Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Not Too Fast

Monday during lunch, A was bemoaning the fact that her friends would turn six before she would.  She desperately wants to be the same age as they are.  I remember feeling this way about my cousin.  I just never could stay caught up with her.

A said something about, "When I'm 7,..." and I quickly cut her off saying, "Oh, please don't ever be so big as 7!  Promise you won't grow up to be 7."  Here's how the rest of the conversation went...
A: But Mo-om, if I grow up, I won't whine as much anymore.
M: Oh, well in that case, maybe you can grow up just a little.
A:  Aa-nd, I'll help more.
M: Ok, you can grow up just a little.
A:  Aa-nd, I'll love you more.
M: Ok, you can grow up to be 7, just not too fast.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Know What Would Help?

I know you're all on pins and needles wondering how the potty training is going.  We got off to a good start yesterday and my hopes were high as we cruised toward quiet time.  She had even done a poop in the potty!  I was really impressed.

Let me just share a bit of potty training advice.  Listen closely, because this is the only potty training advice I have.  My first daughter pretty much trained herself and I think this one is going to go very similarly.  But I have learned one very important thing in the last 24 hours.  Ready?  Do NOT feed your child oranges in the days prior to starting potty training!  Bad news!

We went through three pairs of panties and a bath mat in the first half of quiet time along with about half a package of wipes.  By the time that was out of her system, she realized what fun it was to "try" during quiet time...lots of attention from mom when you're supposed to be playing alone.  I think she "tried" about 382 times before quiet time was over.

All told, she did very well yesterday.  I really cannot slight her for the orange-induced accidents.  It actually helped her catch on to her body's signals.  And an even bigger WOW...she stayed dry all night!!  I'm very hopeful that this will be a quick process as she continues to gain confidence and practice.

I had made an observation yesterday during quiet time that she could benefit from a couple of good step stools for washing her hands.   At supper last night, I started angling for a mommy-only trip to Target by asking J, "You know what would really help with the potty training effort?"  Not waiting for an answer, I supplied my own, "A couple of well-placed stools."  Having heard all the gory details of the quiet time mess,  J looked at me for about half a second before busting out in laughter and saying, "Well, yes, that is sort of the point.  What has your goal been today?" We both started laughing at my unintended joke and the girls joined in having no clue what was so funny.  Laughter is good for the soul.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Farewell, Diapers!

Today's the day!  We're saying goodbye to diapers for C and hello to big girl panties.  She's given every indication that she's ready for the last six months, so I'm hoping it goes smoothly.  Say a prayer on our behalf as you go about your business today (pun intended).  I'll keep you posted.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Coming Up For Air

Long time, no blog; I know.  We moved our stuff into the house last Monday and we've been knee-deep in random chaos since.  The movers didn't arrive at our house until almost 4pm, so we were doing good to have beds put together in time for the kids to go to sleep around 9pm.  Last week was unpacking upon unpacking.  Most of our essentials for living have been put in their proper places, though a few key things have yet to reveal themselves.  Having professional movers was a wonderful luxury, but they certainly don't label boxes the way I would.

Z had his four-month well-check with a new doctor last Thursday.  He weighs 15 lbs, 10 oz.  I don't remember the exact numbers, but he is in the 93rd-96th percentile for length and about 60th for weight.  He's started some cereal and really likes it, though the delivery can be a bit frustrating.  He's seriously attached to the sucking reflex, so having to take the spoon out of his mouth to reload makes him scream like a girl.

After three weeks off from school, I concentrated on getting our new schoolroom up and ready over the weekend and we hit the books again on Monday morning.  The workbox system I'd been wanting to try is working out wonderfully!!  I'll try to write more about it later.  We're having a fun science week... drawing rocks in our journals, making our own "fossils", and this afternoon we're going to make a volcano.  We also tried our hand at making an ancient Roman dessert and all agreed that we're happy to live in the modern age of sugar.  It's so wonderful to have all my resources back and not be limited by having to keep the house clean for people to come see it.

Just wanted to come up to the blog surface and give a quick update before ducking back down to keep swimming.  Next week, I think I better keep a promise to a certain almost-3-year-old that we would start potty training when we got to the new house.  Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Closing Early

I have called the moving company three times already to change our move-in date.  We were originally scheduled to close on the new house on October 17, move in on the 18th.  Then we found out we might be able to close early, so I re-scheduled our stuff's arrival.  Then our realtor told us we might want to delay the movers by a day or two just in case closing got pushed for any reason.  I opted for one day's margin.  Then my husband blew through the house at lunch time Tuesday and said the bank was looking for verification on a certain document and if they don't have it by close of business, the house closing gets pushed back.  I imagined the movers throwing all our boxes into the truck because we re-scheduled a fourth time.  I didn't have to make that call though, because J is a rock star.  He got it done in heroic fashion along with all the other things he is juggling to move a business.

Today, he called to tell me that we could go sign the papers tomorrow, but wouldn't get the keys until Friday.  Oh, and there was a slight chance we might need to drive to Plano to sign.  At this point, I knew he was cracking jokes about all the hoops we've had to jump through to get a mortgage.  Alas, no, he was not joking.  They seriously considered making us drive to Plano!!  What in the world?!  He assured them that we would not be driving to Plano for this mortgage, and somehow they still made it happen.  Imagine that.

So, we will go sign papers tomorrow afternoon, get our keys on Friday, spend the weekend cleaning, and welcome our stuff on Monday.  Woo hoo!!  I am so eager to be on the final leg of this transition!

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Deja Vu

We've been "back" for almost two weeks already and I'm experiencing a serious case of deja vu.  Moving back to a place you've lived before is a good set up for an episode of Twilight Zone.  "Do I know that person?  How do I get there?  I think I know where that is, but maybe I should map it just to be sure.  Has that always been there?  Your children are so big!!  Yes, I probably should know what you're talking about, but I don't."  All very good thoughts and problems to be having.

We are returning to a lot of the same things that we did before...same church, almost the same neighborhood, same stores.  We see friends that we haven't seen in three years and hear, "Welcome back!!"  We see acquaintances and hear, "I feel like I should know you, but I don't."  This is a very unusual move, in a very good way.

And how often do you get to move and take your friends with you?  Never!  My children will always think that moving is fun since they got to move with their best friends.  We've met up with our usual playmates at new parks, festivals, restaurants, and malls.  How bizarre is that?!  In a really wonderful way.

All of this contributes to my feeling that we are returning from a wonderful, extended vacation.  A vacation in a great place where we had time to really get to know the locals and be part of their crazy traditions.  A vacation with life-changing friends, memories and lessons.  Who gets to do that?!  What a blessed chapter in our life story.

So we're back.  And like I'm telling A frequently, "Yes, we've been here before, but not like this."  We were different people then, and the now-us gets to make a now-life in this place.  Immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine, all over again.