A Fast Week Again

I know, I know...I missed a ton of days.  These days have seriously been flying by and I can't believe it!  It's already Saturday, and it's not just Saturday, but 9:30 pm!  We've had some issues with behavior with Grace, some exciting moments with her (playing at the park all the time!), and mommy and daddy had a date night last night while Grace had a friend over (the babysitter) to play with her while we were out.  Learning how to deal with Odin and his chewing, biting, humping, chasing and jumping has been interesting.  And through it all, Grace has smiled, giggled, laughed and at times, she's had some attitude and fought back!  Showing us her spunk.  Oh boy little girly.  Mommy has started school and is definitely starting to see the stress of time management but Grace is starting to understand that Mommy needs specific time to do homework.  Baby Levi has been growing insanely and Grace has been more focused on my stomach and the idea of a baby in there.  In about 2 weeks I'll probably start carrying around a baby doll so she gets used to sharing me, or maybe I'll wait until November to do this.  She's been pushing my buttons a TON as I strive to get her to be more independent and I think she can see this and is stepping back and saying "WOAH."  But she's such a sweet girl, she absolutely loves that we go on walks every night, and we love playing in the sun!  That's because when we're walking by the white fencing, she and I play with our shadows :)  We are getting back into the school routine so that is good, and she seems to be picking up the idea of days of the week.  For instance, she'll ask for gymnastics and I'll tell her, "On Wednesday...2 days."  It seems to be clicking that things don't happen when she wants it to.  It's awesome to see this happening.  And she's starting to understand what comes when in terms of activities.  She knows that when we go to school, she goes to gymnastics afterwards, and when we go to therapy, she is there to see three different people.  It's so wonderful to see her picking up on this.  We are also working on time and clocks, and so whenever I give her a countdown "Ok you have 3 minutes,"  I also add "my watch says (this specific time and then I show her), and when it says (this), then that is 3 minutes and it will be time to be done."  She is SO interested in looking at the watch and the clock, which makes me so proud!!

All in all, there is progress, but there are also digressions...pottying.  Oh boy.  She fights tooth and nail sitting on the toilet, but I push right through even though you aren't supposed to force the child to sit on the toilet.  I really feel like this is a power control fight rather than a real dislike or being scared of the toilet, and so I just keep going.  We have a picture chart for getting up and ready for the day and I made it very specific...so far as to say we are getting dressed (the picture is a shirt and pants).  The next picture is a pair of socks, and the next picture is a pair of shoes.  And then a picture of winter jacket/hat, etc.  And then is a picture of a girl brushing her hair, then another of her brushing her teeth, and then having breakfast.  This REALLY helps because she always fights me with things we need to do unless I have this chart, and then it just seems to click for her, and is ok.  So I'll just keep what works!

Sweet girl didn't go to sleep today for nap.  Ug.  I kept her in there a while because I knew it was the power struggle but it got to the point where I didn't care anymore.  I had told her that if she had slept, then we could go to a party the city was having for the BYU-I students and then play at the park, but because she never slept, we were stuck here being bored at home.  I really hope she understands the cause and effect of us being home instead of having fun.  We'll see tomorrow!

Amanda