Bye, bye Binky

My daughter gave up her Binky this weekend. She gave it to a baby...she said the baby needed it more than she did. Isn't that the sweetest thing?

It wasn't so sweet when we drove home and she realized that she just gave her binky to a baby.

She wanted that binky back! NOW!

It was reasonably better last night, but she woke up today asking when we were going to get Binky? We aren't, Binky is happy with her new family.

she responded...that baby won't love Binky as much as I do.

My little girl is getting so grown up.

My Trip

I am going on a trip next week. The trip...My trip. It's not that I am having reservations, but just the same feelings I have had about this trip are just looming again.

Here's the background story:
This is my 40th year. Big birthday and all that comes with it. 5 years ago the high school girlfriends decided to get together for our birthdays (5 of us have October birthdays) and after that was successful, it was decided to plan something big for our 40th. When we were talking about planning in April, it was something BIG...a trip to Cancun! I was so excited, I got clearance from Honey Buns and never looked back...I was going! Haven't ever been there and how fun to go to Cancun with a bunch of girls!

WELLLLLL, the trip got planned and we are going to Phoenix. Yeah, Phoenix Arizona. Not sure how it got to be Phoenix, but the group decided. It will be fun mostly because I will be with 9 great girls(all my age) and these are my oldest friends(some since first grade). I will be away from home for the first time in 3 years without Sweet Pea. I will miss her, but I am ready for a break from her. I haven't gone anywhere for fun in the last 3 years. I will miss Honey Buns, but I need a break from him too. He is so dissatisfied with his job right now, it colors everything he does and I am ready for a break from that drama.
The plans for this trip are shaping up and the other girls act like they want to sit by the pool and read a book...(couldn't we have done that in Cancun? at an all-inclusive resort???)(I am really trying to get over it!) But really I am not wanting to sit by the pool and read. I want to see something I haven't before, I want to see the area. I am so afraid that I am going to go to Phoenix and just get to see the pool.

I leave a week from Thursday and will be gone for 4 days. Honey Buns already called his Mom and he and Sweet Pea are leaving that Friday for the whole weekend so Grandma can take care of them both. Everyone is excited about that(including Grandma)
I will let you know how the trip goes!

I jumped in

For a year or so, I have been "kinda" following the love and logic plan. Kinda means I think I am really doing it, but I KNOW I am not. I have been putting her in her room, but not closing the door, I have been timing her fits and then she gets out of her room...regardless of her actions, and I have been talking about why mommy put her in time-out, and coaching her on what to say to please mommy.

Have just decided that this is the day to confess it all and make some changes in my world.

I finally finished the Love and Logic for Early Childhood book and it gave me the courage to try it for real.

Sunday night, I jumped right in the middle of it!

Sunday night the fit lasted over 20 minutes and included me holding the door shut for that time. I made some mistakes and I felt bad about those mistakes...but I also vowed to do better.

Monday night the fit lasted 19 minutes and she was calm when I opened the door. I did not have to hold the door closed...but she did kick the door numerous times(which angered her father, but I got him calmed down without interupting the process) I did not talk about the episode after, I did hug and kiss her after and told her I loved her. She wanted to talk about it(mostly because that is how we have done it in the past) but I ignored her comments and went about my business and she did too. We remedied the problem that started it all...and time marched on.

I am hoping that I am strong enough to keep it up. I need a catch phrase. L&L uses Uh-oh...but that doesn't roll off my tongue...I never think of it at the right time. I am thinking about "not a good choice"

I need to buy the book so I have it at my house all the time. I was frantically leafing thru it last night to give me strength and then I slept with it under my bed. (that always worked in college)

I just kept repeating...you can do this!

update

I owe you a picture, I know, you deserve one. The one where she is wearing the backpack and smiling...I took it and she looks so grown up. But then...she is 3. Preschool is going fine. We have gone a total of 3 times. And she still likes it. Honey buns has dropped her off, I have picked her up, and I have almost forgotten her. 3 days and we have done it all. Next comes the hard part. The part where my real live job conflicts with the mom duties. I am busy next Tuesday. Wonder what will happen to preschool.
I have talked with another mom about a play date after school...does that sound like it will work? Now I have to get her dad to drop her off and we are set.

Why does life have to get in the way of my well laid plans?

Preschool, here we come!

I know you don't care...or rather...you might be the only people that do care...but I think I have come to a decision about preschool. Going with the last one. I think it will be a good fit for us. The teacher said some things that I have been wanting to hear and no one else has said.
So that was relief, in itself! We will be going to Munchkinland preschool in 2 weeks.

We need to get a few school supplies and we already have the backpack...

The Excitement is Building!

school bus

Today was the first day of school in our town. We watched the bus come in to the neighborhood and pick up the kids and we waved when the bus left.
It brought tears to my eyes...not sure why?

Because another school year starts without me?
OR
Because Sweet Pea will be riding that bus in 2 years?

Maybe a little of both...time marches on

need a reason to have a cake?

Yesterday was Dora the Explorer's birthday. There was a big splash all over the TV about the special and her party. Which we were supposed to watch...more on that later. Sweet Pea asked me if Dora was going to have a cake. I said she could have one at our house...and we started baking. Sweet Pea decorated it...she assured me that Dora likes lots of sprinkles.

We had the party at lunch, because we couldn't wait any longer...She said WAIT...and ran to her room and you could tell she was digging around. She can running back with a stuffed Dora doll and we sang to her and Sweet Pea blew out the candles. It was so fun.

While we were doing the mixing, Sweet Pea looked right at me and said...

"Isn't this exciting?"

And You know, it was! My child is getting so grown up, and it is so exciting.