No News...Actually Lots of News

There is a lot going on around our house even though I haven't posted often.  It's partly because I don't have a lot of time (not because I'm not home, but because when my kids don't need me I am usually sleeping or want to be), and partly because I turn into a hermit at the end of pregnancy.  It's the territory when you are an introvert.  While I am a social person, the time by myself is what gives me energy.  I never defined my self as an introvert until my good friend informed me that it's not exactly about how social you are, but where you get your energy.  Introverts gain energy from being alone, extroverts gain energy from being in groups and around other people.  Once I heard that, I knew for certain that I was, in fact, and introvert...even if I don't get awkward around groups of new people and all that jazz I thought belonged to the introvert.

Anyway, end of pregnancy = less energy.  Especially when I have three little ones that don't understand if Mom is tired.  They get the closest thing to the normal Mom as they can, and then it's done.  At the end of the day, I'm ready to have time by myself and relax...if that were possible.  So, it's not that I'm antisocial, it's just that my kids are the ones that are going to get my energy.  I figure that everyone else can be understanding about that.

That all said for you, I'll share some of what's new.

I missed telling you about Gumby's birthday!  Her birthday is 6 days after Curly's, and after their joint party I lost a lot of motivation, along with getting pretty tired.  So...they had a joint party that was a dress up theme.  They both wore princess dresses and Gumby had a wonderful time (as did Curly).  She didn't know what all this party stuff was about, but she very much enjoyed all the people that came around, and all the extra food!  That girl is an eater for sure.  She followed people around and got tons of love out of them, especially the men-folk (they are her favorite).  She was quick to learn the art of gift unwrapping and loved being the center of attention...even if shared with her sister.

A few days later, she did have some emotional stuff going on and her OT thinks that it was related to the party...that it took that long for her to really register her overload.  I think that she was right after this week.  Why?

THIS WEEK...Gumby started school.  We've been going through the process of getting her IEP (individual education plan) and all the wonderful stuff with the school started so that she could start preschool.  In the fall she will start Kindergarten, as for right now, she is going to developmental preschool.  She LOVES school.  She really does.  She has asked me multiple times if she could go when it isn't time to go, the first time being a shoe grab followed by the sign and word "help" and then the sign and word "school".  BUT.  But she is also having a LOT of emotional signs that tell me it really is a big adjustment for her as well.  It has messed with her routine and that is somewhat difficult for her...even if it's something she really enjoys.

Instead of the wonderful initiating she was doing, asking me for a drink if she needed one, or telling me she needs help- currently she will just whine or cry at me.  I know it's temporary, but it's still frustrating because it WAS something that I put a lot of effort and time into working on with her.  It's also frustrating because nobody enjoys a whiny kid.  I've been attempting to direct her in using her words/signs instead of crying, and I've been a lot more flexible with her than I was before she started school.  It's been a bit hard for her.

The school transition, as well as the huge leaps that Gumby has been making, have also been hard on Curly.  She is a little jealous of sister's school going, and is (I think) a bit concerned about Gumby "catching up" to her.  She has a need to feel confident about her role as first-born and Gumby is closer to challenging that than Smiles ever could be.  It seems that is a bit threatening to her.  It's nothing we can't work through, but she's definitely shown signs of some emotional adjustment as well.

School has come also with some...interesting behavior changes.  It gives her a confidence in herself and makes her feel like a big girl.  With that has come a lot of attitude a bossy talk, including some toward Mom and Dad.  This is of course- not okay, and it has to be parented.  The hard part is doing that, while still being sensitive to the emotional side of things and being understanding about how huge this really is for Gumby to take in all at once.  I'd say it's a very narrow line I feel like I am walking there.  I also feel like I teeter over each side all the time right now.  It's the first week.  It will get better.

School itself, it's good.  I like the teacher.  I like the para (who has a twenty something son with DS and was SO excited to have Ana join their class).  The bus driver is...very nice.  No further comments about that.  The para wanted to try potty time with her and I said that was just fine and dandy with me!  If they want to start the frame work of potty training at school, I am NOT going to stop them.  I just don't have the energy or time to put into that currently.  Apparently she did go potty on Thursday and she loves sitting on the toilet.  (I knew that she enjoyed it, since we have let her do that at home.  She laughs and laughs the whole time she is sitting there.  It's the funniest thing!)

Baby #4 is getting ready to make her appearance as well.  This is going to be a large adjustment for the whole family of course, and I do wonder how Gumby and Smiles are going to do with this change.  Both for different reasons.  The process of things working toward her arrival is going, per my doctor's observation, and she will be here any time in the next three weeks (or so).  I think we are pretty ready, at least, as ready as one can be.

Smiles is officially a full time boy of the cloth (cloth diapered child).  He loves his cloth diapers and hopefully his baby sister will get along with cloth well too.  I'm sure they will both do just fine.  Handsome is pretty well on his way to figuring them out (with a backwards one here and there, but who can blame a guy when they put the tags on the OUTside).  I am proud of him and so blessed to have a husband that hasn't complained at all about this switch.

Curly is so stinking smart.  Okay.  I am her mother and of course I would think that.  I just love how she thinks and the amount that she retains.  She is writing pretty well now (not spelling, just writing...I have to tell her the letters), and she is learning to read.  We have been doing her school work in the mornings when Gumby is at school and I think we might start some Kindergarten work for her in the fall too.  We plan on homeschooling her, so while I don't think it's great for kids to start Kindergarten early through the school system because there is much more than academics going on (like social development...which grows a lot in a year with kids), I think that when it's at home there aren't the same issues.  We'll see how it goes.  And yes, someday we would like to homeschool Gumby as well, but for the time being I don't feel like I am able to catch her up to her full potential for quite a few reasons.  One big on being the baby that will be here soon.

There are some other changes possibly in the works for this here little family, but for now this is all that is going on.  I hope that I can get you some photos soon and that it will be sooner rather than later when I update you again or share a post.  If not, don't be too surprised on that.

...I'll also have to share the fruits of the lovely Mother's Day gift I got with all of you.  It can produce something fun for you as well ;-).