As Summer Winds Down...

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end.  This is precisely how I feel about summer at the moment.  Classes start back up for me on Monday and it's back to the grind for until mid December.  It's hard to believe I have a year of law school under my belt already.  It's true what they say, "the days are long but the months and years are short."  The first year of school felt like the longest year of my life, but it also flew by in the blink of an eye. 

Looking back to a year ago, I was full of fear.  I wasn't sure how any of this was going to work.  I was trying to get the house ready to put on the market, I was walking away from my full time job moving to part time and knowing that was only through the end of the year.  I was going back to school after being away for eight years.  I was absolutely terrified.  I was terrified of failing.  Of falling flat on my face.  At 31 years old, I was worried about not fitting in.  Not having anyone to talk to in class.  Being the odd one out because I had a little "life" under my belt. 

Sometimes all you can do is run with that fear and keep going.  Push forward.  You have two choices, sit with your fear or do something with it.  The last year has been hands down the hardest year of my life, but it has also been a year full of growth.  I have learned more about myself as a Christian, a woman, a mom, a friend, a student and as an employee.  There isn't a single aspect of my life that hasn't been impacted by the changes I've seen in this season.  I cried more tears of frustration and of joy this last year because sometimes you just don't have the words. 

There have been struggles and dark days, but there has been a lot of good.  My fears of not having friends at school have been cast away.  I have been surrounded with love and encouragement from an amazing group of people.  The professors and staff members at school have all been amazing and compassionate.  Most days, my faith in humanity is restored by my interactions with these individuals.  I feel immensely blessed for the opportunity to sit and learn every day.  Just don't ask me how blessed I feel when I'm fifty pages in on a constitutional law reading because I might not be as upbeat about the whole thing. 

During my down time over the last month, I have spent a lot of time reflecting.  I had a chance to do some personal reading and really absorb the message.  I've spent some time trying to get inside the mind of a two year old and understand the struggles and frustrations miss Izzy experiences.  She is a child of extremes and continues to challenge me.  I think it's safe to say she and I are both in a season of change and growth right now, but I'm really enjoying our mommy daughter duo! 

I have tried to cram a lot in for us this summer.  We made a trip to the zoo with papa and grandma earlier this month.  We have done some swimming, which is a favorite for Izzy.  We made a speed trip to the State Fair, which was cut short when someone spiked a 104 degree fever.  Bless the EMT's in the first aid station at the fair who confirmed what my mama gut was telling me.  Apparently Izzy acquired her heat intolerance from her mama.  Sorry kiddo!  On the bright side, mine isn't as bad now as it was when I was younger, so lets hope the same holds true for her. 

We still have a lot of activities planned for the fall.  Next month we celebrate Izzy's 3rd birthday.  I'm still trying to come to terms with it.  We have family pictures scheduled for her birthday weekend as well.  Let's hope she wants to cooperate!  We also have harvest and pumpkin patches to look forward to.  We are headed into my favorite time of year, and I am pumped.  Football season is also just around the corner, and that's the best season in my book!  No trips to Green Bay planned this year, maybe a summer trip next year is in order! 

For those wondering how Izzy is doing, she continues to grow physically as well as emotionally and mentally.  Her vocabulary blows my mind.  Her sass sometimes mortifies me.  She is a bundle of energy every day.  If she isn't, you know she's sick.  She is an amazing sleeper and does best when she gets 12-13 hours of sleep per night.  She still is taking a nap (at least at home on the weekends, daycare has a difficult time getting her to sit still for more than a hot minute).  Potty training is something that is on our radar, but not something I think Izzy is fully ready to commit to.  It is definitely going to need to be her idea.  She loves music and dancing and the girl knows how to find a beat!  She loves reading and is quite animated with her storytelling!  She is obsessed with water in pools and fountains.  She is learning to be affectionate both with Maya and with me.  She was never a snuggly baby, so I'm actually enjoying the snuggle time with her.  My biggest growth moment over the summer with her has been to stop and focus on her.  There are nights I end up sitting with her in my lap in the middle of the floor because she has had a meltdown over something and the girl just needs a hug.  I have had to realize that her lashing out and misbehavior is a cry for attention and she deserves my attention. 

