you're my pride and joy, etcetera

I think I can say definitively that Willa is successfully potty-trained. All we had to do was give her an enema and hold her on the potty chair until the strain of withholding became too much. I don't recommend our method, even though it worked. But she has always been so weird about pooping that enemas were nothing new, and I think that takes the trauma factor down a notch or two, doesn't it? She has been a champ, and I am mildly giddy about being done with diapers. I am really into a new phase of motherhood now, and it's exciting to contemplate what the future holds!

Grant and Emmett and Ike are all in soccer right now, and I keep forgetting that spring soccer is a death march.

Grant got his Arrow of Light at pack meeting the other night, and notwithstanding our screaming (me) and sulking (him) match the next day about him stuffing his face with candy instead of cleaning up the chairs, I am proud of him for working so hard to achieve a goal. He's been on fire about basketball ever since he got Jimmer Fever, and it's good to see him pair effort with passion. His behavior in school is always acceptable, and usually great.

Emmett is wonderful and I almost never have to worry about him at school (recess is the problem), and I think his only struggle currently is his lack of integrity when gathering the eggs. We're going to have to really clamp down!

Ike does not apply himself in school, but his tolerance for homework is gradually increasing. He is so sweet and so loving, and most of the time he is very happy. You should see him with the cats and Aggie and the baby goats. I predict he will become an animal hoarder.