I'm still here - a tad more rested thanks to Bitsy finally cutting tooth #2 and a bit less frazzled thanks to a fabulous 10,000 lux light therapy lamp that Little B uses during breakfast/math with Daddy for 45 minutes each morning.  He craves it, loves it.  It's helped.  A lot.  Enough that my body feels like the massive elephant that was squeezing the life out of me decided to shift his weight a little and I can breathe again - even move a little.  I don't think he got up and left the room, and the light won't solve *every* issue at hand, but overall, yes, things are noticeably improved.  (And no, I did not pay $300 at Amazon, I found it much cheaper on ebay, thank you Lord!!)

I also decided to get that homeschool coaching from 7sisters.  I want to figure out how to balance the structure and routine required to keep Little B on track with the vast array of learning tools that are so appealing.  I want to figure out how to let him have structured time (math, geography, grammar, etc) and independent study time (among some other slightly more relaxed subjects, he's currently reading books about renewable resources, and not all from the kid's area at the library) - and what is reasonable to expect from him after he's studied a new topic.  How can I know he's learning, not just skimming the material (that can happen just as easily as an information overload with him) without a full blown melt down because he hates writing?  On a good day, he'd be happy to do it; on a bad day, watch out Mama!  I need to adjust things and find a better rhythm in our week, I think.  I get stuck in such a traditional curriculum rut and then everyone is burned out and the more creative learning I wanted to do gets left by the wayside.  I guess I don't trust that the phonics will be learned, the math understood. . . .  there are so many ways to homeschool that I don't get, and others that I think would be lovely.

I hope your week was good, each of my dear blogging friends. . . .