Reading and Raining

Levi's reading is improving.  I can't say he is anywhere near fluent yet but he is getting there.  If we could just stay away from the Long Word Freakout he would do a whole lot better.  He stresses if there is a word that he hasn't seen before and unless I can make him laugh with the 'freakout' routine, he will either cry or lose interest, depending on his fatigue level.  He is better though every day and it is heartening to watch him.  I am not sure at what point he morphs into an avid reader but I live in hope!  Tonight he was excited because he read 'celebrate' without a freakout.  I love the concept of the Long Word Freakout because:

A.  It is really Dr Ruth and find that hysterical, the idea that they would slide that  in there and

B.  It is a really good way of reminding them to stop and breakup words into smaller and more managable bits.

It is raining again.  It's raining steadily but not hard and although that will boost the creek's volume, it won't make the causeway impassable.  It has dropped the ambient temperature and that can only be a blessing.  I am chilling out too.  It is nice.  I am feeling less stretched at home and at work and finding that I am getting more done at both places because of it.  Some of it is my endless chest infection is starting to let up and I only cough hard in the mornings now.  The only downside of this sort of rain is that the grass loves it and yardwork on the weekend will be inevitable. 

Miracle

 Today I got up to a miracle.  I came around the corner of the sofa and Levi was reading, by himself, by choice.  He was sitting on the sofa, playing with his lip and reading quietly by himself.  In a blog post only a few months ago, I despaired that he would ever learn to read.  Now he is reading without saying out loud.  Six months ago, I thought that he might have even been going backward in his reading and today he is a reader.  Not just a reader but he is choosing to read, for fun.  It does my heart good to watch him this morning. 

Actually I had inklings that this was coming.  Suddenly the notes he writes are more accurate and he is writing 'books' complete with 'chapter pages'.  I don't know what was the switch but it has definitely been turned on.  I suspect that some of it was just the way his brain works.  He needs to find the pattern in something, but when that pattern emerges, he is insatiable.  Some of it may have been, that I relaxed.  I didn't 'give up' but I definitely relaxed.  I read to him at night when he was tired, rather than being frustrated that he was struggling to read to me.  We got through all eight books of 'Deltora Quest' and have started on the 'Stories of the Shadowlands'.  I just read two chapters and we go to bed.  I don't qualify it anymore, making him read his book to me first.  Now I just chilled out.  Maybe I should have thought to do that months ago! 

Today was busy and all over the place.  I had to take a baby goat down to the vet, which took forever and tried to get at least a little yard work down.  Today was mowing, tomorrow is whacking weeds.  It is getting hotter and hotter and I am starting to think that the weeds are going to win this summer.  I keep thinking that if I can just stay on top of them I should be fine, but as the days get hotter earlier and summer really takes hold, there is a panicky feeling that I will lose control.  Ah well, some things just can't be done.  And weeds can be pretty too!

 Di came over with her boys and we were going to the pool but this was delayed due to the excursion taking the kid to the vet.  Di was lovely and looked after all the human kids, so I could take the four legged kid in.  Then we went to play in the pool.  Levi just loved it and both Di and I commented how much easier it is to go to the public pool when the kids (human) are completely confident swimmers.  Di and I sat in the shade and planned the trip to the coast, glancing up to check on them.  One year ago we had to stand on the side, or knee deep in the water watching them.  Two years ago we were in the water with them and they had life jackets on!  My, it is incredible how fast and strong and independent they grow without noticing it.

If you teach them

So this is what I found when I went into rouse on Levi for turning on the light after he had been put to bed. He is just itching to learn to read. He loves the flash cards and can read many of them now. I went upstairs and told Jane that I was happy if she wants to just teach him now as I think he is starting to get frustrated with the speed of his learning program. Maybe if we can supplement a little more and he is able to read for himself he will be happier.

The poor guy was exhausted tonight as he went on his first field trip with the school. He loved the bus ride and he loved the beach and he loved writing his name in the sand. He also wrote his partner's name and other words that he knew. The beach is a great option this time of year because it isn't too hot and there are fewer bugs. We had a chat at night and his favorite thing of all was that he could take his shoes off when he got to the beach. Back to the shoe issue. At least he wears the things without arguing, but at the same time he will take them off as soon as he is able to.

Back from the North

This week has involved a quick trip to Townsville for work. It always involves long hours and long drives but this one was complicated by the fact that Mim (the OT) and I both got sick. It was not dangerous sick but enough to make life, work and travel uncomfortable. I think had we been in Brisbane we would both have gone home for the day but it is what it is. I did take today off, mostly to rest.

Levi had a "big day" today and we were awarded another rendition of the crawling to the shower. As a wonderfully sympathetic mother, I was heard to say "Levi, please crawl a little faster, the water is running!" Ah well at least he will have something to tell his psychiatrist when he gets older.

Levi is loving learning to read. He was upset because he wanted me to play a game and because I was making dinner I told him to play it by himself. His complaint "But I can only read the small words, I need someone to read the long ones. He also seems to have a stutter at the moment. It is not a real one. He says "Hi M-M-M-Mum" and then with announce that Mum starts with M. Over and over I am hearing what letters are at the start of each word. It won't be long I hope. It will open up his world!