Capture, savor, and celebrate right now.

After a few weeks of having all three of us here together Chris is back to meetings (the new legislative session begins next week) and Simon has one more day off school today (it's a "professional development/planning day"). I am ready for a bit of "alone" time around here to get some more work done before the baby actually arrives.

I finished cleaning up, clearing out, and reorganizing Simon's room yesterday. One of the things that was most fun was having him rediscover toys he has not played with for awhile that still bring him entertainment and joy. I am glad to have that entire project completed and can move on to my list for the baby room (thanks for all those kind words on the sneak peek).

One of my favorite things over the past couple of weeks is that Simon has really gotten into reading. REAL reading on his own.

Our normal routine is to read a book to him each evening before going to sleep of his choice (we intervene or make suggestions depending on how late or early it is). One night last week he picked Green Eggs & Ham, climbed up on his bed, sat criss-cross, and told Chris he wanted to read it that night.

It took over an hour for Simon to read Green Eggs & Ham the first evening.

After the excitement (and a bit of fatigue all around) Chris had the brilliant idea to come up with a simple way to track the books he reads all by himself: each time he finishes a book he can add it to a list we are keeping on a bulletin board in his bedroom. That in and of itself was enough of a motivator for him to get down to business and it has been working like a charm for the last week.

The next night he read Robert the Rose Horse. It also took him over an hour. He is super tired by the end and we are working in the suggestion that you can break a book into two nights (or more) but that idea has not caught on just yet. In the meantime we are adding in some shorter books or changing it up by having one of us read to him.

Tonight he fell asleep while Chris was reading to him. He had spent part of his afternoon reading Green Eggs & Ham (on his own on the couch) and starting on Horton Hears A Who.

I so hope this is just the beginning of a lifetime love of reading.


In addition, I would like to ask for your prayers and positive thoughts. Many of you know that I have had a bunch of moles removed over the last year and a half (actually more than 20 since August 2007). This past week I received some results indicating that the most recent one I had removed from my upper chest area is stage one melanoma (this is more serious on the spectrum than the melanoma I had removed in the past which was only on the surface of the skin). I should be getting more information this week as to what the next steps are in this situation.

Consider this your friendly reminder to have your own skin checked by a dermatologist if you have any suspicions or conerns.

Related Posts

Sign in or sign up to comment.

375 thoughts

  1. Leea says…
    01/05/2009

    Prayers are of course with you.
    I love to see children encouraged to read at home. Dr. Seuss can be hard for some children sometimes(because of his silliness) so good for Simon! We devote an entire week to Dr. Seuss at the end of February to honor his work! Horton is one my all time favorites! Enjoy your day together!

    Reply 0 Replies
  2. JeanetteB says…
    01/05/2009

    Prayers and good thoughts always. Take care!

    Reply 0 Replies
  3. Melissa says…
    01/05/2009

    Ali, I am having some cancerous spots removed this month, as well, after one of them tested positive last month. I've since found more that look similar to the first one so I'm getting particularly nervous. They're all around my neck and *gulp* EYEBROW area... so I will probably look slightly different a few weeks from now than I do now, which is humbling considering that I'm not a beauty queen to start out with!
    Many prayers headed your way,
    blessings,

    Reply 0 Replies
  4. SusanD says…
    01/05/2009

    Prayers for you Ali.
    HUGS
    SusanD

    Reply 0 Replies
  5. Laura Reaux says…
    01/05/2009

    Ali, I'm sending hugs and prayers your way. You'll be in my thoughts today.
    How awesome about Simon's reading. Camden just brought a Dr. Seuss book to me a couple of days ago excitedly announcing that he had read it all by himself. Keeping a list of the books Simon is reading is a great idea! We may do the same.

    Reply 0 Replies
  6. Sarah in MN says…
    01/05/2009

    You will be in my thoughts. Best of luck with that.
    Regarding Simon reading, THAT is a pure delight to see him excited to read like that. Good for him!

    Reply 0 Replies
  7. {vicki} says…
    01/05/2009

    Ali,
    A prayer for you. I know it can be nerve racking--I've recently had a mammogram that showed abnormalities and had to have a biopsy--luckily it is okay, but it is just very scary and gets you to thinking of the worse.
    My very favorite book ever is GREEN EGGS AND HAM. Something I do to make the reading go a little faster when my son is reading--He reads one page then I read one page.
    {vicki}

    Reply 0 Replies
  8. Karine says…
    01/05/2009

    Many good thoughts and energy your way.
    Take care!

