Well, we are now into September, and I'm pretty much ready to give up my pregnancy shoes for some Mom-of-4 shoes. When I said it to a friend the other day, it sounded weird, but I have to admit that with each child born, it's taken a few months to get used to the idea. With Elise it was even longer, as I'd been the mom of just boys for 4 years, and then had to get used to having a girl in the mix. Now it's going to be getting used to juggling even more. I'm looking forward to the challenge, and also thankful my oldest is 6 rather than 4 (which he was when we had our last baby), and will be a great help to me. I'm also VERY thankful we're not sending him off to school, as my fragile nerves likely couldn't handle the adjustment, as you likely read from my previous post about just letting him into the locker room by himself.
Luke is anxious to keep learning, so I know it's going to be a challenge to keep him challenged for these first few months with a new baby as well as structuring our home school. He's such an avid learner (but doesn't like to stick with anything too long), so therein the challenge lies. Keeping him busy and active while taking care of a (likely) fussy baby. I'm sure I can come up with lots of chores to keep him busy, I do know that!
James is right on his footsteps, and likes to guess at words and sound them out. I'm hoping that he'll be easier to teach, since he'll have such a base from listening to all Luke has heard from me. I think that is one of the greatest blessings of homeschool, is that the older kids can teach the younger. Just today at breakfast Luke was teaching James what camouflage is. James knows what the fabric looks like, but Luke was explaining that anything can be camouflage when it blends in and you can't see everything there. (he put a yellow fork put on a yellow plate to be used for an example) I love how they work together and seek out answers to their questions. But...trust me, I get plenty of questions myself from the 3 of them. Luke usually asks knowledge based ones, James "what if _____?" and quizzes us about all these impossible feats, and Elise likes to ask, "what _____ mean?" (she picks some word she's heard and then never even listens to the answer because her little mind is off on some new topic already)
Elise also likes to talk, talk, talk (not so good at the listening end of things!) I do have a new appreciation for moms of girls, because I never knew they could talk so much. All day, every day, every where about everything. And she's only 2 1/2! Does it get better? Or worse as the years go by?
So, the countdown is on until our new baby decides to show up. I haven't been ready for the changes up until last weekend. It's definitely a emotional, spiritual and physical surrendering to get to that place where you're ready for labor and baby and all, but I'm there now. Praying for strength and patience until the big day (and especially on the big day) as there always seems to be so many unknowns in the waiting game. My Mom is showing up this week, so that'll be nice to have her here for emotional support and also to visit with if we do have some days to wait until baby's birth. Sometimes the days before the birth are more draining than those after just due to the discomfort and anticipation. Feeling good overall, but ready to give up the big kicking belly. Very ready!!
Been rereading my birthing books though, and hopefully they'll work as well as last time. I wish I'd known about them with kid #1 and #2, but that's water under the bridge. They are "Husband Coached Childbirth" by Dr. Robert Bradley and "Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way" by Susan McCutcheon. They are very different from the Lamaze classes offered at the hospital (which I had assumed they were similar before I knew much), and work amazingly better. The relaxation techniques and exercises as well as emotional signposts of labor progress are priceless for a birthing mother or husband (who likely isn't sure what his role is/should be, but this book totally guides step by step). We haven't taken the classes, but likely for first-time parents, that would be very beneficial. http://www.bradleybirth.com/
Luke is anxious to keep learning, so I know it's going to be a challenge to keep him challenged for these first few months with a new baby as well as structuring our home school. He's such an avid learner (but doesn't like to stick with anything too long), so therein the challenge lies. Keeping him busy and active while taking care of a (likely) fussy baby. I'm sure I can come up with lots of chores to keep him busy, I do know that!
James is right on his footsteps, and likes to guess at words and sound them out. I'm hoping that he'll be easier to teach, since he'll have such a base from listening to all Luke has heard from me. I think that is one of the greatest blessings of homeschool, is that the older kids can teach the younger. Just today at breakfast Luke was teaching James what camouflage is. James knows what the fabric looks like, but Luke was explaining that anything can be camouflage when it blends in and you can't see everything there. (he put a yellow fork put on a yellow plate to be used for an example) I love how they work together and seek out answers to their questions. But...trust me, I get plenty of questions myself from the 3 of them. Luke usually asks knowledge based ones, James "what if _____?" and quizzes us about all these impossible feats, and Elise likes to ask, "what _____ mean?" (she picks some word she's heard and then never even listens to the answer because her little mind is off on some new topic already)
Elise also likes to talk, talk, talk (not so good at the listening end of things!) I do have a new appreciation for moms of girls, because I never knew they could talk so much. All day, every day, every where about everything. And she's only 2 1/2! Does it get better? Or worse as the years go by?
So, the countdown is on until our new baby decides to show up. I haven't been ready for the changes up until last weekend. It's definitely a emotional, spiritual and physical surrendering to get to that place where you're ready for labor and baby and all, but I'm there now. Praying for strength and patience until the big day (and especially on the big day) as there always seems to be so many unknowns in the waiting game. My Mom is showing up this week, so that'll be nice to have her here for emotional support and also to visit with if we do have some days to wait until baby's birth. Sometimes the days before the birth are more draining than those after just due to the discomfort and anticipation. Feeling good overall, but ready to give up the big kicking belly. Very ready!!
Been rereading my birthing books though, and hopefully they'll work as well as last time. I wish I'd known about them with kid #1 and #2, but that's water under the bridge. They are "Husband Coached Childbirth" by Dr. Robert Bradley and "Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way" by Susan McCutcheon. They are very different from the Lamaze classes offered at the hospital (which I had assumed they were similar before I knew much), and work amazingly better. The relaxation techniques and exercises as well as emotional signposts of labor progress are priceless for a birthing mother or husband (who likely isn't sure what his role is/should be, but this book totally guides step by step). We haven't taken the classes, but likely for first-time parents, that would be very beneficial. http://www.bradleybirth.com/
