I haven't felt much like posting here for the past few months. I've been reading lots of other blogs but have been avoiding this space. I've been thinking about writing here again more and more the past few weeks though so hopefully, I'll get back into it. I love looking back at the past entries and hope that the kids will too one day.

This winter has been an interesting and busy one! Both of the kids have grown and changed so much. Ayla's imagination has just taken off and it has been such a joy to watch who she is becoming. She really likes for us to play with her in many (many!) games of store, doctor, bus driver... She spends much time caring for her babies and organizing her belongings into various bags. She is learning to have more respect for Sebastian's belongings and space. This has led, of course, to a large reduction in the amount of bickering between them. They spend much more time playing and laughing with each other than they do arguing now.

Sebastian went through a period just before Christmas of wanting to go to school. I had agreed to set up a few days for him to go try it out after the holidays as his desire appeared so strong. However, while playing in the school yard one day, he looked in the window of a classroom. He asked what it was and I told him it was the grade two classroom and that was where he would go, if he went to school. He then said, "In that case, I'm never going to school!" He hasn't mentioned wanted to visit the school since.

He did tell me that he wanted to work more on learning to read. We talked a bit about the different ways we could go about that and he said that he would like a "program" to work through. He likes the "Starfall" website, so I ordered the learning to read package. He has happily worked on it several times a week since. His confidence has soared, he is always reading words whenever he sees them now. He likes to practice reading now, and can work his way successfully through beginner books. I am so happy that we took the approach that we did, and let him come to it in his own time and manner. Sebastian has also been working through his math book, and has been getting rather interested in it. He is eager to work in it, and usually works past the number of pages we had informally decided to do at each sitting. We don't worry about sitting down every day to do his reading and math, if he has plans or is just feeling drawn to other activites , I respect that.

Sebastian has been building amazing things out of lego (elaborate space ships usually, although he has been branching out a bit). Still loving books on tape. He has also been spending more time drawing and writing. Oh, I can't forget "Harry Potter". He is loving all things "HP" these days (thanks Aunt Michelle :) ).

OK, I think that's enough for now but I'm pledging to return here on a more regular basis (and with pics!)