A and B

Now that we've been here for a couple weeks, we're starting to settle into a normal routine. I am, however, currently jobless. Despite the fact that this doesn't work out with the whole paying-our-bills thing, I am loving being a stay-at-home mom! But, I have applied for more retail jobs than I can count (but don't tell them I said that since I applied to be a cashier) ;) and have heard nothing back. Please pray for us. I know I need a job, I just can't find one.

Anyway, along with our normal routine has come school sessions again. My original plan was to follow letteroftheweek.com curriculum which consisted of learning 1 letter, color or shape (alternating weeks), and number per week. However, my genius child learned everything too fast so we have had to move on! He already knows all of his capital letters, and 1 through 9. I don't know that he's old enough yet for lower case, and I don't want to throw him off, so we've started learning that every letter makes a sound. We did A last week, and B this week.

Last week's activities all had to do with the letter A. We're starting with short vowel sounds, so we learned about words like apple, and alligator. I am making homemade flashcards for each letter. I could buy them, but I'm too cheap. :)

I'm trying to get actual pictures of whatever it is, because I made the mistake of printing a cartoonish cow I found, and Hunter kept calling it a pig. And when I looked at it's nose, I couldn't blame him. So, real photos it is! When I introduce the letter's sound, we go over the flashcards and point out the sound at the beginning of the word. I try to point out words throughout our day, like banana, and whatever A or B words we come across, but I have to admit - I'm not very good at remembering that.

I printed out a picture of an alligator he was supposed to color and then cut out and glue on a popsicle stick. But after he colored it, I couldn't get myself to cut it up! Look at how he was even careful to color the web addresses at the bottom of the pages!

We're also working on writing the letters, and we tried writing them in rice... (This one is mommy's) :)

Here he is now just making a big rice mess. But he was having lots of fun, and getting messy sometimes is what being a kid is all about!

I made this paper with every letter of the alphabet, and then I added some extra 'A's. He had to find them and circle them. He did really well with finding them, but we're still working on his small motor skills. He let the marker wonder a couple times. :) And really, instead of circling, he colored the A's.

Sometime this weekend we will be making binoculars out of toilet paper rolls (we didn't have empty ones until today!)

Here is a preview of next week and 'C.' Note the Camaro. I couldn't put 'car.' Yes, Hunter knows it's a car, but he can look at that picture and tell you it's a Camaro. Yes, Greg is very proud. :)