Garden update

My mom said she'd been wondering about our garden so I thought I'd post a photo. Everything is getting HUMONGOUS! We haven't seen many pests, but it's early in the growing season yet, so we're knocking on wood. I'm getting a sense of how much time and attention it would require to have a big garden, because you can't turn your back on this small one even for a day. The vining things can send a tendril halfway across the garden overnight!

And speaking of things growing and getting more mature, Riley's made a big shift in comprehension and is suddenly interested in very wordy books. I realized this after we got a Pinocchio book from the thrift store which has a full page of text opposite each single beautiful color plate. It's super wordy and when I began reading it to R I thought he would get squirmy and loose interest, but no way; he was following every word. I tried to set the book down to go fix our lunch but he wouldn't hear of it!

Then the other day Robbie was talking to Riley about the brain and how it's responsible for every single thing that happens in our bodies. Riley was so interested in the subject that Robbie pulled out a text book for a class he'd taken on the brain and nervous system and began showing Riley the different parts of the brain and explaining what they do. Riley sat rapt and periodically turned to me and patiently taught me what he'd just learned. (adorable!) It was time for bed and Riley was dressed in his jammies and leaning against Robbie's arm, obviously tired, so I asked him if he was ready to go read in bed and he said "Wait till we finish this book, Momma". Robbie read on and within another paragraph or so Riley was fast asleep. Our little brainiac. ;-)

At the library yesterday we picked up some good books on bodies, one of which has an image of a child with a series of acetate pages overlaying the body which are printed with bones, muscles, organs and, of course, the brain and nervous system! It's a big hit! Of course Riley being a little boy, he's also fascinated in the stomach and bowel system and will gladly tell anyone "the food we eat goes through our stomach and intestines and comes out as poo-poo!". ;-)

Upside down on the couch with his 'friends'. :-)