I hope you all had a wonderful summer and are enjoying the last days as we roll closer to September. 

Life Lessons Parenting Has Taught Me

I had more to say on this topic than should be crammed into one Facebook post, so of course I took to writing a blog post about it.  I'm in a season of learning and growing and in speaking with friends and family about my struggles and the things I'm learning, I'm comforted by the fact that I'm not the only one feeling these things.  

In Izzy's almost three years of life, I have been stretched in ways I never thought I could be. My limits have been tested, my patience have been pushed.  This weekend was all about some new experiences for Izzy.  Honestly, they were things I hadn't done either.  I'll be the first person to admit I'm not exactly a daring individual.  I have a comfort zone I like to operate within, and I've stuck inside that safety zone for quite a while.  Don't get me wrong, I'll step outside of it if I have to, but it sometimes takes a lot of convincing and pep talks to get me to that point.  I've probably become better at it in the last year.  I guess my thought is if you can completely destroy the foundation your life is built on and start over, the little things shouldn't be that big of a deal.  Still, sometimes they are.  

My fear of doing new things boils down to one overarching theme: I hate not being good at things.  Let's face it, very few people are great at something right out of the gate.  The great football players didn't start out great, they worked to that point.  The great race horses didn't start out winning races, they were worked to that point.  You get where I'm going with this.  That fear though, the fear of not being good and looking ridiculous/letting others see you fail, that's pride.  Pride gets in the way a lot the more I think about it.  I've had to check that pride at the door a lot this last year.  I've had to ask for help because I needed it and because others have offered.  I have had to admit I was wrong, admit defeat and admit others might know more than I do.  My ego has taken some blows, and it hurt.  At the end of the day, I needed it.  I needed those hits to sting a bit.  I needed to be reminded that pride, when it is out of control, is an ugly thing.  I had a conversation with my parents recently about pride and about listening to God.  A recent set of sermons I have heard reminded me that when God is trying to talk to us and we aren't listing, he will subtly try to get our attention and guide us down the right path.  But, when we insist on completely ignoring him, he resorts to alternative methods.  I'm stubborn and it took a lot for him to get my attention.  There was pride in that situation though.. in thinking I knew better.  In thinking I was the one who had the power in control in the situation.  I didn't, I only thought I did.  

So what lessons has parenting taught me lately?  Swallow that pride and push past the anxiety of it.  This weekend, Izzy and I had the chance to get out of town for a quick overnight trip.  We had the chance to ride 4 wheelers.  Before you ask yourselves the question, no, I have never been on a 4 wheeler.  My dad bought me a go kart when I was younger, and that is the closest I have been.  Obviously I drive a car, but I have always driven automatics. I don't know how to drive a stick shift.  It's on my bucket list.  Mostly because I some day hope to own a classic muscle car, so driving a stick is kind of a must.  I'm a bit of a traditionalist or old soul in that sense and think that some skills shouldn't die.  Much like writing checks and learning cursive.

Back to the lesson... Izzy was absolutely not riding the 4 wheeler unless I was the one driving.  There I was, literally terrified to get on the thing like it was going to bite me.  I stood there looking at her and I thought to myself... I have two options right now: walk away, or suck up my pride and my fear and show my child it's ok to try new things that we are afraid of.  So, I got on and made a short loop.  Before long, Izzy decided she wanted to jump on too.  And you know what, we both loved it.  Before long, neither one of us wanted to get off.  Parenting is sometimes about putting our own fears aside and showing your kids it's ok to step outside their comfort zones once in a while.  That's how we grow.  

