Growing up

My big kids have had some major accomplishments in the past couple of weeks.  Cora is POTTY TRAINED and Eli is READING!  I just started letting Cora go naked once in a while when she started showing signs of being ready to potty train and it worked (just like I did with Eli).  Eli was very encouraging and I really give him the credit...he would constantly remind her and encourage her.  She really looks up to him and would follow his lead.  We are at the point now that she is only wearing diapers for nap and bedtime (and sometimes when I know we are going to be gone for a long time as a back-up even though she never goes in it).  With Eli I would just remind him all the time to try and he would always go on command, but with her she will only go when she needs to and she tells me (remember Eli couldn't talk at this age).  It has been an easy, great experience just like it was with Eli.  YAY!  It will be nice to only have one kid in diapers now!  Cora already seems so grown up to me because she can talk in paragraphs like a 5 year old, so this just adds to her independence.  My little girl is growing up!  I am also super proud of Eli reading.  I knew he was able to sound out small words and knows all his letters and phonics, so I ordered the BOB books, which is a beginning reading set of books.  He loved them and read his first book a few weeks ago.  Every day he reads me one of the BOB books and I'm already planning on ordering the next set.  The best part is he enjoys it!  He loves cognitive challenges, so it doesn't surprise me in the least that he is reading before he is even 4 1/2!  He even has memorized some of the sight words and doesn't have to sound them out anymore.  With practice he is really coming along!  I haven't been on here in a while because ALL of us (besides Asher) have had strep throat the past week.  It was a nightmare, but we are all on the mend and almost done with medications.  We were at the doctor four times last week...that might just be a record for us!