For the Grandmas, Sue and Sue,... and all the other family too!: January 2015

1. Layla:
Layla is adorable. She is sweet, and sensitive, and smart, and creative. One thing I've been loving about her lately is bedtime. Jonas usually does the routine with the kids while I take care of Cora downstairs, but when they are both in bed then I go up for a chat and snuggle with each of them. Lately, Layla has been FULL of questions and conversation topics. When I come into the room she'll usually say something to me like "Mama, I have FIVE things I want to talk about!" And if I act like I'm going to leave the room she'll be quick to remind me..."But I have two more things to talk about!" Or she'll say something like "What should we talk about TONIGHT??" Like it's the best moment of her night. It's certainly becoming one of my most favorite moments of the day. :) Last night we talked about what bears ate (she was horrified), and if they ate humans or not. We've talked about this for a few nights running now. We've also talked about God, and how you talk to him, and how you see him (at her own request, not mine), along with how on earth she can get a ride on a flying unicorn. And how long until she turns 8. *Sigh* I love this age. She's just so sweet...a little sensitive and emotional, yes...but sweetness personified.

I am doing major school research /visits these days, as we have to have our choices set by February 20th, and then we'll decide end of March/beginning of April where Layla will go to Kindergarten next year. Sigh. It's hard. There is one school where I'd love her to go, but of course it's private and would cost $3,000 for the year, so unless we get some sort of financial aid it's never going to happen. I am very happy with the choices we have in the St. Paul public school system, but one big thing I DON'T love is that all-day, every-day Kindergarten is mandated. So, there is no 1/2 day option left. As a teacher, I am highly against all-day, ever-day, but I get why districts do it....especially inner city districts, which are often getting kids brand new to the country, or from lower socio-economic backgrounds who don't have a lot of parent time and attention at home, etc. It makes sense for some kids, or if you just want to use it as free daycare, but it doesn't make sense of Layla and a lot of other kids. Kids need time to be KIDS and explore, and play...that's actually really crucial to their development. So, I'm looking into it and trying to figure out a way to meld some very deeply-held beliefs of mine with the choices we do have available to us. I love the private school because it's only 3 days a week--so while it is still full-time, at least it's only 3 days rather than 5. And, the class sizes never get above 18. At the school I visited yesterday, which was very nice, the are at 25. That's just INSANE for Kindergarten. I'm sorry, it is. I'm not sure I can put her in a class that large. :/ So, pray for me as I think through all of this with Jonas, and we make a decision soon. (There is a small chance I'd end up homeschooling her, just for K, because of the size issue, and the time spent in school. That makes me very nervous--not because I can't do it. I know I can. Easily--but I'm not sure I really "want" to do it...actually, I know I don't want to, but there are other things I don't want more, so it might just be the lesser of two evils for the year, you know? I don't think anyone should have a teacher who doesn't really want to be there, so I would feel bad if I had to teach Layla next year and I wasn't the best Kindergarten teacher I could be. Sigh. We'll see. We'll see which of my beliefs win out in this big decision!)

2. Finn:
Along Layla's theme, at night Finn has been wanting to shout to me "Mama, I WUV you!" over and over as I walk out of the room. I of course have to say "I love you too, Finn!" in return or he dissolves into tears. Even if I miss just one of them. "Emotional" doesn't even begin to describe Finn at age 3. Wow. It's been rather challenging for me to adjust to him as this emotional roller coaster when he was just so even-keel and calm as a 2-year-old. I have high hopes for a more calm age 4!! :)

Also, we are finally making some progress in getting Finn to poop on the toilet. He's been going pee in it forever now it seems...or months at least...but poop has been hit or miss...literally. ;) The problem is that he holds it in for days at a time (3 is average for him), and then he has an accident. So, I've been trying to get him un-constipated without messing with his digestive tract as well. Nothing has worked, but finally I bought juice at Costco (I just don't keep juice in the house because it's empty calories for the kids, and bad for their teeth) and have been spiking it with Magna Calm (magnesium caltrate powder) and powdered probiotics I keep in the fridge. THAT has been doing the trick, and thankfully today was a "good day" for Finn and the toilet. ;) I just need to get him in the habit of going every day, and just eating regular food wasn't enough power it seemed to keep him regular when he was trying to hold it in, so I'm pleased we've found what works. Hopefully we'll only be doing this for a few weeks, and as soon as he starts recognizing how his body feels when he needs to go (and that is isn't scary), we'll be set. Sigh. It's incredible how different it has been potty training a boy vs. potty training a girl. Girls are a cake walk, man! Totally easy. This has been more of a "marathon." But every mother I've talked to about this has agreed with me on the boy/girl difference, so it must just be one of those gender things...

3. Cora:
Cora is 9 months now. I should probably get some pictures of her, huh? :) She has 2 teeth now--the 2nd one came in just 2 days after the 1st one came in. She also learned to crawl yesterday, so that's been fun to watch her achieve and explore. I seriously tried to hold her off on that as long as possible, but she was kind of insane this past week--hyper, twitchy, bad sleep, etc--so she clearly needed to get that milestone out of her system. Yesterday, the day she learned to crawl, she only took one 30-minute nap. *GASP!* This is my amazing sleeper baby! She was so AMPED UP! Haha! :)

Also, right on cue, Cora is going through the 9-month separation anxiety stage. It's amazing how one week she would freak out with delight when Jonas came into the room, and want to be in his arms and play with him, and this week she still gets super excited to see Jonas, but when he takes her away from me? She SOBS. Cries and cries. It's so heartbreaking. Those poor developing brains, and all those new realizations. So, I've been wearing her a lot more that usual lately. Babywearing to the rescue! :)

4. Me:
I'm going through a major purge of the kids toys right now. I've had this on my list to do for about 6 months, but I've never gotten around to it because I had plans to try to sell a lot of their excess toys. (I sold a LOT of stuff over the past year, and that selling basically allowed me to buy an awesome double jogging stroller, my part of a snow blower for Jonas, a DSLR camera with an extra lens, and a video baby monitor. For free. There is no way those things would have fit in our budget, so I'm so glad I had a way to get them that also cut down on our clutter! We use each and every one of those things regularly, and I'm so thankful for them!) However, selling stuff is a lot of work, and I've realized I just doing have the drive and motivation for it right now. I wish I did, because it's easy money, and we could certainly use it, but I value my time and sanity much more right now...3 kids age 5 and under needs to be more of my focus that responding to FB messages from someone who wants to come and pick up a $4 item, you know?? ;) So, we have a family from our church going to Guatemala in a month, and they are asking for donations of toys and clothes for kids in an orphanage they'll be visiting. Um, YES. I've got them covered. I've already filled two HUGE boxes with toys, and we'll see if I have time to cut down on some of my kids clothes as well. Getting rid of stuff is just so delightful and freeing. I love making money on it, but just getting rid of it is faster, and the reward internally is just as great...especially when I know who will be getting these items.

My clothes is next on the list. I sold a ton of my old wardrobe last summer, but sadly there is still a ton left. I must have spent 1/2 my salary as a teacher on clothes! Seriously. Insane. ;) So, I think I'm going to send it all in to Threadup.com, or Swap.com, and get a little bit of money for it that way. Yay for eliminating and purging!