Bug = 4 years 3 months
Bub = 2 years 5 months Linus at this age
Bud = 9 months 13 days Linus at this age – Ada at this age

His Creation

Linus made bagpipes this morning. He’s recently borrowed a Munch Bunch book from Nana about “Rory Rhubarb” (who plays the bagpipes while eating a porridge sandwich). We’ve also had 3 recorders (cheap, cruddy, tuneless ones) floating around the house recently. When he saw the 3 recorders together, he was inspired to tape the instruments together to make bagpipes, so with some sticky tape help from Mummy, that’s exactly what he did.

Once they were completed, he looked as if he was going to play them. With 40% of the family still asleep in bed, I wasn’t keen on this idea, and asked him to play them quietly.  He agreed, adding “I really WILL keep my promise ’cause I can’t open my mouth this wide!” and demonatrating that he couldn’t fit three recorder tips into his mouth.

My Journey

My gut response when he suggested this was “No”. Too hard. Have to get dressed and have breakfast. They won’t be good bagpipes and he’ll be disappointed.

Then I felt guilty and tried to be more positive and be led by my child and respect and support his learning. I started wondering how on earth we could create some makeshift bagpipes… What are they made of?  Do we have a picture of some in one of our encyclopedias? Would I have to beg, borrow or steal a sheep’s bladder (or is that just for haggis)?  I’d better look up instructions on the internet… Oh, man, this is all too hard and I’m still in my pyjamas!

THEN I snapped out of it, got the sticky tape, helped him stick them together, and a minute later has the pleasure of watching him enjoy his “bagpipes” (both of us still in our pyjamas).

Bug = 4 years 3 months
Bub = 2 years 5 months Linus at this age
Bud = 9 months 13 days Linus at this age – Ada at this age

I’ve found it very interesting watching Ada lately and her understanding of letters and numbers. As previously mentioned, Linus has been obsessed with these for the past few months, so Ada has had a good demonstrator and teacher for lots of these concepts and associated terminology.

What I’ve been curious about is how much Ada understands of what she’s saying. She often asks “What does (e.g.) ‘bed’ start with?” (one of Linus’s favourite questions) and has long been able to sing the alphabet and say the numbers 1 to 15. But as for spelling, counting, recognising letters, understanding what letters mean, and other aspects of literacy, I’ve found it hard to work out for sure.

Well, today my friend CM was visiting, and she was chatting with (an unusally friendly!) Ada. They were looking at a placemat, and CM informed me that Ada was reading out the letters. I was surprised, and a little doubtful… “D… H…” said Ada as she spelled out “Dinosaurs“.  “Well,” I thought, “she was half right” but I wasn’t too impressed. But as she continued, I realised she was actually spelling out the row below: “Through the Ages“.

I am one impressed Mum