Im noticing some new things emerging in Nora Lee that are so fun and I wanted to share. One is her wit. She is starting to understand humor and to play with words and ideas in such a fun way. She'll say things that I ask Matt if he told her but she's coming up with it! She is also spontaneously laughing often and wholeheartedly. She sometimes says, "I love to laugh!" Me too kid!
She is also expressing her desire to be seen. I've heard her say on a number of occasions lately "Look at me!" She will ask specifically for someone (anyone!) to watch her do something. She has also started throwing a little attitude our way in a very teenager sort of way. Saying things like "Maa-maa" in that tone which says, "Mama, you are being so ridiculous." More of our phrases are coming back at us that we have used with her when she gets moody or out of control emotionally. When we try to hurry her along (usually when putting on shoes and getting in the car - a task that can take sooooooo long) she might say, "OK, OK, take it easy." As if our requests are so out of the blue or ridiculous.
Matty calls her his little string bean right now. She is long and skinny. We are officially giving up on pants with no elastic waistbands because her pants fall down too much. She needs long but tiny waisted pants. I need to measure her but I was shocked to see that in the pool yesterday in the 3 foot area she could touch the ground and keep her head above water. I think she weighs 31 pounds.
We are off this morning to a kid's music show as a family and then will go over to our friends, the Chapmans, home to make pizzas and our own music!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Predictions
Yesterday Nora Lee and I spent the afternoon in a friend's pool. It was beautiful and sunny and absolutely perfect weather. When we went in to change our clothes Nora Lee kept going to the window and very dramatically saying, "A Storm is coming! A Storm is coming! Close the windows, close the doors!" We all thought it was a fun game since it's the middle of July and the weather was gorgeous.
After leaving our friends we went to a BBQ for a late afternoon party. About an hour into the party, it started to rain and rain hard -from out of NOWHERE! For those of you in Florida, this is no big deal, happens all the time. But in southern California in July it does not just go from blue sky and full sun one moment to big heavy raindrops the next. It rained for about a half hour and then was done. It was unexpected and so fun! Although it was a surprise (to everyone but Nora Lee) it made the air feel warm and wet and clean. Lovely.
After leaving our friends we went to a BBQ for a late afternoon party. About an hour into the party, it started to rain and rain hard -from out of NOWHERE! For those of you in Florida, this is no big deal, happens all the time. But in southern California in July it does not just go from blue sky and full sun one moment to big heavy raindrops the next. It rained for about a half hour and then was done. It was unexpected and so fun! Although it was a surprise (to everyone but Nora Lee) it made the air feel warm and wet and clean. Lovely.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Homeschooling
As many of you know, Matt and I have been considering homeschool as an option for Nora Lee's education. Over the last few years I have done a lot of research about educational options such as available public schools, private schools, and homeschooling. Although it's true that the public schools are not great near us and the private schools cost between $10,000-$25,000 a year per child (yes, you are reading those figures correctly) that is not ultimately what is causing Matt and I to choose homeschooling for our family. The main reason is that Matt and I are really excited to play an intimate role in Nora Lee's development and education. We are lucky enough to have a lifestyle that allows us to both be home a lot of the time and homeschooling offers us the freedom to focus on Nora Lee as an individual.
In the last few months Nora Lee and I have been exploring the homeschooling communities in Los Angeles and discovering all there is to do! There is a huge community here and we are still getting to know everyone. The biggest community is taking a break for the summer and then starts up again in September. Another smaller group still meets throughout the summer. One main activity of this group is a "park day" which happens every Thursday from 12-5pm. It is led by a passionate homeschooling mom who creates lessons and activities for each afternoon. Last time we went, the kids were raising silk worms. The worms were just beginning to create cocoons so the kids got to hold the worms and watch other worms spinning their cocoons. The kids will get to experience the worms through the entire process and then will be dyeing and using the silk cocoons in an art project. This is the second year of the project so the kids have documented the process from eggs, to worms, to cocoons, to moths. I also really liked how the older kids got to teach the younger ones. Nora Lee was in heaven having a 9 year old girl help her make a friendship bracelet!
