Quick 5

There's nothing like the horror of realizing that you forgot to put a pull-up on your freshly potty-trained toddler last night before bed, and the relief that she actually stayed dry the whole night. 

1.  It was haircut week at our house.  I talked Alaina into cutting her hair into this cute bob, although she always says she likes it long.  But she also doesn't like me putting her hair up, so it just gets all tangly.  Where's the balance of respecting what she likes, yet making things like hair combing better?  I think she likes it.  All she says about it is that she feels too shy to show it to her friends.  Whatever that means.  As far as Joya goes, the stylist did exactly what I asked...just below her ears.  At first I regretted it because I thought it might be too short, but I really like it now.  Next time, though, I'll probably go more chin length for her.

2.  Along the hair lines, we were pleasantly surprised to find out that we did NOT destroy Joya's curls with that first hair cut.  Her hair began to curl again, the longer it got.  However, curls mean tangles and are much harder to comb, hence the hair cut.  I did learn, though, that the whole crying during hair combing time might just be a Thing, and not really out of pain.  I think this for two reasons: 1.) When the stylist combed her hair before it was cut, Joya did NOT cry.  Her face was completely impassive.  And 2.) lately when I go to comb Joya's hair, she starts fussing as soon as I say it's time to comb her hair, way before I even touch it.   So now, while I do my best to be gentle, I am no longer moved by her tears.

3.  We finally had the perfect situation to introduce Bria to the backyard swing set: cloudy, not-too-hot, and she's old enough.  She liked it.  She also liked chewing on the straps.  She will have so much fun on that swing set in her life; she just doesn't know it yet.

4.  Each afternoon, when Alaina and Joya play in the backyard, I inevitably hear them start to yell, "Oh NEIGHBOR BOYS!!"  Then the neighbor boys (who are around 5 and 7, I believe) climb up onto their play set and look over the fence to chat.   I told Alaina that she should probably learn their names, as it isn't really polite just to call them Neighbor Boys.  But that's my social butterfly for you.

5.  We got all the information for school registration.  I've paid the fees and we've gotten about 85% of the supplies Alaina needs.  We've gotten most of the stuff for her uniforms, and they look great. The beginning of the school year is so exciting, and I'm excited for Alaina to experience it.  Next week we go in for registration and school pictures, the following week we have Meet Your Teacher/Ice Cream Social night, then school starts on the 20th.  I hadn't anticipated Joya's reaction to the whole thing, although I should have after the sadness she experienced about not getting to go to VBS.  She asks every day if she can go to school too, and I keep telling her that she can go with me to drop Alaina off at school, but that she'll come home with me and Bria.  It's not really what she wants to hear.  It's so sweet to see that she and Alaina really are good buddies, and I wonder if she and Bria will have a relationship close to that.  I know that usually the younger sister looks to the bigger sister, but hopefully Joya and Bria will get along and enjoy each other too.

Welcome to the world, Elisabeth Grace!