Operation Invest-in-Alathia

Figuring out how to roll cookie dough into small balls!

Yummy! We're so proud of ourselves!

You may be wondering how Operation Invest-in-Alathia is going. It has been really difficult to do anything with her in the last week alone due to the fact that each evening we were attending 5-Day Clubs and it seemed like our days were so full there was never a moment when she was either a.) awake b.) alone and not running around outside with brother or the neighbors or c.) cooperative, not to mention that King Jo was busy this weekend with different things (caving, helping Jorge replace a major car part, caving again) so I didn't have an opportunity to take Ali on a date. I'm hopeful that we will get to do something fun together this week. We did make cookies, which she loved, and Frida enjoyed helping too. Frida and Ali were outside playing and I was supervising them and noticed Frida being naughty so I told Ali to come in and do cookies with me. Frida pleaded to be allowed to help and I wavered for a moment. On the one hand, I know it is one of her VERY FAVORITE things to do and yet I was already tired of dealing with her and didn't want her to spend too much time with Ali. But, you will all be proud of me (!) I put aside my irritability and kindly told her she could help make cookies if she was a good girl in our home instead of sternly ordering her to go home. The girls both had a blast and did wonderfully and I sent her home with a plate of cookies when they were done and told her playtime with Ali was over. *Side note* Later that day we found out Frida had lied to us about something and we were explaining to Ali that lying is wrong and she piped up with, "Frida doesn't get spankings when she lies because her mom doesn't have a spanking spoon!"

Operation Invest-in-Alathia is still very much at the forefront of my mind and though I daily seem to fail in my responses towards her and daily find myself exasperated and at a loss as to how to parent her gently, I continually "get back on the saddle" and beg the Lord for patience and wisdom in this! By the way, why is it that one's spirited kid is PERFECT for everyone else? We went to the dentist for their very first check-up ever today and I was nervous considering how some of our doctor visits have gone. But she laid in the chair perfectly, talked to the dentist like he was an old friend, and kept her mouth wide open the whole time, even when he was busy reaching for other tools and stuff! I was amazed! Jer did the typical one-year old routine of being scared and crying but his check-up was only a minute or two.