getting it

Grant: "Mom, MOOOOOOM, gum (come) ear (here). I need to go bafoom!" (bathroom)

Me: "Do you need me to turn on the light?"

Grant: "Light aree (already) on" (pulling me into the bathroom)

Me: "What do you need?"

Grant: "ants in dare (there)"

Me: "Oh, I don't see any ants."

Grant: "dares one"

Me: "They won't hurt you."

Grant: "Ants nice?"

Me: "They don't bite, unless they're red and you live in Texas."

Grant: "Ants nice. Tigers bite!"


Later

Grant to Dad: "Dad, ants nice. Tigers bite."

Even Later

Grant to Katie: "Katie, ants nice!"

His fear of ants soon turned to friendliness and he spent the next several minutes picking them up and carrying them around the house.

differences

I thought when I had Katie that mothering would be easy because I already had almost 2 years under my belt and babies couldn't vary that much. How wrong I was. If I had 10 more kids I bet they would all be just as different as the first 4.

Here are some differences I've noticed in the kids:
Jordan-has a physics mind (noticeable even when he was really young). Ponders a lot-often during chore time. Great at math. Slow reader but comprehension is at 100%. Creative-draws made up creatures.

Katie-seems her greatest quality is SWEET. Doesn't feel the need to push herself. Totally layed back. Gets along with everyone. Has to be around people unless she is reading.

Alex-prefers playing by himself. Gets crabby when we have to go somewhere. Has to have incentives to get chores done. Needs a schedule--if you spring anything on him at the last minute he almost always falls apart. Loves being at home.

Grant-Learns by doing. Uses energy well by doing projects-cutting paper and tracing pictures is where he concentrates the best.

In my own family (the one I grew up in) we've noticed a pattern--every third child has several similar qualities. Here are some examples:

1st and 4th: Both are very creative and love doing projects (it is kind of a family quality among the girls but these two seem to thrive on projects a little more than others). Look alike (that is now that they're older). Sometimes have strong opinions about where to eat, what to do when everyone is together etc. (this usually helps combat the "I don't know, what do you want to do" problem in some families). Have great ideas about fun activities to do. Willing to work hard to pull off a great dinner or activity.

2 and 5th: Fair coloring. Same nose. Introspective. Slender. Blonde, blonde hair. (family: please add to this one. I always get stumped).

3 and 6th: Both born cross-eyed. Hair grows the same (although only 1 has helmet hair). Both kind of layed back. Peacemakers (at least when young-Zach I'm not including the time I kicked a hole in the door when you provoked me). Of course each person has their own personality. It is interesting though to see some obvious similarities.

unlocking the brain

Beware: this is a very long and potentially boring post.

Alex is a very unusual Cleaver. We've noticed over the last year that he has an uncanny ability to understand a few different concepts. His latest is multiplication. One day a few months ago he watched as I showed Katie that 8 time 8 is the same as 8 times 4 doubled. I wrote it out on paper like this:

8

8 32

8

8 64

8

8

8 32

8

I guess I didn't think anything of Alex looking on. A few minutes later he started saying things like: 3 times 3 is 9 because three plus three plus three is nine. He wanted me to ask him other times questions to see if he could get him right. A few weeks later when he answered 12 times 4 correctly. I said, "Alex how did you figure that out?" His excited reply: "I just used my brain." I would like to know what exactly he thinks in his brain since he doesn't use his fingers to count--just thinks. Math is not the only thing that comes easy for Alex, I've also noticed how much he understand when we read the scriptures at night. Right now we're reading Matthew in the New Testament. After reading a parable I ask the kids what the different symbols are in the parable. Alex seems to always get it right off. He gets excited as he talks about different things. He says things like, "so that's why we should be nice to people even when they're not nice to us." Its interesting to note that Jordan is a great critical thinker too. Katie on the other hand is always playing with her hair and doesn't really care. Reading comprehension isn't her strength.

