Some thoughts

I feel like I have been a bad blogger lately. It probably is due to the fact that we are crazy busy. And keep in mind, anything after our summer of NOTHING is going to be "crazy busy".

Matthew started back to teaching a few weeks ago and told me he almost has his head above water. Poor guy. I drag him on vacation a week before school starts...heeheehee.

He started his classes at University of Arkansas on Monday. He has started year 2 of his PhD. Year 2 of how many? We have no idea! We just know that eventually, he will be done. He goes to class Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday nights...needless to say, Nora has been following him around today, staying very close.

I started teaching for Harding Monday night. I think I am going to have a great group of students. I only have 15 and they seem eager. Hopefully, they are not TOO eager and email and call me all the time. That really drives me crazy. You can tell I am a caring teacher, huh.

I received a phone call, frantic phone call, asking me if I could teach the same class in Harrison on Thursday nights. The class made at the last minute and they were desperate for an instructor. So, because I am a sucker, I am teaching in Harrison on Thursday nights. The drive (1 1/2 hours each way) actually isn't too bad. I am going to be listening to books on tape. Which beats "Wheels on the Bus" any day. It's so quiet in the car too.

All of the students in the Harrison class are brand-new graduate students. Fresh blood! They are scared! No matter how often I tell them, "You CAN do this! It is not impossible! Don't let the syllabus scare you...we have all semester to get this work done", I still get a bunch of deer-looking-in-the-headlights stares. I even had one student already drop out. Sigh.

Okay, now on to my kids...enough about me and Matthew.

See this precious baby...I weaned her. I had planned on waiting until Monday, but I didn't get home Thursday night until 10:30pm and Matthew had obviously already put her to bed. She slept all night. Then, last night, I went out to eat with some friends and didn't get home until 11pm. Again, she was obviously already in bed and slept all night. So, we're done. I am sad, but not to the point of tears. I really enjoy nursing my babies. Oh sure, at the beginning of their lives, it was a toe-curling experience that never ended. I felt like a cow. I was constantly leaking and none of my shirts fit. But, I still loved it. I was the only one that could provide that need.

But, we know that Elyn is not our last baby and I will get to do it again. I'm sure after we are done with babies and the shop is closed up, I will go into a state of depression.

But for now, I have my body back!!!!


Look at Nora, reading a book about Elmo potty-training.

And that is the extent of the potty-training going on in this house right now. I know, I'm a failure. I gave up. Don't judge me!

It all started when we had our disastrous plane trip. There was no way I was going to continue with the potty-training when I was close to needing medication for my nerves. When we got back home, I tried again. And my kid nearly had anxiety attacks while on the potty. It's not worth it. I have had people tell me, wait until she is ready...don't push her...she will do it! And then others, who I want to poke in the eye, tell me...don't give up, keep on her, she'll do it if you stick with it.

I am choosing to take the advice of those that tell me it's okay to quit. Maybe by the time she goes to kindergarten she'll be potty-trained.

Elyn decided to walk everywhere tonight! Sans walker...this is just the only picture I have of her in the walking position. Matthew and I sat on the living room floor tonight and she walked back and forth to us about 10 times. The funniest thing was that Nora didn't want to miss out on the action, so she walked to Matthew and me also. Silly girl! Elyn has been getting her morning naps this week. Over the summer, there were too many times to count that her morning nap consisted of a quick snooze on the way to the gym and then on the way home again. Well, I decided that she needed good morning naps...in her bed. What a novel idea.

So, while she has been napping, Nora and I have been spending time together. She loves Pla-dough. It's not my favorite because of all the little pieces that go everywhere, but I guess it doesn't really matter if I like it or not.So creative, using it is as glasses.And this is the most pitiful picture I have seen in quite a while! Doesn't she look so sad. Why the sad face, you ask? Did I just hit her? Were her hands trapped in a vice of some sort? Had Nora pulled her hair? No, none of the above. She was done eating. Yep, when she took her last bite of her lunch the other day, this is what happened. I gave her some green beans and she started crying even harder. Geez. So, I brought out the applesauce and she was all smiles again. By the way, she HATES baby food and will not let it in her mouth. Oh, and apparently green beans too.While Elyn was crying, Nora looked at me and said, "Take my picture...cheese!" Little stinker, she wanted a smiling picture while her sister was crying. Just a few things going on with us lately. Thanks for stopping by.