Caden — August

Caden lost ANOTHER tooth in mid-August.  That’s 3 teeth out since we left for NYC in the middle of July.  He’s going to run out of teeth to eat with soon.  Straw anyone?

Caden was a big help in the garden with planting and clean up.  I’d pretty much ignored the garden in July, so it was both over grown and dying in spots.  Caden helped me tame the grass and weeds attempting to take over, to pick the ripe cucumbers and tomatoes, and to pull out all the dead plants.  He was a big help!

Caden LOVES the new little chicks!  Kamy’s pretty timid around them, but Caden will reach in and catch them before passing her one to hold too.

Daddy and Caden have been reading Beezus and Ramona at night.  The short-ish but busy chapters keep his attention just long enough.

Caden was a trooper for the quick eclipse trip.  He was flexible and patient when plans changed, he did great in the car, and he happily amused himself with other kids at the park during the actual eclipse.  He did use the glasses to watch the eclipse progression, but that wasn’t nearly as much fun as the playground or groundhog in the field.  I’m hoping the 2024 eclipse will make more of an impact.  =P

Perler beads have been very popular!  He especially likes making “wrapping paper,” which are sticks two beads wide that alternate colors like a roll of wrapping paper.  Will anyone one buy one?  Probably not, but he likes coming up with all the color combinations.  He also likes to use the guide book to create butterflies and dragonflies and other creatures.

Caden finished his reading curriculum!  I don’t think the program was as easy for him as it was for Kamy, but he’s at a good jumping off point for practicing reading on his own.  He loves reading the Elephant and Piggie books by Mo Willems … because what could be funnier than a big elephant and a pink pig who are silly and are best friends?!  Fortunately our library has an extensive collection and we have a rotating set of the books in his room at night.  Since Caden is a phonics reader, he has more confidence sounding out new words and figuring out what happens in a story.  I’m very proud of him!

Speaking of reading at night, Caden is allowed to keep his lamp on and read at night before going to sleep.  However, he does not have a hard lights-out limit like Kamy.  Caden knows himself well enough that he just turns off the light and goes to sleep when he is tired!  Imagine that!  Most days he’s in his room by 8pm and he’s turned off the light by 8:30.  We’ve only had to re-iterate a couple of times that he is allowed to (1) read or (2) go to sleep at night.  No playing or gymnastics or mucking around.  Those are the choices.  =)

Math is going well too — Caden’s decided that he likes math!  He’s working on double digit addition with carrying and introducing double digit subtraction without borrowing.  He’s doing great!