Thankful Thursdays

So I missed the first Thursday in November but luckily there are five in the month this year so I can make up for it a bit. I like this tradition of writing a few things I am thankful for each week.

This week, I am thankful:

1. That Penelope is such a happy baby. She is almost always smiling or laughing and she really only cries when she is hungry (or teething). When she is fussy on occasion, people say - wow, that's the first time I've heard her cry!

2. That the weather has finally turned and we have some cool temps. I miss having four distinct seasons, so these two weeks (I'm being generous) of Fall weather that we get each year are my favorite. I love sleeping with the windows open at night and even though it freezes Matt out, he lets me open them.

3. For a job that gives me flexibility and independence. I don't think I could survive punching a clock somewhere after being a consultant with my own hours and now having a job where I can work some days from home and spend time with my kids, working during naptime and at night. I am also grateful that they don't mind if I have to come in early to leave early, or come in late and stay later to get my hours in each week. As long as it all gets done!

Claire Bear Update

Claire had her five year check up this week and she was very relieved to hear she doesn't need to get any shots until she's 11. She distinctly remembers getting 5 shots last year, one was a make up shot and one was a new required one I guess. Ouch.

She is in the 95th percentile for her height and weight. The doctor said something that plays right into my "Law and Order" fears - she said that we will need to protect Claire from people who think she is older than she is because of her height. Like my paranoia needs any encouragement...

 Anyway, she is healthy and growing as she should. Her new tooth is already coming in. I am glad we got a few recent pictures of her with all her baby teeth, like this one from her kindergarten school pictures. The big kid teeth change their smile and their looks so much.

Wrangler Readers

 

Claire and Matt went with Easton and Steve to a Las Vegas Wranglers hockey game this week. They had so much fun! I guess there were a lot of fights in the game, and they had second row seats with an up-close-and-personal view to the craziness. Claire wasn't so sure about the fighting, but she has been cheering for her own imaginary hockey team up in her room this week. I heard her saying - "Come on Wranglers! You got this!" She is a fan.

She will get tickets to another Wrangler's game if she finishes a six-week reading program at her school. She loves reading and I have to make her stop reading and go to bed almost every night. Her teacher found out she is a good little reader and tested her reading level this week at school. She got 100% on the first grade reading test. Of course my next question was, well at what level can she read then? The teacher said they are only allowed to test one grade level above her current grade. Hmm. That makes me a little frustrated. Any teacher friends out there know how I can test Claire to find out her appropriate reading level so I can challenge her with the right books?

Big Girl!

First high chair experience, appropriately enough, at Cafe Rio. She did great - sat quietly through the whole meal. Our kids may act crazy at restaurants sometimes, but I think it's good to get them used to eating out. Hopefully it will help them be polite someday... :)

We Rock!

For the record, this says "Me and Mom Rock!" Not "Mean Mom" as I first thought it said. :)

Here's something else that rocks - Claire's first story for Kindergarten about the Fall. Matt has been trying to help her space her words out and she is doing much better. We weren't allowed to help her spell any of the words - she had to sound them out by herself. I especially like how she tried to spell trash - chrash. Sound it out - it makes sense. :)

Rejected

Penelope boycotted nursing for almost two days this week. I was freaking out. If this is my last baby, then I want to stop nursing on my own terms! I was not only sore, but sad - nursing can be so tiring in the beginning, but I was enjoying this stage of fewer feedings, the quiet time with the babe, and just getting to snuggle a bit. My kids aren't really cuddly - as soon as they are mobile they just go, go go. I know I only have so many months left with her as a baby before she is quickly off to toddlerhood. Nursing is also my connection with her even when I'm at work, so I didn't want to give up.

So, I pumped, fed her a bottle and cereal, and kept trying to nurse. She gave in and nursed again. I could seriously see a look like, "Fine mom, you win this time," cross her face.  Who knows, she might turn on me again. This girl who was so stubborn and wouldn't take a bottle for a month may now prefer the bottle to me. Sigh.

May the Force Be With You

Halloween was so fun! We went trick or treating with the Nielsen's again, and got a ton of candy in my aunt's neighborhood. We didn't go to too many houses, but the kids got a lot at each house. We had them go through their stash and only keep their favorites. They had quite a few full size or even king sized candy bars. Jackpot!

Claire told me that Halloween is her favorite holiday. I said - what about Christmas? She said, "Oh yeah, well Halloween then Christmas." It's also the one day a year she gets to wear make up in public, so that's another reason she likes Halloween.

Star Wars family came together nicely - I love my theme costumes, but I'm afraid the themes might not carry on much longer. Claire will be too opinionated to go with the family, I'm sure of it.