Escapee

I know I said I was going to try and be better, well I guess missing one day as opposed to several months is better. Laiken has now decided she is no longer going to stay and or sleep in her crib. She climbed out yesterday after her nap. She has done this before, but we thought we remedied that by moving all furniture away from her crib. She has now figured out how to lower the side, yes, you read right, she can lower the side on her crib. She climbs out. Not a big deal as she can't get out the bedroom door and nothing to hurt her in her room. Until yesterday that is: She walked into Mike's room after he was in bed and fast asleep. Opened the door right up. She then applied her newly learned skill to open her door yesterday after nap. So this morning bright and early I hear her talking to her monkey on the way down the steps. She won't take a nap today. We have put her in and she has gotten out now seven times. Looks like it is time to do some room rearranging and furniture purchases.

Morgan is still at my mom's for spring break. Austin and Laiken are beginning to miss her now. Logan went out with a friend yesterday who moved away and was also at his grandma's for spring break. Laiken spent almost the whole time looking for the bus.

The boys played outside for a little while yesterday and Laiken was determined she was going out also. After her nap I got her all bundled up and we went for a stroll in the driveway. She was determined she was going out through the grass. She took three steps and fell flat on her face in the mud. In we came and she hasn't asked to go back out.

Mike's dog Jake died yesterday. I guess he was our dog, but he was MIKE's dog. He had him long before we got married and Jake didn't mess with the kids much. He tolerated them and was never mean to them, but he never let any of us ever get too close to him. I think he saw us as obstacles in his way to Mike. We used to laugh because if a dog could stick out their tongue he would have done that to me every chance he got. That dog wouldn't listen to me for anything. We knew it was coming. He was almost 19 years old and hasn't been able to do much this past winter. He basically was kept in his bed because he was blind and deaf. Logan keeps asking how we know he is playing ball in heaven and Austin keeps hugging and kissing me everytime I sit down. I asked him why he is doing that and he said I was the greatest mom in the world and he hoped I wasn't going to die next. We've had all the talks with them and think they understand as much as any 4 and 8 year old can, but I'm wondering if there is something else I should be doing or if they need to work through it on their own now. We still have to tell Morgan when she comes home.