Caught Ya!

A

I walked into the room the other day to find Truman making letter A’s with spilled color pencils…

Tot Boxes

I have been so busy keeping up with Truman!  I know I have mentioned a time or two (or maybe more!) how busy my 2 year old is, but whew!.  Truman definitely keeps me on my feet from son up to son down!  Within 5 minutes of him being in our school{barn} it would be a disaster area.  Now he is talking a lot more & really very excited about “school” it was time to change out the baby/toddler toys for more of the preschool stuff.  So the past few weeks I have been making an effort to get the flow of our school{barn} more Truman friendly.  I needed activities quick & on hand, but I also wanted to make sure I was getting a variety of activities that would benefit him as well as keep him busy.  In addition I wanted to try to tie in a few of our themes (color, letter, shape) as much as possible so here are Truman’s Tot Boxes for Letter A & the Color Red.

On the top shelf are a rice box to practice pouring, scooping, & just fun, a  moon sand box with the Melissa & Doug wooden play dough set, & a sand tray to encourage beginning writing skills.  *Be not mistake, the 3 boxes get mixed together in his kitchen area FREQUENTLY.  ~no big deal – either way he is using his imagination & having a good time.  The other boxes have cutting practice, shape/color sorting, an alphabet sensory box (I put letter “A” beads, foam letter, & magnet + an apple, ax & alligator, transferring practice, stamping (with an alligator stamp), & painting.  I tried to use item that were the color we were focusing on (red rice, sand, paper, pom-poms, paint).  As it is now, we are sticking to the same themes for about 2 weeks so that will be the time frame I plan to use for re-doing these.

      

  

Truman’s Tot-to-Preschool Notebook

Now that Truman has demanded to start school it would just thrill his very being for me to spend my entire day “schooling” him alone – there are these 3 other boys that are kinda needing the same thing from me.  So to occupy my eager learner I took Carissa’s Tot-Notebook idea & ran with it!  I made 3 notebooks for Truman!  LOL  Yes, you read that right.  3.  He has a main notebook, BFIAR notebook, & an activity notebook (full of “busy bags”).  In his main notebook I printed pages from 1+1+1=1, Homeschool Creations, & Confessions of a Homeschooler (*I did not print EVERYTHING each site had – ONLY the ones I thought he would enjoy/I liked.)  I put the printouts in page protectors so he could reuse it (otherwise, it would last 5 minutes).  The first page is his scripture (letter related from Raising Rockstars Preschool Pack) followed by letter pages, then shapes, colors, numbers, & lastly a page with his name on it (for name recognition).

I had no true intentions of beginning letters with him until August so at this point I am just following his lead.  We will work on a letter as long as he needs/wants.  I’m not doing a “letter a week” schedule.  I will lightly focus on a different shape & color each week, but his folder content is not exclusive to this.  I’ll be sharing more of my Tot-to-Preschool plans soon.

 

I can NOT tell you how much he enjoys his notebook!  He will sit & “do school” for at least 30 minutes – all on his own prompting.  AND he will return to it throughout the day. 

He is very proud of himself. 

Teach Me, Mommy. NOW!

Truman has insisted on doing school.  “REAL school.”

After watching his brothers All About Spelling lessons he practically insisted on having his own cards.  So I ordered All About Reading Pre-Level 1.  (*HE LOVES IT!! ~more on that soon.)  Then I was delighted to find that Carissa at 1+1+1=1 made Animal ABC’s printables that match almost perfectly with AAR. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Truman is very excited to be learning his letters & I am really enjoying teaching him.  I made him a little name tag that he wears every day.  It has an little flashcard (from the Animal ABC’s) & I add stickers for his current theme (letter, color, shape).  The stickers peel off super easy & he refers to his name tag for a quick review throughout the day. 

And the adventure begins . . .

Keeping Him Busy . . .

The other day I was home alone with just Truman & Taralyn.  With no brothers or daddy to keep him busy, it was all up to me.  What better time to have a little water-play.  I filled the big white bucket with soapy water & broke up an ice-tray of colored ice, gave him a smaller bowl & some utensils in the red tray (kinda a “spill catcher).  I also gave him a sponge & some of his plastic animals so he could give them a bath.  When he started to get bored I added a straw to the mix to buy me some more time :)  He absolutely LOVES playing in the water!! 

      

Good Intentions

I had good intentions of blogging this week . . .

Then it came & went & is it really FRIDAY (already?)  We have been sooo busy around here . . .

• Tucker will officially be adding 2 front teeth to his Christmas list this year

 

• Truman got a new do:

Yep!  We cut the shaggy curls off.  Well, I say “we” – His daddy actually did it. Tucker came running in the house telling me they had a surprise for me.  I was expecting a new caught bug.  Boy was I surprised to see my baby looking like such a big boy.

Which brother do you think he looks like now?

• This is just a lil’ proof of what TROUBLE this little 1 year old is . . .

• Big Daddy built the boys new bunkbeds (*not totally done)

• Big Daddy & I celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary & bought new bedroom furniture

Pix Coming Soon!

Walkin’ in my shoes . . .

red high heels VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

. . . . I’m gonna MISS this!

Two-dom

Our baby is no longer a baby.  He officially entered two-dom & is making sure we all know it! 

