Homeschooling - Kindergarten

I am actually GIDDY about this coming 'school year'. Being this is my first time going through this homeschooling stuff, I chose to run a kindergarden program for Logan this year for a few reasons: 1. he's intellectually curious about a variety of things that I figured why wait til grade 1 to start? and 2. I want to be sure we can actually be diligent and committed to a homeschool program.

I searched and searched for a kindergarten complete curriculum because I did not want to be piecing together all the 'subjects' and missing out on things that I may or may not feel important, and just again, being our first time doing this I figured ordering a predesigned curriculum would ease us into things the process :) The other major advantage to ordering a curriculum was that I probably would -not- have ordered some of the "toys" (blocks, games, puzzles) if I were piecing things together because I can be cheap lol

We ended up ordering the curriculum from Timberdoodle. A few cons are that it's an American company so some of the material focuses on American history and such which I will have to adapt, but less than 10% of the material so not bad. And the cost of shipping about killed us. So we won't order from them again likely. Sadly this year is not reimbursable so it was straight out of pocket.

Most importantly, LOGAN is excited! He was a little apprehensive because he wanted to go to school with his friend Lando and after we sat down and explained to him that school is not just playtime with Lando, but rather it involves actual school work while there (and of course some play) then he was okay with the idea of homeschooling. And then he saw the HUGE box of books and toys and games that came in the mail. Oh it's taken everything to convince him we have to WAIT another month before starting :) I know there will be up and down days as far as wanting to learn and participate but that's no different than them being at school.

Anyways, I am so convinced we've made the right decision to be a hs family the closer it gets. I am nervous at moments but frankly, they are good nerves vs bad nerves.

Our schedule looks a little something like this for September (subject to change but I work best off a schedule until we get into a swing of things):

Daily: practice piano and read a chapter in the scriptures (likely our family version of the Book of Mormon)
Monday: Math & Science
Tuesday: NO SCHOOL because we have piano lessons and beavers and I babysit my neighbors 9-1.
Wednesday: Language Arts
Thursdays: rotation every week with some Language work in our 'fun book' and Art/Drawing and games/puzzles, etc.
Friday: History and Geography until the monthly quota is reached then filled in with work from the book "developing the early learner" and such.

My personal goal: To do school work in the mornings between 9&12 for 2hrs MAX. During school I will have my cellphone turned off so my attn can be to the kids. At the same time I will have Carter working on some preschool stuff or he can play quietly elsewhere. It will become 'school time' in our house. It may take some time to create the habit but that's why i'm starting this this year. Of course new baby is in the picture and we will adjust accordingly. I certainly do NOT plan to be rigid, but I do plan to get some work done with my children in as a fun a way as we can :)

Eye exams

Took the boys for their annual eye exams today  and they both have a minor astigmatism. Doctor said  its 50-50 chance that it develops or goes away....but id say those odds are not quite right as mommy and daddy have astigmatism and it is a genetic thing. Right now they both have 20-30 vision and no reason for a cxorrection (aka glasses) but over the next couple years  logan specifically will be monitored to see if it develops or not. Thankfully eye exams are Alberta healthcare covered in Alberta :)

Baby#3 20 weeks

Well 20 weeks officially today! Half way mark - it has taken forever to get to this point! It was just the pick me up i needed to get the ultrasound. Since we were on our way out of town camping for the weekend, michael and the boys and my mom were able to come with me.

I have a few predictions to record:
-Me: im pedicting a boy
-Anna (neighbor): predicting a girl - and she says shes never wrong
-my Grandma Shideler: did the string and needle test and it was an overwhelming BOY. But she is predicting a girl even still cuz she thinks i need one.
-Sandy (neighbor): predicts a girl

Otherwise new symptoms: swelling (or weight gain - unsire) drastically in my legs. I always have cankles but they are especially worsened this pregnancy. Weight gain has subsided to a much slower rate but im already almost to my highest pregnancy weight at just 20 weeks.

Anyways, things are moving along and im excited to meet our "last child" - im treating this pregnancy as our last so i make sure i am enjoying those certain aspects of pregnancy (like the flutters and movements) that i actually enjoy the best i can.

