Regression

Moving always takes a bit of adjustment. I'm thinking Anna is having a hard time with it. She seems to be doing ok but she has regressed with her potty training. It's been three weeks since we came here and another two and a half since Kristen's family went on vacation. So for over a month we've been having issues. I like to think it's getting better but then we have more problems. Basically, if I can get her to sit on the potty she will go but she won't initiate anymore and sometimes when I try to get her to sit on the potty, she doesn't want to. Occasionally, she has accidents but I try to prevent that. We've been using a sticker chart to help her want to go potty but it seems to be losing it's effectiveness. I'm thinking of using candy again to inspire her to let me know when she needs to go rather than me having to prompt. We'll see how this goes.

She has also started to talk more about Brennan and her other cousins. In her prayers she asks that her cousins can come visit. She really doesn't get the idea of them being really far away. I think it's interesting that she didn't bring them up when we first came. We're working on making a book of pictures of everyone so that she can look at them when she wants. Today she helped me choose which pictures she wanted. I'm hoping that helps too.

Another thought I've had is that while we took away all of her friends (essentially) we haven't replaced them with anyone else. Sure, she has gained grandparents, whom she loves greatly, but they aren't the same. I've started looking into moms groups in the area but haven't been able to find anything. There are a few kids in her nursery class at church (which she enjoys, last Sunday she just ran right in) but I don't know yet which of the women go with which kids so it makes it hard to set anything up.

I did take her to the park the other day. She had fun playing there and there were other kids for her to play with, although they were generally older than her. She didn't have a problem with that (sometimes I think she doesn't know she is only two) but I think they did. At one point she came over to me on the bench and said the girls wouldn't play with her. I told her that they just didn't know her and she should ask them her name and tell them hers. I couldn't really tell if it worked but she was happy to go.

I'm hoping that as she has more friends and pictures to look at of her old ones, she will be happier and the potty training will work itself out.