Michelle Smiles

Teaching my children to question authority, except mine.

I hate thinking up titles

February19

I know it has been quiet around here but for once that doesn’t mean it has been quiet in my world. The cliff notes version? I shared that Steve was told he could work from home full time. About 10 days ago, his company took it back. Last week Steve returned to Pittsburgh. I’ll just let y’all guess how excited we were about that. That is all I have to say about that publicly right now.

Sabrina’s 100th day of school celebration (yes, apparently that is a thing now) required her to have a t-shirt with 100 things on it. No surprise that she chose something sparkly. Tessa wanted to make one too.

In other news, I am co-founding a non-profit. It will be called Small Comforts. We just had our first board of directors meeting last week. We are raising funds to pay for our 501c3 application (the IRS charges $400 to apply to be a non-profit…what a racquet). Small Comforts initial goal (it may expand with time) is to provide a backpack filled with personal items to each child removed from his home and taken to foster care. Many kids leave with nothing but the clothes on their backs…a few others are able to grab a few things and throw them in a Wal-Mart bag. Our bags would give them something of their own – some personal care items, a stuffed animal, some underwear and socks, a book, and hopefully a gift card to Target or a similar store to buy a new outfit. They can then take that bag with them to other placements and know they always have a little something of their own. Once we have the website live, I’ll talk more about what we are doing. I’m very excited to be involved in this – so nice to use my brain for something other than figuring out how to convince Tessa to use the potty.

Yes, at 3 1/2 my child is still in diapers and refuses all potty training attempts. Tessa has come to everything late so I’m trying to be patient. If she isn’t ready, it isn’t worth battling. Child is STUBBORN and isn’t going to do it unless she wants to. I’m just hoping she gets on board soon because after 5 years, this momma is over the diapers. That aside, Tessa is doing well. She finally decided to speak beyond the dozen words she used for a year (see? everything in her own time). Now she rarely stops talking. She will repeat a phrase until you repeat what she said so that she knows you understood her. We’ve counted but have always responded at some point to save our sanity. The highest I’ve counted her repeating is 23 times. She is also a complete instigator with her sister. She ignores rules until she is good and ready to comply. She doesn’t care about time out or having toys taken away – we have yet to truly discover what currency will matter with her. She gets her feelings hurt when we yell and totally manipulates momma because she is my baby. She doesn’t eat a single vegetable voluntarily and only a few fruits. She prefers meat and bread. Not potatoes- all potatoes that aren’t french fries are shunned. She has developed a great face when she doesn’t like the taste or texture of something – I should try and get a photo.  She loves school and is absorbing everything. We’ve decided to send her 3 days a week next year because she enjoys it so much.

Sabrina is doing well in kindergarten. She had a rocky start as she was behind in her letters and letter sounds. But with a little extra help at school and a very patient Daddy, she has improved a great deal. Her writing is still pretty atrocious but that is more being lazy than lack of skill. She is beginning to read which I find amazing. I haven’t loved her teacher this year because she is awful at communicating with the parents. But she was likely exactly what Sabrina needed because she is particularly warm and fuzzy. Sabrina ingratiates herself to all adults she comes into contact with but I don’t think her teacher gets pulled into her act. But everyone else in the school stops us to tell us how much they all love Sabrina. One teacher declared they want to clone her so they can all take her home with them. While I love that she is so well liked, I worry about her tendencies to people please and the lengths she might go in the future to please others. I don’t want her to not be true to herself to make others happy. Outside of school, she is doing well too. We are continually amazed by what a big girl she is – there is not a drop of toddler left. She is a drama queen – every little boo-boo (real and imagined) is cause for major waterworks. And she is the girliest girl you can imagine with everything being purple or glittery or sparkly. She loves all of the trappings of girlhood. She loves crafts and art. She is happiest when she is painting or making a necklace or drawing a picture.

I think I’ll save the other things until they are more official. And I’ll hopefully have some newly painted kitchen walls to show off soon-ish.

 

posted under Misc.
12 Comments to

“I hate thinking up titles”

  1. On February 19th, 2012 at 6:37 pm Anne Says:

    Cuties!

  2. On February 19th, 2012 at 8:34 pm Liz Brueseke Says:

    Good luck with the non-profit! I love the idea and i hope it works out. Working with some of the kids in the area that are removed I can see how it would be so good for the kids to have something of their own and at least the knowledge that someone cared for them on that day.

  3. On February 20th, 2012 at 2:28 am gail Says:

    So hard to believe how big the girls have gotten. They are both so adorable and I enjoy reading about their different personalities.

    I am excited to see how your new non-profit turns out. As a long term foster parent, it is so sad to see the children come with nothing from their homes. It is a wonderful idea for them to have a bag that they can take with them anywhere they go. I have gotten children with nothing or clothes in garbage bags. I NEVER ever pack their things in a garbage bag when they leave my home. Our local county did a drive a couple years ago for small suitcases with pajamas, underwear, and a few other things. I love to see new things happen for foster children. They are lost in the system so many times and with all the budget cuts, it is hard for those responsible to able to do it all.

