January 19, 2010

This morning Mike asked Alex to come to the table for breakfast. Alex whined and said something to Mike (he can't remember the exact words) to indicate that he needed a new diaper. He was poopy! This is the first time ever he has let anyone know he needed a diaper change! Whoo hooo!!!

I noticed this morning that Spencer looks even taller next to Alex than he did a month or so ago when he was measured an inch taller. I put them back to back and I swear he's got close to two inches on Alex. He's a Spencer sprout!

I'm beginning to think I have ADD. I can't concentrate on one task for more than five minutes. My mind is always wandering and I can't keep track of my thoughts. I can't remember something somebody told me two minutes ago. It's making schoolwork exceedingly difficult!

Paging Dr. Conklin

Spencer diagnosed me with an "ear injection" this morning. "I have an ear injection?" I asked. "Yes," he said, "because your diaphragm isn't working." Guess during all our anatomy talks I forgot to mention that your ear is nowhere near your diaphragm. Sigh...

Our Not So Simple Lives

How do you teach children not to take what they have for granted when we live in a society where most people have so much more than they need? I feel as though most of the children I know have a sense of entitlement about things. I understand our inner desires to be comfortable and be entertained, and I see how our society feeds into this. From within and without we are pushed to have more and live better. There are children all over the world who live with so much less and aren't any less happy. Our children place far too much value on things: video games, computers, television, toys, etc. I wish I could make my own kids understand that we don't need stuff to lead happy and fulfilled lives. I'm influenced by the same forces as everyone else, but I long to live a more simple life, both for myself and as an example to my children.

Growing Sentences

A few days ago when I asked Alex why he was upset he tearfully replied, in a spontaneous five-word sentence, "The Leapster TV is gone." Just yesterday he uttered a spontaneous ten-word sentence: "I want to get into the van and go home." Only problem . . . we were already there!