Week of Excellence

I'm not sure if I have mentioned here that Sophie is taking gymnastics, but she is. She was in ballet but one day she just decided on her own that she wasn't going to participate in ballet any longer. In fact, her ballet teacher went to get her out of her class to bring her to ballet and Sophie told her in so many words that she didn't like ballet and that she wasn't going to do it. And that was that.

Sophie is in gymnastics now and really seems to be enjoying it. She is enrolled at Gymnastix which is just down the road from our house. They do all kinds of fun things: balance beam, the bars, trampoline, floor, etc. It's super cute. She has had some issues with paying attention and staying on track, although I have seen a huge improvement since day one. She likes to skip the rotation her teacher has set and skip the line and go to the apparatus she likes best, even if it's not her turn. She definitely likes the bars and the trampoline best.

This week was "Week of Excellence". Today each child was awarded their own medal and recognition for completing their session. This was Sophie's first session. I think she's so adorable in her little leotard. We are so proud of her. It was special to be there today to watch her do her "recital" and receive her first gymnastics medal. Congrats Sophie for being such a gymnastics superstar!

Snoring

Sophie snores so loudly. She's snored for as long as we can remember, but it has gotten progressively worse over the past 6 months. So bad that I made a doctors appointment to have her checked out. There is no way that a 32.5 pound 3.5 year old's snores should rock the house and echo throughout.

The doctor thinks Sophie's tonsils are too large and give her a narrow passage way from which to breathe. She wasn't sure about her adenoids. She referred us to a children's ENT. She felt like there is a good chance that Sophie's tonsils will need to removed at the very least. But she really couldn't say for sure. She said that they are very conservative with doing that surgery these days, unlike when we were kids, but that Sophie's tonsils may just be too large.

While we were there, the doctor noticed that Sophie had some fluid in her ear. It was clear so she wasn't too worried about it. She did say that her throat was red so she did a strep test. That came back negative, thank goodness. I didn't think she had something like that because she hasn't had a fever. She spiked a fever one day last week and threw up a few times and a similar thing happened the week before. But both episodes lasted only a few hours. Well, as we were getting ready to leave she did one more once over of Sophie. She saw that Sophie's right gland was pretty swollen. She decided to take a blood test. The test revealed a white blood count of 18,000 and 10,000 would be normal. Doctor thinks that maybe Sophie has some kind of bacteria virus in the works, quite possibly tonsillitis, so she put her on antibiotics.

So what a day! Go in for a quick check to see if we have an issue because of the snoring and leave with a round of antibiotics, possible tonsillitis, and an appointment with a children's ENT. Well, at least it snowed today and Sophie had fun playing in it! Pics from that to come later.

Happy 2nd Birthday Tripp

We love you sweet boy. Today was a great day. You turned 2!! I'll blog more about you and your birthday tomorrow. Love you bubby!

 

Quote of the Day

If you can imagine it, you can achieve it; if you can dream it, you can become it.

— William Arthur Ward

Quote of the Day

Even if it's a little thing, do something for those who need help, something for which you get no pay but the privilege of doing it.

-- Albert Schweitzer

Peep, pee pee, and poopy please!

I can't even believe it's time to start thinking about potty training Tripp. He's not even two yet. I'm excited to think about no more diapers, but I shudder at the thought of having to take two kids to a public restroom. Ew.

I haven't mentioned here yet that Tripp has been going potty on the potty since about 18 months. Not consistently, of course, but the first time he went peep on the potty was at about 18 months. Ms. Monica, one of Tripp's teachers, calls pee pee "peep". I think it sounds much nicer, so I now call it that as well. Ms. Monica asked me about the time Tripp was 18 months if we were potty training. She was surprised when I looked at her and laughed. Why would I be trying to potty train a boy at 18 months? Hadn't even crossed my mind. Apparently he is very interested in the potty at school so she started putting him on it. He hadn't gone at school, but she encouraged me to put him on the potty at home. So I have been.

