Rest in Peace, Terry. My 2nd cousin, Terry, passed away this week -- after battling diabetes and kidney failure for years and then a stroke a few months back. She was a very sweet person. I'm sure she's enjoying a pain-free, disease-free existence now with God and his angels. Our thoughts and prayers are with her loved ones in their loss. She will be missed.
Bria started a new dance class on Friday. It's a combination class where they'll learn tap, ballet and acrobatics! In June, she'll get to perform in the end-of-the-year recital as well. I'm sooo excited for her! And I'm grateful that this dance academy is offering this combination. It's the perfect solution for parents and kids without blowing the budget or the schedule. :-)
We've had to cancel CJ's little bday party again this weekend. Trying to keep it small, I only invited 3 families to join us. First time around, CJ was sick... thus we rescheduled. Second time around, the party has been overcome by two funerals and one case of bronchitis. I'm glad he's too young to know any different. He's at a cute age where he LOVES the happy birthday song & blowing out candles, opening presents and playing with little boys his age. Maybe the third time around, (
whenever that will be), we'll have some luck and actually pull off a little party for him.
Fingers crossed.Speaking of birthday parties... I finalized plans for Bria to have a class party and celebrate her "quarter-past-five" birthday on March 1st.. I didn't want to do it in December because it would've been too much right at the holidays and so close to CJ's birthday too. I don't plan to make a habit of class parties.. but Bria has had her heart set on being able to invite the whole class to her birthday since last year and since her class size will only get bigger, I figure it's now or never. Thus, this thing has been in the works since September! It'll be a double celebration with another girl in her preschool class so we can split the costs! (and avoid the type of disaster I wrote about in a previous blog) We've chosen a popular party destination called Pump-It-Up which is basically a big warehouse full of all sorts of moonbounces. Adults can bounce too! ;-) The best part... they do everything for you! You just show up and bring a cake! They'll even supply the cake if you want them to.
Sooo, more fingers crossed that it goes off OK.CJ is FINALLY weaned!!! He was finally ready this weekend and he did great! He half-heartedly cried and protested for about 15 minutes. Then he took the drink of water that I was offering (I learned my lesson about milk at night), demanded his binki, rolled over and went back to sleep. He's only asked for "dee" once since then. Hurray!!! I can eat nuts and sushi and shell fish again!! :-) I had a peanut butter sandwich for breakfast this morning and it tasted great!
Ya know, there's a lot of advice about starting to nurse but not much advice out there on the best time and method to wean. Most books recommend that it be done by 1 year but they don't say HOW. Plus, the middle of the night isn't my favorite time to engage in a battle of the wills. Although they were nursing only at night, neither of my kids were ready to wean at 1 year. I agonized over it with Bria and tried twice before she was ready. Both times it was a disaster with her crying so hard and so long that she'd puke all over me and the bed! Finally, she was ready at 20 mos and I simply told her that "num-num" was old and offered her a bottle of milk instead. She said OK, took the bottle, rolled over and went back to sleep. Just like that. CJ was a bit more stubborn and but he basically did the same thing this week. So, I guess every kid is different but when they're ready, they're ready and it's pretty painless.
