A list to get me going

I'm out of practice at blogging. I was away for a week at the beginning of November and I just haven't seemed to be able to put two words together since.

So, a list:

1. I have finally given myself permission to let go of the notion that I have to be incorporating academics into our homeschooling curriculum. The hard work of helping Oliver to make discoveries about how relate to the world around him IS our curriculum. I mean, who cares about the ABCs if Oliver can't relate to another living person on this planet in a meaningful way? There will be time for the ABCs later.

2. I'm making a point to spend extra one-on-one time with Sami. I bought him a deck of cards: 52 cool tricks for kids. It has become a focal point of our day. In the morning we lay out all the cards on the floor and then Sami takes his time deciding which one we will do that day. I gather the materials throughout the day and in the evening we perform for Oliver, Nik, RT and anyone else that happens to be around. The look on Sami's face when he executes the trick is just simply priceless. I will try to post a video if I remember.

3. Oliver is now able to tell me when he is hungry, which is an incredible, incredible relief. In the recent past I would say that 9/10ths of his meltdowns were because he was hungry. That boy can eat! I also think he suffers a bit from low blood sugar. Needless to say, when the boy tells me "It's time to eat!" we head immediately for the kitchen.

4. It looks like our local FAPE committee has just approved funding for RDI. I'm still holding my breath, but if it turns out to be true I'm going to be positively giddy -- personally and professionally.

5. Oliver had a solid day of projectile vomiting on Friday. I'm always amused at my reaction during times like this: I'm simultaneously torn between wanting to hold him close and wanting to hold him at arms length. If you are a parent you know what I mean. The upside to the vomiting episode is that I rented a steam cleaner on Saturday and cleaned all of my carpets and upholstered furniture.

6. I made a radical decision about Thanksgiving that was heartily embraced by the rest of the clan. I'm just not going to do it. Or at least I'm not going to do it the way we always have. Instead, we will join our neighbors. A local community organization makes and serves free meals once a week to anyone who needs or wants to eat. They are doing the same to celebrate Thanksgiving. So we are donating our free-range, organic Turkey, I will go and help cook, then Nik and the kids will join me to eat. For the first time in years I am actually looking forward to the holiday.

That is all. Hopefully I'll be back in a blogging state of mind soon.