    Enough rambling and please forgive any words not spelled correctly. Too late.

  4. On February 20th, 2012 at 3:40 pm Heather Says:

    Ugh! So sorry to hear your DH is out of town again for work. Mine just left for NYC and will be back Wednesday night. Yes, our babies tend to be stubborn and want to do things for themselves in their own time. At 2 1/2 our oldest was completely potty trained. Tommy is thinking about it. He at least wants to do #2 on the potty. Liam (my baby of course) wants nothing to do with it. Like you, I’m not willing to push it. I also ignore the food battles. My oldest who’s in 5th grade is a good eater, but she has her picky moments. Tommy will eat anything, but he also seems to prefer whatever Liam doesn’t want to eat. If we have eggs and toast for breakfast, Tommy will have two helpings of eggs and no toast. Liam will have no eggs and two pieces of toast. Of course, Liam comes back looking for a snack later, as he had no protein to stick with him through the morning. At least they both agree with yogurt and applesauce!

  5. On February 21st, 2012 at 8:09 pm Mari Says:

    That SUCKS. I’m so sorry Michelle. And what a great idea your non-profit is…

  6. On February 22nd, 2012 at 7:27 am Bobbi Says:

    Ok, first off, we have covered the whole steve thing via FB, so we will let that dead horse lie! Again, sucks. Hoping the “more official” means he told the Pittsburgh people to take their empty promises somewhere else!!
    Sabrina is gorgeous, and I too have people who wanted to “clone” my cute little girls……who have really come into being their own strong person but know how to smooth talk a teacher. She is just working the system 🙂 AND, well, now at 13 and almost 10 I don’t get the whole wish she was mine………not sure why!!
    TESSA!!! I am not changing your diapers and you are killing me!! But, you are so, so right. It is the one thing that she can control and she is working it without a doubt. Good for you for “not caring” because once she thinks it isn’t working she will do it. Really did work with Reese. He was in undies in three days. He still will have “accidents” then say, “you’re going to be mad” YUP he’s 5 and a half!!!!
    I am glad she is talking. Interesting with the having to repeat it. Reese did that because we couldn’t understand him for so long with with all of his speech issues. He still does, and he too says it again and again and again. My ears bleed at night.
    Enjoyed your catch up post of sorts, and you have two beautiful girls!!

  7. On February 22nd, 2012 at 11:42 am debbie Says:

    I’m so so sorry about the work thing. I only read your blog, but there must be other “stuff” going on. I hope it all works out for you.
    Congrat on the non-profit thing. That is wonderful and it will make such a difference in these childrens lives. I love it.
    Your girls are darling. It was fun to read the updates and see how they are growing.

  8. On February 23rd, 2012 at 10:01 pm Laurie Mitchell Says:

    Tessa and Emily are two peas in a pod…So many similarities…lack of speech (now won’t shut up!), not wanting to potty train and ESPECIALLY the lack of “punishment”…I could never find the trigger for her…I would try to take something away and she would go in her room, get it and say, “Here…I don’t want this anyway!”…she is 9 and I still haven’t quite found what her currency is! Love the blog…hate that hubby is back in Pittsburgh…anxious to hear more about that situation! LOVE LOVE LOVE the non profit idea and as always love hearing about the kiddos! 😉

  9. On February 24th, 2012 at 8:23 am Shannon Says:

    Well that totally sucks. You just got him back!! I bet you are all kinds of ticked off about that. I would be livid.

    And your non profit sounds really neat. Best of luck with that! I can’t wait to hear more details!

  10. On February 24th, 2012 at 12:20 pm Ashley Says:

    Love the non-profit!!!! Can’t wait to hear and see more!!!

    Also love the descriptions of the girls. It makes me smile!

  11. On February 27th, 2012 at 9:12 pm Debra Says:

    Wow our girls are two peas in a pod. The paragraph on Sabrina was so fitting, I could have just inserted Alexis’ name. Only difference is we do love her teacher, but still hard to believe we have kindergartners. Love to hear about the non-profit and that some precious kiddos will benefit from your passion. Glad Steve can work and live in the same state with his family!

  12. On February 29th, 2012 at 3:01 pm Mommy Someday Says:

    Super cute! Just a note on the potty training…my 3 1/2 year old was doing the EXACT same thing. Then one day, I had it. I got her up in the morning, told her we were out of diapers and that we had to use the big girl potty. I put her in a shirt and left her naked from the waist down. Miracle of miracles…it worked!! The first time she felt a little tinkle running down her leg she shot for the potty and hasn’t looked back. However, she would completely revert back to not using the potty if I put any clothes on her bottom. I pretty much had to leave her naked from the waist down (at home only, of course) for several weeks (pull ups at night) but she got the hang of it. Now she is wearing panties and a shirt and learning to pull up/down her own underwear. It is very slow going, but thankgoodnes there is progress. Don’t know if this will help you, but thought I’d share!