Monthly Archives: August 2013
Now and then
Now…
…and then
That was 9 October 2012, nearly a year ago.
Eli is protecting his brain from the alien signals
First steps and Friday fun
Eli took his first step today. Just one and a half steps between mommy and daddy, but he has officially taken his first step. Not long and he’ll be able to run from one set of legs to the other.
Grace’s school celebrated Maria Montessori’s birthday today with a South African theme. Everyone also had to take along a South African food item and Grace’s meatballs (frikkadels) were a big success.
Grace wanted to make a rocket out of a large piece of paper, and once she had squeezed inside, she definitely needed a cone for the top of the rocket…
“I really need to get to that last little bit of jelly!”
Standing and reading
Eli is working on walking. There has just been this subtle change in the way that he holds on to things and people – it’s lighter. Yesterday he was standing and Donné gently let go of him with the intention that he sit down, but instead of the usual plop to the ground, he just stood there. 5….10….still going strong, and then plop, his legs gave way. Now just to coordinate those feet.
Feedback from school is that Grace wants to read. She doesn’t want to work through all the building blocks that lead up to reading, she just wants to read. She did manage to get a list of words to practice, all words ending in “ot”, like pot, cot, lot, etc. which she can sound out. I think she will really love being able to read.
Pillow fight!
I was washing my face this morning and I hear, “Pillow fight! Pillow fight!” and Eli laughing away, so we had a re-enactment later in the day…
Fabric painting in preparation for Maria Montessori day on Friday
Who’s that in the cot with you Eli?
Spacemen and trademarks
Grace has developed a trademark sign in her drawings – every drawing now gets a sun somewhere. A new skill and she is using it everywhere.
On the left is Rapunzel with her long hair and tiara (the little black circle on her head). The purple blobs next to her are her wings. On the right is the wicked witch. And there is that sun.
Grace blasted off the house on a trip to Mars today, which definitely requires a space suit (pink dress), helmet and eye protection so that she doesn’t get sand in her eyes.
Better swimming arms
Grace has been working on her swimming arms making them both work, instead of just the one, and is now doing nice circles. Her ability to be independent in the water is growing in leaps and bounds.
Winter sunny days
Other than the required chores for the day, today was whiled away in the sunny garden, just enjoying being together.
Grace in the Minnie Mouse dress she borrowed from Catelin after their play date was cut short yesterday
Head, shoulder, knees and toes, knees and toes
..and eye infection, ears and throat, that’s how the weekend goes, weekend goes.
If Grace has a day sleep, then we can just about be sure she is sick, and if Eli cries inconsolably, then we know that it’s time for a visit to the doctor. We were fortunate with Grace, she was hardly sick in the first year of her life (and then caught up in the second). Eli has not been so fortunate (but is also exposed to schoolchildren and goes out much more than Grace ever did). He has an ear and throat infection which will hopefully clear quickly.
The eye infection, that belongs to me.
Even though I woke up feeling fine, but by lunch time my one eye was swollen, puffy and full of muck and the other eye was starting to produce muck. Off to the doctor, some strong meds and today things are looking much better. Looking at myself in the mirror this morning was a bit of surprise though. It is strange when you look at yourself and think, “That doesn’t really look like me.” With puffy eyes and swollen eyelids I looked a bit like a beaten up hobo. Thanks to God, even though I looked like that, everything has been clearing nicely.
One way to make supper
There are lots of ways, and this is definitely not the normal way.
Eli watching One Direction music videos on a cellphone
And Grace watching Doc McStuffins on the tablet
The funniest sister
Eli was full of laughs today, and the person who makes him laugh the most is his sister.