This park day also gives the kids an opportunity to run around and play with each other. The ratio of kids to adults is usually 1:1 or 1:2 which is really nice. This group also goes camping together and really allows the kids to form long relationships. I went to a homeschooling informational evening last month and got to hear from parents of homeschooled young adults. They shared what worked, what didn't work, and what their kids are doing now. Many of the kids formed friendships that started as toddlers and lasted through adulthood. They also shared that families can be as social as they choose to be. If desired, they can do activities with other homeschooling families every day of the week. We are close friends with a family with three children who are just beginning to homeschool. Their son is three weeks older than Nora Lee and we have been spending lots of time together. Nora Lee also has regular weekly play dates with several friends.
Many homeschooled kids do extracurricular activities such as theater, dance, sports, girl scouts, etc. Many of them also begin taking classes at junior colleges around age 13 or 14 to begin specializing in subjects they want to excel in such as higher maths and sciences.
There are so many different approaches to homeschooling. Right now, the one that feels best to Matt and I is to use a homeschool curriculum called Oak Meadow. We will purchase a curriculum each year that has lessons day by day. It also has the options of long distance learning with an instructor for subjects where we would like more support such as calculus, foreign languages, or for high school AP courses.
If you are interested in knowing more about the curriculum you can check out the following links:
Here is the specific link for the Oak Meadow curriculum for first grade. It gives a thorough overview of the year and sample lessons.
http://www.oakmeadow.com/curriculum/overviews/1ov.pdf
Here is fifth grade :
http://www.oakmeadow.com/curriculum/overviews/5ov.pdf
They have this info for every year, so explore as you like!
This link gives info about high school and preparation for university education:
http://www.oakmeadow.com/curriculum/highschool.php
We are excited and will keep you updated about our journey!
In the last few months Nora Lee and I have been exploring the homeschooling communities in Los Angeles and discovering all there is to do! There is a huge community here and we are still getting to know everyone. The biggest community is taking a break for the summer and then starts up again in September. Another smaller group still meets throughout the summer. One main activity of this group is a "park day" which happens every Thursday from 12-5pm. It is led by a passionate homeschooling mom who creates lessons and activities for each afternoon. Last time we went, the kids were raising silk worms. The worms were just beginning to create cocoons so the kids got to hold the worms and watch other worms spinning their cocoons. The kids will get to experience the worms through the entire process and then will be dyeing and using the silk cocoons in an art project. This is the second year of the project so the kids have documented the process from eggs, to worms, to cocoons, to moths. I also really liked how the older kids got to teach the younger ones. Nora Lee was in heaven having a 9 year old girl help her make a friendship bracelet!
This park day also gives the kids an opportunity to run around and play with each other. The ratio of kids to adults is usually 1:1 or 1:2 which is really nice. This group also goes camping together and really allows the kids to form long relationships. I went to a homeschooling informational evening last month and got to hear from parents of homeschooled young adults. They shared what worked, what didn't work, and what their kids are doing now. Many of the kids formed friendships that started as toddlers and lasted through adulthood. They also shared that families can be as social as they choose to be. If desired, they can do activities with other homeschooling families every day of the week. We are close friends with a family with three children who are just beginning to homeschool. Their son is three weeks older than Nora Lee and we have been spending lots of time together. Nora Lee also has regular weekly play dates with several friends.
Many homeschooled kids do extracurricular activities such as theater, dance, sports, girl scouts, etc. Many of them also begin taking classes at junior colleges around age 13 or 14 to begin specializing in subjects they want to excel in such as higher maths and sciences.
There are so many different approaches to homeschooling. Right now, the one that feels best to Matt and I is to use a homeschool curriculum called Oak Meadow. We will purchase a curriculum each year that has lessons day by day. It also has the options of long distance learning with an instructor for subjects where we would like more support such as calculus, foreign languages, or for high school AP courses.
