A New Age in Parenting

It's difficult to explain, but this week really seems like it has become a turning point in Audrey's development. Even though we are working on potty training, the change I feel is not something concrete I can pin point and record in my blog like first teeth or learning to crawl. This time, it's more a sense of my big girl actually growing up.

It all started this monday with a playdate; my friend Shauna brought over her little girl, Alivia, who is four months older than Audrey. These two haven't gotten to play one-on-one in a long time and this week they actually got to communicate with each other and work on things like sharing or follow the leader. (Have I mentioned Audrey can be a bossy bit of goods?) Audrey and Alivia were so sweet, holding hands, walking with their arms around each other, giving hugs and reading together. Now, to anyone else with a 2o month old, this may not seem Earth-shattering, but Audrey is more or less a stay-at-home kind of gal. She's not accustomed to playing with other kids and when she does, she's usually more of a wall flower; she likes to stay on the sidelines and check things out. I guess this is what seems to be changing; she's starting to become 'one of the kids' and it makes me proud to see her growing.

In direct contrast to our chill playdate that morning, the Moore kids came to town the same day to stay with us for spring break. Unlike every other time they've come to town, Audrey was immediately swept away with enthusiasm for the kids. Almost as soon as they got to the house, John and I took the crew out to Hubby's Pizza to burn off some energy from being cooped up in the car all day. When we got there, Audrey was shepherded out to the playground with everyone else; I don't think I've ever seen her as happy as she was playing on the carousel with the rest of the kids. I was sitting inside at our table with the Gunniwolf asleep on my chest watching someone else's children love on mine and I almost started crying. It was a beautiful thing.

Speaking of beautiful things, Duck loves babies...to the point of holding mine almost all day so I can get things done around the house. I recall having once criticized someone for hiring a mother's helper. I take it back.

Oh, and remember how I said we were at a standstill in potty training? It was all because I'm a big wuss and don't feel like cleaning pee-soaked car seats. Well, I decided to stop being a wuss and take advantage of having a mother's helper. I've actually been keeping Audrey in big girl undies all day. (except naps--I just can't bring myself to the commitment of picking up a grumpy, pee-soaked dragon who won't let me change her because it normally takes her at least half an hour to wake up enough to detach herself from my body as is.) Aside from napping, things on the potty front are going really well; she's getting quick at letting us know when she needs to go. And it's not just Audrey who's been thrown into a whole new world of awareness; I've been thrown into the world of 'where is the closest bathroom?'. And as most mothers know, kids don't care whether you're at the mall or in the car; you could be traveling to Mars for all they care: you better be paying attention to where the nearest potty is. I'm working on getting better at it, but there should seriously be an app for that.