We've had some issues with Olivia's girl scout troop lately. They are supposed to meet the second and fourth Monday of each month. The fourth Monday of Jan Olivia was sick and unable to go. She went Feb 12 to the next mtg, and came back with Valentines. No one bothered to call and let us know they were doing a Valentine party. She brought nothing. Nice. We then went to the mtg on Feb 26. A bunch of parents and kids were there, but no leader. She didn't show. We left. No call to explain, nothing. So we went, hoping that there would be a mtg, March 12. One other parent/child showed. No leader. And she hadn't received a call either. We left. I then spent a couple days playing phone tag with our girl scout liasion for the area. I talked with her finally last Thursday, she hadn't heard from anyone else and had spent the two prior days trying to get a hold of our leader after hearing my message, but no luck. She was trying some more and should be calling early this week to let me know what she's found out.

On a brighter note, Olivia had her very first classmate birthday party today. She was a little anxious upon finding out that I wouldn't be staying at the party with her. She's only been to parties of good friends where we are all there together. I assured her that I would stay for a little while with the boys to make sure she felt comfortable, and would only leave when she told me she was ok. She wanted to know who would be there. I told her I had no idea. :) Her entire class was invited, but I knew most wouldn't come.

That's hard when you're in kindergarten and you don't really know most of the kids and their families. Unless you invite the entire class or the whole gender of your child, you can't send invites to the school. Which I understand. What we are going to have a hard time with is that Olivia wants kids from class at her party this year. That would be great, but her birthday is mid August, and even if I did want to invite the whole class, or even all of the girls, she isn't in school at that time. I have no idea how we will accomplish inviting any of her friends. But that's a long time away.

Today, we went to drop off Olivia at the bowling alley for her classmate's party. I don't know this boy, I don't know his family, I was nervous. I am a pretty strict mom, I admit. The fact that the invites were Spongebob was enough to worry me, I know, it's sad. But, I want her to be with her friends. I want her to learn to choose her way in the world. And she wanted to go. Until she found out I'd be leaving.

We went and she was thrilled to see that her best friend from class was there too. I was not thrilled with the fact that I, Olivia's friend's dad, and another parent, brought kids in for the party and the mom didn't even bother to introduce herself or say hi or anything. We stood a few min with her friend and I asked Olivia if she was ok for me to leave. She hugged me so tight, but said she'd be fine. We left. Poor buddy, I didn't see it coming. Braeden's head hung lower and lower as we walked back to the car. Upon reaching it, he wailed "Olivia" and just cried the most pitiful cry. Not sure if he was missing her, or upset that she was at a party with bowling (which they've not done before) and cake without him, but he was not a happy camper. We went home and all three of us took naps - since I'm still way under the weather - and then picked up Olivia. She had a blast! She loved bowling and had a lot of fun. I was so glad.

Tonight, Olivia's sleep walking took a new turn. Not sure how to combat this in the future. I was sitting here at the computer and heard feet upstairs. I didn't here her coming down, so I went up to see what was going on. She had gone in Braeden's room and woken him up. She was crying and said she couldn't find me and was scared. What to do??? She can't just wake the boys up because she wakes in the middle of the night and doesn't see me outside her door. I just don't know. Lock her in her room? I hate to even think of doing that. I'm glad I was awake. But if she did this sometime when I wasn't, what then? What if she went outside??? I need to really think about this... Ideas???

Tomorrow I have to stay home. I am not excited about this in the least. I've already had to use two unpaid days and they came out of my last paycheck. It's costing a lot for me to stay home tomorrow. Why am I? Well...

Our day care provider has been expecting her seventh child. She already has three bio and three adopted children. We've (obviously) known for a while when she was due. A while back, I had not looked yet for someone to watch the kids while she was out, and she suggested a woman who helps her out and picks up Olivia from the bus stop and brings her to day care. The kids know her and she could watch them at our house with her one year old. Perfect. So we set it up, she came to the house and saw it and heard a little about the house rules, etc. The last couple weeks we've known she was close to going into labor and it could be anytime, she was hoping sooner. :) Finally they said they would induce her this Tues. She still could've gone anytime. Today the person who will be watching the kids called me around noon to tell me that the provider had the baby on Sat. Yay! :)

BUT, she said, she has court tomorrow morning and won't be able to watch the kids so I'll need to find someone. HELLO!!! I don't just "have someone!" I don't have family around here I can call! If I "had someone" I wouldn't be using her!!! One afternoon is not enough for me to just randomly call and try to see if someone knows someone who could stay with the kids. Are you kidding me???? SO, because she didn't tell me about this court date when she knew about it and knew that the due date was near and the baby could come anytime, I now have to stay home myself. I'm FURIOUS!!!! I don't have this kind of money just laying around that will now be taken off my next paycheck for this one day. It would've cost less than half of what I'm losing tomorrow to find someone, anyone, to stay with the kids. PLUS, we're in the middle of ISAT. My kids have a test tomorrow. My school is so not going to be happy with me!!! I don't know what they're going to do. Subs technically can't give ISAT. Not happy. It's already going to cost me more during this time with them at home because I'm now buying food for breakfast, lunch, and two snacks a day when they usually eat that at day care. Now I have to come up with this money too??? Not fun.

Tomorrow afternoon Braeden gets screened for preschool. Technically, there's no way he would qualify. Our school social worker thinks he'll qualify just because he was a foster child. I hope he does. It's a good program, and he could really use the structure. He would start in the fall. I'm mostly excited to see what they test him on and what he says/how he does. He is so smart! If he does "get in" he'll have to be potty trained. He's still not close to being ready, but that is already a goal for summer. I'm trying to get him closer, by giving him a conversation heart from Valentine's Day each time he tells me he has poopy pants and I change him. He doesn't even care about being changed. So he is now at least starting to tell me this.

A little example of Braeden: We were reading a book he had chosen last night before bed. I have been trying to work with Olivia on comprehension questions as we read as this is something her teacher has suggested she work on. We started this book No More Monsters for Me about a girl, Minneapolis Simpkin. They had said her name about three times and I stopped the story. I asked Olivia, What was the girl's name? She didn't know. Braeden says, "Minneappaloosa!" Remember, he's addicted to horses, and Appaloosas are his favorites next to Arabians. :) Anyway, then I asked Olivia what the girl and her mother had been arguing about. (The girl had wanted a pet and her mom said no, she then had found a baby monster outside.) Olivia said they were arguing because the girl wanted a monster. Braeden said, "No, a pet!" :) Smart boy.

Not a whole lot else going on, but that's enough I guess. Trying to get through ISAT and this yucky cold. I feel a lot better today, so that's a plus. I also finally signed my life away to get Advil Cold and Sinus which I was told works great. It's one that is kept behind the counter of the pharmacy. When we went to Target today after church to get Olivia's card/gift for the party, I tried to get the medicine. Silly me, didn't think that I'd need my Driver's License for a pkg of medicine, couldn't get it! After the party we stopped at Walgreens and I brought in the License. It took almost five min for her to imput the info from my license for me to then buy the meds! Oh well. It's helping! :)