Accomplishments and Concerns

We have had some ups and downs over the last week and a half, so let me start with the good stuff...

* Potty training - a major success! We have not had one accident since Thursday. Bri has even gone to potties outside our house without any problems. She went on the potty at the birthday party with all that excitement going on. She is a rock star! I can't tell you the weight that has been lifted off of me. I have been stressing about it and it wasn't horrible at all. Tough, but not horrible.

* Language - Briana is doing so well now with speech. The sentences that the speech therapist told me would eventually come are now coming. She talks all the time (in sentences) and I understand about 90% of what she is saying. Another big load off my mind.

* The weekend before last (on Saturday), Doug and I worked in the yard. It was a beautiful day. Briana decided that the mulch was about as good as sand (as you can see below). I was surprised at how much Briana wanted to help us in the yard. I trimmed some bushes and she helped me pick up the branches.

We did some really hard work...

Then on the Sunday before last, we took Briana to her first movie - M@nsters vs. Aliens. She had a blast eating popcorn and did great through the opening previews. Once the movie started, she got nervous and wanted to sit in my lap. No crying or complaining, she just sat quietly and held on to me. About 45 minutes into it, she asked to go to "mama's house" (meaning she wanted to go home). The movie was a little too scary for her and was a little over her head. I didn't mind leaving at all. It was pretty scary for a two year old.

This was the best part...

Then we ended up looking a little like this...



Now for some of my concerns...

* Briana fell down the stairs yesterday. I was cooking dinner and called Doug and Briana down to eat. Briana can walk down the stairs by herself, but she is never unaccompanied because we need to make sure she walks down slowly. Remember - Briana's only speeds are fast and faster. Doug was following Bri down the stairs and she started to go down way too fast. At the third step, she started losing her balance and started walking very fast down the stairs. About the 4th step to the bottom, she completely lost her balance and fell - doing a flip to the floor. All I heard was the thud. She started to cry and Doug and I dropped everything to run to her. She was fine, just scared. I was shaking more than she was. I am always so worried about accidents. I don't know what I would do if anything happened to my precious baby. I waited so long for her and I love her so much - I can't even go there in my mind. I can't always protect her and that scares me to death. I am hoping this incident will teach Briana a lesson about walking on the stairs slowly. Well, at least I can hope.

* Talking - well now that Briana can do this, she can say that she doesn't like things. She'll say "I don't like ...", even when she does like something. I think she says it just because she can. She is finally able to express an opinion. All the "I don't like's" though are getting a little annoying.

* Story time - I still don't understand why she doesn't like it anymore. We stopped going a few weeks ago, but I asked Briana again about it today. She said, "I don't like story time." I asked her why and she said it is too noisy. It is an answer, but we go to noisy places all the time and she doesn't have issues anywhere else. She is the most outgoing kid on the planet. I worry that it might be because there is structure in story time and that Briana doesn't want to have to pay attention to something she is not interested in and/or do what everyone else is doing. On the other hand, she loves gymnastics class and has to follow the rules there. But, gymnastics is something she really likes. I worry that she will not like going to school in the fall. She is going to have to deal with it because she is going. She needs the structure and she needs to do what she is told (by someone other than me and Daddy). I hope she pleasantly surprises me - just like the potty training!

So those are the ups and downs. I am so happy about our accomplishments, but I am still have some concerns to tackle. I guess that is what parenthood is all about.