Lastly, i have actually had some nervous feelings about labor this time around. I wasnt concerned that i can remmeber with logan and carters but after carter being 9lb-8oz i am concerber about a natural.birth and a bigger baby! I remember the pain being horendous and that makes me nervous. But on the flip side i am excited to possibly "conquer" labor as far as pushing goes. After carter i figured out that my body does not habe the natural desire to push. In fact, i clench or hold things in when im in pain abdmoninally - so now that im.aware of that i look forward to mentally overcoming that and maybe more successfully delivering.

Otherwise im doing well and counting down the last  20 weeks!

My boys to date

Logan - Turned 5 may 25th. over the past 6 months logan has gone thru some major changes. He still is a great help, and really sweet. However in addition he has found a real attitude and a temper! Part of it is just the growing up into a boy vs a little kid, and part of it is this pregnancy i have not been as patient and thus scold alot, and part of it is how we have to deal with carter (will elaborate later). The temper includes when hebisnt getting his way, he will pound the ground or table (whatevers nearest him) or kick something and then slam the door as hard as he can when hes sent to his room. Considering weve never dealt with this from logan specifically, we arent sire what method to use. On the other side of the spectrum, -generally- when we ask logan to help us, he is on it! he even after a little coaxing will do his chores now with no complaint (mostly). I guess  what im saying is we can whole heartedly trust Logan.

Carter - 2 1/2 yrs old. All kids his age (minus his buddy colt) are afraid of him.because carter is not kind to kids his age. Hes genetally good with babies and hes best with kids logans age. And half of the time hes not trying to be mean, hes just rough/aggressive in his play. If a kid presents "whimpy" then carter turns into.his bully mentality. Its really frusterating. This is what i was alluding to in regards to logan as i sometimes feel that logan is learning his behaviors in defense to his little brother (who picks on him). And carter is very defiant(?) And refuses to listen. We have to ask him 7-10 times before he truly hears us or at least will obey us. By the 5th time we are taking him to do what we asked or swatting his behind or losing our patience. He truly just ignores us.  now! Carters not all.negative! He also is extremely relaxed personality - and is very calm in his behhavior. Rarely gets angry or wild. It may sound weird bit his "bullyness" is very laid back. Hes not glaring or what have you during his bully moments. Hes quite sweet one on one. I think itll be great for him.specifically when i stop babysitting (or at least cut back significantly) and go back to playdates. Cuz hes generally great during playdates and is a mostly hard on kids i watch. -sigh- love that.boy!

So they are both very different and unique :-) i love them.both and can only hope and pray  i raise them right!

Pregnancy symtpoms new to this pregnancy

Every pregnancy has been different for me. This time i have:

1. Nose bleeds
2. Itchy skin
3. Acne (usually it has cleared)
4. First trimester weight gain. So far no additional gain into the second.
5. Low iron - enough i have to take a supplement
6. Random nausia days - especially if i eat poorly

Bit of a downer blog but need to vent

Bah. I dont care what anyone says, i hate gaining weight in pregnancy and i have gained a ton of unnecessary weight - in fact i was gaining weight very slowly leading up to this oregna cy. Clothes dont fit me, my.body is spreading, and i feel horendously unattractive. The sad part is im only 17 weeks along so i have 5 months of this agony to go. I have small.spurts of days where i have a good handle of food i consume, but generally i feel like i have.no will power and no way to get back into my regular routine of how i felt best eating. I do.quite well in my meals,but its the snacks and preparing food and snacks for my children that is challenging... and evening snacks. I feel like a whale and i feel like ill never be able to get my 140lb body back. It just feels hopeless and ive studied nitrition and know what i should be doing,- but how do you get back to it?? Im thinking about weighing and measuring again... now that the first trimester nausia is over and its summer but holidays and camping make me not want to eat well cuz i want to have a marshmellow or two etc.

I battle weight always and forever. I feel like a broken record. I hate how i feel. Its annoying. I hate the fact that i have to be hugely strict.on my diet if i want to weigh 140 (and thats not even a small weight realistically) and i hate that i cant jist eat 1 cookie for example without wanting to eat 10 more or sometimes actually eating them! I feel often like my body is cursed.

