joy school

Today was Lydia’s first day of “joy school,” a preschool co-op with some moms in my ward. Some moms conceived the idea while we were out of town, and the minute I heard about it I begged to join. They graciously let me.

It was a glorious day, and since we were only going a couple blocks, I took the girls in the “buddy bubble” (i.e., the double jogger). A lovely walk, and a great way to start a day–even though I started on approximately five hours of sleep. (Poor Mary is really struggling this week.)

Cute kids eating snacks before the lesson (this week on circles and the letter "C".
Cute kids eating snacks before the lesson (this week on circles and the letter “C”).

Afterwards, we had a lovely walk back and played with chalk a bit before coming inside for lunch. I put the girls down for quiet time and naps as soon as possible and then passed out on the couch until Mary woke up two hours later. After I got Mary, I went into Lydia’s room to find Lydia sitting on her little potty reading books, singing to herself, and peeing. So proud. (We got tired of the false alarms during quiet time and bed time; Lydia just wanted to get out of her room and kept telling us she needed to go potty when she did not need to. We solved the problem by sticking a potty in her bedroom.)

Lydia never got a nap, and so for the next two hours, both girls took turns throwing fits and being weepy.

I got ambitious with Lydia's waterfall braid and did a double waterfall braid today. Clearly, I need a lot more practice.
Here is Lydia crying that she wants Mary’s stickers (picture two below). On another note, I got ambitious with Lydia’s waterfall braid and did a double waterfall braid today. Clearly, I need a lot more practice.
You might wonder why I can so heartlessly photograph my two year old as she tantrums on the floor. Let me tell you, this girl has stamina. About an hour into her fits, I no longer have the capacity to think or feel authentic emotions, so I just take pictures of her instead. Sometimes, the photo taking even distracts her for the tantrum (not this time, though!)
You might wonder why I can so heartlessly photograph my two year old as she tantrums on the floor. Let me tell you, this girl has stamina. About an hour into her fits, I no longer have the capacity to think or feel authentic emotions, so I just take pictures of her instead. Sometimes, the photo taking even distracts her for the tantrum (not this time, though!).
Mary was so sad from her rash and teething situation that up until five minutes before this picture, I could not put her down unless it was in her crib for a nap. (Translation: I had to pee with Mary on my lap multiple times today. I feel slightly ambivalent about that acrobatic achievement.)
Mary was so sad from her rash and teething situation that up until five minutes before this picture, I could not put her down unless it was in her crib for a nap. (Translation: I had to pee with Mary on my lap multiple times today. I feel slightly ambivalent about that acrobatic achievement.) Doesn’t she just melt your heart, though? Here she is absorbed in peeling Lydia’s potty stickers off of the sticker sheet. I had another sheet of stickers, but Lydia went ballistic  when she saw Mary touching her stickers. Since the stickers were the sole reason Mary let me put her down, I made Lydia share.

And three catch-up photos from yesterday and Monday.

Abe took the girls to Cold Stone while I was at yoga yesterday evening. Lydia clearly loved it. (Mary, not pictured, also loved it. She is ice cream's number one fan.)
Abe took the girls to Cold Stone while I was at yoga yesterday evening. Lydia clearly loved it. (Mary, not pictured, also loved it. She is ice cream’s number one fan.)
We have been giving the girls bubble baths at night. Two weeks ago we realized the "shampoo" we had been using for the past couple months was actually bubble bath. Oops!
We have been giving the girls bubble baths at night. Two weeks ago we realized the “shampoo” we had been using for the past couple months was actually…bubble bath. Oops!
I took a picture of Lydia at the doctor's office because she was so incredibly well-behaved on that outing. As in, she sat in this chair quietly and patiently throughout Mary's entire appointment, and she never whined or complained. I don't even recall her squirming. I was so proud.
I took a picture of Lydia at the doctor’s office because she was so incredibly well-behaved on that outing. As in, she sat in this chair quietly and patiently throughout Mary’s entire appointment, and she never whined or complained once. I don’t even recall her squirming. She is becoming such a well-behaved child–in public. =)

Also, this piece of information is of interest to absolutely no one but me (but it interests me SO highly), my house is impeccably clean right now. Well, only the downstairs and basement are completely sanitized and picked up, but you should have seen the messes before the girls went down. I spent an hour in high gear attacking every mess, and right now I feel…kind of like a rock star? That is so sad, I know. People are dying in Syria and I am congratulating myself on my clean house, but sometimes, home hits closest to home, you know?