Happy Mid-week.

Tomorrow is my "date" with Caleb's Kindergarten teacher. Hopefully she and I can figure out what is going on with Caleb and find some good solutions. We are trying here at home and about 50% of the time he seems reined in and the other times he is just as frustrating.

I've started pulling back on the "mothering".... after three weeks of school he knows every morning he must eat, get dressed, brush his teeth, put on his shoes and socks and grab his backpack. So now I just make the breakfast, have the clothes laid out, & put the paste on the brush (can't leave the paste out, Joshy will get it), and tell him when we have 5 minutes before we leave. He's 5, he should be able to do those 5 things. And I don't need to start every morning telling, telling, huffing, begging, pleading, yelling, threatening lateness, etc. It's unpleasant for me and it has got to be for him. So I have resigned from the nagging role and will expect him to know the routine and do it. 5 things are not too much for his age group or intelligence. It's not like I'm asking him to cook eggs or oatmeal for himself, just his own shoes/sock, etc. I lay out the clothes each night, make and put breakfast on the table and paste on the tooth brush, that is enough. Especially with myself and Joshy to get ready and going.

Caleb has learned his second verse for Awana, so we all know he is capable. I just don't know what the triggers/buttons are that make everything click without him getting frustrated and shutting down.

Joshy has backslidden a bit on the potty training. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but I am discouraged. After the 2nd outfit today, I refused to dress him again and would not let him play outside as a consequence. Maybe it will get through to him. Until then, I am forcing pull-ups on him for school and Awana. I will not inconvience those kind people again.

Once again, I am renewing my efforts to make Tigger a downstairs living dog. Once again, in the SAME spot no less, he has bashed into the wall with a mighty shoulder or hip and created a huge hole. This time it was so big that even my attempt at spackle wouldn't work. The mud was so thick to fill the bashed in area that it still wasn't dry on the third day... which became a spot of amusement and entertainment for the kids who of course had to poke their fingers into it and create a mess. Mike has said he will cut out the hole and put in a new sheet of drywall. Very nice of him. But we would be idiots if we take no steps to prevent a THIRD injury to the same wall. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me, fool me THREE times, I'm an idiot and shoot the dog. (Or make him live outside no matter the climate.)

I'm exhausted and worn despite getting a break yesterday and having accomplished much today as far as the house and errands go. I've already started on Christmas planning/preparing/projects. The early bird is less stressed on Dec 15th by lack of time and budget! My eagerness entices me to stay up later than I should sometimes and I pay for it the next day. I do it to myself sometimes, but often I'm just tired for no reason. I'm trying a b complex vitamin on the advice of Grandma Bishop, we'll see how it works.

So despite the darker mood of this posting, I do have one humorous note:
Caleb asked if I could speak to Daddy about going back to Yellowstone because "It's so cool. It's so hot, it's like chicken." I don't know where he came up with that, but that's what he said. Also, Joshy insists that he has a big boy bum, whatever than means.

Well, I'll post the results of my meeting with the teacher sometime soon. Good Night.