Taking the Plunge...Maybe the Plunger Too

This week is already starting to prove eventful. The studying hiatus is over and I've placed on a rigid schedule in hopes of taking the exam again Sept. 28th, which means 12 weeks of review. My goal is to get in a minimum of 100 hours of study in before then. Fingers crossed (but not holding my breath - c'mon, 12 weeks?) that this last bit - working hundreds of problems - is all I need now to pass.

Rachel is finally over her cold that she had and is now ambitiously attempting two major tasks with Annalyn: potty training (or housebreaking as I like to call it) and getting rid of the pacifier. To her credit, she has stuck to her guns and Annalyn is already starting to make excellent progress. I don't know how Rachel has the patience to potty train. Come to think of it as I'm writing this, I don't know how my mom had the patience to train me! I'm glad Rachel's willing though. I couldn't handle sitting in the bathroom for 20 minutes at a time waiting, waiting...waiting... Or cleaning up the accidents. She's a trooper to see that it gets done.

Some very wonderful things have quickly started to happen with ditching the pacifier, such as Annalyn eating more, and speaking more! Don't get me wrong, Annalyn is a pretty good eater, but Rachel has had a lot fewer struggles in trying to get her to eat when she isn't interested in eating. The speech has been a lot of fun too. Not only has she been saying words she knows a lot more, she's picking up new words much faster! Even though it seems she's trying to fill her empty, binky-less mouth with anything she can, be it food or words (sometimes her own arm that she sucks on), our little girl is taking her next big step toward growing up.

We went to the farmer's market again this past Saturday and I was reminded why we go. The smell of fresh produce picked after it has ripened, the lively music, the friendly farmers...it's always been worth going, and I always leave so full! Compared to the grocery store, farmer's market food is ambrosia. Rachel cooked up some of the green beans and golden potatoes on Tuesday that we got there and it was as good as any professional could conjure. It reminded me, "Oh yeah, that's right! Food can taste this good!" Rachel is already an accomplished chef, and having high quality ingredients only make each meal that much more exciting.