I've been trying to read a chapter from Hello, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle to Xander every day before roomtime. He is just not very interested in it. After getting to the last chapter, but not getting through it, I finally decided I need to start reading him The Hobbit. The Lord of the Rings books are much too old for him, but I think he will listen to them, whereas it is like pulling teeth to read him the Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle book.
I read him the first few pages while he played around with these little balls his teacher gave him. He looked like he wasn't paying attention, so I started asking him questions about what I had just read. When I got to the part about hobbits not wearing any shoes, I asked him, "Do they wear shoes?"
He shook his head and said, "Except on days when they will be in puddles of mud, then they wear boots." I was going to correct him, then I realized he was talking about the Two Towers book about the making of the movie that we've read. The actors who played the hobbits talked about how much of a pain it was to get into their hobbit feet and how sometimes when it was a muddy day they had to wear special boots over them or else they'd get pulled off in the mud. I can hardly believe he remembers in accurate detail something we read weeks ago! His memory can be precise.
I learned from his classmate's mom that he makes sure everyone knows his full name. Her son had told her, "He's Alexander Richard Powers." They also know he wants to be a paleontologist. Nothing more, nothing less.
On a Nick note, he has been trying me for about a week now. He really broke me down, and I feel exhausted. I have been trying to take a positive approach (along with immediate discipline) by reading him stories he likes and letting him push the cart at Target. Things like that. I got this book from the library called Llama Llama Mad At Mama about a little llama on a shopping trip with his mom. He doesn't like it much and has a tantrum at the climax of the book, when he is "Llama, llama, mad at mama!" Then Mama has him clean up his tantrumy mess and tells him they will try to make it fun and they eventually leave happy. Nick giggled throughout the book. Yep, he is in tune with that message.
Isn't it amazing how much information they retain. Bailey always remembers who gave her what item or if it came from the store and what occasion it was for. I feel you on the outings with Nick. Foster is a handful in the store and I dread taking him. But I've been through much worse with Bailey, so I feel a little lucky with Foster even on his bad days. I'll have to check out that book, sounds cute.
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