'where's daddy?'
She held her hands up in a question and said 'daddy?' Then she said: "feiji" (Chinese for airplane).
This morning (after a much better nights sleep) Gabrielle spilled her milk and granola, of course.
He says "I don't like reading" but then he is always finding things he can read in his unlocked world of words and sounds and making sense. So he does actually love the fruit of it.
And for the first time today she said: 'wait a second'. And so she gets in on the delay tactic!
As I was changing her diaper I was telling her and Tobin that I was going to do a Kettle Bell workout while they went to the market. Gabrielle starting saying: 'tst tst tst'. I thought for a moment and then said: "are you mimicking how I sound when I do Kettle bells? How is it?" And she did it again. She is absolutely right, she has the breathing down. I was laughing hard at this.
Bella at school. Her math teacher was keeping them a little late.
I got the text last night that Tobin was supposed to wear his old uniform to school. But it was hot and I had no idea why. He wasn't loving the long sleeve collared white shirt and I wasn't either. I just stuffed it in his bag and he wore this:
Bella and I have not gotten much school done in the 15 minutes between times to go get Sophia (usually 30 minutes), so we did more in the afternoon.
Thanks for texting us all you are eating (per the kids' request). We are not too jealous (except the Swensons icecream!) It was funny you asked what we ate for lunch. The kids fave, that we do every 3 months now: ramen noodles. Nutritionally stout, I know. We also ate lots of fruit and raw veg too!
This week's read aloud are various stories from China and India, so we are reading the awesome Barefoot Books we have of dance stories or horse stories and they always explain a bit about where they come from first. And the Usborne Illustrated Stories from around the world.
We were behind today so we didn't read much...
During History we read about India and the Taj Mahal.
Tobin wrote his name and then said: 'look I did an upside down 'i' so you have to say it loud'. In the morning I had taught him about the exclamation point adding strength to what is being said. Hilarious. I love the dots on his I!
The girls did all they could do of school without me (mainly math, reading, and Bible review) and were playing 'school' outside when I returned from taking Tobin and others to school.
Bella learned how to use a dictionary in her Literature/grammar study of "Little House". She loved it.
How do animals reproduce? The lab part was a virtual dissection of a crayfish, it was still gross on the screen, and didn't take us long. We did look at the female and male body parts. Then we went to our Science notebooks and I had them draw an animal that reproduces by 'live birth' one that reproduces by 'laying eggs' and one that 'fragments'. And then....
Then I read to them book #2 about God's design for sex. Yes, at six and eight years old. The book is for 5-8 year olds. They heard it here first, and for that I am so glad!
I am not sure Bella really got it, which is fine. Sophia's eyes got big and she turned pinkish when I read the most detailed part. But I kept emphasizing the beauty of it all, to down play what could seem to be gross or, for the childbirth part, painful. They didn't ask any questions, but I told them to please ask us any time! I also really emphasized how we are made in God's image, and how this process is not mere science, it is miraculous and creative genius.
Bella took the book and looked back through it, which has very tasteful and beautiful pictures, especially of a baby in the womb.
Ayi cooked us a great meal and I was thankful just to let her do the whole meal today. SO helpful.
Tobin still complained of a bellyache and I am not sure if it is a short virus or if he has other issues. Nothing has come of his belly ache so far.
I turned on an OLD superman/superhero movie.
It had 'hawkman' and 'wondergirl' in it.
We returned and all was well, girls still plugging along at Chinese, Tobin's video just ending.
Then Tobin came in while I was changing G and said: 'Sophia pinched me.'
I replied, 'thanks for telling me, and good job on self control not doing anything back'....in walked Sophia with a huge red scratch near her eye. Tobin started crying: ' I didn't mean to...'
So much for great self control! And the whole thing unfolded, which was not a big deal at all. Sophia was really playing (which I knew) and Tobin wasn't taking the joke (obviously).
I made them hug well! Then they all got together (except G who was in bed by this time) and started reenacting the movie and playing really well together, while I sat and started this post.
They then wanted pictures and video taken. So I oblige, it is blurry and gives no full effect:
Last night when Tobin and Gabrielle went to bed I had to go in a few times. When I left the last time G was crying. After 10 minutes I heard her cackle laughing. I had to go in and tell them again, and emphasize to Tobin, 'no playing'. But he told me he was just trying to keep her from crying. I was actually thankful for that.
Tonight, he said she was being 'annoying', and when I gave her a little discipline she pointed to Tobin and said: 'Tobin, Tobin!' She wanted him to share in her discipline.
Things are quiet now, but probably not for long. My stomach isn't quite fully recovered, I may go to bed early or call SC to catch up, she can't talk until 9 p.m. and I am not sure I will have a coherent thought by then. I better call it a night.
You return tomorrow night, and we are SO excited!