Mid-Summer Updates

Listen, I know it's technically beyond the mid-summer point, but please  let me continue to think it's not.  I just wrapped up my summer class last week, and now I finally feel like I can enjoy what's left of summer.  I have been knee deep in work, class and trying to enjoy every minute of summer I can. 

Izzy and I have had a great summer so far.  We hit a couple of parades for the 4th of July and Summerfest back in the home town.  Izzy loved watching grandma in the 4th of July parade and seeing all the tractors and fire trucks! 

She took swim lessons for the first time this summer.  Unfortunately, I think we hit the coldest week of the summer, so she missed one of the days due to weather.  I was nervous putting her in a structured swim class, but she did alright.  This kid just loves playing in the water!   

We still have lots left on the books for this summer.  We hope to hit the zoo with papa and grandma this coming weekend.  Next week is the Iowa State Fair parade, which should be another fun experience for her.  I also hope to get her to the State Fair at some point.  She hasn't been since she was a baby.  Although, as I tell her nightly, she will always be my baby! 

We are in the throws of toddler-hood.  Man, it's fun.... said no parent ever!!! Full on tantrums over the wrong cup, the wrong shirt, the wrong look... you name it, she can throw a fit over it.  Some days I wonder if this stage or pre-teen/teen will be worse.  Talk to me 10 years from now and I might have a different outlook on the situation. 

Izzy had her second dentist appointment earlier this month.  I didn't think the first trip went well, but the second was terrible.  She screamed from the time she got in the chair.  It was loads of fun... kidding... it was awful.  I don't know what her issue was. She locked her jaw and wanted nothing to do with the dentist looking at her teeth.  She isn't a huge fan of brushing her teeth, but I tell her it isn't really an option and most nights I end up brushing her teeth for her after she gets done sucking all the water off the brush. 

Our latest and greatest battle is cutting out the bottle.  Judge all you want, the kid loved her milk in a bottle at bedtime. Finally this last weekend I told her it was gone.  It was hard for mama to cut the tie too and admit she isn't a baby anymore.  I don't really want to admit she is going to be three in two months. 

Daycare works with her on potty training, but I still haven't taken on that task yet at home.  She does a pretty good job of telling us when she is wet or dirty, but she hasn't taken a huge interest in the idea of potty training with any consistency.  She's stubborn like her mama, and I think the whole this is going to have to be on her time and be her idea.  Now that I'm done with class, we might try and tackle this mountain before I start class again in a month. I'm still looking for my patience pants in the back of my closet though...

She got her second haircut in May.  She did a pretty good job sitting 

still for the most part.  Might have something to do with the 

20 suckers we had to bribe her with! 

Just a quick glimpse into our summer so far! 

I continue to be amazed with the things she is learning.  She and I have regular conversations about her day and we are really working on understanding feelings and appropriately expressing them at the moment.  I'm trying to help her understand we don't get to throw things and hit people when we are frustrated or upset.  I have discovered sometimes she just needs a hug from mama.  Don't we all!  She has never been a snuggler, but more and more when she is acting out I'm reminding myself to stop what I'm doing and listen to what she's trying to tell me.  It's hard on the days I feel like going a hundred different directions, but she deserves my attention.  

I'm excited to enjoy what's left of summer before classes start.  It's hard to believe I have one year of law school under my belt.  It wasn't easy.  It really wasn't easy with a toddler, the divorce, selling the house, and moving.  But, that is all behind us now.  This last year has been a year of a lot of tears, a lot of struggle, but a lot of growth.  A lot of joy and a lot more laughter.  I'm at peace with my current path and I see that reflected in Izzy and honestly even in good old Maya!  

I hope everyone is enjoying summer and finding things to be thankful for through the ups and downs of life.  

A Year Can Seem Like A Lifetime

I know I have basically been off the grid since the end of 2018.  Classes started, the house sold, we moved, I changed jobs, life got crazy.  It's funny how sometimes a year can seem like forever, but when you look back on the things that have happened in a year you realize just how much can change in a relatively short period of time.  A year ago I was wrapping my mind around going to law school in the fall; I told my full time employer, whom I loved working for, that I was leaving to pursue a dream.  A year ago, I was struggling with a lot of personal demons. Most importantly for my personal growth, I walked back into church.    