If you are interested in knowing more about the curriculum you can check out the following links:
Here is the specific link for the Oak Meadow curriculum for first grade. It gives a thorough overview of the year and sample lessons.
http://www.oakmeadow.com/curriculum/overviews/1ov.pdf
Here is fifth grade :
http://www.oakmeadow.com/curriculum/overviews/5ov.pdf
They have this info for every year, so explore as you like!
This link gives info about high school and preparation for university education:
http://www.oakmeadow.com/curriculum/highschool.php
We are excited and will keep you updated about our journey!
Fun Stuff We're Up To
Nora Lee just finished three half days of summer camp. It worked out okay. We all had some learning experiences. Nora Lee was pushed and bitten in the first half hour of attending and had some tender moments in the following days. She continued to be willing to show up the following day but only knowing that she wouldn't have to go after that. On day two Matt picked her up early because she was homesick. We were reminded of Nora Lee's sensitivity. That morning she and daddy had buried some stones in the dirt. Later, some kids were beginning to dig up the stones and it made Nora Lee really upset and really miss her daddy. She cried for a while and then the school called us. She happily went back the next day and had no problem.
Im also happy to report how lovingly the school handled the little boy who was rough with Nora. After some loving training in the few days they were together, by the third day I saw him go up to Nora Lee and give her a big hug. Matt and I both felt good about Nora Lee getting a taste of the school environment and he and I getting to feel the rhythm of school for our family - getting up in the morning, packing lunch, dropping off, picking up, etc. Since Matt and I have been considering homeschool and are now moving forward on that path (more on this in the next post) it was nice to see more of the school we had been looking at for Nora Lee.
It was also nice to see that many of the elements that make this school so special, we have created here at home. For example, they have a small vegetable garden and some fruit trees. The kids take turns watering the plants and picking up the fallen fruit. They play in the dirt and in the water. All in all, it was good for our family to have this experience.
Nora Lee and I have been spending lots of time at the library both for story time and library events. They have a program where grandparents read to the kids each day and Nora Lee loves it. They also put on great puppet and magic shows. This has brought us out to libraries all over the valley. We've enjoyed checking out tons of books and some kid videos.
Last week we discovered a shop called Lollipop Dreams. It is decorated in a style that I LOVE, french boutique! One half is a shop and the other is a play area. Each Friday at 11am kids can listen to stories, then they get to dress up in princess costumes and get their faces or arms painted. All for free! What a deal! I think we'll head there today again.
Last week Nora Lee went dressed as Dorothy and then got to change into Snow White.
Im also happy to report how lovingly the school handled the little boy who was rough with Nora. After some loving training in the few days they were together, by the third day I saw him go up to Nora Lee and give her a big hug. Matt and I both felt good about Nora Lee getting a taste of the school environment and he and I getting to feel the rhythm of school for our family - getting up in the morning, packing lunch, dropping off, picking up, etc. Since Matt and I have been considering homeschool and are now moving forward on that path (more on this in the next post) it was nice to see more of the school we had been looking at for Nora Lee.
It was also nice to see that many of the elements that make this school so special, we have created here at home. For example, they have a small vegetable garden and some fruit trees. The kids take turns watering the plants and picking up the fallen fruit. They play in the dirt and in the water. All in all, it was good for our family to have this experience.
Nora Lee and I have been spending lots of time at the library both for story time and library events. They have a program where grandparents read to the kids each day and Nora Lee loves it. They also put on great puppet and magic shows. This has brought us out to libraries all over the valley. We've enjoyed checking out tons of books and some kid videos.
Last week we discovered a shop called Lollipop Dreams. It is decorated in a style that I LOVE, french boutique! One half is a shop and the other is a play area. Each Friday at 11am kids can listen to stories, then they get to dress up in princess costumes and get their faces or arms painted. All for free! What a deal! I think we'll head there today again.
Last week Nora Lee went dressed as Dorothy and then got to change into Snow White.
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