Up to:
We went to the St. Louis Zoo over the weekend. Scott and I went way back in 2009 and we thought how great it would be to take Wells when we moved back here in 2021. It literally took us two years to get there. It's not *that* far away. I really just wanted to take him specifically to the dinosaur exhibit they recently added. That was definitely worth it. If you're in it for animals and for getting in your steps, I'd do the Kansas City Zoo.
Dreading:
So I'm doing this book with Wells just because why not. It won't hurt him. It's all phonics based and it builds on the sounds he learned in preschool. But the thought of teaching him to read terrifies me. Like, I want someone else to do it? Preferably someone who believes in phonics. There's a reason I'm not a kindergarten teacher.
Working on:
Settling into toddlerhood. This is not my favorite age. I miss my 3 month old squishy baby. She is settling into walking more, I think her molars are done for now, and she's in a better sleep pattern (she FIGHTS nap/bedtime and then konks out as soon as I leave the room).
Excited about:
I would really like to get back into hiking more, instead of boring sidewalk walking. Wells can tend to slow me down more than a stroller does though. Dogs slow me down too. So I have to pick my opportunities carefully.
(I mean, I suppose Wells does great for not even being 5 years old. He will hike 3 miles at a time on this particular trail. He'll ride his scooter on the sidewalks for over a mile too. It just takes a lot of energy to cajole him along.)
Watching:
Finished The Night Agent in like 4 days a few weeks ago and I think I forgot to recommend it. Very good. Also watched Queen Charlotte over the last week. I do enjoy the Bridgerton universe so I liked to see some backstory. I love a good prequel, whether in book, movie, or tv form. I started watching FUBAR last night. It's amusing.
Reading: I posted books yesterday. I've been trying to read a lot but haven't been finishing many books. Such is life.
Listening to:
Over the weekend, I listened to Sold a Story. Have you found it yet? It's a 6 episode podcast. I cannot (repeat: cannot) recommend it enough. It's the most important thing for parents to listen to, period. You see, it's all about reading instruction and how educators screwed it up because the curriculum/policymakers at the top came up with fake science and used it to *not* teach children how to read for 30+ years. I feel grateful that I learned through phonics and that phonics is coming back around again.
I learned how to teach through balanced literacy. Fountas and Pinnell was Gospel in education programs in the early 2000s. It never quite made sense to me but that didn't matter because I never taught the primary grades. I never really used it, though I was definitely schooled on how to use it all. I spent enough time subbing in lower elementary though to know all about the book bags, the sight word cards, the word walls...it's actually sick what we did to kids without teaching them how to read.
Anyway. An absolute must-listen for all parents.
Wearing:
A plain black JCrew tshirt dress. This is from last year...I legitimately cannot remember *when* I got it. But I just ordered another in green because they are the most serviceable clothing item I own.
Doing this weekend:
I am taking a dog to the vet for a check-up.
Looking forward to next month:
Just living summer life with one child in summer school (because WHY NOT?), one small toddler who is craving every ounce of my attention, and dogs who want to be walked and run and hunted and hiked, never really noticing that it's 90 degrees outside.
It's not lost on me how different this summer is than two years ago (when we first moved into this house) and then last year (with a small infant). It's a certain type of nightmare trying to do fun outings by myself so we'll just see what I can fit into the schedule.
And I'm not a summer person. I tend to celebrate quietly when the summer solstice hits and the days start getting shorter.
I'm a lot of fun.
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