This boy just amazes me.  His personality is an absolute hoot.  He thinks he is the boss of all of us & works very hard at keeping his brothers in line.  He never walks away from a fight & loves to play bad-guys with his brothers.  He plays “dead” like a pro!  Of all the boys this one is daddy’s.  He LOVES his daddy & will follow him to the ends of the earth.  I love how much he loves his daddy.  I love the way he wraps his arms around my neck & pats me.  I think it is hilarious that he calls going poop “ewe”.  LOL  & yes, he is 100% potty trained!  It tickles me when I ask him to sign please he rubs his tummy instead of his chest because he is usually wanting something to eat or drink.  His eyes & that sweet little smile – they have me hook, line, & sinker, but oh boys is a STINKER!

I LOVE YOU TMAN!!

Truman

 

This sweet boy of mine. 

                              

                        

                    

                    

He’s been so sick for way too long.  My heart break after each weekly/biweekly interval from yet another round of fevers.  I spoke with the immunologist last week & 2 of the 3 Periodic Fever Syndromes he has officially tested negative for.  There is still one that he possibly has; however, there is not a genetic test available to confirm a diagnosis.  Until something points elsewhere we are going to assume this is what he has.  The treatment plan for  him is to continue & increase the medicine he is currently taking, as well as have a tonsillectomy.  Based on his age (2 in May), he is at a higher risk than the typical tonsillectomy patient.  The main increase for risk is dehydration, so as an attempt to prevent this he will be staying over night at the hospital.  This Monday he will have surgery to remove his adenoids & tonsils.

I’m completely at peace with his surgery.  I gave these issues to God a long time ago & I have all the faith in the world that HE will heal our sweet boy in HIS time.  God is good!

Cold Days. Warm Memories

Friday

Friday I walked through doors every mother dreads .  .  . Doors that read the dreary words:

“Blood Disorder & Cancer Patients”

I’d lie if I told you that I haven’t had this sick to my stomach – on the verge of tears at any moment feeling deep inside my stomach the past few weeks.  BUT I can’t even begin to describe the PEACE that surpasses all understanding.  The peace that I clung to in order to hold back the river of tears my eyes were filled with each time Truman’s temperature read 104+.  That same peace I gripped with all my might as I confidently walked through those doors.

The truth is, Truman is a very sick baby.  I recently posted about my returning to blogging & just as soon as I did my 18 month old was struck with fever AGAIN!  This would make his third illness in less than two months.  The last couple of months he has had fever more than not.  In fact, he has not made it longer than 10 days without a fever.  To see him so sick so often & have those mommy instincts the Lord equipped us with running full force is completely heart-breaking.  I have prayed for healing, for wisdom for the doctors, for understanding of the bigger picture.  And I know without a doubt it will all come in His TIME!  Yes, the Lord is giving me quite the lesson in TIME lately.  :)

Although the Hematologist referred us to a couple different specialist, he also gave us an answer to our prayers – He does NOT need to see Truman as a patient.  After reviewing his records & studying his blood work, he assured us that Truman does NOT have Leukemia or any blood disorders!! 

PRAISE GOD!!

Friday, I walked out of those doors with an overflowing amount of thanksgiving, but at the same time my heart just broke for the mothers I passed in the hall.  The mother’s that aren’t as fortune.  The mommy’s that are carrying their sweet innocent bald babies who are fighting for their life.  May God Bless them in their heart wrenching journey & may each of their stories bring glory to the Almighty Physician.  I couldn’t help but pray as I passed each one.  Feeling an enormous amount of guilt for the relief that overcame me as I all but ran out of those doors – knowing that they did not receive the same news when they first entered those doors.  Inside those doors is so sad.  Please pray for those families.

Please pray for Truman too.  He is doing well now.  Well, for the most part.  We are trying very hard to get him to gain weight (which is like pulling teeth) & I am happy to report – despite his continuous illnesses - he did manage to gain a pound in one week!!!!  He is officially 20 pounds.  Specifically pray for heeling.  It would be nice for God to grant the doctors the wisdom to figure out what is going on with him, but more importantly I just don’t want to see my baby hurt anymore.  I know God is giving Truman his own little story so I’m willing to trust more in Him than my own understanding.  I pray we travel this path in a way that will glorify Him – wherever that path may lead.  He is the same today as He was Friday and I wrest assured that He will be the same tomorrow!

Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. — Philippians 4:6 NRSV

Little Buckaroo’s Workboxes

Here is the youngest outlaw’s little area in our schoolroom: 

*Please note: this does NOT mean he just hangs out here perfectly content, playing with his workboxes all day.  No!  No!  No!  - that is what I’m saying 99% of the time.  He is ALL OVER THE PLACE.  This is his area, but not necessarily where he hangs :)

 

Considering we live on a farm, most of this is familiar to my Lil’ Buckaroo’s daily life, so I’ve created a little farm theme in is area:

 

*The rug, farm toys & barn are from IKEA.  The magnet board is from IKEA too & the magnets are so old they were Tyler’s (Melissa & Doug I think).  There is also more farm theme toys in his workboxes.

 

Here is the top of his workboxes – the stacking numbers are from Lakeshore, the stacking cups are from Discovery Toys, & the beaded maze & hammering toy are from IKEA.

 

Here are his shape sorting toys:

And more boxes:

Signing & Activity books, first words, colors, animals, lacing, blocks, & doodle tray:  

He does NOT rotate through all of these boxes every day.  In fact, he probably doesn’t even get to them all each week.  His favorites are the animal touch & feel cards & talking farm toy, the balls – he loves the oballs, & the doodle tray. 

Truman is definitely in the wild toddler stage.  He is a complete terror!!  Outside of his area he love the Montessori stuff & playing the sand trays . . . more on these soon!