Why Won't She Stay Dry?!

Why oh why won't Audrey keep her undies dry when she is at home!? She goes ALL DAY at school on the potty. Yesterday day I picked her up and her "activity sheet" noted that she used the bathroom at 4:30. She was watching me make dinner (she stands on a chair next to the counter) around 5:15 and all of a sudden she says, "I'm peeing." No kidding! There's a huge puddle on the chair and floor and splashes on the cupboards! Not five minutes before this happened I suggested she use the bathroom, but she said she didn't have to go. Then later in the evening I suggested she go potty, but no, she didn't have to. Then five minutes later we hear, "I peed." Luckily she was wearing pants and I don't think much of it got on the floor. Her teachers at school say she usually just says she needs to go and then goes in & takes care of business. Maybe she drinks more at home and therefore gets off her schedule of going every couple of hours. We really need to figure this out so she can get her big girl bed! And we need to get the carpets cleaned!

This morning I was driving Luke to school and he started counting by twos. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 - I said, "Are you counting by twos?!" Amazing, I didn't realize kindergartners learn to count by twos. This is one way we find out what he's learning at school, he'll just start doing something new. I can ask him multiple times, "What'd you learn at school today?" And he doesn't come up with much. And then he'll start counting by twos. I think he is ready for summer because he's been sleeping in and having minor meltdowns when he is tired. Of course we're also going to swim lessons Monday & Wednesday nights, t-ball practice Tuesday nights, and when he is at home he's playing with our neighbor, Alexia. Last Saturday while I was cleaning the house I let him watch movies all morning just to let his brain rest. But of course it doesn't completely rest because he watches The Nightmare Before Christmas and is continually planning his theatrical debut of it.

He's also reading like crazy, before bed and when he wakes up in the morning he has his nose in a book. One morning I poked my head in to tell him good morning and he said, "Mom, I'm reading!" Jeez, I just wanted to say good morning! Last night he read, "Go, Dog, Go!" to us and I got some of it on video that I will post at some point. Audrey is also into helping us read books. If I am reading a book that she has heard repeatedly and I pause, she will fill in the next word. She really likes a book about opposites and is getting those figured out. She'll say, "Mama, I learned!"

Underwear!

We are very excited because two days in a row Audrey wore underwear all day and kept them dry!!! On Tuesday we were shopping and I told her I didn't want to buy Pull-Ups anymore and that if she promised to start wearing underwear I'd let her pick out some new ones (she already has 15 pairs so she doesn't really NEED them). She didn't quite understand what I was saying but then when we got near the undies she wanted to get some, so she picked out Winnie the Pooh. She was very excited about them and opened the package in the car and in the morning she picked out the pair she wanted to wear and then kept them dry. We were afraid starting a new daycare would throw off her potty training but it hasn't, thank goodness.

Modeling her swimsuit and sandals.

The kids started swim lessons this week, Monday and Wednesday nights. They both really enjoyed it, but Audrey is not as open to trying everything as Luke is. Their classes are separate, Audrey's is parent/tot and Luke is in a class with 3 other girls. Audrey doesn't like sticking her head in the water, but she really likes kicking. Luke will put his head under water and is learning to float.

Learning how to hit off the t - he did awesome!

We celebrated Easter two different weekends with both sides of the family. The kids thoroughly enjoyed dyeing eggs twice and having two egg hunts. When we got home I stashed their baskets of candy in the cupboards and they completely forgot about them!

First Day!

Audrey started her new preschool today and the morning went really well! I took her at 8:30; she was holding three bears and a blanket and just wanted to snuggle with me. Her teachers, Amanda and Kayla, were excited to see her and I started introducing her to the other kids. We played with blocks and then Miss Amanda read stories and sang songs. All of the kids sat and listened and sang really well, I could tell they are used to the routine and enjoy it. They had potty break (at this time I put two of her bears and the blanket in her bin) and Audrey went potty (hurray!), then they read another story and had snack time. Audrey didn't want to eat or drink anything, she just wanted to snuggle with me. She hugged me and said, "I love you Mama. I love you lots." It was then time for art, which they took turns doing. So while 4 kids were at the table the other kids got to play. Audrey decided she could play easier if she put Happy Bear (her best buddy) in her bin, so she did that. I took that as a good sign that she was feeling comfortable.

