Snugglebunny

I've had about a dozen blog posts marinating around in my head for what seems like ages and what is probably more like days. And now that I have a few minutes to post I am drawing a huge, predictable, contemptible blank. D**n it. So what follows may not be coherent nor well written but hey, at least it's a blog.

Bubby is, perhaps, the most snuggly child in the entire world. They come in frequent yet short bursts of burryhisheadinyourchest bear hugs. It is absolutely one of the best things in the whole world. Sissy is also very snuggly, she likes to snuggle in next to you to read or watch a movie... but Bubby's snuggles are of a very unique variety. While Sissy's are sweet and almost tender, Griffin's feel like he's embracing you with his entire soul.

He's so fracking adorable.

But he's not a baby anymore. BIG HUGE SIGH. He's *almost* slept through the night for the past 4 nights and he is more vocal everyday. He's almost 2 for goodness sake. TWO.

Speaking of no-longer-a-baby. Penelope turns THREE on Monday. W.T.F.

She's doing really well with potty training. We had one accident yesterday but that's been the only once since Saturday. We're very proud of her - and she's very proud of herself. She had her birthday party the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It was a skating party and overall, it was a lot of fun. I think some of the kids were still a smidge too young, but they have to start sometime, right? I need to get the pics off my mom's Facebook page so I can post them on the blog. There's some video of P & G skating as well. Griffin actually loves it (for about 10 minutes, which is pretty good for a 1.5 year old). I think B is looking forward to when the kids are a bit more proficient so they can all go out and race :)

For her actual birthday, I think we'll just go out to dinner and keep it low-key. I might see if some of my coworkers can make it out, a few of them have kids P's age so it would be nice to socialize with other families.

It would just be nice to socialize :) We're into a rhythm with our schedules, but we haven't really made the time for life outside the four of us. Not to say that we're hermits, but regular playdates, dinners, nights out, or date night just haven't made it onto our list of things to do. There are just 2.5 weeks left of the semester and one of those weeks is Finals week. So I have just a little over a week to finish up curriculum and prep for our final.

In my Frosh classes we're actually conducting a trial (similar to Mock Trial) putting Odysseus on trial. The prosecution will try to prove that he isn't a hero and the defense will try to prove he is. We have attorneys, witnesses, court reporters, jurors, a bailiff, and a judge (me!). I'm really looking forward to it. It should be a lot of fun - for the students and for me. At least, I hope it is.

Speaking of work, I have some to do.

Potty training

I have in previous posts mentioned how much I loathe potty training. I don't hate it as much as teething, but it comes in at a pretty close second.

The reason I despise the PT is mostly because I hate the constant questioning and bribing. We don't have a backyard that's kid friendly AND it's freezing outside, so naked training is out. And she refuses to be naked anyway unless she's taking a bath. She wants to wear underwear until you pull it out and then she cries that she wants a diaper "like Bubby". She never says she has to pee so you end up asking every 20 minutes. Exhausting. And confining, we end up spending lots of time indoors close to a potty and I get cabin fever LIKE CRAZY.

So we hadn't really done much in the way of potty training except having her sit on the potty before bathtime.

Until now. Friday when I picked her up from daycare, she told Miss Monica and I that she was ready for underwear and that she wasn't going to wear diapers anymore "because I'm a big girl, not a baby like Bubba."

So we jumped in. Saturday morning we pulled out the pull-ups (after a mini tantrum when she demanded a diaper because she was "a baby, mama, I'm just a baby" - this ended with the promise of stickers). I think I already blogged about Saturday's accidents (just 2) and today we just had 1 (pee) which means she pooped on the potty. Not willingly, I saw her "assume the position" and so I carried her into the bathroom while she protested. But she did it and was very proud of herself.

She's going to hate me for writing this post when she's older.

I would really love for her to be able to *tell* me when she has to go. Hopefully that will happen by her birthday... hopefully.

Who's iPad?

Not mine, apparently.

Both children have decided that Mommy's iPad is actually their iPad. And I can't really blame them, it's loaded with apps designed just for them. Our current favorites are "The Monster at the End of this Book" (thanks Lorena) and Elmo's ABCs. But they can both find the Netflix app and access Calliou or Yo Gabba Gabba without any assistance. I'm surprised Griffin hasn't ordered something or e-mailed someone yet.

