2 Year Old Homeschooling

As we look to teach our 3 year old to count to 20, she continually skips the number 13. I'm pretty sure she is not superstitious, but I still cannot determine if she is simply joking with us.

An interesting conversation was had at our house this evening related to counting, and I wanted to share it with all of you.


Peggy (the mom): Kate, when Claire is 3 how old will you be

Kate (3 yrs old): Um, 4!

Peggy: That's right! Ok, when she is 17, how old will you be?

Kate: (puzzled) Um?

Peggy: What comes after 17?

Kate: (Strange look but no words)

Peggy: 15, 16, 17....

Kate: 15!

Peggy: No. 15, 16, 17

Kate: 18!

Peggy: That's Right! Good job.

Rick (the dad): (not willing to let a good teaching moment pass) Kate, when Claire is 18, how old will you be?

Kate: (Another puzzled look)

Peggy: Remember, 13, 14, 15...

Kate: (Interrupting) 13!

Peggy: No. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18...

Claire (2 yr old): (whispering..) 19.

Peggy: HA! That's Right Claire!


While talking about writing this blog post, the following conversation continued....

Rick: Didn't you count 13, 14, 15...

Peggy: I think I started at 15

Rick: Maybe you started at 13 the 2nd time...13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19..

Claire: (a little bolder this time) 20.


So, apparently, homeschooling younger children isn't so difficult! It seems Claire will be the math wiz in our family!

Leaving the House

Since I just posted about going to the grocery store for the first time, I thought I'd let you know what's involved with getting 3 children out the door.



Kate
Supervise teeth brushing
Make sure she goes to the bathroom
Pick out clothes
Supervise getting dressed
Help tie shoes
Fix hair
Put on coat

Claire
Brush her teeth
Put on clean diaper
Pick out clothes
Dress her
Put on shoes and socks (normally this is done 2x before we leave because she always takes them off)
Fix hair
Make sure I have another diaper with me...just in case
Put on coat
Make sure we have "botbee" (her blanket)


Henry
Change diaper
Pick out clothes
Get him dressed
Nurse
Strap in car seat carrier
Put blanket over him
Make sure I have diapers/bottle if we are going to be out awhile


Walk all 3 to the car...
Buckle Henry's seat in
Buckle Kate in
Buckle Claire in
Climb to the front on the van
Sit in my seat
Buckle myself in

Turn on the car

Sit and rest (I actually do this)

Now, this may seem like a lot but it normally only takes about 2 hours :)

Claire-9 months old-01-19-07

Dear Claire Elizabeth,

Today you are 9 months old! Right now you have a cold (as do Kate and I) so we're just trying to get over that. You are a sweet baby but you don't like being sick...you just want to be held all day...I can't blame you for that. You'll cry and Kate will say "Claire Elizabeth wants her mommy" She calls you that now..."Claire Elizabeth." I hear that quite a lot these days..."CLAIRE ELIZABETH...THAT'S MINES!!!" You are helping me teach Kate to share so I thank you for that. The two of you "play" some together now which really is so sweet. You can wave, clap your hands and pat..pat..pat. You make noises that sound like "dada, bye bye, boo" and a few other things. Of course these are just babbles but I love hearing your little voice. It won't be long until you are saying, "KATE O'KELLEY...THAT'S MINES!!!"

One of my favorite things about you being 9 months old is that you still have that baby smell. There is something about the way a baby smell...your skin, your hair, your little baby breath. I guess it's a way God created for mothers to bond with their children. Sadly, it disappears and I won't remember it. So for now I am taking it all in. You are a good baby and a good crawler. You love to pull up now too. You still love to crawl to me and will follow me around. You cry if you can't see me and sometimes if you can see me and I don't pick you up. It's a hard balance between letting you cry and holding you but I'm glad I get to work on it with you.
I love you my baby and you make it fun to be a mom.
All my love now and forever,
Mommy

"Bells on bobtail ring"

This is a discussion from dinner tonight at the Catt house (Peggy's family):


Emma (Peggy's 15 yr. old sister): "In Jingle Bells, what does it mean when it says bells on bobtails ring?"

Sarah (Peggy's 25 yr. old sister): "BOB's TAIL! The horses name is Bob and the bells are on his tail."


The funniest part about this is that Sarah was dead serious and the pause of silence afterward made it a golden moment. After a short discussion, Jordan (the Catt mom) came to the rescue and explained that a bobtail is a "bobbed" tail which is a tail that has been cut short.