French Fry Pie

So this week is going well overall. Charlotte really enjoys the stories we read together and seems to be listening even more attentively. She is still practising printing her name and now is on to learning her phone number too! I figure that's an important thing for her to know and she is learning her numbers at the same time. I think she likes knowing that there's a purpose to it. She also likes to dial numbers for me when I make a call too. It does take a little ( a lot ) longer but that's okay...it's a learning experience right?!
She is also writing a letter to her friend Eunice from Kenya. We are going to send some stickers and some pictures of the family too for Christmas. We have to send things soon as it takes so long to go through the sorting process, translators, etc. so they say to send it a couple months in advance. Hopefully it won't be late.
Along with her schoolwork, Charlotte also seems to be mastering a very quick-witted argumentative dialogue as well. Yep, she's talking back! What???! I thought that didn't happen till she turned 13! And she's got all the great facial expressions to go with it too, the rolling of the eyes, pulling up the eyebrow, and sometimes just looking at me like I'm completely out of my mind...not yet, kid.
I'm trying to keep right on it with consequences right away, but sometimes I end up arguing right along with her, like she's making a good point or something, and I should be defending my position. I remember my mom having a little crafty duck with little ducklings beside it, painted on some piece of wood in our house that read, "Because I'm the mom, that's why!" Yah, I'll have to use that I think. I so understand it now.
Connor is now wearing underwear during the day, except at naptime. Hurray!! I am so excited, but not expecting any miracles. He is going for regular potty times but still doesn't let me know if he needs to go. He will basically hold it for over 4-5 hours before leaving a wet spot somewhere on the floor, but I do think I've seen some progress. And we are going through a lot less daipers!!! I think it'll be awhile but I'm so proud of my little boy. I still see him as my little baby I guess.
For the first couple days putting him in underwear was a little daunting...and frustrating. But I knew he could hold it. Then something happened at the library that made me rethink the whole training timing. I'm checking out books and the librarian says to me "Uh, miss?...your son is licking the door."
And there he was, Connor's licking the exit door like it's tastes like ice cream and on the other side of the door, there's now a small crowd of strangers, probably that just went through the door, squealing and laughing and 'ewwwing' at him on the other side just doing his thing.
Yep, that's my boy, just when I thought I could maybe leave there without some sort of embarrassment or humiliation! After this incident, I thought to myself, "Well I know that he might be physically ready to be potty-trained, but maybe mentally he just isn't quite there yet. That could be it.
So I guess that's all to share tonight as I wind down from a busy day and a great workout with the Tara Fitness ladies and have a hot green tea. I leave you with a little comment by my daughter I thought was kind of funny.
We had Hashbrown Casserole for dinner yesterday and Charlotte is always the first to complain about what's for dinner. So I began to explain what a casserole is and what was in this one...hashbrowns, cheese, onions... and she says "Oh, so like a french fry pie Mom?"
"Huh? Yah, I guess so honey." Cute.