Whirlwind to Montana and Back

Well, Grace and I went to my ultrasound on Wednesday morning and got to see baby brother!

This was the ONLY profile picture we could get.  This little boy was just so shy and kept his face pointed right at my spine the whole time.  He's head down and low so it was hard to be able to push him around to actually get to see the face with 3D, but that's ok.  Grace did so well at the appointment, and would come over to me and say, "your a good girl, mom.  You're doing so good mom."  She was so sweet, and kissed me over and over again.  This is where we learned that I had been having a contraction or two when I took Grace to the park and back a couple days ago.

Then we went shopping for heaving to Montana for the Labor Day weekend and got unpacked just in time to head to another doctor appointment.  The first one was the neonatologist and she said I didn't have to see her again!!  Hurray :)  This second one is the general doctor.  After all was said and done, I was told we weren't going to Montana because of the pains I was having.  But do I ever listen?  NOPE!  We headed out about an hour after the appointment.  

We headed home the next day.  Yep.  Doc was right.  I had more pains so I headed back with Grace.  We went straight to the doctor and they checked me with another ultrasound.  The one on Wednesday showed my cervix as long...4.2.  It shortens as the body gets ready to have the child.  Once it gets to 0, then it starts to thin and dilate.  When I went in on Thursday I was at 2.8.  So I've shortened.  No good!  So now I'm on bed rest.  Which is nearly impossible with Grace because girly needs attention, fed, and she's got a lot of energy that has to be expelled!  But she was such a good day today nonetheless.  She played with her magnetic dolls quite a bit throughout the day, we watched some movies, and in the evening I had to water the garden and so she jumped on her trampoline.

She did so well getting ready for bed because I made sure to use her picture chart.  I need to remember to keep it up because it makes things go so much smoother.  Here's what we're working on in hopes that by the time Levi comes, she's more independent.

TASKS FOR GRACE:

1. I have a tray on the bathroom counter in her room, and we have her hairbrush, toothbrush, toothpaste, her small drinking cup, and a smaller cup that will hold her vitamin and Singular.  The night before I'll put a patch on the tray and her medication, so that when she goes in there, she knows what things need to be done.  I also have picture charts in the bathroom that show her how to prepare for the morning.  I'm hoping to get to where she can brush her hair, teeth and take her medication on her own.  And then I'll help put the patch on and put her hair up.
2. I will make a picture chart of getting dressed, one piece of clothing at a time.  I have already started having her help more.  I put the shirt on her head and she puts her arms in.  I lay her pants/shorts on the ground and open the "cave" and she puts them on the rest of the way.  She puts her socks on and I do the shoes, and there we go!
3. We are working on her getting in her carseat on her own.  I know she can do it but sometimes it's so much easier just for me to do it.  So I just open the door and walk off, expecting that she will do it.  As well as her getting out on her own.  I opened the door and asked her to get out and she didn't, so I just walked inside with the groceries and by the time I came back out, she was out of the car :)  
4. I'm teaching her how to shut the car door.  I usually do it because of the chance of smashed fingers.  But I'm teaching her how to push it from the middle of the door instead of the edge.
5. She has started taking the diapers out to the pail on the porch, but only if the door is open.  I'm thinking about getting a diaper pail for right by the front door so she can put them in for me.  Then I don't have to throw them away each time I change her; she can.
6. She has a drawer full of snacks and gets two a day.  I will be putting two pictures on the drawer that signify the two snacks per day, and she'll cover the picture once she's had a snack.
7. I bargain with her if she makes a mess in her bedroom.  "If you want to...then you need to..."
8. She brings her own laundry to the laundry room in the basket.  Push, pull, carry...I don't care.  Just get it there!
9. I have a broom set coming for her birthday from her Dado and Papa, and she will be expected to clean her own messes, as well as help sweep the kitchen weekly.  I won't expect perfection :) 
10. I brought a shelf out into the living room and it has 5 activities on it and a basket with a few books in it.  This has been a great idea and I can't believe I didn't do it earlier!  She is great at putting the books back, and with gentle reminder, she puts the activities back on the shelf.  These will be changed weekly (or more if she gets bored) so that she's got quiet things to do in the same room as Levi and I will be in.
11. I have started using counting, and it's been working.  "Grace, if I get to 3 and you haven't....then it's time for a time out."  This, about 95% of the time, has worked.
12. If, then and time out has worked about 70% of the time.  I need to keep reinforcing timeout so that she understands that certain behaviors won't be allowed.  Once this boy gets here I really need her to be behaving appropriately, or at least better than she has been.
13. Grace has a bucket next to the kitchen table where she can put her dishes.  At this point, this is better than having her take them to the kitchen sink because she hasn't understood the idea that when she reaches up with the plate, all the food falls off at the sharp angle.  So she puts it in the bucket, and then we wash in the sink together with her stool.
14. Grace is learning to wipe.  "Dab, dab, dab, drop."  I still end up doing it, but getting her into the motion is good.

This seems like a lot, but I'm way low key, don't pressure, and the relaxed way I work with her really seems to support her and what I'm hoping she'll learn.  She starts preschool the second week of September and it will be great to get her back into that routine, as well as gym once a week and her three hour block of therapy on Thursdays.  I really think all these things will help balance her out.

Shew, that was a lot :)

Goodnight!!

Amanda