Tell Me a New Word

 One of my favorite things nowadays is when Atticus comes up to me and makes a simple request.

"Mommy, tell me a word I've never heard before," he says.

Well, maybe it's not so simple. When you're put on the spot, it's actually not so easy to think of a word that a 5 year old has never before heard and yet is easy to explain and can be used in regular conversation. I can't recall all the new words I've introduced him to since he started making the request -- maybe a half dozen times in the last couple of months -- but one of my successful words was "gargantuan." I think I need to start making a list when I come across a likely word.

It's fun to see them curious about new words. Reading a chapter book together at bedtime last night, he asked me the definition of "accelerate." Yesterday afternoon one of the neighbors used the word "overreact," which prompted a great discussion at home with Edith and is actually a word I could use quite frequently in our household!

If you think of some good new words for a 7 year old and 5 year old, please share!

Summer of Sports

 

 

I never liked sports as a kid, and naturally I thought my kids would feel the same. Or at least I thought that my lack of interest would spur their own.

 

This summer has proven me wrong. Edith and Atticus both learned to ride a bike, of course. A week or two ago Edith began learning to rollerblade. And this past weekend they both decided to show a bit of skill throwing and catching a baseball. Not to mention Edith has asked to join soccer (we'll see!), but that's only because some of her friends are in it.

Not only that, but they've decided to become fans of the Columbus Blue Jackets hockey team. This is pretty much exclusively thanks to a neighbor who is a year older than Edith and an excellent hockey player himself. But we've actually been watching some of the playoff games and cheering the home team on.

They've both watched plenty of Ohio State football in the past -- something none of us will be doing this fall since the Big Ten season is canceled for the year. We'll see if these newfound interests are still around when football begins again!

Bunk Beds for Happy Kids

The kids got bunk beds a few weeks ago, and the excitement hasn't yet worn off.

Edith and Atticus have shared a room since she was 2.5 and he was a mere 6 weeks old. They love it, and I do too -- it's super convenient to have all of their shared toys together instead of split between two rooms.

Their room is extra large, probably because at some point there was an addition added to the house which expanded the kitchen and the space above -- their bedroom. So there's more than enough room for them both. And yet there just wasn't a great way to fit two beds. The placement of the ceiling fan and the a/c and heating vent means that really only half of the room is comfortable to sleep in.

When Atticus was in a crib and then toddler bed it wasn't such a big deal since the bed was so short. But once he upgraded to a twin, the vent was always covered either by his bed or (when we scooted the bed over a foot) by the blankets that would be kicked off.

The bunk bed purchase was rather spontaneous. Someone was selling one locally -- presumably their kids had outgrown it. I liked that it didn't have a ladder. After a brief conversation, I claimed it and Paul (with the help of a gracious neighbor with a larger vehicle) had it home within about an hour. We set it up the next day.

Edith got a turn on the top bunk first. We're nearly a month in and I think Atticus might prefer the bottom bunk anyway and forego his turn on the top! They didn't necessarily need the extra space that a bunk bed provides, but it's nice to have it anyway. Boy, can they make giant train tracks now! And best of all, the bunk beds gave them both excellent spots for book lights, and they spend a good deal of time after we tuck them in reading books. Love!

Block Party in Name Only

Like so many other events and activities this year, our street's annual block party was scrapped in the spring thanks to COVID-19. It was supposed to be in June. That wasn't happening.

When Ohio's numbers were decreasing a month or so ago, it seemed like the perfect time to reschedule. We got the permit, along with a caveat from the city that it could be revoked at any time. We also had to obey a number of pandemic-inspired rules -- no potlucks, for example. No problem.

But as August 1 got closer and closer, the numbers got worse and worse. It was already going to be a smaller event, with many neighbors staying at home or going on vacation. Then our permit was revoked, and the city announced it wouldn't be issuing any for the rest of the year. That meant the street couldn't be blocked off, so the kids couldn't ride their bikes without fear of traffic. Then more households decided to drop out.

So this year's block party was one in name only. We had just a few activities -- socially distanced and faces covered with masks. The kids loved decorating their bikes for the bike parade. And decorating their own masks was a very pandemic-inspired activity!

When the pandemic is over, I hope to have the biggest party the block has ever seen. This, of course, wasn't the year.