Good News & Stress

My life as a single mother is never boring.  It's constantly changing and it's always busy, even when you are just hanging around.  We've been blessed lately with good news...Gracie got into Brighton which has a learning center for children with both special/non special needs.  We've been on the waiting list for a long, long time but we finally got a spot last week.  I cried in making the decision because we really love her teachers where she's at but where she's going she'll have more specialization, more experience with medical kiddos and it's signifiantly less than where she's at (it's subsidized by federal government).  Grace goes there once  week to meet with her early childhood interventionist.  So, I think this whole thing has her a bit out of whack.  She's having problems going to sleep and waking up early and incredibly mean.  We're having a lot more meltdowns.  Time out and taking away things aren't working anymore because she's kicking and hitting in her anger and she doesn't have the language skills to express what she's feeling (and she probably doesn't even know why she's so mad either).  So, I'm doing a holding time in of the count of 30.  Like whe she kicks me I firmly but gently hold her legs and count to 30.  Then when she doesn't immediately kick me I tell her thank you for not kicking me.  I like that.  I always tell her I love her and that I can see that she's angry and upset.  We are working on trying to find the words.  This is more successful that the other strategies, at least at this moment.  I'm finding that I have to not get upset even when she's kicked the heck out of me, slapped me or pulled my hair.  She grabbed a big ol fistful of hair this morning and yanked away when I was alseep.  I don't know if she was totally awake then.  She's started her night/nap terrors for the past couple of days.  It has been pretty tough for me.  I feel emotinally drained sometimes because I'm trying to help her and sometimes I don't feel so successful.  I know it's going to take time but it was just a tough day today.  I was exhausted. 

But,  on a brighter note, she is really progressing on potty training.  She's telling me when she has to go and tonight she's wearing her training panties (not pull ups) and her Muno panties on top of them.  She even went at the restaurant tonight.  I was so proud of her.  I'm also proud of her in Mommy & Me class.  My girl can roll like a hotdog and bear walk like there's no tomorrow.  I think she likes the tumbling part more than the other part.  We might end up trying tumbling class, maybe next year.

Make a Wish called today and they are coming over on Tuesday to interview us about Gracie's wish.  I told them that she loves Elmo, the beach/water and Yo Gabba Gabba. Interesting combo I know.  I've asked Gracie about what she wants and she sometimes will say "I dunno" and shrug her shoulders.  She said tonight she wants Elmo and the Beach trip.  We'll see.  Everytime she sees the promo for the Beaches resort that has Elmo, she gets excited.  So, who knows what'll happen.  Keep your fingers crossed that it'll be a happy wish.