  Aidan's teacher at school continues to impress me. She really takes an interest in him and his developmental progress. I was sharing with her my dilemma about the upcoming Halloween holiday because she knows about--and has applauded--my position on sweets. Last year Aidan was too young to even understand that candy was the point of all the festivities. This year, I don't think I'll be so lucky. The school party, the trick-or-treating with the grandparents, and the neighborhood afterparty promise to all push the sweets. She understood my problem, but instead of just saying I understand, she offered to do some research and help me come up with a solution.
He's really making progress with the potty training, but it still just sucks. I find myself wondering sometimes if diapers forever could even be worse than this. All this week, his teacher would put him in a pull-up right before I came to get him because she knew we couldn't risk an accident on the bus. Again, she's a really good teacher. Ellie continues to be her bright and bubbly self, she loves everyone around her and lives so fully in every observation, every game. I can't get over how different her personality is from Aidan's at this age, and how different my relationship has been with them both. Aidan was so independent. He would love on me, then scramble away to explore. Ellie is so attached to me that we're both happiest when the other is near.
She speaks to me so clearly, we communicate through all her emotions, body movements, and babbling. I know part of the reason she's so attached to me is that no one else can understand her so well and it makes her confused, even lonely. I lean on the advice from Dr. Sears about putting aside comments of others who think a very attached baby is a bad thing. I want to treasure and celebrate our relationship without editing it. 
