dooz. I lunged for the phone and made the call. And thanks to some divine intervention they were able to get her in today at the right time!!!!

She was so brave. They washed her hair and blew it dry. {For our spirited kid, touches to the head are the most unwelcome.} And her new cut is adorable. I am so proud of her willingness to try a new place, trust a new stylist, and get a new haircut.

H is also for hope. I got some today.

A Book A Week

. . . brought to you by the Prince!

The other day the Prince came over to me wearing his rain boots, which he had put on by himself. He was so proud of his accomplishment so the girls and I lavishly praised him! Then I noticed that he had put them on the wrong feet. My heart melted. Babies with shoes on the wrong feet {that they put on themselves} just don't get any cuter in my opinion. So out came the camera. And then Princess #2 piped up that he reminded her of Alfie.

I had her run up and get our big Alfie book, which is really a collection of Alfie stories and we read "Alfie's Feet" to commemorate the Prince's accomplishment.

The Alfie books as we fondly call them are by Shirley Hughes, our local library has most of them. They are little stories about Alfie who is probably 5 and his toddler sister Annie Rose {whom Princess #1 named her cat after when she was 3}. They mostly center around little bits of real life from a child's perspective, and since they are set in England, have fun little nuances and phrases, like my personal favorite, "snick the lock". The artwork is fabulous and the stories are sweet and gentle.

In "Alfie's Feet", Alfie gets new rain boots so he can splash and stomp in the puddles, but after he gets them home and on, they feel funny. Hmmm, anyway Mom and Dad help him solve his problem and he's back in the splashing business again. So fun and so relate-able for preschool age kids.

I think ages 2 and up would sit and listen to these. We just started reading them to the Prince and he can sit for the Queen's special condensed version.

Find them and enjoy them with your sweets! Happy reading!

Wordless Wednesday

A Knit A Week

Princess #2's colors

Princess #1's colors

More Pinwheel Sweaters!!

{Truth be told, I finished these

quite a while ago, just forgot to post them!}

Pattern: Child's Version Pinwheel Sweater (free pattern from elann.com)

Yarn: Various hues of Elann Peruvian Highland Wool

Verdict: Nice and easy. Great TV knitting!

The girls had great fun choosing their colors and the

order that I knit said colors in.

And There You Go

Queen: Well, I guess if you can get this writing done, we'll see about the other after rest time.

Princess #2: You mean, I don't have to finish it?!?!

Queen: {thinking: Well, by George you're gonna do it now little missy!} However, calmly saying: You know, it frustrates me when I feel like you are so quick to give up and take the easy way out.

Princess #2: (very matter-of-factly) Well, that is what I'm doing, so that's why it feels like that.

Hmpf.

Overheard At School Time

. . . a history lesson.

Princess #2: Pocahontas was only 12 years old when she met John Smith. Seriously. That movie about her was SO wrong!!!!

Princess #3: What?! But she fell in love with John Smith.

Princess #2: No she didn't. In real life she married John Rolfe.

Princess #3: Those people who made that movie need to read your book.

Princess #2: Totally.

Have I mentioned lately that homeschooling my kids is fun {most days}? If they were in the classroom {at school} I would have missed this light going off in my daughters' minds! I love seeing them separating fact from fiction on their own. Awesome.

Wordless Wednesday

A Knit A Week

Spring Forward Socks

Pattern: Spring Forward (knitty.com)

Yarn: Mama E's Ceyeber Fiber colorway Grapril

Verdict: Great *free* pattern. Easy to memorize and seems

as if it would lend itself to both variegated or solid yarns.

This yarn is a merino/silk blend, very soft and pretty.

{However, I'm not sure if this company still exists.}

And despite the pictures, it is grape, not blueberry!

Overheard At Bed Time

Princess #2: What part of Laura did Daddy read tonight?

Princess #3: The part about Almanzo crushin' on Laura.

Never Thought I'd Say . . .

. . . please don't take the dictionary into the bathroom, pretty please. Especially to Princess #2. But I just did. Woot!

I love that my letting go of what I thought her reading level should be, and letting her learn to love to read at her own pace, has reaped the sweet reward of a girl who wants to read. Not only wants to read, but loves to read!

I am still coming to terms with the fact that she is {for the most part} completely NOT interested in books her older sister loved, by focusing on the positive--I have justification now to buy more books!!

I am reminded of a verse, "He has made everything beautiful in His time." {Ecc. 3:11} Teaching my kids can feel like an exercise in futility, but will ultimately be beautiful. Not in my time and not with fabulous innovative teaching methods and curriculum {although they may help this mama get a mental boost}, but when God is good and ready.

Amen.

Pretending

Sometimes I like to hidey-hole in the house after dinner and let the Royals and their Daddy fend for themselves outside. Then I sit down where-ever-I-want and pretend that the voices and screaming I hear really belong to those pesky neighbor kids.

As a homeschoolin' mama, time alone in my own home is a rarity and a treat. And I love treats.

Not that I would change the course my life has wound it's way through, but there are days when I blissfully dream of the end of motherhood such as it is right now. The end of the constant needs to be met, diapers to be changed, meals to be made and cleaned up, I could go on.and.on.

I dream of the day when I will wish for my kids to call me or visit me. Before you start to say, "that day will come all too soon", hear me out. I know that day will come all too soon. Heck, I still can't believe I turned my back for one second and now have a 10 year old walking around this place. {Whatsupwiththat?} But I think it's only human nature to want the next thing, note I didn't say it was right, just our nature.

However, when it comes right down to it there really is no other place I want to be than here at home with my kids. All day long. Every day. What a blessing that I can make that choice and have my wonderful husband/best-friend-a-girl-could-ask-for, backing me up on it. And have that same best friend working hard each day so that we as a family can live out our choice in comfort.

And on that note, I need to round up the Royals and tuck them in bed and then find a hidey-hole with that best-friend-a-girl-could-ask-for.

Sigh. This is the life.

A Knit A Week

Pattern: Blackrose Socks (from knitty.com)

Yarn: Splendor Sock Yarn by Jill Draper Makes Stuff

Anthracite colorway

Verdict: Awesome pattern! And it's free!

I love how the lace is on the outside edges of the socks.

And I love this sock yarn.

It is one the softest I've worked with and

has a really pretty sheen to it (that my photos do not do justice to).

Almost Wordless Wednesday

Why oh why do they come with the warp drive turned on??

{At least he still sleeps and sits with his ankles crossed.}

{And wears "big boy" camo socks.}

Got Shoes??

. . . he'll wear them.

The King left his shoes on the stairs last night and the Prince saw his chance.

Wordless Wednesday