I always think we had a boring week until I look at photos.
We're working really hard at school, but also constructive activities while we're here at home with more time. And we're trying to get outside more now that the weather is so much better!
I took this photo to commemorate how sad Job gets when he's told he does not, in fact, get to watch another episode of Paw Patrol. His black eye looks worse than it is - it was just a little bump from Ezra, but just at the right spot. Job talks about it very dramatically, as if he's trying to guilt trip Ezra.
Ramona Quimby is one of the most important literary characters to our family. I think we've listened to all eight of the audiobooks at least three times each, not to mention the many listens to random selections of the books that one of us turns on to fall asleep to, or do a project to. Once Ramona starts walking to school on her own she bravely and a bit rebelliously decides to walk a different route and gets scared by a barking dog, so she throws her shoe at it... but is then forced to walk to school the rest of the way in only one shoe. Hijinks ensue and she ends up making herself a a paper shoe replacement. And several times now Ezra and Isaac have made their own paper shoes.
We went on a Sunday drive in the sunshine. We called it a "Seth Life History Tour" and drove by his childhood home and elementary school.
But also where Isaac was born.
Job does this cutest thing where he wraps his arms around his "brudders". He has them wrapped around his finger! My goodness he is bossy! I'm trying to assign them each time to play with Job. Isaac and Job play together easily and naturally but Ezra and Job struggle more. They don't have as many common interests and Ezra is bossy as well, so they clash more. Ezra also teases Job quite a bit and then Job holds grudges. So we're working on all these fun aspects of their relationships. It also helps me, though, have one-on-one time with the other brother who isn't playing with Job. We're trying to alternate days so one day Isaac plays with Job first and the next day Ezra does.
Isaac isn't as self-directed as the other boys when it comes to thinking of things he wants to do. He gets lonely playing by himself as well. Sooo I'm trying to come up with directed activities for him in particular, but all three of them.
Even though we now officially don't get a baseball season (cue all the tears... I'm devastated about this most of all) Seth has been working on some skillz with the boys.
And JOB LEARNED TO RIDE HIS TRIKE!!??!! Wow! All of the sudden he just is pedaling!!
We've been trying to write a bunch of snail mail and have gotten the sweetest cards in return. The boys get sooo excited to get mail with their names on it!
We found some digital escape rooms as well.
And Job has his own little escape room. He wants so badly to do whatever his brothers are doing but he also loves Paw Patrol so we can often distract him with that. We're still waiting on the living room floor install so a bunch of the furniture and furnishings from the living room are crowded the family room. But a big ole empty cabinet has made for a bunch of hiding fun!
This memory from 8 years ago popped up. I remember this vividly. I was teaching piano lessons with Job in tow and had these organic, no sugar lollipops to give him while he sat next to me and read or played with toys. But I was between lessons and he needed attention and he was sooo cute.
And now he's almost 9. Which is half of 18. Which I can't even think about.
Good thing the little boys literally squish me under all their attention. All the time.
I'm trying for bike rides every day, which actually works well to go get the school lunch from the elementary school across the street. Of course, if Job is "riding" his trike it takes... a long time.
Even better than cards are packages! Aunt Kathy sent fun sticker books that kept the little boys enthralled for almost two whole hours. It was such a blessing that particular day too because I was sad and crampy and feeling too worn out to actively engage with them... but also just so guilty that I just wanted to turn on another show. But ta da! I sat with them and so they felt like I was engaging but it didn't take much energy at all!
And every day for all of March Seth has bounced with them on the trampoline when he's done working. He often holds Job as he bounces, but sometimes all four of them bounce. Sometimes they lay there and roll around together. It might be my very favorite thing ever. I looovvveeee how much they LOOOVVVVVVVEEEEEEE it.
Seth and I, like everyone else?, are binge watching Tiger King. The memes are fantastic, but the show is just so compelling.
Sometimes Job gets his brudders to watch his shows with him.
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