So Opinionated

I don't know how we ended up with two very opinionated little people (ha, ha, ha) - but Tyler and Katie surely do know what they want and will do everything in their power to make it happen like they intend! Katie is doing it with clothes and I am trying very hard to let it roll off my back. She is back into a dress stage - and she cannot be convinced that it is too cold to wear the ones we have since we don't yet have long-sleeved ones or tights. I am trying to pull the trigger on the 48 hour sale for 30% off at Old Navy/Gap since they have some ones that look like they will be easy to play in and cute and comfy, BUT with Miss Independent I have know way of knowing if I am purchasing something that she will deem worthy to wear (and the sale is only online so I can't take her to find out even though she LOVES shopping). She insists on picking out what she is wearing for the day and never thinks that the first shoes I pick for her are appropriate (I need to learn from that and offer the ones I really want her to wear 2nd). She doesn't do too bad, because she is starting to pick up on matching and does seem to have some fashion sense already (probably better than mine), but the shoe thing is a debacle. She always wants to wear ones that are not quite right (black patent leather to the playground, pink sparkles a size too big to school, brown platform almost heels that I have no idea where she got), and I always end up letting her because it isn't worth the fight! Her feet have finally grown, though, so I need to go behind her back and pack up all the ones that don't fit since those are the ones she usually wants to wear, even telling me that "they only hurt a little bit mama - it's ok." Lance is appalled that she doesn't seem to care if she gets a blister and I have tried to tell him that it is not surprising that our little girlie girl already understands that sometimes you have to suffer for beauty :). I have to pick up a pair or two of shoes for her for fall/winter and I think I am going to try to find them as neutral as possible that will still be worn by my little fashionista so we don't have as much clashing!

Tyler's opinionated streak doesn't have much to do with what he wears (he could care less other than, against Lance's wishes, when he insists on wearing nail polish like Katie), but if he thinks something is correct he cannot be convinced otherwise. He is starting to recognize letters and tells me what words start with what letter and if he is incorrect and I try to tell him that his name has a "y" not an "i" for instance, he says "actually mom, it is an I - it's ok you got confused." He has definite ideas of how exactly he wants to build his blocks, put his puzzles together, or be read to as well and he will let you know what way he prefers! He is still getting so frustrated, and is whining a lot (but much better now that he isn't on prednisone) and we have yet to find anything that gets him to calm down or tell us what is wrong. Lance says that he was like that, too, and that the best thing we can do for him his to teach him to take deep breaths, keep trying, or walk away to calm down if it is too overwhelming so we are upping our efforts to really enforce time-out anytime he has a meltdown to give him the opportunity to learn both that the behavior will not be tolerated and that there is a better way to handle frustration. It is a bit touchy feely, new-age parent who thinks their kids deserve explanations (which is so not me)- but there has been a bit of progress so we are sticking with it for now. The allergy medicine seems to really be helping him, too and hopefully if we can get that under control he will have less breathing issues and no need for the rage inducing steroids!

The kids spent Saturday night with Ray-Ray and So-So (and we are so thankful), while Lance and I went out to celebrate his birthday so we didn't have much on the agenda for the weekend other than the usual dance class for Katie. We had a good time, though, playing in the backyard with the beautiful Fall-like weather and of course, watching Tyler put puzzles together (he is still obsessed). Next weekend I either want to go to Gentry Farms or I want to try out a new place I heard about in Chapmansboro that has all the same things as Gentry, but also has inflatables and a little train. Lance has to work, though, and I always get lost trying to find new places (still, after living here for many more years than when I was driving in Florida) so we will probably end up where I know! Either way, I hope to have pictures of our Fall fun next time I post!