Sorry it has been so long since I have updated but life happens, things get busy and either I forget or I just don't have the motivation. I have a few spare minutes tonight so I figured I would at least enlighten everyone with an Olena update!
She is growing like a weed. Haven't weighed her lately but she surely is getting much much taller!
I have decided once again to try and grow out her hair...hopefully this time we can make it happen. And just so that you blogger friends know, this is not all my decision. She, just as much, finds her hair frustrating. She cannot stand her hair to be in her face but she has a double crown so everything on top of head naturally falls forward...into her face. It drives her batty! In addition to that, she does not have a particular liking to rubber bands and barrettes, regardless of what I get to easy the discomfort. Lately she has been a bit more relaxed about it so we have managed to get her in a pig tails a few times the last couple of weeks and she has done very well.
Speech has been a concern of mine lately she hasn't made much improvement over the last few months and that is not her "normal". We usually see a couple of set backs that are followed by big improvements, but we seem to be at a plateau. I didn't want to have to commit to squeezing in speech therapy this winter but I have a strong feeling we will be. It is not bad for me because I understand her perfectly for the most part, but I see a lot of adults struggle to understand her.
We have taken some time off this summer in home schooling. I enrolled her in a nearby summer day camp and she goes 3 days a week every other week. She enjoys it. I am having a bit of a problem keeping her there but she insists she loves it and wants to go back. They get to go to the beach, her favorite beach in the area, they go on field trips and they have indoor days with structure activities. I like the staff and the program is good but there are some pretty rough kids there and Olena is not quiet use to that. I don't keep her locked away and sheltered and I know she has to face life but I do not accept the fact that I have to tolerate my daughter being bullied and that is exactly what happens. She is verbally and on occasion has been mildly physically bullied... name calling, "spanking", pinching....this to me is unacceptable. I have spoken with the staff and I know kids will be kids but it is hard for me to deal with. We do the best we can to teach her how to face it, how to handle it and how to avoid it but ultimately it sickens me. These are all things that I don't feel a 7 year old little girl should even have to worry about. I know I will get past it and so will she but it really makes me reflect, and appreciate my choice to home school even more.
I am pretty excited about this year! I am doing a 60/40 split with 1st and 2nd grade. There are a few things that I feel she stills need to focus on and continue practicing, such as her math so we are going to complete another 1st grade curriculum for that. Reading I am definitely moving forward with. She amazes me every day with her leaps and bounds progress in reading. She is so cute to listen to when she reads aloud lately because she is starting to animate her words. I personally have always loved reading and I have always been a very animated reader myself, making voices for the characters, sound effects, etc... so to hear her do this makes my heart soar. I know she learned it from me, and I love that!!! :)
I also didn't spend a lot of time on science last year. She just didn't seem interested so I figured this year we would give it a go. My biggest goal? I plan to make this year much more structured. We winged it and fit school in where and when we could. This time around, we will be working our plans around school. It will be a hard transition for Jason and I because believe me being an "unschooler" is awesome and very convenient!!! but I think Olena is ready for more. She needs the schedule, she needs the "study" and most of all I think she needs the challenge. But all in all, I am excited!
She has become half mermaid over the last month of so. We bought a pool, 12 feet round 3 feet deep...nothing extravagant but she loves it! it has been such a hot summer too so it has been a great relief for the whole family. However, we now have a child who I swear has grown gills. She lives in that pool. She mastered the doggy paddle last year...well we are way beyond that "baby stuff" now. She is always asking me to teach her the breast stroke, the back stroke and the butterfly. She can collect all 5 "sink sticks" when I throw them throughout the pool..and all while underwater and not coming up for air!!! She can do a handstand in the water and hold her legs up pretty straight, and she can "dive" and swim underwater so well. I just stand there amazed when I watch her. She swims along the bottom so effortlessly and smoothly she reminds me of a shark. But I have to admit that pool was one of the best investments we have ever made as far as family entertainment goes! :)
I haven't taken many pictures lately but I promise that will soon change. Camera is in the shop so when I get it back, I plan to capture every second of our lives to make up for lost time.
