Frog Blog

I have started up a homeschool blog called The Journey.

Our Homeschool Journey will be based on Isaiah 54:13 says “All your children shall be taught by the LORD,
and great shall be the peace of your children.”

We returned at the end of last week from a holiday that certainly did us ALL a world of good.
I think Elijah was possibly bored but Daddy and Mommy enjoyed watching loads of discovery channel. We are the only family that go on holiday to watch tv. But we needed it.

After being sick for sooo long we all needed to just do nothing and enjoy time with each other.

On leaving the Monday, the trip went quite well and Jessica was quite comfortable most of the way. Mommy started to feel ill on the way and was so thankful for my mother-in-law like never before.

But Tuesday was much better and although we didnt go on any hikes, going around trying to find chickens to feed and letting Elijah play on the jungle gym in the heat. But all enjoyable.

The wednesday was starting to get cold and wet and the boma was supposed to be very nice but the electricity cut off and we kind of got smoked out for a while. Some guy hooked up a little generator and the fan started working again and it got more comfortable.

Thursday was lazy and sooo comfortable.
Friday was our big breakfast and off to home we go.
All in all we felt so good and rested. A pity it wasn’t longer.

Thanks again to the Bennies for the holiday, we really appreciated it.

Our little pumpkin pie is 7 weeks old today. After a bit of colic and 2 sessions at the Chiropractor (special baby one) things are looking better. Jessica is sleeping better and much more settled that 2 weeks ago.

Elijah is his energetic self. Very busy and very demanding sometimes. His computer skills are beginning to amaze me. He is growing up so quickly.
At the moment he has sinusitis which he has so helpfully passed along to Mommy. He needs a haircut which I will attempt to do on Friday.
At the doctor he decided to share some of himself and threw up almost on the doctor. It landed on the floor. The Doctor didn’t seem to mind and was his charming self all the way through the rest of the appointment.
Elijah is still 1m tall and weighs 15.6kg.

Jessica weighed 4.7kg at her 6week checkup and was 55cm tall…growing strong.

Breastfeeding is still going well and we even managed to get a head start on the expressing. We have 150ml frozen for an emergency.

Everything else is going well except all these illnesses coming and going which just plain irritates life. William is still off the meds with a few symptoms but He is pressing through for healing.

God bless

OK, so it is a bit late. 4 weeks to be precise.

Jessica was born on the 7/7/2009 at 7.39am weighing 3.2kg and at a length of 49.5cm. Everything went well with the birth and a apgar score of 9/10 and then 10/10.

At her 4 week check up at the clinic she weighed 4.2kg and a length of 53cm. Our little lady is certainly growing.

Elijah is very interested in holding his sister, as well as trying to get her to look at him and the things he wants to show her.Things are much more organized and easier than the first time around. It has been such a blessing.

Jessica at first had days and nights mixed up but things are much better now, and day sleeps are also better. I decided not to use the drug to help with breastmilk and rather try to continue naturally. It has worked and I feel great. I drink 2L of Jungle Juice a day and it is very refreshing. Elijah loves the juice too.

Will try to keep updated more often

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Yesterday we had such a wonderful day together. We had a late sleep (he slept till 9 – just woke up for breakfast and went to sleep again)
we did “school” work – fun stuff, he played by himself adn he found a hat that looks like a Warrior helmet) he decided he was Shrek and I was a PRINCESS! Oh the joys!
So we played shrek and princess and dragons most of the afternoon…He has a shrek jacket so it looks really cute.

Hubby got home late but Put Elijah to sleep on his mattress next to the bed…Elijah kept saying he must get up because it is Mommy’s turn…Mommy was pretending to sleep so E eventually decided Daddy was good enough…
I went to bed for good and woke at 1.45am and E was still in his bed, I woke at 5 (Yet another toilet break) and he was still in his bed…At 5.30, he climbed in and slept till 7.30am….yawned and said “good morning mommy” My heart filled with Love
But a minute later was demanding breakfast. I only smiled – he is so predictable some times.

This morning we cuddled and he was playing with his trains and he is playing with his cars…

Homeschooling and the stuff from the OT is adding such wonderful times for us – (we do activities, more structured stuff than ever before) and it is realy creating times that are more meaningful. My heart puffs up all the time when he “gets” something or manages to do something BECAUSE we are working on it. What could be more rewarding!
I love my Child and thank God I will have a daughter to share these good times with to! Thank you for your blessings Lord!

