Rollercoaster Ride with Raegan...

Funny story:

So Raegan and I have really been trying to work on alternative ways of expressing frustration. Rae's way of expressing frustration is basically throwing a massive fit mixed with yelling and screaming. WOW! So, as I dip in to my senses and try to figure out a way to help her, this is what we came up with. When she feels like she wants to scream her brains out, she needs to tell me. When she tells me, we work through the reasoning behind this awful feeling and try to resolve it. Let's see if this works, with a little help from the 'soap in the mouth' option or the 'time-out' option...I'm really hoping she finds this new option more pleasing.

So, we are driving home on Tuesday, the day after her first day of preschool, and I'm really tired. Raegan had been throwing fits...she was really tired...and my patience was running short. She started catching on to the new concept of telling me when she is frustrated, but it came in the middle of a full force fit and too late to work with. Time-out after time-out after time-out. Anyway, we are driving, and she says: 'mom, I just really feel like I'm gonna scream...' and Im thinking to myself...PLEASE PLEASE NO...no more...please...I don't think I have the patience for ONE more time...but I'm a little shocked in the sense that she has told me this before she has already started screaming and yelling. SO, I muster that last little peice of patience left, and say: 'ok, thank you for telling me that, now can you tell me why you feel like you might scream...' And she says: 'mom, I just feel like I'm gonna scream cause I feel like I'm so excited to go to school again...I just feel like I want to scream.' I really about died. I just started laughing, first...in relief...and second...I know how that feels. So we talk about the feeling to scream for many different reasons and it's a fun feeling to scream when you are excited for something. AHHH, PHEW! Anyway, what a rollercoaster ride! And a fun one this time:)

(Scroll on down for another new post and some really cute pictures)

Rae's big day...

Can you get any cuter? The big ol' smile says it all about her first day of preschool!

Here she is being excused from her very first, and very exciting day of preschool.

Well, I can honestly say that I wasn't sure how I was going to react on this big day. I think I felt just as nervous AND excited as she did. When I dropped her off and walked away after a big hug and kiss, I saw her with her little fingers in her upturned mouth....a sure sign of excited nervousness. I drove away....and i felt weird. Just weird cause I actually have a kid that is preschool age...FOR REAL! Emotional in the sense that she REALLY IS GROWING UP. Then when I got home with Evan, I was walking in circles. I think I was nervous. I called my mom for fear I was going crazy which was a good decision. She was excited to hear that Rae did so well with good bye's and almost more excited for me. I have to say when I got off the phone with her, I was pleased with this new 'quiet' time...even though I still have Evan...it's 'quiet'.

I was really excited to pick her up, and a little nervous then too. Only cause I hoped she enjoyed the whole school thing. If any of you know Raegan, she has has really really really bad seperation anxiety...even up until just recently...so I wasn't sure how she was going to be an hour into 'school'. SHE DID GREAT! And as you can see from her face, she thoroughly enjoyed this new experience. I was giddy when I walked in and saw her turn around with that big smile on her beautiful little face.