Blog Archives
My Brilliant Girl
…seems to really be enjoying the break from school. She has only talked about preschool and her friends a couple times since the semester ended, and I expected to hear whining about missing it much sooner. K has really bounced back into being happier, more creative, playful, and all around more herself again. I don’t mean to make it sound like preschool was bad for her, but I think being her first semester and still so young, by that last week, she was just really done and feeling flustered. Also didn’t help that she is no morning person by any means, and was really, really struggling with the change in schedule. She is more rested and calm again and I’m so pleased to see her happy sparkle come back–I didn’t realize how much it was missing.
…finally seems to be turning a corner with potty training. It isn’t the magical, miraculous event that everyone kept promising, but every day she is doing better and better. Have we changed any of our strategies or anything? no. Just through sheer practice or changing her mind or whatever the case may be, the last couple weeks has seen her reliability while wearing underwear increase drastically, her willingness to poo in the toilet dramatically improved, and she is still going strong with that whole use-restrooms-while-out thing. Lately we have only been needing 1 pullup in a 24 hr period, at bedtime, hooray! Oddly enough, she randomly decided that she didn’t like the kid-toilet-topper thingy on the seat anymore, as well as changing her bathroom allegiance from the one near the playroom to the one over by the bedrooms. I have no idea why, but I learned long ago with K not to question such things. We are so proud of her! Tomorrow we are going with K2 and co. for another Chuck E Cheese celebration so hopefully that will also help motivate her to keep up the good work!
…had a purely joyful time playing outside in the drizzling rain yesterday. We have seen a little moisture the last few days which has thankfully brought the temperatures below 110 degree highs (gasp) and so after grocery shopping yesterday, K went to putter around in the yard, alternately carrying around an umbrella and then putting it down to try and catch rain drops on her tongue, giggling all the while. She couldn’t quickly locate her “bug rainboots” quickly enough and so went back out to continue romping around in her crocs. Her socks got wet but ultimately that seemed to amuse her just as much as anything else.
…got a “prize” while we had dinner out at Miracle Mile deli the other night (yummmmm, pastrami!). A tiny purple duck toy, which is now happily integrated into the purple duck family. The baby purple duck had to brush its teeth last night using K’s toothbrush, before it was allowed to go to bed. And here I was, thinking duck didn’t have teeth.
In Review
Last Saturday: mini family reunion with the European cousins and one of the California cousins, and assorted other family and friends. Lots of fun, but a little nuts because the event got moved to our hot, messy, small house at the last minute, thanks to K2′s house ending up quarantined. Yes, we were going to have the event at their house but everyone got sick with some kind of nasty cold. Good going, bro.
Sunday: Chuck E Cheese mayhem. Yes, both girls finished their Dora potty sticker charts. I still don’t really know if we are winning the war but I guess it is a pseudo-sign of progress. The girls had lots of fun, several extended family members came along for the event, but overall, I personally think napping is a lot more fun that running around playing whack-a-mole for several hours.
Monday: A very sad day as I found that a work colleague had passed away unexpectedly over the weekend. He was a wonderful person and always made everyone feel special and valued. He will be deeply missed. The rest of the day was spent in homework mania. Holy lord, I finished and turned in a 25 page, 6000 word paper. I feel like I gave birth again or something.
Tuesday: last day of preschool for the year. They had a little party and invited all the parents to attend. K was an absolute terror, complaining and screeching and refusing to follow instructions, and melting down if anyone tried to talk to her. She hated the change in routine, and was totally nonplussed at the idea of a party. I mean, hey, if one is at school, you are supposed to BE THERE FOR SCHOOL. Makes sense, yeah? Anyway, they gave all parents a scrapbook containing pictures and artwork and other school miscellanea collected through the semester. It is basically my new most prized possession. Also K was awarded as being the “most persistent” student of the semester. Does anyone else realize that persistent is just another way of saying “STUBBORN”? This personality feature is totally all from FF’s side. K2 was awarded as “most congenial”!
The kids also built little gingerbread houses earlier that day, using graham crackers, frosting and candy (see below). My daughter was the only one that implemented a layered/stacked design. Because, you know, she just has to be different.
The kids presented all the moms with wrapped mother’s day presents: beautiful hand-decorated plates. I think my baby girl has a naturalist’s heart and was capturing a nuanced version of a bumblebee. I love it! Seriously, the best part of sending your preschooler to school is the products they return back to you. Each painting, drawing, etc is like a little part of your child you can hold on to and think of them as your baby forever.