As I reflect back on the last year (it's my birthday in a few weeks, which always seems to be a time of reflection for me), I am struck by a couple of things: life changes, and it can change quickly.  It really does take a village. Perhaps most important for me has been the realization that only I could make the decision to end the war with myself.  Some days I feel like I swallowed a philosophy book or some sort of counselors guide to turning your attitude around.  It's a lot of self reflection, growth and also a lot of humility and the understanding there is something greater than you.  

I have to be honest, there have been a lot of tears over the last six months.  As I open up parts of me I had closed off and allow myself to really feel again, I'm reminded what a truly emotional person I am at times.  I'm not sure when society as a whole got so stuck on not talking about emotions or experiencing emotions.  Social norms teach us to stuff things down.  Dry your tears and hold your head up.  The only thing that got me was a lot of pent up anger and resentment.  It oozed into my work life, my home life and everyday life.  I was mad at everyone and everything, and I was mad at myself for being so mad all the time.  It was a cycle and I was stuck.  

I'll be honest, there are days I don't want to crawl out of bed.  I want to pull the covers up and pretend the world isn't there; that my responsibilities aren't there.  However, I'm not twenty-two anymore and  there are people depending on me.  On the days I really struggle and think about everything I don't want to do, I count my blessings twice.  I just finished my first year of law school.  It's a goal I've had for many years and I'm doing it.  I may not be at the top of my class; I never thought I would be.  That was never a goal of mine.  I do, however, feel blessed and privileged to sit in the classroom five days each week and learn from some of the best and brightest.  I've had several people ask me since I started school how I do it.  My answer is always the same, "I just do." Don't think, just do.  Fear; it drives so much of what we do and don't do.  Have I been afraid?  Ummmmm YES.  How could I not be?  Fear and self doubt, negative self talk they all come from the same place.  Fear can be motivating, but it can also absolutely restrain you.  I think of phrases like "trust and God will provide" "have faith and He will move mountains." I always thought that was an excuse to sit back and wait for life to happen because God was in control.  With a lot of reflection and some growth over the last few months, I've realized that isn't a pass for you to take a backseat to your life.  God is in control, but you have to actively participate.  A lot of what I have figured out is that I need to stop slamming my head into the same wall.  If God puts the wall there, it's probably for a reason.  It's when I think I know better that I encounter pain and turmoil.  That's not to say that everything in life is going to be easy.  There will be struggles and I get that.  But sometimes if a door won't open for you, there is a reason.  

I'm at a place in my life where it's all about view.  When I wake up each morning, it's all about how I decide to view things that day.  I'm beyond blessed to be able to pursue my passion and my dream and go to law school.  I'm blessed to have a support network cheering me on along the way.  As I drove away from campus after my last final this week, I had tears pouring down my face.  Law school may be my dream and my goal, but there are a ton of people helping me achieve it.  My classmates have been amazing.  I was terrified to go back to school.  I didn't know who I was going to talk to or if I would be the odd ball because I was older than most and had a kid.  I've found a great group of friends who encourage me and commiserate with me and I truly am thankful for each of them.  The amount of love and support from my friends outside of school and my family has brought me to tears more than once.  When I'm heading into finals and I'm tired and running on straight coffee and get that "you got this" text, it means the world to me.  Everyone deserves to have that kind of support in their life.  

Thirty-one has been a year I certainly won't forget.  It was filled with highs and many lows.  It was the year that broke me and the year that rebuilt me.  I've seen the destruction of relationships and the forming of new ones.  I walked away from a job I loved, but knew wasn't my true passion.  I've had to admit defeat many times this year and as someone who likes being in control, that is hard to do.  I had to swallow my pride and my "me do" attitude.  Because frankly, "me can't do it all." 

