Catch up

Okay. Let's recap. I took a 4 day weekend break from my life. And it took me about 7 days to readjust to my life once I got back. Still...totally worth it. ;)

A few catch up updates...

--The tooth--
Negative: I went last Friday to have the permanent crown put on the problem tooth from hell. But, of course, he decided NOT to put it on yet. I am still having pain when I chew, which he said is ligament pain. That's right. Clean all the nerves out of the tooth and you can STILL have pain. I guess it is normal with all the messing we've been doing with that tooth for the last month (yes...4 weeks...cripes). He said it is normal to have ligament pain for 4-6 weeks, but not unheard of to last 6 months. Yippee!
Positive: I have lost 8 pounds in the last month. Not eating really works!

--Andrew--
-Negative: It is driving me crazy that he won't play with his siblings unless I am also playing. They have a great time together...but he insists that I tag along. Argh! I have set a very bad precedent. My advise to new parents? Don't play pretend games with your kids...
-Positive: He really has been delightful the last few weeks. He's eased up on the constant tackling his sister, he's been funny and helpful and pleasant. And we're reading Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing at bedtime, one of my favorite books as a child. And there are NO pictures and he LOVES IT. I see a whole new world of books opening up in front of us. And speaking of books...he is reading like a champ. He doesn't need pictures to help him figure out the context, he has incredible reading comprehension, and most importantly he doesn't get frustrated when he comes to a word he doesn't know. Which is HUGE for Andrew. I am just beaming with pride.

--Lily--
-Negative: Lily refuses to learn to pull her pants up and down and sit on the potty herself. Yet she INSISTS on privacy while she goes to the bathroom. (with the exception of the Pooping Parties she has with Andrew.) (which, let me say again, Eeewww.) So basically she hollers at you that she has to go to the bathroom, then the second you scoot the pants over her teeny tiny bootie, she is hollering at you that she needs to be alone. And the door closed so Mikey and Shadow don't come in. And then 15 seconds later she is bouncing half naked yelling, "Mommy! Come see this!" and getting drips of pee all over the floor. Oh, yes, she doesn't wipe either. Argh. And if I even mention trying to show her and teach her how to do any of it, she yells and won't even listen a teeny tiny bit. THAT CHILD WILL KILL ME.
-Positive: Lily hasn't had an accident in...I don't even know how long. And she's been dry at night for weeks and weeks. And I try and remind myself how she just one day did it, so I'm sure that one day she'll just start pulling those pants up and down. Right? Also, Lily has been really pleasant (for Lily) and funny and wonderful lately. She says hilarious things on purpose to make us laugh and accidentally which makes us laugh. She is cuddly and sweet with Shadow almost to the point of bringing me to tears it is so sweet. She is still brutal with Michael, but there are glimmers of sharing and future play.

--Mikey--
-Negative: Michael has discovered that he can drag the bathroom stool all over God's kingdom and reach anything he wants. The knife block, the fruit bowl, my drying rack. Nothing is safe. He also climbs on top of the couch...like really on top of it...and rolls down towards the stone fireplace. He dismantled my Dad's careful baby-proofing in 2 minutes. He really really wants to figure out how to walk on our window sills. Our 2 inch windowsills. He is really wanting to do everything the big kids do. Andrew picked up Shadow yesterday, and immediately Michael was right there, trying to pick her up. You're playing with tiny beads? Michael is right there, except he also will eat them. It is frustrating trying to do anything with the older kids, because Mikey wants to do it, but cannot do it safely. I'm willing to bet anyone with kids spaced 4 years apart or more has felt this very same frustration.
-Positive: Michael continues to be so stinking cute. He is a dancing fool, and cannot resist music. He stands very stiffly, and bounces and moves his shoulders from side to side. Very serious in the face. Unbelievably cute. He has started wiping my kisses off and giggling maniacally when I protest. He is still so far behind with speaking...but he gets new words every day. Kind of. Like if he starts yelling, "Geeee. Geeee." to you, I clearly know he is talking about shoes. So basically we are in the stage where I am learning his language more than he is learning ours. He loves to build with anything he can get his hands on. My first builder. He can figure out how to turn things on and open things up. My first mechanically minded kid. He understands EVERYTHING you say. So he's smart. He's just the strong silent type ;)

Okay...now back to our regularly scheduled blogging.