Sibling revelry

Since Dan and I both have a sibling, we always wanted Piper to have a brother or a sister so that she could have that same experience growing up (and, maybe more importantly, into adulthood).  So when Teagan came along, we were thrilled about what that would mean for Piper, but realistic about the fact that she may not see the benefits up front.  It turns out, though, that Piper and Teagan really enjoy each other! 

While Oma - during her time in MN - was the frontrunner when it came to making Teagan smile, now that she's back in NJ Piper has taken over as the person who lights up Teagan's face.  Don't get me wrong, Dan and I can also manage a giggle or a toothless grin, but this baby loves to look at her big sister, and finds her endlessly amusing.  Her favorite game is to 'chase' Piper around the house.  (What this actually means is that Mommy chases Piper around the house with a 13 pound weight.)  At daycare, if Piper needs any cheering up they bring her to Teagan's room.

All of these things are just what we hoped for:  that Piper would have someone to play with, and someone who is her partner in the big wide world of growing up.  What we didn't expect is that at 3 years old she would welcome that.  But she has, and it's a joy to watch them together.

How cold is it?

So cold that a cup of boiling water turns into a cloud of snow…a video greeting for our Texas cousins.

Perhaps the air in our house is dry

This is pretty much what Piper's hair looks like whenever she is upstairs on the carpet

Today's achievements

New for today:

Piper can count to 100!  This is her, holding her counting sheet!

Teagan can be very cute.  This is her, being adorable.

What else a week can do

It's official - the stomach flu has taken down the entire family, bar Hero.  Last Friday I was called to pick up Teagan from daycare because she had thrown up. Then on Saturday I was sick.  Monday, Dan.  Tonight, Piper.

I guess that's the downside of daycare.  Little incubators of sick.

We didn't know Piper was ill until pretty late tonight (although I knew we were just biding time).  Tonight was Piper's final ECFE class.  It was a good class, I'm sad that it's over - it was fun for Piper and a lot of parental support for us.  But, our lives are once again too hectic to accommodate the luxury of a weeknight class.  After all, the girls are now in 'class' five days a week, so I think they're covered.  The same class is offered again this semester, and would be open to include Teagan too, but I just don't think we could get there in time (we were late even before both Dan and I were back to working full time).  Plus Teagan goes to bed as soon as we get home from daycare, and her sleep is a non-negotiable since we need her in fightin' form to fend off all these kiddo germs she's suddenly exposed to.

Don't worry too much about Piper and her tummy.  She knows how to milk this.  Already on the agenda for tomorrow:  a Thomas the Train movie, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, a popsicle, and juice.  Kid's not one to let opportunity knock without flinging open the door :)

What a week can do

A week ago Piper had never written a letter.  Now she can write her name.  Yeah, she definitely was ready for preschool.

The X and the Y

Piper discovered something this past weekend and it just makes me smile every time I think about it.  I'm not sure why I find it so amusing, but I do.  On Saturday Dan took her to Target (having been up several hours the previous night with Teagan, I appreciated this very much).  When they came home, Piper told me emphatically that she did not go potty at the store.  Dan confirmed this:  while she had announced to him and perhaps also several passersby that she needed to go potty, the trip itself had not taken place.  I asked her why.  She told me, "I need to go to the girl potty, and Daddy can't go in there."  I nodded, since that's true.  Then she said, "Daddy can go to the boy potty but I'm not a boy!"  In my head I thought, 'But you are three.'  Then again, hey, you're right, kiddo.  You're a girl.  Not a boy.  The girls' room is your room, Miss P.  I can't really argue with that.  However, it poses quite a dilemma for us as a family moving forward.

Throughout the rest of the weekend, we overviewed several possible toilet scenarios. 

'If I go to the store with you, you're a girl, so you can go to the girl potty with me.'  Yes, true. 

'If I go to the store with Hero, he's a boy, so he can't go to the potty with me.  He has to go to the boy potty.'

Yes. Also true (sort of).  But I suggested perhaps she could just go outside and pee in the grass with him.

'If I go to the store with Teagan, she can go to the girl potty too!' 

Yes, true, in theory she can go into the girl potty. 

I'm not sure what this realization will mean for us, since she seems to have become at once very aware that there are separate bathrooms based on gender and very adamant that she must go only to the appropriate potty based on her own.  Can this already be the end of Daddy being able to take her to the potty?  We hope not.  But in the meantime, I'm enjoying these conversations with her as she figures out yet another important and baffling reality about How the World Works.

Plus my status in the household has been elevated, since I now hold the proverbial key to something. 

Always darkest before the dawn

On Monday when I dropped the girls off at daycare (for their third day), everyone cried.  First Teagan cried (not really because she was sad I was leaving, but more so because she didn't want to be held facing in.  Once her teacher turned her facing out she stopped crying).  Then, when I brought Piper to her classroom, she cried and said didn't want me to leave.  So, having a firm sense of what I was 'supposed' to do, I hugged her, told her I knew she'd have a great day, and I left.  I know that's the only way to handle it and is in everyone's best interest.  But naturally on the way out, I cried.  The center owner, Lisa, gave me a hug and told me they would take good care of Piper and that she was confident that it would, within a matter of days, get easier for all of us.  Then, about a minute later, she texted me this picture of a smiling Piper holding a book :)

It's never easy to leave your kids, but I have to say that things have gone very well for us all with our new daycare and so far we're very pleased with the girls' (and our) experience there.  Piper learns new things every day, and seems to be comfortable with her teachers and making friends.  Teagan's teachers told me they can't get over how smiley and happy she is.  They call her Giggles.

As the week progresses the drop offs have gotten easier.  Piper refers to her daycare as Kindergarten.  It feels like she's ready for Kindergarten, and this new situation definitely is a step in the right direction on that path.

Welcome to our new blog!

With the arrival of our newest family member, we made the decision to move to a family blog.  For posts from the past three years, you can always visit Piper's World.  But for the years to come, visit Dan, Laura, Piper, Teagan and Hero here for the latest and greatest adventures of the McAvey family!