Parenting is One Big Experiment

I was going through some pictures on the computer today and found this one of Addie as a newborn. I love this picture. It always makes me want to coo and revert to babytalk. I think this was taken in the first week when she was very jaundiced. I was still stunned that a 9 lb 6 oz baby could have come out of my body, and that said baby could hurt me so badly (nursing, incision, lack of sleep, etc.) My most burning question then was, "is she getting enough to eat?"

Now that same baby is going to be turning 5 in a few weeks. She's going off to Kindergarten this fall and is going to be a big kid. Now my most burning question is, "should I wean her off naps now so that not napping in Kindergarten will be easier?" They have a short "rest time" in Kindergarten, but my sister the teacher says that kids start to tease the kids who fall asleep during that time. I've got to think that tends to happen later in the year, but I don't know. This kid really needs her naps (unlike Lily who can pretty much take it or leave it).

I'm planning on adjusting her bedtime closer to the time school starts so that she's going to bed earlier at night. I know that the first couple of weeks will be tough anyway. Like so many parenting decisions, there is no right answer and we'll just have to feel our way through. Hopefully we'll make the right decisions on the big questions and use the wrong ones as teachable moments for next time.

Flower Girl Training

Who knew being a flower girl would take such training?

First, we had to clean off the hands and faces of these little princesses. They were filthy from a picnic right before our shopping trip.

Then we had to try on the dresses at David's Bridal so they could get ordered in time. (Don't get me started about the craziness of ordering dresses for children 3 1/2 months ahead of time).

Then, there's the requisite twirling in the dress to see if it looks like a real princess dress. (They do twirl well).

The girls were absolutely crushed that they couldn't take these dresses home. The real dresses with be a lilac color with a deep purple sash. I'm going to make them little bolero sweaters to wear over the top of the dresses in case it is cold.

The final and most difficult part of the Flower Girl Training is the flowers themselves. Addie has put herself on a rigorous training schedule that involves picking flowers wherever she sees them. The petals get scattered willy-nilly all over the yard, house and cars. I'm pretty sure she'll be a pro by the time October rolls around.