Well I gotta get to bed, early morning!
company picnic at the zoo. Caricature picture is of my mom, me and of course Olena.
She is growing like a weed. Haven't weighed her lately but she surely is getting much much taller!
I have decided once again to try and grow out her hair...hopefully this time we can make it happen. And just so that you blogger friends know, this is not all my decision. She, just as much, finds her hair frustrating. She cannot stand her hair to be in her face but she has a double crown so everything on top of head naturally falls forward...into her face. It drives her batty! In addition to that, she does not have a particular liking to rubber bands and barrettes, regardless of what I get to easy the discomfort. Lately she has been a bit more relaxed about it so we have managed to get her in a pig tails a few times the last couple of weeks and she has done very well.
Speech has been a concern of mine lately she hasn't made much improvement over the last few months and that is not her "normal". We usually see a couple of set backs that are followed by big improvements, but we seem to be at a plateau. I didn't want to have to commit to squeezing in speech therapy this winter but I have a strong feeling we will be. It is not bad for me because I understand her perfectly for the most part, but I see a lot of adults struggle to understand her.
We have taken some time off this summer in home schooling. I enrolled her in a nearby summer day camp and she goes 3 days a week every other week. She enjoys it. I am having a bit of a problem keeping her there but she insists she loves it and wants to go back. They get to go to the beach, her favorite beach in the area, they go on field trips and they have indoor days with structure activities. I like the staff and the program is good but there are some pretty rough kids there and Olena is not quiet use to that. I don't keep her locked away and sheltered and I know she has to face life but I do not accept the fact that I have to tolerate my daughter being bullied and that is exactly what happens. She is verbally and on occasion has been mildly physically bullied... name calling, "spanking", pinching....this to me is unacceptable. I have spoken with the staff and I know kids will be kids but it is hard for me to deal with. We do the best we can to teach her how to face it, how to handle it and how to avoid it but ultimately it sickens me. These are all things that I don't feel a 7 year old little girl should even have to worry about. I know I will get past it and so will she but it really makes me reflect, and appreciate my choice to home school even more.
I am pretty excited about this year! I am doing a 60/40 split with 1st and 2nd grade. There are a few things that I feel she stills need to focus on and continue practicing, such as her math so we are going to complete another 1st grade curriculum for that. Reading I am definitely moving forward with. She amazes me every day with her leaps and bounds progress in reading. She is so cute to listen to when she reads aloud lately because she is starting to animate her words. I personally have always loved reading and I have always been a very animated reader myself, making voices for the characters, sound effects, etc... so to hear her do this makes my heart soar. I know she learned it from me, and I love that!!! :)
I also didn't spend a lot of time on science last year. She just didn't seem interested so I figured this year we would give it a go. My biggest goal? I plan to make this year much more structured. We winged it and fit school in where and when we could. This time around, we will be working our plans around school. It will be a hard transition for Jason and I because believe me being an "unschooler" is awesome and very convenient!!! but I think Olena is ready for more. She needs the schedule, she needs the "study" and most of all I think she needs the challenge. But all in all, I am excited!
She has become half mermaid over the last month of so. We bought a pool, 12 feet round 3 feet deep...nothing extravagant but she loves it! it has been such a hot summer too so it has been a great relief for the whole family. However, we now have a child who I swear has grown gills. She lives in that pool. She mastered the doggy paddle last year...well we are way beyond that "baby stuff" now. She is always asking me to teach her the breast stroke, the back stroke and the butterfly. She can collect all 5 "sink sticks" when I throw them throughout the pool..and all while underwater and not coming up for air!!! She can do a handstand in the water and hold her legs up pretty straight, and she can "dive" and swim underwater so well. I just stand there amazed when I watch her. She swims along the bottom so effortlessly and smoothly she reminds me of a shark. But I have to admit that pool was one of the best investments we have ever made as far as family entertainment goes! :)
I haven't taken many pictures lately but I promise that will soon change. Camera is in the shop so when I get it back, I plan to capture every second of our lives to make up for lost time.
Well I gotta get to bed, early morning!
company picnic at the zoo. Caricature picture is of my mom, me and of course Olena.
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Michelle Enskat