When K got up on party day, I asked her if she wanted to wear her purple party dress. She responded “no, it’s too polka-dotty”. hahahaah
Wednesday: um, nothing much of interest. Hooters for lunch to celebrate my boss’ birthday. We tried to get the waitresses to sing to him but they were too busy with the lunch rush. Oh well, maybe next year!
Lastly….DRUMROLL: I am DONE with all schoolwork for the spring semester! HOORAY! I survived! And I get a nice relaxing break from all things school until the first week of July. I shall now go celebrate by queueing up some shows from the DVR. woohoo!
Notice the layered design!
Happy Mother's Day!
Toilet Tantrum, Prozak Anyone?
I keep getting little glimpses of tantalizing hope that there may be light at the end of the potty-training tunnel. I really thought we were making progress. We have been diaper free for almost two weeks, using pull-ups mostly, but with a good handful of big-girl undie sessions too. She had a few spontaneous, successful potty events, and while remaining uninterested in performance motivators, I had hoped we were going the right direction. And then, there was this morning.
K was slated to go hang out at K2′s house, to spend time being un-bored with the more interesting toys her cousin possesses. So I figured, hey this is great, another chance to practice wearing big girl undies out of the house! Naturally, the fact that someone else would have to deal with any accident cleanup (my dear, dear brother) never entered into my mental equation. Of course, I was going to do the courtesy of making sure K did her morning business before leaving, so when we got up, I gave her a few minutes to wake up and hopefully un-grumpify, and then gently herded her into the bathroom to weewee before she went in her pullup anyway. [side note: no matter how hard you resist, when you become a parent, you will start using words like weewee, potty, ouchies, etc. CANNOT.BE.AVOIDED.]
She instantly turned into a rabid snarling wildebeest. Or something like that. She did actually climb up onto the potty, whereupon she snarled and fussed and did absolutely nothing. Wearing my most patient, saintly expression, I thanked her for trying and we washed, and proceeded to get dressed. She snarled over that, and over breakfast (which she refused to eat anyway as per the norm). While patiently overlooking her wildebeest antics, and giving her some space to calm down [read: ignoring her altogether while checking my email] she came running in all freaked out about (and no, this is not a typo) “peeping in her pants!”. She was squawking about not being able to find her other underwear, which made no sense because she has about 18 pair in the drawer/laundry basket.
I reassured; I tried to soothe; I calmly asked her to go in the bathroom (a mere 6 feet away) and pull off her wet pants while I went and retrieved clean clothes. She screeched and went all wildebeest again, saying ”I CAN’T DO IT!”. So I said, alrighty then, just go in the bathroom and stand there and wait for me. So she snarls, screeches, AND runs into the bathroom and flops herself on the wide edge of the tub (facedown) and starts kicking her feet. Offering help elicited more screaming. I sat and stared and otherwise ignored.
So then she realized her wildebeest ways aren’t doing her any good and she stands up and does a token tug on her pants, and starts screaming about not being able to pull them down. Further ignoring the wildebeest produces the desired effect and she tries again, this time successfully removing the offending garments to her ankes. More screeching and foot flapping ensues, and finally they are thankfully off. I praised; and was just about to go looking for clothes, when she hops up on the potty and says “Mom, now I’m peeping again!”. So while praising her, she lifts one leg up to rest her foot on the edge, to get a better view and visually verify her urinary prowess. And then the screeching begins about the “peeps going all over!”.
Could this get worse? Yes it could. I suggested to her that putting her silly leg down would fix the splashing problem, and she makes a loud “humph” sound, spins around on the potty sideways (still peeing) so her back is to me, and proceeds to start kicking the toilet with her heels and screaming some more for good measure. Prompting her to clean up with the flushable wipes sponsored another round of frantic wildebeest behavior, as did flushing and handwashing.
So, to make a long story short, she did finally get redressed, somewhat calmed down, and transported over to K2′s house. No breakfast but hey, who’s counting?
I thought seriously about the situation all the way to work, and decided on a new strategic battle plan. She definitely can use the toilet when necessary, but since she chooses to avail herself of the convenience of diapers/pullups, I’m going to remove the choice. Yep, it’s going to have to be cold turkey (except at night or when we will be out of the house for long periods of time) because I know she doesn’t like the feeling of an accident, so hopefully that in and of itself will prove to be the best motivator of all. Also, I saw a Dora sticker chart at Target and I’m going to get it and institute a simple policy: 1 sticker for weewee, 2 for poo, and a full chart means a trip to CHUCK E CHEESE’S! She’s been twice, and is obsessed. I have no shame in using that to my advantage.
After all, it is war.