And we've eliminated diapers for Poe. Yesterday was day 1 and she had 1 accident and then refused to poop on the potty. But she did pee on the potty 4 times, so it was a good first day. Today was harder since we went to the aquarium and she refused to pee there... so she is in a pull up for naps and I can bet she'll pee during her nap.

It's a process.

So.

I left the adoption meeting tonight both well informed and a little sad.

A little sad because based on what I learned today, it doesn't look like we're ready to seriously start the process. That doesn't mean we won't ever be ready, but it's not going to happen now. Or even next year.

The major road block is that opposite gendered children can't share rooms. And while we have a 3 bedroom house, one room is Bryan's office/TV room, one room is our bedroom, and the other is for Poe & G. So while their bedroom could hold another bed (especially if we went with bunk beds), it won't work for foster-adopt requirements for space.

It also looks like the best option for us is to adopt a school-aged child... 1st grade or so. And neither one of us is ready to do that until P & G are a little older.

So things are on hold. For now... and we'll see how things progress.

I knew it wasn't going to be a quick process. I knew that it would be awhile before we actually had a child placed with us... but I was hoping that we could at least start the process. So I'm a little sad that we're not even ready for that - and that I don't know when we will be ready.

Monday, Monday, Monday!

So Monday is the informational meeting at a local adoption/fostering agency. I am both excited and a tad apprehensive.

I want to adopt. I feel that our family has the love to give. I feel that it's the socially responsible thing to do.

But oh boy am I nervous.

Lately the kids have been... challenging. Griffin's sleep is still erratic, Penelope is testing boundaries, potty training is a headache, and we're all stressed out. So the idea of adding another child into the mix is occasionally overwhelming.

But it's not overwhelming because of the adoption aspect, it would be just as overwhelming if we decided to get pregnant (perhaps more overwhelming that way since the newborn phase is incredibly taxing).

It's just a very different mindset, this choosing to have another child. With Poe and Griff I spent most of my pregnancies in a quasi state of shock. There was no "Is this the right time? How will this affect our family dynamic? Can we afford a child?" - we just coped because, well, we had to. And it was ok - while the babies weren't planned, they were most certainly loved and we cannot imagine life without them. I honestly wouldn't change things (I know I'm supposed to say that), I mean, I would change some things. I would change Griffin's sleep habits. I would change Penelope's desire to potty train. I would hire a maid if I could. But those are little things (ok, the sleep thing is kinda big, at least while we're in the thick of it), but you know what I mean.

And I know. I know that when we've finished the adoption process; when we have three beautiful children; when we've all adjusted to life as a 5-some; when we're all reading together before bed, or opening presents on Christmas morning, or having breakfast together, or singing songs in the car, or making another of the 1,000,000 memories we'll share that B & I will know that what we did was the right thing for us, for our family, for our kids. We'll know that the hoops were worth it, that tantrums in surround sound are fleeting, that our life is best measured in hugs rather than in account balances.

We'll get there. We're close to being there. But we're not quite there yet.

Also? My baby girl is not a baby anymore:

Was a 5 (or was it 6?) wakings night... But they all were relatively short lived and he went back to sleep with some shushing and patting. Better. Not great.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Last night...

Well, we survived the Rapture

In case you missed it, the Rapture was supposed to happen a few weeks ago. So congrats, you survived. Or maybe, sorry you're still here?

Anyway, updates.

We have a new daycare provider (DCP). We liked our old day DCP, but she moved and it was the perfect (albeit stressful) opportunity to find something a little more structured. And we did! Monica's Daycare is run a lot more like school-prep with plenty of outside play, arts and crafts, and... potty training! We actually haven't started Poe on the PT wagon quite yet, but we will soon.

She, of course, loves her new daycare. She loves making new friends, she loves spending all day with kids her age, she loves the structure and the learning activities. I honestly don't know if there's anything she doesn't love. She wakes every morning with a cheery "Good morning Mommy! Good morning Daddy! Good morning Bubba! Good Morning Harley!". She calls strangers in parking lots and grocery stores her "best friend".

This isn't to say that she's always this cheery, friendly, and lovey. She has bad days. But overall? She is my sunshine.

Our favorite game is to ask each other "guess what?.... I LOVE YOU!"

She's also taken to asking us about our days over dinner. It is adorable. "Hey B, how was your day?" is perhaps the sweetest and funniest thing I hear her say every day. Or "Mama, how was your sleep?" Or "Bubby, did you have a good nappy?"

Speaking of the Bubs, Monster has been regressing with his sleep, which SUCKS. I mention this because he's now awake and I have to run and get him.