Why not do this?

I have been getting a lot of criticism for my decision to home-school Nicholas. After all, he's only 2.5, who knows what the school system will look like when he's ready to go to school? Why shouldn't he have to go to the school and go through things like everyone else....the critiques go on and on.

But here's the thing - the Elk Grove School District, even though it is good, isn't good enough. The gifted and talented programs don't start until 2nd grade and are rarely challenging enough because they only meet infrequently. The class sizes are large, the teachers are undertrained. The teachers teach to the tests and have to work to raise the lowest students to the middle, rather than working with the middle to make them better and the top to make them even better. It's not fault of the teachers' - it is the system that needs fixing.

There are school districts that have been fixing things. One of the things that can be done to help fix the problem is to eliminate summer vacation. Our school systems were set up when students still needed to go home and help with agriculture things. They were intended to make the transition from an agriculture-based society to an industrial one easier for the coming generations. Well, that transition has been completed, but we have still held onto the same traditional calendar.

The first simple fix for schools is to have year round schools. If places such as Chicago and Houston can recognize this, why can California not recognize this? Here's an article about the situation: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39748458/ns/us_news-life/

John Locke and parenting

So most people into politics, or who have studied American politics, know who John Locke is. He's a philosopher whose ideas helped form the ideas of America's Founding Fathers. But, he's still a philosopher . I bet you are thinking, "What does this guy have to do with parenting?"

He said that a person recognizes himself as the same being throughout his life, but in different times and spaces.

Anyone who is a parent will feel some kinship with this quote. See, we tend to think of ourselves as mothers, wives, women (or fathers, husbands, men), workers, students, etc. And we think of these people as separate beings. However, if you take Locke's approach - these are all the same sides of the coins.

The mom who does everyone's laundry while replying to work emails and having her children color with crayons is multi-tasking - doing everything at once. Nothing wrong with that. All too often we get caught up in thinking we have to separate out the things in our lives and the roles we play, and then we stress out because we don't get everything done or cannot separate everything out.

So here's my new goal - find ways to combine everything. I am going to be mom and woman at the same time sometimes. Nothing wrong with giving myself a pedicure while talking to my son who is taking his bath (at least when I am unpregnant and can see/reach my toes again). Or doing my work typing while he's engaged in block building and doesn't want me to do anything but take a picture of him with his finished creation. Finding ways to meld all the things together will make our lives easier.

Let's stop trying to be separate people and be ourselves, our whole selves, all the time. I think it will make life easier.

Engineering with cardboard and duct tape

There comes a time in every boy's life when cardboard boxes are the best thing ever (besides food). Today was that day for Nicholas.

My wonderful sister has been sending us things for the baby. And Target and Babies R Us send things in these huge boxes. I mean, they are big boxes. So Nicholas helped unpack the boxes (and so did my mom who was here. They piled everything up at the bottom of the stairs (Jon has to take it upstairs because carrying things is taboo for me).

Then Nicholas got into one of the boxes. He saw it and emptied it of the plastic bag things used in packing, and had my mom help him carry it into the living room, and then sat in it and played with his cars until it was nap time. After nap time he played with it again.

So when Jon came home, I built Nicholas a fort while they were eating dinner. These are two huge boxes taped together (thanks duct tape) and I cut two windows in so there would be light. And then it is a fort. You can see Nicholas sticking his head out of one of the windows.

Then he stuck his new bumble bee pillow pet out the other window. Mom and Debby had bought Abbey (the baby) a pillow pet and Nicholas kept trying to steal it. So they got him one too. It hasn't left his side all day. He even cuddled it in his nap. So he, naturally, took it to his fort.

And then the snacks and milk had to go into the fort. And then come out of the fort. He's such a cutie.

I guess this means I am saving cardboard boxes from now on for building things. Thank goodness I'm an okay engineer with cardboard and duct tape - not that I want to try building anything big, but a fort I can handle.

