Levi is talking more and more like an adult and I regularly have to remind myself to cut him some slack because he's only 2 years old! Here's a conversation I had with him recently while I was in the bathroom.
Levi: "You going pooping mommy?"
Me: "No I just have to pee."
Levi: "Ok you go pooping. Take your time, mommy." *closes door*
Speaking of "going pooping," Levi has gone number two on the potty several times now. I still haven't started really potty training him (I'm scared to haha). But when I see that he looks like he's going to go, I ask him if he wants to sit on the potty and often he will say yes. I know I need to take the leap and potty train him for real but I've been avoiding it. I feel like it will just make things harder. I mean, diapers are a little annoying I guess but not nearly as annoying as having to stop everything and immediately find the closest bathroom in the middle of a grocery shopping trip!
Work was really stressful the first couple of weeks trying to get all the staff trained and the equipment delivered for all my kiddos before school started or as close to the start of school as possible. But thankfully things have calmed down a little bit now and I'm actually feeling pretty good about how things are starting out this year. I feel like I've developed a pretty good relationship with my teams over the past year and this year they are trusting me with their problems and together we've come up with some good solutions. I had a great success story with my new kindergartener with spina bifida. I did a presentation with her class talking about rules about her wheelchair and then we had a little group discussion where we brainstormed ideas of things the kids could play with her at recess and ways to include her in the class better. I was so impressed with some of the things her classmates came up with and it was a great discussion. And her teacher and her aide have both told me that ever since we did that, the kids have been playing with her and including her so much more! So that made me feel really good to see that work out so well. And I'm excited because we are lowering a sink for her at the school so that she can reach one. It just took me reaching out to different team members and spearheading it and now it's happening! I love that. Also, there's a new PE teacher at Joan Austin and she is super open to feedback. I feel like she and I are working together really well to make accommodations for the kids at that school who need them which is awesome. So yeah, I would say work is going well even though it is still stressful trying to do all the things. Mondays and Tuesdays are so busy now trying to get all the menu planning and grocery shopping and laundry done before I go back to work. But I try to make sure we always do something fun on Fridays for Levi. Two Fridays ago we had a playdate with Liam and Macey and last Friday we went up to the Children's Museum. It was international peace day so they had a reggae musician there who played live music which Levi LOVED. He has recently taken to playing air guitar and dancing around our house which is adorable. It will be so fun when he's old enough to actually learn how to play the guitar. I am also really excited for when he's old enough to play soccer! We went for a walk to a park yesterday as a family and there were little kid soccer games going on and Levi was pretty interested in it. He is already able to kick a ball well and run and kick without stopping so I think he's going to pick it up quickly. I hope there's a league in Texas that has a little under 6's team that he could maybe start next year! That would be so fun!
Anyway so yeah, that's been life lately. Eric and I got to go on a childfree date last night after the kids were in bed. I got all dressed up and curled my hair and we went to a fancy restaurant in Portland for some delicious dessert. It was so nice to get to talk with Eric when neither of us were either distracted by the kids or exhausted. Haha. I am so lucky I have such a sweet, handsome husband to share this crazy, whirlwind journey of life with!
Here are some pictures of life lately!
My mom came to visit again Labor Day weekend. We always love having her come. Levi especially adores her. The Saturday of Labor Day weekend we went down to Champoeg State Park and went on a little hike and had a picnic. The weather was perfect and it was so beautiful. Then we went and found a little old style icecream place. So yummy and so relaxing!
Levi was really into his icecream cone!
Little miss is super into grabbing her knees and toes now. It's so cute!
I love this picture. It makes me think that Emery is like a little princess and Levi is her knight kissing her hand haha.
Girly got really drooly with her cold so I busted out the bandana bibs. I have to say, she rocks it.
Levi has started doing this thing where sometimes instead of coming upstairs he just stops and sits on the third or fourth step up. Sometimes he tells me, "I waiting for Daddy. I gonna watch for him." Even if Eric isn't coming home for several hours! Also, yes Levi is wearing a raincoat in this picture. The rain and cool weather have officially returned to Portland. After a blazing hot summer, it's been a welcome relief. And I'm excited that fall is here with its colorful leaves and the excuse to make pumpkin bread!
Levi still gets into a lot of mischief. I came out from changing baby girl and he was putting these ring toys into the air conditioner! Thankfully I was able to use some tweezers to retrieve them all.
When we go to the park, baby girl likes to chill on my lap and watch the other kids while Levi runs around and plays.
My little sleeping beauty.
Cute girl has graduated to wearing some six month clothes now! I can't believe she's getting so big!
