My Independent Girl

My dear Mekayla has always been an independent girl. Probably from the moment she was born she had exhibited her independent streak but it couldn't have been more evident when she attended her 1st day of preschool. Now don't get me wrong. We had prepped her for school for months. We'd taken her on several tours of various schools and on the Friday before school started we went in for Drop In Day where she got to see her class again and meet her teacher, Ms Judy.

That Monday morning, as we walked into her class, she just ran into the room and picked up the 1st toy she could find. Mommy and Daddy were clearly forgotten, left to put away her lunch box for her and stand all lonesome in the corner of the classroom taking pictures of this momentous occasion. After about 10 minutes (of which she barely noticed we were there), she ran up with a toy to show us. It was by this point we had to leave however. They advise us not to stay too long - messes up the whole transition to preschool thing - Transition? What transition? Did you not just see how she ran into the room and made herself at home???

Anyway, here came the big goodbye:

Mommy and Daddy: Okay Mekayla, we have to go now. Have a good day at school.
Mekayla (barely looks up from her toy): Okay. Bye.
Mommy and Daddy: How about some hugs and kisses?
Mekayla: Okay. (Provides momentary consolation hugs and kisses)
Mommy and Daddy: Bye.
Mekayla: Bye. (Still playing with her toy)

As I'm driving away, I'm suddenly hit with the realization that my big girl is not in the car with me. It's awfully quiet without her little chatter (she talks non-stop these days - as her teacher will attest later). So I did the only thing I knew to do. I drove to Cupertino to Sheng Kee bakery to get 4 red bean buns and then to the quilt store for some fabric therapy. It was a very poignant moment when I discovered that I was missing her more than I thought I would. I thought that I would be glad for the break from having two of them anchored to my ankles constantly but I missed having her around not matter how irritating she could be sometimes. Miss tough Momma was not so tough after all. And you know what? Miss Independant Mekayla did just great at school. To find out more about what it was like when we picked her up, go visit Carter's blog.

Today is Friday and she has had three awesome days at school and loves it. She comes home singing the songs she's learned that day at school. Day 1 and 2 was "Jesus loves me this I know..." and today it was "Please shine down on me" as well as "Head and shoulders knees and toes". She has developed such a wonderful confidence in those 3 short days that I am continually amazed and indescribably proud of her. I'm so happy with the preschool we picked for her (Achiever Christian School) and thrilled that I can leave her there and know she is in very good hands and treated with care and handled with the grace she needs.

Regarding Mommy's quilt therapy, I got nice hugs from the dear ladies at Prairie Queens Quilt shop when I walked in. It wasn't really fabric therapy. I actually had to get some red fabric for a Civil War quilt I'm making for a very special Civil War fan - more on that and the other quilts I'm currently working on later. BTW, I'm totally loving this new hobby of mine and the "Back to Basics" class I'm taking with Debbie and Mary at Prairie Queens. Learning soooo much. Thanks ladies.

Chicken and Eggs According to Mekayla

At bedtime tonight after her story:

Mekayla: Mommy, do you like chickens?
Mommy: Yes. Chickens give us eggs. I like to eat eggs.
Mekayla: Oh. But we can't eat bird eggs. They have birds in them. And I already ate the chicken eggs.
Mommy: Yeah. Okay. We don't eat bird eggs. They have birds in them. But we can eat chicken eggs. They don't have chicks in them.
Mekayla: Oh. They don't have chicks in them. Yeah we can eat chicken eggs. We let the chicks hop out first then we eat the eggs...

Hmm... Okay.

Nadia Walking Video

Here's the video I promised of Nadia walking. It's on Carter's blog. By the way, is is quite the pro at walking now and is even trying to run. So much for baby steps.

Just 3 Words

I just have 3 important words to say....

Nadia walked today!!!!

Hooray!!!! This happened while we were at Aunty Abbey and Uncle Andrew's house. We are so proud of you little baby girl. Video courtesy of Aunty Abbey's camera coming soon. (Bad Mommy left hers at home on accident)

Potty Training

So you know how life can sometimes be described as a series of successes and failures? Well, today was a combination of both. We’ve been trying (on and off) for a while to get Mekayla potty trained. Now, my older daughter (in case you don’t know) is one of those strong-willed persons. She has one of those “I’ll do it when I’m ready and not a moment sooner no matter how much you plead, beg, cajole or bribe me even though I know perfectly how to” attitudes. And of course, she has decided to assert this one admirable but frustrating trait with her potty training which is probably why her dad and I have not really pushed it on her and have been working with her on and off.

