Despite all the IKEA drama of Sunday, Savannah was not deterred from her potty training. She was dry all day yesterday and did well telling us when she had to go...I don't know if we even ask her about it anymore...I think she just tells us. So that of course made me a happy mama.
When I got home, I was craving peanut butter cookies...so I promised Savannah we'd make cookies after dinner. During dinner she kind of pushed food around, but didn't eat a lot. So as I finished up and said I was going to start cookies, she burst into tears thinking she wouldn't get to make them with me...what kind of mom can turn that down...genuine tears?! I immediately picked her up and calmed her down...and we put the Kitchenaid on the island counter, and I sat her down beside it. Each time I added an ingredient, I'd tell her to keep her hands back and I'd turn it on low to mix it in. She loved dumping each item into the bowl and counting with me. It was so delightful to stand in my kitchen, with my daughter, baking cookies. I really, truly hope that is a tradition that never dies.
Carl got home from work just as we were counting out the number of scoops of flour to add in. He was watching us, which made Savannah really excited to show what a big girl she is. So once we'd added the flour, she instantly reached up to turn the mixer on (for the first time ever). Well...the knob that determines the speed of the mixer needs a certain amount of pressure to switch levels...it isn't an easy "push"...so she pushed a little, and when she got no response she pushed hard...before I could get my hand to the knob to help her...and remember we'd just added all that flour...well...then "poof!" my kitchen was a cloud of flour. It was all over the counter, the cookbook, the mixer, my belly, Savannah's pants, my arms...everywhere. I think it scared Savannah a little since it surprised her...but Carl and I just laughed and he ran to get the camera. It was such a fun memory...of course now that we've done this once it won't be funny if it happens repeatedly...but no harm, no foul for the first time! I will treasure that evening for a long time.
At bath time Savannah was decidedly not taking a bath...she was in tears over the idea...she was overtired. I'm amazed that recently I have been able to present her with two options (one of which being the thing she doesn't want to do and the other being a worse choice - such as bed instead of bath) and she ends up calming down and picking the first thing I wanted her to do. She decided a bath wasn't so bad when compared to bedtime...and she splashed and enjoyed her bath as usual...and then got out of her bath all bubbly and happy. Bedtime is so special to me...she gets dressed into warm PJs, brushes her teeth with Dad, and then cuddles with me while we read books together. After books, we pray together. I wish I could pray with the same ability she does...I will say "Thank you for Jesus, Thank you for Mommy & Daddy, etc/" and she pipes in with things like "Thank you for my trains. Thank you for my Lovey. Thank you for my book." She is learning true gratitude for all things, not just ones I remember.
Our cuddle time really is such a special time...I think we've done bedtime together since she was tiny. Carl and I had always planned to switch off nights so that we each would be able to experience it, but Savannah has just preferred me at that time of day...it's our mom and me time...it's quiet and we can snuggle in all cozy...before I got pregnant I used to tell Carl we should work on getting her into a bedtime routine with him, so if I needed to do something with a future baby, I could. But now, I really think I will keep our bedtime routine just as it is...I will do my best to have a content baby to leave with Carl while Savannah and I get our special time together...I just don't want to lose our bond...and as the baby grows up a little, maybe Savannah will be okay with Luke/Ella reading stories and praying with us too.
Another reason I love being a mama? I will get to watch Savannah love a sibling. When we decorated for Christmas, I asked her what it meant...thinking she'd say Santa is coming, or she gets presents, or something a typical two year old says...but no. She said, "Christmas means Baby Luke/Baby Ella is coming!" and began dancing and jumping up and down...I keep telling her that she has to wait until after Christmas for the baby to come...so seeing the decorations must signal to her that it will be soon...I was so happy to see her so excited about a baby coming. We've all kind of wondered how she'll react to the baby actually being here...like she seems to think the baby will remain in my belly forever...like she doesn't grasp that Luke/Ella will come out at some point...so we've been trying to tell her about that. Well, I got home yesterday and she said to me, "Mama, Baby Luke/Baby Ella is going to come out and I'm going to hold it!" and she made her arms in a little cradle and rocked them back and forth...it was darling!
Really, we've been prepping her for the big day's events...knowing it will be a big change. She knows that when we go to the hospital to get Baby Luke/Baby Ella that she will go to Grandma's for a while...and then when the baby is here, Carl gets to hold the baby, then he will go and get Savannah (and NOT reveal gender to anyone), and bring just Savannah back to see us. I'll get to cuddle my sweet Savannah up in my lap and she will be the second person (other than doctors/nurses) to hold her baby brother or sister. We've told her this, and she knows the order. She told Carl that he was going to hold Luke/Ella and then it was her turn....and THEN everyone else can come meet the new little one...but only after we've gotten to enjoy our family of four first - without intrusion! I just want Savannah to feel so included in it all...and I want to share those very special moments with my family before everyone else crowds in. Of course, I know that's all in a perfect world scenario...and things may not go as smoothly as they did when Savannah was born...but I still really want Savannah to be one of the first people to hold her sibling...she's going to have to give up a lot to gain a sibling...so she deserves a special place of honor. :0)
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