A post with no pics...

So I really, really need a computer that is less than 10 years old. Then I could post more! (that's my logic and i'm sticking to it.) I can't upload pics on this computer so I wait until Mal is here with her laptop and bug her to let me use it. I know, sad story, right? So my blog hasn't been updated in forever!!!

Gracie is loving her new class - gymnastics! She is so cute out there doing her handstands and cartwheels! We go on Monday afternoons for an hour and fifteen minutes and she's doing so great. What I am most proud of her for is her perseverance. She keeps on trying, even when it's tough for her. Plus, her teacher is marvelous with kids. Gracie loves Miss Margaret and tells her so when we leave.

Gracie has also started preschool at Beck Rec Center, which is a different preschool from last year. I'm impressed with the teachers and the preschool program and the program. I just wish that since we're only going two days/week, that the program was longer than 2.5 hours. Gracie loves school, she just hates separating from me. So once I get her there, I want to keep her there a little longer. :) Thus, my dilemma about 1/2 day vs. full day kindergarten next year. I think I've already talked to everyone I know and almost every stranger I've run into about this so I won't go any further. But it will be a big decision. As will what school to send her to next year. Sigh. Bittersweet. I love watching my little G growing into a little girl. She is beginning to really think about things and take care of her brother and the daycare kids.

Ryker has grown up in so many ways since April! He is a non-diaper wearing, non-pacifier sucking preschool boy!!! Wow! Not that it's been easy to get to this point... The potty training was fairly simple and he's done really great with it. Letting go of the pacifier, however, was not in any way easy. He lost his beloved "roro" one day. Coleton and I had discussed that it was almost time for him to give it up. So the night he lost it, we decided it was a sign from the heavens. Or something like that. That first night I laid in bed with him and tickled his back. He fell asleep pretty quickly. I settled in for a rough night thinking that he might wake up often crying for his roro. He didn't. But he did wake up early. I found the roro the next morning when I was getting his clothes. In an attempt to put it on his dresser, it fell in one of his drawers. I hid it away, but have considered, oh so many times, getting it out. Because the next week was just awful. He begged for it every night, "All I want is my wowo. Dats all." It broke my heart. I had to send Coleton up many nights because it made me so sad. I made Mom vow to never let me give another child a pacifier.

So in this process he has given up naps because he has to be really tired at night to fall asleep with no roro. Talk about some rough days. And early mornings. I don't think I realize how long he laid in there in the morning, content to just have his roro and lovey. Sometimes he fell back asleep. He was just in heaven. And I feel guilty for taking it away. It was such a comfort to him. But I know logically that it was time. He looks and sounds so silly walking around with it in the morning. He knew he was supposed to give it to me when he woke up, but the battle was prolonging and getting vicious. We still sometimes have rough nights, but it's getting better. He's sleeping later in the mornings. Ryker and Gracie are so happy after 12 hours of sleep. It almost makes no nap times worth it. Now they have quiet time in their rooms for an hour, which is going pretty well. Sometimes Ryker falls asleep under his bed or behind his bed. Maybe that makes it seem like he's still not taking a nap in his mind. If only I could post those pics...

Ryker and his buddy, Lincoln, are also in preschool at Beck. They are only there for 2 hours, 2 days/week. They are sad and serious at drop-off, but very happy at pick-up. I think they're both doing great!

Whoa, I just thought about how I'm going to be one busy van driver next year. Kindergarten drop-off and preschool drop-off. It might be that long until I post again... Hopefully not. :)