Throughout it all, I can honestly say I'm in the best space I've been in.  Life is yours to live.  It is what you make of it.  It's too short to be miserable or feel stuck.  Ultimately, are only limited by your fear of making that leap.  Yes, you will fall and you will fail.  There is growth in failure; embrace it. 

I am taking a summer class starting in a few weeks, but I hope to finally get caught up on some blogging.  Izzy is... a toddler!  I love her to the ends of the earth and back, but man that girl knows how to drive me crazy!  She's on the go constantly just like always.  I'm really looking forward to a good summer with her.  We don't have anything super exciting planned, but  I hope to get her out and about as much as possible: farmers market, art festival, she has swimming lessons with dad in June, maybe a trip to the Omaha zoo later this summer, pool time.... it's been a long winter being stuck inside!  

End Of Year Updates

If you are reading this, you are probably noticing some changes on the blog.  If you have been reading throughout the summer, you may have noticed some more subtle changes over the last few months.  2018 has been a year filled with many changes, many of which I have kept to myself.

For those who have noticed the lack of "family" postings, there is a reason.  Andrew and I separated over the summer and our divorce will be final just after the first of the year.  It was not a decision that was reached lightly, however it was the decision that was best for our family.  No, I'm not going to get into the details.  If you see us and would like to ask for additional information, we will each share what we feel comfortable sharing. 

As you might have seen from Facebook, the house is on the market.  With the market slowing down right now, we haven't had any bites on it.  I'm hopeful after the first of the year the market will pick up and we will get it sold.  It's been a blessing in disguise to not battle moving during the semester and to keep Izzy's life a normal as possible.  Once our house is sold, my hope is to purchase another home for Izzy and I. 

I finished up my first semester of law school this week.  It was as much work as I expected, but I'm proud of myself for keeping up with it.  I would not have made it through without a lot of help from friends and family.  A huge thank you to my parents for taking Izzy for the day on the weekends I had assignments due or tests to study for.  I have some amazing classmates and friends who kept me in check and kept me going.  A few in particular saved my butt more than once!  It was a bit of an adjustment to be back in school again.  I definitely had to adjust my study style.  Things are a little different now than they were eight years ago when I finished my undergrad education.  I'm now enjoying a little rest and relaxation.  It was an odd feeling putting Izzy to bed this week knowing I had no reading to do after she went to sleep!  Classes don't start again until January 22nd.  My goal is to relax through the end of the year and after the first of the year re-group and come up with a plan for next semester.  So much of the first semester of law school was figuring out how to make it through the next two and a half years, and now I feel like I have a better handle on it. 

Izzy continues to be a very busy toddler.  We have had a busy fall with a trip to the pumpkin patch, her baptism, Thanksgiving, and of course a daily dose of sass.  Her personality continues to develop daily; she really is a great mix of both Andrew and I.  I think we are going to have quite the daredevil on our hands!  Her vocabulary is certainly expanding and I have had to monitor some of the things I say.  I try not to burst out laughing when phrases like "oh my gosh" comes out of her mouth.  Sometimes I just have to look away from her to regain my composure.  She brings me so much joy.  Yes, sometimes (daily) she pushes me to my limits, but I love that little turkey to pieces.  Her laughter is the best sound.  Hearing her scream "mommy" as she runs across the room when I pick her up from daycare makes my heart explode! 

Izzy had her first trip to the dentist in October.  She wasn't a huge fan, but we did manage to survive the trip.  She has actually been much better recently about letting me brush her teeth, so I'm glad I don't have to battle that every day now.  At the time of her appointment, her two year molars were coming in, which explained a lot about her attitude at that point.  Honestly though, I think we got pretty lucky will all of her teeth coming through.  I don't ever remember it being overwhelmingly terrible. 

