a rocky start

Rachel is enjoying school, but there have been some bumps along the way these first few weeks.  I've requested my first conference with her teacher because of some behavior issues she's having--I've never had to request a conference before, and it's a little daunting.  It's tomorrow morning before school, so we'll see how it goes.  In addition to that, the girl drama I was afraid of has already started, and she's in the middle of it.  I'm doing my best to help her to navigate it and trying to help her choose better friends to play with instead of the ones causing the drama, but it's hard because she wants to play with them, but she's getting hurt in the process.  And I know this is only the beginning, and nothing compared with what is probably to come.  My natural instincts are to tell her not to play with them, but I know this is a lesson she needs to figure out for herself.  Sadly, that means she's going to continue getting hurt before she learns.  The last thing in the world I want is to watch my child get hurt.

Rebecca's having a rocky start, too.  Fussy, fussy, fussy.  She misses her sister and doesn't know what to do with herself, so she either fusses or asks for food (what she does if she's bored).  If we go somewhere in the mornings she's usually happier, and I'm usually happier, too, because she's contained in her car seat, a stroller, or a grocery cart, and busy looking at the things around her, but we don't really need to go somewhere every day.  I find myself thinking up errands I need to run just so we have somewhere to go in the morning. 

My husband's had a rocky few days, too.  Yesterday he locked his keys in his car at work, and realized it right before it was time to come home.  The police came and got him in, so I didn't have to go rescue him (it's a 50 minute drive one-way, so I was really glad I didn't have to drive there in rush hour traffic!).  But then he had another interaction with the police this morning when he got a speeding ticket on his way to work.  Ugh. 

Watching the rest of my family struggle is a struggle for me, too, so I'm having my own rocky start as I try to figure out how to make life better for all of us.  Here's hoping things get easier.

Today's errand is to go get a key made for my husband to keep at work, just in case he locks himself out again.  Solves two problems in one....his and Rebecca's fussiness!  :)  If only Rachel's problems could be solved so easily....