Sick days

My older two boys came down with a flu-ey virus on Tuesday (not too surprising after our very social weekend). No tummy issues, thankfully, but chills, fevers and body aches were enough to keep them stuck to the sofa the last two days.

We read more "HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban," and some selections for Littlest, and watched "Narnia" and "The Never-Ending Story." Have I mentioned these boys like fantasy? Maybe someday they'll let me read "Farmer Boy" to them...

Middlest was content just to lay on the couch all afternoon looking at the butterflies who'd just hatched in our Butterfly house.


We have a new neighbor next door who happens to work at Insectlore. Lucky us!! She came by with a container of ladybug larvae and another of butterfly pupa a few days ago. We got caterpillars last spring and watched the whole process, which was very cool.

We've never hatched lady bugs before, and I'm not sure these are doing well. But four of the butterflies hatched yesterday. After a few hours of observing them explore the lavender, Eldest took them outside to set them free.

Littlest was feeling perfectly fine yesterday, which was a huge blessing. It could have been one of those days.

I've been obsessing a little about collecting preschool activity ideas for him, since he seems to be needing a new level of stimulation lately. He was disappointed when his brothers weren't interested in their daily game of Cow Wrangling on my bed, but after that he managed to entertain himself pretty well.

My almost-3-year-old is a puzzle fanatic like his oldest brother, so lately he's been pulling everything out of the puzzle cupboard in the playroom and dragging it to wherever he can find space.


On the phone with my neighbor yesterday, she suggested Tangrams. I said, "That's a good idea. We have them, but I don't think he can get the lid off."

Guess who found the pattern blocks yesterday without my help or suggestion? I think this kid knows he's an unschooler.


So, what was I doing while my youngest was destroying the house playing? Well, organizing something, of course!

The boys' clothes have been overflowing two dressers, and they only wear half of what's in there. Middlest's legs are growing faster than his hair, plus he has sensitive skin and he's picky about what he'll wear. So, the other day I had him pull out everything he likes and actually fits him. Then I did my own sorting.

I managed to fit both boys' summer and winter clothes into one dresser, leaving the second for pajamas and for Littlest to move into. The top drawers are for socks, undies and kung fu uniforms. I filled three trash bags with clothes to pass down or repurpose. They don't have a lot left. But at least they fit!


Last night Littlest and I both slept 11 1/2 hours.

Today we're lazing around some more. We were supposed to blueberry picking with our homeschool group this morning. I set up the field trip a month ago, and then had to let everyone we'd be quarantined.

Eldest Boy fights things off hard and fast, so he's already back to himself for the most part. But Middlest is slower to get over illness, and is still hugging the sofa. Funny how their recovery time reflects their personalities!

(And, in case you're wondering, we do have a few cases of the swine flu in town, but that's not what my boys have.)