BIG CHANGES

Our family has gone through some big changes this summer; new house, new ward, new schools.  But one of us has had quite a few changes all of her own.

Summer.

1.  She gave up her SuSu

Anyone who has been around Summer, knows that susu and blanky are really just part of her.  She can't go anywhere without them.  That's why it was heartbreaking trying to break her from her susu.  We tried many times just explaining to her that big girls didn't need a susu or hiding it or bribing her to give it up.  But nothing worked.  Eventually, after reading a ton of stuff online, I decided to try to cut the end off.  We started just cutting a little and it didn't make much difference, then a bit more and a bit more...eventually she had such a little bit to keep in her mouth that I think it made it more work to keep it in than enjoyment from having it.  She then started carrying it instead of putting it in her mouth and eventually lost interest--thank goodness.  A month or so later, she found a whole one in the car and screamed like nothing else when we "lost" it at the park.  Poor girl.  It's so hard to grow up.

2.  She quit using diapers (and pull ups)

I tried potty training a couple times before we moved and Summer just wasn't too interested (she really didn't want to wear underwear) so I didn't push it.  Almost as soon as we moved though, it just clicked.  I just asked everyday if she wanted to wear underwear and eventually she said YES.  That very day, she was potty trained...for going pee.  Poop took a bit longer.  But a couple weeks later she had that too.  Then a week or two later she didn't even need pull ups at night (of course that was right after Mike bought a jumbo pack of pull ups).  Overall, I'd say she was pretty easy.

Nothing cuter than that little bum after it's been in diapers all these years, finally in tiny little underwear:)

3.  She said good bye to her crib.

This one was hard for me.  Summer loved her crib (and so did I) and slept great in it, so I felt no urgency to move her into a bed even after she turned 3.  It wasn't until she started waking up in the night and screaming for me to take her to the potty that I thought maybe she shouldn't be in a crib anymore.  Her crib converts to a toddler bed, so I did that and she was fine.  Slept great the first week or two.  Now she has been getting up and coming in my bed at night, so we need to work on that.

As happy as I've been to watch her progress (and become less work for me;)), these last two tugged at my mommy heart strings just a little.  My baby is headed towards being a big kid.  I saw her the other day just running over to her bed and couldn't believe how much she has grown.

Here she is at the doctor for her 3-year-old check up.  She was such a big girl, answering all the questions and letting the doctor check her.  Luckily she didn't need shots or it might not have gone so well;)  What an amazing, loving,fun, sweet little person she is--we just love her so much!