Notes on Katie

PIGTAILS and SWIM LESSONS - those are the two big things in Katie's life right now!

Nearly 3 years on the making, her hair is finally getting long enough for pigtails!  Well, it isn't everyday that she will sit still and let me fix her hair, she will let me put pigtails in when it's time for swimming lessons.  Nate and Katie took the YMCA Waterbabies class last winter - it did not go well!  So, we took a break from swim lessons for a while, and this year she loves it!  She finally had the courage to go down the slide and "jump" off the edge ("jump" = walks off the edge into Daddy's arms).

Notes on Katie's behavior:  Some of you know that this fall Katie and I had quite a rough time together.  Her two year old behavior really peaked in early December which was when  I was prompted to buy this awesome book - it really helped us!  While we haven't implemented all of the techniques in the book, just a few have really done the trick for us.  Both Mommy & Katie have experienced less bouts of crying and yelling.

Notes on potty training:  She's almost there.  Some days Katie will ask to use the potty and other days she won't care and is content with a wet diaper.  Like most things with Katie, I am going to wait until she feels like it's all her big girl idea to use the potty and I wont have to force her.  Hopefully, this will all come together this spring (warmer weather = less layers of clothes to fuss with).  I learned my lesson with Kevin, no child will ever use the potty if their parents sit on the floor and read them book, after book, after book...

Notes on NO MORE napping:  This is the saddest thing to admit - neither one of my children take naps anymore.  Sigh... 

This fall we realized that on the days when Katie takes a nap she would be yelling in her crib until well past 10PM!  This did not work well with a tired Kindergartener next door, he had to get to bed.  So, we eliminated her nap.  It wasn't pretty (hence her behavior problems), but things have smoothed out.  There are still random days when I give her a nap and OMG do I CHERISH those days (ie - CHERISH = I do not do any boring housework or chores during that time.  It's all ME time like reading  or watching a non animated TV show!)  Nate can tell the moment he walks in the door at night if Katie's had a nap!  On a non-nap regular day, both kids are in bed by 7:30 which I find totally awesome!

Notes on activities:  With the loss of her nap we have A LOT more time to keep busy during the day.  Katie enjoys her preschool class on Monday & Wednesday mornings.  Tuesday mornings we attend a Brighter Beginnings toddler class which has art/music/play for the kids and an educational topic for the moms.  We normally make it to the Y several afternoons a week.  Lucky for me, Katie does not cry in the childwatch.  She loves to run and play with the other kiddos there.  She HATES going to the bus stop every afternoon to pickup Kevin.  It's a challenge to get out the door 500 feet to the corner to meet him.  I left her alone in the playroom one day and went to the bus stop.  She was not happy, crying so very hard when we came home.  She thought I left her home alone, forever!  Now that it's so cold here, we normally drive to the bus stop (500 feet - pathetic, I know, but warm)!