    Reply 0 Replies
  9. jkhenson says…
    01/05/2009

    My prayers are with you for the mole results/tests. I've had quite a few removed, as well, but all have been in the "pre" stages.
    It's wonderful when they start reading on their own. My two are older and I often can't pry them away from their books! :) If you want to encourage breaking the book into parts, show him that you don't read a book all in one sitting. And a special bookmark may help, as well, at least as he gets started?
    Happy New Year!

    Reply 0 Replies
  10. Sandi says…
    01/05/2009

    You are in my prayers.
    My boys are at the age where they are just starting to read books on their own. It is so exciting.
    Take care
    Sandi

    Reply 0 Replies
  11. annie says…
    01/05/2009

    Take care of yourself and know that you are surrounded by lots of prayers and good wishes that this gets taken care of quickly!

    Reply 0 Replies
  12. Amy says…
    01/05/2009

    Ali, definitely sending prayers to you! After reading about your experiences with the moles being removed over the past couple years, I did have my doctor take a look at a few that I was concerned about. It's definitely something to think about especially if you are fair skinned!
    Also sending prayers to Melissa! :)

    Reply 0 Replies
  13. Hannah says…
    01/05/2009

    i will be praying for you guys Ali.
    hugs.
    Hannah

    Reply 0 Replies
  14. Susy says…
    01/05/2009

    Sending prayers and good luck your way, hope all going to be well for you.
    Dr. Suess rocks, even my older teenage boys will sneak into the room sometimes if I am reading his books to the younger ones, his work is so timeless.

    Reply 0 Replies
  15. Catherine says…
    01/05/2009

    Virtual hugs Ali...
    I will most definately hold you and your family in my prayers. I hope you will get information sooner rather than later so that you will know what the best course of action is to take care of yorself.
    Take care, Catherine

    Reply 0 Replies
  16. Thinkie says…
    01/05/2009

    YAY for Simon, I loved people reading to ma as a child but reading yourself is the best, it opens up so many wonderful worlds!
    Ali I wish you the best with your health!

    Reply 0 Replies
  17. Laurie says…
    01/05/2009

    prayers coming your way !

    Reply 0 Replies
  18. hanna says…
    01/05/2009

    prayers for you and your family. I hope you surround yourself with lots of good thoughts and everything is okay.

    Reply 0 Replies
  19. Peg Graham says…
    01/05/2009

    Ali- sending hugs and prayers your way.
    Thanks for the mole check reminder...I've been meaning to do this.
    Simon looks like he's blooming beautifully. Curious, is he still on the GFCF diet? My 4 yr old son, Porter (who has Autism) did so much better once he was off casein. He made eye contact and started to communicate and speak clearer and calmer.
    Porter is also reading and amazing his Speech Therapist, OT and Teacher now. So sweet!
    hugs-Peg

    Reply 0 Replies
  20. Debby Schuh says…
    01/05/2009

    You can count on my prayers!
    I have an idea for the night time reading...how about if you take turns reading every other page in a book. It would speed it along a little and still let Simon feel like he's read the book.

    Reply 0 Replies
  21. Gayl Staffler says…
    01/05/2009

    Positive thoughts and prayers.

    Reply 0 Replies
  22. sheila c. titcombe says…
    01/05/2009

    Ali, after five long years I was discharged from the cancer clinic, just before Christmas. I know you will be stressing yourself out but as you have been checked very regularly I am sure whatever they found would be in the earliest of stages and easier to deal with. My thoughts are with you, scared as you most surely are but this insidious disease can be beaten and cured. Love and hugs to you.

    Reply 0 Replies
  23. Beth says…
    01/05/2009

    Thankfully you are looking after yourself. I also have a history of mole removal and family melanoma. I know how important it is look take it seriously.
    And Simons is progressing amazingly well. Your heart must be so full!

    Reply 0 Replies
  24. patty says…
    01/05/2009

    good thoughts & prayers...

    Reply 0 Replies
  25. elaine says…
    01/05/2009

    Oh Ali - I will be thinking of you and hoping that everything is okay. Thank you so much for all your inspiration and sharing. You are a beautiful and kind spirit and you've touched more lives than you know. May all the good that you've put out into the world surround you now with healing. My prayers are with you.

    Reply 0 Replies

Sign in or sign up to comment.