I am constantly reminding myself that i am a child of God and every body is beautiful. And i have to remind myself of this many many times a day. -sigh- i could really use a break from myself!

Pregnancy #8, Baby #3

It's April 19th and I decided I needed to write a blog to post at a later date when i'm ready to 'announce'. I am either 8 or 9 weeks along today. This was a bit of a surprise as I really wasn't planning to be pregnant right now. I was waiting...and frankly it's a miracle the -one- time ...you know... -wink- I was almost due for my -next- period, but I was obviously meant to have this child because I am pregnant anyways. A pregnancy test did not show positive until 4 days past my period due date. (and why this seems so weird to me is because I have been a 28 day ON THE DOT cycle essentially since I've been married - or sooner! I just can only recollect as far back as married life beginning). Anyways, there you have it, i'm pregnant. 

My first two pregnancies (that lasted full term) were night and day pregnancies. I'm not sure what to catagorize this one as? Because it's completely opposite of the boys'! This is the first pregnancy I have been sick. I have been SO sick! I called my midwives and they've prescribed me some diclectin which helped. The past two days are the first days I haven't been nauseated. I'm slowly coming out of it. And those of you that remember, I was SICK for 3 days - and it was not a pregnancy related illness. I was actually truly sick, it just extenuated the nausea (that's when I started the diclectin). 

Another funny tidbit. I actually didn't tell Michael until I was 7 weeks lol. Why do you ask? Well my original plan was to wait until my 8-10 week ultrasound (I always get one with my miscarriage history, and I'm curious what im dating at because of when a preg test showed positive). I wanted to surprise Michael and be like 'i'm pregnant and i'm ACTUALLY pregnant!'. But, 7 week mark was when I was extreme sick, and the week prior to that I had been going to bed basically when he got home because I was sick and exhausted. I blamed it on my insomnia, but it was combination insomnia and pregnancy. Anyways, my plan didn't work out, and I haven't told anyone else since. AND I went for my 9 week u/s and on my way highway 1 was CLOSED due to snow and and accident, so I had to turn around and go home! What a waste of getting my kids up early and to a babysitter that was! And I have to wait an entire week to see if i've got a real swimmer in there or not.

On to my next tidbit! I don't know when i'll be able to hide it until. Being sick I gained about 5-7lbs during the last 5 weeks. With my history of being obese, when i'm stressed or sick I turn to comfort in the form of food. (sad). So with the weight gain, and the fact this is my 3rd (you know what I mean) I am popping out really fast! 

Next info I'd like recorded for this 'journal'. Funny story. I had to take Logan and Carter with me to my blood test, which went fine. Logan's look of shock and slight horror when I got the needle was cute lol. but he wasn't traumatized, he hasn't mentioned it since (and it's not the first time he's seen me get a blood test) - they also give them stickers (which they sadly know where the sticker cupboard is all on their own). But the funny part was when we went to the bathroom for my urine sample. Carter and Logan went potty first, then I 'peed in the cup' LOL Logan was like 'what are you doing??' - it was near impossible trying to explain to him that doctors need our PEE. I just sluffed it off and blew him off a bit LOL 

April 23 - today i went for the ultrasound to.see what my actual date is and if the baby is "alive". It was actually a disappointing appointment. So there is a heartbeat but its at 80-85 (measured 3 times apparently) which is extemely low. The heartbeat should have been on avg 120-160bpm. Anyways, the lady asked me to wait while she took.the results to the inhouse doctor (which ive done this enough.times to know something isnt right). The doc came and told me that its low.and i really need to follow up with my doc to see what "action we want to take" (meaning doppler or u/s) to follow up. As soon as i got out of the building I called my midwife to ask what this means. Basically she explained that i will be in limbo until our next visit.. it could go either way at this point. The one piece of information that I am Clinging onto with all the hope i can muster is the fact i am in fact measuring 10 weeks 1 day so baby has been growing. -sigh- my piece of mind ultrasound turned into a really stressful one! 

May 7th - strong heartbeat heard, very excited to be able to say we will be welcoming baby #3 (and our last but thats another blog lol) November 19th, 2014!