Summer Reading Challenge

De'Etta at Choosing Joy is hostessing a Summer Reading Challenge. I love to read. I used to read a lot. But lately, all the reading I've been doing in online. Now, that's kind of handy when it's 3am and I'm up with a baby and don't want to turn on any lights for fear of waking someone else. I can read the laptop screen even in the dark. But I miss the smell of a book and the feel of the printed page and that little sound the page makes when you turn it. (Yeah - I know - I'm weird. Just call me "Bibliophile.")

I also have a child who is learning to read, and I want him to have book-reading modelled as an enjoyable pastime. If he only sees me looking at the screen, he doesn't know if I'm working or reading blogs or what. If he sees me with my nose in a book just for the sheer pleasure of it, maybe - just maybe, he'll want to eventually model that behavior. Also, I want him to see me reading for information and from several different books in a day. (Since I spend a lot of time sitting in the rocking recliner with one baby or the other, I have plenty of time to read a bit here and a bit here from different books, and to ponder them - because I need something to ponder - Clifford and Thomas the Train and the Backyardigans are turning my brain to mush rapidly.

The picture's not quite accurate because I swapped out two books. But here's the list:

For Amusement:
I, Mona Lisa by Jeanne Kalogridis
Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant (not pictured)
Sisterchicks on the Loose by Robin Jones Gunn (not pictured)

To Further my Education (on-going project - one chapter of each a week, with notes made)
The Iliad by Homer (Fagles translation - been trying to conquer this for months)
The History of the Ancient World by Susan Wise Bauer (because I'm interested)

To Strengthen my Spirit:
The Ministry of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson (post discussion questions)
Enjoying Where you Are On the Way to Where You Are Going by Joyce Meyer
In the Secret Place of the Most High by Cynthia Heald

About Homeschooling with a focus on Charlotte Mason:
Learning in Spite of Labels by Joyce Herzog
For the Children's Sake by Susan Macaulay
When Children Love to Learn by Elaine Cooper (to be reviewed)

About Homemaking
Queen of the Castle by Lynn Bowen Walker (to be reviewed)

Thankful Thursday: Healing from illness

Since #2 and #3 have had a nasty virus and #3 has had pneumonia, I have been concerned about #4 getting either or both. Last night was a long night - he fussed and cried from midnight until 5am with only brief breaks for dozing. He was so uncomfortable and slightly warm.

This morning, when the Bookworm King woke me from my "night's sleep" (read "brief nap"), #4 had a low-grade fever. He was still uncomfortable. I called our new (and very nice) pediatrician and got him an appointment right way. Then I emailed three friends to pray along with us for a good report and complete healing for #4 with NO hospital stay (which is quite likely for a four week old with a fever). And we left for the doctor's appointment. (I admit, on the way, I called ComfyDenim to whine about my night and morning. Occasionally, a mom just has to whine.)

The doctor was visibly worried about illness in a baby this small. But the fever was gone when we arrived at the doctor's office (Hallelujah!). And upon examination, Dr. F. found that #4 has an infection in his left ear. He started him on an antibiotic and gave me dosing instructions for a decongestant for someone as tiny as #4. (Oh, and we learned that #4 now weighs ten pounds.) This evening, he is resting more comfortably, and is breathing much easier. I'm hoping for a good night!

Also, #2 and #3 are both back to their normal selves! So, as soon as #4 returns to his normal self, we'll declare our household healthy! Hopefully it will last for the summer because we have things to do besides sit here and change out videos and play quietly.

Wordless Wednesday: Bright Light

This is #3 squinting at a photographer-friend at a bike race that was held in our city on Saturday. He has some fantastic expressions.

You can find more Wordless Wednesday posts at 5minutesformom.

WFMW Boredom Edition: Go to the Ant.

Today is the day to announce to the world what we do when someone whines "I'm bored."

I must confess that my almost-five-year-old hasn't every told me that he is bored. Maybe he's just not to that age yet - or maybe he's extraordinarily good at entertaining himself - but boredom isn't a common complaint for him.