I decided to start putting him on the potty after bath since, in typical boy fashion, he likes to try and pee on the carpet when I take him out of the bath. To my surprise, Tripp would peep on the potty 50% of the time. Then he started telling me he had to peep. The first few times I put him on he didn't go. But then jackpot - he went! Then he told me he had to poopy. That was fun. I put him on the potty and he didn't go. I gave him a little while to gain his composure so he could keep trying, after all M&Ms were on the line, but he told me "ah dun" (all done) so I took him off and proceeded to grab his clothes. I turn around and what do I see? Tripp pooping on the floor ... running across the hall pooping. Yep! Tripp pooping all over the floor. Awesome. It was then I learned I had to be smarter than him, but also that he knew when he had to go potty. I find this amazing.

First poopy potty (as he would call it) - Tripp told me he had to pee pee so I took him to the potty. He was taking a long time so I was trying to coax him off thinking he probably had already gone in his diaper. But, to my disbelief, he ended up pooping ... it was hilarious ... he was laughing and yelling and getting a big kick out of it. He was trying to stick his head between his legs so he could see down in the toilet - yes, I know, nice - it was hilarious. I should've videoed it. That would have been something fun to pull out on his first date. I started yelling for John and he came running in ... so did Sophie. We had a big party in the bathroom celebrating Tripp's first poopy. We ate M&Ms by the potty. lol Sorry for TMI, but I have to write this down since my child is a potty training prodigy. Ok, not really, but I am excited that he's poppied on the potty a few times since and he's not even 2! And, btw, I've brought up M&Ms a few times. That is the "prize" he gets for going potty. It worked for Sophie and it seems to be working for Tripp.

Let me just say that I am not getting my hopes up. I'm not pushing the potty training thing, partly out of laziness (sad, I know), partly due to my fear of having to take 2 babies to the public potty, and partly because I'm not sure if Tripp is ready. But some days I wonder if I'm doing enough, if I should be encouraging. Tripp moved up into the big kid room at school last week and he has been going potty every day. Sometimes he has a dry diaper, sometimes not, but he is going. Ms. Monica was so excited to share that news with me. Tripp really likes going potty. I told John today maybe we should buy some underwear for him and see how he does. Maybe he won't like being wet in underwear and will start using the potty. Maybe this will be the beginning of the end of diapers. I guess only time will tell.

Quote of the Day

Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.

— Muriel Strode, American Author "At the Roots of Grasses"

Kids Say the Darndest Things!

Sophie has been saying some very funny things lately. You know, those type of things that you read in magazines that make you spit out your milk while you are reading because you can imagine what that mom felt like as her kid says something crazy to a stranger? Sophie is turning into quite the little comedian. Obviously she doesn't know what she is saying is funny, but it is. I've been meaning to write a list of the things she says, but I keep forgetting. I'm going to make this my master list and update it when she says something that I feel like I must remember. I can't remember anything other than what she told me a few days ago, but it's classic. I'm sure John thinks so anyway!

1. Tripp was pulling Sophie's hair and the conversation went like this:

Me: Tripp, don't pull Sophie's hair. That's naughty. You'll have to go to time out if you do it again. Say you are sorry to your sister.
Tripp: Hugs Sophie, but I notice his hands are clinched in fists.
Me: Unclenching Tripp's fists. Great. Tripp! You actually pulled Sophie's hair out.
Sophie: He pulled my hair out?
Me: Yes!
Sophie: Starts crying. Mommy! Tripp is going to pull all my hair out and then I'm not going to have any hair and I'm going to look like daddy!!
Me: Awesome!! John, did you hear that!! She's crying because Tripp pulled a little hair out and now she thinks she is going to be bald like you.
Me: Still laughing as I type this!!

Quote of the Day

The abundant life does not come to those who have had a lot of obstacles removed from their path by others. It develops from within and is rooted in strong mental and moral fiber.

-- William Mather Lewis

Happy New Year!

We wish all our family and friends a wonderful, healthy, and safe New Year. We know 2010 will be an amazing year!