Some passing thoughts and a busy Monday

David is "day time, pants-less potty trained". Yeah - that's right: as long as Commando is acceptable, we're there. I may or may not have Googled "kid kilts" this morning...

Again, he's making progress. That fact should be shouted from roof tops and posted about town. Ok, he might not appreciate such publicity later in life (or now for that matter), but I'm happy to report progress here nonetheless. His efforts are amazing and we have overcome so much to get just this far. We've undone his unwillingness. We've changed our approach. We've given him the power and in making his own decision, he glows with pride and revels in the success he knows he created for himself, by himself. He loves the autonomy and independence. He loves quiet praise rather than the hoots and hollers to which Mary Louise responds...yes, we're still talking about potty training.

Though he isn't quite ready to take the next step and actually don pants, he knows that step is coming and is working very hard to learn and understand his body enough to succeed in his own time.

For that, I am proud.

(at any rate, he's just about stopped telling me, "Mommy? I dus go poop-a-nin in da corner den you can change me, m'kay?" - let's just say that didn't really go over very well with me...)
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Everett, after doing some super fast crawling for about 2 days, has begun to pull up on everything. He stands, cruises across furniture and eases slowly down to the floor. I watch him in amazement - as if before me dancing is a stunning ballerina with impeccable form. He can stand independently for seconds and I anticipate with pain and pride the day he'll take his first steps - knowing it will be here so so soon.

These sweet babies, our children...they're impossibly perfect to me.
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Mary Louise bounced up to me the other day:

"Umm, excuse me Mommy?"
Me: yes, Mary Louise
ML: (drawing in one big breath) Umm...I dus saw Everett drop a yogurt drop on da floor and I thought, hey! I have a good idea! I dus eat one of Everett's yogurt drops because he dus drop one and that's a good idea and I dus eat one yogurt drop ok Mommy?
Me: Ok Mary Louise. Was it good?
ML: Yes thank you Mommy! It was DEEEE-wish-us!

(she really is that polite - and dainty - always - even when fussing)
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This morning we hit the ground running - waking about 6:30 with Mary Louise and David and plunging right into chores and dinner prep. We started music class again and the kids were super excited about seeing their teacher.

They sang a few of the songs while eating breakfast and kept asking if it was time to go YET?! Mommy??

The class went really well. The teacher helped with Mary Louise - who was more than willing to be front and center for a bit. David sat with me - and Everett behaved beautifully in the Ergo - my ever present front pack companion.

David sang songs and moved with the class for all but about the last 10 minutes. It was wonderful to see how his concentration has developed since our fall session of class. Mary Louise danced wild and free with the music. I love watching her - so comfortable in her own skin and just happy to be in the moment.

After class, I told Mary Louise and David about a little surprise outing. We had friends over for a play date last week and the mom who came mentioned visiting the local airport on occasion. After a little talking, she offered for us to tag along on their next trip! Mary Louise and David clapped and cheered when I told them where we were going.

The airport is used for Fed-Ex deliveries, personal planes and small aircraft, NASA and military training and various maintenance and refueling needs.

We went to the "Million Air" building where there was a lounge for the pilots and quickly found that we'd forgotten about the federal holiday - President's Day. There weren't any scheduled flights coming in for us to see... but the head of air traffic control was very excited to bring us around. Christi had called ahead to see if we might get a little tour of the tower...

What we got was the red carpet...in the shape of a big, bright red transport van! ha!

We were escorted and given personal tours of the lounge / lunch facility, the fire station and all trucks, the air traffic control tower AND the hanger! It was such great fun!

We were even invited back after our tours - a sign that none of the pushed buttons caused any disasters, and the 1001 questions were a walk in the park.

We plan to go back - Mary Louise and David almost burst with anticipation waiting for their Daddy to get home this afternoon. They attacked him at the door with talk about their music class and airport outing.

That, my friends, is a sure sign of an appreciated day (even though, upon pulling in the driveway after such busy morning, Mary Louise sure did ask to "do a pwojec peese Mommy). busy. diva.

xo,
Heather


I do have pictures of today - but have to figure out Picassa's new sharing parameters before embedding...I'll be back...