1) I printed my blog "book" for the past 3 years (this is my second book to print) and my family has had such a fun time looking back at all the pictures and reading some posts. Its like a family scrapbook in digital form!
2) I get emails from newly-diagnosed O moms. So I know they find my blog from their research and I want them to know I'm still here for them. Most of my posts now won't have anything to do with omphaloceles but I do try to update the tab labeled "Merritt's Story" every few months so its current with her age.
Onto my real post for today:
SCHOOL IS IN! CLASS IS IN SESSION!
1) Mati Claire is in 3rd grade this year at Northside. This is her first year to have more than one teacher. She was hesitant to get a male teacher but after meeting Mr. Day, she is thrilled and loves him! Mrs. Renacker is also awesome! So far each year seems to be a "step up" in the amount of work, homework, level of difficulty… i guess as it should be. Let me have a mommy brag moment. Mati Claire makes my job as a parent so easy when it comes to school. I LOVE this about her. She says I don't verbally acknowledge this as I do the others, so I am going to try harder to let her know how proud she makes me. She sets her own alarm clock (and actually gets up on her own), she gets dressed by herself, usually fixes her own breakfast, and doesn't give me any trouble when it comes to homework. She loves to read and she is my overachiever. She is the BEST big sister. As much as she didn't want "mommy to be pregnant again" she absolutely adores Mason now. She entertains him while I cook dinner and knows how to make him laugh! Again, she makes my job as a mom easy and I am so grateful for it!
She is still taking ballet but says she wants to quit after this year. We will see. She is NOT athletic in any way, but she wants to try horseback riding (thanks to my sister who snuck that idea in) and possibly tennis? She loves swim lessons but she doesn't want to join the swim team… just loves taking lessons and perfecting the techniques at her own speed.
2) Mattox-man! He started Kindergarten at Clinton Park! He is not enjoying having to wake up early and his first words on the second day were "we have to go AGAIN?" He gets social anxiety and said he got really nervous in the cafeteria. Hopefully he'll get used to that soon.
3) Merritt. wow. how in the world did she start 3 year old Kindergarten at preschool this year? She will go Mon-Fri for 3 hours each day (play days are optional and I can leave her longer if she wants). She is what I call my high-maintenance child. We couldn't leave the house until her bow, her shoes, and her clothes all matched…and she informed me that I forgot to paint her toenails…oh, the tragedy! she is all drama and all girl. She got a good friend of mine, Mrs. Jessica, as her teacher so we're all happy about that!
We are working HARD on potty training. I had signed her up for ballet this year, but I'm not sure how this is going to workout in that regard. We may be pulling her out of ballet later.
Don't you love the way he sleeps? #holdemup
