Lots of Firsts

Leif loved his first pony ride on Ginger at the local historic farm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leif has been accomplishing a lot of "firsts" lately.  He had his first horseback ride, above, which he absolutely adored.  He even said today (weeks after the fact) that he loved it and wants to do it again. 

He has also been doing exceedingly well with his learning.  He counts everything in sight, loves to do basic math, and is basically numbers obsessed.  I'm counting my lucky stars - it is so much fun to work with him when he is really in to what he is doing!  

We've been using workbooks (or activity books, as I call them) which I had originally not been very keen on for various reasons (although I loved them as a child myself) but Leif loves them.  He spends many hours a day with his activity books and we have all different sorts: numbers, writing, reading, history, cutting, etc. as well as the standard tracing, coloring, matching, patterns, etc.  He loves them all.  It's an ongoing lesson to me that just because I think something will not work doesn't mean it won't.  And thinking that something will work for me isn't the point, it has to work for Leif, since he is the one learning.  (All this obvious stuff isn't so obvious when you're in the thick of it!)  Lesson learned, though.  Leif loves his workbooks and they're doing him a world of good. 

Very proud of his 4s, which he wrote out several weeks ago, I'm just slow.  Four is his favorite number right now. :)

He's been writing a ton as well, hot on the heels of his coloring extravaganza where he colored everything he could.  It is so neat to see him come into the phase where he is clearly ready for writing, reading, and 'rithmetic! 

Leif drew a picture for his Daddy, and then wrote "Daddy" (as you can see) underneath - his first word!  Again, he did this a while back, and I'm only now getting to it.  Slooooow Momma.

He's also read his first book, "Mat" of the Bob Book Series.  And see, even before I was able to blog about that first, he's onto his second - "Sam" in the same series.  So he's read two books!  So, we're making a ton of progress there!

It's funny because at this point, it is all fun and games - and yet he is still learning at astonishing rates.  I feel like I hardly do much, but the little that we do has such a huge impact.  We may work on activity books or other activities for 15 minutes to a half hour at a time, a few times a day and that is all.  The rest of the day is play and explore time (and with Leif, exploring almost always includes water).  That's all, and yet he is learning at exponential rates right now.  So cool.

Our house hunt is going.  We've found several houses we like, but so far have yet to make an offer on anything (for various reasons).  Hopefully we'll be in our own place by the end of the summer, though!  We try to include Leif as much as possible, asking what he would like to see in his house (he wants a red house, but will settle for a red shed or playhouse), and what he would like in the yard (chickens, cows, garden, and cutting garden so that he can bring me flowers everyday - that I'll definitely agree to!)  He brings me flowers everyday now...sometimes pretty weed flowers and sometimes real flowers cut from Grandmom's garden (with her permission).  Love that! :)

Baby is doing well, kicking me every time I lay down in bed, and lately, kicking me in the morning when I wake up.  I love the little kicks and rolls.  Leif adores Baby, giving Baby hugs, kisses, and raspberries 50x a day if he does it once!  He will go very far out of his way just to come by and pat Baby (my belly) and say hello and whisper some big brother tidbit to her.  He calls Baby Her since he is thoroughly convinced that Baby is a She.

I have the 20 week sonogram this week, so if we want, we can find out Baby's gender.  I'm shockingly undecided on this point...I don't care if we do know or if we don't.  And if that is the case, I'll probably wait to find out when Baby is born since I'm not too gung-ho to find out now.  Jason is as ambivalent as I am on the subject.  We're as bad with names - neither of us have thought about it at all.  Halfway through the pregnancy, and I can't think of names.  Terrible!  Names or not, I love having the little squiggle pop around in my belly - it's best when Jason and Leif can feel it, too! :)

In other growing news, I pulled up the first radishes from the garden.  I'd been waiting until they were a little bigger to thin them out so I could actually eat them, and yesterday, they were! Some were still a little small, but edible.  They were peppery and hot, but very good. They were the first radishes I've ever successfully grown (the Southern heat killed my crop last summer!) so that was exciting.  I have a few more new types on my "wanna try" list when it comes to radishes.  I love radishes.  And now, I especially love them fresh from the garden and into my mouth.  Oh Happy Day.

Leif pumping water at the historic farm.

So that is about the size of it. 

Homeschooling, pregnancy, house hunting, and  radishes.  That's our life right now.

Not too shabby, eh?

Happy Days.