New skills

Jordan has a new skill: He can cook himself a scrambled egg with cheese!

He can do the whole process independently: remember what ingredients he needs, locate the proper utensils, crack and beat the egg, grate the cheese, pour the oil, etc. The first time he did it, I guided him in each step, and didn't touch anything. Now I just keep one eye on things while I go about my own business (but I still stay in the kitchen). The trickiest part is cracking the egg: he tends to squeeze it, so that it kind of explodes into the bowl and on his hands. I'm trying to teach him how to do the thing we experienced egg-crackers do without thinking, which is to kind of open the egg along the crack. (Did you know you did that?) I assume experience will be the best teacher of this particular detail. The other exciting part was turning on the stove, which he had never done before. He is quite safety-conscious, listened carefully to my little lecture about natural gas, and has not yet made an unsafe mistake. There is so much to learn - how much oil to use, why you should turn the pan handles in. Jordan finds it all thrilling.

Aaron, meanwhile, is becoming a real reader. He can read "early reader" type books independently, and has a colorful and engaged reading voice.

Here he is in action:

He is a great writer, too. Here is a card he made for his kindergarten teacher, who has been sick for months and will not be back for some time. It says, "I hope you get better soon. To Ms. Mrphy. Aaron." 

For me the most touching thing is how sick she looks, there in her bed, thinking about her classroom.