Thursday, May 31, 2007

Big Strides for Little Feet

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K is 8 weeks old, and has started to skip her middle of the night feeding. She had been going from 10-3 or 4 for a few nights, and then on the night she turned 8 weeks old, went from 9-5:30. Although last night she woke up at 2 to eat, I think we are heading in the right direction. She is also becoming more social-- smiling, responding to kisses on her chubby chin(s), cooing, gurgling, and looking around at the action in interest. As for her size, she has outgrown most of the little newborn stuff, and is moving into the 3-6 month size clothing. Our baby is no longer "newborn".

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We have also started potty training with N this week. Monday morning we got out the sticker chart, potty seat and potty seat insert (for the regular toilet). On advice from another mother at church who successfully trained her 3 children (day and night) in less than a week, I waited until he was three, and then we completely took away diapers- day and night. We also are not using pull ups. N was very interested in the whole thing. I had been talking it up, saying that now he was a big boy and would use the big potty. He would get stickers and candy when he went, he'd wear big boy underwear, and eventually "earn" himself a toy of his choice from the store. So how is it going? The first day was an equal mix of accidents and successes, with a wet bed in the morning. Day 2 a little better, with alot of independence as he insisted on pulling off and on his own pants "My by self!", dry bed in the morning. Day 3 only 2 accidents, but still no pooping in the potty. Today, Day 4, no accidents before lunch, and as I got him ready for nap he said, " 'member? No poop in my pants? Poop in the potty?" I was lying down upstairs when I heard a noise from the bathroom. I went down and he was trying to clean out his underwear in the toilet because he had seen me clean out his soiled pants the past few days. I took the underwear from him, cleaned him off, and sat him down, hoping he'd "finish the job", but without much hope or confidence as we have had many times of just sitting with no results the past few days. As I came back upstairs after putting his pants in the wash, he was coming down with a big grin and said "I did it!" Now that he has taken that big step, I am hopeful that he will continue to make progress.

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E has been doing so well learning to read and write this past year in kindergarten. She has 2 more weeks of school left, and I am so impressed with what she has learned this year. Yesterday they had an author's day at school and the parents were invited to listen their children read stories they had written. It was cute and the kids were very proud. E's story was inspired by a recent field trip to the planetarium.

"When I See A Constellation" written by E.C.

"When I see a constellation I will lie down in the grass.
I like looking at the constellations.
When I see a constellation I will go camping.
I will like it! I will sleep outside.
There is one that is shaped like a cat,
and there is one shaped like a number one.
Here comes one shaped like a letter A.
I like looking at constellations.
I wish you could be here!
I will go outside with my telescope.
The stars look like they are the shape of a circle.
They make constellations and I can see the moon.
It has a funny face.
I am a little sleepy now.
I will go to bed!"

Thursday, May 10, 2007

5 Weeks Old

It is amazing how time has just slipped by me the past month. K is 5 weeks old, and I haven't had time to make any entries. I find that I barely have enough time and energy to make it through each day, and so I have been unable to blog.

K has proved to be a more demanding baby than my other two-- if she is awake, she wants to be held, otherwise she will cry endlessly. This kind of makes it hard to get things done, as I have to choose between holding her, either in my arms or a baby carrier, and listening to her heart breaking cries while I do what needs to be done. Sometimes it is unavoidable, like when I am getting the older children ready in the morning, or making dinner, or getting the house ready for visitors. But after these crying bouts, I find myself edgy and exhausted emotionally. There just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day to do what I am normally able to complete. I know it is just for this short time, when she is little, but it is still frusterating to have a dirty house, or to have a "to do" list of which I never see the end. I feel like I can't be a good mother, wife, housekeeper, and friend. I find myself having to choose which I will be that day. But that's the hard stuff.

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The good stuff? Seeing how E and N put their own desires aside when I am nursing or taking care of K. They understand that I can't help them, and they will usually wait patiently until I can. Also, with all the time I have spent holding K, I really get a chance to drink in her infancy. The way she stares at me with her beautiful blue eyes (yes, blue!!), her indescribably soft hair, cheeks, ears, just the smallness of her body in my arms. So while I am not wishing these moments away, I am looking forward to when she is more mature, and able to sit on her own for 15 minutes in a swing or bouncy chair.

I believe that my time is up--the kids are stirring from their naps, K is calling for me, and E just got home from school.

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