Charlie Update

It's been a busy time full of a lot of changes for Charlie. Overall I would say he's doing really well. Here's what Charlie has been up to lately.

• I am so distracted and busy dealing with getting one house sold and the other set up, and taking care of Holly, that the amount of attention he gets from me has changed dramatically. I've been pleasantly surprised by how well he has adjusted to a new school and a new house. We let him pick out which room he wanted in the house and he helped me decorate it. He loves how much more room he has to play and he loves the neighborhood playground. Also, there is a 3-year-old boy that lives next door (woo hoo!) and he has been very excited about having him over to play. It is so adorable and it makes me so happy that he has neighborhood friends!
• Charlie continues to be a very sweet older brother. He does get mad when Holly rolls over to him and pokes at him or takes his toys, but who wouldn't? 
• As usual, although Charlie is sweet and kind and loving, he can also be a very difficult two-year-old and there are days when he goes to time out 5 or 6 times in a row. Lately he has been talking back a lot or talking rudely. That is the reason he usually is sent to time out. 
• We tried the Three Day Potty Training Guide. It was an epic disaster. Basically you are supposed to put the child in underwear and follow them around for three days, catching all of their accidents and directing them to the potty. You are never supposed to ask if they have to go to the bathroom or have them sit on the potty to "try". You just gently remind them to let you know when they have to go. You are not supposed to leave the house at all. Things were going fairly well the first day until Charlie developed a fever and by the second day we had to go to the doctor. He had a an ear infection and was super sick. On top of that, he was holding it in so much that he got horribly constipated and showed signs of a urinary tract infection so we had to go back to the doctor. And then he was upset that we were going back to diapers because he wanted to be a big boy but he didn't want to use the potty. I don't plan to try again for a long, long time. 
• Charlie really likes his new school. He only goes 2 days a week, but it helps his behavior so much! I was so worried about the transition, but we were able to start him at the new school on the first day with all the other kids and he has done really well. There have been a few days where he cries at the beginning of the day, but the teacher says he usually gets over it pretty quickly and then he has a fun day. I love the school because it is just outside of our neighborhood and because the teachers are so attentive. They send little notes home each day to let me know how his day was and what they did that day. Here is the one I got on Tuesday.

• Bulldozers, dump trucks, and all other construction vehicles are Charlie's favorite thing right now. They are building a new road just outside our neighborhood and Charlie always asks to stop and watch the "dozers". He loves to play in the dirt with his toys.