FINALLY

When Megan was about two and a half, I thought: hmmm…maybe I’ll start doing some toilet training. Little did I know that because of Megan’s very unique learning style, toilet training would be one of the most difficult things we would EVER have to do.

This photo was taken in April of 2009 after trying to convince Megan to just sit on the toilet: fully clothed with a diaper on:

In May of 2009, I met a woman who had a son a lot like Megan. She is the woman who first introduced me to hyperlexia (which I blogged about: here). While chatting with her, I asked her about potty training. Megan was almost three at this time, and I had been trying for six months to figure out a way to get her toilet trained. The woman’s eyes darkened and her face fell. “Potty training” she said, “is the reason I will not have more children”. She went on to tell me how difficult it was to find something that worked for her son. I actually walked away from the conversation feeling more hopeful than I had in six months. There was a reason why Megan was struggling, but she would eventually overcome it.

It was hard to keep that perspective however, for the months and year ahead. We have definitely taken breaks over the last two years, waiting for when “she was ready”, but even though she gave every sign that she was totally ready, she still was untrainable. It has been SO DIFFICULT.

In the last few days, however, something has FINALLY clicked and she’s got it down pat. No problem. She finally used the toilet on Friday of last week and has not had a single accident since then. She doesn’t even tell me when she has to go. She just goes. It.Has.Been.AWESOME.

Adam and I have been praying that she might be trained in time to start preschool in September. I did NOT think it would happen. If you would have told me on Thursday of last week that she would be completely potty trained within a matter of days I wouldn’t have believed it one bit. Though cutting it close…our prayers have been answered. We turned in her preschool application two days ago. She still needs to be accepted, but she will probably be starting preschool in two weeks. I can hardly believe it.

Megan has never been officially diagnosed with hyperlexia, but I’ve done a great deal of research about it, and much of it fits her. The reason why I didn’t want her to be diagnosed is because it falls on the autism spectrum. Children with hyperlexia tend to grow out of it around ages 4 and 5, and I didn’t want Megan to wear a label for the rest of her life for something she struggled with only in childhood. She turned four two months ago and the changes in her are IMMENSE.

I have always considered Megan to be a genius with some delays and struggles. Slowly, one by one, those issues are dissolving away. Pretty soon she will be just a plain old genius. 🙂

Only 4 more months…122 more days…17 more weeks…

Wait? Haven’t I given a post that title before?

I decided that it’s time to post another photo. This time, I went back to compare how I looked at this point with Jack. For fun, I took it one step further and decided to wear the same thing I was wearing then.

23 Weeks With Jack

23 Weeks With Boy Dos

I’m now twenty-three weeks pregnant. I continue to feel like the time is going pretty fast. We’ve all heard it a million times; women saying that the pregnancy goes so slow and then the time with the newborn babe goes too fast. I’m really hoping I might be the one exception!

I feel pretty good. There are times that my back acts up, but nothing compared to Jack’s pregnancy. Lately I have been pretty happy. I love walking past my reflection and seeing my pregnancy figure. I’ve admitted that I have gained more weight than I should, but it’s less then I have in the past, and for the most part, I feel strong and healthy.

Megan has been so sweet with this pregnancy. When I was pregnant with Jack she had no clue what was going on, nor did she really care. This time she loves to talk and sing to her brother. She talks about our baby all the time. She makes silly jokes about him and gives him silly names. She told me recently that she hopes that our baby is born on his due date, because it is the day of the Winter Solstice and first day of Winter. She sure keeps us on our toes. I am excited to see how she interacts with her brother when he arrives.

I never grow tired of feeling my little guy kicking and moving. I am anxious to start getting his room ready, but we will probably wait until I am a little further along…no reason to rush anything!

Well, that’s our little update. We are all happy, healthy, and feeling extremely blessed!

