4 months old

Solveig is way ahead of the curve! (not just in size but in development too) In the last couple of days she's been rolling back to front every time I put her down and wiggling her way around too.  When I leave her on the floor I never know where she's going to be when I get back.  She's started pulling a blanket over her eyes, pulling it down again, and giggling like crazy!  She's close to sitting up, I think if I encouraged it a bit more then she'd only be a week or two away.  (but since I'm not anxious for my baby to grow up too fast I won't be encouraging her).

Solveig rolled off the playmat so Sativa moved in.

Lolo's an absolute gem.  Her whole face lights up when you start singing "The Wheels on the Bus" or "Pat a Cake".  She adores her big sisters and is patient with them while they are rough with her.  She is a tough cookie and takes a lot of over handling from her sisters in stride.  If Solveig is crying then someone is doing her wrong; a sister sitting on her belly or a Mumma letting her go a bit too long between meals.

Solveig has been spending a bit of time 'hanging' around in the jolly jumper this passed week.  It is become a new favourite spot of hers.

Role Model

UGH... I don't even know where to begin.  I wanted to be a mother my whole life so shouldn't I be embracing those words?  Now that the weight of being a 'role model' is on my shoulders it feels heavier than I ever expected.  Every minute of every day I feel like I need to be on my best behaviour.  For me, this is not possible.  Although I might raise my voice more than I want to there are a few things I can promise my girls will learn from me.

Body Image:
I promise to never insult myself.  I promise to embrace my thighs, stretch marks, and floppy boobs.  I promise to wear a bathing suit and never show my self consciousness.  I will not hide what my body has become but I will learn how to dress it properly. (Because squishing into too small clothes or hiding in baggy clothes is such a disservice to women).  My girls learn from me how to take care of their bodies and be confident.

Life Lesson:
A few weeks ago I asked Sofia to untie a shoe lace that she'd knotted onto the backdoor.  She cried and complained and spent some time in her room before she finally got it done.  My message to her was "you can't give up just because something is hard.  If you keep trying you can do it."  In some kind of nasty (or fortunate) twist of fate later that morning I decided to cut the grass.  I never cut the grass but on that day I decided to tackle it.  I got the back done but in the front yard I ran into trouble.  I couldn't get the lawn mower to start again.  I kept trying and trying, getting sweatier by the pull.  I had to take a break and catch my breath more than a few times.  Then I hit a wall... close to bursting into frustrated tears I realized this is just like the shoe lace this morning!  I pulled Sofia aside and said "Mummy is frustrated. Mummy wants to start crying because this is so hard.  What do you think I should do?  Should I stop and let Daddy to it for me when he gets home or should I keep trying?"  Sofia thought and said I should keep trying.  So with her cheering me on I kept at it.  I'd love to say that on the next pull I got it but that would by lying.  15 or so more pulls and the mower turned over, Sofia cheered and I beamed.  I was so proud of myself for my perseverance but even more proud that I could use it as a lesson.

*I think this post is disjointed and awkward but I've been thinking about these thoughts for a long time but been unable or unsure on how to write about it.

Potty Training

Maizie started showing interest in using the potty back at the beginning of May.  I tried to train Sofia and it didn't work.  A few months later she decided she was ready and trained herself.  Since I learned from past mistakes/experiences instead of training Maizie I decided to follow her lead.  Today was the turning point.  She came into our room this morning asking to go to the potty, her last nights diaper was almost dry.  The end count of today is something like 8 pees on the potty and 4 pees randomly scattered around the house.  I don't have a choice, I have to go forward.  For the record I am no interested in having another kid potty trained.  I like diapers, they are easy.  I put them on and we go, anywhere, everywhere, for as long as we want.  Newly potty trained kids are a pain in the ass, when they feel that magic tickle it's a panic to find a toilet (or a grassy patch).  With 3 kids in tow I don't fit into the tiny grocery store staff only bathrooms and it's hard to be discrete peeing in a grassy patch too.

On the other hand, I'm about to have another big girl!  Maizie is only 21 months, if she trains this week then she'll beat Sofia by 4 months.  She is so proud of herself when she uses the potty.  She let's out a 'yeah' and runs around the house to share the news with everyone (even Solveig).