Weird, but cool?

I may need to try this:

Spaghetti dogs

Don't they look interestingly weird?

Reading

So Ben is making headway on the reading front. It is hard to teach him when I don't even remember what the rules are...but every once in a while, my memory kicks in and I can explain why a letter makes the sound it does. Although, I often feel like I'm talking out of my a$$.

However, I wonder if Ben has a photographic memory - I bought him a Cars easy reader book almost 2 weeks ago. We read through it once (1/2 one night, 1/2 the next). I suggested we read that one last night, and he read almost all of it by memory. Seriously, is that normal? Could you tell already if he has a photographic memory?

I find it so frustrating because it's hard to teach him phonics when he just looks at the picture and spouts the words from memory. Gord suggested that I just accept the fact that maybe he won't learn phonics and will learn by recognition. I suppose he's right...much as I hate to admit it. But I still want to get Ben to learn phonics - and he does know all the letter sounds and he does a super job sounding out words. Last night, when he would recall the words from memory, I would then track my finger along the words and we'd say them/sound them out together.

Anyways, all this to say that Ben is doing great on the reading front and we're so proud of him (despite my small amount of frustration)!

Bolt love

Gosh, do the kids love the movie Bolt! They ask to watch it every day, seriously. EVERY DARN DAY. As much as I love John Travolta, I dislike Miley Cyrus - she just grates on every last one of my nerves...

Anyways, this morning, I hear Ella in our room, on our bed (I guess I was really asleep!), talking to Simon (one of our cats):

"Come here, boy! Come here!"
"Such a good boy!"
"You saved me again Bolt!"

She's reenacting the movie, with the cat. Very, very cute (even though I hate Miley Cyrus)!