Weekend Update

-We're enjoying a beautiful fall weekend, in which we do our usual routine: Brian and I each have a list of objectives that we'd like to accomplish (his: mow the yard, rake the leaves, change the oil. mine: go to the grocery, do some laundry, take Katy to buy school shoes, etc.), and we spend our time dividing and conquering. You take the boys for an hour while I try to get X done with Katy, then I'll take all 3 while you do Y, then you take the big kids and do Z while I try to do ABC with the baby). I don't like the shuffling so much, and wish that we could spend more time all together, just playing. But inevitably, stuff needs to be done. Does everyone else feel this way? Does it get any easier when they are older?

-All the sudden, Luke started rolling over. While this is an exciting milestone, it also means that I shouldn't swaddle him anymore and his sleep is all messed up. I'm trying to swaddle him with one arm out, he's trying to suck his thumb but not quite getting it, taking 40 minute naps, insisting on being held while he's awake, etc etc. Babies make me so tired. But he's so cute and smiley and sweet. And he's really such a good baby to put up with the carting around like he does.

-I'm gradually cashing in my birthday gift certificates from June. Massage last weekend, mani/pedi this weekend, and my photography class at the rec center. I got critiqued for my landscape shots and portraits last week. I was shocked that he had some fairly positive things to say, along with some constructive criticism, of course. But it's been a good class.

-Our A/C stopped working during that 90 degree spell we had last week. While we were hot for a day or two, it was actually good timing, because there's no rush to get it fixed now.

-I'm doing a weight loss effort (Biggest Loser style) with a couple of friends to help get back into shape. I still can't get my wedding bands back on and I'm going to have to buy new jeans for fall. So it needs to happen, and I'm glad for the moral support. I'm trying to walk everyday while the weather still allows for it.

-I've been taking David to a music program at the library on one of Katy's preschool mornings. He clings to my knee and won't sing or dance at all, but then at the dinner table he enthusiastically reports which songs they sang and demonstrates the hand movements like he was a star student. I love that kid. We've also been doing another potty push. We've had some successes but we're nowhere close to being "there." He will wet and poop in his underpants and not even tell me until I discover it. Most of the time he refuses to stop playing and sit on the potty. So it's going to be a slow process.

-If you don't plan your life in your head 3 years in advance like I do, this won't make sense. But I've been all wrought up about whether or not Katy's elementary school will be switching to full-day kindergarten next year or not. They are currently half day, but the state is requiring everyone to switch to full day. Of course, no one has the money to do it, so it seems like every week there's a new report about what's going to happen. In one sense, I have no problem with full day, because from what I hear, the teachers really need that much time to cover the required academics and still have time for specials and crafts (you know, KINDERGARTEN). But on the other hand, this year Katy goes 3 mornings a week from 9-11:30, and then we're talking about next year being 5 days of 9-3:30? That just seems so huge to me. I can't imagine her being gone that long so soon. I'm sure I could wrap my head around it if they would just decide. And I know that lots of kids go to childcare all day at much younger ages, and they adjust. So she will too, if that's what happens. But my planning personality wants to KNOW.

-Finally, I know that this blog needs a new name. I've been trying to come up with one for months. I've mentioned some ideas to Brian, but he doesn't like them (which makes me assume that others wouldn't either).