Watching Alex has made me wonder about the brain and how it seems so efficient in some people and not so efficient in others. I cannot take any credit for Alex's math skills. It seems he was just born with an ability to learn quickly. But I did teach him (if you can call pushing him to do his reading lessons teaching) to read before he started kindergarten and I wonder if maybe that helped unlock his brain. While he was in the middle of the reading book (Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons) I noticed that he suddenly understood how to read music under my sister's tutelage (she was his piano teacher at the time). It seemed to just click. (I've heard reading age is the best to teach a child piano because they already understand that a symbol equates to a word and connecting a different symbol to a note on the piano makes sense.) Also once he started getting the reading down and it wasn't such a chore I noticed he felt more confident in himself. I've noticed this with the other kids too. When Jordan learned to tie his shoes it seems he was happy about it and much more motivated to learn other things. I guess its the same for me even now. When I accomplish something that I didn't really enjoy in the beginning it makes me think maybe I can learn other new things. So I'm thinking maybe reading unlocked Alex's brain.

Do you remember when your brain was unlocked? For me it wasn't until I was a Junior in high school and had a really great set of teachers. We had critical thinking writing assignments daily and at least a couple of times a month we had debates about any given topic. We were required to study our side of the debate and be prepared to backup our philosophies with credible sources. It seemed all the sudden I could think on my own.

So it seems Alex and Jordan have a head start on me. I wonder about Katie though. How to unlock her brain. She was also an early reader and really quick with math at an early age but she has never been successful with critical thinking. It makes me wonder what I can do to help that. She has a totally different personality and learning style than the boys. I guess its back to the books to figure out what learning style she has and what to do about it.

WE HAVE ARRIVED

We have arrived! Where you might ask? To the no diaper stage. Grant has been the easiest kid to potty train. For one thing it was HIS idea and not mine this time. For another thing, he wants to clean and take care of all the bathroom ON HIS OWN. Its great! Its not just the potty training that makes life easier, its the growing up. Grant seems to have grown so fast in the last month. He doesn't ask for his silk as much, which means he doesn't suck his thumb all the time. He speaks in paragraphs, which are 95% understandable. He is much better at getting along with his roomate Alex, who has been much nicer over the last few weeks too. I don't know what it is. Could it be the change of seasons? a cleaner water coming through the tap? a less nagging mom? I don't know, but whatever it is makes me very happy!

Baby Grant-age 3

Grant officially turned age 3 on Sunday.

Grandma Ruth and Papa Pete just happen to be here for Grants birthday. Grandma made him a dog cake.

Grant wasn't the only one excited about the presents. Here are the kids with Papa Pete.

Dear Grant

Dear Grant,

Please stop taking off your diaper and wearing other people's underwear. I know you're ready but I need a little more prep time. Please consider waiting for at least two more weeks to potty train.

Love,

MOM

Job Benefits

"Do you work?" is often the question.

Me: Yes, I just don't get paid. And the benefits aren't really great.

So Jordan's teacher surprised me today when she said, "actually there are great benefits. I'd like to be able to stay home."

That's when I felt bad. I admit, the job's hard and often it seems there are few breaks. I mean sometimes its hard to feel like you really get a good break. So I guess my typical reaction to "do you work?" needs a little revising. Its true: I do like to stay home, love it in fact. Sure its a sacrifice (money mostly comes to mind) but darn it I chose the job and I think its the job that makes me happiest. (Should I also mention that it brings out my miserable side--still working on that.) So next time someone asks me if I work I'll say, "I have the greatest job in the world and as long as I get a vacation every once in a while, I love it!"

Here are some of the benefits:

• hysterical, rolling on the ground laughing, seriously, who does that at their place of employment?
• Cute little chubby people toddling around (really only Grant is chubby now) I'm thinking cute little buns running from the bathtub.
• The look on kids faces when they've figured out something new
• playing ball, riding scooters, going for walks
• making and eating cookies
• listening to wild stories about Lego people and possible Playmobil scenarios
• kisses
• "i love you" for no reason
• hugs
• impromptu helping

Of course the list could go on and on but really who else gets so much entertainment (and I admit, misery at times) in a days work.