September 29

Remember when I mentioned that Sarah wasn’t feeling well?… She was hit hard last Sunday and barely got out of bed. I took her to the doctor on Monday when she said her ear hurt. She had strep throat and an ear infection. So on Tuesday I took Amy to get checked, even though she only had a mild sore throat. Strep and an ear infection. I had a sore throat too. Strep again. I didn’t realize that a person could have strep and not be taken down like Sarah was. If we didn’t have her diagnosis I wouldn’t have thought to take Amy to the doctor and I certainly wouldn’t have gotten myself checked as early as I did. We are all on antibiotics and are all in good shape now.

Last weekend, I discovered that Amy had helped Sarah with her homework in the way that Sarah’s teachers said someone could help. One page of homework is to write a story and draw a picture. An adult (or sister!) can write the sentence or story first for Sarah to copy. Amy’s handwriting was so neat that I assumed it had been a sitter who wrote it, but Amy’s writing is certainly neater than mine so I don’t know why I equate neatness with adults. The sentence was “I played school with Amy,” written by both girls and then Sarah drew two large smiley faces with hair on the sides of their heads. Amy is such an amazing sister to Sarah. She is so creative as she encourages Sarah to take a bath or brush her teeth or go downstairs. Amy instantly creates a playful scenario or references a show that Sarah likes. I sometimes think to do such things, but Amy does it as a matter of course. If I had a magic wand and could create the perfect sibling for Sarah, I would create Amy. 

Amy really loves Girls On The Run. On Mondays that means tight timing to get to swimming, but we made it! 15 minutes after I picked her up from GOTR, she was in the pool. It helps that at her usual pool I can pull up in front and let her (or both girls) run in while I deal with parking. 

Sarah is not a hand-holder unless she absolutely has to, but she has started holding an arm. I love the feeling of her holding my arm as we walk!!

Yesterday we went through all of the girls’ clothing and filled bags with outgrown items to donate. Then we went to Once Upon a Child to replenish supplies. Sarah needed leggings and long-sleeved shirts and we found many perfect Sarah-ish things. Amy didn’t need much and she handled the discrepancy in the number of new things quite well. Neither child needed pajamas, but Sarah passionately desires new pajamas at all times. She found fleece Minnie pajamas, wearing them as soon as we got home, despite the 80 degree heat. Amy got a pair with cats even though it is almost too small at size 10 (normally she is size 8). Note to all people buying clothes for kids: Carters runs small.

Thank you for the ideas and support last week when things were feeling extra frustrating. This week was better. We had fewer difficult moments and I stayed calmer for those that did happen. While I often tell Sarah she might lose her ipod time if she persists with something, this week there was a time when I did actually take away her future turn. She seemed calmly stunned for a moment. Then she was upset, but not any more so than other times. It turned out to be a moot point because the bus came so early the next day that she wouldn’t have had a turn anyway, but I still think I got the point across a little bit that you can’t spit on the floor in the house.