With the big rain a few days ago, the ice disappeared off the lake all at once.  Yay!  Of course right now as I type, there are flurries outside.    But I shouldn't complain too much b/c we have had some lovely weather this week.  Spring is here....for the most part.

And in other 'water' news....Leah is now on Day 4 of wearing big girl "panties".  She is doing great!  No accidents at all during the day...other than a few times of starting a little, and then holding it til we got there.  We even braved AWANA on Wednesday night with no diaper or pullup.  And had no problem!  Last night, she went poo in the toilet too....although that was ambush and coercion on my part.    I knew it was due anytime, and when I walked by her bedroom, glanced at her, and she said "Go 'way"....that's my clue to whisk her to the potty!  She was very afraid the whole time, and seemed to still be a bit shaken up even afterwards.  So funny how some kids are so frightened by that. Johnny was the same way.  SO, I think I'm still going to have to be vigilant in that area....don't think she's over the fear of it yet.  I think this is it.  She's still wetting at night, but has woken up dry from her nap several times.  I know we've had lots of false starts....mainly b/c I've become a very lazy potty trainer.  I want them to know what's expected, be ready and willing, and make it easy on their mom.    It is the cutest thing, though how excited they get at this age.  First thing she does is run tell her dad everything....all the details.  And he milks it for everything it's worth b/c it's the cutest thing when she's all excited and expressive!

Leah: "Daddy, I went poo-poo on the toy-et!!" 

Matt: "You DID?  Leah, you went poo-poo on the toilet??" 

Leah: "YEAH.....I flush it!" 

Matt:  "You DID? You flushed it?" 

Leah:  "YEAH...bye-bye poopoo!   Mommy wipe me!" 

Matt:  "She DID?  Oh, you're such a big girl, Leah!" 

Leah: "YEAH...I a big girl!" 

So cute.  Oh, and the other day she spontaneously wrapped her arms around my neck and said "I WUV you".  And, we were on the way up to her nap too!  She'd never said it spontaneously before, and it took me a minute to figure out what she was saying....but how heartwarming it was.  Now, for some reason she is overwhelmed with love for me while we are sitting on the toilet waiting for her to go.  Quite often, she's sitting there and for no reason flings her arms around my neck and says "I wuv you, mommy".  Maybe she's just really glad for the company? 

I've been meaning to mention that we got new neighbors this winter.  Some of you may remember the last ones and the excitement/disruption that they were in our lives!  This family has 4 kids, the oldest is 13 and down to 8.  They are Christians, have been attending our church somewhat and are the nicest kids!  Now that the weather is getting warmer, the kids have been out more getting to know them.  The 4th grade girl adores babies and lives for the time that Leah wakes from her nap so that she can follow her around the yard and walk her around the block in the stroller.  The other night, she literally walked her around in the stroller for two HOURS!  Man, it's going to be a good summer!  And, they have a 9 mo black lab who Betty loves.  It's such a relief to not feel like I have to be constantly out there supervising like I did with the other neighbor kids.  And, she keeps begging to come in and help me organize the toy room.  Too good to be true?  I guess we'll find out! 

Something kind of funny happened at AWANA Wed night.  I had a flashback to my childhood.  It was balloon night during game time.  And, of course you can't play any group balloon games without at least one where the kids have to sit on the balloon and pop it.  When I was younger (actually...not so young) this type of game struck fear into my heart.  I could not do it.  Hated the thought of doing it.  I remember twice at camp going and hiding in the bathroom so that I would not have to be embarrassed in front of everyone by not being able to sit on the balloon.  So I was chuckling with another mom as they set this game up.  I confessed my past fears, and she asked if I thought it would bother David.  Nope, I said.  Won't bother David or Anna.....it will be Johnny that can't do it.  Even though David has a few uncanny similarities, it is really Johnny who is the most like me of all my kids.  So David's group was downstairs first.  David loved the whole concept.  He had trouble getting his balloon to pop, but not for lack of trying!  Later, the Sparks come down and they start explaining the game.  Once Johnny realizes what he has to do, he turns around and gives me this look of dread, and it was all I could do not to bust out laughing.  He moseys over, and whispers, "Mom I can't do that.  I don't want to do that."  I told him it was OK, he didn't have to.  He looked mortified in spite of my reassurances.  When it came to his turn, he was gone....disappeared.  His game leader looked around, quickly assigned someone else to go in his place.  It was then that I saw him hiding behind the book racks in the libary.  Like mother, like son. 

How does this happen?  (long blog entries)  Yak, yak yak.  I want to write about my new Bible study and about some diet changes we are making.  I just keep pushing it off in favor of daily life.  One of these days.....