Yes, it’s been a couple months since my last post. Sometimes something just has to give a little. It’s always a balancing act.
Here’s a brief re-cap of what has been happening over the last couple of months:
Two steps forward - Ten steps back
The girls were making great progress with their potty training - going on the potty several times a day and never having a dirty diaper. Well, I blame myself for this - we’ve definitely regressed. We use the potty about 1-2 times a day and usually just to prolong the time up before nap or bedtime. I was staying on top of them making sure they were going on the potty and things got a little bit crazy and well I slacked and here we are. They still are interested - so all is not lost.
Well, it had looked like we are going to lose our nap. They were skipping about 2-3 naps a week. For some reason in the past week - we have napped every day. I’m keeping my finders crossed. So, we might be able to hold onto naps for a bit longer than I anticipated. Ben gave up napping right when he turned 2 yrs. old. So, I won’t be completely shocked if this would happen for the girls. It’s definitely hard to keep up with things (house, blog, etc.) when it’s a no nap day. Well, to be honest it’s hard to keep up with the nap.
Ben started 4 yr. old preschool a couple weeks ago. As he told me last night, it’s hard getting use to a new classroom and new teachers. He seems to enjoy it. I really don’t receive much feedback from him. Sometimes I feel like I’m flashforwarding into his teenage years. “What did you do today?” “I don’t know.” “Who did you play with?” “I don’t know” After talking with other preschool boy moms - I guess this is pretty typical responses - must be a male thing. The details don’t really matter.
Ben also started golf and ice skating. We over did it a bit this fall with the schedule. He says he wants to play hockey - so if he’s serious he needs to learn to skate first. Honestly, I’m surprised he actually went out on the ice. He’s such a cautious child and leary about trying new things. After I told him I signed him up (he asked me to sign him up), he cried about it and said that he changed his mind. Well - he absolutely loved skating. Last week, he fell on the ice and got a pretty big golf ball size thump on the forehead. The instructors couldn’t get him off the ice. He wanted to finish the game they were playing.
The girls have said they want to take dance lessons. But - at this age - they’re just too young.
The girls will be starting a parent’s day out program in 2 weeks from today. They’re looking forward to “Baby School” and so am I. A part of me feel guilty for putting them in a program - but the other part of me knows that this is probably the best thing I could do for all of us. I desparately need a break. Not just the run out to the store for a half hour break - a few hours to myself just to catch up on all the house projects I haven’t been able to touch for the past few years. A happy mom is a happy child. Well - this mom could use a little more happiness. I’ve filled my plate a little too full and haven’t been able to do it all. I need to be able to take a few things off my plate - so that I can be more present when I am with my children.
(It’s been a hard week. We had a death in the family on Tuesday. So, if the overall tone of this email is a little down that is why. I’ve been going through the whole range of emotions from guilt (not seeing her more in the past few years) to deep saddness.)