Izzy was baptized at our church in October.  I was reminded why most people baptize children when they are babies.... patience was not on the top of the list that day.  But, she certainly was entertaining.  Pictures weren't easy to capture; she had reached the end of her rope by the time the service was over!  The picture below accurately captures the wild look in her eye as she was waving the candle around and attempting to (and in some cases succeeding at) hitting people with it. 

I haven't measured her or weighed her recently, but I don't think her height has changed a ton since her last checkup in October.  She is still in 2T and 3T clothes.  She does have some 24 month pants.  3T pants would probably fall off of her.  Although in shirts and dresses, 3T is what I go with most of the time.  Hello long torso!  She has the permanent belly shirt issue much like I remember having.  She is still in size 7 shoes, but there are still some size 6 shoes she can wear.  It amazes and annoys me how much variation there is in sizing for kids clothing and shoes. 

I'm looking forward to spending some down time with Izzy over the next couple of weeks (perhaps in our new matching Harry Potter pajamas) now that I'm not totally stressed about classes.  I'm back to "just working" while I'm on break from school.  I really do feel beyond grateful and blessed for the opportunities I have had this year.  Even on the hardest days, I pinch myself and realize I'm going after a dream I have had for many years.  It isn't easy, and there are many days I seriously question my sanity in all of it, but the best way to get through it is to keep going.  At the end of the day, I remind myself that I'm teaching Izzy to not give up and to always go after your dreams even when it feels like everything is pushing against you.   

2 Year Update

Yup, we have a two year old on our hands.  And man, are we knee deep in two year tantrums.  Tantrums over the wrong snack, the wrong sippy cup, the wrong book... generally speaking, a tantrum can happen at any time over any issue.  It's not all doom and gloom though.  While Izzy does a great job of testing my patience almost daily, I wouldn't trade it for the world.  Some days I might trade it for five minutes of peace when she has been imitating a tornado siren for 15 minutes while flinging herself on the floor!

I realize this post is several weeks behind her actual birthday, but life happens.  The last month has been intense.  I had midterms for one of my classes and a large writing assignment due right around her birthday, so that took priority for a minute. 

We just went in this week for our big two year checkup, so we are officially weighing in at 31 lbs (it took some doing to get her to even stand on the scale).  She is measuring right at 3 ft tall.  Still in the 90 + percentile for both height and weight.  She is in size 2t and 3t clothes.  2t pants and 2t and 3t shirts depending on the length.  Hello long torso (sorry kid, you get that from both mom and dad).  I thought she was going to be in size 6 for shoes this fall.  WRONG!! She pretty much jumped from size 5 to size 7 over the summer.  It's harder to tell in sandals, but when I went to buy her tennis shoes for the fall and winter, I realized her feet had grown more than I thought.  Needless to say, there were a couple pairs of shoes that she never wore.  She is still solidly in size 5 diapers.  Daycare is working with her on potty training, and she tells us now when she needs a diaper change.  Progress, but we aren't forcing the issue at home either. 

She is a chatter box from the minute she wakes up until the minute she passes out at night.  Her vocabulary has grown leaps and bounds over the last several months.  She is counting to ten, knows her ABC's (for the most part), is pretty solid on her colors, knows most of the primary body parts and some of the more obscure ones like eyebrows. 

Her personality continues to shine through more and more each day.  She has never really been overly affectionate, but she's big into mommy snuggles right now.  Some days when I feel like a punching bag to the adult world, there is no better feeling than a big hug from Izzy.  She reminds me often to stop and breathe.  She's quite observant of people and will often come hug my leg when I'm stressing over something.  Note to self, you may think you're holding it together, but kids are more observant than we give them credit for; even at a young age. 

Some of her favorite things are: being outside, jumping off of things, books, coloring, stickers, balloons, fruit snacks (just got a lecture on that from the dentist this week), water, owls, Elmo, and music.  Not so favorite things: brushing teeth, being told no, and sitting down to eat a meal. 

