Potty Training

In my four years of parenting, I've discovered that I place a lot of pride in the successes of my children. I also know that this isn't fair to them, and it is something that I need to work on. Pierce has been showing signs that he is ready for potty training and has shown some interest in it, so I thought I'd give it a whirl this weekend. Yesterday went remarkably well. In his non-diaper wearing time, we had 3.5 successes out of 5 total potty times. I mention the 0.5 because at one point he started to pee and finished up on the potty. I was pretty impressed by that. We did have a #2 accident, but it was easily cleaned.

So, I went to bed feeling like we had a pretty good day. Today, we are 0 for 2. Now, I am quite amazed that Pierce went at least 4 hours (from the time he woke up until about 11:30) without peeing. I tried to get him to use the potty several times, but he was either very resistant or would sit for a while without expelling anything. Then, at around 11:30 he peed A LOT and then he peed A LOT again at 12:15. Thankfully, we were outside for both of those incidents.

I know one of the worst things I can do is get frustrated and that there is only so much I can do to make him use the potty. I guess we'll try again after nap time.

Belly in the eye of the beholder?

So, most of you know that we are planning to move at the end of next month. We're not going far--just about 10 miles away--no job changes, either. We just wanted to get into a single-family home that's a little closer to friends and church. We're still renting, though, as we aren't confident enough in the housing market here to take the plunge into home ownership. So, the current tenant in the house we're moving to was nice enough to invite me to our new house to show me the "quirks" of the house--a very nice gesture. After I had been there for a few minutes, she proclaimed, "Gosh, I had forgotten you were pregnant! If I hadn't seen you from the side, I would have never known."

Contrast that with yesterday, when no fewer than 4 people told me that I was "really sticking out there" or "looked ready to pop" or "you're due in September? Wow! I would have guessed sooner!" While these things don't normally bother me, I was beginning to develop a complex. Maybe I shouldn't wear that shirt anymore???

Father's Day

We had a very busy Father's Day, as we also celebrated my in-laws' 40th wedding anniversary. All of their kids (and married-in kids) planned a party at my grandmother-in-law's (Granny) house. She has a beautiful place right on the Rappahannock River; it's a perfect setting for a summer-time party. We invited lots of friends and family and had a wonderful time honoring 40 years of a strong, Christ-centered, and loving marriage.

However, I feel like I neglected Father's Day just a little bit because we were so preoccupied with the party. So, I'd like to thank JD for being such a terrific dad. He works so hard to provide a stable, safe, and comfortable lifestyle, and I appreciate him sooooo much more when he's working hard away from home. (He's on his way to L.A. for most of the week.) I (and the kids) love you so much and miss you bunches when you're away. Also, I'd like to thank both my dad and my father-in-law for being such great dads, too. We hope we're making you proud of the way you raised us! We love you!

Back to work

I get my kids back tomorrow. I have mixed emotions about that:-) We've got a busy week ahead and I kind of dread it. The first part will be fun--heading down for some family time with my in-laws, but JD will be out of town for most of next week, so I'll be readjusting to the kids without him. YUCK! Hopefully the weather will cooperate and we can just spend a lot of time at the pool--good exercise, kids love it, they nap well afterward, and it doesn't take much creativity on my part.

I'm off to enjoy my last day of freedom for a while. Have a great Friday!

Pretty much a miracle

My friend, Shannon, sent me her picture of our kids together. How in the world did she manage to get a picture of all 5 kids looking at the camera AND smiling sweetly?

Double digits and no kids

I looked at my pregnancy ticker this morning and noticed that I only had 99 days left until my due date! Woo hoo! I'm into double digits! I'm trying to forget the fact that this means I still have 3 months to go.

The kids are with my parents this week. Yep, another week without them. So, this week I'm gonna try to get some more packing done, go to the pool, sleep a little later, RELAX with my cup of coffee, get a hair cut, and run a few errands efficiently. Any other suggestions?

A slightly more artistic version

Saying goodbye

really stinks. Some of our good friends have left the area this summer. My friend Margaret, along with her family, left first. They just moved to Fredericksburg, so it's not too far away. But, we certainly can't call them on a whim and hang out anymore. Now, our friends, the Brown family, are moving back to Texas, and we are so sad to see them go. Madelyn is taking it pretty well, but I'm not quite sure she understands it all. When JD asked if she was sad that Ben, Sam, and Anne were leaving, she replied, "No. We're going to visit them in Texas."

I think we will do just that. Here's a picture of our final time together this morning:

Ballet Videos

Today was Madleyn's last ballet class for summer. We're trying soccer in a couple of weeks. Madelyn had a private lesson today, and her teacher let Pierce join in on the fun. Here are some clips of the morning session:

Do you think I'll be paying for violin lessons at some point?

Playing in the "sand"

And cleaning up afterward:

Compliment?

I took the kids to the pool yesterday, and we had a really good time. While we were there, I had this exchange with another mom:

Other mom: You are the cutest pregnant lady I've ever seen.
Me: Wow! Let's arrange some playdates, so you can tell me that more often.
Other mom: When are you due? Any day now?
Me: Uhhhh, no...mid-September.
Other mom: It's amazing how you forget how big you get. I have 5 kids. You'd think I'd remember.

I'm still trying to figure out what to make of this little conversation.

Craigslist success

There were a few things I wanted for this baby that were different/I didn't have with the other two. I wanted a new swing because the one we have is more for babies in the 3-4 month range. Madelyn liked it but only used it for about a month or so and Pierce really didn't like it at all. So, I went in search of a better swing but didn't want to buy a new one. I found the one I wanted:



It's the Graco Sweet Peace Newborn Soother and retails for about $180. I searched Craigslist for a couple of weeks and finally found one. I paid $90 for it.

The second item was a bassinet. I wasn't really particular about this, but I wanted to have a vibrating mode option and locking wheels so that I can move it from room to room easily. I found this one on Craigslist:




It's the Kolcraft Cuddle n Care Rocking Bassinet with Light Vibes and retails for around $100. I thought the lady was asking $30, but when I got there, she told me I could have it for $20 since she had neglected to mention the slight tear in the fabric. ( I would have never noticed the tear.)

The third item was a new stroller. I wanted a sit and stand stroller. After doing some research and consulting with friends, I decided I wanted the Joovy Ultralight Caboose. These can be pretty pricey and depending on the retailer, they go for $250-$350. I searched Craigslist and found a barely used one like this:

I paid $140. So, the three items would retail for $530 (low estimate), and my out-of pocket was $250. Not too bad, I suppose.