hey look, it's a real update!
Is it bad that I have to go back and read my journal to see what I've written about to make sure that I haven't said it already? I suck so much at livejournaling these days. I know I've said that before. ;)
So...what's new?
Let's start with relationship things. Doug and I have been better than ever. We've been communicating more effectively than ever, our sex life is more active than it's been in a long time, and we are just genuinely happier together than we have been for years. I am thrilled that we got through our tough times and that now we are planning to spend the rest of our lives together, officially.
As far as wedding arrangements, we haven't really made them yet. No date, even. I went back and forth deciding between eloping and having an actual wedding, and I came to the conclusion that I really do want a wedding. Nothing big or expensive, but I definitely want a ceremony. The problem with this is, I want to wait until I'm done with school in order to plan it right. Hopefully by then, I'll have a better income to work with as well.
We've also been talking about expanding our family after I complete school. I am super excited about the prospect of a new child. If I didn't have the motivation before to get through school (trust me, I did), I definitely do now. I know it's strange, since I've been all "I'm so done!" for so long, but the bigger my babies get (can I even call them babies anymore?) the more I long for a newborn. One more, just one more. I almost can't wait, but I know I have to.
Speaking of school, I'm doing great in my class. Half of my class dropped, so we have like 10 people in the class. It's weird. I find myself talking more than anyone else. I've been there for every class (attendance is a huge part of the grade, we've gotten extra credit just for showing up). I've gotten an A on every assignment. I got over 100% on both of the tests. I have my final paper written and I am convinced this is an A paper. I feel really good and encouraged about my college path this time. I really screwed myself the first time around, but now that I'm actually, you know, trying, I'm a pretty damn good student.
Over the summer, I'm going to be taking Anatomy & Physiology I. In the fall I'm taking A&PII and Microbiology. I'm hoping to be in the nursing program by Spring 2014, graduating by 2016. Seems so far away, but I know time flies.
The kids are awesome, as always. Amelia is such a sweet girl. She loves making new friends, and she seems to be good at it, too. It warms my heart to see it, since I was never good at befriending people as a child. She does it with ease. People seem to like her automatically, and I'm happy for it. She is almost four and I can't believe it! Four! I've been filling out paper for VPK for next year. Seriously, my little lady....in school! How can it be?! She is SUPER excited about it. She's definitely ready. She loves to learn and she's a little sponge. I do have concerns about how she will listen to teachers (since listening is not her strong suit), but I think she will adjust well. She has a hard time listening, I think, because she is almost always doing what she's supposed to be doing. She doesn't get told what to do too, too often. She's so social and peer oriented, that I think seeing other kids do as they're told will be a good motivator for her to listen, too. Fingers crossed, anyway.
Mr. West has been growing up fast, too! My boy is finally potty trained! It took a couple months for him to finally catch on, but once he got the hang of it, it's been smooth sailing. I started putting him in big boy underwear full time a week and a half ago and he has not had any pee accidents. He did have two poop accidents, though. We put a pullup on at night still, and he has waited for the pullup a couple times to poop, too. Since Saturday, he's done all his poops in the potty, though! I'm hopeful that this is the start of all poops in the potty! He's woken up dry a couple times, but he wakes up wet most of the time, so we'll cross the night training bridge when he's ready. He trained earlier than Amelia, but she was easier to train. It all evens out in the end. Yay, no more diapers!
Weston has been talking like crazy. He talks non-stop, about everything, all the time. He repeats everything, too, including random strangers as they pass by and everyone in between. He's a little parrot, this guy! He sings lots of songs, too. His sense of humor is starting to show, and he's quite the comedian. He likes to say silly things just to get a reaction out of people. He is the king of getting reactions. He is starting to prefer the reaction he gets from humor as opposed to that from annoying someone, so I'm thankful for that. He is still quite the aggravator, though. I'm beginning to think that may never change. ;) His door fascination is still present, but it is getting better. Much better! The running away is still an issue from time to time, but it is improving, too.
I hate that my babies are growing up, but I am so thankful for the outgrowing of bad habits and annoyances.
And for good measure, here are some pictures from the past month:
Sweet Amelia
Weston and his completed potty chart! He was so proud! We have a poo-poo chart now, and I think it's helping!
