Ring Around the Dosie ... and other quintessential toddler songs

Lydia LOVES music.  I guess that comes from her musical parents who sing and play piano ALL the time.   Her current repertoire includes: "Ring Around the Dosie", "ABC's", "Tinkle Tinkle Little Star", "Row Row Row Boat", and "Jesus Wants Me For a SunBEEP".  I get an especially huge kick out of "Jesus Wants Me for a SunBEEP".  The actual words, if you don't know, are "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam", but for some reason she thought I was saying "Sun ... BEEP", and now I don't bother to correct her because what else would shameless parents have to chuckle at if not for their hapless toddlers?

Seriously though, this girl is growing so much, walking around in high-heeled play shoes, taking care of her stuffed animals and baby dolls and giving the cat unrequited affection.  She is one of the most gentle children I've ever seen, except that when she thinks I am displeased with her, she starts smacking herself on the head.  I HATE when she does this and I cannot figure out why she does it.  Initially I would tell her not to do it (did she listen, NO), then I started telling her to be soft with herself (so then she would stroke her face for a second and go back to hitting).  Now I just ignore the behavior it because I figure what she is after is attention, and so she stops after a few times now.  Still, it's bizarre and I have to wonder as a parent if I did something horribly wrong somewhere along to way to be raising a child with such a taste for inflicting self pain?  Hopefully she'll grow out of it ...

We are also working a little more on potty training, now.  Gradually, but we're working on it.  She LOVES to sit on the potty, especially since I started offered watching "videos" on my phone while she sits.  Anytime I even mention the word potty she responds immediately with "veed-yo??".  She would sit there all day and watch videos, if I let her, but I've had to start limiting our potty-youtube viewing sessions to 10 minutes max each time.  I don't want her brain to turn to mush, after all.  She pees in the potty almost every time after nap, if I can get her out of bed as soon as she wakes up, and she goes about half of the time right before her bath.  Once she gets those two down, we may move to full-on potty training.

And ... I'm so proud of my hubby! This week he passed the second half of his A+ certification test and so he is now fully A+ certified and looking for a job!  Hooray!!  He's been working so hard for the last 3 months, studying and learning to be able to take the test.  He's not sure what he wants to do in the IT field, but A+ certification can get you an entry level tech support job and hopefully he will be able to figure out a more specialized route as he gets some experience.  I know he is relieved to have the test behind him, and he is looking forward to working again.

As for me, I am learning how to juggle.  I never feel like I've got things under control any more, it's fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants for me.  I'm not sure why that is the case, but I think it's all the stuff I have floating around in my brain between being a MOM, my husband being unemployed, and dealing with things related to being Primary President.  Truthfully, now that we have church in the AM, Sunday has become my favorite day of the week.  It's the only day when I can truly rest my brain and focus on my calling and my family (not necessarily in that order).  On Sunday I don't feel like I have to go running off to the store or the gym or do laundry, clean my house, etc. etc.  I'm starting to understand why the Lord made the Sabbath and why he asked us to refrain from doing certain things on that day.  We NEED it!!  We need it more than we need to check things off our to-do list, anyway.  I'm amazed at the clarity that comes when we slow down and take time to feel instead of rushing through and rushing on with life.  Life was meant to be enjoyed, and I'm trying to do that, once step at a time.