Tag: Reading

Just a little somber this week

The joy of reading.  My mother always tried to instill it in me with very little luck.  Thankfully, my daughter has it in her blood.  As I just sat down to the laptop to begin a post about my upcoming surgery, she came from her bedroom where she has been reading for about an hour.  She just needed to fill me in on what was happening in her book.  She is reading the first book of the Sisters Grimm series and is loving it.  I just love to watch her as she describes what she is reading.  The joy on her face, the light in her eyes.  She is able to visit a world of imagination through reading that I have never been able to find.  I think we will need to make sure we hit the library again before the weekend. 🙂

So, Friday is my surgery.  The official name of my procedure is hysteroscopy and endometrial ablation.  The procedure itself it not really a concern to me.  Based on what I went through last summer with the BPM, the pain, the recovery time, this should be easy enough.  See after the ablation it will be permanent, no more children.  Now, I was not really planning to have anymore, I am 41 years old and have two beautiful, smart and busy children.  I thank God for them every day!  Since my miscarriage a few years ago I have always thought about 1 more Bailey.  I love being mommy.  I feel like my girls have grown from infant to elementary school over night.

I am thrilled with my family.  I was not looking to change it or add to it but having that decision now made final, I guess it just it has made me just a little sad.  It will pass.  I will hug my girls and my husband just a little harder and maybe a little longer this week.  Next week the girls have karate camp and soccer practice is right around the corner.  The things that will fully remind me that I am doing what I am supposed to be already.

For the rest of this week, I will allow myself to sulk just a little.

Fluffy Buddies

I went to the salon today for a touch up.  Sitting there I decided to change it up a little, 40 pounds lost and 4 bra sizes deserved a change.  Went a bit darker with a touch of auburn and a little different on the cut. Turned out nice I think.  A little change is good!

So, last night Madison and I sat for our nightly reading session.  Now, I want to start with the fact that she is doing a great job!  She is enjoying herself and her confidence is growing.  With that on the record, I can not believe how different this experience is versus the one had with Megan.  I am not comparing, just saying.  She will read a word correctly 3 times in a row but then in another sentence totally different.  She is so much like I was am.  Focus was never a strong suit, my mind aways wandering.  I find myself sometimes looking into her eyes trying to see behind them to figure out what is going on in that little head.

We come across the word “friends”, not a word I expected her to get but it was her attempt that changed the course of the session. She calmly came to the word and confidently blurted out “fluffy buddies”.  I guess there must have been something strange on my face because she started to laugh, then laughter turned to hysterics which of course set me into laughter.  I so love how she does not take herself too seriously.  I love to watch her laugh. I guess Fluffy buddies can be friends too!

And here she is today, teaching the “class” sight words.

Reading is fundamental

School, it was the bain of my existence as a child.  Having children made me have to come face to face with my scholastic under achievement.

From the day the girls were born I have been vigilant about reading to them.  I so hoped they would grow to love reading, to be able to imagine the words.  My mother was an avid reader as is my sister.  Me, not so much, to say the least.  I am a lover of the television.  From the time Megan was born we read to her .  As she got older she would bring a stack of books that she would want to read before bed.  She now reads several books a week and is more than happy to curl up on the sofa with a good book.

Today, Megan got the invitation for the Talented and Gifted program at school.  I was inclined to not allow it because the feedback I have received is that it is a ton of extra homework and in-depth projects.  But, she really wants to try it.  I emailed her teacher and received a wonderful response.  It seems they just test her again and she is reading on an 8th grade level.  They are very concerned that she will grow bored in the classroom and are already working to develop a plan to keep that from happening. What am I to do, the parent who hated and struggled in school needs to let the child who excels and loves it to make this decision.  If things get to be too much I can always pull her out I guess.  I am so proud of her!  Not just that she is one of ony a few invited to the program but because of her well thought out, mature pitch to her father and I to allow her to do it.  My baby is growing up!

Madison and Megan are as different as night and day.  I did the same with Madi as a baby but would have to almost force her to sit and listen.  I did not want reading to be a chore so I would not push too much.  We have tried many different things to try to make it fun.I know you are not supposed to compare children but it is hard.  Megan was reading fluently before Kindergarten.  Right now the best I can get from Madison is the  practice of a few sight words to humor me but then she is off to some pretend world that requires her undivided attention.

That is until recently.  She started Kindergarten this year.  She is loving everything about the experience!  Just this week she brought me a first reader that until now has been used for a million other things except a book and asked if we could read together.  Each night we have sat with a pre-level one reader and she reads to me then I read it her.  After, we have agreed that I will  read one chapter of a bigger book. This week was Freckle Juice by Judy Blume.  I am so proud of her!  She did a great job!  She is actually reading very well!

I guess they are right, you can not compare your kids, they are different people with different personalities, thoughts, interests and in time carve their own path.