The Baby is the Lesson

In some ways I feel like I've been slacking with school this month.  I felt terrible for the first two weeks because I was so big and pregnant, so school time was getting shorter and shorter.  Then we've been adjusting to our first two weeks with a newborn, so again school time hasn't been complete.  (I also felt terrible with an infection.)  So I am grateful for the wisdom of women who have been here before me. 

 

At the beginning of my pregnancy, there was a discussion on my TJED MUSE group (see top right link) about homeschooling while pregnant/ with a newborn.  Several women who have older children chimed in to point out that it's okay to slow down the pace during this time.  One said that 'the baby is the lesson', and it stuck with me and comforted me these several months.  It's true.  My kids have benefitted from the lesson this baby has already been to us.  While I was pregnant they helped extra with the housework and helping me in general because I wasn't feeling good.  Contributing to our family in that way was good for them even if it meant our school lessons weren't as regular during certain parts of my pregnancy.  Now that the baby is here they are helping with her.  They have spent a lot of time holding her, and are still helping me in extra ways because I need to spend so much time nursing and holding her.

 

We've been averaging school time about every other day these two weeks, which I think is pretty good considering everything.

 

This picture is from the first few days after the baby and I came home.  We actually had a full school day!  The kids were writing letters here.  (Actually, Annie was illustrating her already finished letter.) 

Alex was playing at the other side of the table.

When we were hoping to conceive another child, I thought it would be really helpful if Logan learned to read by the end of my pregnancy.  I never thought that both Logan and Annie would learn to read!  It has been incredibly helpful.  This is mostly what these two do during the main part of the day.  Logan is reading the encyclopedia in this picture.  Hehe...

Annie has been diligently plowing through book after book after book.  She's not fast yet, but she's fairly steady. 

Here is our littlest, but most important lesson right now.  We love our little Abigail!