School Days, School Days.....

School has begun and we are in full swing.  Back to the getting up early, homework and bedtimes.  We all have adjusted to the schedule okay but man, I miss my sleeping in.  Claire has started kindergarten and she seems to be enjoying it.  She has Mrs. Marley, who was Lauren's kindergarten teacher and I couldn't be more happy!!  She is such a great teacher and I know Claire is going to do phenomenally in her class!!  Lauren is in third grade this year and all I can say is its quite an adjustment.  Third grade is a whole different animal and we are all having a little trouble adjusting.  This is the first year of actual letter grades and testing and the teachers have a lot to teach the kids so they just throw it at them from the get go.  I don't like that at all!!  It's like they just throw the kids in the deep end and just expect them to know how to swim.  Some of the kids do just fine while others just sink and some even drown!! So far we are treading water.  I've had to talk with the teacher a few times.  Lauren is young for her grade and needs a couple of weeks to get back into the routine but I think we are slowly getting there.  She had a few issues that first week of school but I think things are getting better now.  They expect so much from the kids and I think Lauren's teacher does especially.  She is a no nonsense kind of person and I don't think she tolerates much.  That worries me with Lauren.  She is a very smart child but very sociable in the same token.  Teachers in the past knew how to deal with her but I'm not sure that this teacher does.  Hopefully as they get to know one another, she will learn what works best for Lauren and will help her do her very best.   That is all I can pray for and that I know as a parent I have to stay on top of her homework and making sure she does as she should.  I have had to let go a little and let Lauren take some responsibility for herself.  That is hard for me because I want her to be the best in all that she does, perfect even.  That's me trying to make Lauren be what I was in school and that just isn't going to happen:).  She has to be her own person and she will do just fine.  I can't make her be me. 

Brooke had her 15 month check up yesterday.  She is walking everywhere, climbing on everything, getting into EVERYTHING, and just being a plain mess:)!!  She weighs 23 lbs and is 31 in long.  I don't think she's as big as her sisters were at this age but that's ok.  She's wearing 18 month clothes, a very few 12 month and even a couple 24 month.  She is eating so well and starting to master the use of utensils.  She loves cheese, pancakes, cinnamon applesauce, rice, broccolli, ice cream and fruit snacks.  She is so funny when she wants something you are eating.  She opens her mouth like a bird and stick out her tongue and makes a "mmmm" sound.  She says "mama, dada, woof woof, " really well.  She has said a few other things but for the most part she just says Mama ALL THE TIME!!!!  Anytime she wants something its always "MAMA!!!"  When she climbs up the ladder to get to Claire's bed, which is all the time if the door isn't shut or the ladder put up, she starts calling out mama for me to come and see what she's accomplished.  She thinks she is hot stuff when she climbs up there.  She also has no regard for the word "no."  Maybe its because I say it so much it just goes in one ear and out the other with her:).  We have found that she is allergic to scented laundry detergent.  She whelps up where the clothes rub her skin and she looks like she has hives but the doctor said not to worry.  They eventually go away but look bad in the meantime.  She is just sensitive.

My weight loss is going okay.  Last week I gained 0.2 and was most disappointed but I had to consider that school started last week and I was stressed about that.  I also exercised A LOT and I think that I gained some muscle.  It could have been that we ate tacos the night before and the sodium caused some water weight.  I don't know.  But this week, I've actually eaten more and exercised less and I lost 3 pounds!!!  I'm so excited!!  My total weight loss is 18.5 pounds!!!  I've been on the program for a little over a month and I couldn't be happier with my results.  I can tell a difference in my clothes and jewelry.  I just have to keep at it.

We are heading to family camp this weekend and we are all excited except for Mark.  He's not looking forward to the lack of sleep but I think we are going to have a great time.  Just getting to hang out as a family and be amongst our church family is going to be a great time for fellowship and fun!!  Hope everyone else has a great weekend!!  I just hope I can be good while I'm there:)