Sleep-deprived Days

I have been spending a lot of time with children lately. I think they are cute, which is good for them. One baby smile can make me forget the loss of sleep from the night before. Well, not forget, but at least forgive. 

I have noticed that looking at old pictures gives me perspective on how time progresses. (These were both taken in the last couple of weeks.) Please! this is not an invitation to tell me how time flies and enjoy them while they are young or how I'll miss these years. You may only tell me one or more of the above if you are willing to come over and fold three loads of laundry and scrub a toilet or two. 

This week there were baseball tournaments for Andrew and James. Last week I took them to their games for the first time this fall. I saw Andrew, who is eight, stretch out and catch a pop fly. I almost cried. This week I saw his coach encourage him and then tell him to toughen up in reference to a game they were lousing to a team of all-stars. James, now six, has gone from almost always striking out to getting a base hit two out of three times. However, I do not enjoy the frequency of practice or the mental strain of keeping up with Abby while holding Evelyn and trying to delay the next feeding as long as possible (I had to nurse on the playground- kinda awkward). Then! During James' last game of the season Andrew was playing football with new friends and tackled the chain-link fence rail. He bit through his lip. Oi! He's okay. But we have a dentist appointment coming up just to make sure. 

So, homeschool. 

I have been exceedingly frustrated with (can I say) OUR progress with reading. We have been learning to read for four years. I was getting ready to throw in the towel. After a conference with my mother-in-law, who taught several boys to read, we started a new set of books, hoping they would pique the reader's interest. And... Eureka! somehow, the last few weeks have been excellent for phonics. And by that I mean that Andrew has read half of a 1950's reader about someone's equivalent of Dick and Jane (Betty, Susan, a boy named ? and a dog called Spot). Ninety pages so far! I'm thrilled. Both my guys have shown progress this semester and I am greatly relieved. 

The caffeine must have worn off because now I can't think of a single other thing to write about. Except maybe I taught Andrew how to make coffee. Another great accomplishment.