Catching up

I really hate that I don't make time in general to write down all these mental blog posts that come to mind throughout the day. I just don't prioritize it. Even now I struggle with not getting off the computer RIGHT NOW and going to bed. Still, I think if one more thing happens I will forget darn near all of it and/or my head will explode, so here's a quick catch-up for me:

* this winter has been so incredibly wet and colder than most. I look forward to Spring. And lots of bluebonnets in a month or so :)

* at the beginning of the month Mapi had a performance at school (K kids singing in the PTA meeting). Catherine was sick so she stayed with Mom while I picked up Mapi from school, took her to music class, took her to dinner at Las Palapas and then ran her over to school for the meeting. At the restaurant Mapi read a few words off the menu to me - new skill! A few nights later I gave her a phonics reader she'd never read before and had her read it out loud. She did great, with help from me or Papa, and later admitted that while she'd read before in class at school, it was always "listen to the teacher read the story, remember what she said, then recite it back to her" more than "decode these letters/words and make them into a story for me." So that night was her first "real" book reading :) So exciting!

* we bunked the girls' beds this weekend. Catherine is still sleeping in bed with me, but Mapi LOVES having reign over a little kingdom we call "top bunk."

* Mom and Manuel and I painted the foyer (terracotta) and the dining room (warm beige-khaki) late January. Love it.

* right after painting we fostered a puppy for a week. really sweet puppy. Result: we are not ready to adopt a dog. I am TOO LAZY.

* I am really thinking again about homeschooling Mapi instead of sending her to school. I am also really comfortable with NOT making any decision on that front for several months, now. Don't even need to think about it some days.

* Catherine is starting to become a little more independent re sleeping. She let Manuel put her to sleep twice this past week (one nap, one nighttime), and after throwing a fit in bed and splitting my lip open with her (thrown) SIGG bottle, Catherine is starting to see that maybe we should reconsider our dorming options. She's asked to sleep with her sister, which we accommodate right up to the point where she gets so tired she can't stand change and again insists on sleeping the way she always has...with me. Baby steps.

* Remember that concern about forgetting all the things i wanted to remember to write down here? It's happened. I am officially *done* for tonight. Well, save spell-checking, that is. Lucky you!