America!

The Koala Bears are studying America this month! Yesterday, when I dropped Makena off, I heard one of the teachers talking to the kids about the California Redwoods and New York skyscrapers! How exciting!!

When I arrived at Makena's class to pick her up, after getting a big, wonderful hug, I asked her what she did in class. She told me that she made a "Merigo" flag (American Flag). I asked her if she could show me but we were diverted by one of her classmates. He mumbled something unintelligible and pointed up. Before I had a chance to sort out what he was saying one of the teachers grabbed a water bottle from atop the bookcase. It had Makena's name on it and it was filled with sand and dirty water. As she handed it to me she said, "Makena's Ocean." Makena beamed and said, "yeah, my ocean." They made an ocean! How clever is that!!?

I was and still am impressed by the ocean! Anyway, I read the whiteboard to see what else they did. Among other things, it was written that they were shown photos of Mt. Rushmore. And, they were taught all about monuments.

So, in the car I asked her about monuments. She didn't have much to say. I asked her if she learned about Mt. Rushmore. She said she did. I asked her, "What is Mt. Rushmore?" She said, "It's a mommy-mint."

Scapegoat

Yesterday, Mark was getting Makena ready for swim class when she noticed that her underwear was a little wet.

Makena: Oh no.
Mark: What's wrong?
Makena: My underwear is wet.
Mark: Oh no, what happened?
Makena: I don't know.... Kessler did it.

Potty Training

Jeez, I love my kids.

Mark and I have been trying to get Makena to consistently use the potty. We started by trying to convert her to pull-ups but they really are no different than a diaper as far as she's concerned. So for several months now she has been doing some of her business on the potty and the rest in her diaper/pull-ups.

Yesterday I decided to try big girl underwear. We've had them for months and let her try them on a few times. But, for some damn reason we kept expecting her to say to us, "Okay, I'm ready now. Whether you put me in pull-ups or underwear, I shall no longer urinate or defecate in them. Yes, dear parents, from this point forward I will beckon you hither to assist me whenever I ever-so-much-as get the slightest inclination to potty." Fancy that not happening. Instead, after the mere suggestion yesterday morning, she happily put on her big girl underwear. Shortly after, she peed in them. But, then we knew what happens when you pee in big girl underwear. Interestingly enough, the same thing happens when you pee in them while lying in your bed. Lesson learned. The rest of the day when I asked if she needed to go to the potty, she said yes if she did and no if she didn't. I put a diaper on her when we went to the gym as to not make going to the gym as traumatic for her as it is for me (for different reasons). When we came home her diaper was dry.

Well, I'll be damned.

So this morning, feeling very confident, like someone about to win the Parent of the Year award, I donned Makena in her best Elmo underwear. I packed two spares of everything and drove her to school--promising to buy her play-doh when I get the news that she went pee-pee/poopy in the potty at school (something she's never done).

Guess what she was wearing when I arrived to pick her up. The same thing she was wearing when I dropped her off!! She raced over to let me know that she did, in fact, go pee-pee in the potty!!

I'll be double-damned.

Tomorrow I'm going shopping for the biggest pack of play-doh I can find!!

Makena Stating the Obvious.

You'll need speakers to fully appreciate this one. Besides the adorable giggling, Makena expresses her frustration with the size of daddy's bum!!

Makena, sweetie, it's something you will get used to in time. I promise.

The Little Things.

I started this blog because I wanted to let our families in on the little things that happen in our lives. It's easy to get caught up talking about consequential things when we are on the phone, that we forget to talk about these little things. Another reason was to document my kid's childhood, again with the little things that might be forgotten over time.

With the latter in mind, I'm sure you might be getting sick of these stories and if you aren't yet, you will after you read this one. But, bear with me anyway.

I came home from picking Makena up from preschool. I had to pee something fierce. So, as I'm scurrying to get Kessler in his exersaucer I explain to Makena that I will get her milk after I go to the potty.

Here's how it went:

Makena asks, "Do you have to go poopies?"
Still scurrying, I tell her, "No, just pee-pees."
Very excitedly she says, "Okay, I'm going to help you."
At this point I'm walking quickly to the restroom and she's running to keep up.
I tell her, "Ummm.. that's okay sweetie. I should be good."
She persists, still telling me that she plans to help.
When I finally arrive at said potty, she says, "I'm going to hold your hand."
And that's what she did until I was done. The part that I can't articulate is how sweet and sincere she was. It was all I could do not to cry. She is such a beautiful angel!