Between birthday activities and sore back ache, shopping and just trying feed the family I am actually managing to sort of keep up with our activities.

I have found that to incorporate the OT homework/activities and to keep up with the curriculum can be both a good and a bad thing. Good for Elijah as it adds idea’s to our day, and Bad as it keeps us Very, very busy!

Two activities I completed the preparation for are the sand box and a file folder game i made from an idea I got while watching Elijah at the OT. He had to do a bingo game. A board that has pictures on and cards that match. It is really difficult to source these games cheaply here so I am making do with what I can.

All images are free from OpenClipart

I eventually found a square box that didn’ t cost R100. I added some sand, but it probably needs more. You can decide for yourself how much you want in. Add sandpaper to the bottom for extra texture (smoothest sandpaper you can find – you dont want to scrape skin open on fingers)

Elijah’s memory verse is coming along nicely. He will tell me what it is, except  that these days the first answer to any question is “Three”. I guess we worked on his age a bit too much

Be Blessed

Update:
I am using Hands on Homeschooling age2 for my 3 yr old.

We are attending a few session with an occupational therapist. My Son has a bit of low muscle tone and she has really shown me in a direction I had not thought of taking…regarding abilities…I am slowly just doing things with him.

* We have started using a peg-board …Elijah must start off with making lines across and then one down and work from there…

* Children apparently need to “build” before they can draw.

* We are using “short” (broken) fat crayons and chalk to make lines and draw with. to get a three finger hold. as my son is just fist holding most of the time.

* We have a bulletin board with a few pictures for the week on it. Our memory Bible verse, A picture relating to the story of the week, 5 Apples as we are working on our counting.

* I am using TotSchool ideas – web address can be requested or just google it.
They have a tray system that is working really well for my son. Each acticity is on a tray for the day, and we just use the trays and do the activities throughout the day..better planning for me and better Idea for Elijah on what he will be doing.

* the OT (occupational therapist) recommended a Square box (size of about 10-15cm and preferably plastic) and put sandpaper in the bottom and sand on top – u can choose how much…Kids draw lines first then u make handprints with them, and draw faces and eyes…no wiping off…just shake box and viola – new area to draw

* Cut out pictures of magazines (sqaure-shape to start with) or print out from clipart or whatever…Cut in half and kids “build” puzzles…
start with 2 pieces then work up

* It has come to my attention (through OT homework) that my son doesn’t know how to tear properly…he “pulls” apart the page…so we are working on that and pasting “leaves” on trees etc…make other pictures too

This pregnancy is happening so fast that I can almost not keep up.

I had plans to write a pregnancy diary – this didn’t happen much at all. Every day I think of this little girl that will be coming into the world in the next 12 weeks. I have absolutely nothing ready for her arrival yet but I really want (NEED) to start soon. It is starting to affect my “planning/need to be perfect” streak.

A Final decision I made last night was to put both Kids in one room. I will be measuring beds and space today hopefully and then we will be using the other room as a play/school room.  If the beds fit in the one room. I have such plans to put pictures on the walls and just making the playroom look really nice. A reading corner (maybe with some beanbags) – craft tables and chairs, toy boxes…really looking froward to this now – I really hope the beds fit!

This weekend needs to be productive – we will see…

I have tried two approaches with Elijah and we are now attempting another one…

1. The first “idea” i had was to read stories and have “theme” weeks that i set out each week – the problem – i didnt have enough experience and then E was too young for most of the stuff i had attempted from getting it off the internet – so he wasn’t interested unless it was story time – we tried Loads of crafts
There are quite a few “free” curriculums which i think have great value except we dont have the library system overseas have and they are not very user-friendly for SA in my opinion

2. I then tried doing nothing except bedtime stories (that worked) but we got More SOCIAL – which hasn’t worked at all in my opinion

3. The “new” version is what we are starting as Elijah turns 3 now – Hands On Homeschooling – very well set out with a bit of effort in preparation time from Mommy and Daddy. As it is US based our seasons are different so we will be “changing” the themes around a bit