To Change My Mind . . .

Last night, Summer was playing and I noticed she put her chair bean bag on top of Pyper. I quickly removed it and sat Summer on the couch (a little forcefully because she tried climbing off). I wanted her at my eye level while I was kneeling so I could talk to her about the dangers of covering Pyper. I was being very firm.

Summer was upset that I removed her from her play, and she knew I was upset because of what she had done. Often times, when she's in trouble, she'll try to cut us off and say, "Mom, if you don't let me get off the couch, then I'll get down and go in the play room and shut the door and lock you out." (She started this whole "threatening" thing when we started telling her about natural consequences: "Summer, if you don't come in and eat your dinner, you will miss dinner time and your stomach will hurt and you will have to go to bed hungry." So our "natural consequences" probably just sounded like "threats" to her, and she's picked up on saying them. Now we just say when/then statements: "Summer, when you've come in and eaten your dinner, then you can go back outside and play." Hence, there is only one option to do, and it's the right choice for her to make.)

ANYWAY, I was trying to talk to her about how dangerous it was to cover Pyper and how it could really hurt her, and she started interrupting me. But this time, she was saying something new: "Mom, if you don't let me down, then I will pray--" I kept stopping her because it was important that she listen to what I had to say. So finally, when she stopped and listened and I was done, I let her speak. She said, "Mom, if you don't let me down, then I will pray Heavenly Father changes your mind."

Then she folded her arms, closed her eyes and said:
"Heavenly Father, thanks for the day. And Jesus, please help mom to be nice and kind. And not yell at me, or be mad at me, or smash me anymore (I guess she thought I was smashing her in the couch). And please bless Pyper to not cry. And the toys to not be hard. (So they wouldn't hurt Pyper??? I don't know.) Amen."

Of course, watching her there, sitting on the couch praying for me to be kind to her, my heart melted and when she was done, I opened my arms to her and we gave each other a big hug. I told her I was sorry for getting mad, but that it was important that we take care of Pyper. Then I told her thanks for saying the prayer. It was the right thing to do.

Later that night, she was coloring when I told her it was time to go to bed. She didn't want to, and things were escalating a little. She looked up at me and said, "Mom, do I need to pray for you again?"

West Boone

At the beginning of the school year, I really felt like I should try to simplify our lives more. Lots of activities are fun, and good, and educational, etc., but what is most important is that I get to spend the day with the girls. Not just supervise or do damage control, but to actually share the day with them, the moments with them.

So because of this, I decided to stop going to West Boone with Pyper. West Boone was the school that the girls first started going to, about two years ago. We would go once a week and spend two hours there, experiencing the classroom, playing, exploring, etc. It was really great. We absolutely loved it. Our favorite was circle time when a story would be read, we'd sing and dance, and then get to feel and see what was in the surprise bag. We also got to have a home visitor who would come out once a week and bring activities for the girls to do, activities that would be fun, but also challenge them developmentally so they could grow and learn more. 

Once Summer turned three, she graduated to an older class at East Central. I started taking Claire to East Central too, for convenience on my part. East Central is a Monday through Thursday school, from 12:15 to 3:15, without the parents. They are small classes (I think 8 kids in Claire's, with 3-4 teachers, and about 15 in Summer's with 3 teachers). East Central is AMAZING as well. The teachers interact and care for the children so well. 

But Pyper continued to go to West Boone.

Until now. West Boone is about 30 minutes away, and since we are in the car Monday through Thursday driving 20 minutes to East Central for Summer and Claire, then driving that back home, then leaving in an hour or two to drive 20 minutes again to get them, then 20 minutes back home, I just thought it was too much driving time with Pippy. When she was a newborn, it was okay. She just slept the whole time. But now that she's older, it's hard for me to make her spend the majority of her day that she's awake sitting in her car seat staring out the window. So I decided to stop going to West Boone so she and I can have some more one on one time. We still have all that driving time for Summer and Claire, but when we aren't driving, Pip and I are having better quality time together.

And she is loving it. 

But I am still sad about leaving West Boone. As a going away gift, Sheryl, the teacher, gave me a copy of all the pictures she took of the girls over the years. So I'm putting a few on here so you can get an idea of our days at West Boone. The first hundred or so (haha) are of Summer and Claire. I'll label the second section of pictures that were taken after Pyper was born.

PS Where have my little girls gone???

The following pictures were taken after Pippy was born, so the little one is Pyper, not Claire.

We loved our time at West Boone. Thank you to the teachers and home visitors for all you did for us!