First, I'm sure someone out there is wondering why I keep using "Celebrate Good Times" in my titles. Before I so carelessly ran over my lap top, I had organized photos of a few important events still to be documented into folders on my desk top. Events like Father's Day, Chris' Birthday and even Sophie's Birthday. So, my plan is to keep harping on celebrating the good times until I get those over the goal line. And if that doesn't happen before Thanksgiving or Christmas, I'll just add those to the list. Here's a question--are you celebrating good times every day? If not, you may need to buy more Dos Equis. The guy in those commercials is definitely having fun.
Today was not a red letter parenting day. In fact, ever since we got home from Virginia, we've been asking ourselves whether we brought the right kids back. They seem to have forgotten all rules, standards, manners, you name it. Like last night at Mass--we walked all the way up the aisle to sit near the front and Ella just kept walking right up onto the altar. I almost laughed but, just in time, remembered to be horrified. This morning, I had a meeting with the director of Holy House, the home school academy the girls will be attending this year. I decided to take the girls because, normally, I can trust them to be busy with a book or some coloring during a reasonable time period. Not today. They simply could not share and then someone stabbed someone else with a pencil. Then someone needed an eraser. Someone else needed to sharpen a pencil. It went on and on. Fortunately, I am past the point of being embarrassed by my children. This is primarily because I have learned that children who are naturally submissive, quiet and docile have temperaments very different from my children's. I cling to the quote by Plutarch that "The wildest colts make the best horses". I've never broken a horse but I am certainly working my way to sainthood mothering my girls. I was far from saintlike today though. After the 110th incident of disobedience or disrespect from one of my Doyle Dames, I said something I regret and called in my relief pitcher. Chris was working toward a deadline but when he saw what I was dealing with, was glad I'd called him. Madeleine was busy life guarding during the whole thing so she missed the post dinner family meeting to remind our little angels of the rules of Casa Doyle. We'll see how long it takes for the ship to run smoothly again.
The highlight of the day? Potty training progress! Ella finally peed on the potty. At three and a half, it is high time that she is trained. The main problem up to now is that we are just too busy. I gave potty training a shot in VA when I ran out of diapers one day when we were at a swim meet in Bristow. Jes suggested I go with it. So I put some of Sophie's panties on Ella, took Ella to the potty every fifteen minutes (which was a huge sacrifice since we were in a hot, wet pool bathroom). Her total number of times peeing on the potty after all of that? Zero. She peed everywhere but the potty. End of potty training experiment. Sometimes, you just have to go with what is easy. But now it's time. So we will stay home for the next few days and watch Ella's every move. Fortunately, Mia is a great accomplice. She patiently reads to her while she sits. I'm pretty sure that as soon as Ella is potty trained, I'll find out I'm pregnant. Isn't that how it works?
Speaking of which--when I made the blog private, a few people wrote and told me that reading about our family made them want to have more kids. I loved that but it occurred to me that maybe I'm not portraying our life as accurately as I could. Thus, today's post. Days like today, I know that if I were in this alone, I would be a miserable failure. I thank God for any wisdom I have as a parent and for Chris, my partner in everything. I also thank God for the people I can call or text and whine--though I'm working on that I swear :) Even on the dog days, there is oh so much to celebrate--
Like pee!
Eeeewwwww!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYeah--I probably should have rated this one :) But hey--it was a first.
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