However, when his way of entertaining himself is, for some reason, not acceptable to me, I send him outside. Because most of the time, whatever he was doing that wasn't acceptable in the house (running in circles, climbing on bookcases, jumping on the couch, singing "Hey Diddle Diddle" at the top of his lungs) is perfectly acceptable in the backyard. And if his previous unacceptable activity isn't acceptable outside either, it usually involved mistreating a brother or someone else's property - both of which are difficult if he's in the backyard (where most things are indestructible and the baby brothers are currently not allowed to be without an adult). I'll send him out as long as it's not below freezing or over 100 degrees - appropriately clothed for the weather, and with a water source if it's hot.

Here's the kicker: if he gets sent out, he has to stay out until I call him in. Most of the time, if I send him out, he sits and pouts until something - usually an ant - captures his attention and gets him busy doing something.

It's not like being put outside is torture - he has a play structure, a sandbox, another climbing area, and a dirt pile. He's a boy. He thinks the backyard is heaven - particularly if it's warm and sunny and he is allowed to turn on the hose or is given a bucket of water or a squirt bottle.

You can read about other families' methods of alleviating boredom at Rocks in my Dryer, but know that sending the bored outside to watch the ants Works for Me - today at least - I'm sure it will fail at some point.

Tackle it Tuesday: Sick baby edition

I didn't accomplish anything - anything tangible, that is. I did spend lots of time loving on babies and playing with #2. I was extremely blessed by several people:

1. My husband let me have a two hour nap before he went to work because I was awakened often in the night. He also picked up dinner on the way home so that there was no cooking and cleaning in my kitchen tonight.

2. My mother (Gramma) came over for the day to lend a hand with the baby-holding. #4 needs frequent holding and feeding because he is a newborn. #3 needed extra snuggling because he is sick - though he is making a remarkable recovery.

3. My mother-in-law (Mimi) borrowed #2 for the afternoon because he needed extra attention because he was stir-crazy. They went swimming and made breakfast-for-dinner. She returned him at bedtime, all clean and dressed for bed. And he went to sleep awfully quickly tonight, so he must have completely worn himself out.

4. ComfyDenim, who showed up on my doorstep this afternoon with two frozen Mochas from Starbucks - which Gram and I slurped down with gusto and enjoyed immensely.

5. A family friend, known to my bookworms as CrazySheryl, who is a nurse at the local pediatric urgent care center and therefore knows every pediatrician in town, who got an appointment with a new pediatrician, for tomorrow for #3's pneumonia recheck. Since our current peds office didn't have any appointments this week at all, I was thrilled to get in with the guy we've been thinking about changing to - and I was more thrilled that he gets CrazySheryl's stamp of approval.

That was my Tuesday - it was a good day because other people blessed me so that I could do what I needed to do - which was sit with #3 on my lap for the morning and half the afternoon until he was feeling considerable better because he was one sick baby.

Oh what a day

I have four posts in the draft stage that are actually thoughtful, and yet I'm really feeling the need to ramble. My day stunk.

Last Thursday, I took #2 and #3 to the doctor because they were coughing and had low-grade fevers. Diagnosis: a virus. It continued through the weekend. Late Sunday night, #3 started running a higher fever and breathing faster. This morning (Monday morning) I called the pediatricians' office to get him an appointment. They didn't have any, so they referred me to the Children's afterhours clinic. We went over there this evening and learned that #3 has pneumonia. So, he got a shot of heavy duty antibiotics and a prescription for oral antibiotics (now filled and waiting in the fridge.) He'll be better in a few days. I bought myself a bag of black Lindor Truffles while I was at Walgreens, too - and I've eaten three of them.

Going to the Afterhours clinic was hard in itself because I spent so much time there with #1 - we were there about once a week for two years for IV fluids and labs and such. Some of the same nurses were there tonight, and they commented on how much #3 looks like #1. When I told them that #4 had arrived just three weeks ago and yet we have this nasty virus turned pneumonia in our house, one of them warned me that #4 will definitely be admitted to the hospital if he catches it.

I'm just praying that he doesn't catch it.

I'm going to snuggle up with #4 to nurse him and then go to sleep. :)

Update on Tackle It: School Organization

I just wanted to report that my system for organizing schoolwork WORKS!

We've done three days worth of schoolwork this week because it is really easy to pull out the day's folder, have #2 do the work inside it and read a bit from a reader. And school is done - easy as that.

I'll probably regret posting this next Tuesday evening when I'm trying to dream up something to use for Works for Me Wednesday. :)