Wishing you a Merry Christmas

Huh?

I'm not a number person. If I think really hard, I can remember my x7 tables, but I really have to think about it. I survived Geometry, but hated the Algebras, was so traumatized by Pre-Calc that I gave up on math for the rest of my life (with a tiny exception of Math for Elementary Majors -- ahhh a math I got!). Numbers and me just don't gel, which is partially why Kevin was balancing my checkbook when we were back in the "just friends" stage of things.

It is no secret that Kevin gets numbers. I think his brain operates on a different field that mine because he totally gets them. Can memorize any number (and remember it! me, I'm lucky I know my social, let alone my kids, my husband's, my license, my credit card, etc. etc.). Adds in a way I can't do even with a calculator--in our poor, college, newly wedded stage he would subtotal our grocery cart, including tax and come out almost exactly (freaky!).

It is also no secret that we pretty much view Hannah as a lot like me. Yes, I know, don't pigeonhole a child. But the girl is loud, energetic, klutzy and prone to hysterics. She also has curly brown hair and square chin. Yep, that's me. We know she has some of Kevin in her, she is much too musical not to. We also recently discovered that there is another way she might be a lot like her dad.

Last night we were doing high fives after bath time (first one to brush their hair! first one into pjs!). I decided to switch it up and do high tens. Hannah loved it and I started counting by tens as we smacked. "Ten... Twenty... Thirty..." After 30, Hannah joined in and basically did the rest by herself. At that point, we asked her to do it again, which she did, making only two mistakes (which is not flawless, but still 80%--ohh, look at me do math!). I then asked Kevin when he taught her to count by 10s. He hasn't, ever. We also know she doesn't do it at preschool. So, we asked her and she replied, "I just figured it out." So, she heard me start it and figured the rest out by herself? She then eagerly said, "can I count to 100 for you?" I reluctantly agreed (do you know how long that takes?) and she then proceeded to count to 112, at which point she got bored. I will say that one morning, her aunt Kara did teach her how to count to 100, which Kevin and I have reinforced a time or two, but nothing major. But enough for that? I then remarked to Kevin that she seems to just get math and he reminded me that she has memorized her doubles addition facts through 5 (so like 2+2) and can add single digit numbers. All this just left me feeling a bit perplexed and a bit guilty -- I nurture her language development, help her with her nightly reading, encourage her writing/spelling, but I utterly neglect numbers with her. So, if I didn't neglect numbers, if I actually took time to sit down with her and work with her on them (and she is so eager to work on them), what would Hannah do? Do I have a future human calculator on my hands, much like the one I married?

Quotes up above...

Not sure if anyone noticed the quotes up above, but Abby's struck fear into Kevin... :)

It's been awhile...

Today is Alisa's last day of school for a couple weeks, so she will probably post sometime soon, but I (Kevin) saw how long it had been and thought we'd just say hello...

In the last month we've had visits from Grammie (in California), my family for Thanksgiving, and entered the busy season of Advent and preparing for Christmas. It has been extra challenging this month with both of us working and the girls having fevers, etc. and trying to juggle childcare. But in about half an hour, when school gets out early today, we will have made it through essentially the first half of the school year.

All in all, I would say it has gone pretty well- it is nice when the regular schedules of the week actually all play out. It is nice to have time at home with our family all together after 4:00 most days, where before Alisa would head off to work after school and we were always juggling one of us being at home. The girls really enjoy the babysitter they go to and the other kids there- we are very greatful for such a wonderful situation for them.

I also get to enjoy my day off (Friday) with just the girls (and just Abby in the morning when Hannah is at school).

Anyway, be looking for some new posts soon, but for now the girls say hello!