Some Catching Up To Do

I just noticed that my last entry was 5 days ago. I didn't realize how long it had been. Time has been flying by so fast since the kids went back to school and we've been up EARLY EARLY and getting in bed so late. Bella's bus comes at 6:55am and it's killing us all. Christian has only a few minutes more and then a friend picks Benjamin up at 7:30. In other words, everyone is out of the house before we'd normally even get up in quarantine days. Getting up at 6:30 was challenging when on-line school started, but now it's even earlier. We'll get used to it eventually, but so far while the sky is pitch black and the colder fall weather is in full force, getting up early has been a challenge. Thus, I'm often too tired to post anything by the end of the day, but to recap a few recent happenings: 

Today was our first time back at the library in over 8 months. For the last 3 months we've been reserving books online and the librarians have been pulling them and placing them on a table outside for us to pick up at a scheduled time. I just wanted nothing more than to walk inside and play with puzzles or look at the fish tank or thumb through books as I chose them. Livonia's libraries are still closed, but a neighboring city opened their library so we headed over. It was bitter sweet. All the toys, puzzles, games, stuffed animals, tables, and chairs are gone. It's just floor and book shelves. It was almost entirely devoid of human life. One librarian upstairs. One down. 1 other parent with his little son. That was it. Most of the shelves had books pre-bundled with pretty pink ribbons. Essentially the libarians are saying, "Like the top one? Then you'll love these others. So take them and go and stop touching all our books." I felt sad as I walked around. I missed the old way more than ever. However, Peter wasn't sad. He loved all the pretty ribbons! So many presents just for him! He tried to untie every one. He managed to succeed on a particularly tempting bundle of tiger books. The rest I was able to save. 

I asked the librarian where the board books were and she said they got rid of them all because of Covid. That was the main reason I had come!!! I wanted Peter to explore the books so I could see what interested him. I was bummed. I proceeded to wrestle him away from the ribbons and tried to read a few books to him without him ripping the pages while the others found books for themselves. About 15 minutes later the librarian came over with a stack of board books in her arms. "I want him to have books. He breaks my heart. He needs books. Here's what I can do." She plopped the large pile on a nearby shelf and told me, "These were donated pre-Covid. We haven't cataloged and shelved them yet. I want you to have them. Take all or any that you want." My jaw dropped. That was so nice of her! A little ray of sunshine in this dreary, antiseptic, empty library. The books were wonderful and I was very happy to receive them. Such good people in the world.

Today we also carved pumpkins. I love our October tradition of pumpkin carving because every year the amount of independence, creativity, and expertise increases among my children and it's amazing to watch. Peter loved watching what his sibs were doing but when we convinced him to try putting his hand in and seeing what the inside of the pumpkin felt like, he wasn't pleased.

 Bella decided to spray-paint her pumpkin before carving it and Christian went online and found a template he liked. Benjamin was motorcycling with Kelly but I hollowed his out so it is ready to go. I think the highlight of the carving this year, though, was roasting the seeds. Christian and Bella both carefully pulled out all the seeds from the 3 combined pumpkins and then Bella made butter garlic flavor and cinnamon sugar flavor. Christin stuck with traditional salt and onion. Christian loved it. He rinsed and drained his seeds so carefully. Then he got a towel and spread it on the trampoline before pouring his seeds onto it. When they were dry, we seasoned them and put them in the oven. C's were my favorite flavor. Finally he took his baggie of seeds outside and jumped on the trampoline while throwing them in the air and trying to catch them in his mouth. His aim was often off and he had very little success so he asked Bella to come out and throw them to him. She was more than happy to come out and chuck seeds at his face. It became a steady, fast rhythm of throw the seed, shout "FAIL!," throw the seed, shout "FAIL!" Christian soon tired of that game.  Now our trampoline is covered in pumpkin seeds as well as pine needles.

Marching Band has kept Benjamin very busy. I took the other kids to the high school football game yesterday to watch him perform. The bad sounded great. It was a lot of fun to see him and be at the game. I hated having to wear my mask all the time, but I enjoyed the evening. The best part is that Covid has removed the marching band uniform requirement, so he can wear his normal clothes (and a red shirt) and be fine and I save a ton of money. I love how they dance a bit while they play and in the end, the band led the fans out of the stadium.  Sorry the pics are small.  I was far away.

Every morning after my run, I stretch. Peter has started coming onto my mat and stretching with me. I just have to say, "I'm going to go stretch," and he comes right in and does this:

This is his version of the yoga stretch cat/cow.

He's far more flexible than I am. It's so fun to see him imitate my movements. As someone said the other day, "It's so fun to see him becoming a human and not just a high-maintenance special needs pet."  

Being alone with Peter every day while the kids are at school has been really nice but it can also get a little monotonous after being so used to the commotion of 4 at home. I went online for some ideas of things to do with someone his age and there were some fun ones. Here's a few I've done.

I gave him a bunch of colored pompoms and let him play and sort and dump. He really enjoyed that. Bella saw it later and couldn't help but sort all the colors. Later Peter destroyed it and then Benjamin noticed the pompoms and also "needed" to sort them. They are definitely my children. He's too young to play with playdoh in the traditional way, but I gave him some and gave him some toys to press into the doh to see what shapes they make. We walked pig and cow through the playdoh, pushed shapes into it, and ran a car through it. He only tried to eat the playdoh once and otherwise seemed to enjoy it. He was a little bothered when some doh wouldn't come off his fingers, but he definitely wasn't as bothered as he was by the paint.

Peter and I both fear the loud engine noise of the motorcycles but he and I love to ride the littlest one around the back yard. I don't turn it on. I simply push it with my feet and the two of us make motor sounds. We do loop after loop around the yard in the fall air without any noise or exhaust fumes. It's perfect. He giggles and squeals as we do it and it's a lot of fun for both of us.

Christian loves to play piano. He's the only one of the three who does. Peter loves music and so I often set him next to Christian while he practices so he sees the good example. The two of them side-by-side are adorable. Peter seems to always really enjoy that spot.