Not meant to jinx anything...

I'm going to be very very thankful that things are going the way that they are with both of the kids right now. I know it was only a short time ago, as it always happens, where I was ready to throw in the towel. It is how parenting can be. And then we turn a corner, and I get a glimpse at how my kids are going to turn out, as good human beings and sigh and think that maybe I'm not such a bad parent.

It was only a few weeks ago when one of our substitute teachers asked me if my Kindergartner had started to be less argumentative. I gave a firm, NO, and wondered if he was the odd child. It was something that he had been working on at school since at least 2nd quarter of school on. And then, within the last few weeks, a light bulb has come on. He isn't perfect, but it has been a huge difference. He is being much more respectful to his teacher, and I think is trusting his parents a little bit more that we might know what we are talking about. He plays with his friends nicer, and is trying to teach Gwen things not necessarily to be mean to her, and really it is so much easier to sit back and remark at how much he has changed over this last school year. I'm guessing that it was a lot of little changes and a lot of big changes that were hard to take at once. But now, it is a lot easier.

And now, my little girl seems to be following suit. She definitely has a different personality than Trevor does. She is all about being independent. If she can do it herself, she wants to. Which has lead me to have to plan out extra time to allow her to do it all by herself. I think it is partially an inner struggle with her because she does love to do things herself, but also loves to have us treat her like a little baby. I had been waiting to do the potty training boot camp like I did with Trevor until June. Unfortunately, Gwen had different plans. We have been starting to introduce things slowly, and at her interest level. Now this morning, she is all about doing it all herself. Getting off and on the chair, washing her hands, telling me she has to go, but yet still being afraid to go. It is obvious she does understand her signs that she has to go, but she hasn't controlled the actual having to go yet. She is very excited to wear her big girl underwear, but I still think she needs a few days of either being outside or not having to go anywhere for long periods of time before we can really get it down. But already this is so much easier then with Trevor. I'm not pushing anything, and she just wants to do it. Lucky for me Russ is home this week so I can have her stay around if I need to. Tomorrow is her last day of her ECFE class. We might have to take the morning off of not wearing a diaper, but otherwise, we'll just have to see where this goes.