I’m Starting To Feel Just An Eensy Bit Like A Slacker. . .Which For My Type-A Personality And The Recent Funk Is Probably A Good Thing.
Sadly for you, and strangely for me, these slacker-guilt feelings are producing absolutely nothing from me. I have an ounce of scrapbooking mojo and just a tish of inspiration that could blossom into more- but I have decided that given the last year or two. . .I’m going to wait until that tish turns into the full blown URGE. Bear with me. I am focusing on my family. And the grime that lurks in my closets.
Now, when I say I am taking it easy- it should be clarified that I am still working my job. I am still raising three children. I still have several projects going. I’m just not doing the extras. My mother told me on the phone that my slacker is more people’s normal. I’m insane like that, and need to learn to take a step back. I’m working on the balance thing.
Let’s talk baby! Gabe just turned five months and it is just awful how fast that happened! He is unequivocally the cutest baby I know. He can roll both ways, he says “dada”, he bounces like a maniac in his jumper and he started solids yesterday. I was going to hold off longer on the solids, but the boy was HUNGRY. So I fed him. Rice cereal is gross, beans are blah, squash is a step up and bananas are goooooooood. He also has his daddy’s hair, not in color but in texture, thickness and anti-gravity qualities. Poor thing. This is going to be a problem as he grows up, but on a baby? Cuuuuute!
Jonas finished summer school, much to his dismay, and we are now doing school at home per his request. He is inhaling workbooks at a slightly slower rate than the first few weeks of summer, but only because he finished all the first grade books and is now doing 2nd and 3rd grade level books, and he has to think for 1.2 seconds before writing in the correct answer, unlike the 1st grade books where the knowledge leaped straight out of his ear and onto the page before he could even pick up his pencil. This is good. His reading is taking off, and the only problem he really has at this point is confidence. He keeps telling me how he just can’t read something, but he is actually 100% able. I think this all exploded so quickly he hasn’t really registered that he can.
Speaking of reading. . .Maggie is starting to do that. She has picked up a few things and I now find myself reading bedtime stories and having her say, “STOP! Did you just read “yes”? Where was it?” And then she scours the page until she finds the word. She seems to get a new word almost every night, and I don’t know where she’s finding them. I have been gearing up to homeschool Kindergarten with her next year (we were going to do pre-school, but based on her skills. . .we already did that unschool style. We also did two-thirds of Kindergarten, for that matter, but I’m going back to fill in the blanks). She has a learning style that is totally unlike her brother’s, and so I am learning as much as she is. These kids are like deciphering code. They have similar system functions- but every process and application runs differently (and crashes differently, for that matter). It is at once beautiful and terrifying as you learn all this at the same time while worrying that you are completely messing up this innocent little human being.
Ok, that’s all for now, so slacker-Leah has a little something to offer you - call it a peace offering for having a stinky blog this month: Two give-a-ways before the end of the month. And they are good ones, if I do say so myself!
Sometimes you just need to concentrate on being a mom and that’s ok!
Comment by Erika M — July 24, 2009 @ 4:51 pm
I SO enjoy reading your blog and am thankful for the new entry;) I’d say I’m a lot like you; my slacker seems to pretty much be the norm for everyone else. It takes some getting used to:)
Comment by Es — July 24, 2009 @ 5:01 pm
Wow, that’s amazing about Jonas and Magpie. I think it’s always been obvious that Jonas is super-smart, but maybe now it’s starting to occur to him, too? So proud of you for giving him the challenge he needs. And Maggie! Wow, what little reader! Don’t worry about the messing-up potential—the individual learning attention you’re giving both of those kids is the best educational gift you can possibly give them. They’re going to be so far ahead of their peers, whether they are completely homeschooled or completely public-schooled, because you’re their mom, and you know what they need.
So you go, girl.
Comment by Chandler — July 24, 2009 @ 6:13 pm
I just love reading your blog - no matter what the entry is about - it’s always interesting! Hope you’re able to find the balance that you’re looking for
Comment by Linda (Lou) — July 24, 2009 @ 11:11 pm
moms knows whats best in their child..i enjoy your blog.
Comment by Be Thou My Vision — July 24, 2009 @ 11:15 pm
It’s great to see you taking some time for yourself Leah, even if it is at the rate of most people’s normal, lol. I hope you are finding your center again, and feeling the joy of your life fill you up. Gabe is seriously the cutest little guy, I’ve loved your willingness to allow us to watch your kids grow up with you. Take it easy, take your time, we’re not going anywhere!
Comment by sherri — July 25, 2009 @ 6:47 am
I think it is great that you are taking some time to focus on your family! Especially with the little ones–they change and grow soo fast! It is nice to enjoy those moments—plu think of all the memories you are creating to scrap when your mojo does return!
Comment by kimr — July 25, 2009 @ 8:14 am
You Are soo TALENTED and AMAZING~ thanks for all that you share with us! you inspire many many people!
Comment by kendra storm — July 25, 2009 @ 10:34 am
gabe is such a cutie!!! And, with all you do, I think you have more than earned a break. I can’t wait to see what your giveaways are!
Comment by Becky Williams — July 25, 2009 @ 12:10 pm
what a great picture of Gabe!
looking forward to learning more about your give-a-ways!
Pam Hoffman
http://seminarlist.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/PamHoffman
p.s. don’t worry too much about the closet, the grime will just come back and you’ll miss out on the more important things in life!!
pam
Comment by Pam Hoffman — July 25, 2009 @ 12:23 pm
You and your family come first! It is ok to not ALWAYS be running 100 mph and you Just had a baby!!! Give yourself a break! I read your blog all the time and I always wonder how you did it all and find time to scarp. I only have one child and still can’t get done what I want to! Relax and enjoy life, your little ones will grow up fast!
Comment by KellyG — July 25, 2009 @ 1:07 pm
I look forward to your blog, and check for new ones everyday..but I can be patient. Gabe is a doll! Thanks for posting for his adorable pic, and it sounds like the other kids are thriving…you must be doing something right. Keep up the good work, and don’t forget to take time for you. You deserve it.
Comment by LaurieS — July 25, 2009 @ 11:46 pm
Books - makes me sad to think that in our recent cross-country move we had to “lighten our load” by donating so many books. We just couldn’t justify moving our massive collection when it costs so much to move it. It was especially sad to give up the children’s books. I LOVE them perhaps even more than my kids do but our youngest is now 7 and moving on from them. So … it is with determination that we will become better library patrons and try not to feel we have to OWN a book to make it special to us.
LOVE the photo of Gabe. He’s so adorable and looks like he’s giving you plenty of fun.
The pic of Maggie reading - priceless. I recognized the toilet seat right off and thought that the photo was classic “kid”. When the moment strikes to pick up a book, it doesn’t matter what you’re up to, into, or wearing.
Your jounaling about your kids learning abilities was so dead on and something I still am frequently puzzled with my own 4. Just when you think you have the routine down, one of them changes the game. Makes life interesting at least. Thanks for posting. I do agree with your mom though - your slacking for a day is still so much more than I think I accomplish all week. Be good to yourself.
Comment by Jill — July 27, 2009 @ 6:11 am
Good luck with the homeschooling adventure. We are just a year-and-a-half into it ourselves, with a semester break of them in public school while we had a baby, too. This fall will be our first full school year only homeschooling. How I wish I could have started at the beginning like you are instead of researching five grades, Kindergarten through High school all at once.
Enjoy the journey. We are still learning how!
Comment by Mom2Seven — July 29, 2009 @ 9:26 am