Audrey and her new friend Rachel played on the gymnastics-type mats; I was impressed they did really well taking turns. Then it was time for her to do the art project. It was a piece of paper with a starfish covered in glue and the kids got to put colored sand on. I hung back while Audrey did her's, and she talked to Miss Amanda and the other kids. Up until then she was pretty quiet, except to tell them when she went potty! She knew that after art they got to play outside, and I told her that I would leave then. When she was done with her project she said, "Mama, you can go now." I gave her a big hug and kiss and told her I'm proud of her for doing such a great job at her new school!

T-Ball, Last Day, & Some Funnies

Luke had his first t-ball practice last week and he really enjoyed it! The night before practice Ben taught him how to hit off the tee so that practice wasn't his first time hitting and he did great. Playing baseball on the Wii really helped prepare him! Audrey wanted to be involved so she fielded the ball for him. He practices once a week and the games start the first week of May (we'll send the schedule to those who want it). He had his second practice last night and Ben said he played in the dirt and sand more than he practiced his fielding. :-/ Rule #1 in t-ball is "no sitting," and we're going to implement rule #2 - no playing in the dirt!

Today was Audrey's last day at Louise's, which was sad but at the same time we are getting her excited for the new preschool and I am excited about not driving so far. She had a good day and I got some great pictures of her and her friends. I think it is going to take a few days for her to realize she isn't going back there and I'm sure she will miss it. Hopefully her first day at the new preschool goes well tomorrow, she is tentative around kids at first and I hope the teachers help her interact with them.

Some funnies... Last night Ben said:"Audrey, you're delicious, I could just eat you up."

Audrey: "No, I'm not!"

Luke: "No she's not, she tastes like dead spiders."

I really hope he doesn't actually know what dead spiders taste like.

One evening when Audrey and I were driving home we had the windows open in the car and we heard a motorcycle do a short rev of its engine.

Audrey: "What was that?"

Me: "A motorcycle revving it's engine."

Audrey: "No it wasn't, it was your butt!" I just about lost it, she is so funny.

New Preschool (No Foolin')

Since moving to NL we have considered switching Audrey to a daycare in NL instead of continuing to drive her to the east side of IC to Louise's house. We didn't want to do it when we first moved out there last June, but by the middle of fall we thought more seriously about it (because of the new routine of taking Luke to school) but it just stressed me out. Plus the place we'd looked at in June was building a new center and it was supposed to open in early October, but didn't. I took it as a sign that it wasn't the right time to move Audrey, anyway.

Our routine since Luke started school is that I get the kids ready in the morning (Ben leaves the house at 6:00), which is a chore because neither of their internal clocks like to wake up before 7:00 and we need to leave the house at 7:05! We take Luke to school (this involves getting Audrey in and out of the car because we have to walk Luke inside), then Audrey and I drive the 25 minutes to her daycare. On the drive I have to open at least two packages of fruit snacks, maybe a fruit strip, pass her juice and milk cups to her (I usually do this before we pull out of the school parking lot, but then sometimes she hands them back), and pick up the toys or her beloved Happy Bear that she drops on the floor. Don't worry, I'm really safe when reaching in the backseat and I have long arms. :-D Audrey usually has to wait until it is safe enough for me to reach back there, but that does not make her happy!

For a while I was able to still catch the 7:45 AM city bus right in front of the daycare and take it downtown to work. Then I started missing the bus by like 30 seconds and always felt rushed; it just wasn't worth it to feel rushed so I started driving to a side street to park about 12 minutes away from work. But then at the end of the day I have to drive back over to the daycare and if we leave at 4:55 we can be home by 5:20. At least Ben is able to pick Luke up from school!

On Friday I got a call from the owner of the newly built daycare in NL and she said she is open and ready for us to check it out. Yesterday was Ben's day off so we took Audrey for a visit and the place is really nice. Besides being a brand new building the owner got new tables, chairs, toys, play mats, kitchen sets - it's just really nice, and the outside play area is huge and will be fenced soon. Audrey was excited about visiting a new school and even though she was shy while there she didn't want to leave. Last night we decided we feel comfortable with this being her new preschool so this morning I told Louise her last day will be April 15th. She wasn't surprised and is glad we kept Audrey there this long after moving.

Daycare options have always been hard decisions for us and I'm sure for all parents! We know it will be a hard transition for Audrey, but hope to visit the daycare at least one more time before starting her on the 16th, and we'll keep in contact with her friends at Louise's and do playdates. I will miss the other kids, too! It's very exciting that the morning routine will be less stressful in just a few weeks (the plan is for Luke & I to take Audrey to preschool and then I'll take Luke to school) and Ben can pick both of the kids up at the end of the day!
Here is a picture of Louise and the kids (minus one) at their Christmas party.