The Seven Days of Summer

Early last month, Adam came home from work and asked me if I wanted my birthday present early. Little known fact about me: I always want my birthday presents early. Who doesn’t?? Adam, that’s who. In fact, whenever it is a gift giving season (birthday, anniversary, Christmas, etc.) I always ask Adam if he wants his gifts as soon as I have them ready. He always says no. I always ask if I can open my presents early and he always says…no. So when he asked me if I wanted my present several weeks in advance, at first I thought he was just being mean. But then I remembered that he’s never mean. So of course I got excited and said yes and was anxious to know what he had in store for me.

So then Adam told me that he and his parents wanted to combine forces (and money and love) to buy Megan, Adam, and myself season passes to Seven Peaks. I thought this was an awesome idea, and was totally thrilled. Since that night, Megan and I have spent at least three days a week at Seven Peaks, and Adam has been able to join us more often then expected. It has been such a wonderful treat for all of us, and probably ranks up there with some of the best birthday presents I have ever gotten.

Megan has LOVED our trips to Seven Peaks. I don’t know what we did every day before we had the passes, and I don’t know what we are going to do once the season ends…but in the meantime…it has been a great Summer activity. Thanks Mom and Dad Johanson!! Happy Birthday to me…over and over and over again!!!

I’ve Got the Blues

Megan looks a lot like her mom (that’s me).

From the day of her birth, I have heard over and over again that she is a little miniature me. It is something that I love hearing. I always took it as the ultimate compliment…who wouldn’t want to be likened unto such a beauty (Megan being the beauty)???

With time, however, she has come to resemble her daddy more and more. She still looks like me – a lot – but as she has grown older, we can see more of Adam in her. I don’t mind it. She just gets more and more gorgeous, so I don’t care from whom she gets what trait (although, it would be nice to be able to take all the credit!!).

One thing, however, that I hoped I would pass on to Megan is my eye color. I have always loved having blue eyes, so I was delighted to discover that Megan was born with the most beautiful blue eyes, and they stayed that way for several years. Not too long ago, however, Adam noticed that her eyes were looking less and less blue and more and more green…like his. I refused to believe it!! I LOVED her blue eyes!!

I have finally decided that I can deny it no longer…Megan’s eyes are no longer blue. Of course, they are still strikingly beautiful, just.like.her…But they are a strikingly beautiful green instead of blue.

I’m still told that she looks just like me. And I still love hearing it. I’ll miss seeing my eyes mirrored in her own. But I wouldn’t change one thing about her. She’s just too beautiful.

Peace, Be Still

In the book of Mark, chapter 4, Mark writes about journeying across the Sea of Galilee in the midst of a storm. As the Savior slept, the disciples grew more and more wary and indeed feared that they would perish. They awoke the Savior who immediately calmed the storms of the sea. He then said to His disciples:

“Why are ye so fearful? How is that you have no faith?”

I’ve been thinking a lot about faith, and the thought that keeps pressing itself on my heart and mind is that I can not have the faith that I proclaim to have while harboring such strong feelings of fear and trepidation. From the beginning of this pregnancy, I have been very happy, but I have also been very fearful. I have feared the worst, that my baby would be born sick and would die. But why? Why am I forgetting to have faith and trust in God? Why am I allowing darkness and despair to unnecessarily creep into my life and dictate my happiness? Why am I not fully appreciating the blessing and miracle that God has bestowed upon me?

I’ve decided that it’s time to fight the fear I have been facing with faith and hope. I hope, with all my heart, and with all the strength I have, that this child that I am carrying will be healthy and will be perfect. I hope that I can raise him in this life. That I can teach him about Christ and that I can lead and guide him with love. And I have the faith that no matter what happens, and no matter how the story of my life is penned, that it will be for my good.

It’s time to get off of the emotional rollercoaster that I have strapped myself into. I should and do expect that my baby will be healthy and perfect. Adam and I prayed about whether or not we should have this child, and we feel like our Heavenly Father granted us His approval. What more evidence do I need that things will work out?

Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea
Or demons or men or whatever it be,
No waters can swallow the ship where lies
The Master of ocean and earth and skies.
They all shall sweetly obey [his] will.
Peace, be still!