toodler update

It occurs to me that I haven't said anything about preschool except for mentioning that awful note from Blue's teacher the first week.

We spoke with her teacher about potty training and told her that we are working on it, and Blue is actually almost completely potty trained now! I think being in school and seeing all of the other children use the potty has made her want to use the potty too. So she uses the potty during the day and wears a regular diaper at night and is extremely proud of herself!

It is amazing to me how grown up she is. I think preschool has been so good for her. She seems a little calmer, a little nicer to Lion. And this potty training has been an amazing change. I can't imagine how much money we'll save when the Lion is out of diapers too. But a small part of me, a very crazy part that hears voices and talks to itself, will miss buying diapers. I just love having babies in the house. (I know! I said it was a crazy part of me, didn't I?)

The other night, we had a fire in our firepit and we sat outside with Blue and Olivia came over. Blue just loves Olivia. We were sitting out there, toasting marshmallows and drinking wine (Blue had apple juice) and finally it was rather late and I told Blue it was time for bed. She looked at me for a moment and then said, "No. I'm talking to Olivia" and turned away from me to talk to her. I had to laugh. She is very crafty. And she looked like a tiny woman, sitting there in the firelight with her little knees tucked up under her chin.

I tuck her in at night and just as I am shutting her door, she says, "Wait! Wait! Mommy I forgot something!" I ask her what she forgot and she says, Um, I forgot ... to read another story ... or ... to have some water ... or the one that I always have to cave in to now that we are in training ... to go potty. Are all children born with this skill? Is this some kind of residual survival mechanism? I love it.

Meanwhile, the Lion has entered that Godawful No! phase. This morning, I went in to his room to get him:

Mommy: Good morning, little man!
Lion: No!
Mommy: How's my boy?
Lion: No!
Mommy: Do you want to come downstairs?
Lion: No!
Mommy: Come on, baby, let's go downstairs...
Lion: No!
Mommy: Do you want to stay in here?
Lion: No!

and so on and so forth ad infinitum...