Happy holidays!

Or not. I have a cold. My nose is very snotty and disgusting and I am in a permanent bad very-sorry-for-myself mood.

On the upside, Brendon is planning to take a couple of days off over the next couple of weeks. And the children played peacefully for much of the day, even though it was spent entirely indoors.

A nice day homeschooling

I gave Isabelle the option of staying home from school today. She wasn't sick, but she was snotty (which can be unpleasant for all in a classroom environment!). She chose to stay home.

The children started the day with the art curriculum, drawing at the table while I did the breakfast dishes. Isabelle then drew some columns into a notebook and did some literacy work, practicing individual letters. (Both activities were fully child-initiated).

Then it was into the garden for some dramatic play (the photo shows my three little gardeners at work) and exploration of the science curriculum. The children called me out from my fascinating job cleaning the shower as they had found an interesting something that they couldn't identify. We looked at it together and classified it on the basis of what they knew (how many legs? Where was it found? Describe what it looks like in detail). After a detailed examination I said that my theory was that it was a baby cicada. I suggested that we have a look on the internet to confirm.

Big sister read a library book to little brother while the computer fired up (literacy/technology curriculum). The usually extremely helpful Landcare Research bug identification site wasn't as user-friendly as it normally is, so after we found cicadas on it I went to google for some extra information. Then the children were convinced that they had indeed found a cicada nymph. We learnt about the New Zealand species and their life cycles, what they fed on, and what adults sounded like. We remembered all the cicadas last summer and wondered if their nymph would come out this January or so when the weather was warmer. Finally, youtube provided us with a little documentary (just 6 minutes) about cicadas in North America.

Over lunch we did the biology curriculum, discussing exactly how the baby got fed when I ate cheese on toast.

After lunch I read to big sister while the younger two slept. Isabelle read to Orla when she woke up.

As the afternoon wore on, the physical education curriculum came to the fore as the children raced around outside with motorbikes, hula hoops and balls, up trees and round and round the house.

As we folded the washing, Isabelle asked some questions about the earth's rotation around the sun and why the days were getting longer. Once again, I didn't regret the purchase of a globe last year! She told me that it was just the morning now on the other side of the world. She was right.

On a slightly different topic, dramatic play over the last couple of days has meant that I have overheard some interesting conversations! Here's one:

I: ....and we live in apartments next to each other. We used to live with our mother, but not now.
A: Yes.
I: And we are teenagers.
A: I am 20.
I: No, you can't be 20, you have to be something-teen.
A: OK. Then I am 12.
I: And I am 16.
A: No, I am 14.
I: Yes. My name is Starlight. Your name can be Cloud fluff.
A: [pause] I don't want that name.
I: Then you can be......Cloud rocket.
A: Ummmm....Star rocket.
I: Yes, Star rocket. You can cook me dinner now.
A: Well you have to come to my apartment to get it.

Are you there, Carrie?

The other day I took a phone call for Carrie Thorn.

(Which is kinda funny if you know my name!).

Sunday

(Passably) interesting things about my day:

• I ate wasabi cheese. This was very good - the wasabi gave it zing without being overpowering.
• I went to the Bordeaux Bakery with Isabelle. I had my usual conundrum when ordering French food. Do I a) order using proper pronunciation (and risk seeming wanky?), b) order using the French words with Kiwi pronunciation, c) point and grunt? I chose d) translate (approximately) into English and point and grunt. So rather than pain au chocolat et mille feuille we had chocolate bread and custard square. Not that I could have any of the custard square.
• I hung out three loads of washing, shivering in the howling gale. It sort of got dry.
• Brendon found more daffodils in the empty section next door and brought them into the house to bring some lovely spring cheer.
• Isabelle and Aidan played peacefully all afternoon, constructing a train track between their rooms.
• I am eating energy chocolate. It doesn't appear to be working.
  

Spring!

Ah! The first of the new season's asparagus were in the supermarket today. One of the nicest things about spring.

Big girl

The steps to independence are slow yet steady.

Today I walked my big girl just as far as the crossing. She waited until it was time to cross, then skipped across the road and up the path to school, without looking back once.

Earlier she had said: "Mummy, do I have to wave when I say goodbye?"
"Ah, no, not if you don't want to, but I will stay watching you until you get inside the gate".

Snap!

So there I was on the bus. Orla was in full toddler-tantrum mode (arched back, screaming, real tears). Her horrible mother was refusing to let her run around while the bus was moving.

As we came to our stop, I gathered up my backpack, my sling, my coat, my hat, my large purchase from toyworld (in anticipation of Aidan's birthday), and my small ball of rage.

My most heartfelt and passionate feeling at this moment was thank goodness I used a ten-trip ticket and I did not have to tag off.