The enormous find

After our mama-and-Matthew lunch date yesterday, we walked over to the bookstore where I happily discovered a big sale!

Initially, we skipped the sale bins as the order of the day was to find a coloring or activity book. But the signs called loudly, and we were soon hovering around the 40% off bin.

To my delight, I found a Roald Dahl book: “The Enormous Crocodile”.

Demands to read right there had to be pacified, and after picking up a few extra items (some super cheap Enid Blytons included), we went home.

We read the book on the couch, but not without my initial apprehensions. First, it had a lot of text per page. I was told that children Matthew’s age need to be read books where the words matched actions on the page exactly. But we read on, and Matthew was attentive and riveted. He was a little shocked at the nastiness of the crocodile, had a little fear about the plot (I believe there’s little difference, if any, between reality and fantasy at this point), but in the end he loved it.

He’s asking for it all the time. Which is good, except when I feel like a hoarse narrator.

At times like that, it’s good to find videos to stand in momentarily.

And soon, I believe we’ll be starting our new Dahl collection.

School surprises

Picking up Matthew from school yesterday, we were told to look for him in the office, instead of at the playground where he’d usually be engrossed digging or transporting sand.

We found him with his teacher:  eyes bloodshot, skin flushed, and a towel held to the lips. A playground accident happened earlier, a push resulted in a fall and a little bloodied lip. It was bound to happen, I know, but the child was obviously upset. His teacher recounted what happened. Everything was fine — it seemed like a normal thing to expect at least once amongst children playing.

What I didn’t expect were several other revelations:

* an attempt at writing and spelling

(and check out the detail on his “dnosor”)

* a readiness to learn reading. Teacher said that Matthew’s mastered his letters and so they are starting soon with lessons on reading consonants. I can’t wait for the moment he realizes how letters make words, and how words make sentences! I swear, there will be an endless supply of books!

* a clamor for more homework. Yes, I am told that he exclaimed, “I want more homework!”

Almost three months since we started school. What a ride it’s been, indeed.

Refreshed

After being invaded by toys, crayons, clay, piles of paper, and other unidentifiable objects, I decided to reclaim my space. I needed to freshen the room up and own it again.

I changed my view, hung paper lanterns, and chose light-colored drapes. Lilac and cream feels soothing and girly at the same time.

This morning, I saw the sun peeked in through my window. The trees nodded hello too.

This feels just about right.

Cozying up

Matthew’s room began as a blue sea of space.

Almost bare with only boxes after moving in

I had my pegs for it when I selected the paint color, but quickly, somehow, decorating direction changed. It took some time — almost a year — and now it’s come together beautifully.

It began with a bargain find to address the overflow of things that are expected when children are around. Shelves took care of sorting toys and books into little cubbies.

Baskets on the floor

Shelves for (almost) everything

The four shelves cost me a little less that two thousand pesos — a real steal, I tell you. I was ecstatic. And for a while, the space really worked so well. It served its purpose as a play area. And then, I realized that the reading had declined.

It usually took a lot of hopping and stepping over strewn toys on the mat to get to the books. And for my little booklover, it wasn’t worth the hassle at times.

I thought, then, a reading nook was in order.

So last week, I pushed an extra shelf into a corner. Pushed the bed to create a gap, and placed his unused, outgrown crib mattress on top of some extra rubber mats. Moved the books, his CD player (for his music), and pillows.  Voila.

The beginnings of the nook

He slept there that night.

I hung lamps the next day: a moon and a star that were recently passed on to him. The wall, I’ve decided will display images of his favorite books. We’ve started with “Where the Wild Things Are” (naturally) and “Goodnight, Moon”.

What I’m proud about this most of all is how he feels real ownership of his room now. He knows it is his and what he can do with it — the zoning works wonders. We’re shopping for more lanterns to add to his play area and will be on the hunt for a big mirror he can use to observe his own antics. And so, this is only part 1; I can’t wait to see the end result.