The Magician Doesn't Live Here Anymore

Dark thick clouds had taken over the sky signaling a storm was brewing.  The forecast was calling for heavy rains and possible tornadoes, but the boys were adamant that we continue on to the library as we had planned.

"But Mommy, you promised we could go to the library today." Says the oldest.

"Yeah, Mommy, you promised me too." Chimes the youngest.

"Yes, boys, but look at the dark, gloomy sky and now it has started to rain. Can't we go later, if it clears off? Or maybe even tomorrow? They are forecasting a bunch of serious storms across TN today, so let's be safe and stay home." That was me trying to reason with them ... I lost them at Yes, boys, but.

Killian wishes the magician still lived at the library.

We drive off into the sprinkling rain. By the time we reach the library the radio is listing off a series of counties under a tornado watch. Ours included. Sometimes, I am just that desperate to get out of the house with them. Tornado warnings won't even keep me home!

I didn't grow up with tornado warnings or watches ... I grew up with hurricane warnings. Most of those down graded to a tropical storm when they hit the icy North Atlantic. Except for Hurricane Juan  of course. That was different.

We rushed (really, more like I rushed, they just dawdled) into the library and we deposited our last week's library books on the return counter, and moved into the children's section. I instructed them to pick out two books each, explaining that we needed to hurry because of the tornado watch. I try not to use scare tactics unnecessarily, but sometimes it's the only way I can convey to them the sense of urgency at hand. And we really were under a tornado watch, so I needed to get us back home ASAP.

As we walked up to the check-out counter Killian, the youngest, starts talking about the magician we saw perform at the library. That was last summer, but he still remembers. He passes his two books to the librarian and tells her, "The magician doesn't live here anymore. He lives at another library now." Both the librarian and I had a good chuckle.

As we were walking out the door  back into the pounding rain, Killian goes on to tell me, "Mommy, I sure wish the magician still lived at this library." Rather than ruin the moment with a long-winded explanation about how the magician doesn't really live at the library but just performs there occasionally,  I just smiled and said "So do I, sweetie, so do I."

Homeschooling Sessions

Today's math lesson. Both boys really enjoy math, so it tends to be what we work on the most. I figure I'll leave the least favorite lessons, like writing, to their Kindergarten teacher! They also like the dry erase boards, and I do too, since they are reusable. Much better value than workbooks, but I still keep a variety of those around to mix it up occasionally.  

I immediately started fretting when I learned  of my first born's  August 30th due date.  The online gestational calculator agreed with my OB/GYN, so there wasn't much chance of it being wrong.  I definitely didn't want to be pregnant any longer than necessary, especially during a brutally hot KS summer, but it would also be much better if the baby arrived AFTER Sept 1st.

I tried discussing my fears with Bill, but his response was simply, "are you worrying about that NOW? The baby is the size of a pinto bean and you're obsessing about this already? We'll discuss THAT a FEW years from now." And, in his mind, the subject was discussed and over with. One of the many things I love about him -  his decisiveness.

But I worried, obsessed, and brooded over it constantly. Secretly at first, and then when I could no longer hold in my anxiety, I started discussing it with EVERYONE I knew.

We were living in Kansas at the time. The Kindergarten cut-off there is Sept 1st, so all kiddos entering Kindergarten must turn 5 BEFORE Sept 1st, and here I was faced with an August 30th due date. I was hoping that I would go past my projected due date, by a few days, so that I wouldn't have to decide to "hold" my child back a year. But, in the end, my 9.5 lb bundle of blue arrived on August 27th. Arghhhhh .. just 3 days before the Kindergarten cut-off. Now by golly I had a HUGE decision to make. What was I to do?

Bill's response ... "We'll decide when the time comes." Oh how I wish I could make decisions so easily!!

Well, "the time came" last August and we had to decide. Now, of course, we were living in Tennessee and the cut-off for Kindergarten here is Oct 1st! I needed to decide if the different cut-off dates mattered ... would an extra 30 days really make that much of a difference either way?  In the end, we decided not to send him to Kindergarten.  We felt that at not quite five-years-old, another year at home and preschool would be a good thing. Especially for maturity.

Since we didn't send him to Kindergarten this past fall, I felt it was important to take an active role in in getting him ready for Kindergarten next year.  I like to do unstructured homeschooling - meaning that it's pretty loosey-goosey! Some days we do a 10 minute lesson, none the next, and then maybe an hour the following day. You get the disorderly gist of it. There is no set curriculum.

The iPad has also come in handy for homeschooling. Both boys  love to play on the iPad ( I mean who doesn't???) and there are a ton of free, or very inexpensive, educational preschool/elementary apps. Just this afternoon, Liam came to me and said he wanted to play a learning game. How could I say no to, "Mommy, can I play one of the math learning games on your iPad?" I'd much rather have them playing something educational  than the all too popular Angry Birds. Of course, I'm OK with those types of games too as long as they are age appropriate and played in moderation. I'm especially OK with them if we have a long wait somewhere!!