This afternoon, for example, I realized that our efforts to get Emily to do more things for herself have been paying off. In fact, they're snowballing.
Exhibit A: a conversation between Mom, Emily and Liz
Emily: Mom, I want to put on the Belle dress.
Mom: Sounds fun, but you'll have to wait until I'm done with this pile of laundry before I get it.
Emily: That's ok, I can get it by myself.
(Emily retrieves a small child-sized chair and acquires the dress.)
Emily: I did it! Mom, could you get the zipper.
Mom: How about you try putting it on with the zipper up?
(Emily proceeds to show off her skinny hips and wiggles the dress up.)
Emily: I did it!
Liz: Mom! I wanna be Cinderella!
Mom: You do? Wow, I wish I knew a girl who was tall enough to get a dress for herself to help us!
(Immediately, Emily stampedes down the hallway to the closet holding the dresses giggling madly.)
Emily: I got it! Allow me, Liz! (she hands the dress over to Liz)
Liz: Mom, help me!
Mom: Will you let Emily help you?
Liz: Um, ok.
(Emily helps Lizzie into the dress, complete with instructions on holding her hair up to avoid the zipper.)
Liz: I look FABULOUS!
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| Most of the time they play so nicely! |
These past two weeks have been consumed with preparing and attending my bf's wedding. Emily was the flower girl. Well, that was two separate over nights for me with and without girls in attendance; late nights; impromptu babysitters, lots of pizza for dinners, and now lots of laundry. It was a great time.
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| Emily and Connor (ring bearer) posing in the lobby. |
And on top of all that, each one in our family is achieving some individual things. Like....
Emily
Finally registered at Kindergarten. Not a wonderfully rated school, but after speaking to the new principal and some other school folks, I'm confident it's the best choice. She's also reading simple sentences and sight word stories to Liz and Cora
Lizzie
Potty-trained! ('nuff said.)
Cora
She's talking! She can respond to yes/no questions. She asks for cup, bites, picking up. She also likes to sing and dance. This summer the girls participated in the summer reading program at the library which included a weekly story & craft hour.
Laura
I'm just kinda floating along here. My days are more or less about making sure the house doesn't stay in chaos or that the girls actually get out of their pajamas before noon. The bf's wedding and bachelorette party took up a great deal of spring and summer planning. It's funny, but most of my summer revolved around getting a phone that works...those of you around me know this story already, but the condensed version is eventually my phone ceased functioning as a phone and therefore was useless to me. I never realized how hard it was to call any kind of business without a keypad. (Y'know the whole press '1' for the clothing department, press '0' for the operator.) Finally a working phone was found and the summer is almost over. I really need to find a better way to deal with stress other than eating because I've gained a lot of weight. Here's hoping the fall will see the loss of it.
Len
Len was experimenting with RC Helicopters for about five months. I think after the third crash into a tree after a first test flight, we figured flying objects and a lack of depth perception were not the best mix. However, this has led him back to an older hobby, RC cars! Together, Len and the girls are building their own from parts. At the wedding, he was tearing up the dance floor and we're currently looking forward to a family vaca he has planned in a few weeks.
And if all that wasn't enough, the girls and I took a day trip up to Chattanooga to Coolidge Park. It had a squirt fountain and a carousel. Em, GG and I also took in the Bartow Co. Saddle Club's annual Rodeo for the first time. Great fun with our friends, the Sawyers. We attended three separate Vacation Bible School's this summer. Em did 1 daytime, Em and Liz did 1 evening, and finally all three girls did the evening VBS at our church. Side note: I love the kids music used during the VBS programs. I'll play it in the car even when I'm riding alone.
https://www.facebook.com/choremonster
Then currently, we are using a new app, ChoreMonster, for the girls. Mostly for Emily, but Lizzie gets some action on it too. It promotes short and long term goals, spending points wisely and stuff like that. It's very fun. I kinda wish Len would make an account for me ;)
This app was recommended to me by a friend with two pre-teens. It worked for them and I can attest that it works for Emily (5 y/o).
Finally, our Garden Project 2014 is yielding wonderfully. Oddly enough, it's going well for everyone in our neighborhood who is growing a garden and we're trying to pawn off the extras on each other....I think I'll plan NOT to grow zucchini or squash next year. :) We have learned quite a bit this year. We did a raised box, but gonna make it deeper next year. Staggered crops, paying better attention to harvest dates, perhaps some canning! Who knows?! I just know I'm having a great time and great food!
Hope you enjoyed the little update! Perhaps I'll get up another one from the first day of school or more wedding or vaca or something! Knowing me, it'll be all of the above and then some by the time I get to it! So THANKS SO MUCH for catching up with us and I hope to see you soon.
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