Again and Not Yet

Me: Anna, do you need to go pee-pee in the potty?
Anna: Not YET, mommy.

That was the first time I heard her say "yet". She has SOME indication of time...or something.

The other night she asked to see the food on my plate. I showed her and she said, "I wanna see it AGAIN, mommy!" So I showed her again.

Funny how this all happens right before your eyes.

I have resorted to giving her the paci back in the car, after 2 months of paci-free drives. It's no use fighting the teething. The paci has made the rides to and from school peaceful again, so frankly fine by me. I guess I knew this day would come with teething of the bottom molars and here we are. So back to the original plan: once the teething is really done (after these 2 molars), no more paci in the car. I will fight that battle with more confidence later but at this point there's no use in depriving her of a comfort crutch while forcing me to listen to the screaming all the way home. It does no good.

This morning I spent a few hours at Anna's end of school year party. We went to chapel and then had a little party in her room with 15 other 2 year olds and their parents (and I survived!). Anna was soooo proud to have me there with her. I love the little closed-lip grin she gives me when she's proud of something. She was proud that mommy was sitting next to her in chapel, watching her sing her songs. She was proud I was holding her hand while she and her buddies walked to the chapel (holding onto their rope as a group). She kept looking over at me and smiling that little proud grin. It's the same proud grin she gave me when Nana and I ate the bunny cookies she had just made herself (with my help ;) ). I LOVE that cute little grin. I am so happy she gets it and she can be proud.

The past 2 nights have been rough getting her to sleep. She usually has a tidy little routine and she tells me night night and I love you and I leave the room and she will fall asleep soon after. But the past 2 nights she hasn't wanted to let me leave the room easily. She is also more clingy at drop off at school. I suppose it's the teething. She's also been having night terrors about 1-2 nights per week for the last 3-4 weeks or so. She'll wake up screaming "no no no" in her bed and when we rush up there, she'll just keep screaming and crying and won't let us touch her or talk to her or even sing to her. The screaming/crying goes on for like 5-10 min then she will either snap out of it or go back to sleep. We're reading there's not much you can do to comfort her in a situation like this (that's apparent). I've gotten less worried over them because it seems to bother us more than her. Could be a result of the teething, cognitive development, or even pinworms. In fact, the pedi gave us a script for pinworm meds for her just in case. It's pretty easy treatment: one chewable tablet now and then another in 2 weeks. Don't know if she really has them, but the meds can't hurt so we're trying it out.

She's especially picky about little things bothering her (dirt floating by in the bathtub, a shirt that doesn't fit her right, her sock feels funny). I'd swear the child is OCD but I am learning that part if it is just the toddler life.

She has to do everything herself. If we attempt to help at all, she has to stop completely, and start all over again from the beginning. I have started allotting more time for this! And more patience.

As it turns out, Paul and I (or at least one of us) are traveling once a month (at least) between now and the rest of this year. Good grief. This was supposed to be the year we backed off on travel. Good thing, huh? :) It's a mix of work and personal travel. Some of it Anna will join us for, but some she won't. Now we have to pay for her airline ticket. Blah...believe me, she'll get her own frequent flyer account!

Later.