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So after stellar success on Monday (only one accident all day, staying dry through her 3 hour nap, getting up after bedtime to poop on the potty), Janie had zero interest in using the potty yesterday or today. I set the timer on Tuesday, she’d fight going, would sit for a minute and say she couldn’t go, then five minutes later, she’d go while playing. Every half hour, like clockwork. Finally, I sent her outside, and after another accident out there, just let her run around naked until lunchtime. At naptime, she begged for a diaper and said she wanted to be a baby. Today, she wouldn’t even let me change her nighttime diaper until almost lunchtime (yuck!). Tomorrow we’re out and about all morning at CBS, so maybe we’ll try again on Friday.

And I have been overdoing it on my foot. Apparently short stints of walking around CBS, church, or the grocery store are really just too much. I’d been letting my boot off at home when it got too hot and sweaty, but now I’m in it again all the time, and it does seem to help. I told Derek that yesterday, when I didn’t cook, clean, or do much of anything, it was okay. But that’s not really an option, so I’m not sure what to do now. Trying to plan lots of big meals and leftovers for a few days.

We’re Starting, For Real

janie in panties

Janie picked out Minnie Mouse panties at Target this weekend. Elizabeth is in charge of potty training this time around. Every time Bug successfully uses the potty under her watch, Elizabeth picks one toy from the Earn-It-Back Bag (the trash bag Derek uses to pick up any toys on the floor after we’ve given them a chance to clean up–it lives in the garage until they do something to earn toys back). Big prizes for both sisters when potty training is accomplished. Feeling less overwhelmed knowing that I’m not the one doing it this time…but I’ve got the carpet steam cleaner ready just in case.

Our Smallest Mathematician

toddler math1

toddler math2

It’s clear that Susie’s resemblance to Grandma Willett does not end with looks.  She also seems to have inherited her Grandma’s tendency to injure herself at the slightest provocation.  Yesterday’s impetus for sending her to Urgent Care: slamming the sliding glass door on her fingers.  Her poor middle finger had to be superglued together (she started shrieking bloody murder when I voiced my fear that we’d need stitches, so superglue was WAY better), it’s bruised all the way around, and it’s bleeding at the cuticle.  Plus she needs to try to keep the splint on it and not get it wet until Friday.  You know, easy for a four-year-old to do…

poor little finger

Fortunately, ice cream cones make a lot of things better.

The Mighty Grapes and Blue Lightning worked hard this weekend.

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tommy blue lightning

throw in

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Water polo!

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Tommy had his first time at water polo last night.  It was hard, but I think he will have fun!

School Scenes

Attitude check, first day of Writing With Ease, the ubiquitous tutu (and pillows off the couch), and trying to figure out another way to understand the hundred numbers chart.

sentences

first day of wwe

tutu and pillows everywhere

tens and ones

One of the biggest reasons I signed the big kids up for our charter school this year was having educational funds to spend on things like ballet class!  Golden Valley will pay for Elizabeth’s fees, so I only have to cover Susanna.  Today was their first day, and they were pretty cute, if I do say so myself.  Picture quality is not great due to me trying out the camera on my new phone, and apparently the process of getting the video I took on the phone to a blog post is too complicated, so you’ll have to wait another week to see Elizabeth in action.

Q in the midst of freeze dance. The hole in her tights appeared in the car on the way to ballet and got bigger by the minute during class...

Q in the midst of freeze dance. The hole in her tights appeared in the car on the way to ballet and got bigger by the minute during class…

 

Introducing Leah

All of Susie’s nearest and dearest know of her deep attachment to Lionel, the mangy little hunk of fabric that used to be a plush lion, an Easter gift from Nona when she was a year old.  A year or two ago, I tried to buy a new Lionel on ebay after Old Lionel’s mouth came apart, but she never took to New Lionel, insisting that the broken mouth of Old Lionel was more comfy.  Then last week, Q decided to find out what would happen if she cut off the tutu and headband of Janie’s precious Charlotte.  The results were heartbreaking for Janie.  I decided that losing Old Lionel forever was the only punishment that would get through to Susie and get her to stop cutting up her hair, other people’s dresses, and other people’s dolls.  You haven’t seen tears until you’ve seen Susie bewailing the loss of Old Lionel.

A day or two earlier, Susie and one of the big kids had gotten into a fight because Susie was insisting on putting dresses on Old Lionel.  At the time, she mentioned wishing there was an Old Lionel, but a girl.  A quick internet search later, and I’d ordered Leah, the female lion made by the same company.  When she arrived, the girls were ecstatic, but I insisted that only four year olds who stay dry all night could have Leah.  Suddenly, within a week and a half, nighttime potty training was done.  Susie and Elizabeth had spent the past couple of days decorating their room to prepare for Leah, and Susie had had several long cell phone conversations with Leah, telling her what to expect when got to her new home.  Old Lionel seemed forgotten, and she’s gone to bed without him just fine.  Now Leah is living in the girls’ room with New Lionel, Caroline, Charlotte, Bunny, Betsy, Tacy, Tib, Lucy, Sally, Judy, and the two Ronnies.  The other dolls and stuffed animals seem to have welcomed her with open paws.

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leah and susie

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Snapshot from a Busy Week

Life has gotten busy this week.  So much for trying to stay off my foot and rest–between real schoolwork, ballet, three soccer practices, grocery shopping, and play dates, we’ve been busy all day, every day.  And my foot is definitely feeling it.  Tonight the kids are out on the back patio, riding around as dusk falls.  Derek is gone at a conference for four days, so we’re going low key for Labor Day weekend…

playing outside

playing outside at dusk

 

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