Random things in the Wunderlich house

So, we have been "babysitting" a piano for 2 years now. I love it. It gives me a chance to play and we don't have to pay for one. But now the piano's owner wants it back. We are going to lose our piano :( It is a sad time for me, since after 2 years of playing I am just getting back to a proficient level (I hadn't played continuously for 6+ years, so it takes a while to get back into shape). And now I am going to lose my access to a piano. There is one at church, but I can only practice there on Wednesday nights, not whenever I want like I can at home. Piano playing has been my relaxation, and I am going to miss it. Of course, right now, with my super swollen fingers, I cannot do much piano playing, but I can at least pick out melodies and play simple toddler songs and teach Nicholas. Now that is all gone :(

Nicholas and Jon made race cars yesterday. Target has a $5 kit (from RoseArt) to make "bouncy bumper cars." They go forwards when you pull them back and bounce off things. Jon and Nicholas made them together yesterday and had a ton of fun. Needless to say, one car is daddy's and one car is Nicholas' - mom is not allowed to touch them. I get a very opinionated toddler telling me "no mommy, that's not yours," if I try and play with them.

We have been cleaning the house. While Nicholas sometimes refuses to pick up his toys (and sometimes he helps) he does always love to clean - if you are cleaning. If I am dusting, he needs a rag to dust with. If I am washing floors, he needs to help. And what is even better is he thinks this is all play. He loves washing floors. Some warm, soapy water and a sponge can keep him occupied for 45 minutes. He says "I'm making a soapy mess!" And I say "Yes." he giggles and loves it. Then he will even help dry it up by walking towels around the whole kitchen. He adores it. Which is nice because it keeps him occupied and gets something clean all at the same time. Which is not something that can often be done in our house.

Well, I am counting the days until I can have this baby. I want it out of me NOW! If anyone thought that being a mom might give me more patience, I can tell you that pregnancy takes it all away. I hurt, I can hardly move, and I am swollen like a marshmallow. My husband says that I look great and I think he needs new glasses. Nicholas tells me that I am getting big, like a cow. Or he calls me "mommy cow." So, I think that when a 2 year old is calling you a cow, it is probably time to have the baby. Plus, I am tired of being pregnant and my health is getting bad. So hopefully, on Thursday, I can convince my doctor that I need to have this baby NOW! Then the next post will be all about my gorgeous baby girl.

Did I mention Fairy Tale Town?

Every parent in Sacramento knows of it - Fairy Tale Town. Parents either love or hate it. I think as kids get older parents hate it more and more. However, for a 2 year old - or even a 3 or 4 year old - it is perfect.

It is this little park over in Land Park that is centered around fairy tales. They have things to climb on, play with, and animals to see. If you go at the right times they have puppet shows and other live action performances.

A friend and I took our kids (1.5 and 2.5) to it on the Friday when Jon's work had their picnic next door in the park. Nicholas can only handle so much standing around and watching things, so Fairy Tale Town was a good choice since he could run around and it was next door. Also, I had a 1/2 off admission coupon so the kids were free (under 3) and we split the cost of a tickets ($2 a piece since it was a weekday).



Nicholas loved it. He got to run around things and climb on things and be told fairy tales. The park was just the right size that he walked the whole thing.

The funniest thing was watching him try and drink from this hippo water fountain. He was so impressed that it was a hippo, he wouldn't leave until he got a drink. But the thing is the fountain wasn't all that strong, and he wasn't tall enough. He finally gave in and asked for help.



Nicholas and Joey had fun climbing all over stuff and really enjoyed the horse and carriage, the cheese, and the train. They love that stuff. At least it was a great time watching them have fun. And there were benches everywhere so I could sit and talk with my friend while they were playing.



He was totally worn out (so was I) at the end of 2 hours there. It was just the perfect size and the perfect time to be there. It was afternoon, around nap time for everyone else. Hardly anyone was in the park, it was great. And he fell asleep before we hit the freeway - he was that tired. I fell asleep too. It was a great afternoon!

Bike riding

My mom got Nicholas a bike a few months ago. He has loved riding it around the house and sitting on it and being pushed. But recently, he has taken to riding it outside and is loving it. Of course, the helmet is required.

