Baby Steps

I love the milestones that come during baby's first year of life. The first tooth, the first time sleeping through the night, first smile....so many firsts. I love them all. But I have to admit that I have a love/hate relationship with one of the firsts - baby's first steps.

Brielle has finally started walking. She actually started about a month ago, but didn't really get it mastered until now. Today she has been walking all over the house. And part of me is SO happy and excited!! My back doesn't hurt today. I've been able to use both of my arms today instead of just one. I only had to make one trip downstairs carrying groceries because I didn't have a baby to carry with me...All of these are good things, right??? Yes, they are. At least that's what I keep telling myself.

There's just this other part of me that really doesn't like it. In fact, this part of me hates it and wants her to stay little forever. I love picking her up and cuddling her. I love that she's my little buddy that just lives on my hip. And I love that she WANTS to be carried and that I'm able to carry her wherever her little heart desires.

But, the two of us had a talk. I'm letting her grow up. I'll let her learn to walk, talk and feed herself. Maybe I'll even someday let her go to school. And in return, she just has to make me the promise that she'll live with me forever. That's not too much to ask is it?? Maybe I'll change my mind at some point in the future and let her move out, but not for the next two or three decades. Baby steps for her, baby steps for me.

Two is NOT Always Better Than One

I've always heard that two is better than one. Two dollars - better than one. Two donuts - WAY better than just one. But two kids in diapers - NOT better than just one. NOT AT ALL.

Sophie has been interested in sitting on the potty for about six months now. But actually using the potty - not so much. I had put her in undies for a day or two before, but she had an accident and we threw them in the garbage (I'd WAY rather throw out a pair of undies than rinse poop out of them. How did people LIVE without disposable diapers????). Since then, she showed no interest in wearing anything other than a diaper. Until she saw the swim diapers in her closet. They're just like a pull up - decorated cute and pull up and down like real undies. She loved them. But then, she found out they are very different from a diaper.

Early this week, she got up, picked out a swim diaper to wear and was off and playing for the day. Then, something went wrong. She came in the kitchen screaming, crying and doing the strangest little dance (similar to the hokey pokey with a look of horror on her face). She had pottied in the swim diaper and, since a swim diaper is good at holding in solid things but letting anything else out, her legs were "all wet and icky". I gave her a bath, then we had a good long talk about why all big kids wear undies, and then we put a pair of undies back on her. She hasn't had an accident since. I'm so proud of her. And in this case, only have one baby in diapers, is way better than two.

M&M's and Teeth

It seems to me that my children are some of the youngest to get their teeth, and some of the oldest to lose them. Bradyn is almost 8 and has only lost two teeth (and those were more than 6 months ago). I checked about a week ago to see if any were loose, and not really anything. One on the top was a little bit loose, but nothing was going to happen anytime soon.

Well, Bradyn went over to play at one of his friends house and when I went to pick him up he was screaming, dancing, and very, VERY animated. I thought maybe he just needed to potty but he came running into the van saying (screaming) "I lost a tooth! I lost a tooth!" I didn't immediately believe him, but then I took a second look and something looked a little bit different....Sure enough, he lost a tooth on the bottom right side. I couldn't believe it. Here's how it happened (in Bradyn's words). "We were playing and throwing softballs at eachother and I got hit in the forehead, but not in the mouth, so that wasn't what made it come out. Then, we were eating M&M's and I put a bunch in my mouth all at the same time and I started to chew on something hard. When I pulled the hard thing out of my mouth, it was my tooth!! It bled a little bit, but it didn't hurt at all!"

How exciting for my son - and for me. One of my most dreaded tasks is dealing with pulling teeth. It just grosses me out and makes me feel queasy. So, from now on I'll be stocking up on M&M's and let them do the dirty work. I figure if the teeth won't come out on their own, maybe I can rot them out.

Hello, World!!!

It's finally time....time to get with everyone else and join the blogging bandwagon. As I'm writing this, my two oldest girls are laughing their heads off about the way I talk (or write). They shake their heads, look at eachother, roll their eyes, and giggle, giggle, giggle. I'll admit it....I'm not the best writer in the world. Sometimes I'm just plain boring, and yes, a little strange. So, if you can bear it, come back and check out what's going on in our world. You never know....the atmosphere in our house could be bright blue skies, thunderstorms, or a tornado. And the weather changes VERY OFTEN!! Hang on, sometimes it's a wild ride.