Quiet

Today is Thursday, and it is the first day this week I haven't been out of the house by about 7:45 at the latest. It is just after 9 a.m. and I have been relishing this lazy morning. Although, that is about to change; I have to run up to the church to finish planting one of the front flowerbeds. The weeding and moving of established plants has taken a bit longer than I'd imagined (almost a week!), made all the more time-consuming because the people who had offered to help weren't able to materialize. But, oddly enough, I have still enjoyed being out there even if it's just by myself. It gives me quiet time, especially if the kids are cooped up somewhere else, and quiet time is a rare commodity these days.


My days are generally jammed with A's various appointments, house stuff, church projects, etc, and I do enjoy staying busy. The flip side of that is a distinct lack of the aforementioned "quiet time". So if I can get some of that in while I'm doing something I need to do anyway, all the better. I know, some might argue that's missing the point, but I am one of those people who have the most peaceful be-ing and reflection time when I'm outdoors surrounded by nature ~ whether I'm just sitting there, or I'm up to my elbows in dirt and foilage. I also realize that there is an inherent difference between "being quiet" and "being still", too, and I need to fit in some of the latter as well. One step at a time, that is a work in progress.

I have enjoyed the unexpected quiet time this week because things are far from quiet at our house. K is a chatterbox, describing everything she sees and pointing out various objects with, well, child-like glee. She is usually a very happy child, and exclaims as exuberantly over a red #6 magnet on the fridge as she does over a new bug she's discovered by the front door. I always have to check whatever she's trying to show me, because one day she found a poisonous spider that needed to be dispatched to that great web in the sky. I also already have to check her pockets, because rocks and bugs do funny things to the washing machine. K is already developing her ninja skills: she catches flies one-handed, in mid-air, runs up to show us, and when she opens her hand up they will fly away.

A is also starting to vocalize more, although we still don't get too many words. He tries very hard, though, and you can tell he's pleased with himself when he gets it right. We're still working on going beyond simple labeling, and are trying to get into adding some sort of adjective to the labeled object, whether it's numerical, color, or shape related.

A's spitting has dramatically decreased as well, although we have seen an inversely proportionate rise in the whining and crying responses to things that frustrate him. This is driving Z (and me) nuts, and if A starts his whining process (which is a long, drawn-out process indeed), daddy will send him up to his room until he can compose himself. Z's reasoning is that he doesn't mind A expressing himself, but he needs to learn how to do so in positive ways. And until that time comes, if he's in his room at least the howling is somewhat muted by the walls and ceiling. I have to admit, as much as it bothers me somewhat to do this, I enjoy the break from the whining too.

We're hoping that sending him up to his room will do the trick; lately he's preferred to be in the same room as mommy or daddy and will follow us around the house as we perform our various duties or play with A and K. By separating him when he's doing undesirable behaviour, and bringing him back down when he stops doing that behaviour, we are praying that that connection is made, and fast!

A's summer ESY services will continue to be itenerant services. Now they aren't planning on putting him in a classroom until the fall, so we still have to drive him everywhere. But the last piece fell into place on Wednesday this week, so at least we're good through the summer.

In other news, K loves to express herself in a variety of artistic ways. I think this is either: 1) a response to the urban jungle, depicting K's interpretation of camouflage, forced cultural assimilation, and our baser need for survival; 2) she wanted mommy to feel better about her sunburn; or, 3) she's just naughty and keeps getting into mommy's purse to play with the lipstick.