Let's start with Ashley. She is now in preschool, 3s at OLPH (Our Lady of Perpetual Hope in Oakland). She was doing two half days last year, but now she's going 3 half days, plus stays an extra hour for lunch most days. Her teacher is Mrs. Schwartz, who used to help out in her classroom last year. She's been doing great. Again, no fear. Was excited to start back up. On her first day, she was greeted by two of her best buddies, Tyler Livesly and Hannah Cohen who are both in her classroom now. They gave her big hugs which was so sweet.
Ashley is learning the letters of alphabet, numbers, and colors--all things that she's known for quite sometime now. I'm always worrying about whether or not I'm teaching her enough at home, so it's comforting to know she's ahead of the game. In fact, we practice at home and she's even learning some spelling already. She can spell her first and last name, and a handful of words on her own. We also practice sounding out and reading other small words together. She can also talk your ear off and tell you very detailed stories at times.
In addition to school, grand mom is taking her to a nature class 1x/week, and we also just signed her up for swim lessons. She did both last week for the first time. She had a good report from the nature class, and she did great with her first swim lesson. We were a little unsure about how it'd go, first because she was a little overtired and cranky beforehand, and also because she had fallen into the lake at Easter, and has had slight apprehension with swimming things since. But she did great in the class....her teacher is an older woman (kind, older grandma figure), and I think the positive peer pressure of others in the class helped. She did great. It was sweet to see her look over and smile and wave at us from time to time.
So needless to say, she's a busy little girl. When we're not doing that, we're doing the typical playdates, crafts, reading, playing inside and outside, and life stuff.
So all in all things are going well for Ashley. On a strange note (or maybe not so strange), she has been going through a phase that's more rough on us than it is on her. She has been waking up (sometimes 2-3x) in the middle of the night. Not to pee. Not because of bad dreams (although sometimes)....but usually just "because". She comes in and wakes us up to tell us something or to ask for something totally cheesy or that she can do on her own. It's been rough. I'm on an online mom's group so I inquired about it, and apparently it's common at this age. One mom said that her pediatrician said it has to do with brain development and their budding imagination. So that makes me feel better and keeps me more patient knowing there's a reason for it. She has also given up naps completely about 95% of the time (although we do still have quiet rest time so she can relax and unwind).
The other phase we are in (I'm praying it's just a phase), is that Ashley can be quite argumentative at times. A lot of the day she is very sweet, kind, fun, etc....but as the day progresses she can get into this mood. I don't know if it's just the age and testing boundaries, if it has to do with the fact that she's not napping and still gets tired toward the end of the day, or if it's because our routine was TOTALLY thrown off a lot this summer with all the things going on....But she will dispute me on such silly things. I could say the sky is blue, and she'd say "the sky is not blue". She will demand things. I learned the broken record from one of the books, and will say "mommy loves you too much to argue about this", and she'll say "but I want to argue". It's been tough at times. But I'm hoping as we continue with our routine, and as Matt and I stay consistent (which we typically are), that this will pass. Praying....
Emily is growing in leaps and bounds too. She is saying a lot more (some small sentences even). She has been having fun being a big girl. Her new thing is that she likes to buckle herself into her highchair booster seat, and also her car seat. She loves buckles, zippers, taking off her clothes all by herself at times, etc.
Also, on Ashley's first day of school, it was also a big day for Emily...she went potty. She's been practicing here and there for months, and I think one time she may have even gone a little...but this was the first "real" potty. I noticed her diaper was dry when she woke up (she's starting to do that too), so I asked her "do you want to use the potty?" and she said yes. So I went to put her on the training potty and she shook her head no and pointed to the big potty. So I put the little seat on it and let her sit on it, and she went pee pee. Yay! She was so excited and proud of herself!! I was too. My baby is growing up...sniff sniff. Since then she's had fun trying, but hasn't gone again. Other times she will decline using the potty.
She also knows so many things now. She understands everything you say to her--she'll either reply or shake her head if she can't say the appropriate response back, if you ask her where something is in a room or in a picture book, she can identify it.
Emily LOVES to sing, dance, take walks, loves animals (especially dogs).
Another thing that's been nice is that Emily wants to be a big girl. On the first day of school for Ashley, Emily cried because she wanted to stay in her classroom too. I asked her "do you want to go to a classroom too?" and she shook her head yes. Well, we just so happened to join the YMCA, so she goes to her "classroom" while mommy and/or daddy go to their classes or to work out, and she loves it. In fact, she cried today because she didn't want to leave.
While Ashley is in school, I also try to take walks, go out in nature, do crafts/learning or one on one stuff with her in addition to playdates.
Emily is starting develop a little attitude too....not much, but just the typical 2 year old stuff you start to see. One of her sentences is "I need that", which she says in more of a bossy tone. Or occasionally she'll balk about something. She is the sweetest girl, but she can also be mischievous at times.
She's also been waking up recently at night--I think she's getting her 2 year old molars. So between the two of them up at different times, Matt and I have been exhausted a lot of the time. It's like having a newborn all over again. Haha.
But all in all the girls are doing great. They are both so kind, loving, fun, smart, amazing little girls. It sure is a fun journey.
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