Even though school has kept me busy, I try and make sure we are getting out and about on the weekends. We were able to get two year photos done in September.  It may have taken us two weekends to get them done thanks to a rainstorm, but I think the end result on both accounts was great!  I can't say enough great things about Chelsea Kyaw Photo.  She was amazing to work with and I love how all our photos turned out!  I can't wait to get them printed and up on the walls. 

Looking ahead to the next few weeks (since we are that close to the end of October), we still have a busy couple of weeks.  I'm excited for Halloween fun with Izzy this year, including carving pumpkins from our trip to the pumpkin patch this last weekend. 

23 Months Old

One more month... one more month until we hit the terrible twos!  I look back at pictures from a year ago and can't believe how much Izzy has changed.  Last year she was just starting to walk and she wasn't really talking.  Now she's a walking, talking machine.  

She's holding at 30 lbs; she feels like quite the load when I pick her up.  She's right around 36 inches tall; once again on upper end of the range for her age.  She's in size five diapers still; have I mentioned I'll be glad when those are a thing of the past?  She's holding pretty firm at 2T clothes.  Some pants she still wears 24 months in.  I have a feeling we might run into issues with pants for her this fall.  Some of the 2T shorts she has are too big in the waist, and end up being around her butt by the end of the day.  I'm guessing 24 month pants are going to be too short for her this fall, so we might have some pant falling down issues.  We've already encountered issues with dresses being too short... even though it's her diaper sticking out the bottom of dresses, we don't need to start that trend now.  

Izzy's amassing quite the shoe collection.  She ranges between sizes five and six for shoes.  Size six shoes are a little too big still, but she has some awesome size 6 boots to wear this fall!  This weekend, we are getting her two year pictures taken, and I'm totally excited!  Although, I really hope she cooperates a little better than she did with her first year pictures.  In her defense, we took those photos the day after getting back from vacation last year and she had been stuck in the car a lot, had too much fruit (hello upset tummy), and was working on a couple of teeth.  This year, we are only working on a couple of molars that have so far been a non issue.  Fingers crossed the happy Izzy shows up for photos! 

This girl loves music and loves to dance.  She isn't afraid to get her grove on and shake her booty.  She cracks me up; she can't sit still when a good beat comes on.  I often see her wiggling in her car seat while we are driving.  She also always has a book in her hands.  She loves to have me read to her, but she's starting to get particular about reading her own stories too.  Most nights when I pick her up from daycare, she sitting in the corner reading.  Speaking of daycare, she is doing quite well.  Now that summer is over, they are getting back to a curriculum.  Although she isn't in preschool yet, they are working with her the basics like numbers, letters and colors.  The other night she blew me away when she counted to three unprompted.  She still gets her colors confused, but she's cute when she shows me a red leaf and tells me it's purple.  They have also been working on potty training at daycare.  I'm not pushing the matter at home just yet.  As she becomes more aware of the concept, however, she has started announcing whenever anyone goes to the bathroom, so that's fun!  If you come over, prepare to have it announced when you go to the bathroom... you've been warned.   

I finally got Izzy's first dental appointment on the books.  Better late than never.  It's still a battle to brush her teeth, so I'm hoping the dentists office isn't totally traumatizing.  Luckily, the appointment isn't until October, so we have a little while to prepare.  Now that we are rounding the corner into September, I'm looking forward to all the fun fall things with Izzy in the coming months.  Hopefully we will enjoy another trip to the pumpkin patch in October, and some trick r treating at Living History Farms.  I hope we make it out to do some apple picking this fall too.  

Things at the house got a little crazy two weeks ago when my law school classes started.  I'm busy, but it's a good kind of busy.  I love being back in the classroom.  I love the mental exercise; I love the challenge.  The days are long with all the readings and trying to get time in with Izzy while putting in as much time at work as possible, but I wouldn't trade it.  I'm beyond grateful for the opportunity I have to chase a long time dream.  I know Izzy wont remember the long nights and the stacks of books covering the house.  Hopefully what she does remember is  mommy loves her and made time for her and to always chase your dreams even when the path isn't clear.