Little Details

I feel like I'm so busy doing nothing right now. And that's because this house has been potty training. Right now I am feeling something similar to what I felt right after the twins were born. That my life is over! Will I ever leave my house again? Have any normalcy back? Right now I'm certain that I'm stuck here in this house without a chance of leaving for at least a year (with a calendar of scheduled STUFF staring me in the face). I'm feeling negative about it and I'm only on day 3...with ONE of the two boys. Isn't there someone I can pay to take my place for a few weeks? Is that really too much to ask?

Alright, I know it could be worse. I need to give Carson a little more credit. He's doing well...I think. I guess I don't have much to compare him too (uh...except Cade who is being incredibly stubborn). I feel like I don't really know what I'm doing, but I'm doing what I think is best...even though I don't know what I'm doing. Wow. This REALLY feels like having newborns all over again. So, the details (I'll spare you the messy ones). Carson doesn't fight certain things. He is super obedient, especially at home. Get him out in the open and it's a different story. But at home, he always follows directions well. So getting him to sit on the potty all day long hasn't been too difficult. He's been in undies for almost 3 full days now, except for sleepy time. I'm proud of him. But we still have a long road ahead of us. Cade is more difficult and stubborn with stuff like this. It has to be his idea or nothin'. So, I'm hoping that he will naturally follow Carson on his own, and so far it looks promising. But since he hasn't really started in his journey, I see no end in sight. I'm serious about someone taking my place right now.

Next up: sleeping arrangements. Carson has been out of his crib for forever (just under a year) and he still won't really sleep in his bed. He sleeps in his room, just not his bed. His cuddle buddy is his door. Doesn't that sound nice & comfy? For some reason, that's where he choses to be. Maybe because it's the closest he can get to us...on the other side of the door? Who knows. But we move him to his bed every night, only to listen to him seconds later go back to his door and continue sleeping. No pillow. No blankets. Just Carson and his door. Maybe I should by a soft little doggy bed and put it by his door!!! Really though, I'm not sure what to do. I hate that he just lays there without blankets, but I also don't what to set up a little sleep station and encourage him to sleep there. I keep telling myself that he'll get over it sometime soon...but here we are a year later.
Cade is great at sleeping in his bed and staying in his room. He doesn't fight it at all. Could these two be any more different? Ha...probably! Anyway, he's a little champ when it comes to sleep and I'm trying to enjoy it while it lasts.

Fall seems to be in full swing (man it's cold today!). And with that comes the primary program. We have one more week of practice. This calling, primary chorister, is one of the most fun and most time consuming callings in the church, in my opinion. It requires lots of preparation time, massive amounts of energy on Sundays, and there is not one Sunday out of the year that you get a rest. Not one (not to mention how hard it is to find someone willing to sub for this)! But it's so fun and rewarding, and I just love it. We have been singing our hearts out all year long in preparation for the program. I'm feeling a little added stess as it looms ahead of me and am anxious to sigh that big sigh of relief that will come when I can cross it off my list. But one thing is for sure, there are few things that bring the Spirit quicker than singing primary songs. They are sweet and bear pure truth and testimony. I feel so grateful that I get to sing them every Sunday and then have them running through my head all week long.

Music makes me happy...and good thing since piano is back in full force. I had a small break over the summer, which was needed. I added three students, making 9 total. Just those few more makes a huge difference. I teach on Tuesday and Thursday evenings when Shane is home. And then he has Wednesday nights with the young men. So I feel like we are never really all together. We are trying to make the most out of Mondays and Fridays. It is a sacrifice, but I'm grateful that I am able to do it. It's a job, but it is very fulfulling. My love for piano and music in general has increased so much through teaching...and when I play, I feel like I'm a better pianist because of my experiences teaching. If only I could find a way to magically transfer that love & understanding of music to each one of my students!

Life is good. It will be better when both boys are fully doing their business in the big potty. But even still, life is good.