birthdays and chasing

Life has been crazy the past couple weeks with birthday and Easter preparations/ celebrations and chasing kids...but here is a little update.


We celebrated Prema's 9th birhday (legal) on Good Friday night. Kyle's parents and the Heuertz clan helped us celebrate. The week before Prema and I had made 3D butterfly invitations so I carried out the theme with a chocolate butterfly cake that cracked after I frosted it. Luckily it was on a piece of cardboard so we folded it back together for pictures and Prema was satisfied with my solution. She got lost of wonderful presents...mostly clothes to fit her new curves.


Eli is officially a toddler. He started walking unsupported at 10 1/2 months old. He is getting more confident and taking bigger steps. He wore his first pair of shoes yesterday; only his Crocs fit his fat feet. He loves the new freedom to roam the outdoors on the grass and cement without having to scrap up his knees. He gets up on the porch ledge and shouts along with mounting a small tittle trike.


Isaac will be turning 3 on Tuesday. He talks and reasons like a 4 or 5 year old. He has been keeping us busy with constant questions (a lot that the knows the answers to also), debates about what really is true (his world of truth is a bit skewed), and trying new lines and actions to get what he wants so as to appear to not be disobeying. He is also constantly still entertaining us with elaborate pretend play of many things related to church, the ice cream truck, football and now some baseball, Bob the builder/ construction, garbage truck, etc. He definitely keeps melting my heart with his cute facial expressions and "mature" body movements.

A Child mind, A Woman's Body

Last night we discovered the news I have dreaded for quite some time. Some mothers and daughters celebrate this day as a time of coming of age. I was still hoping yesterday that I had at least 9 more months until the big day. Prema started her first menstrual cycle yesterday. Its a shock to my system. I am overwhelmed with the possible limitations it may hold, as her body (hormones) tell her to be independent and we still fight for attachment. I fear our expectations for learning will be stifled. I am also just dreading the hygiene issues related to it.

Its an odd thing to have a two year old in mind having a woman's body. Prema, not knowing what it really means, is announcing to everyone its arrival with graphic signs (blood flowing from her vagina). After inserting a pad into her underwear she walked with her legs extremely spread apart. Thankfully her teacher saw the humor in it and helped me to laugh about the situation too.

So now I am back to helping all 3 kids with their bathroom needs; changing diapers, wiping poopy butts, and changing pads. I really hope that Prema will be able to do it on her own within couple of months, but she still can't even brush her teeth herself (coordination problems) so it might be too hopeful for the other.