Tumbling and Other Things

It has been a long time since I've put up anything that is family related.  And truth be told, I've been kinda busy.  We've had lots of things going on around here lately.  So in no particular order, here are some of the things that have been going on in our house over the past few weeks....

1.  Peanut is still enjoying her tumbling classes.  Things have definitely gotten better since her first few weeks in class, but now she is starting to get timid during the various tasks they are asked to do.   I think she has become more aware that she isn't invincible and so she is much more cautious then she used to be.  According to the instructor, I guess this is completely normal and means she is getting ready to advance to the next class up.  

2.  We I have been attempting to wean Peanut off of her naps.  There has been a lot of kicking and screaming.

From me. 

Then why, you ask?  This has all stemmed from putting the Peanut down for bed at her normal bedtime and she has absolutely no desire to go to sleep.  I used to put her down at bedtime and she was out within 30 minutes.  But over the last several weeks, she is literally bouncing up and down in her crib until she finally goes to sleep about 2 1/2 hours later.  I've tried shortening (the glorious) three hour nap, but this child is HARD to wake up.  She is like her momma.  If she wants to sleep, she sleeps.  There is simply no waking that child.  So we have been foregoing the naps all together and it has been quite the adjustment.  I mean it's nice because she goes to bed several hours earlier, but from (the old) nap time on throughout the rest of the evening--she is a PILL.  She is tired and cranky.  I am tired and cranky.  Getting dinner ready with her getting into everything is a challenge.  But we are learning and somehow I am still surviving.

3.  Our washing machine has done it's last load.  So, so, sad because I don't want to have to spend the money for a new one.  We had a repair man come and fix it just six weeks ago.  At that time, he warned us that the part that was causing it to make noise wasn't the only thing that was wrong with it.  He said there was several other parts that really needed to be fixed, but the cost to repair all of those wasn't worth it.  He said if I did lighter loads we maybe would be able to get another six months out of it.  I guess he was a little optimistic.  My mom found the washing machine along with an old dryer at an estate sale when I moved out on my own nearly 10 years ago.  We got both for about $120--and we were able to get about three years out of the dryer (it was old to begin with) and we got nine years out of the washing machine.  I truly think we could have got more out of the washer, but I know I have a tendency to overload the washing machine.  "They" always tell you to do "full loads" to make it the most energy/water efficient.  I think I took that advice to heart a little too much.  So now the search is on for a new washer--hopefully we can get another smokin' used deal like we did previously.

4. We are having to find new renters for our house back in Hometown.  This wasn't a complete surprise like last year, but it is still a time consumer nonetheless.  Trying to coordinate times to show the house around the current tenants and their schedules and combine that with the fact that I also have to coordinate with my very, very gracious dad who has spent a LOT of his free time showing the house and the fact that lots and lots of people like to make appointments to see the house and then don't bother to show up--well it's just exasperating!  We just had some new people see it today, so hopefully one of them will pan out!

5.  Go Packers!  (That's for you Dad, as we all know I don't get pay attention to football!)

6.  And the biggest change around here (and the most time consuming)....the Peanut is now potty trained!  Can I hear an amen?  Or at least a hallelujah?  It's been nearly a month since we started this process and even longer since I bought our last pack of diapers.  We are still working on nighttime, but she is having a dry Pull Up in the morning more and more as the weeks go by, so hopefully we are nearly through with those as well.

Let me tell you though, it's not just training them--it's training Mom and Dad too.  One of the potty training books I read said that you shouldn't even attempt potty training until the child can go potty, wipe sufficiently, do their pants and wash their hands all on their own--otherwise you are just training the parent.  While part of that might be true, I don't agree with that.  Waiting until that time would arguably be easier, but I don't think the wiping sufficiently will happen for awhile, and I was not willing to pay the expense of diapers until that occurred.  Every child is different, but good grief, for some kids they wouldn't be expert wipers until they are five or six and I sure wasn't going to wait to find out.  And honestly, she completely knows/understands when she needs to go and is more than able to communicate that with us--the rest of the stuff, well, that will all come in time.

The poor thing though, her little delicate patty hands are just so red and chapped right now from all the washing.  And the treats we've been giving her?  Well it has been going against all my new(er) real food beliefs....but the bribery has completely worked and and is currently being phased out.  Although I can't blame her, as I love nem-a-nems {M&M's}too.

For the record, she does have an occasional accident (but just with #1's--we are so good with the #2's) and combine that with washer issue as mentioned above, well that's just a real damper.  No pun intended. 

And last, the Peanut now gives all sorts of accolades when I use the potty.  And as I left the bathroom, Peanut stopped at the pantry asked me, "You get a piece of candy too?"

Such is my domestic life....