Tag Archives: Atticus

8/365: RIF (Reading IS Fun)

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I used to have a bookmark from way back in elementary school, probably, that said “RIF: Reading is fun!”

I probably got it from a Bookmobile (Remember those?!) or a book fair in the library or something. I thought it was a little weird that anyone would have to promote reading: DUH! Of course, reading is fun; tell me something I don’t know. I loved to read mysteries, especially, back then. (I read every Nancy Drew book in the Brosville Middle School library.) Today, I prefer the classics.

Since then, I’ve known a LOT of people (mostly students) who do not believe that reading is fun. On the contrary, some of them considered (I’m using the past tense in hopes that they’ve by now seen the light ๐Ÿ˜‰ the act of reading tantamount to serious torture. No whimsically decorated bookmark could convince them otherwise. And neither could an English teacher (namely moi).

When I met Kevin, he wasn’t that into reading either. He didn’t dread it, I don’t guess, but he didn’t think it was fun either. Now, he reads a lot. I don’t think he’d call it fun now, even. When I just asked him if he thinks reading is fun, he said, “Yes, if it’s something I want to read.” A convert!!

I don’t find time to read for fun much anymore (although I did sign up for a reading challenge this year), but I’m reading pretty much all the time.

A lot of my reading is on the Internet: Twitter and Facebook posts, blog posts, news articles. And a lot of it is for my job: tons and tons of essays (Multiply my 124 students by the 10 or so essays they have to write for their portfolios).

Today, I juggled comic books and narrative essays, and although neither is the kind of reading I exactly prefer, I could do much worse on a Saturday.

Atticus says the Hail Mary … in Latin!

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Thanks to our resident lover of Latin, Kevin, we’ve been starting our mealtime blessings with the Latin version of what’s called the “Trinitarian formula”: In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti (In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit).

The kids picked up on this really quickly and over the last year or so, it’s become a habit. (Lucas, aka the Prayer Police, keeps us reminded. ๐Ÿ˜‰

Well, Kevin has also been praying and saying the Hail Mary in Latin, and obviously somebody’s been paying attention.

This morning on the way to the sitter’s/bus stop, Atticus wanted to say the prayer but wasn’t satisfied with English. I said the couple of lines I know in Latin, and then he kept right on going!

I was in awe, to say the least. I mean, he’s only four!

This evening before bed, he must’ve said the prayer in Latin at least 15 times. He said it’s easy. Hmmm…He obviously didn’t get his memory gene from meeee…

Ave Maria

Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum.
Benedicta tu in mulieribus,
et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei,
ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc,
et in hora mortis nostrae.
Amen.

The Atticus Song

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NOTE: I’m still working on getting this uploaded from my new phone. I think I may have to resort to using a cord (of all things :P), since I can’t get the phone hooked into my WiFi (the PW that works with my laptop & iPod is wrong?), and the video is too large to send over the 3G network (according to the phone). Done! I used the cord. ๐Ÿ™

When Atticus wanted to know how to spell his name last year, I came up with his little song to help him remember it. I’ve tried many times to get a recording of it, but finally one day this week, he was in a mood to sing and to see himself on video. ๐Ÿ™‚

From the Vault: Songs by Lukie and Attie

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I was going through my image/audio/video folders the other day, trying to find a picture of my classroom last year for a Donor’s Choose project and stumbled onto these old recordings.

The quality’s not great, since I recorded them on my cell phone and had to convert them twice to get them in a file type I could use. But they make me smile!!

I can hardly believe that Lucas will be starting first grade on Monday! And Atticus will be going to kindergarten next fall. . . No more babies in the Hawke house. ๐Ÿ™

This one is Atticus singing Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star when he was two years old.

And this one is Lucas singing Iron Man. He was almost four.

I posted these a long time ago at my teaching site.

Atticus sings ‘Hail, Mary’

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SIMONE MARTINI Maestร  (1315, Palazzo Pubblico, Siena)

Months and months ago, a tune for the Catholic prayer called “Hail, Mary” came to me, so I’ve been singing it a lot around the house (and in the car and everywhere else ;). It didn’t take long for the kids to pick it up, especially 3-year-old Atticus, who seems to prefer singing it to saying it. (If you listen to his version above, you can definitely tell he LOVES to sing it. ๐Ÿ™‚

When we started down the path toward Confirmation almost two years ago, I was confused by what I saw as the Church’s preoccupation with Mary (among other things that are posts for other days). Our kids, however, haven’t been confused at all about Mary. In fact, 5-year-old Lucas told Kevin the other day that he has two mothers, not one as he answered, because Mary is his mother, too. What a deep kid that Lukie is. ๐Ÿ™‚

After a lot of study and prayer, I too came to realize that it all makes perfect sense. In the beginning of the gospel of Luke, Mary says her soul magnifies the Lord. And what does a magnifying glass do but enable us to see more clearly what was a blur through our eyes alone. Through Mary, we can know her Son, Jesus, so much better because we can see Him so much clearer. Likewise, all honor, love and respect we give to Mary is funneled right through to her Son, Jesus.

So, here’s Attie:
[audio-clammr mp3=”hail-mary-atticus-june2010.mp3″]

And now, for those of you who aren’t Catholic, here are the words to the “Hail, Mary”:

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

Maybe one day I’ll post my version of this song. I’ve recorded it several times, my mouse always on the delete button. . . Here’s my version of this song. ๐Ÿ™‚

Atticus’ first song

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Lucas and Atticus

Atticus, right, with his big brother, Lucas.

Off and on through the day Sunday, Attie would pull out the plastic push-button guitar and pretend to strum it, singing something I couldn’t place and claiming it was “Daddy’s song.” Once Kevin got home from work and pulled out the acoustic, Attie brought his to the table, singing that same little tune.

His first songwriting experience!! Of course, Mom had to record it. ๐Ÿ˜‰ I’m not exactly sure what he’s singing, but it sounds like, “You gotta think about where you gonna lay.” We don’t know where he came up with it or why he says it’s Kevin’s song. Maybe something Kevin does sounds like that to him?

Anyway, Kevin’s reaction to it? “Not bad for a 3-year-old.” And a big old smile! ๐Ÿ™‚

[audio:think-about-where-you-gonna-lay-atticus-june2010.mp3|loop=yes]