He always starts at the front door, and this requires Jon to help him down the step onto the sidewalk and help him stop the bike when it gets to the bottom of the small slant on our front walk. But from there, Nicholas takes over.



He does this strange thing where he tries to pedal for a while, then takes his feet off and watches the pedals move. But then he's not paying attention to where he's going and eventually hits something. He looks at which ever parent is with him with a confused expression and says "I hit it" or " Why I stop?" But then he gets back on and keeps going.



He gets Jon to push him sometimes so he can work on his steering.



But he really enjoys the bike. I am not sure what we are going to do now that it is Fall. He's going to try and talk me into letting him ride the bike in the rain. I know he is. And if his dad goes with him, I might just give in.

Our trip to Apple Hill

On the second Saturday in September we took a trip - a trip to Apple Hill!

Apple Hill, for those who don't know, is this great area in the foothills of apple ranches and other ranches. (visit www.applehill.com for more information). They have all kinds of activities. Based on what we discovered, we chose to go to Apple Ridge Farms. They had all kinds of stuff - including farm animals - that should interest Nicholas.

The drive up was great. It was quick and easy. We were there around 10-ish. We got there and saw there was a little market/fair on the grass, and Jon got some homemade beef jerky that he insists is great. I don't know, I can't eat the stuff.



Our first stop was to try and get Nicholas to ride the pony ride. He wanted to see the ponies, pet the horses, even tried to feed them, but riding them was a no go. I think kids see the horses and think they are so big, but oh well. Onto the hay maze.

Now, the hay maze isn't huge, but it was perfect for Nicholas. Just the right size. It had some hay bales to climb on, and lots of different ways through, but not enough different ways for him to get confused. He has a ton of fun. He loved hiding behind bales of hay and having me and Jon "look" for him. Then he would pop up and say "Here I am!"



The next big hit was the farm animals. They had cows and pigs (who Nicholas said were lazy because they wouldn't come talk to him). And they had goats and sheep. Nicholas fed the animal food to the goats and sheep. He loved it. I ran out of quarters for the food (50 cents a cup) and he wanted to keep doing more. But he loved it. Then he ran to the cows and was mooing at them, trying to get them to move. Same with the pigs - but he oinked at them. He tried climbing the gates to get into the animals, but Jon stopped that. It was such a great time seeing him have so much fun.

We took a hike. It said easy, and I am sure it was for someone who wasn't super pregnant. But it was in the sun, I was pregnant, and it ended with this hill. I mean, Nicholas did the hill without a problem. But all I could think was "Does this hill ever end?" Note to others: Don't try hiking while 7+ months pregnant. It is a bad idea.

We ate their tri-tip sandwiches too. They had great BBQ sauce, but told me they didn't sell it. That was too bad. I would've invested a lot of money in the BBQ sauce.



They had a little pond on the property. Jon showed Nicholas how to skip rocks. Nicholas took this to mean "throw rocks." We had to sit and wait patiently as our son threw every rock he could find into the pond just to see the splashes. He had so much fun, it makes me wonder why I ever pay to take him anywhere. Just take him somewhere there is some water and rocks, let the kid throw rocks and see splashes every day, and he's perfectly happy.



Nicholas was getting tired, and Jon put him on his shoulders.



And then, because it is Apple Hill, we had to go shopping. We went to their shop and got homemade apple juice, an apple pie, a caramel apple, some apples, and an apple lolly pop for Nicholas. He loved this lolly pop. Jon loved the apple juice - and once Nicholas tasted it at home he loved it too.

The lolly pop - Nicholas ate it all the way home - at least until he fell asleep and I could steal it from him so it didn't get the car all sticky. Then once we got home he had to have it back. Last year he grabbed 2 apples out of a bin - one for each hand - and ate them all the way home. This year he graduated to a lolly pop.

As for pictures of me - well, I was taking the pictures. And there are a few, but those all make me look as big as a whale, which I was, so I am not putting those onto the blog. Besides, Nicholas is so much cuter.

It was a great way to spend a Saturday and we had a ton of fun. Apple Hill is a family favorite of ours.