7 Quick Takes Friday Vol 14

1.

In honor of Jen at Conversion Diary, our hostess, having a baby this week, I thought I would center my Quick Takes around my children. It always amazes how fast the time goes by and how quickly they grow up. It might be hard to have your children close in age when they are little, but once they get a bit older, I find that the closeness is very nice.

2.

My baby is officially growing up. Mr. 3 yo had quite a bad cold this week. He woke up one night with that croupy sounding cough that I just hate. After I got him settled down again and tucked back into bed, I stood next to his bed for a few minutes to make sure he was okay. It was at that moment that he opened his eyes and said, "You can leave now." "Are you sure," I said. "Yes" was his reply. Oh well...

3.

Ms. 5 yo had a big day this week, too. We've been doing some phonics/reading lessons with the book "Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons" and this week she read her first three words. I think it actually made sense to her, too! The first time I saw this book I thought it was a pretty dumb way to teach your kids to read. I ended up needing to use it with my second child and I have used it with everyone ever since. It really is easy and it works, too!

4.

Speaking of kids growing up, you would think that Mr 8 yo would be past the age of wanting to cut his own hair but we found out last weekend that he is not. The kicker is that I had just taken him to get a really nice, short haircut on Thursday. Apparently he wanted to see what he looked like with the front of his hair cut down to his scalp. Unfortunately it doesn't go well with the rest of his hair that isn't cut down to his scalp. And I thought this only happened with girls!

5.

I happened to see Ms. 10 yo reading my blog the other day. I asked her if she read it often to which she replied, "I usually read it, except for your Quick Takes Friday." "Why is that?" I asked. "Well," she replied, "they're usually too long." So much for being quick. I'll try to do better.

6.

As I said earlier this week, Ms 15 yo celebrated her birthday. I always marvel at the different personalities that exist in this household. Some of the kids need trumpets blown and fanfare all day long when it is their birthday. Ms 15 yo was content to pass the day quite unobtrusively. When I asked her why she had been so quiet on her big day she told me that it was just her personality. Thank God for differences!

7.

One of the joys of having your children close in age is that, when they get older, you can all fight over the same books. We currently have all three of Immaculee's books in our house - Left To Tell, "Led By Faith" and "Our Lady of Kibeho" - and myself and my oldest three children have spent the past week or so stealing them from each other so that we can be the first to finish them. Ms 16 yo is, of course, the first one to finish all three of them. I think she finished the last book in under three hours so I must not be giving her enough to do! True to form, Ms 15 yo has been quietly waiting for someone to put a book down so that she can pick it up, while Ms 13 yo and I are usually the ones who end up physically fighting over a book :) Since I usually win, she doesn't just patiently wait for me to be done, she stares at me, taps her fingers and continually asks me when I am going to be finished. Ah the joys of many children. You better believe that I wouldn't want it any other way! Thank you Jesus!