Welcome Behind the Wall

This is my first post since I went private.  We all liked the easy access to the blog, but this way provides some needed security so that prying eyes do not see every mundane detail of our lives.
Anders is putting up a brave face regarding swimming and MOPS--a group that has activities for mothers and children, but separates them so that the moms can have adult conversations.  He does not like to be separated from Anna and he does not like going under water.  Last week at swimming I made sure he didn't go under.  He was so engaged that by the end of swimming lessons, he went off the water slide twice!  This is from a kid who only recently started going down a dry slide on the playground.  It was a remarkable turnaround over the course of half an hour as he went from clinging and whining to marching up the ladder of the slide to his teacher and then sliding down to me.  Anders calms himself by counting to 20 before he slides down the alligator mouth slide. 
Similarly, at physical therapy, he took his treatment from Chamira all on his own.  Anna talked it over with him and he agreed that she would stay in the waiting room and he would go in and do his exercises with her. 
I would say that Anders is settling into a routine after our return from Christmas Break.  It took a while, but he now knows what to expect and when.  He doesn't always like it, but as long as he's not surprised things usually go well or at least okay.
The potty training is going quite well for a boy.  Once he learns to "tuck," we will have climbed another mountain.  He's gaining bladder control each day it seems and he has no problem stinking up the living room with many a "man-sized poop." 
We seemed to have entered the rainy season in SE Texas.  I can see how our home and the area around it used to be rice fields or sugar plantations before that.  Yet, we are still in a drought!  After breaking 80 last week, we are in the low 50s and overcast today, but no rain...so far.
I don't care who wins the Super Bowl, but I hope the commercials are good.
I am thankful for fresh-made grocery store guacamole.