NOT OUR BEST WEEKEND......

I am experiencing frustration in a way I never have before and get this....it is with Raelynn. My normally perfect child has been awful! I don't know what is going on with her. She is being defiant and winy and I just don't know why. I am doing everything as perfectly as I can. I read about parenting all the time and I am applying everything I have read. I am being patient and consistent and everything else I can be. I hope it is just a phase and nothing is wrong. Last night she wet the bed. She has not wet the bed since the day we put her in panties. I don't know what to think. Tonight I was virtually in tears. I had asked her yesterday what she wanted for dinner tonight and she wanted to make pizzas. I bought everything she wanted on the pizzas. When we got home she didn't want to help make them, that was fine. I made them and when they were done and it was time to eat she informed me she didn't want cheese on it and refused to eat. I talk to her and she just tells me she is so tired and that is why she is acting badly. She also puts the blame on her imaginary friend, KawKaw. She said KawKaw bothers her all night and she can't get any sleep. So tonight I sent KawKaw home and put Raelynn to bed at 7pm. She fell asleep immediately so there is no doubt the girl was exhausted. I was talking to a friend about it and she said that when her daughter went through a growth spurt the same thing happened. There is no doubt Raelynn is going through a growth spurt as the jeans we bought her for Christmas are already too short and shirts too small. I just hope this is the case. That same friend also reminded me she is 3 1/2, this is what they do. That may be the case but I always think what Terry and I do in response helps shape who she'll be in another 10 years and that is why I wish I better understood where this is all coming from We are going to back up her bed time and cut out a little of her extra activities for awhile. It tears me apart to see her like this. I realize this may be normal but as any parent knows, when your child is hurting you are hurting too!!!

So then there is Cooper, generally my trouble maker. Instead he now is this completely amusing and inquisitive little boy. He is getting to be so good and fun. This weekend he took on our stairs. I was watching him around the corner and he launched a ball down the stairs as usual. However this time he decided to go after it. He sat down and went down the stairs backwards as if he had done it a thousand times. He got the ball and headed right back up. He is eating more things every day. Tonight we think we caught on to something. He was eating chocolate chips (yes I know completely unhealthy but remember this is Cooper, our main focus is to get him to eat anything) As long as I gave them to him with my fingers he ate them but as soon as I put one on a spoon he quickly denied it. Earlier in the day I experienced the same thing with pineapple. So I think we are going to start trying some more foods and give them to him on my finger. This may prove to be extremely messy but if it teaches him to eat we are all for it.

Saturday Raelynn had her last day of tumbling and the first time we got to go in and observe. She really enjoyed it. She received a recognition certificate and I got a lot of pictures, mostly of her biscuits but pictures all the same.



This is Cooper at tumbling.....