Caitlyn's dance recital

Maddie's gymnastics show

A typical Friday

Maddie doesn't have school on Friday's so we usually end up at the zoo.  Unfortunately, Friday is also the day all the class field trips take place.  Today the zoo was the most crowded that I've ever seen it.  We still had a good time though.

A quick stop at the store beforehand

Quality family time.

Using iPhones to look up how to read a book..

Playing with friends

We had some of Maddie's school friends over to enjoy the trampoline.

 

Swinging with a friend at her house.

Bad dreams

Caitlyn has given us a lot of stress at bedtime ever since December.  Actually, I guess it started when we took her pacifier away in October but it's been especially tough the last few months.  It would take us over an hour to get her to bed.  It was wearing me down because I had to do it for nap time, bed time, and overnight.  Yes, she would wake up overnight and do the same thing.  I'm happy to say that things have gotten a lot better!  One change was that we gave up her nap.  I hated to do it since Maddie still napped until she was 4 1/2.  I was just so discouraged when I'd try so hard for an hour and then she still wouldn't nap.  Now she is so tired by bedtime that she doesn't put up as much of a battle.

She still wakes up overnight.  When she wakes up she's screaming for me and it sounds so much angrier and louder than any of her screams during the day.  It may be because it's 1 in the morning and everything sounds loud when I just want to sleep.

One night I was up with Caitlyn and started to wonder if she wakes because of bad dreams.  Just as I thought this she starts crying "No, I don't want to go poo poo."  About a minute later she starts shrieking "Mom, pick me up, pick me up"  I hear these words repeatedly throughout the day and always ask her to say it nicely.  A minute after that she cries "No, all done"

So apparently she was having the worst nightmare a 2 year old can have.  First I made her got to the bathroom, then I wouldn't pick her up, and then I made her eat all her food.  What a mean Mommy!

A typical Monday

Today was Monday.  On Monday Maddie has school and Caitlyn has dance.  Instead of dancing today she had to dress in her recital outfit for pictures.  Here is a preview of the cuteness we will see on May 18th. 

After dance I always feed her lunch in the car on the way home.  After we got home I quickly ate lunch then attempted to put her down for a nap.  I really thought she'd take one today.  She willingly cuddled with her mini mouse and blanket and looked so tired.  After the third time up stairs to put her back in her room I realized it was hopeless and she wasn't going to take one.  I was busy cleaning the kitchen, doing laundry and other chores around the house until about 5 minutes before we had to leave to get Maddie.  I decide to lay on my bed during those 5 minutes, knowing Caitlyn was in my bathroom.  When it was time to leave this is what I found.  She apparently found my makeup and knows where to put mascara.

 

 

Maddie was the last one to be picked up.