Well, over the weekend, while I was at the Women of Faith conference, Daddy seemed to have made some headway with her potty training. It involved letting her walk around the living room sans pants with a potty accessible and within close proximity. Well, guess what? On Friday, she knew when she had to stop playing, go sit on her potty and pee on her own!!! Wow!!! I was so impressed when I got home Friday afternoon. Saturday however was a “I think I will assert my free will today” kind of days where she ended up peeing on her Rainbow bear and in the corner of the living room, anywhere else but in the potty. Oh well, successes and failures, right?

So, it’s now Monday morning… Day 3 of potty training adventures… (Sunday doesn’t count – it’s hard to potty train with church and lunch and all – I can’t very well, let her walk around town without pants or diapers on) I am up in the study checking some stuff up on the good ole Internet when I hear peels of laughter… I hear Mekayla laughing…. Nadia laughing… I think “Oh cool! They are having fun together… That’s so sweet.” More Mekayla laughing… Nadia laughing… Mekayla laughing…. Nadia laughing…. Hmm…. I’d like to think that they are playing some fun innocent game together but really, I should know better by now. I’m starting to hear red alert sirens and I think “Oh God, what am I going to find when I turn around the corner and look down?”

This is the scene that greets me… Nadia is standing, holding on to the coffee table, with both her feet in the potty. Only, the potty is not empty like I’d hope. Mekayla is standing off to the corner (out of reach of the splash zone) laughing and watching her sister happily wade in her ankle-deep contribution. Ordinarily I would have been thrilled for there to be light yellow liquid in that pristine white potty but not at this moment. I am inundated with conflicting thoughts. I want my older daughter to have had a successful potty episode but at the same time I pray to God that this is not one of those times. God doesn’t always answer all our prayers. I know He has been known to raise the dead and part the Red Sea but I have yet to see Him remove pee from a potty. Both girls look up at me. They have expressions on their faces like “This is fun Mommy!!! But now that you are looking at me with that look of horror in your face, I’m not so sure anymore.” The following conversation ensues with my oldest:

Mommy: Mekayla, did you go potty? (Stupid question… I know what the answer is… But I ask it anyway hoping for a different answer)
Mekayla: (Gleefully) Uh-huh….
Mommy: (Rushes down the stairs) Oh dear… (Nadia splashes some more) Nadia!!! No!!!!
For the record, this is not the appropriate response when your potty training child just successfully peed in the potty.
Mommy: (Picking up Nadia) I mean good job Mekayla but it is not good for Nadia to play with the pee...
Mekayla: But why?
Mommy: (Oh God save me – I’m walking to the bathroom while dangling Nadia in front of me) Because it is dirty and it’s making everything wet. Oh and good job on peeing in the toilet Mekayla.
Mekayla: Oh….

I now begin the process of washing Nadia’s hands and feet with copious amounts of soap and water whilst simultaneously keeping her from tasting the potentially pee laden soap suds. My next 10 minutes includes the following flurry of activity (not necessarily in this particular order because I can’t quite remember all I did in the aftermath of said destruction)… Dry Nadia’s hands and feet. Grab Clorox wipes. Put down Clorox wipes. Wipe down Mekayla (with baby wipes, not Clorox wipes). Remember to give Mekayla reward of Cookie Monster sticker and 4 M&Ms… Trade out extra brown M&M for blue M&M per recipient’s request… Pick up Clorox wipes. Walk into living room. Ask Mekayla where her sister is wondering what other trouble she is getting into. Wipe up little kiddy chair, coffee table and surrounding 5 feet radius around potty, wishing pee was more viscous and did not splash so well. Pick up pee laden potty and carry quickly to bathroom. Ask Mekayla where her sister is again. Wash potty. Wrestle with bottle of Clorox wipe to get 2 sheets out to wipe down potty. Quickly put down potty so I can grab Nadia and keep her from chewing on the rim of the toilet bowl… Wash Nadia’s hands again… Prevent Nadia from eating more pee laden soap suds… Return potty to living room for future potty training episodes… And it is only 10:30am.

I call Carter to relate all this to him and he suggests that this is a good one for the blog. My response is, "And let the world know what a failure I am as a mom??!!!" My ever optimistic husband’s response? It has some success in it too.

I’d like to say tune in for more potty training adventures but in all seriousness, I hope not. Till next time, remember, God has a sense of humor… We should too.