The Big Problem

Sleeping as soundly as any mom does, I was awakened last night by the pitter patter of little girl feet in the hallway.  I half-listened, half-expecting a yell of some sort for help, but heard only the sounds of Everly using the potty by herself and going back to her room.  For a moment, before I fell back asleep from the barely-awake state I was in, I thought about how far we've come over the last year; Last year at this time, Everly was still wearing Pull-Ups at night and (at best) would scream from her bed if she had to go potty in the middle of the night.

I fell back asleep.

But I was probably only asleep for a minute or so when I heard from beside my bed a soft little, "Mommy?"

Uh oh.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Mommy, I have a big poblem."

Here it was.  In my mind flashed images of pee on the floor of the bathroom, pee on the bed, and worse.  My previous thoughts of how far we had come, shattered.  But, she was being so calm...it was surreal.  I tried to stay calm myself.

"What is the big problem, Everly?"

"I can't find fuggy bea."

Relief flooded over me and, for once, I didn't mind getting up to help Everly find Snuggy Bear.  And in the morning, I was sure to compliment her on her technique.  A quiet voice with cute words is so much better to wake to than a wailing girl if I must be woken in the middle of the night. 

Maybe we really have come a long way.

Tomorrow again?

Sometimes it is hard to remember that Everly is three (or three and a half, I am sure she would correct me), as she always strives to live up to the example of her older brother in many ways.  She often tries out new words and, though she certainly acts in the way that only a three-year-old can at times, she generally does a pretty good job of outperforming her years.  She says things like, "But Albert already saw my brown boots!" as I try to reason with her about the choice of outfits for her friend's birthday party, that makes me think she is three going on nineteen. 

But she also says things that I find completely endearing and very much her age, like, "I did it all by my own!" when she is proud of what she has accomplished. 

When she is trying to figure out when something is going to happen, Everly and I will have a conversation that goes something like this:

"Is tomorrow Thanksgiving?"
"No, not yet."
"Tomorrow again?"
"Nope."
"Tomorrow again?"
"Nope."
"Tomorrow again?"
"No."
"Tomorrow again?"
"No."
"Tomorrow again?"
"Yes.  That is the day for Thanksgiving."
"YAY!!!"

And on Thanksgiving, she asked, "Is tomorrow Christmas?"  And I said, "No."  And she said, "Tomorrow again?"  And we were there a while.

But I loved it.

Fall Festival 2012

When Cortlan and Everly started attending the school that they currently attend, Cortlan began in the "California Room" with Ms. Kaylee.  Everly was but a not-quite-18-month-old at the time.  As I went down the hall to pick Everly up the other day, the 18-month olds toddled by.  I could hardly believe that my little "big" girl was that little when she started...and now she is in the California Room with Ms. Kaylee.

Each year, the school hosts a Fall Festival, complete with refreshments, decorations, a stage, and lots and lots of practicing.  Thinking back to Cortlan's first Fall Festival with Ms. Kaylee, I remember being so excited to see him on the stage for the first time.  While some kids cried because they clearly didn't want to be there and other kids hammed it up and grabbed everyone's attention, Cortlan fell somewhere between the extremes.  He stood quietly, occasionally mouthing a word or two, but mostly stood there in some sort of trance.  He did much of the same, with slight improvements, last year. 

This year, as we headed into the fall festival, I had high expectations.  Kindergarten (or perhaps just getting older) has changed Cortlan in a positive way - he is becoming more confident.  He loves to learn and tell people what he knows.  And who knows, maybe the hours he has spent in the high school auditorium watching play rehearsal has made him realize what performing on stage can be like and that you don't have to be nervous if you are prepared.  Cortlan had certainly prepared.  For what seemed like months (I actually think it was), he practiced his lines for the Thanksgiving alphabet - he was E for Explore - and his songs, including What a Wonderful World, which incorporated a sign language component.  He seemed ready.

 

And he was.  He spoke confidently, he sang the songs, and he signed the signs.  When they played bells to the song I have Peace like a River, he hit every note with his bright orage bell.

 

Everly also seemed very prepared going into this year's festival.  She had been singing rousing renditions of The Farmer had a Tree and more for quite a while.  Keeping in mind what Cortlan did at her age, I wasn't sure what to expect once she got on stage.  Her class had the same dynamic as Cortlan's three-year-old class did a couple of years ago - again, there were the attention seekers and the wall flowers.  Everly seemed to attempt to hide behind a friend most of the show, but when I could see her, she was singing...or at least mouthing the words.  She did a great job, but was clearly not in her element on stage.

 

 

 

They both did a great job, and I was the ever beaming mom through the entire thing.  I was, and am, so proud of them both.

The best campaign poster

Yesterday was election day.  I absolutely hate politics - especially for how devisive it is - but I couldn't help but love this:

 



Cortlan's class held elections for a variety of positions, and though he didn't win his bid for "Smart Board Teacher," he handled it well.  And you can't beat his campaign poster and his platform: "I will pick fun games."