And this my friends, is also the reason it's been a shocking amount of months since I've blogged. It's alright though, I've only missed chronicling the months when Madelyn has changed the most. Sigh.
I am fighting the urge to spend 3 days without cleaning my house or bathing my children to sit here and write a 4,000 paragraph entry on everything that's happened in those months. But I will not. I'm starting from today and I'll just add past things as they come to mind. That's my plan.
So here goes . . .
We've settled in to Washington life well. Tony is doing great in school and so far has all the A's he needs to get accepted into Nursing school this spring. I didn't know I married a genius! He's working as a server at Red Lobster at night and for the most part liking that a lot too.
I'm taking care of the home front here and about to start a refresher course to update my RN license with the hope of working a day or so a week this Fall. Just working out details with the hospital for the clinical portion of the course before I start.
The girls are doing great. They are just the cutest, sweetest things (for the most part). Just a few weeks back Madelyn turned the corner and is able to "play pretend" and she and Ava have been having so much fun together. They love to play with their dolls, stuffed animals and dress up clothes. Ava helps Madelyn a lot. Helping her get dressed in their tutu's, showing how to play with her babies. I love overhearing them playing together, especially when Ava's helping get Madelyn into some dress up clothes. The conversation goes something like, "Madelyn you should wear a tutu because the dresses are too big and you might trip. Here, you sit down and I will put it on your legs. Ok, now stand up so I can pull it up. Good girl Madelyn!. Here, do you want this wand? Ok, lets go find you a crown. Hold still while I put it on your head. Good job! You look like a princess!" And then out they come from Ava's bedroom bedecked in all their finery to put on a show for me in the living room. They love to dance and do "tricks" (like standing on one foot or hopping).
Ava is becoming such a beautiful little girl. She (almost always) is caring and thoughtful towards Madelyn and the rest of us. She is very responsible and can pretty much take care of herself. Pick out clothes and get dressed, put toothpaste on her brush and brush, wash her hands and face, wash in the shower, use the toilet, get her own snack and drink, and even clean up her own spills and Madelyn's. And she's getting good at doing all those things for Madelyn too. I can just about retire. The other day I was working in the office and I heard Madelyn asking for a cracker in the kitchen, I finished up what I was doing and went into the kitchen a couple minutes later and there were the girls, both seated at the table with little bowls of crackers in front of them which Ava had gotten both of them from the pantry. If Madelyn's face is dirty after eating she'll get a washcloth and wash it. And a couple nights ago I was finishing cleaning up the dinner mess and I said, "Ok girls it's time to get ready for bed," I turned around and there they were in the bathroom and Ava was telling Madelyn to sit down so she could brush her teeth (house rule) and Ava had both their toothbrushes at the sink and was putting toothpaste on Madelyn's for her.
Ava is also just about ready to read. She knows her alphabet and knows about 90% of her letter sounds. We have slacked on her preschool since Madelyn stopped taking her morning nap a few months ago and it's hard to find a time to sit at the table without Madelyn needing attention every few minutes. We started learning to read about 4 months ago but Ava is a bit of a perfectionist and wants to be able to do things perfectly right away. She was able to read some simple sentences on her own, sounding out the words. But she got easily frustrated so we took a break since she wasn't even three and a half yet. It's about time to pick that up again though because she really does want to learn to read.
Madelyn is learning and growing up so fast. She talks a lot and even started singing her own original songs over the last couple weeks. My favorite being the other night when I was rocking her before bed and she looked up and sang to me, "I love you Mama, ooh ooh ooh. 'Ni Ni me. Mmm. Mmm. Mmm."And she pursed her little lips at the "ooh, ooh, ooh" part, so cute! And she sings her own version of "Jesus Loves Me" that goes something like this, I love you Jesush. Jesush love you. Jesush love me." She also just learned her first memory verse! I've been reading a Bible story to them in the mornings while they eat their breakfast and having Ava learn a short memory verse. The one we are currently working on is "Trust in the Lord with all your heart". Ava learned it in one sitting and then has been asking Madelyn to say it. Teaching her by saying, "Madelyn can you say 'trust'? Can you say, 'in the Lord'?" ect. Then a couple days later I asked Madelyn if she could say "trust" and she said, "Trust, inalawd, wi-all-er, HEART!" I was shocked. I had no idea she'd really been learning it.
Uhg. Jotting down these few things is reminding me of how much I've missed putting down over the last few months. I'm just going to have to write a note at the end of each entry recalling something in our history for the next year or so to get it all in. Thanks to FB where I've been quickly noting things out of desperation . . .
May 14th - was reading a new book to Ava tonight about a little bear who accidentally does something naughty but his mom tells him she'll always love him anyway, and Ava gave me a big hug and said, "Just like MY Mama!" :o)
May 17th - Madelyn's is in her car seat yelling just to hear the sound of her own voice and Ava in her car seat is getting increasing distressed and saying, "No, no Madelyn that's not the right song. Those are not the right words!!!"
And here's a picture of Madelyn last May eating her organic yogurt with flax and broccoli. She liked it more than her face tells, but looking back maybe this is why she will only eat carrots, sweet potatoes, green peas and beets now. . .
