First half of April 2011

Bubbles are a big hit in the tub. Katie likes to put them on her face and pose. I asked Elayna why she didn't have a "beard" also, and they both said, "She does, it's pink and really long." Silly girls.

I registered Katie for Kindergarten on April 1st. She had to get some immunization shots the day before, and that was traumatic. She only cried a little though. On the way home, she said something like, "I don't know why I have to get shots. They hurt." I felt so bad. I tried to explain what diseases are, and why we do immunizations, but I'm not sure she understood. At least she knows there is a reason, and not that I just want her to hurt.

Katie isn't taking naps hardly at all anymore. (she hasn't taken many naps since last fall, when preschool started) She is learning "sight words" on flashcards that she can memorize what they look like, then recognize them upon sight, instead of sounding them out each time. At first, we both really struggled with it. I wanted her to sound it out each time, and she just didn't understand the concept. After crying to my mom about it one day, ("Katie will never learn, she hates it, I hate it, I don't know how to help her, will she ever figure it out?" etc...) Mom explained that "is" (the word I started to teach her) doesn't mean anything to Katie. It is just 2 random letters together, and even sounding it out each time doesn't help. Mom suggested teaching some other words first, and having Katie write them down, or draw pictures with them.

Now, Katie will trace each flashcard onto her paper, write the word in the box on her paper, and write the letters of each word below itself on the actual flashcard. She is obviously a person that learns by writing it down. When I flash through the cards, she will look at her paper to see what the word it. It is very interesting. Mom also suggested having Katie read the words in a sentence, and that has helped a lot also. So now, it is not an awful chore that we both hate. It is a fun learning experience, and Katie looks forward to it each day. (We work on them right after Elayna goes down for her nap.)

Katie is growing fast also. When she got her well child checkup before Kindergarten Registration, the doctor said she was in the 75% for her height and weight. She could do all the requested activities the doctor asked about.-- Jump with both feet, balance on one leg, how high can you count, do you know your colors, does she do imaginary play, etc.--
She also passed with flying colors the assessment the school did. Lynette DeGraffenried is my aunt, and she is the one that interviewed Katie. Lynette asked her about colors, what each letter and number was, what shapes were on the paper, what sounds each letter made, and Katie did really great. It seems a little crazy that she will be in Kindergarten in the fall, but she is ready.


After eating some chocolate, and their fingers were all dirty:


This is how my cute Elayna reads books, 90% of the time. Book on the couch, legs crossed as she casually leans against the couch. I think it is adorable:
Elayna loves Princesses at the moment. Especially Snow White. I think I read the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at least 3-4 times a day. She loves being outside, and coloring. She hasn't worn diapers at all for about a month, if not more. She still has accidents, but she can stay dry most days, and she will now go by herself if she decides she needs to. Ryan and I take turns waking her up at night (okay, mostly Ryan does it, but I help sometimes too, since I'm up going to the bathroom also) so she sleeps in underwear also. She is doing really well with potty training.

Elayna talks really well, and a lot. She loves being around Katie so much. She copies most of what Katie does, and they play so well together. Most mornings they will be awake, playing in their bedroom, before I realize they are awake. Sometimes I'll come out and say, "Let's eat breakfast" and they will ask if they can play more before we eat. Of course, they fight about stuff, but most of the time they really love being around each other.


Here I am at 35 weeks:
Everything is going well. The due date, as I've calculated it, should be about the 9th of May. My doctor says it will be closer to the 13th. I'm sure she will come when she wants, and we will both be wrong. :)

Not much going on. Basically just waiting for the baby to come. I haven't really started nesting yet, but I'm trying to get stuff done. Most of the time just having a meal ready when Ryan comes home from work can seem like a big accomplishment. I feel really tired, and don't want to move much. Katie and Elayna play with friends (mostly Abby and Gracie) most of the time, and I do stuff around the house. I really don't just lay around all day. I've got some of my roses trimmed, and my quilt is almost finished. I need to put a border around it, and find someone that will machine quilt it for me, then I'll post pictures of it. I'm pretty proud of it.

Ryan is sleeping better. He seems more rested. He will get his thyroid levels checked at the end of the month, and the doctor will adjust the medication if necessary.