New Doctor Visit/Sick Days
So it's been a rather germy week around here. We've had two kids (so far) downed by a stomach bug, one kid with a mysterious rash (fortunately, not contagious) and conjunctivitis, and to top it off I have a cold. Prayers that the stomach bug will at least stay away from Daddy and I would be much appreciated.

Thanks to the rash and conjuctivitis, we had two visits to the doctor. Fortunately, I happened to get a recommendation for a doctor from a mom at church the week before, so I had a practice in mind when the medical issues arose. Our new doctor is in a private office instead of a hospital, so we had a discussion about the difference on the way there. There was some anxiety expressed about seeing a new doctor, so we talked about what to expect before we went in. She was so brave! She had no hesitation at all in talking to the nurses and doctors and following their instructions. She's even been good about getting medicine put in her eye--no fun at all.

Of course, with the stomach bug making the rounds we ditched most of our formal lessons and did most of our learning through TV shows and movies the girls chose to watch: SuperWhy (language arts), Leapfrog (math), Color Crew (colors, recognizing what doesn't belong), Pingu (because who doesn't love Swedish claymation?), Madagascar (geography and the food chain discussed at length) and Kung Fu Panda (fun snuggle time with Daddy--a crucial subject).

Potty Training: Take 3
At some point in all of that we also successfully transitioned Goose to underwear! Goose turned 3 recently, and I realized it was going to start getting socially awkward if she wasn't potty trained. After two failed attempts in the last six months, I faced the first day in underwear with trepidation. Apparently, the third time's the charm! We are now a diaper-free household! Hooray! Once again we took this as an opportunity to ditch lessons, and we had lots of fun--we completed puzzles together, played some fun imaginative games (for example, "If you were a [animal], what would you do?"), and danced to a Pandora station based on "I Like to Move It" (because everybody likes to shake it like a lemur, right?)

First New Karate Class
Monkey and Bug were very excited about having their first karate class at their new dojo this week! They've been practicing at home on their own, so we knew they were getting antsy to get back into it. They usually pull Goose into these practice sessions and are good about correcting her techniques. While we're stationed here, they'll be studying seibukan jujutsu. This week they had an introductory class with just the two of them and their new instructor, so they could get acquainted and learn basics like how to bow in and some simple strikes. It's a much smaller school than their last one, and the teachers can pay more attention to improving individual students, so we think it'll be a good fit.

Nice Kitty!
This blurb's more about our cat's learning experience than the girls', but it certainly involves them. Kitty has been terrified of the girls from the day they arrived home from the hospital. Then during our cross-country drive, he was forced to stay in close quarters with them for all those nights in hotels. I noticed he quickly became more at ease around them, and the comfort level stayed once we settled into our new house! In fact, some of his favorite hang outs are on Goose's bed (they've taken several naps together) and on top of the play table (from which he has a great view of the backyard). He always vacates it when they want to use it for their play, but it's more of a "Oh, fine. I'll get out of your way" than a panicked escape.

Showers
The other new thing for the entourage in this house is that it has no bathtub, only a shower. These three girls have had three very different responses to having to take showers now! Bug has decided this a milestone of maturity; she takes this showering thing seriously and wants her privacy while she bathes. Goose absolutely loves it! The first time she took a shower she dashed under the showerhead, shrieking and giggling: "It's like a bath in the rain!" Monkey on the other hand despises the experience. She cried through the whole thing the first couple of times, but she seems to be getting used to the idea.