School and Potty

So, I know all of you that read this blog and don't get a semi-regular phone call are wondering how school and potty training are going. The short answer is, "okay." The long answers....

School - We just finished Day 4. She seems to like it. I ask if she wants to go, if she likes the kids and her teachers, if she's excited, etc. All get a yes. She has brought home a craft/activity every day except today. However, her teacher seemed a little distracted today, so she may have forgotten to grab whatever today's was. Didn't really get an update today except the standard, "she did pretty good today and only started crying when we started getting ready to go home." For the fourth day, Ellie has worn a pull-up to school and come home dry only to pee like the proverbial racehorse the second (and I DO mean second) she sits on the potty. Girl has got some staying power. However, they want her to keep wearing the pull-ups until she successfully pees in the toilet at school. Friday, she sat on it, so hopefully she'll graduate out of her safety net soon. Mostly, school has been an exercise for me to see how much (or little) I can accomplish in 3 hours. And, a practice run for the rest of her life when there are many many areas of her life over which I have no control or knowledge of her activities. Oh, she has "learned" the Hokie Pokey. I will keep trying to get the dance recorded. She gets a little camera shy, which is not a shock seeing as who her mother is.

Potty - Today was Day 17 of "no diapers". We still use them for sleep, and until the school says otherwise, for school, but otherwise, she goes commando. Grandma has her prototype undies ready for trying on tomorrow, but she's not supposed to wear them until the end of the month. We had a really good run at first. She even napped two days diaper-less and dry. Then, two days diaper-less and wet, and then two days diapered and poopy. I'm really glad those last two were diapered. Most days, she does really well. However, things are starting to get "normal", so the initial novelty has worn off some and she has been choosing to pee her pants lately rather than stop her activity. We're also encountering some resistance to sitting on the potty and have to dangle a carrot such as going somewhere or doing something really enticing (going for a walk or playing in the pool). I'm beginning to wonder if the method the school uses is causing this or if it's us. Now that there is a period I don't know about, I can at least attempt to blame them....

One of our caterpillars enjoying the late season pansies.

Chickens and a performing rooster at Sunset Hill Farm.

She wore an itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini....