Busy, Busy, Busy!

Busy, busy, busy. This is my new life. We have all been trying to get into our school year schedules of early mornings, afternoon pick-ups, homework, packing lunches, and the list goes on and on. I never realized that the school age years would be so much more difficult than the baby years. Gone are our come home, take your shoes off, and play on the floor evenings. Evenings are filled with lots of "have to do" stuff now. We have been trying to adjust, but is has definitely been a challenge.

Although Madeline has really enjoyed first grade thus far, the new bathroom policy has created some anxiety for her. Her classroom uses a card system for discipline: everyone starts on green, but must change to yellow, then red depending on the behaviors exhibited. Well, on the third day of school, Madeline had to move to yellow for using the restroom during class (students are supposed to go at recess and lunch). Since the incident, she has been experiencing some, hmmmm. . . let's just say "issues" in the bathroom department that resulted in the school nurse calling us to pick her up early last Thursday for a low grade fever and a few other symptoms. Anyway, to make a long story a bit shorter, she now has a doctor's note allowing her to use the restroom when necessary without penalty.

Our Saturday's are filled with gymnastics and dance classes. We, well I, had some problems with their dance teacher constantly yelling at the kids and losing her temper. I'll post the video if you didn't catch it on facebook. The kids enjoyed the class, but I found myself white knuckling it through the hour as she insulted the kids. I had Kent go last week as a witness, and his sides hurt from laughing so hard. It's one of those things that makes you want to laugh and cry and the same time. The teacher is so far off her rocker you just want to laugh at her, but you want to cry for the little three year olds who can't keep up and are getting barked at for it. Anyway, I made a few calls, and I am happy to report that their teacher has seemed to have "chilled out" a bit.

Sophie is working on potty training, and not very successfully. She has no interest in it and a seemingly inability to recognize the urge to pee. She will literally spend hours on the potty producing nothing. She'll look into the empty potty disappointedly and say, "I just can't dot it." It appears she will still be in diapers at her third birthday party: insert long *sigh* here. On to happier things, her party is going to be a Dora party, and she is super excited. She talks about it everyday. She is loving being back at school, and her teachers rave about how sweet and easy going she is. I will count my blessings in that department.

I will post some pictures some time this weekend, promise, promise, promise. We are all eagerly anticipating the arrival of two new cousins. Baby Sawyer's due date is just three days away, and Baby Lilly is expected to arrive on October 6. We can't wait! And speaking of things we can't wait for, cooler weather is topping my list. Winter can't come soon enough!