A table Full

There's actually one 3 year old in the playroom too

I made a friend last spring. She let go of a brilliant lucrative career to stay at home with her four children. She breastfed her twin girls for 17 months. She has a very spirited 3 year old, yet never use the word "time-out". She's busy and organized yet is able to look relaxed and carefree when you speak with her. She also listen. There's all sort of other things that as we speaks, made me feel like we shared the same values. There's something that made us click, and she, at one point, as we got to know each other, almost muttered, a real confession not to be told to everybody:

I think I will homeschool Emilien next year.

Her big boy, she felt, was not in his best place in public school. The little guy is a genius, but dixpraxia make him trapped in his own body. She simply wanted to eliminate some frustration, and most of all, keeping the fire of appetite to learn alive. Because, you know, kids can be so mean. ( I resumed something so complicated in so little sentences)

So the adventure is started. The mom's a scientist, so I offered her something in my lines; arts!

Today we made finger paint (1 part corn starch, 3 part water, heat in a pot, add coloring) and it was really thick. Yes, Merrick ate some. With the spoon.

Emilien ended up making something really cool when he realized he could spread the whole thing with his whole hand.

And I love having so many kids in my house. I love chaos.

Wenesday is Painting day

I'm trying hard to follow the little daily activity rhythm I've created. So far it's going great. We do get some baking done on Monday, handwork on Tuesday (even if it's just play dough), painting on Wednesday and crafting on Thursday. They are usually enjoyable and Mariann gets thrilled when I mention "activity". On Friday, we don't have Lili, but I try to get out of the house and we eventually do something on the afternoon, going out of the house and all.

We tried stamps today. Mariann actually did the action of stamping unto her paper.
She also had to do her hand too. I wouldn't have resisted either.



Lili took her stamp as a paint brush.



Merrick ate some paint. Then he ate the stamp.



He also manage to stamp himself while giving it a hug. (see the sun?)

They all had great fun. They actually cleaned the stamps afterwards. And then I cleaned the mess. And them. Skin is my favorite product in terms of getting it back to clean state.

Autumn colors decorate well the room. Merrick's finger painting skills are actually quite good! Mariann did the huge red thing, you can actually see some flower stamps textured on all that paint. Lili's (not pictured) is full of yellow and red. Tomorrow is craft day. Not sure of what we're going to do... I have an idea, I'm missing one supply to do it. Activities take some planifications. I guess it's good practice for homeschool.

Merrick's first time

Put 2 babies with 2 colours of homemade finger paint and this is what you get:

The cutest mess in the world!

Mariann enjoyed seeing her brother paint with her! She was as thrilled as me!


Oh, the discovery!


Of course, Mariann is a big girl and took care of taking the paint brushes.











oh, the noises! the feelings!

It was one of those days after one of those nights. Very little sleep for me and Merrick. The poor boy coughs and coughs... And kept asking for milk, of course! Then no one wanted to eat... After trying to force-feed Mariann some pudding.. well, I gave up and passed on activity time. Usually Mariann paints by herself at the kitchen table, but the later being a mess, we headed to the bathroom. Merrick was more then overdue trying his hand at painting! I'm just sad I didn't have a canvas around for him like I did with Mariann. I need to re-stock those.

...And looking at the pictures... I'm glad my bathroom looks cleaner than it really is! ahah!

Blue eyes baby? Yes please!

Monkey See, Monkey do! number 2

 

I did this painting last week, it's a 8x11 vague representation of the Leo constellation. 

Of course, while I painted, Mariann wanted to paint as well. 

And this is what she came up with:

She said it was a Lobster with stars. Of course! I can see it.