Off to "school"!

Last Tuesday was Miss Felicity's first day of "school"...or, Mother's Day Out, where she is in the Teddy Grahams class. We went to the open house the week before and she was a bit timid at first. We have temporarily (I hope) entered the separation anxiety stage again, so I wasn't sure how it would go. When we drop her off at church she generally only cries at the very beginning and is all smiles after...at least, she's always happy when we pick her up and that's what the teachers tell me. At the open house, once she found the baby doll and the stroller, she was all set...so, I figured she'd do okay. Plus, I think she's type of kiddo that will enjoy all the activities at school.

So the night before I packed up all her princess gear that she had picked out for school:

Lunch included her favorites - peas and fruit, complete with a little note from mama and dada (and a drawing of Foofa) 

 We started the big day with a healthy breakfast of yogurt, milk and banana...

Now, I tried to get some cute shots of her before she headed off to school...

But as you can see, she was not into posing. She was ready to go!

When I picked her up, she was helping the teacher clean. So proud...she must take after her daddy!

 They are studying the color green, the number 1, the letter R and learning about bananas. Here she is showing off her artwork she made with banana peels. Mama and Dada think it is beautiful!

And her official first day report:

Are we ready for this yet??

So for about three months now, when Felicity would go to the bathroom in her diaper, she would start frantically pointing to it and get my attention. I'd ask her if we needed to change her diaper and she'd say yes and head back to her changing table. This was not every single time, mind you, but often enough that it was clear she was annoyed by sitting in a dirty diaper. At the suggestion of some friends and family, I got her a potty about a month ago, but honestly, I just didn't feel up to the task of potty training. She just turned 18 months six days ago, so I was thinking it was too early and between all the house showings and everything, I don't know - I just didn't want to try to tackle this right now.

But this past week she started showing other signs. Now when she needs to poop, she will sneak off into one of the bathrooms and close the door to do her business. If you open the door and try to go in there, she flails her arms, screams "no!" and slams the door in your face. So lovely...

Then earlier this week, she had a dirty diaper and pointed at it letting me know she wanted me to change her. I guess I wasn't fast enough, because I turned around and she had gone and gotten her diaper bag and had pulled out the diapers and wipes. She then preceded to open the wipes and start wiping herself up!

This was the final straw. When I told the other moms in my playgroup, they were like, "you need to potty train her!" So, we started yesterday. I don't even really know what I'm doing. I haven't read any books or anything. Why am I not really looking forward to this? I will take any suggestions on methods that worked! I will say that I am very proud of her for being ready and trying so hard. So far, she's gone in the potty three times and once on the floor. Progress? I guess, but whew....I don't think I'm ready for this.

Grandpa Moss, L-view...and a song

Justin's grandpa, Jack Moss, passed away a few weeks ago. He had battled cancer and liver failure when the Lord finally called him home. He was a true man of faith who lived his life well and left an incredible legacy. Grandpa Moss will be greatly missed.

Justin traveled to Florida for the funeral this past weekend, and although I sent him with a camera, alas, he returned with no photos. While he was there Felicity and I went to Longview so I could help Ryan pack for college (he leaves for SCAD this Friday) and to celebrate my parents' birthdays.

At the birthday dinner...

While there, my brother, Ryan and I recorded a version of the worship song, "How He Loves Me". Ryan arranged, produced and recorded all the music and he and I both did the vocals. He is super talented and I've wanted to record something with him for a long time. I'm so glad we got the chance to hang out before he left. I love doing stuff like this, but don't seem to get the chance very often. We both were in our creative element, so to speak, so if you are looking for an explanation of the attire - that's it. :-) We had the best time.

Ry, you are my creative hero. Thanks for bringing so much beauty to our lives. I can't wait to see the masterpieces you will continue to create. Thank you for always inspiring and encouraging me. I love you so much.