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Originally uploaded by SarabellaE

It took me a while, but I’ve finally sifted through all my Hawaii pictures and posted my favorites on Flickr, in case you want to see them.

Now, what do I do with these RAW images I shot as an experiment? Hmm …

The children are both sick. I’m sick. It’s affecting my mothering. I’m trying hard not to suck.

EDIT: It’s later now. I’m doing better. We’ve been knocking around the house all day. Right now, Lucas and I are trying to stay quiet so Asher can sleep. ‘Cuz it is really best for everyone that Asher has a proper nap. We have played this weird laser board game with mirrors, which neither of us gets. Fortunately we took a break for lunch before the frustration level got out of hand! Lucas has read Dick and Jane stories to me. I’ve read King Aurthur stories to him. Some Playhouse Disney has been watched. (I’m not sure. I don’t recall. Steve did it. I was dead at the time!) Lucas and I have had a lovely snuggle on the couch and I don’t suck at being a mom as much now as I did this morning. Hopefully Asher will wake cheerfully instead of grumpily.

I’m enjoying a new guide project. ("Enjoying" is a stretch, but the word adequately conveys that I’m happy to have the work.) My textbook is chugging along, mostly on schedule.

I’m pleased with how our weekend went, with Asher’s birthday party and all. It was just the right ratio of work to fun. We had family over for brunch from 10:30 to 1:30. The food was easy, thanks to Costco, and very yummy. We let folks assemble their own croissant sandwiches. We also served two types of quiche, dolmas, fruit salad, and banana nut bread. This allowed me to focus on making a splendid cake from scratch. It turned out great! Good ol’ Betty Crocker. We are fortunate in that all of the grandparents (three sets) get along so well. I think everybody had a good time. Asher got some more stuff, but not a ton more, so I’m glad it was kept to a reasonable amount of gifts: several books, several outfits, pjs, a couple of toys, a handmade hat, bath mitt puppets, etc. After everyone left, Asher napped, and we had the rest of the day to chill. Later on, we went on a bike ride to the newly completed nearby Patriot Park on Palm Avenue. (This is the field that sported a sign saying "Future Park" for about 20 years.)

On Sunday we went to an all-ages service at UUSS in which a Frog and Toad story was enacted, Lucas LEARNED TO READ, and we took a trip down to Capitol Aquarium to buy some more fish and accessories for our refurbished fish tank. (We have since lost two fish. Boo! "It’s the CIIIIIIR – CLE of LIIIIIIIFE.") I knitted a bit and we ate leftover croissant sandwiches. Yum. We bought some new books to read, too. So, that made for a basically perfect day.

Today I watched and listened while Lucas learned to read. Today was the first day that he tried sitting down with an easy reader book and started decoding. I not only heard him sounding out words, but I heard the distinct snap of his brain putting together various small skills into a coherent process. It was awesome.

As a Waldorf kid, Lucas is not expected to be reading in first grade. His class is still working on letters and sounds, internalizing them through stories and drawing. It’s a slow and methodical but creative process, and to people who only know the public school methods, it seems remedial, backward, and scary. (By contrast, Waldorf students learn the four math processes much earlier than public school kids. But I digress.)

Here’s the back story: One time several months ago we were at Barnes & Nobel Bookstore. I was going to buy Lucas a new chapter book for us to read aloud. At the time, he had eyes for nothing but the crappy movie- and TV-licensed books. He was picking out Power Rangers and Iron Man and Sponge Bob and stuff we don’t really want him to have. After a brief argument, he kind of went in the other direction. Instead of trying to convince me to let him get a book that was too old for him, he started begging for a babyish paperback about a puppy: Biscuit. It was a one-story picture book that cost over $5 and we would be through it in about 30 seconds. I said no. Eventually, we left the store with nothing.

A couple of weeks later, I found a hardback book with multiple Biscuit stories in it. Five of them for $7.98. I bought it and decided that when Lucas started reading, I’d give it to him as a special early reader book.

This morning Lucas declared he wanted to read one of Ian’s historical novels by Bernard Cornwall. "Come on, Dad. Let me read your book." I went to the shelf and took down Biscuit and handed it to him. He was happy with the gift, and then asked me to read it to him. I said no. "Read it yourself. I bought that for you to read to yourself."

To my surprise, he sat down with Daddy and started reading. It was a whim on my part, but seems to have been just the right amount of challenge to motivate him. Ian’s teaching experience came in handy. He had just the right touch. Lucas read a little, his little ego puffed way up, and then we left for church with Biscuit clutched tightly in his hands.

Later on, we went to B&N so Lucas could spend some of his own money. He bought two items himself. Ian and I bought him the old-fashioned Dick and Jane reader compilation. This afternoon and evening, Lucas has spent time reading from the Dick and Jane book. (It’s easier and the stories build on the skills little by little.)

Now he declares, "I LOVE reading! I’m going to spend my money only on books." He has called both grandmothers to announce that he now can read. I’m not sure exactly what they said to him, except he told me that my mother said "Congratulations! Welcome to the world of reading!" He is very proud.