First time at the spray park this year!
Fun day on the nature trail!
So...what's new?
Let's start with relationship things. Doug and I have been better than ever. We've been communicating more effectively than ever, our sex life is more active than it's been in a long time, and we are just genuinely happier together than we have been for years. I am thrilled that we got through our tough times and that now we are planning to spend the rest of our lives together, officially.
As far as wedding arrangements, we haven't really made them yet. No date, even. I went back and forth deciding between eloping and having an actual wedding, and I came to the conclusion that I really do want a wedding. Nothing big or expensive, but I definitely want a ceremony. The problem with this is, I want to wait until I'm done with school in order to plan it right. Hopefully by then, I'll have a better income to work with as well.
We've also been talking about expanding our family after I complete school. I am super excited about the prospect of a new child. If I didn't have the motivation before to get through school (trust me, I did), I definitely do now. I know it's strange, since I've been all "I'm so done!" for so long, but the bigger my babies get (can I even call them babies anymore?) the more I long for a newborn. One more, just one more. I almost can't wait, but I know I have to.
Speaking of school, I'm doing great in my class. Half of my class dropped, so we have like 10 people in the class. It's weird. I find myself talking more than anyone else. I've been there for every class (attendance is a huge part of the grade, we've gotten extra credit just for showing up). I've gotten an A on every assignment. I got over 100% on both of the tests. I have my final paper written and I am convinced this is an A paper. I feel really good and encouraged about my college path this time. I really screwed myself the first time around, but now that I'm actually, you know, trying, I'm a pretty damn good student.
Over the summer, I'm going to be taking Anatomy & Physiology I. In the fall I'm taking A&PII and Microbiology. I'm hoping to be in the nursing program by Spring 2014, graduating by 2016. Seems so far away, but I know time flies.
The kids are awesome, as always. Amelia is such a sweet girl. She loves making new friends, and she seems to be good at it, too. It warms my heart to see it, since I was never good at befriending people as a child. She does it with ease. People seem to like her automatically, and I'm happy for it. She is almost four and I can't believe it! Four! I've been filling out paper for VPK for next year. Seriously, my little lady....in school! How can it be?! She is SUPER excited about it. She's definitely ready. She loves to learn and she's a little sponge. I do have concerns about how she will listen to teachers (since listening is not her strong suit), but I think she will adjust well. She has a hard time listening, I think, because she is almost always doing what she's supposed to be doing. She doesn't get told what to do too, too often. She's so social and peer oriented, that I think seeing other kids do as they're told will be a good motivator for her to listen, too. Fingers crossed, anyway.
Mr. West has been growing up fast, too! My boy is finally potty trained! It took a couple months for him to finally catch on, but once he got the hang of it, it's been smooth sailing. I started putting him in big boy underwear full time a week and a half ago and he has not had any pee accidents. He did have two poop accidents, though. We put a pullup on at night still, and he has waited for the pullup a couple times to poop, too. Since Saturday, he's done all his poops in the potty, though! I'm hopeful that this is the start of all poops in the potty! He's woken up dry a couple times, but he wakes up wet most of the time, so we'll cross the night training bridge when he's ready. He trained earlier than Amelia, but she was easier to train. It all evens out in the end. Yay, no more diapers!
Weston has been talking like crazy. He talks non-stop, about everything, all the time. He repeats everything, too, including random strangers as they pass by and everyone in between. He's a little parrot, this guy! He sings lots of songs, too. His sense of humor is starting to show, and he's quite the comedian. He likes to say silly things just to get a reaction out of people. He is the king of getting reactions. He is starting to prefer the reaction he gets from humor as opposed to that from annoying someone, so I'm thankful for that. He is still quite the aggravator, though. I'm beginning to think that may never change. ;) His door fascination is still present, but it is getting better. Much better! The running away is still an issue from time to time, but it is improving, too.
I hate that my babies are growing up, but I am so thankful for the outgrowing of bad habits and annoyances.
And for good measure, here are some pictures from the past month:
Sweet Amelia
Weston and his completed potty chart! He was so proud! We have a poo-poo chart now, and I think it's helping!
First time at the spray park this year!
Fun day on the nature trail!